Cathy Resmer at Seven Days made an awesome slideshow about a Vermont sculptor who makes eerily realistic dolls of deceased infants. The slideshow accompanies an article in the print edition of the paper, out today. It's both disturbing and touching -- a really nice use of a/v on the web. Cathy writes...

This week I produced an unusual audio slideshow about memorial dolls.

It features Jennifer Stocks-Dearborn, a Jefforsonville sculptor who makes realistic clay babies for people whose infants have died. Her own daughter died of SIDS in 2000.

Leon Thompson wrote a story about her for this week's paper, but I thought we could do more with the images of the dolls. Stocks-Dearborn refers to them as "creepy, naked babies," and they are indeed creepy. And also beautiful. And sad.

I drove to Stocks-Dearborn's house on Monday and recorded an interview with her, which I edited and mixed with the song "Precious Time" from The Cush. Talking with her was a moving experience. I hope that's clear from the slideshow.

Don, our creative director, has created a new template for the slideshows, which makes them look more professional.

I think this project illustrates the value of this particular medium. Some people suggested that we shoot video of Stocks-Dearborn, but I think the still images, paired with the audio, are more poignant.

And BoingBoing posted about it! Not sure if it was my suggest-a-site prompt or someone else's (no referring link provided), but it's certainly worthy. Kudos and congratulations, Cathy! 

We are ever so honored to have won this year's Seven Days Daysie Award for Best Vermont (non-political) Blog. Congratulations, Candlebloggers. I think that the community of front page posters and commenters are a huge part of what makes Candleblog a good place to stop by on a regular basis so this Daysie is for all y'all. Enjoy it.

Our congratulations also go out to the runner-up in the category, Eva Sollberger and her video blog, Stuck in Vermont. W00t! Maybe someday they can add a Best Vermont Vlog category.

Philip Baruth's Vermont Daily Briefing took home the prize for Best Vermont (political) Blog and Green Mountain Daily was the runner up in that category.

This was the first year that Seven Days split the Best Vermont Blog category into "political" and "non-political" flavors. Last year, Philip's VDB was the winner of the inclusive Best Vermont Blog category and Matty the Greek's Diabologue and Candleblog essentially tied for runner-up status. Candleblog was the winner in 2005 with something like 12 people voting in the category. That was the first year there was a blog category of any kind.

Congratulations to all the winners. See you all at the awards shindig on Friday. Mazel tov, etc.

BTW, if you're clicking through to Candleblog from Seven Days and you want a sense of what the meat of the blog tastes like, check out this discussion about the democratization of technology or this one about the efficacy of non-theism. Or try out this barn-burner about the recent kerfuffle over a blogger's "code of conduct." For the really important stuff, check out this discussion about the various definitions of "science fiction." And for some mindless link satisfaction, feel free to peruse our exhaustive collection of Thursday linkdumps.

Make sure you read the comments for all the real fun.

UPDATE: and of course our site was completely down all morning because of some sort of script being abused or something. Great timing! Candleblog: We Work Sometimes! 

I occasionally get requests from folks looking to be added to Candleblog's blogroll. I have a pretty lax policy about that, particularly if you're a Vermonter. Today I received an email from one Rachel Carter, an independent PR consultant working in Burlington. She has three (!) active blogs that she's looking to promote, along with her professional website. And I thought I was blog obsessed.

I'll add these blogs to the regular VT blogroll soon, but here they are in the meantime with her descriptions...

RachelCarterPR - Professional public relations discussion and tips blog.

Vermont Music - Discussion, news, and thoughts on Vermont bands and musicians.

Vermont Vibes - Musings and exploration on the positive vibrations felt in the Green Mountain State.

Woof. That's a lot of blogging to take on. Good luck Rachel! I'll stay tuned. Too bad I didn't know about you before I wrote the piece I just submitted to Business People Vermont about new media and marketing. Next time I guess... 

