To find my up to the minnute blogging please follow the link below.
Also check your blogroll or other tracking source if you have me listed some of you are still linking to here.
Showing posts with label blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blog. Show all posts
Monday, May 09, 2011
Friday, December 03, 2010
Back to the Long Term Blog Park
But just at this moment my employer* for the last 9 years, 1 month and 1 week is no longer my employer. I am now working full time on the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign.
Therefore as one friend said to avoid me getting out my "Lib Dem thing" and waving it about while I am part of a campaign that is reaching across political divisions I am parking this blog once more.
It will also affect the way I use Twitter and Facebook, somebody else pulled me up on that earlier as well.
I've given my reasons previously more fully in case you haven't already read them.
So long, see you all again on 6th May 2011.
* Yes this is the first time in all the public utterances or writings as a politician either here on this blog or elsewhere that I have actually revealed who they are.
Sunday, November 07, 2010
New Address
This blog has moved....
....the walls are a little bit blank at the moment but I've set up a new home at http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/ all thefurniture posts and comments are all set up, just some of the nice little additions are still needed. I'll be working out just what I need but think I will keep a minimalistic approach.
I will continue to update posts at both locations for a couple of weeks but then will only be posting to the new address.
The reason is largely due to the fact that the old url had Linlithgow in the title and seeing as I'm no longer there needed to tidy that little fact up seeing as I no longer live there.
....the walls are a little bit blank at the moment but I've set up a new home at http://stephensliberaljournal.blogspot.com/ all the
I will continue to update posts at both locations for a couple of weeks but then will only be posting to the new address.
The reason is largely due to the fact that the old url had Linlithgow in the title and seeing as I'm no longer there needed to tidy that little fact up seeing as I no longer live there.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Lights Mr Producer......Drumroll Please.....
Ok folks I dropped the teaser last night. Promising to keep you informed I am doing so now.
Regular readers will know that was in for a job interview at the start of this week. Last night just after 6pm I was offered the position and took no hesitation in accepting it.
The role is as the Northern Ireland Campaign Manager for the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign. Yes if you told me at 3:30 on the morning of May 7th as my votes were being read out that I would be doing this and doing it here I would have laughed at you.
However, I totally agree with the words of Margaret Ritchie MP, MLA the leader of the SDLP from 6th July:
If you haven't already sign up through this link, if have invite your friends, if you've invited them all make more, or start to ask your neighbours or the people on the bus beside you. Start talking about AV and why it is fairer and lets go out and win this on 5th May 2011.
Indeed one of my first roles, even before I work my current notice period will be attending the SDLP's party conference this weekend. Shows that this really is cohesion, sharing and integration in action and how cross communities this campaign here is. That the first party conference in Northern Ireland from this son of a man raised in Derry's Fountain area and attending First Derry Presbyterian should be to the party that owes a lot of its founding to the struggle of the other community on that side of the Foyle.
As I said last night this will obviously have an impact on the blogging that I do here, probably over the whole of the next six months. I will try and do updates here from time to time, just to give me some down time, but don't expect the same alacrity of posting.
Regular readers will know that was in for a job interview at the start of this week. Last night just after 6pm I was offered the position and took no hesitation in accepting it.
The role is as the Northern Ireland Campaign Manager for the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign. Yes if you told me at 3:30 on the morning of May 7th as my votes were being read out that I would be doing this and doing it here I would have laughed at you.
However, I totally agree with the words of Margaret Ritchie MP, MLA the leader of the SDLP from 6th July:
"The British Government is right to give people the opportunity to choose a fairer system for electing their MPs. The current system is completely unfair as it favours the larger parties and discriminates against smaller parties who can get hundreds of thousands of votes but no seats in Parliament.I look forward to working with Margaret, the other candidates for the position I now hold and everyone in Northern Ireland who believes in getting fairer votes for Westminster over the next six months. That will be people from all parties or none, across each of the 18 current Westminster constituencies."My preference would be to extend the STV system of Proportional Representation to Westminster. This system is much fairer and we are already well used to it in Northern Ireland in our Assembly and Council elections.
"The 'alternative vote' is, nonetheless, a clear step forward and I hope that people will support it in the referendum next year. In Northern Ireland this would have the effect of rebalancing politics towards candidates of the centre and away from the extremes.
"Given the kinds of stalemates and brinkmanship we have endured in our politics in recent years, anything that supports parties in the centre is to be warmly welcomed as it is in the best interests of our people.
"The SDLP will campaign vigorously in favour of progressive electoral reform."
If you haven't already sign up through this link, if have invite your friends, if you've invited them all make more, or start to ask your neighbours or the people on the bus beside you. Start talking about AV and why it is fairer and lets go out and win this on 5th May 2011.Indeed one of my first roles, even before I work my current notice period will be attending the SDLP's party conference this weekend. Shows that this really is cohesion, sharing and integration in action and how cross communities this campaign here is. That the first party conference in Northern Ireland from this son of a man raised in Derry's Fountain area and attending First Derry Presbyterian should be to the party that owes a lot of its founding to the struggle of the other community on that side of the Foyle.
As I said last night this will obviously have an impact on the blogging that I do here, probably over the whole of the next six months. I will try and do updates here from time to time, just to give me some down time, but don't expect the same alacrity of posting.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Blogged Elsewhere about a #MailFail
Friday, October 29, 2010
Writing Through the Darkest Hours
Sometimes when I need to get out of the doldrums I write. Sometimes I am writing when I am actually in a pretty deep and dark place. Not all the time I write something either here, or on Facebook or on Twitter am I actually capable of functioning in any other way.
Some of that stuff gets posted online as I indicate above, some of it is too dark for that and very few people have ever seen the really dark stuff. Writing is how I cope. I write when I'm happy too. I write more when I'm happy, but sometimes I write just to enable my brain to catch up with who I want to be.
If my writing lands me in trouble so be it. But nobody should ever hold my writing against me. In fact the fact that I can type even in my darkest hour has on more than one occasion been the reason that I am still here, still able to type this. Today somebody has taken me to a depth because of my writing. Other's have told me not to worry about that, because they know the reasons above are why I often do it. They can discern some subtle differences in the nuance of what or how I write. Sometimes they wake up scared for what has happened through the night, occasionally so do I, last Thursday night was one example of that*.
So thank you to those friends who know the whole me and know when to ask the questions that I may not want to answer because of what they have seen me write.
* Just take my word for it, what was written then is terse stuff, something that only two people will probably ever read.
Some of that stuff gets posted online as I indicate above, some of it is too dark for that and very few people have ever seen the really dark stuff. Writing is how I cope. I write when I'm happy too. I write more when I'm happy, but sometimes I write just to enable my brain to catch up with who I want to be.
