15 August 2013

Watcher’s Council Nominations – 10 Year Anniversary Edition

Ten years ago, the original Watcher had an idea. Blogging carnivals, featuring posts from different bloggers were all the rage then, but our illustrious Founder had a different idea. Instead of a haphazard and changing bunch of contributors every week he put together the concept of a set membership, a Watcher’s Council that would promote the best in the blogosphere, week in and week out…a group that would become a community rather than just a collection of random links.
It worked, and the fact that it’s lasted so long is worth looking at. If I had to pick out a reason, I’d say it’s both the quality of the writers and the quality of the people involved.
Ten years is an eternity in the world of the internet. As the current Watcher, what I’m going to write here is probably a little corny, but still true and from the heart – I’m honored to work with such a great group of writers and be a part of the Watcher’s Council. I always have been, ever since I first got the nod from the original Watcher to come aboard and join the Council back in 2005. It really is a community, and I think that comes across to our readers.
The strength of that community was tested in a unique way back in 2008, when the original Watcher had to bow out due to health concerns and we lost our community site. Most groups of this sort would have faded into the woodwork and just dissolved. But I was around at the time and I remember how we all rallied as a group and said no, we weren’t going anywhere, thanks.
We put our collective heads together via e-mail, set up a rotating schedule to host the weekly nominations and results on our individual sites, kept linking to each other and kept right on going. We worked together, watched each others backs and never missed a week. The esprit was amazing, and it brought all of us closer together.
We kept it going ourselves for a few months until August of 2008 when we ran into Terry Trippany, our current web wizard, who put together our new site for us, still hosts and troubleshoots it and even acted as Watcher for a period.
Since the Council started up, some members have come and gone, and we’ve made some changes, but the basic structure the original Watcher put together has endured and the quality of what has become a must read weekly magazine on politics, culture and foreign affairs continues to keep our fans informed and entertained.
We still haven’t missed a week.
The Council is something unique in the world of the internet, a community of writers from varied backgrounds that swaps our triumphs, travails, stories, information, outrageous jokes and links to each others’ stuff while still competing every week to put out the best entries we can. Along with everything else, it’s a heckuva lot of fun.
I’m sure my fellow Council Members will join me in thanking our fans for tuning in to our corner of the blogosphere, and in shouting “Council Akbar!”
This week’s contest is lovingly dedicated to our former comrade in arms, Major Andrew Olmsted.
Council News:
This week, Ask Marion and The Pirate’s Cove took advantage of my generous offer of link whorage and earned honorable mention status with some great articles.
You can, too! Want to see your work appear on the Watcher’s Council homepage in our weekly contest listing? Didn’t get nominated by a Council member? No worries.
Simply head over to Joshuapundit and post the title a link to the piece you want considered along with an e-mail address ( which won’t be published) in the comments section no later than Monday 6PM PST in order to be considered for our honorable mention category. Then return the favor  by creating a post on your site linking to the Watcher’s Council contest for the week when it comes out Wednesday morning
Simple, no?
It’s a great way of exposing your best work to Watcher’s Council readers and Council members. while grabbing the increased traffic and notoriety. And how good is that, eh?
So, let’s see what we have this week….

Council Submissions

Honorable Mentions

Non-Council Submissions

 

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