A New Record! : Dispatches from the Culture Wars

Profile

Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of Michigan Citizens for Science and co-founder of The Panda's Thumb. He has written for such publications as The Bard, Skeptic and Reports of the National Center for Science Education, spoken in front of many organizations and conferences, and appeared on nationally syndicated radio shows and on C-SPAN. Ed is also a Fellow with the Center for Independent Media and the host of Declaring Independence, a one hour weekly political talk show on WPRR in Grand Rapids, Michigan.(static)

Search

Other Information

Ed Brayton also blogs at Positive Liberty and The Panda's Thumb

Ed Brayton is a participant in the Center for Independent Media New Journalism Program. However, all of the statements, opinions, policies, and views expressed on this site are solely Ed Brayton's. This web site is not a production of the Center, and the Center does not support or endorse any of the contents on this site.

Ed's Audio and Video

Declaring Independence podcast feed

YearlyKos 2007

Video of speech on Dover and the Future of the Anti-Evolution Movement

Audio of Greg Raymer Interview

E-mail Policy

Any and all emails that I receive may be reprinted, in part or in full, on this blog with attribution. If this is not acceptable to you, do not send me e-mail - especially if you're going to end up being embarrassed when it's printed publicly for all to see.

My Ecosystem Details

« Turkey Doesn't Get Reality TV | Main | Palin's Resignation »

A New Record!

Posted on: July 4, 2009 9:16 AM, by Ed Brayton

I want to thank my incredible readers for helping Dispatches to its biggest month ever in June. The 565,000 pageviews broke the previous record of 550,000 set last October. And in a month with only 30 days, no less. Thank you so much for helping this blog grow. Now if I just had binoculars powerful enough to see the dust that Pharyngula is kicking up as it roars off into the distance so far ahead of this blog that it's in a different time zone...

Share this: Facebook Twitter Stumbleupon Reddit Email + More

Comments

I like PZ's blog and read it regularly. I also like his commenters pithy, deadly humor though I only occassionally take the time to briefly scan through the commenter portions of his blog posts. I'm impressed PZ is able to monitor threads with so many commenters. He also makes me feel like I'm 12 again listening to Cheech and Chong with my buds between pranks whenever he directs us to attack a poll.

While I like PZ's blog, I love this blog. I know of no better place to challenge, validate, or enhance some of my positions than here; due to both Ed and his regular readers. Can you imagine how much better off our planet would be if the cogency and honesty of the winning collective arguments in this forum were standard in the overall collective public square?

Posted by: Michael Heath | July 4, 2009 9:47 AM

Oh that's just because PZ has the word "ejaculations" in his blog description.

Posted by: chris | July 4, 2009 10:04 AM

The gap might also have to do with the fact that one only need check your blog once a day to see what you have to say, whereas people probably check PZ several times to see what he's up to. You might consider posting more often, or spreading your posts out. And also commenting on news items before they're ancient history in Internet-time.

Posted by: c-dub | July 4, 2009 10:24 AM

You also need to throw a cracker in your trashcan and photograph it. For some reason, that really generates a lot of hits.

Posted by: Savagemutt | July 4, 2009 10:42 AM

Oh that's just because PZ has the word "ejaculations" in his blog description.
Posted by: chris | July 4, 2009 10:04 AM

Ed should temporarily change his blog description to "Ejaculations from the Interface of Science, Religion, Law and Culture" to test this hypothesis.

Posted by: Wes | July 4, 2009 10:57 AM

Squid photos. That's the ticket.

Seriously, the two blogs I visit at Sciblogs with daily regularity is PZ's and yours. Aetiology is another fave, but Tara seems otherwise occupied. I've recently added Orac's and Isis' blogs to my regular reading habits, but I don't visit on a daily basis. (Sorry, doctors).

You've got a good formula here, whatever the hell it is. So don't change anything.

Posted by: wheatdogg | July 4, 2009 11:14 AM

I second the comments above; I regularly check
Pharyngula, Dispatches... & erv to get
three variegated viewpoints with links to just
about everywhere. Keep it up.

Posted by: Ragout Legume | July 4, 2009 11:40 AM

Yes, my top two blogs that I read are Pharyngula and Dispatches.

And I second the thought that PZ gets more page views from me because he updates throughout the day, whereas you update all at once. I don't have a problem with that, in a way I think I actually like your style better, but PZ's generates more page hits because I stop back in from time to time to see whats new.

Posted by: Robert | July 4, 2009 11:52 AM

I love the "size" of the comments section here. It's large enough for some interesting discussion, but not too big. I've given up trying to do more than skim the comments on PZ's blog.