If my writing lands me in trouble so be it. But nobody should ever hold my writing against me. In fact the fact that I can type even in my darkest hour has on more than one occasion been the reason that I am still here, still able to type this. Today somebody has taken me to a depth because of my writing. Other's have told me not to worry about that, because they know the reasons above are why I often do it. They can discern some subtle differences in the nuance of what or how I write. Sometimes they wake up scared for what has happened through the night, occasionally so do I, last Thursday night was one example of that*.
So thank you to those friends who know the whole me and know when to ask the questions that I may not want to answer because of what they have seen me write.
* Just take my word for it, what was written then is terse stuff, something that only two people will probably ever read.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Blogging (and Social Media) Will Be Light
Blogging has already been somewhat light over the last few days. It will however continue to be so, the same goes for Facebook and Twitter.
I have an interview for a job I'd really love to have on Monday and I have to do some preparation for it. There are some people who will read this to whom thanks are due for pointing this role out to me. There is someone else that I truly do wish all the best to, it will be an interesting few days, I just wish I could have your input. This weekend is going to be a rather odd one between us.
So if you don't see me on here, Facebook or Twitter then do not panic, I'm just rather busy.
cf Gyronny Herald
I have an interview for a job I'd really love to have on Monday and I have to do some preparation for it. There are some people who will read this to whom thanks are due for pointing this role out to me. There is someone else that I truly do wish all the best to, it will be an interesting few days, I just wish I could have your input. This weekend is going to be a rather odd one between us.
So if you don't see me on here, Facebook or Twitter then do not panic, I'm just rather busy.
cf Gyronny Herald
Friday, September 03, 2010
Is It Really 2500 Posts?
Well actually yes it is the blog post I published earlier today was my 2500th, just on this blog. That is an average of a little under 500 a year over the five year life of this blog, which doesn't even account for the fact I had almost a year long hiatus.
I do know that if you take all my sizeable pieces of writting across the internet (ie not Tweets, comments or forum posts) I am over the 3000 mark as well. All in there are probably in excess of 25,000 indivual contributions of mine on line (and that is being very conservative).
So to mark the event I'm going to look back at the ten mileposts that got me and you dear reader here. Some of you may have been reading from the early days, many of you may have been reading since I returned from a prologed hiatus in 2007. But these are the landmarks along the way.
It's Thursday, It's ITV, It's Top of the Pops when there were rumours that Simon Cowell was looking to buy the rights for TOTP 2 years after it was axed by the BBC and bring it back to ITV. The observant of you will have noticed that it hasn't come back yet almost 2 years further on.
Flash Morph Tribute probably one of the greatest tributes to a childhood hero ever. When Tony Hart passed away a Flash Mob of plasticine lookalikes of his sidekick assembled at the Tate Modern. Also one of my shortest blog posts at 48 words.
Cameron Says "Vote Lib Dem and You Become King Makers" well actually he didn't. But I pointed out from what he did actually say that he was endorsing what Nick Clegg was saying about the way the people were looking to vote and eventually did.
Post Number 2500 on 3rd September 2010
Is Group Blogging the New Black? I knew I wanted something substantive for the milestone. The launch of the collaborative blog Better Nation, plus the change in my own personal circumstances and blogging itinery lead to this reflective piece looking back and forward at blogging in both Scotland and Northern Ireland. (Plus loads of Wikio points for a lot of people).
Footnote I did the research to find the first nine of the above entries back in early to mid August. I scheduled it into my future publication at a time I thought it would roughly be needed; taking into account the move, blogging frequency etc. That date was set for 15th September! Guess I've had a good little spurt of late.
I do know that if you take all my sizeable pieces of writting across the internet (ie not Tweets, comments or forum posts) I am over the 3000 mark as well. All in there are probably in excess of 25,000 indivual contributions of mine on line (and that is being very conservative).
So to mark the event I'm going to look back at the ten mileposts that got me and you dear reader here. Some of you may have been reading from the early days, many of you may have been reading since I returned from a prologed hiatus in 2007. But these are the landmarks along the way.
Dear Stephen - Dear Ming the leadership election to replace Charles Kennedy was getting under way and this was about an exchange of emails trying to garner my public support. It had already been pledged to another by this time.
Post number 250 on the 30th January 2006
Post number 500 on 25th September 2006Sign Up a Disabled Sportsman to Play for Celtic while the Scottish Executive were wanting sports clubs to integrate more disabled sportspeople into their clubs. I, as a keen advocate of disabled sport point out that while the aim is well intentioned the practical in actual competition does cause issues in a number, though not all, sports.
Post number 750 on 3rd July 2008Thank You Nicol another leadership resignation, this time from the Scottish leader. A look back to all that Nicol Stephen had given to the Scottish party since he replaced Jim Wallace.
Post number 1000 on 30th October 2008
It's Thursday, It's ITV, It's Top of the Pops when there were rumours that Simon Cowell was looking to buy the rights for TOTP 2 years after it was axed by the BBC and bring it back to ITV. The observant of you will have noticed that it hasn't come back yet almost 2 years further on.
Post number 1250 on 2nd March 2009
Flash Morph Tribute probably one of the greatest tributes to a childhood hero ever. When Tony Hart passed away a Flash Mob of plasticine lookalikes of his sidekick assembled at the Tate Modern. Also one of my shortest blog posts at 48 words.
Post number 1500 on 14th July 2009Time Ticks By But the Councils Not for Turning my other great love football hits the spot on this one. In Livingston FC's darkest hour I did a lot of posts this one on the councils attitude to the debt they were owed.
Post number 1750 on 30th October 2009It's the Weekend So... the very first of my regular series or pre-written YouTube influenced blogposts to kick the weekend into being. Also exactly one year on and 750 entries since the 100th (see above). The debut 5pm on Friday post feature the South Park gang singing Lady Gaga's Poker Face.
Post Number 2000 on 19th January 2010A One-man Band That's Playing Out of Tune a look at the lack of strength in depth in the Tory front bench team. Oh yeah and Lord Tebbit has something nice to say about the man who was to become Deputy Prime Minister, possibly the first occurance of #IAgreeWithNick.
Post Number 2250 on 4th April 2010
Cameron Says "Vote Lib Dem and You Become King Makers" well actually he didn't. But I pointed out from what he did actually say that he was endorsing what Nick Clegg was saying about the way the people were looking to vote and eventually did.
Post Number 2500 on 3rd September 2010
Is Group Blogging the New Black? I knew I wanted something substantive for the milestone. The launch of the collaborative blog Better Nation, plus the change in my own personal circumstances and blogging itinery lead to this reflective piece looking back and forward at blogging in both Scotland and Northern Ireland. (Plus loads of Wikio points for a lot of people).
