Poll Results–1/3/2012

 Posted by at 12:01 am  Blog News
Jan 032012
 

Here are the results of our New Year’s Resolutions poll.

Poll0103

And here are your comments.

From Lynn Squance on December 28, 2011 at 4:45 am. 

 

Well, I don’t smoke and I don’t drink so those are out. I am going to try to increase the amount of water I drink from 2 litres per day to 3-4 litres, none of in tea or in coffee which I am allegic too. It is really good for everybody. I also want to learn more about politics, both Canadian and American, and help others understand through my online posts.

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From Fred Lemon on December 27, 2011 at 7:55 am. 

 

I did make my first New Years resolution in 2010. It was to lose weight. It even worked. I went from 180 to 115 pounds. All it cost was the removal of my spleen and my pancreas.

My last New Year’s resolution was the only one I’ve kept.  I resolved to make no more New Year’s Resolutions.

The new poll is up.

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Monthly Report for December 2011

 Posted by at 12:04 am  Blog News, Monthly Report, Uncategorized
Jan 022012
 

In December, Politics Plus dropped in Uniques and Visitors, but Page Views, Hits and Bandwidth were up.  Because I was ill for almost half the month, I’m surprised that we did that well.

 

Unique visitors

Number of visits

Pages

Hits

Bandwidth

Viewed traffic *

15,455

31,478

(2.03 visits/visitor)

345,113

(10.96 Pages/Visit)

1,093,133

(34.72 Hits/Visit)

26.04 GB

(867.3 KB/Visit)

Not viewed traffic *

 

 

279,999

350,618

5.79 GB

Not viewed traffic is people who read our blog without coming here, using RSS Readers, such as Feed Demon, and Aggregation sites, such as Google Reader and MyWeb.

Stats12-2012

Here is our most recent ClustrMap, last updated on January 1.

Clustrmap12-2012

Our ClustrMap reset the morning of 2/28/2011, starting over from scratch. This map counts only visits since then. The largest circles represent over 1,000 visits. The tiniest represent one to ten.

Our average durations were up from 279 seconds last month:

Number of visits: 31,478 – Average: 299 s

Number of visits

Percent

0s-30s

24,995

79.4 %

30s-2mn

1,639

5.2 %

2mn-5mn

812

2.5 %

5mn-15mn

967

3 %

15mn-30mn

778

2.4 %

30mn-1h

1,228

3.9 %

1h+

1,059

3.3 %

Search engine referrals were mixed.

21 different referring search engines

Pages

Percent

Hits

Percent

Google

5605

55.2 %

8,478

38.1 %

Stumbleupon (Social Bookmark)

3895

38.4 %

12,668

56.9 %

Microsoft Bing

223

2.1 %

387

1.7 %

Yahoo!

156

1.5 %

265

1.1 %

Google (Images)

79

0.7 %

150

0.6 %

Microsoft MSN Search

56

0.5 %

56

0.2 %

Unknown search engines

37

0.3 %

56

0.2 %

AOL

37

0.3 %

39

0.1 %

Ask

17

0.1 %

17

0 %

Yandex

17

0.1 %

22

0 %

Microsoft Windows Live

12

0.1 %

35

0.1 %

MyWebSearch

4

0 %

4

0 %

Earth Link

2

0 %

2

0 %

GoodSearch

2

0 %

3

0 %

MetaCrawler (Metamoteur)

 

 

1

0 %

Dogpile

 

 

4

0 %

Virgilio

 

 

1

0 %

Mamma

 

 

4

0 %

InfoSpace

 

 

7

0 %

Go.com

 

 

30

0.1 %

Voila

 

 

1

0 %

Our top five non-blog referrers are:

http://www.care2.com                4,277

http://www.reddit.com/              2,379

http://www.jabberwonk.com/         539

http://www.facebook.com/             276

http://www.tumblr.com/                161

Our top 15 blog/news referrers are:

http://www.alternet.org/

http://www.democraticunderground.com

http://america-weeps.blogspot.com/

http://infidel753.blogspot.com/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com

http://themanwhowalksalonewalksfaster.blogspot.com/

http://jackjodell53.wordpress.com/

http://parsleyspics.blogspot.com/

http://truthlover.newsvine.com

http://bildungblog.blogspot.com/

http://katieschwartz.com/

http://reconstitution.us/rcnew/

http://www.bbc.co.uk

http://themoderatevoice.com/

http://republic-of-gilead.blogspot.com/

http://annette-justmylittlepieceoftheworld.blogspot.com/

There is an extra, because there was a tie for 15th place.

Here’s some linkey-love in return  The best ways you can spread the message to others is to use the share button at the bottom of each article to list our articles on the the networking sites where you belong. Quote PP articles on your own blogs also helps.  The operative commandment here is “thou shalt steal.”  We’re on the same side here, and I encourage it.  Even if you want to repost a whole article, that’s OK.  Just link back, please.  Also, feel free to swipe my graphics in the articles.  If they are labeled with our Politics Plus URL, they are my work.

