Year One In Review

Yesterday, I posted some info about what I have Spewed about for the past year.  I figured out how to use google analytics (which I have been using to track the traffic) to see what the trends have been over the past year.

First, of 4085 searches that led to my blog, 4012 were using google. 
Second, other than direct visits, the top ten ways people were directed to the Spew are: Google, Blogger.com, Drezner's blog (thanks!), Facebook, my mcgill website, Jacob Levy's blog (thanks), twitter, Marc Lynch's blog now called the Mideast Channel at Foreign Policy (thanks!), cnn.com (??), and the Mcgill Poli Sci librarian.  Tom Ricks is just a few spots down.  Other sites that have directed people to me include spoilernews.com, straightdope.com (?), Poliscijobrumors.com, largeheartedboy.com (?), duckofminerva.blogspot.com, and giblerclasses.blogspot.com (only two visits, Doug).

Which posts did most people view? (biased by my recent increased use of "see more" technology--it puts people onto a specific page, rather than the general blog page--annoying to Steve Greene, handy to me).

1. http://saideman.blogspot.com/2009/08/another-bad-movie-idea-i-know-nothing.html where I ponder what a new Hogan's Heroes movie would like like.  Much traffic due to Dan Drezner's blog.
2. http://saideman.blogspot.com/2009/12/worst-op-ed-of-2009.html, where I pan an NYT op-ed piece on Iranian nuclear weapons.  Many folks found this op-ed to be an easy target, so my posting got linked here and there (Marc Lynch, among others).
3. http://saideman.blogspot.com/2010/04/lost-and-out-of-my-mind-league-draft.html, which is what it is.  The page I used to run the draft for my fantasy Lost league. 
4. http://saideman.blogspot.com/2010/04/transport-debate.html, where I riff on an Big Bang Theory episode that ranked various forms of transport.  I re-ranked.  And then was linked by Drezner and perhaps others.
5. http://saideman.blogspot.com/2009/07/ask-reader-better-late-than-never.html.  Discussing racism and a swimming pool near my hometown.
6. http://saideman.blogspot.com/2010/01/devil-replies.html,  I posted a viral entry that had spread around where someone was taking Pat Robertson to task for suggesting that Haiti earned its earthquate.
7. http://saideman.blogspot.com/2009/07/hogwarts-houses-modest-spoiler.html, where I ponder which house I would have been in had I gone to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
8. http://saideman.blogspot.com/2010/04/warning-order-lost-fantasy-game-to.html, the starting point of my Lost Fantasy league.
9. http://saideman.blogspot.com/2009/12/technology-plus-anxiety-amusement-for.html.  Brief note indicating that my students were posting much anxiety about the final.  Zombies do inspire much anxiety, don't they (again, insert maniacal laughter here).
10. http://saideman.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-favorite-music-of-aughts.html, My favorite music of the 2000's as part of a review of the decade.

Top ten non-Saideman words that were used in searches that found my blog:

1. Number 11 on the search list: "Superhero city" banned in Utah: due to http://saideman.blogspot.com/2009/11/getting-nothing-for-something.html, where I give up on most Facebook games since they tended to be deliberately careless about privacy violations, phishing and other scams.  No. 11 on the list
2. Number 16 on the search list: "List of obsolete items."  Discussed a New Yorker piece on things that became obsolete in the Aughts.
3. Number 19 "what does America stand for" due to http://saideman.blogspot.com/2009/10/what-does-america-stand-for.html, where I link to a viral video of a veteran saying he fought in WWII for freedom, including gay rights.  Perhaps the most moving video I blogged in my first year.
4. Number 20: "Lost spoilers"  But of course.
5. Number 24: "Great motivational speeches." http://saideman.blogspot.com/2009/07/great-motivational-speeches-in-world.html, where I discuss speeches in trash movies.
6. Number 27: Cheesy Quotes.
7. Number 31: Policy disaster
8. Number 32: Safety tip of the week
9. Numbers 33, 34: Hogan's heroes remamke
10. Number 35: Best quote of 2010.

 Top 10 Homes of Viewers:

1. Canada
2. US
3. UK
4. Australia
5. Spain (a rabid McGill student is doing work there)
6. Germany
7. France
8. India
9. Netherlands
10. Belgium

 It has been an interesting year.  Thanks for reading.