Posted by: Taz | July 4, 2009 11:53 AM

Congrats, Ed. I'm finding myself coming here more often these days, just for that slight change of tone from Pharyngula. But it gets a little more bare-knuckled over there, and sometimes that's more fun.

Posted by: Wowbagger | July 4, 2009 12:01 PM

Do you get credit for a hit when you send out the e-mail version of your blog? I am thankful to receive these e-mails every day, and I read several of the items in the e-mail on a daily basis. I hope you get credit from advertisers for this.

Posted by: maurice ross | July 4, 2009 12:47 PM

I'll second the comment comment (so to speak). I also read PZ's blog but almost never comment unless I happen upon a thread that's just started. It's the same with Daily Kos -- some of the writers there are excellent, but I don't even bother reading the comments --- way too many, and you have to sift through too many of them to find one with something interesting to say.

So is it churlish to hope that Dispatches doesn't become *too* popular so that we don't drown in a sea of comments? :-)

Posted by: tacitus | July 4, 2009 12:54 PM

Another one who regularly checks both blogs on a daily basis (or as close to daily as I can manage). At the moment, I don't have any other regular daily SciBorgs checks, but do keep an eye on The Last 24 Hours listing and so tend to hop around.

Posted by: blf | July 4, 2009 1:46 PM

Ed:

Add my name to those above who pointed out that we need to check your blog only once to see what's up for that day. PZ posts throughout the day, and so I check back several times to see what's new.

You and PZ are my two first check blogs [along with the local public affairs blog] when the machine goes on each morning.

Posted by: flatlander100 | July 4, 2009 2:34 PM

Ed:

Does this mean you're gonna buy us some drinkz? I know you ain't got time to come out here to CNY and do it personal like. Howzabout you just e-mail me you're credit card number (and that little 3-digit security gizmo on the back) and I'll take it from there.

Posted by: democommie | July 4, 2009 3:27 PM

Thanks to you Ed! It's the quality of your posts, as well as the friendly and intelligent (also, handsome and sophisticated...etc.) community here, that keep me coming back every day.

Posted by: Imrryr | July 4, 2009 6:19 PM

I use an RSS reader for both Pharyngula and Dispatches as well as ERV, so I only give each blogger as many page views as they write posts. That adds up to about 5 per day for you, Ed, and a seemingly random number for PZ.

I would like it if you sometimes posted "special" bulletins instead of always putting everything out in the morning--sometimes you're a good 24 hours behind. But I mostly read your blog to get your analysis rather than the news itself, so it's not that crucial.

Basically, keep doin' what yer doin'.

Posted by: Uncephalized | July 4, 2009 6:56 PM

I'm among those who mostly read PZ and you. Although I was a big fan of Kevin Beck over at the Chimp Refuge, which I miss. A lot. I missed why it went away. Anyone see?

Oh, and Mr Heath, others have said it. I'll repeat it. You are good enough to have your own blog.

Posted by: bybelknap, FCD | July 4, 2009 11:00 PM

Eh. I like your blog better than PZs. PZ is very in your face and it's starting to bother me. You're much more evenhanded and I agree with most of your viewpoints. :)

Posted by: Russell Miller | July 5, 2009 12:21 AM

Yet another reader who lists both sites as top billing, and, as Mr. Miller comments, I too enjoy the less one-sided stances you espouse.

Also, I particularly like your legal interpretations and explanations. Keep up the great work.

Posted by: trog69 | July 5, 2009 12:41 AM

Dispatches is where I start my ScineceBlogs day. PZ is so prolific and attracts so many comments that I generally don't have time to read Pharyngula during the workday.

Posted by: Pieter B | July 5, 2009 3:40 AM

Right there with most of the commenters - always check Dispatches before PZ, too many commenters/snarkiness on PZ, etc.

Thanks for lead to ERV, though... which leads to my real question: Is there a poll or otherwise tracking numbers on which SciBlogs are most popular down to least?

If not, Ed, could you post one? Sure it would be slanted toward what else your readers read, but this being one of the top two, i'd think it would be accurate enough.

Posted by: Tony | July 5, 2009 10:42 AM

Another long-time lurker emerging to say "Congradulations!" Although you and PZ don't always agree, the two of you are among my three must-read blogs (Glenn Greenwald is the third).

Posted by: Terry Walsh | July 6, 2009 3:02 AM

I mostly lurk here as well Ed. You're writing is apt and timely and I love when you call someone out and give them a dressing down. My thanks for all you do.

Posted by: Glendon Mellow | July 8, 2009 6:58 AM