The top fifteen commenters for December are missing.  I went to copy the names at 8:45 PM on the 31st, and it had already reset.  I thought it reset at Midnight EST.  I guess I’ll just have to do it earlier in the day. The widget is in the right column.  I don’t count, as I’m the resident big mouth, and I try to reply to every comment, except replies directed at someone else.  Those who leave their URLs in their comments, get linkey-love here. Hopefully I’ll get them next month.

We have 604,268 links on other websites, down from 656,839 last month.

We have 3,050 articles and 27,150 comments, as of midnight 1/1.

I recommend using your own avatar. Go to Gravatar.  Sign up using the email address you use to post comments here and upload the image you want to use.  Whenever you comment under that email address here or on any WordPress blog (several others too), that image will be your avatar.

We also have a special announcement.  I have authorized two other people to post articles on Politics Plus.  On the subjects of Canada and Canadian politics we have Lynn Squance, who understands the US better than any Canadian I have known.  On the subjects of Health Care and Medical Issues, we have SoINeedAName, affectionately known here as Nameless, who is a doctor.  I do not know when we can expect to hear from them, but they have the access to post any time they choose.  Please welcome them.

Your participation remains a major part of what makes this blog worth reading, not to mention worth writing. Many people who visit here have told me that they come here to read your comments in addition to my articles, and people continue to write comments about your comments on other sites.  Politics Plus exists to help end right-wing insanity and send the Republican Party the way of the Whigs.  Thank you all for all you do, here and elsewhere, to help make that happen.  Together we will make a difference.

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A Look Back at Politics Plus Cartoons

 Posted by at 12:02 am  Blog News, Personal, Plus
Dec 312011
 

For well over a year, I had posted a Cartoon in the daily Open Thread here.  Darryl Cagle’s MSN site used to allow bloggers to embed cartoons to increase their own traffic, but they discontinued that practice, making it a © violation to use their work.  I switched to another site that allowed embeds, but they merged with another site that does not.  So in mid-June, I started making them myself.  They’re not really cartoons, per se.  They are graphics, but I call them cartoons because they serve that function here.  Except for sick days, I’ve posted one daily ever since, and let me tell you this.  Some days coming up with an idea is a huge challenge.  As 2011 comes to an end, here is a look back at one cartoon from each month from June on.

June

5Cartoon

July

24Cartoon

August

31Cartoon

September

25Cartoon

October

30Cartoon

November

24Cartoon

December

11Cartoon

I hope the daily cartoons have brightened your days, and provoked thought.

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Deborah Has a BIG Mouth ;-)

 Posted by at 12:01 am  Blog News
Dec 302011
 

27-Deborah

Normally I discuss who the winners are and their histories at Politics Plus in this segment, but we have a unique situation.  This is the first time someone has won this award with their very first comment here at Politics Plus.  Therefore I know nothing at all about her that her comment on Snyder Goose Steps Backward does not reveal, except that she came to us from Care2.  So we know she is a Michigander, that she strongly disapproves of Snyder’s totalitarian regime, and that she writes an excellent comment, so much so that I hope she becomes a regular here.  Congrats Deborah! 🙂

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Open Thread–12/29/2011

 Posted by at 12:00 am  Blog News, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 292011
 

Yesterday I didn’t get much catch-up done, because a site I frequent was hacked, potentially compromising one of the twenty passwords I commonly use.  I also needed to ban someone, who has read and commented here for several years, because he would not heed warnings to stop attacking people who disagree with him.  Here I insist that we argue issues, but we treat each other with respect when we disagree.  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow is another catch-up day.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:42 (average 5:28).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Huffington Post: During the Senate’s five week holiday, President Obama has several recess options, including invoking Theodore Roosevelt’s intercession mandatory adjournment precedent. Courts have long held that recess appointments may be made during both intersession and intrasession Senate breaks.

Recess commissions signed before the end of the 112th Senate’s first session — Jan. 3, 2012 at 12 p.m. — last through 2012. However, recess commissions better-timed to be signed instantly at noon (or anytime after the second session formally begins) last through 2013. The officials could then be re-recess appointed during Obama’s second term.

Many recess appointments are needed at this time.  This situation bears close watching.  Urge Obama to appoint.

From Business Week: Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, who has been excluded from most Republican presidential debates and has barely registered in polls of the race, said he instead will seek the Libertarian nomination for the White House.

“I am a Libertarian — that is, someone who is fiscally very conservative but holds freedom-based positions on the issues that govern our personal behavior,” Johnson, 58, said in a statement as he announced his decision at the New Mexico State Capitol in Santa Fe. “This election is about issues larger than party or personal ambition. The future of our country is at stake. I believe this election needs a true libertarian voice.”

I’m certainly in favor of splitting the Republican vote.

