Today is the third blogiversary of Effect Measure. We started it on blogger as a whim in 2004 while Mrs. R. was making a Thanksgiving dinner. Since then there have been posts under the Effect Measure name by the Reveres every day, 365 days a year for three years, some 2300 in all. Since our move to Scienceblogs in early June of 2006 we have averaged a bit over 1100 unique visits a day. In the process we have accumulated an interesting, engaged and idiosyncratic community of commenters: contributors, arguers, polemicists, the outraged, sometimes the appreciative, the hyperverbose, the laconic. 15,300 comments in all. This is a left leaning blog for sure, but we are glad it isn't a political echo chamber, as even a cursory perusal of the comment threads will demonstrate. Everyone is welcome here as long as they stay within our fairly loose definition of civility. Muscular argument is encouraged. Name calling or vile sentiments are not. We get to decide the boundaries. A blog isn't a democracy.
The year has has seen some notable blog events. We finished strong with what we believe to be the only insider account of the critical flu virus sharing summit just concluded in Geneva (see here and links therein). It wasn't live blogging but it came close, with daily dispatches from a participant. The major news outlets covered the opening but were either frozen out thereafter or decided not to follow it in detail. Effect Measure was (and is) the only place you could get the information on what was happening behind closed doors.
As the year started we were still engaged in the tragic case of the Tripoli 6. Effect Measure was the gateway to the vigorous blogosphere response, a response I am proud to say was taken up by many Sciencebloggers. The initial push spread quickly to the political left and right of the blogosphere and the reaction played a part in the eventual liberation of those unhappy health colleagues unjustly imprisoned and facing death sentences in Libya.
Between those events was a long year of following developments on the pandemic flu front, including several series to explain emerging or particularly relevant aspects of flu science. One was a gargantuan paragraph by paragraph, section by section, equation by equation and figure by figure explication of a mathematical modeling paper on the dynamics of antiviral resistance spread, running 17 long posts. Lots more flu science here. Plus a ton of other stuff.
Daily blogging is hard work and no wages. There is no guarantee Effect Measure will survive to see a fourth year. Meanwhile, though, we're still around. See you tomorrow.
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Medicine & Health
Comments
Happy Anniversary to all the Revere's Doc!
Posted by: M. Randolph Kruger | November 25, 2007 5:12 PM
Happy blogiversary! There is great stuff here every day and especially kudos for your persistence in the Tripoli 6 case which was an inspiration for all of us.
Posted by: Coturnix | November 25, 2007 5:17 PM
Congratulations, Revere. I think all who post comments here (and the many who don't) are fully aware of just how indebted we are to you. You've done an extraordinary job with "Effect Measure;" I certainly hope that you will continue to provide this valuable "community," which you have constructed, with your proven expertise, wisdom, and welcome humor. I think that many of us have come to feel very much at home, here.
Great job!
"the hyperverbose" (If I guess correctly, do I win a prize?)
Posted by: Dylan | November 25, 2007 5:18 PM
Congratulations and Happy Blogiversary!
Effect Measure is always at the top of my list to visit each day. Your efforts are appreciated.
Posted by: Fla_Medic | November 25, 2007 5:46 PM
Happy blogiversary!
Posted by: Laelaps | November 25, 2007 6:05 PM
Congrats! May you continue on.
Time flies, as I've discovered given that my third blogiversary is approaching...
Posted by: Orac | November 25, 2007 6:13 PM
Congrats!
Posted by: Jeb, FCD | November 25, 2007 7:04 PM
Heartiest congratulations on your third year - always an enjoyable and informative read. Public health never gets the credit it deserves because no one sees the lives saved and fewer people are old enough to remember the devastation of infectious diseases before vaccines and judicious use of antibiotics.
Your promotion of the Tripoli 6 case was a great service to all of the scientific community. I'm honored to call you a colleague and am fortunate to count myself among your readers.
Posted by: Abel Pharmboy | November 25, 2007 7:23 PM
Happy 'versery, reveres!!
Posted by: DemFromCT | November 25, 2007 7:36 PM
Congratulations Reveres! As a front line public health worker, this is the one blog I read and I find that it is incredibly helpful in keeping me up to date on the issues. Thank you so much!
Posted by: epifreek | November 25, 2007 8:08 PM
Congratulations Revere!
May you survive another year and certainly as many as you wish. I always enjoy reading what you have to say.
Posted by: Sandra Porter | November 25, 2007 8:46 PM
You guys were already on the case when I wandered in searching for an education, and thank you for providing it.
If you think you're "left-leaning," though, you need to get out more. Outside the palaeolithic US, you're smack-dab in the center.
Abrazos,
Crof
Posted by: Crawford Kilian | November 25, 2007 8:51 PM
Consider me amongst the appreciative. . . Congrats on 3 years and I hope we celebrate four. . . REALLY hope ! ! !
Posted by: gilmore | November 25, 2007 9:12 PM
Whatever you do, don't stop now! :-)
Posted by: Blake Stacey | November 25, 2007 10:38 PM
Thanks for a topical blog.
Posted by: bar | November 25, 2007 10:54 PM
Happy blogiversary! and keep up the good work........
Posted by: karen | November 26, 2007 4:06 AM
Congratulations. Thanks for the great work.
Posted by: Ana | November 26, 2007 7:01 AM
Looking for info on bird flu I first stumbled over you then found Crof. Effect Measure and H5N1 are my first stops (except during baseball season). What I learn I pass on. Thank you very much.
Posted by: slovenia | November 26, 2007 8:22 AM
Congrats! I know how much work it takes to keep a stimulating blog going.
Posted by: Marissa | November 26, 2007 9:38 AM
Congratulations! I've learned a lot from this blog, and am amazed that you're able to keep to such a high standard day in and day out.
Posted by: Liz | November 26, 2007 10:08 AM
Congratulations, Reveres!
Posted by: maryn | November 26, 2007 12:00 PM
Thanks so much...hard to believe its been 3 year. Your work is quite appreciated.
Posted by: Nick | November 26, 2007 3:54 PM
metoo, metoo. A day late and a dollar short, but I certainly appreciate what y'all do. This is one of only a few internet sites I dare to frequent at work. I figure I can justify it, even to the internet police.
Posted by: MoM | November 26, 2007 4:08 PM
Given that it took me five minutes to compose this bit of text... I can only imagine how much time you have put into this first rate blog.
Thanks and congratulations for another great year of informed insight!
Posted by: Max S. | November 26, 2007 7:00 PM
Congrats Revere, good stuff it is, and long may it continue.
Posted by: Peter McGrath | November 26, 2007 7:01 PM
Yes, bravo! From one of your many lurkers. My Sunday mornings wouldn't be the same without your Sermonettes. It prepare's me for what's to come, cause I usually go golfing after, and any linguring doubts are quickly dispelled!
JP.
Posted by: joe pyke | November 27, 2007 1:14 AM
My congratulations to all you reveres. And many thanks. Your insight and rationality are always welcome in the land of blogs.
Keep banging the drums for the issue of public health. It's one of those funny things you never miss until you need it and it's nowhere to be found.
Posted by: wenchacha | November 27, 2007 11:55 AM
I'm late to the party, but happy blogiversary anyway. Regardless of pay, do know that your work is very much enjoyed and appreciated.
Posted by: Tara C. Smith | November 28, 2007 12:04 PM
I come across via H5N1 to this blog, and I have experienced a kind of openness while reading the messages, for my own self-relection particularly. It has restored the hope that we are in a global village, and the creative minority indeed exists so called the class of world citizens.
Posted by: paiwan | November 29, 2007 11:07 PM