In reviewing the google analytics stats for this blog, I find that July was a record month with 173,024 hits. That's an average of 5581 hits per day, and that's even with the long 4th of July weekend that had lower than normal hits. The weekends are always slower, with around 3000 hits a day, so during the week we're averaging around 7000 hits a day. I never imagined when I started this blog that it would ever get anywhere near that level of readership. So I want to thank all of you for your interest in what I do and for helping to make Dispatches from the Culture Wars a success. A large part of the appeal of this blog is undoubtedly the fact that we have so many readers who respond in comments and generate ongoing conversations about these issues. So thanks to everyone who contributes to the cacaphony. I'm closing the comments on this post because I am not looking for congratulations or praise; my intent is solely to thank and laud my readers, without whom this would all be pretty pointless. Thank you all so much.