AsMaineGoes losing readers?

I can't provide any objective assessment, but I can absolutely say that I've been giving some thought to a hiatus from AMG. Frankly, I'm tired of and bored by what I view as a hijack of the site by a tiny number of very vocal, my-way-or-the-highway Ron Paul freaks.

And that's not a slam of Dr. Paul.

It may be the election season, but it's also vacation season, winding down to start of school. Lots of folks have other things on their minds right now.

I agree with eagleisland. Being a Paulite is like being a Christian. I love Ron Paul but I hate a lot of what's done in his name.

Alexa rankings are not an accurate reflection of AMG readership. Here's why:

How does Alexa works? the mystery question according to Wikipedia Alexa ranks sites based on tracking information of users of its Alexa Toolbar for Internet Explorer and from integrated sidebars in Firefox and Chrome Hence the page is only ranked between users who have these sidebars installed and may be biased if specific audience is reluctant to do this (Windows Defender has classified the sidebar as a Trojan, a form of malware.). Also, the rank is based on three month data and takes a long time to reflect changes in content that may happen after the domain has been sold. Finally low ranks cannot be accurate not just because of the lack of data but also because of statistic laws related to the long tail distribution. The same laws make ranking of the popular sites highly accurate.

http://www.lawmacs.com/2010/12/16/understanding-alexa-rankings.html

I follow AMG traffic using the Google Analytics attached to AMG for many years. Here are AMG's last key stats, up to an including yesterday, for the last 30-days:

Visits: 53,045
Unique Visitors: 25,226
Pageviews: 204,309

Traffic overall remains consistent with steady growth. Campaign season on AMG - again measured over the last 14 years - begins in earnest after Labor Day weekend.

Best,
skf

p.s. Three Pipe Problem: Thank you for your thoughtful headline. :-)

Good to hear, thanks Editor!

I expect many posters dislike the presence of Paulites which has been so vocal of late. But as far as readers go, I believe the old adage that everyone loves to watch a fight. I wouldn't be surprised if the debates are good for traffic... certainly it seems that the threads with the most debate get the most views, by far. That is one reason the Alexa figures surprised me... it seems Alexa isn't much use for any but the largest of sites, who do seem to covet Alexa rankings.

Scott: How's that compare with last year?

Proud FREAK and contributor to AMG.

Of course they love to watch a fight and it certainly must improve traffic to the site. I remember a post-2008 election thread concerning the Maine GOP chairmanship that must have had over 10,000 views by the end. It was the thread, correct me if I am wrong Editor, that resulted in Ray Richardson discontinuing his posting on AMG. It was a healthy debate over who should lead the party after getting killed in 2008 at the ballot box. Some of the Ron Paul threads here may be causing some of you to want to leave AMG, but I am certain it does wonders for web traffic.

Being exposed to the slow motion train wreck of the Ron Paul “freaks” is the price I must pay to be kept current on the disintegration of American society via the thought provoking gay/liberal threads.

I learned in a Republican meeting this year that gheyness caused the Roman Empire to fall (no mention on the recall of silver, soil contamination or overextended Empire). And the Ron Paul people had the nerve to suggest that maybe it wasn't the main problem facing Republicans right now. That sort of thing must be so frustrating for you, Northarrow.

I will be honest, I first came to this site more than 6 years ago...I was always into the very hot political issues. Now I could care less for most of them. Now there might be one hear or there, but not many get me going the way I used to feel. I enjoy the local issues more than the US, state, and county issues.

I like some of the joke threads and sports threads as well as some of the others that pop up along the way, but for the most part...keep me out of the national stuff, I want nothing to do with it. I have even considered just voting on the local ordinance issues in November and turning in the rest of it blank because nobody really appeals to me and I know that is going to frustrate a lot of people. Strangely enough, when I said that last night...there were a lot of people who felt the same way who kind of were waiting for somebody else to say it first.

AMG goes through cycles. Sometimes the site is so busy the servers can't keep up. Other times, things slow down. That's especially true in the summer months and on holidays, weekends, etc.

I'm sure TPP's concern was well-meant, and wholeheartedly in support of keeping As Maine Goes strong and happy.

To that end, I will remind everyone - readers and commenters alike - that the site always needs donations to keep it running. Unlike popular mythology, we're not funded by the Koch brothers, nor any other entities or corporations.

