Andrea’s sweetness and light for “Patticakes” may have won her a pet weasel, but Saint Patty has just scored himself a Sunday op-ed (more on that here) in the largest newspaper west of the Mississippi. I’ll leave it to the reader to decide which of these prizes is considered more prestigious.

UPDATE: In what can only be described as a man bites Dog Trainer development, the Patster’s one-time nemesis, Andrea Harris, gently praises the measured tone of his op-ed, while our good friend Captain Ed worries that the Patmeister may be going soft. Or something like that.

The Council has spoken. Congratulations to Aaron for the winning Council entry “Kerry’s Marginal Futility,” and to Tom Maguire for the winning non-Council entry, “Too Dumb to Vote.”

This will be my final entry as a Watcher’s Council member. It’s been a great run, but with a new kid I just don’t have the time to do the job right anymore. Plus, I figure it’s about time I let someone else take a crack at it. All current Council members will remain on my blogroll, and I hope to remain on many of theirs. Good luck to them, and to anyone else who may wish to join in my place.

Patterico has bailed, leaving an opening on the Watcher’s Council. If you’re interested in joining the Council, here are the rules.

Das Watchenkounzil hat wieder gevoten. Kongratulationen zum Chadster für den Winnenkounzilposten “Vier Itselbst” und an den (nicht so) täglichen mich für den Winnennichtkounzilposten “Terrenz McAuliffenberg.”

The Council has spoken. Congratulations to Alpha Patriot for the winning Council entry, “Judging Character,” and to Little Miss Attila for the winning non-Council entry, “Letter to an Undecided Vter.”

The Council has spoken. Congratulations to Aaron for the winning Council entry, “Kerry and Arafat - A Way With Words - Rantblogger Gets the Verbal Scoop” and to Cavalier’s Guardian Watchblog for the winning non-Council entry, “An Open Letter to the Undecided Voter.”

The Council spoke a long time ago. Belated congraulations to the Chadster for the winning Council entry, “The Threat of Saddam,” and to Shape of Days for the winning non-Council entry, “Reading the Duelfer Report.” Honorable mention also to Cavalier’s Guardian Watchblog, for the second place non-Council entry, “Duelfer and the Demise of the U.N.,” which received 1 2/3 votes.

I guess today just wasn’t my day. In baseball, the Angels lost, and Frisco Jr. won. In politics, Bush probably lost the debate; he certainly didn’t win it. And I didn’t win the Watchers Council race, either. Oh well. But my deepest congratulations to e-Claire for the winning Council entry, “Sometimes Ya Gotta Speak Up,” and to Citizen Frank for the winning non-Council entry, “Update 11 - The Sep. 12 Attack.”

OK, I’ll confess; I wasn’t a complete loser for the day. Tonight after work, I went to the range with a co-worker, and I kicked shot his ass. Thank goodness for small favors.

The Council has spoken. Congratulations to Athena for the winning Council entry, “The Barrier to Defeating Terrorism,” and to Cavalier’s Guardian Watchblog for the winning non-Council entry, “The Fall of the Media Empire”

The votes are in. Congratulations to Patterico for the winning Council entry, “NPR and Media Matters Can’t Tell Time,” and übercongratulations to former Council member Bill Ardolino of INDC Journal for the decising victory of “Are the CBS National Guard Documents Fake?” in the non-Council race, despite having to compete with himself in that very race. Quite impressive, indeed. Too bad they don’t actually give you anything for winning these things.