Zenpundit Decennium
We have reached the tenth year here at zenpundit.com.
This is an uncommon duration in the blogosphere. When I started, blogging was a marginal activity, a “fad”, that I was warned against by a well-meaning academic who thought I would be wasting my time. Today institutions of great importance, politicians, celebrities and, strangely, major media outlets, believe that a blog is a “must have” platform, even when the cutting edge of debate has shifted to social media services like twitter and facebook – everyone’s blog “anchors” their presence and provides a place for arguments more complex than what can be conveyed in 140 characters.
It is appropriate at this time that I make a few brief remarks in honor of the occasion.
First, would be to say thank you to the readership and commenters, past and present. It is you who have made zenpundit.com worth doing by returning time and again, by making contributions of your own here, by email and by circulating posts with which you agree (or dispute) in your own networks. You have given us the ability to punch well above our weight and for that I am grateful.
Secondly, to our “bigger fish” supporters and affiliated sites who have given the bloggers here other forums or added attention. There are many, but especial thanks needs to be given to Dave Dilegge and the crew at Small Wars Journal, to Thomas P.M. Barnett, to John Robb, to Bruce Kesler, to Dave Schuler and The Watcher’s Council, to Howard Rheingold’s Brainstorms community, to Pragati Magazine, to DoctrineMan!!, to Wikistrat and the gang at Chicago Boyz. Your help has not always been noted but it has always been appreciated.
Lastly, to my co-bloggers Charles Cameron and J. Scott Shipman, whose intellectual range, wise advice and excellent writing have vastly enriched zenpundit.com far beyond what I could have ever accomplished on my own. I am honored that you have chosen to be here.
May the next decade surpass the first!
February 25th, 2013 at 6:12 am
Congrats! That is ten years of some excellent blogging and analysis/synthesis. Here is to the next decade….
February 25th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
Congrats! I first started coming here via links from Instapundit around 2004 and Zenpundit has been a regular read since then. Thanks for keeping things interesting.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:01 pm
Wow! Congratulations. You are a good egg and a class act (that goes for all ZP bloggers….)
February 25th, 2013 at 3:06 pm
Congratulations!
Best wishes for the decade to come.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:36 pm
Congrats, Zen. ZenPundit is a small blog which most definitely punches above its weight class. I’m glad to have read it over the past 7 years or so.
One of these days I’ll make it up to your neck of the woods for a brewski. I’d fancy a meeting with you and Lex.
Semper Fidelis,
NTL
February 25th, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Congratulations, Mark. Zenpundit is a must-read. (Now, that book about warlordism … )
February 25th, 2013 at 5:57 pm
Congratulations, Mark!
One of my favorite bloggers to dialog with.
February 25th, 2013 at 6:47 pm
Thanks for sharing the excellent blog Zen!
February 25th, 2013 at 7:54 pm
Congratulations Mark. As we say in Alabama……Ya dun good boy!!!
February 25th, 2013 at 8:22 pm
Congratulations Mark, while I don´t comment much, I have come here time and again as I always enjoy the articles and insights. When I first started reading, the subject of security, wars, terrorism, was foreign to my understanding, reading your articles and the links and references game me a better insight to understand some of what was and is happening down here in Mexico. Thank you so much!!
February 25th, 2013 at 8:30 pm
congratulations
February 25th, 2013 at 9:12 pm
You have introduced me to an embarrassment of riches over the years — thank you all.
February 25th, 2013 at 9:57 pm
Congratulations Zen et al and best wishes for another 10 years.
February 26th, 2013 at 1:48 am
Ladies and Gents,
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Much thanks for your kind words! Glad that ZP is held in such esteem.
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Nate, just let us know.
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About that book….. 😉
February 26th, 2013 at 5:07 am
Zen, you are fantastic host, and the Zenpundit site is a terrific place of conversation: long may both thrive!
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My heartfelt thanks.
February 26th, 2013 at 4:56 pm
Somehow my earlier congratulations did not post!
3 Cheers for Zenpundit! Consistently one of the best reads out there…
February 27th, 2013 at 3:34 am
Charles and Isaac – much appreciated gents!
February 27th, 2013 at 5:36 am
Hands down, best blog.
February 27th, 2013 at 9:06 pm
Long may you wave!
February 28th, 2013 at 1:34 am
Thank you Zen. Very glad to have the opportunity to speak freely here, albeit under a pseudonym for professional and other reasons. Understanding that you have a very sophisticated and frequently military readership has also led to me rethinking some of my own assumptions and being more disciplined in how I comment.