AMG depends on member and reader contributions to stay online. The PayPal "Donate" button is located on the right top side of the screen, and any donation, any amount, will be very welcome.

It looks like this:

Thank you.

AMG is like any other belief system. It attracts those who share the same beliefs and wish to reinforce their positions by knowing there are those who continue to share their beliefs or who have changed from other belief systems. Those who post are secure in their beliefs and prosyletize in hopes of converting others to their belief system. So far we have not been able to get enough converts to change the belief system we are currently under.

Statistics aside, I'll go with posts 1 and 2 as effecting my own activity level over the last few months.

As a Navy Captain once said during a briefing I was giving, "there is no such thing as a horse that is too dead to beat." And he had a drawing of a tango uniform horse to add to the laughter.

From time to time, there is a good deal of public dead horse beating here and elsewhere. That attracts some, and wearies others.

My first impulse with #1, #2, and #14 is heartfelt agreement. With the invasion of the newly minted Ronulans, the quality of discussion on AMG has declined. Many of the newcomers lack manners, introspection, and depth. They're like eighth-graders who read one book and think they learned the secrets of the universe.

But my second impulse is to counsel patience for myself. Despite their frustrating tendentiousness and impatience, our libertarian wingnuts are on to something that strikes me as a sound intuition: the United States government is facing a crisis of legitimacy.

Now, if they could only stop shouting we might have something more to discuss.

Thank you, Economike. If we can successfully restrain the bull in the pottery shop, we may yet have a fruitful conversation without further loss of crockery.

I love Ron Paul but I hate a lot of what's done in his name.

That's funny, I feel the same way about much of what the Republican party has done.

I'm with economike.

It has been a long time since AMG's Editor has written about the spirit of AMG, Its mission. Maybe it's time. A few of the comments here from AMGers I respect very much tell that it is time.

Stay tuned.

Best,
skf

Economike, said it better than I could.

I also am in full agreement with Economike.

I too concur with E-Mike

Kicked out by the GOP and now AMG.

Actually I try to keep out of most local discussion threads and other threads that don't deal with national politics. Certainly with apollo around I can't wait to see what's new.

Have we overwhelmed you on the GOP discussions? Being a member of AMG for 12 years let me assure you how pleasant it was to post here during the war years. I'd be lucky to get out with my skin.

It's good to see the neocons take it on the nose.

A couple weeks ago I came close to ending my AMG addiction, cold turkey.
Why? People were insisting on policy changes that are simply not achievable through the ballot box, some unwilling to even entertain the thought of negotiating for something achievable in the here and now, given the reality of the electorate. It made me ask myself, Then how would they get what they want? And I shuddered at the answer. I did not want to be associated with anything close to what I was imagining.

Never fear,

In a few days, the tin foil hats will be lovingly folded and put into storage for the next 3 years......

Mainemom, I needed a good laugh today and you've provided it. Given the degeneration and gridlock that America has fallen into, practically everyone has policy goals that are not pragmatically achievable in the short term. Economike wants fiscal responsibility, but it's clearly not achievable when Romney picks a guy who wants to spend nearly twice our revenues next year. Does that make him eeeevil and scary? Run, tell the village!

But rest assured, you are in some pretty good company

I mean, when people who claim to advocate peace and freedom can't get what they want nonviolently, they could resort to anything...

TTP

Look what you started LOL. The moonbats have taken over or is it the Blame American Firsters, at least Vikingstar stays in form.

Mike, I had no intention of starting this, as my motivation for asking about this was personal... if readership were actually crashing I might have stopped posting.

That being said, I somehow don't think we're going to get kicked off, and I'm looking forward to what Editor has to say. Despite my last comment, I think it's useful for people to express and vent their frustrations. We aren't the only frustrated people, and I imagine it is quite frustrating for the sides to hear each other. Personally, I have great fun here discussing my views and those of others. But it may be useful to have a conversation about how we can coexist more harmoniously.

I'm with Economike.

With consistent comments over the years like "America's bloodred skies" and "Killing brown-colored people", how can some of you be anything else but "Blame America First"? The Far Right looks to be merging with the Far Left, at least in its perception of America's role in the world.

"The Far Right looks to be merging with the Far Left,"

I posted a diagram along those lines a while back, and the past few days have shown it to be quite valid.