On “Jamiraquai” Statistics

I’m getting like Pete in Beetley.   Yesterday I spent some time looking at the statistics for this blog with particular interest in those posts from the archives still getting daily or almost daily reads.

This is not something I normally do.   I haven’t been too concerned about the numbers of readers, hits. views. “likes” for any particular post.   I had started writing before Obama’s first term, placing comments in the on-line Washington Post where, I discovered I enjoyed it.

I began blogging on a site which no  longer exists and then moved to my new home here on Word Press.  In the interim I self published several books on Amazon, mostly poetry originally published on a curated poetry site which also no longer exists, primarily for my daughters and a touch of vanity.  I earned enough for a really nice dinner and declared the “royalty” income on my taxes.  I followed it up with a post on the adventures of self-publishing.    Such endeavors kept the old man busy.

This blog is now approaching 55,000 views with well over 700 plus loyal followers.  I’m sure others have many more but as previously stated I have little interest in these numbers and have done nothing to actively try to increase readership,  I am not on any social media.  I have no Face Book page nor Twitter, Snap Chat or Instagram accounts.  One can only find me here, though I have appeared in the Twitter accounts of others.

Rather than the total numbers I am prouder of the fact that I have been read in 107 countries around the globe led of course by the English speaking countries -the U.S., England, Australia, Canada and…..India!  The blog has hits from all over Europe, the Middle-East and vast swathes of Latin America,  and the Far East.

While perusing the stats I noticed what Pete noticed with his Jamiroquai posts; certain items in the archives seem to get hits on a regular basis month after month.

I have found several which seem to go on and on with views long after their publication – a gift which keeps on giving.

The subjects?  Well one of the posts which gets almost daily reads is “The Destruction of the Aral Sea” which first appeared several years ago.  You can see it here:

The Destruction of the Aral Sea

It has received a total of 1205 views since it was originally posted and is still going strong.  It had several views just yesterday although it originally went up almost two years ago.  Who seeks it out?  I’d like to think it is students writing a paper on examples of environmental destruction.  Or perhaps because a teacher somewhere assigns it to his class.

Another is “Doorman to the Tsar.”  This post about an African American at the Russian Royal Court  has received over 1705 reads and is another that gets a “hit” almost daily.    I presume it is of interest to those studying black history, the Romanovs  or history in general.  I have no idea but it remains very popular.

Door Man to the Tsar

The third most read post appearing here is “My God! Are We Norse?”  It is about the origins of my surname which, though sounding very Italian at eleven letters long with four vowels, may actually be Norse in origin.  The Normans did come ashore in 1067 and capture our southern Italian city.  It has gotten some 900 plus reads and helped me find long lost cousins and reconnect with others far away.

My God! Are We Norse?

Rounding out the top four is “FGM and the Demise of Foot Binding,” an article about the eradication of foot binding in China and analogy to female genital mutilation.  It has been viewed 1,339 times and continues to get almost daily hits.

FGM and the Demise of Foot Binding – A Re-Post

There are several others that continue to get regular hits (Remembering a Girl from Minsk and The Jewish Fascist for example) but don’t make the top four.  Notice none of my poetry is on the list!  Not even close!

So to all of those around the globe who have visited this blog, to those who read my thoughts, to those who “like” and leave comments and to all those who came here because a search engine tag on a specific subject lead you here my sincerest thank you.  Come back anytime.

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