For some reason, maybe because a lot of our most loyal members have moved on, this year's "year in review" didn't receive the same attention that it usually does (just based on the low amount of nominations for each category). I think one of the reasons that this is so, and a reason that I did not make as many nominations as I would have liked, is because the process of going into each thread and then going through the archives is very time consuming. So I have a suggestion. Next year, why don't we use a site like Survey Monkey to fill out nominations or possibly just to select the winners once the nominations have been made. This has the double bonus of making sure the forum isn't saturated with Year in Review posts as well as hiding the winners of the categories until the very end!

There were at least three people, who year-in-and-year-out, went down the list and made conscientious nominations in every category. They were Wertz, VictoriaSilverwolf and nighttimer. Wertz is deceased and the other two aren't posting.

The death of Wertz itseelf has created a vacuum on the board.

It's not just AD though... All poli sites are taking a hit in, uh, hits. This is due largely to GWB being out of office. There's no one "hate" and as such screeding is ebbing. As much as some people dislike Obama he really doesn't get the screed glands going like GWB.

Before last year's awards, there was official recognition given in the signature lines of those who had been awarded. Last year there was no such visible recognition given, just the announcements. I think that these acknowledgments were classy, and they encouraged people to participate in the process. No longer having that incentive hurt the process. People like receiving recognition for cleverness, hard work, and eloquence.