Contributor Connect

Content of the Year Winners for 2010... Part Two!

By Y! Jelena1/25/2011 PST

Surprise!

In 2010, our platform got a lot more purple, and synced up with some of the world's most popular online destinations. Because extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, we decided to commemorate this very special year by expanding our Yahoo! Contributor Awards "Content of the Year" category to include ten winners rather than the usual five!

We just announced our first set of honorees. Here are our final five Content of the Year selections, rounding out an amazing double batch of winners, representing the incredible insight that our contributors bring to sites across the Yahoo! network:

Content of the Year, 2010 — Part 2

The Trouble with Truthiness: Are Movies like "The Social Network" Irresponsible?
by Peter Hanson

Mark Zuckerberg was named Person of the Year by Time Magazine, but which Zuck do most Facebook users know best? The real businessman behind Facebook, or the fictionalized version presented to theatrical audiences in The Social Network? In this insightful article, Peter Hanson uses a lifetime of experience in film-making to explore the practice of making movies about real people, using their real names, while taking liberties with their stories and personalities.
> Read Peter's Content of the Year Acceptance Speech

Why I Feel Compassion for the Children of Haiti
by Nina Rotz

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be a child displaced by a natural or man-made disaster? Nina Rotz knows all too intimately the confusion and suffering experienced by child survivors of the earthquake that brought Haiti to its knees in early 2010. She shares her experiences as a child surviving the Balkan War, shedding light on how tragedy affects children, whether that tragedy is natural or a result of war. Will any of the children orphaned and displaced last year in Haiti become writers like Nina, and one day use their own memories to encourage the world to empathize with the victims of a future disaster?
> Read Nina's Content of the Year Acceptance Speech

Mush! The Life of a Sled Dog Racer
by MH Bonham

MH Bonham's reflection on her more than 20 years as a musher (sled dog racer) opens a window into a world often shown on television and in movies, but genuinely understood by only a few, dedicated individuals. Yahoo! Contributor Network is at its best when it provides a voice and a soapbox for talented writers who have unusual experiences and wisdom to share. This piece illustrated that strength, transporting the reader into a snowstorm on a dog sled as MH Bonham fondly recalls her favorite lead dog and the feeling of racing through the snow with her team.
> Read MH's Content of the Year Acceptance Speech

Transient Global Amnesia: Not as Scary as it Sounds
by Nancy Tracy

Can you imagine suddenly losing your memory, without any injury or apparent trigger? It happened to Nancy Tracy's friend, Marielle, and became the basis for an informative and reassuring article on transient global amnesia. Sudden, temporary amnesia is frightening, but it doesn't always signal a serious health problem. Nancy calmly recounts her friend's strange experience with this rare memory disorder, then delves into research on the causes, treatments, and significance of transient global amnesia. All in all, the piece is a great example of Yahoo! Contributor Network's ability to provide just the sort of information a person in crisis might need, while simultaneously intriguing and educating other readers.
> Read Nancy's Content of the Year Acceptance Speech

The Art of Gaming
by Katy Cross

Katy Cross, veteran gamer and self-proclaimed nerd, takes on Roger Ebert's opinions of video games in this witty, delightful article. Beginning with a moment of what she describes as "nerd rage," Katy explores the question raised by Ebert: Are video games art? Even if you've never played a game more complex than Tetris and you think the Mario Brothers are restaurateurs, you'll enjoy Katy's funny insights into the gamer psyche and the definition of art.
> Read Katy's Content of the Year Acceptance Speech

_{Mark Zuckerberg portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network; MH Bonham with her sled dogs}