Footnote I did the research to find the first nine of the above entries back in early to mid August. I scheduled it into my future publication at a time I thought it would roughly be needed; taking into account the move, blogging frequency etc. That date was set for 15th September! Guess I've had a good little spurt of late.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Blogging May be Light Over the Weekend
Hopefully right about now I'm taking off from Edinburgh Airport bound for Belfast, although this evening I will be sleeping in my bed in Bathgate again. Yes today is the first day of the big move.
Though as Andrew Reeves has had in his highlighted posts on his blog since I made the announcement last weekend is it "A sad day for Scottish Lib Dems and Scottish Blogging"?
Though as Andrew Reeves has had in his highlighted posts on his blog since I made the announcement last weekend is it "A sad day for Scottish Lib Dems and Scottish Blogging"?
It is somewhat strange to be heading back. I've spent over 17 years including the last nine years and four months firmly ensconced in West Lothian. I'm a fully paid up NIPPLE* yet I'm heading back.
I don't feel like I really belong in Northern Ireland so much anymore, I've only spent 5 years since my A'levels actually living there. What is more strange is that the room that I will be setting up to work from home in was the room that I sat in to revise for those same A'levels 22 years ago. I will however, be sleeping in the room next door. So yeah I'll not be able to ad hoc pop into Clifton Terrace to hand in my various forms, ballot papers, or to rescue Kieran Leach for a drink.
Yes there is family and friends to catch up with both from before and through the joys of the internet ones I didn't even know 9 years ago. There are some good friends like Caron, Andrew and many others who I've got to know over the past nine years who will be a gapping hole, as I suspect I may be for them, over the time I'll be away. Also there are several (tens of) thousand leaflets that probably had my name on for delivery in the 2011 Holyrood campaign. Plus a few thousand doors that I'll not be knocking on. So in a sense Andrew is right for the Scottish Lib Dems.
My blogging may well take on a different focus being away from the Scottish political buzz day in day out. Actually getting to see BBC Northern Ireland's Hearts and Minds on a Thursday night rather than Sunday morning will seem strange again, but may well act as a catalyst.
Two things my blogging will still be is liberal and eclectic. It will still focus largely on politics both nationally, locally and undoubtedly also on Scottish matters (hard to totally take me totally out of that pond). There will be my usual diversions unto other subject matter whenever I feel like it too. One thing that somebody has commented on since the General Election was over and again once I was no longer contesting Edinburgh Central or the Lothian List was that there has been a little more freedom in my posting again. There maybe isn't that fear of stepping too far off party message for fear of voters (or more likely the press) reaction.
So we shall see. I think I've over the last 12 months had a pretty strong year of blogging, obviously the General Election and subsequently seeking selection meant the volume at time petered off. There has been some hard hitting posts where I haven't spared the punches aimed in all sorts of directions. I'll keep them coming don't worry.
Although having said that blogging will be light I have a few things scheduled.
* Northern Irish Professional Person Living Elsewhere.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Parish Notice Update My Future Blogging
As you may have noticed if you read my Parish Notice at the weekend I'll so be heading over the water to Northern Ireland. Some of you have been concerned about what that means to the blogging.
What? You think I won't have stuff to blog about just because I am over the Irish Sea. Don't Panic! The blogging will carry on. Heck I've even been welcomed by the Liberal Democrats in Northern Ireland prior to my arrival on the strength of my blogging. No pressure at all then when the local party chair says:
As this was the first post on the blog I may be consulting my sister-in-law, who is a midwife, for some post natal advice. Although saying that I seen a number of baby blogs grow out of the seed of an idea inspired by myself and others.
I'll no doubt be posting a Northern Irish slant on things more on that blog while keeping my national and Scottish focus probably more on here. Watch out also for me probably posting some more stuff on Slugger O'Toole which transcends party politics.
I may also get around to finally completing the revamp of my blog. Yeah you may have thought it had been finished but don't you believe it. I still have a few ideas that I never quite got around to with all the campaigning over the last few months.
In other news with Blogger's new comments tab and as I'm currently not standing for any party position I have returned to an unmoderated comments policy for new postings. If you wish to comment on anything over 7 days old that will still be moderated. Just keep behaving in the comments folks.
What? You think I won't have stuff to blog about just because I am over the Irish Sea. Don't Panic! The blogging will carry on. Heck I've even been welcomed by the Liberal Democrats in Northern Ireland prior to my arrival on the strength of my blogging. No pressure at all then when the local party chair says:
"Stephen is a well-known LibDem blogger, so hopefully he will bring some life to
this blog."
As this was the first post on the blog I may be consulting my sister-in-law, who is a midwife, for some post natal advice. Although saying that I seen a number of baby blogs grow out of the seed of an idea inspired by myself and others.
I'll no doubt be posting a Northern Irish slant on things more on that blog while keeping my national and Scottish focus probably more on here. Watch out also for me probably posting some more stuff on Slugger O'Toole which transcends party politics.
I may also get around to finally completing the revamp of my blog. Yeah you may have thought it had been finished but don't you believe it. I still have a few ideas that I never quite got around to with all the campaigning over the last few months.
In other news with Blogger's new comments tab and as I'm currently not standing for any party position I have returned to an unmoderated comments policy for new postings. If you wish to comment on anything over 7 days old that will still be moderated. Just keep behaving in the comments folks.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
My Top Ten Blog Posts of the Last 12 Months
I see that my good friend Caron has done a little navel gazing and listed her top ten blogs as viewed by her readers over the last 12 month. 'Tis the season for introspection in the Blogosphere after all so I thought I may as well follow suit.
So as is traditional with these things here they are in reverse order of page views.
10. No Matter What: Stephen Gateley 1976-2009 my initial an then growing tribute to Stephen Gateley as news and details of his death came into the public domain.
9. Next is my reposte to Irfan Ahmed about the choice of Lib Dem targeting: Target Seats Were Based on Evidence at the Time Irfan
8. My annual look at the state of things in China Kung Hei Fat Choy 2010
7. Rather appropriate for today's Cambama declaration in Washington Oil Be There For You
6. Someone I don't want to sit in the psychiatrists chair of, Tory Bear Pop Psychiatry Gone Political.
5. Here's one I almost forgot to post. A is for Airbrushing Part ii
4. One of the Question Time failures gets into the top 10 BBC Fail to Answer my Concern
3. The sad story of what was happening to Kerry Robertson and he son Ben: Fife Council Child Snatchers.
2. For this one I'm glad to have been on service. Applying for a Postal Vote: Deadline Tuesday 20 April I hope almost a thousand of you were able to vote as a result.
