FNORD! Again

2009 was a year of changes and consolidation. It saw the end of Babkha, a micronation that served as a pillar of our sector since before the MCS even existed. It saw the end of the hated MicroHub, which for all of its flaws served as a continuation of the MNN tradition and one of our last links to the larger micronational world. It saw the organization of large chunks of the world into the Small Commonwealth and its Small Economy, which have escaped the pitfalls of so many other organizations by expecting less.

And thus commenced the 2009 FNORD Awards earlier this evening, hosted by its eponymous and erstwhile founder, Scott of Hyperborea.

The awards, held, as ever, in honour of Emperor Norton Day and inspired by Molossia's original Norton Awards, were judged this year by Bjorn Ironfist of Stormark, Ryan Caruso of Shireroth, Emperor Edgard of Alexandria, and Guido Zambelis of Lovely.

A traditional mix of categories has been continued, with the winners of each as follows:

• Most Promising New Micronation: Victoria
• Award for Graphic Arts: Victoria
• Award for Leadership: Chris Mules (Antica)
• Jeremy Bellamy Award for Literature: Ben Kern ( Rauðbjörn's Saga, Stormark)
• Bill Dusch Award for Cultural Development: Aryeztur Mejorkhor (Wiki of Aryez)
• Joshua Coales Award for Best New Idea: The Small Commonwealth
• Tony Au Award for Economics: The Small Commonwealth
• Iain Jacobson Award for Journalism: Max Edwards (Litovsker Tagblatt, Ashkenatza)
  
• Liam conToketi Award for Most Promising Micronationalist: Andrew Allot (Elwynn, Shireroth)
• Shane Odlum Award for Overall Achievement: Nathan Shepard (Natopia)

The winners, will, for the first time, receive real medals instead of virtual ones, courtesy of Dr. Spangle.

FNORDs 1, Norton Awards 0

It's Emperor Norton Day once again, and, as usual on Emperor Norton Day, there are one or two commemorative award ceremonies to look forward to.

There should ideally, be two, but the original Norton Awards seem to have sadly run out of steam, despite a poll showing overwhelming public demand for them.

Happily, the alternative FNORD Awards, back this year in the capable hands of its erstwhile founder Scott Alexander, has triumphed yet again with a wide variety of worthy winners carefully chosen by judging panel comprising such well-known and respected names as Ryan Caruso, Liam Sinclair, Chris Mules, Ari Rahikkala, and Ardashir Khan.

As is traditional, the award winners are listed as follows:

• Tony Au Award for Economics: Andreas Mayer
• Liam Sinclair Award for Micronational History: Jonas Windsor
• Jeremy Bellamy Award for Recwar and Storytelling: Antony Montague
• Liam con Toketi Award for Best New Micronationalist: Peter Ulsnes
• Best Original Idea: Dr Spangle
• Bill Dusch Award For Cultural Development: Troy Thompson
• Best Graphic Artwork: Scott Alexander
• Iain Jacobson Award for Micronational Journalism: Will Tomsett
• Shane Odlum Award for Overall Achievement: Hesam Jayatar

Our congratulations to all.

The FNORD and Norton Awards Return!

Rejoice, for the season of micronational awards in honour of Emperor Norton is upon us once again!

The FNORD Awards are being co-ordinated by their founder, Scott Alexander of the Institute of Micropatriology. Nominations are currently being accepted for the following categories:

Economics, Best New Micronationalist, Overall Achievement, Micronational History, Journalism, Cultural Development, Recwar and Storytelling, Best New Micronation, Best Original Idea, Best Signature/Avatar, Best Graphic Artwork.

Meanwhile, the Norton Awards are being co-ordinated by their founder, HM Kevin Baugh of Molossia, with nominations being accepted for:

Intermicronational Achievement, Political Achievement, Cultural Achievement, New Micronation of the Year, Personal Achievement

We recommend placing your nominations while you can.

The Norton NewsBlink: Awards, Abdications and Sealand

It's been an Emperor Norton Day to remember this year, with all sorts of interesting things happening...

Some Awards
As is the custom on this day, the FNORD Awards were presented in the Norton Lounge, this year by Sander Dieleman of Lemuria. As usual lots of people won various medals, while even more didn't, but that's just how such things go.

This year is the 127th anniversary of Emperor Norton's untimely death, and the fourth anniversary of the FNORDs themselves, which were created by the omnipotent Scott Alexander of many, many places as an alternative to the original Norton Awards, which seem unfortunately to have been carelessly forgotten about this year.

And then for those of you like less serious awards, you might like to check out the first ever Paper Plate Awards...

... and an Abidication
Shireroth's Kaiseress Carol abdicated today in favour of her daughter, Hypatia. Clearly disappointed at the lack of general support by most of the populace for keeping the nation going, she ended her remarkable reign with a mercifully brief yet moving speech which promised a great renaissance in the hands of the new Kaiseress.

Other than the Royal Family and President Jacobus of the FRC, we think that two ordinary Shirerithians attended the ceremony, which is probably some kind of record.

... and then there's Sealand...
which is offered now for sale, or for rent, depending on who you want to believe, as long as you have many millions of something to pay for it. NewsNow has lots of reports in many tongues, so read them while you can, before everyone gets bored and finds something else to waffle about.

And finally...
Someone from NationStates has joined the Grand Commonwealth's Babkha. In return, the Shah , who has long bound himself to join NationStates in return, will finally discover a place that's worse than the infamous salt mines...

NewsBlinks: blink and you'll miss 'em ^MTM

Norton Awards Revived!

Following his special appearance at last year's FNORD Awards as Guest of Honour, President Kevin Baugh of Molossia has decided to revive the original Norton Awards this year, at the suggestion of Carson Smith, the King of Ronen, among many other things.

As before, the Norton Awards are held to celebrate Emperor Norton Day on January 8th, to commemorate the anniversary of his death in 1880. A short biography of his life and achievements may be found here.

The winners of the 2005 Norton Awards are:

Cultural achievement: President Kevin Baugh - for developing the Republic of Molossia's culture.
Intermicronational achievement: Marjorie Boodlesmythe of the NFA - for getting Micro-Net back on the Internet.
Political achievement: Northern Forest Archipelago - for being mentioned in 2 articles in the macronational press, one article focusing mainly on the NFA.
New micronation of the year: Utopia - for its promotion of individual sovereignty, and Interlingua as a common tongue.
Personal achievement: Kieran Bennett, Julian Starr, and Richard Shears - for the founding of Kallidéa.

A Flurry of FNORDs

For the fourth time in three years, micronationalists are busily nominating their choices for the People's FNORD Awards. This year there are over thirty awards available for nomination, although only the most popular will make it through to the final round of voting by five top judges.

The FNORD Awards are named after a combination of Emperor Joshua Norton and the Illuminatus Trilogy and were inspired by the original Norton Awards, which have long ceased to be. Their aim is to recognise micronationalists who have "lived up to the example of crazy genius that Norton pioneered" and "made the micronational world a much more interesting place."

The format of the awards has changed over the years, but this year sees the return of the voting judges, and a record number of awards. Nominations will close at the end of this weekend in time for several days of intense voting by the judges.