5 SEP 08: ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
It's one thing when blog readers send us rumors about area people. It's another thing when the rumors are spread about US. Take this one:
Hi
I heard that you right your own questions that you say are emails from people on your webpage Is that true The person that the person i talked to talked to is important person in columbus and knows what he is talking about so im wondering if that is true. he said nobody reeds your blog noway so what you say about him don't matter noway.
Let's clear something up right off the bat. I did NOT make up this particular e-mail. My main high school English teacher would have kicked me far beyond the curb if I had.
If I'm understanding this in the write right way, someone is claiming our e-mails are fictional. The accusation is that I compose reader messages myself -- perhaps to stir up local discussion, or perhaps to make a daily "joke quota" of some kind. Addressing the second theory first: I work like police departments work. I don't have a quota - I have goals.
But rest assured: this rumor of made-up messages is NOT true. Every e-mail we post here actually has been sent by someone - whether it's about local government, changes on FM radio, or even the quality of Little League uniforms. Which reminds me: did Pioneer Little League hire an official seamstress to fix those rips?
When Constable Robert Schweiger was writing this blog almost weekly, some readers doubted he was a real person. But Schweiger's recent appearances on TV regarding the Hurtsboro city charter case should prove he's real. He's a real pain to some residents, but he's still real.
To be sure, some of the e-mails we receive seem strange or outlandish. And when a message names someone in an accusing tone, we try to go to that person for an answer before the message is posted here. You know what -- that puts this blog at a higher standard than the ones which spread rumors about Sarah Palin last weekend.
As for the claim that "nobody reads your blog, no way" - well, "nobody" is a relative term. I've worked in offices where someone answered the phone and said "Nobody's here," when I've been in the room almost across from them. Few things in life make you more humble than that....
But do you see that little number at the bottom of every daily post? That's a "StatCounter," keeping score on the number of visitors we get. That number now is well above 100,000 - and I am NOT checking the web site every hour, to make sure it's still working.
True confession: StatCounter allows us to know not only how many people are visiting, but where they're from. It does NOT tell us precisely who you are. But when I see visits from Kansas City, I have a good idea - and I'd like to take this moment to wish my older brother a happy 59th birthday.
(Then there was the recent day when we noticed a couple of visits from "Independent Network News" of Davenport, Iowa. All I ask of WLTZ's Libby Allison is that she state the blog's name accurately on the air -- and allow me to join her for karaoke some night.)
We happened to call up StatCounter Thursday as we prepared this post - and found a few recent visitors have come from Canada, Switzerland and Vietnam. I didn't realize the Columbus Chamber of Commerce had that many recruiting trips underway....
We have NOT advertised this blog very much over the years -- but it's been fascinating to watch it grow, and learn who reads it. Even our e-mails reflect that. Recent months have brought messages from the Columbus Mayor's office, the Muscogee County Republican chair, a candidate for Sheriff - not to mention those widows of African rulers who keep writing for financial help.
Since we didn't have much writing time Thursday, I thank this e-mailer for giving us a quick topic. Now let's move quickly through some others....
+ Muscogee County Judge Bobby Peters wrote a letter to the Ledger-Enquirer supporting Bill Heard Jr., and essentially asking the public to get off his back. Hmmmm - do you think the judge drives a Chevrolet, a Cadillac or a Saab?
+ A morning jog past Golden Park found a full-length dumpster sitting outside the main entrance. Aw, c'mon - surely the Columbus Catfish don't have the right to take the metal bleachers with them to Kentucky....
+ Instant Message to the Columbus and Jordan High School alumni, who are in town for the schools' 100th annual football game tonight: C'mon - put on those old leather helmets and take the field again. Some people think you might play better than the current teams.
Our number of unique visitors is now up 28 percent from last year. To advertise to our readers, offer a story tip or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.
BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1124 (+ 19, 1.7%)
The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.
© 2003-08 Richard Burkard, all rights reserved.