Is it "too gross" of us to talk about this award that DownWithTyranny has won? How about if we throw in an adorable-dog photo? (Click to enlarge)

Here is all-grown-up Dot the border collie in her favorite position on the sofa, which allows her to maintain reasonable surveillance of the den, stairs, and adjoining kitchen. She is flexible, though, and will uncomplainingly (usually) take up a less good seat on this sofa or the one opposite in the event that her spot is occupied.

This was Howie's question, from the other side of the world, as to whether it would be "too gross" of us to toot our own horn. Who knew that DownWithTyranny has an "excessive grossness" standard? (After all, we print pictures of Joe Lieberman all the time. Could anything be grosser than that?)

Anyway, the award comes from Monkeyfister, as one of the 2007 Monkeyfist Awards. Monkeyfister explains:

These awards are given to recognize smaller, unsung bloggers who are giving there all to stop the lies of the Right Wing Machine-- thus the graphic of the fist choking the Flying "Morans!" Monkey in mid-flight. These people are DOING IT-- Locally, on a small scale, within their communities, no budget, and one-on-one. And they are succeeding. This is my way of recognizing them, and their efforts. For every awarded person, I am sure that there are thousands more yet unsung. To them I can only say that I hope your time will come. Let me know of you.

And now for the moment you've been waiting for:

The Bolivar Award (with Populist Cluster)-- To Down With Tyranny for constantly taking the exactly-right stand on every issue to come up, digging deep, delivering excellent in-depth analysis, and clearly stating the view of THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

Well, er, gosh, thanks, Monkeyfister. Unaccustomed as we are to public speaking,* that's, well, yeah, kind of what we had in mind.

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*Actually, Howie is a highly accomplished and popular public speaker. He just tends to make himself a little crazy by usually not knowing what exactly he's going to say till he's in front of the audience.

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