Which leads to the grand winner, my most popular blog post of the last 12 months was actually written in March last year. While people say a picture speaks a thousand words it is certainly true of this post, most searches that hit it are from google images or the equivalent on other engines.
1. Chinese Deathly Whispers
As this was actually written outwith the last 12 months I'll also mention the post that would be tenth it I only counted those written over the last 12 months. My View on Sports Personality of the Year posted before the event and looking at the merits of the short list.
So as is traditional with these things here they are in reverse order of page views.
10. No Matter What: Stephen Gateley 1976-2009 my initial an then growing tribute to Stephen Gateley as news and details of his death came into the public domain.
9. Next is my reposte to Irfan Ahmed about the choice of Lib Dem targeting: Target Seats Were Based on Evidence at the Time Irfan
8. My annual look at the state of things in China Kung Hei Fat Choy 2010
7. Rather appropriate for today's Cambama declaration in Washington Oil Be There For You
6. Someone I don't want to sit in the psychiatrists chair of, Tory Bear Pop Psychiatry Gone Political.
5. Here's one I almost forgot to post. A is for Airbrushing Part ii
4. One of the Question Time failures gets into the top 10 BBC Fail to Answer my Concern
3. The sad story of what was happening to Kerry Robertson and he son Ben: Fife Council Child Snatchers.
2. For this one I'm glad to have been on service. Applying for a Postal Vote: Deadline Tuesday 20 April I hope almost a thousand of you were able to vote as a result.
Which leads to the grand winner, my most popular blog post of the last 12 months was actually written in March last year. While people say a picture speaks a thousand words it is certainly true of this post, most searches that hit it are from google images or the equivalent on other engines.
1. Chinese Deathly Whispers
As this was actually written outwith the last 12 months I'll also mention the post that would be tenth it I only counted those written over the last 12 months. My View on Sports Personality of the Year posted before the event and looking at the merits of the short list.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
2001: A Blog Odyssey
Back in July 2005 I posted my first blog post here. I'd just come fresh-ish from the General Election and was looking to getting some sort of semblance of normality back in my life before the next phase of electioneering really heated up in 2007. Last night my last post was my 2000th; therefore this is 2001.
I started blogging to really start to put down my thoughts about political and local issues hoping that somebody out there might read them from time to time. Every time I run into a group of Lib Dems these days somebody new seems to say they have been reading it. every so often when I go out campaigning somebody also says they have read it.
Of course the six months after I started this blog wasn't as relaxing a regrouping time as I had hoped. Within a month my MP at the time, Robin Cook, died leading to the second by election of this Parliament. Shortly after the person I had 4 years previously uprooted myself for told me it was over between us. To help me get over that I plunged myself into another by election that saw Willie Rennie elected as MP for Dunfermline and West Fife.
The easy option in 2006 might well have been to head back to Northern Ireland or move somewhere else. But I knuckled down and got on with campaigning. Apart from a one year gap from late 2006 to late 2007 I'd also kept blogging. After the return I had to build up the readership again, without being the blog on the spot in a by election campaign this time. But one thing that others have said numerous times is that the quality, diversity and regularity of the writing is what brings them back time and again.
Now we are in 2010 on the cusp of the next election. A recent review of this blog made me laugh when it said I eulogised the leadership too much, regular readers will know I've had my run ins with them. Indeed on occasion I'm not sure if I've seen fear in their eyes when it is my turn to speak, or ask a question at a bloggers' interview session.
However, I am proud to be a Liberal Democrat, if I wasn't I wouldn't pin my colours so clearly to the mast. Our message going into this election is the most honest and clear of any of the four major parties in Scotland. It is centered around fairness, with the backdrop of the mess that Labour and our banking sector have landed us in.
In the next few weeks there may well be a piece of personal and local news that some might have expected for some time. Whatever that news however it will not affect my use of the blog to get my thoughts across. This is where I talk about what in the world has affected me that day, this is where I give my reactions to news or policy announcements or others opinions. It will continue to do so as this Odyssey continues.
Thank you for reading, commenting and on the occasions you have done in the past voting for this blog.
I started blogging to really start to put down my thoughts about political and local issues hoping that somebody out there might read them from time to time. Every time I run into a group of Lib Dems these days somebody new seems to say they have been reading it. every so often when I go out campaigning somebody also says they have read it.
Of course the six months after I started this blog wasn't as relaxing a regrouping time as I had hoped. Within a month my MP at the time, Robin Cook, died leading to the second by election of this Parliament. Shortly after the person I had 4 years previously uprooted myself for told me it was over between us. To help me get over that I plunged myself into another by election that saw Willie Rennie elected as MP for Dunfermline and West Fife.
The easy option in 2006 might well have been to head back to Northern Ireland or move somewhere else. But I knuckled down and got on with campaigning. Apart from a one year gap from late 2006 to late 2007 I'd also kept blogging. After the return I had to build up the readership again, without being the blog on the spot in a by election campaign this time. But one thing that others have said numerous times is that the quality, diversity and regularity of the writing is what brings them back time and again.
Now we are in 2010 on the cusp of the next election. A recent review of this blog made me laugh when it said I eulogised the leadership too much, regular readers will know I've had my run ins with them. Indeed on occasion I'm not sure if I've seen fear in their eyes when it is my turn to speak, or ask a question at a bloggers' interview session.
However, I am proud to be a Liberal Democrat, if I wasn't I wouldn't pin my colours so clearly to the mast. Our message going into this election is the most honest and clear of any of the four major parties in Scotland. It is centered around fairness, with the backdrop of the mess that Labour and our banking sector have landed us in.
In the next few weeks there may well be a piece of personal and local news that some might have expected for some time. Whatever that news however it will not affect my use of the blog to get my thoughts across. This is where I talk about what in the world has affected me that day, this is where I give my reactions to news or policy announcements or others opinions. It will continue to do so as this Odyssey continues.
Thank you for reading, commenting and on the occasions you have done in the past voting for this blog.
Friday, January 01, 2010
2009 The Stats
*Well we are now in a new year and for all but the first few days of 2009 I was running Google Analytics on my blog. So how did I do last year.
I had 20, 508 Absolute Unique Visitors, making 34,608 visits and 41,132 page views. In the Total Politics Guide to Political Blogging 2009-2010 I came 11th Scottish Blog, 11th Lib Dem and 101st Overall. I also had the honour of writting up the Scottish Blogging Year for publication.
My Wikio Rankings in their have shown a constant upwards trend but I wasn't tracking them the whole year. However I entered the top 100 political blogs in April and since then via Liberal England, Caron's Musings and myself I've been able to track the trend, mainly upwards since.