From Cap Times: Last year the Honor Roll that I [John Nichols] compiled for The Nation recognized courageous, if often lonely, battlers against an austerity agenda, an ascendant tea party and a Republican electoral wave that had put Democrats, working folks and the unions that represent them on the defensive nationwide. This year we celebrate the remarkable movements that have arisen not just to stem the conservative tide but to build a new vision of progressivism for the 21st century. How much has changed? As 2011 finished, even Barack Obama was sounding populist themes. And progressives were organizing, fighting and winning critical battles on the streets, in the polling places and in the media. The events of 2011 did not transform America. But they did confirm that millions of Americans are ready to fight for the 99 percent.

This is well worth reading.  Click through for the honor role.

Cartoon:

29Cartoon

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Poll Results–12/27/2011

 Posted by at 12:02 am  Blog News
Dec 272011
 

Here are the results of our Naughty or Nice Poll.

Poll1227

And here are your comments.

From SoINeedAName on December 24, 2011 at 4:48 am.  

 

It’s been almost three decades now that are family has foregone giving gifts (except for the little kids). It was just an exchange of shopping lists – so instead, we now give to a charity in their names.

It’s like Thanksgiving – only with better decorations.

 

From Marva on December 23, 2011 at 5:34 pm.  

 

I’ve not been naughty or nice to any extreme, but I’m getting lots of presents: Several days with my granddaughters. They shopped til I dropped.

clip_image001

 

 

From TWM on December 23, 2011 at 4:02 am.  

 

don’t give a shit and always hand back anything that is given witha thank you but someone else needs this more than me unless it’s mailed then I just stick it unopened in a closet until it begins to smell.

I was the only one who fessed up to being on the coal list.  I hope Santa followed my request to contribute my lump to the senior citizens in trouble, because Republicans defunded their heating assistance.

Our new poll will also be a short one.  It’s on New Year’s resolutions.

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Poll Results–12/23/2011

 Posted by at 12:02 am  Blog News, Politics
Dec 232011
 

Here are the results our marital ethics poll.

Poll1222

And here are your comments.

Showing comments 1–7 of 7.

 

From Zeektoo on December 10, 2011 at 5:39 pm. 

 

If ones morality allows one to lie and cheat on a spouse that one has taken an oath to … honor… then one is likely to apply those same morals to issues that concern YOU.

 

From Liisa G. on December 10, 2011 at 12:04 pm. 

 

You almost got me to vote "only those running on marital fidelity" but I didn’t. The public should get to rate each candidate by their own merits and platforms; if they are lying about that, people would figure that out. Besides, who gets to decide who runs and who doesn’t?

 

From EyePhotog on December 4, 2011 at 4:31 pm. 

 

Moral hippocrats do not deserve respect, let alone public office.

 

From Patty on December 4, 2011 at 9:06 am. 

 

Only those who don’t practice what they preach. If they run on family values and moral superiority, kick ’em out of the race!

 

From SoINeedAName on December 1, 2011 at 3:48 pm. 

 

I voted "Other"

While I would factor it in as a consideration for any candidate, I doubt I’d outright "reject" that candidate solely on that alone.

However, when a candidate professes and promotes his/her "moral superiority" – then their hypocrisy clearly undermines them. It’s a blatant breach and betrayal of our trust – and THAT would cost them my vote.

 

From Lynn Squance on December 1, 2011 at 2:46 pm. 

 

I voted ‘No’ because I would want to know more about the individual and their platform. I do not condone infidelity as there is more to a person. For example, Herman Cain definitely should not run for office with his record of infidelity and his ability to lie about it. However, someone with one indiscretion, where the family is fully aware, and his campaign is not based on absolute Christian family values ie like Cain’s, then I think there should be room for consideration. Human beings are fallible after all. "Ye who is without sin, cast the first stone."

 

From MalikTous on November 30, 2011 at 6:10 pm. 

 

I’d only kick ‘morality’ pols off for breaking their own damn rules. I’d grade more on how well the others deal with it than whether or not they took a few side shots or visit the red light district.

I voted with majority.  I certainly recognize that people are fallible.  At some point, over 50% of women cheat on their husbands.  With men, it’s far more frequent.  Some of our most famous Presidents have been cheaters, such as George Washington, and JFK.  Infidelity does not mean that a person will not do their job honestly, so in most cases, it should not be an issue.  However, if a candidate is representing themselves or their party as morally superior, and saying that is a reason to elect them, infidelity does become a disqualifying issue, because a candidate falsely making such a claim moves the lie from private into public life.

You should enjoy our new poll.  Vote soon, because it will only be up until Monday.  What does Santa have on you, hmm? 😉

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A Quickie

 Posted by at 10:04 am  Blog News, Personal
Dec 222011
 

Just a quick note.  I am returning to research today and hope to have new articles up this evening or first thing in the morning.  The date to reply to other posts here has expired,so nothing is wrong with the blog or your computer. 🙂

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