The Vermont Film Commission got some much needed good publicity with this recent Simpsons world premiere in Springfield. Things have been shaky at best at the underfunded and under staffed commission for some time, and acting commissioner Loranne Turgeon is doing a herculean effort to turn things around. She's even touting the commission's new indy-minded outlook to local TV, as evidenced by this WCAX piece about the premiere. The funny bit though (and the real reason for this post), is this 'graph:

In addition to courting Hollywood, the film commission is devising ways to help Vermont movie-makers, who, as cameras get lighter and cheaper, are making more and more independent films each year.

Okay, so I get that WCAX isn't going to be savvy about digital editing tools and the effect they have had on indy filmmaking (that is, at least as big an effect as the cheaper cameras), and yes, cameras getting within shouting range of affordable has been a big deal, but lighter? Yeah, that's why there's such a proliferation of indy filmmakers in Vermont and the rest of the world -- because the cameras were just too damned heavy before! Thank god film and video cameras don't weigh hundreds of pounds like they did back in the 90s! That really sucked! I'm getting carpel- tunnel syndrome just thinking about the bad old days. Sheesh. 

Philip Baruth has a comprehensive wrap-up of yesterday's political BBQ and hamburger summit over at Vermont Daily Briefing -- with pictures! Bloggers and politicians and babies, oh my! Good times. 

The second annual Political Bar-B-Que and Hamburger Summit begins at North Beach in 30 minutes. I will be there with some proverbial bells. NOAA doesn't seem to have a clue whether it will rain or not. The forecast for today has been different the last three times I've checked. It's sunny now though.

C'mon down and join us. There will be at least one non-political blogger there, though I'm running a bit late so don't look for me until about 1:30. 

File under: "Oh no you didn't!"

Yes, it's true. The Springfield, Illinois Journal Register ran a story this morning called "Cheating or fraud? How did we lose? Vermont city shanghais the Simpsons." The article calls foul on the fact that Springfield, Vermont, which bested the Illinois city of the same name in the recent video showdown to claim the right to host the Simpsons movie world premiere, "got more votes than it has residents." Hmm... suspicious indeed! Except for the fact that anyone in the country could vote (not just Springfield residents) and that Vermont's video, while amateurish and very "user-generated" in it's look, stood out in style and content from all of the other state's entries.

I was surprised too, but calling cheating in a popularity contest that was reported to be close anyway seriously lacks grace and class. I was born in Illinois, but I'm sure proud Vermont is my home.

Thanks for the heads up, Mazur!

More sour donuts here 

I sort of can't believe this. Congratulations to the team that made the winning video. w00t! 

Eagle-eyed Reba pointed out that at the end of Madonna's Live Earth set from London Saturday, a certain familiar looking Ukrainian gypsy rocker appeared on stage with her and danced. The appearance begins at 6:23 into this YouTube clip and it looks to be downright unrehearsed. She even has to give some improvised stage direction.

According to his Wikipedia page, Eugene is playing the lead in a short film that Madonna is directing. Huh. "Punk rock, no future!" 

My friend Andrea T. just emailed me to tell me about a show that's coming to Burlington that sounds pretty interesting. I'll be out of town (at Smoothie's wedding) but here's the info, in case anyone else wants to check it out. Andrea writes...

This Sunday, June 24, 2007 The Evens, with Ian MacKaye, formerly of Minor Threat and Fugazi, and Amy Farina, formerly of The Warmers, will be playing at Contois Auditorium, City Hall.

I emailed Ian a while back telling him he should come to Burlington to play and he responded enthusiastically. It is thanks to the help of all the people who have volunteered that this event is happening--artists, music lovers, and motivated folks.

Here are the details of the show:

Who: The Evens--Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina

When: Sunday, June 24, 2007
Doors at 8:00 pm
Show at 8:30 sharp

Where: Contois Auditorium, City Hall, 149 Church St., Burlington, VT

Admission: $5
For advance tickets purchase at Radio Bean or online: http://www.workingset.com/evens/