- March 149
- April 98
- May 71
- June 75
- July 73
- August 68
- September 52
- October 47
- November 34
- December 45
But of the 803 on this blog which are the most read. Trust me I'm as shock as you that there are two sets of equal placings over a twelve month period. As you will some but not all will have a banner shown they were featured elsewhere, which of course helped to boost some of their readership.
1. 25 Random Things About Me - This Meme went slightly viral on me hitting high in the google searches.
2. Chinese Deadly Whispers - A sleeper which actually is most often hit from google images.
3. BBC Fail to Answer My Concerns - About my complaint about lack of representation at Edinburgh Question Time when Jo Swinson was pulled at the last minute.
4. Oil Be There For You - Megrahi, Gadaffi, Brown, Salmond and black gold, Texas Tea, what really were the motivations.
5. = Kung Hei Fat Choy - My Chinese New Year message looking at failings on human rights on the year they promised change as a result of hosting the Olympics.
5.= Target Seats Were Based on Evidence at the Time Irfan - A little lesson in campaigning for Irfan Ahmed.
7.= Dunfermline Building Society: Need For Action - Following the failure of the Government to look after the banking sector the cry from the mutual for fairness in consideration.
7. = Why I Still Need to Go to Church - My personal Favourite blogpost of the year in light of the Scott Rennie and gay clergy in the Church of Scotland position.
9. No Matter What: Stephen Gately 1976-2009 - My tribute to Stephen Gately which grew through the day that his death was announced.
10. Campaign So 'Clean' that Chloe Smith's Job was Swept Under the Carpet - When the Conservative Candidate (now MP) for Norwich North by election called for a clean campaign she missed a spot.
11. Blogiquette 101: FAO Derek Draper - The founding editor of LabourList gets a tutorial in good blogging technique after he singularily fails to get it.
So those are the top of the year, but what about month by month. Here in Chronological order are the top 3 for each month. (Those not linked to are in the year's top 11 above)
January:
- Kung Hei Fat Choy
- Civil War in the BBC Newsroom - Or how to get around a reporting restriction
- Trumpgate Gang of Four - The emergence of a new grouping on Aberdeenshire council
- 25 Random Things about Me
- Blogiquette 101: FAO Derek Draper
- Hung** by his Own Petard: RIP Derek Draper's Blogging Career - How the unbloggy high profile blogger imploded.
- Dunfermline Building Society: Need for Action
- I Skunnered (should be Skunnert) - My reaction to the action Scottish Executive took over three of Trumpgate four.
- Alternative View on Aberdeenshire - Pointing readers to other views on the above, well view of my now quite regular drinking partner Ruaraidh Dobson who called me dead wrong.
- Chinese Deadly Whispers (only took about 25% of its annual hits in month of publication)
- Piers Morgan is a Snob - Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan condemns the friendly town of Blackburn, West Lothian "a dump", I defend West Lothian's honour.
- Car Scrap Scheme Myth - Fisking the environmental outcome of Chancellors new big idea.
- Why I Still Need to Go to Church
- Chinese Deadly Whispers (still only another approx 25% this month
- Petition in Support of Scott Rennie - Does exactly what it says in the title, merely a signpost.
- Chinese Deadly Whispers (actually this blogpost's busiest month)
- Iain Dale's Hoisting by his Own Petard - Oh dear a Tory trying to attack on parachuting already selected candidates into by election seats.
- Sorry Irfan You've Just Lost All Respect - Throwing support behind another candidate not because of political beliefs but sharing your religion, our survey say uh-huh.
- Campaign so 'Clean' That Chloe Smith's Job Was Swept Under the Carpet
- Women Died for the Right to Make Their Own Decision - Yeah Irfan Ahmed failed to capture the point of universal sufferage.
- Chinese Deadly Whispers (fourth month in a row in the top three)
- Target Seats Were Based on Evidence at the Time Irfan
- Back to Simple Life: A Guide for Americans to Boycott Scotland - Tips on how the USA can iradicate the nasty Scots influence on their lifes post-Megrahi, stragely not taken onboard.
- Charlie Must Be Missing an Angel - Tribute to Farrah Fawcett
- Oil Be There For You
- Muggles are Following JK Fast - When Ms Rowling took up Twitter disciples swarmed to her at incredible rates.
- Body Found in Bathgate House - Breaking news of a murder just down the road from my flat.
- No Matter What: Stephen Gately 1976-2009
- Openly Homophobic Paper Fails Again - That "overtly gay" comment from Ephraim Hardcastle bout Iain Dale's candidature for the Bracknell open primary.
- Farewell Stephen Gately - My Tribute at the time of his funeral
- SNP Wants Scots to Waive Their Rights to Determine Their Future - Just what does the SNP referendum question actually say?
- Gay Youth Faces Death in Iran - The sad tale of Nemat Safavi and Irans ignoring treaties on treatment of juveniles.
- New Edict from Non-Scientific Home Office - Following the sacking of the drugs Tsar because science didn't reflect policy here are some new rules. After all nobody expects the Whitehall Inquisition.
- BBC Fails to Answer my Concerns
- My View on BBC Sportspersonality of the Year - My personal unbiased looked at the contenders acheivements and which truly was the most worthy.
- Blogging Bias in The Times of Ignorance of @JoanMcAlpine - More under-representation, of Lib Dems and lack of impartiality in the MSM.
- 1. United Kingdom 74.35%
- 2. United States of America 12.45%
- 3. Canada 1.97%
- 4. Ireland 0.99%
- 5. Belgium 0.89%
- 6. Austrialia 0.83%
- 7. France 0.74%
- 8. Germany 0.72%
- 9. Netherlands 0.47%
- 10. Sweden 0.36%
- 11. Spain 0.35%
So all of you from India, Italy, New Zealand, Kuwait Philippines, Norway, Singapore, Hungary, Poland, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Indonesia, Romania, Finland, Slovakia, United Arab Emirites, Thailand, Japan, Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, Greece, Portugal, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, Israel, Denmark, China, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Luxembourg, Isle of Man, Slovenia, Taiwan, Egypt, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Argentina, Lithuania, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Pakistan, Estonia, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Jersey, Bahrain, Austria Columbia, Peurto Rico, Trinidad and Tobaga, Nigeria, Venuzuela, Chile, Gibraltar, Peru, Latvia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kenya, Mauritius, Malta, Iceland, Serbia, Jamacia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Morrocco, Yemen, Bahamas, Georgia, Albania, Guernsey, Bangladesh, Grenada, Cyprus, Tunisia, Iran, El Salvador, Oman, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Panama, Maldives, Cayman Islands, Belize, Paraquay, Rwanda, Algeria, Ghana, Dominca, Moldova, Belarus, Guadalope, Monaco, Sudan, Liechtenstein, Lebanon, Bermuda, Mongolia, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Nicaragua, Laos, US Virgin Islands, Haiti, Iraq, Honduras, Namibia, Uruquay, Botswana or Martinique thank you very much for visiting.
