Another Year of Self-Promotion Passes

At year's end, I offer a big THANKS to my blog partner Anonymous D, my guest posters, and supporters.

It has been a great year for the blog with ever-increasing numbers of page views, a few, at least, I suppose are actually being read. I've had some great comments this year including one from Britain on Camelot and another solving a family history question about Native American rock art in Idaho. I've also linked up with some dear old friends who found me here which is very gratifying.

This blog remains non-commercial. I easily turn down the spam requests. I had a very serious and persistent offer to run carefully selected ads from a guy who presented himself well without being offensive. I turned him down too. While like most people I would like to sign that standard "rich and famous" contract that Kermit the Frog did, I'm still holding out for the NY Times. (That'll be the day.) But I'd do it for the Deseret News because I think they need more like me for their own salvation. I'd even do it for the LDS Church realizing that would likely be a non-pay missionary gig if they would even have me. They talk a lot about political diversity. I think they still need some help in actual practice.

I am very pleased that the posts of my collaborator and guests are received so well. My son's talk on Humility and Pride is the No. 2 most viewed of all-time. (Well, the two years of this blog.) The No. 1 post of all time (nearly a thousand page views) is my piece on the false quote about guns against the government scandalously attributed to George Washington. Google and other browsers have me near the top of their searches for those looking for that quote. I am so pleased that I can defend the Father of our Country and fight the good fight against gun nuts and those wanting to overthrow our government of, by, and for the People.

Yes, while I love George, my true inspiration for this blog and my political philosophies remains Abraham Lincoln. He was so simple and direct in his ideals of the Founders and found it so difficult in his attempts at implementing which can only be an ongoing process that continues on through our current political situations hopefully without the horrific bloodshed of another Civil War. I am so pleased that we re-elected a President who attempts to follow Lincoln as a model. The so-called "Party of Lincoln" has strayed so far from those ideals. They appear more beholden to wealthy corporate power with token homage to cultural issues appealing to the right without ever really doing anything significant about them (which is probably for the best - read Thomas Frank's What's the Matter with Kansas, highly recommended by Anonymous D).

So we go on. Please contribute ideas in the comments. Having the final word in control of this blog does give me an advantage, but we need the contrasting viewpoints so readers can judge for themselves. I appreciate most of all the readers that comment and don't agree while retaining respect and friendship. I dislike pompous arses the most as I try to maintain my respect and charitable humility for all (hard to do sometimes when you are promoting a self-indulgent blog). And we'll keep trying.

Happy New Year to All! And to All a safe landing off the Fiscal Cliff!