ExecutedToday.com

“There are six guineas for you, and do not hack me as you did my Lord Russell.”
-The Duke of Monmouth to his notoriously clumsy executioner

Thanks to this site’s various visitors, readers, passers-by and well-wishers for your many forms of aid and comfort.

It used to be customary to tip the executioner, as the Duke did. Some ultimate assertion of noble contempt, or simply a bribe in the hopes of a job smoothly done.*

With the New Year comes the silly season of Internet awards, a good time to revive the tradition of tipping executioners who hack or vice versa. This hack is wheedling votes for a couple of contests: can you spare a click or two for the holidays to stroke his vanity?

This Bloggies link prepopulates a few categories this blog will be up for; I’m particularly keen on “Best-Kept Secret Weblog” and “Best New Weblog”. The nomination window is only open for a few days and quantity of votes counts, but the process is very easy. Be sure to nominate at least a couple of other blogs you like, too (perhaps from Executed Today’s links?) — your ballot must have at least three different blogs to count.

At the expense of an e-mail registration, you can also back me for Freakiest Blogger in the Bloggers Choice Awards — an award I daresay these pages are well-qualified for — and the relative paucity of votes means yours will make an immediate impact.

* The tip didn’t make the headsman any less clumsy. Pay no attention to that.

Also On This Date

• 1892: Sylvester Henry Bell