by Kakie Urch
[excerpted from this week’s coverstory, page 6. This is an ongoing story; please email your recs for the best local clicks to KakieUrch@gmail.com]
We are indeed — despite the (TM) claims of that burg in Florida — the Horse Capital of the World. And in some far-flung corners of the Internet, we stake a pretty good claim as well. From well, right here.
As we go to press, Drew Curtis, the local founder of Fark.com takes his victory lap around Austin’s South by Southwest Interactive after being nominated for a lifetime achievement Bloggie (10 years is a lifetime on the Internets, fer sher). Ace brought you the “Fark Turns 10” coverstory of the humorous news aggregator site’s 10th anniversary on February 5.
Its time to shine the spotlight on some other local digital projects that reach that “world class” standard, or at least are local Best of Show contenders.
This is an interactive endeavor. Let us know — through the Ace blog comments or via email (KakieUrch@gmail.com) or via Twitter (twitter.com/aceweekly and twitter.com/ProfKakie) about which locally produced sites are the best. This is a list starter, like sourdough. Not “The List.” Add to it. Aggregate. You know, Internet it up.
Oh, and yes, we are very, very aware that the Ace Weekly site is not even close to being on this List. (20 years is a lifetime in the altweekly biz, fer sher). But it will earn its spot, with the 20th anniversary re-launch of a new site, currently under construction by an eminently local, award-winning design firm. (Just bookmark the blog and twitter and read us here everyday in the meantime.)
What follows is an excerpt of the starter list.
You Ain’t No Picasso http://www.youaintnopicasso.com
It provides, for the significant alternative music fanbase, breaking news and tunes. Matt Jordan, a recent University of Kentucky Journalism and Telecommunications grad whom you also may recognize as the knowledgeable-but-NOT-snobby record store clerk at CD Central is the conduit.
The Bloodhorse http://www.bloodhorse.com
Keeneland http://www.keeneland.com
Digital Chumps http://www.digitalchumps.com
GoTreadGo http://www.gotreadgo.com
Tonic, WUKY’s online arts and music magazine http://www.uky.org/tonic.html
Barefoot and Progressive http://barefootandprogressive.blogspot.com
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth http://www.kftc.org
Ace READER FAVORITES submitted via Facebook and twitter so far include:
http://www.NewMayor2010.com
http://www.GreenLex.org
http://www.hautemommastuff.com (the most devoted, organized write-in campaign)
http://www.maryjeanwall.com
and
not local, but cited as an example for locals, http://www.ILiveinLouisville.com.
Best local website; Best local blog; and best local micro-blog will all be categories in Ace’s 20th anniversary Best of Lex this year. (Voting is in August; the Best of Lex issue will be on stands September 17, 2009.) Stay tuned.
Kakie Urch is an assistant professor of new media in UK’s School of Journalism and Telecommunications. Contact her with your List of favorites.