My question now is how long before Andrew Reeves repeats this format?
* Trust me I don't believe this made the Daley Dozen either but it has, on the same line as Guido.
** I know this should be hoisted thanks to comments made.
Year of the Nearly Blog - Month Delta
Well it is the start of a new year, (the disputed) start of a new decade but of course it is that time of month where I get to reveal what has happened in December on my nearly blog. Compliment of the month came from Alex Wilcock who called me "the lovely Stephen Glenn" on Hogmanay. Iain Dale also managed to link to me five times this month. When after the first three I accused him of flirting with me he said "you wish", so no love bombing from the Tories top blogger then.
Because of my disastrous November my Wikio Political ranking dropped from 34 to 45, the possibility of climbing back into the top 40 as a result of my 103 blogposts last month may well come to be in the next week. But while we await Wikio with baited breathe on with what we do know.
Last month I had 2,667 absolute unique visitors down from 1,271 in October. They made 3,874 (2,024) visits and 4,627 (2,486) page views. So back up over 117% over the previous month but which was to be expected for a fortnight of turmoils and no weekend postings. My busiest day was the 7th December the day on the back of a second consecutive entry on Iain Dale's Daily Dozen.
[Compared to problem free October's 2,516 AUVs +6.81%, 3,863 visits +0.28%, 4,671 page views -0.94%]
But that's enough of the procrastinating on with what you're all waiting for my top 11s* for November.
Top referring sites were:
1. (-) Iain Dale
2. (1) Google
3. (2) Direct Hits
4. (3) Lib Dem Blogs
5. (8) SNP Tactical Voting
6. (5) Lib Dem Voice
7. (4) Twitter
8. (6) Blogger
9. (10) Google/referral
10.(-) Google.co.uk
11. (11) Planet Politics
I only wrote 103 new contributions to the blog way up from the 48 managed last month, and I was still shaking my head from when I realised that. The 11 stories that you've been reading most (by direct page views) are:
1. BBC Fail to Answer My Concerns
2. My View on Sports Personality of the Year
3. Blogging Bias of the Times or Ignorance of @JoanMcAlpine
4. Goodbye Mrs Robinson
5. There Have Been Too Many Goodbyes
6. Lib Dem Gain in Bearsden South
7. Sad, Yet IMHO, Wrong Move Charlotte
8. Wave That Flooded Glasgow #TheWave
9. I'm a Bit Disappointed with Nick Clegg
10. Letter to My Sixteen Year Old Self
11. Price of Twelve Days of Christmas Shows Modest Increase
Where did you all come from? Well again you remained at around the 60 countries up from 59. I feel I may be doing a comparison of the full countries at some point. So in order, and no surprises at the top.
1. (1) United Kingdom
2. (2) USA
3. (3) Canada
4. (5) France
5. (4) Ireland
6. (8) Australia
7. (11) Germany
8. (-) Hungary
9. (43 =) Spain
10. = (16=) Belgium
10. = (7) India
* Hey you must know the score by now, eleven all the way.
Because of my disastrous November my Wikio Political ranking dropped from 34 to 45, the possibility of climbing back into the top 40 as a result of my 103 blogposts last month may well come to be in the next week. But while we await Wikio with baited breathe on with what we do know.
Last month I had 2,667 absolute unique visitors down from 1,271 in October. They made 3,874 (2,024) visits and 4,627 (2,486) page views. So back up over 117% over the previous month but which was to be expected for a fortnight of turmoils and no weekend postings. My busiest day was the 7th December the day on the back of a second consecutive entry on Iain Dale's Daily Dozen.
[Compared to problem free October's 2,516 AUVs +6.81%, 3,863 visits +0.28%, 4,671 page views -0.94%]
But that's enough of the procrastinating on with what you're all waiting for my top 11s* for November.
Top referring sites were:
1. (-) Iain Dale
2. (1) Google
3. (2) Direct Hits
4. (3) Lib Dem Blogs
5. (8) SNP Tactical Voting
6. (5) Lib Dem Voice
7. (4) Twitter
8. (6) Blogger
9. (10) Google/referral
10.(-) Google.co.uk
11. (11) Planet Politics
I only wrote 103 new contributions to the blog way up from the 48 managed last month, and I was still shaking my head from when I realised that. The 11 stories that you've been reading most (by direct page views) are:
1. BBC Fail to Answer My Concerns
2. My View on Sports Personality of the Year
3. Blogging Bias of the Times or Ignorance of @JoanMcAlpine
4. Goodbye Mrs Robinson
5. There Have Been Too Many Goodbyes
6. Lib Dem Gain in Bearsden South
7. Sad, Yet IMHO, Wrong Move Charlotte
8. Wave That Flooded Glasgow #TheWave
9. I'm a Bit Disappointed with Nick Clegg
10. Letter to My Sixteen Year Old Self
11. Price of Twelve Days of Christmas Shows Modest Increase
Where did you all come from? Well again you remained at around the 60 countries up from 59. I feel I may be doing a comparison of the full countries at some point. So in order, and no surprises at the top.
1. (1) United Kingdom
2. (2) USA
3. (3) Canada
4. (5) France
5. (4) Ireland
6. (8) Australia
7. (11) Germany
8. (-) Hungary
9. (43 =) Spain
10. = (16=) Belgium
10. = (7) India
* Hey you must know the score by now, eleven all the way.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
My Top Ten Blogposts of 2009
This will now be my 800th 803rd Blog Post of 2009, indeed it is the 99th 102nd of this very productive month (of course I go a write three more while coming up with my shortlist). The leanest month was June when there were still 37 blogposts, may have been down to post election syndrome, but that still an average of just over one per day. December was the most productive. Even if it meant one particular Saturday scouring You Tube and coming up with posts for when I thought I might not be so readily online over the holiday period.
However with the Orwell Awards and the end of the year it is a good time to reflect on the best of that selection from this year. Not all of my best writing comes when I am happy, nothing like a good rant eh.
Speaking of Orwell of course 2010 sees the last time Big Brother will appear on our screens. So in the words of Davina McCall here are my best bits.
10. Friday Blog Love: Where I Agree with Tony Blair -taking a look at an interview with the former Prime Minister about the progress on gay issues in the 15 years that Attitude had been around.
9. The 3.5% Growth Myth - You know when something grates with you as not sounding right here is how I fisked the budget but I didn't do that just once, but twice because of one little phrase.
8. Letter to my Sixteen Year Old Self - A recent one from only the other week but one I though about for a while. Of this one Paul Walter said "Well done Stephen. This concept does my head in a bit, but when I read letters like yours it makes sense of the idea."
