Today is No Right Turn's fourth birthday. In the past year this blog has seen 202,416 unique visitors, who have contributed 8,555 comments. I've written 1,471 posts, totalling 320,035 words. And I was supposed to be busy this year!
Looking back at past anniversary posts, it looks as if I will write my millionth word here sometime around the 1st of April. Should I check into rehab yet?
Two topics have dominated the blog in the past year. The first has been climate change and climate change policy, where interesting things are happening at the moment, both domestically and internationally. The second has been my coverage of Parliament, and particularly the In the Ballot series on Member's Bills. I plan to continue both themes. But I've also reviewed the review of the Immigration Act, submitted on legislation, organised support for striking workers, used the OIA to uncover arbitrary detention and New Zealand's position on Guantanamo, and stood up for freedom of speech and human rights, even for people I hate. The next year will likely see more of the same. The writing hasn't got any easier - there are still days when I look at the news and am either too angry or too bored to find anything I feel is worth posting about - but its still fun, so I'll keep on doing it.
Finally, I'd like to thank my guest columnists for the past year - Brian Easton, Muerk, and Greg Stephens - and everyone who has emailed with news or encouraging words. I'd also like to thank the commenters. Part of the unique flavour of this blog is that the comments are not the sewer seen elsewhere - so please, keep up the good work.
congratulations and happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteit's good to see one of the most rational of bloggers still up and fighting after all this time.
Very well done, I don't know where you find the time to do all the research you do. You deserve an interview on nine to noon today.
ReplyDeleteBTW - Did you also almost choke on your dinner hearing the Federated Farmer's spokesmen on Climate change (Jim Flemming(?)) flatly state on checkpoint last night that he didn't believe in global warming, on the grounds he is a farmer and as such he knows more about the weather than anyone and he sees no evidence of global warming so it can't be true?
I wonder if anyone has pointed to him that from his farm the earth also appears flat...
Well done I/S. Your well researched posts and quality of writing is still a bastion of hope for the blogosphere
ReplyDeletecongrats. you are, in my opinion, the best blogger in the country. I wish you all the best for another four years.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations I/S. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteYes congratulations and thanks, your information to kbyte ratio is the highest on the intarweb.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do find it odd that they have Farrar (sorry, that's MR Farrar) comment on things blog, and not you.
Congratulations I/S. I read your blog every day with interest.
ReplyDeleteSanctuary - good spot there on FF. I think you will find that is "the argument from personal incredulity". i.e., not an argument at all.
It is also used by creationists of various stripes: "I haven't personally witnessed a species evolve, and I find it rather hard to accept the whole concept, therefore clearly species were created."
Morons.
Congratulations. I don't know how you do it but I am glad you do.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, you have a good blog for the left. In some ways that's not hard, but for what it is it's pretty good.
ReplyDeletePity about your frequent forays into fantisy.
congradulations, thanks for the info and insights. long may you broadcast.
ReplyDeletehappy blogday
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drat. your cake got squashed going through the tubes
ReplyDeleteCongrats I/S. I agree with the ealier commentors' praise of your blog and hope you're still going even if you're in rehab.
ReplyDeleteHappy blogday (sorry about the belatedness)!
ReplyDeleteYou really are an inspiration I/S, and in particular the function you serve in our democracy is vital. I hope you are as widely read as you deserve.
In fact you've inspired me to ask you how you got that tag cloud thing, it's purty.
Span: Phydeaux3. It requires hacking around a bit with the template, and setting some variables until it looks "right". Currently mine is set to only display labels where there are 30 or more posts; unfortunately its still a) too big; and b) has too many "big" tags. But that will hopefully gradually correct itself as I lable more posts (I haven't even begun on torture, rendition, the Treaty/Constitution stuff, or civil unions yet).
ReplyDeleteCheers ears, all done!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the research and exposition to inform me ever since I found your blog! I may not always agree with your points of view, but it is great to find out about things on your blog that the mainstream media don't report, or misrepresent.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Andrew