Why do I hate running competitions? Because I have to pick a winner. Or, more accurately, because I have to tell a bunch of other people they didn’t win. I hate doing that. Especially when I’ve run a competition where people have taken the time to put some creativity into their response.
I really wish I could send everybody a prize. Because in a very important way, everyone who enters is a winner. But in a far more accurate way, most entrants end up being losers. Anyway, as I’ve mentioned previously, I’ve been running a competition on YouTube where people who don’t have a video camera (or have a crappy one) can win a new digital camera from me.
I’ve finally gotten around to narrowing the entrants (about 20 of them) down to five finalists. This was not an easy task and would have been bloody impossible without the input provided by my lovely girlfriend.
For those who would like to help me out by providing some input, here are the finalists:
VIVALADIL
STUCKINOUTERSPACE
RUSTY628
PAZVIBES
OXFORD152
Damn these people and their creativity making it so hard for me to choose!
Angry 365 Days a Year 
I like Vivaladil: he thinks quickly. I like his attitude, too: there’s always something out there that’ll interest him – he doesn’t hope that something’s going to interest him, he knows it. And because of that, he’ll always find something to shoot with the camera.
Nice photography from Stuckin… Did (s)he take all the pictures. Nice story, anyway.
Rusty’s articulate – I’m sure I wasn’t that articulate at 15. You should write more, mate.
Quality asskissing from Pazvibes. I like the idea of paying the camera on, too. Good thinking, Batman!
Oxford152’s just weird (which is a good thing, incidentally).
Fuck it, man: I’m not going to vote. You choose.
Matt
Oh, all right, that was too indecisive.
My vote goes to Rusty, because (s)he said the most in the shortest space of time.
Matt
I just noticed a tiny, tiny, smiley face to the right of the title angry 365 days a year on your homepage, lol
I also vote for Rusty, It told alot about the struggle of life.
Viva La Dil. he gets my vote, because he said c*nt.
I tend to be a bit puerile. If anyone had done a fart gag, they would have my vote, but I think I’ll have to run with Viva La Dil.
Cheers, Angry.
I really liked PAZVIBES and his mandolin. Not in a homosexual sense -but I still liked it.
PAZVIBES is amazing, plus i have seen his band live, and i’m going to two more gigs to support them as they don’t make any money out of it, which is a shame as they are amazing and they are amazing for being able to take such a chance on doing something they love! He should get the camera to help him and his band document their tours.
just as an add on note, i’ve met him and chatted to him and hes an amazing person!
Who won?
Matt
Pazvibes was the #1 winner. He got a better camera than I originally had for the prize. I had actually bought 4 of the shitty cheap cameras and intended to use them in successive competitions but after using them decided they weren’t good enough to maintain interest as prizes. So the other 4 finalists all get a camera.