7. Votertragedyapproachesgordonisatrocious - Regular readers will of course know that down through the years I've messed around with songs and made the words topical, this one is the not the tune you are expecting from Mary Poppins but the title came to me after and had be laughing all the more.
6. West Lothian Question for Sky Election Debate - Being a political activist and candidate in this neck of the wood does mean that one giant and one intervention in Parliament always manages to seep in. So on a subject I believe I've blogger five times on a monthly basis this year two Linlithgow sons Tam and Alex both get a mention.
5. Secularism Shouldn't Cold Shoulder All People of Faith - When the National Secularist Society said that people of religion from our pluralist society shouldn't be allowed in the House of Commons I played devil's advocate, that is if a man of such staunch Ulster Protestant stock can take on such a Roman Catholic role.
4. The Hardest Word Lacking Feeling: Jan Moir has Spoken Again - Of course following the tragic loss of Stephen Gately I could have more or less filled a top ten of stories that mentioned Jan Moir. Not bad for just over 2 months on the public consciousness. This is where I fisk her unpology*.
3. It's Not the Champagne that is Story - David Cameron got himself into a right Pickle, when he was caught breaking campaign manager Eric's embargo on senior Tories being seen enjoying to much bubbly at conference. I said it wasn't so much the champagne in a recession that was the story but the control that the freedom this, freedom that Tory party wanted to exercise.
2. Tour of Argyll and Bute Take 2 - During the MPs expenses scandal the Torygraph did make a number of stupid statements. One was that Alan Reid the Lib Dem MP should not be allowed to claim expenses for staying at B&Bs in his constituency while visiting constituents during the summer recess. I took just one example of the alternative proposal of getting Alan back to his constitueny home at the end of the day. Take one was actually not me but Caron who was having all sorts of techy issues, so I just jazzed her point up with illustrations etc.
1. Why I Still Need to Go To Church - The title was to a counter point to Caron's piece but considering she opening admitted to this making her cry, each of the times she had to go back a read it, I think it stands up there as my blog post of 2009. It is actually the one I'm most delighted to have written.
* Surely this is the blogging word of the year and destined for the Oxford English Dictionary being used even outside Lib Dem circles I note. Wonder is any other word in the OED has its origins of usage from a felinophobic Elephant.
However with the Orwell Awards and the end of the year it is a good time to reflect on the best of that selection from this year. Not all of my best writing comes when I am happy, nothing like a good rant eh.
Speaking of Orwell of course 2010 sees the last time Big Brother will appear on our screens. So in the words of Davina McCall here are my best bits.
10. Friday Blog Love: Where I Agree with Tony Blair -taking a look at an interview with the former Prime Minister about the progress on gay issues in the 15 years that Attitude had been around.
9. The 3.5% Growth Myth - You know when something grates with you as not sounding right here is how I fisked the budget but I didn't do that just once, but twice because of one little phrase.
8. Letter to my Sixteen Year Old Self - A recent one from only the other week but one I though about for a while. Of this one Paul Walter said "Well done Stephen. This concept does my head in a bit, but when I read letters like yours it makes sense of the idea."
7. Votertragedyapproachesgordonisatrocious - Regular readers will of course know that down through the years I've messed around with songs and made the words topical, this one is the not the tune you are expecting from Mary Poppins but the title came to me after and had be laughing all the more.
6. West Lothian Question for Sky Election Debate - Being a political activist and candidate in this neck of the wood does mean that one giant and one intervention in Parliament always manages to seep in. So on a subject I believe I've blogger five times on a monthly basis this year two Linlithgow sons Tam and Alex both get a mention.
5. Secularism Shouldn't Cold Shoulder All People of Faith - When the National Secularist Society said that people of religion from our pluralist society shouldn't be allowed in the House of Commons I played devil's advocate, that is if a man of such staunch Ulster Protestant stock can take on such a Roman Catholic role.
4. The Hardest Word Lacking Feeling: Jan Moir has Spoken Again - Of course following the tragic loss of Stephen Gately I could have more or less filled a top ten of stories that mentioned Jan Moir. Not bad for just over 2 months on the public consciousness. This is where I fisk her unpology*.
3. It's Not the Champagne that is Story - David Cameron got himself into a right Pickle, when he was caught breaking campaign manager Eric's embargo on senior Tories being seen enjoying to much bubbly at conference. I said it wasn't so much the champagne in a recession that was the story but the control that the freedom this, freedom that Tory party wanted to exercise.
2. Tour of Argyll and Bute Take 2 - During the MPs expenses scandal the Torygraph did make a number of stupid statements. One was that Alan Reid the Lib Dem MP should not be allowed to claim expenses for staying at B&Bs in his constituency while visiting constituents during the summer recess. I took just one example of the alternative proposal of getting Alan back to his constitueny home at the end of the day. Take one was actually not me but Caron who was having all sorts of techy issues, so I just jazzed her point up with illustrations etc.
1. Why I Still Need to Go To Church - The title was to a counter point to Caron's piece but considering she opening admitted to this making her cry, each of the times she had to go back a read it, I think it stands up there as my blog post of 2009. It is actually the one I'm most delighted to have written.
* Surely this is the blogging word of the year and destined for the Oxford English Dictionary being used even outside Lib Dem circles I note. Wonder is any other word in the OED has its origins of usage from a felinophobic Elephant.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Year of the Nearly Blog - Month Charlie
What a month I've had, took a fortnight's holiday and had a week without broadband and then the Laptop packed up. Therefore I don't expect the stats of this month to be all that good. Although Mark Valadares did call me 'the godfather of Scottish Lib Dem blogging', and I did make the Golden Dozen in the midst of my local difficulties.
However, at the start I'd climbed into the top 40 of the Wikio Political blogs to 34, just behind Jeff not sure if that is the reason I have been removed again from his blogroll, he really doesn't play fair at times. So does that climb make be less of a nearly blog? Possibly but there are still 33 blogs ahead of me and this month hasn't helped.
Last month I had 1,271 absolute unique visitors down from 2,516 in October. They made 2,024 (3,863) visits and 2,486 (4,671) page views. So -49%which was to be expected for a fortnight of turmoils and no weekend postings. My busiest day was the 3rd November the day of I found a memo in light of Professor Nutt's removal and something unusual about Caroline Righton's Unpology.
But that's enough of the procrastinating on with what you're all waiting for my top 11s* for November.
Top referring sites were:
1. (1) Google/organic
2. (2) Direct Hits
3. (3) Lib Dem Blogs
4. (4) Twitter
5. (5) Lib Dem Voice
6. (9) Blogger
7. (10) Brtiblogs
8. (7) SNP Tactical Voting
9. (6) Malc in the Burgh (Rest in rest)
10. (-) Google/referral
11. (-) Planet Politics
I only wrote 48 new contributions to the blog down from 787 last months. The 11 stories that you've been reading most (by direct page views) are:
1. SNP Wants Scots to Waive their Rights to Determine Their Future
2. Gay Youth Faces Death in Iran
3. New Edict from Non-Scientific Home Office
4. Question of Sexuality- or Not
5. Dubai Crisis as a Spider
6. Stonewall Hero - A Humble Man of God
7. What I Find Surprising about the Caroline Righton Unpology
8. When No Doesn't Quite Mean No
9. Labour the Home Rule Guard! - Who Do You Think you are Kidding Yousuf Hamid?
10. Tam, Whose Line is it Anyway?
11. Wikio MacBlogosphere Rankings November
Where did you all come from? Here's the top countries from the 59 that visited this month, close to the 60 in October.
1. (1) United Kingdom
2. (2) USA
3. (5) Canada
4. (3) Ireland
5. (9) France
6. (4) Netherlands
7. (10=) India
8. (7) Austrailia
9. (17) Italy
10. (36) United Arab Emirates [do you think Dubai had something to do with this?]
11. (6) Germany
* Hey once I've started I'm not going to stop, you'll need to vote me into a top 10 next year when Iain Dale calls you to the ballot.
However, at the start I'd climbed into the top 40 of the Wikio Political blogs to 34, just behind Jeff not sure if that is the reason I have been removed again from his blogroll, he really doesn't play fair at times. So does that climb make be less of a nearly blog? Possibly but there are still 33 blogs ahead of me and this month hasn't helped.
Last month I had 1,271 absolute unique visitors down from 2,516 in October. They made 2,024 (3,863) visits and 2,486 (4,671) page views. So -49%which was to be expected for a fortnight of turmoils and no weekend postings. My busiest day was the 3rd November the day of I found a memo in light of Professor Nutt's removal and something unusual about Caroline Righton's Unpology.
But that's enough of the procrastinating on with what you're all waiting for my top 11s* for November.
Top referring sites were:
1. (1) Google/organic
2. (2) Direct Hits
3. (3) Lib Dem Blogs
4. (4) Twitter
5. (5) Lib Dem Voice
6. (9) Blogger
7. (10) Brtiblogs
8. (7) SNP Tactical Voting
9. (6) Malc in the Burgh (Rest in rest)
10. (-) Google/referral
11. (-) Planet Politics
I only wrote 48 new contributions to the blog down from 787 last months. The 11 stories that you've been reading most (by direct page views) are:
1. SNP Wants Scots to Waive their Rights to Determine Their Future
2. Gay Youth Faces Death in Iran
3. New Edict from Non-Scientific Home Office
4. Question of Sexuality- or Not
5. Dubai Crisis as a Spider
6. Stonewall Hero - A Humble Man of God
7. What I Find Surprising about the Caroline Righton Unpology
8. When No Doesn't Quite Mean No
9. Labour the Home Rule Guard! - Who Do You Think you are Kidding Yousuf Hamid?
10. Tam, Whose Line is it Anyway?
11. Wikio MacBlogosphere Rankings November
Where did you all come from? Here's the top countries from the 59 that visited this month, close to the 60 in October.
1. (1) United Kingdom
2. (2) USA
3. (5) Canada
4. (3) Ireland
5. (9) France
6. (4) Netherlands
7. (10=) India
8. (7) Austrailia
9. (17) Italy
10. (36) United Arab Emirates [do you think Dubai had something to do with this?]
11. (6) Germany
* Hey once I've started I'm not going to stop, you'll need to vote me into a top 10 next year when Iain Dale calls you to the ballot.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Parish Notice
Blogging has been light for the past fortnight for a couple of reasons. While I was off work for that time firstly in week one my broadband gave up on me, then in week two once that had been sorted my laptop decided it was only going to survive for a max of about 15 minutes a time before freezing, but more often between 5 and 10 minutes.
Therefore to have made last week's Lib Dem Voice Golden Dozen despite all the difficulties in getting anything published makes it is somewhat more warming that my previous mentions amongst the most popular and best Lib Dem posts of the week.
Thank you everyone for bearing with me. As regular readers will now today is a Monday so I'm not likely to get into any heavy posting today but hope to resume some sort of semi-normal posting again from tomorrow while my laptop visits the Doctor's surgery.
Therefore to have made last week's Lib Dem Voice Golden Dozen despite all the difficulties in getting anything published makes it is somewhat more warming that my previous mentions amongst the most popular and best Lib Dem posts of the week.
Thank you everyone for bearing with me. As regular readers will now today is a Monday so I'm not likely to get into any heavy posting today but hope to resume some sort of semi-normal posting again from tomorrow while my laptop visits the Doctor's surgery.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Temporarily Turning Out the Lights
As some of you who follow my Twitter feeds will know my poor Mobile Broadband Dongle is poorly and has gone off to the Docs. This means it is unlikely that I will posting anything new over the weekend either here, on Facebook or Twitter or anywhere in the known Interweb.
So have fun! Enjoy the weekend.
But in my risk assessor role I say don't hurt yourself rolling after too many eggs down too many hills.
So have fun! Enjoy the weekend.
But in my risk assessor role I say don't hurt yourself rolling after too many eggs down too many hills.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Stat Porn Craziness
The normal run of events for those times when you take downtime to recharge your batteries your hits should drop off. In my case the recent lightness of posting is down to an intense weekend of blogging the Scottish Roundup and having deep discussions of a personal nature (occassionally both concurrently).
However, my stat porn has not been affected by blogging light, indeed it is up. The reason is my 25 Random Things About Me. Off all the lists of 25 things across the interwebby mine is ranked on the front page of google. Heaven knows how.
Anyhoo Jimmy* (the elephant in the room) is going to be discussed tonight, so my mind may be clear to resume normal blog activities.
*Yes we have named it for speed of typing purposes. How sad is that?
However, my stat porn has not been affected by blogging light, indeed it is up. The reason is my 25 Random Things About Me. Off all the lists of 25 things across the interwebby mine is ranked on the front page of google. Heaven knows how.
Anyhoo Jimmy* (the elephant in the room) is going to be discussed tonight, so my mind may be clear to resume normal blog activities.
*Yes we have named it for speed of typing purposes. How sad is that?
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Unravelling the Long Week of Scottish Politics
I'm unlikey to actually blog anything exciting today between football, then clubbing later I'm trying to get ahead on this week's Scottish Round Up.
Nice relaxing weekend planned.
Nice relaxing weekend planned.
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