There have been one million visits to the FM site since it opened in November 2007. Plus over 1.5 million page views. These numbers grow increasingly inaccurate, as aprox half the traffic on new posts is via subscriptions, which WordPress does not include in these numbers.
This traffic comes from the 930 posts to this site. Perhaps most valuable are the over 12,000 comments posted by visitors (few by me).
Please post any suggestions for ways to improve the site. Don’t both with anything regarding the software, which is provided by WordPress for a slight fee — and hence beyond the control of thee or me. Please focus instead on topics, presentation, style, organization and indexing. All are welcomed!
I would say a readers/commenter’s get together over beer etc, but you value your psudonymity too much for that to be worth happening.
Coming from the Netherlands, I’d be interested in whatever insight you might have on Europe. I know the USA is your main subject, but there are of course huge ties. And a bit of contrasting and comparing could be fruitful.
Some brainstorming:
– The Netherlands seems on a headlong course to replace the F16s with F35s. Only other candidate is the much cheaper and probably perfectly accurate Saab Vigen. So what’s the state of Europe’s defense industry when contrasted with the USA. Europe is still split up in multiple countries, which seems to have spared us the USA’s “defence meltdown” a bit.
– Bush complained about the old Europe (read: mostly France). How’s France doing? Is that an example of how to do it? Something to be said about force structure (France is the only one besides the US with a decent carrier)? France’s intelligence service said last week that they were sure Iran is developing a nuke: my reaction was one of trust (“they’ll be right”), something I wouldn’t have with a CIA report.
– USA’s policy towards more-or-less loyal allies/lapdogs in Europe. Use? Abuse?
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Fabius Maximus replies: All good question. But I have notes for dozens of articles for which I lack the time to write.
Have you ever considered having guest writers? That would allow the site to pump out more material while letting you concentrate on writing bigger articles or doing whatever it is you do in your day job.
“Don’t both with anything regarding the software, which is provided by WordPress for a slight fee — and hence beyond the control of thee or me.”
You should write more material that rhymes.
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Fabius Maximus replies: This site is part of the Defense and the National Interest (DNI) group of sites, so articles about the military and geopolitics by other should go. I have published original articles by others.
Celebrity gossip and financial speculation (good short sale, emerging market bets) could be valuable additions to the site. We can’t just stare at the fog of disinformation and foreign policy misconceptions all the time. Give us something distracting at least, if not inspiring.
You are performing a remarkable and richly rewarding public service which begs the question why you do not press over the line and express views directly and fully on issues that you feel very strongly about. I do not presume to know what they are. As the daily press is no longer adequate to the task we expect you and several others are performing a remarkable service that will inspire a new kind of journalism pretty soon. As I believe we are heading toward a much bigger financial crisis, possibly a Depression with the NYSE heading south of 5000, the Big Enchilada is soon going to be in play. The time for cool reflection is never past, it will be even more important then, but active involvement, not simply observation, will be required of all good citizens.
Fabius, you know I enjoy & value your dojo for geopolitics, where we spar hard and learn proper form at the same time, so congratulations!
Congratulations. :)
There have been too few comments regarding yurts as a practical retreat from the pressures of being an engaged citizen. More on libertarian yurts would be greatly appreciated.
Congratulations.
Shame the voting system has been switched off ; I was interested to see how long it took to spread and our ( unpopular ) gov to adopt something similar to win votes .
On behalf of California, let me just say congratulations and keep up the great work N all like dat dere.
Bravo! So when is the FM book tying all this together for us neophytes coming out?
From #5: “why [do you] not press over the line and express views directly and fully on issues that you feel very strongly about.”
Seems to me FM has been doing this lately, especially with regard to OEF/Afghanistan. Though maybe there’s something else I’m missing.
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Fabius Maximus replies: Yes, with the Af-Pak war this site crossed over from analysis to advocacy.
FM, Dude, what’s happened to that polldaddy thang? & I was havin’ so much fun when other dudes voted for one of my posts, though they weren’t too apparently happy with it.
Let me drop by your neighborhood for a beer with ya & kudos for tryin’ to change the world thru this site of yours.
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FM reply: Too low usuage, too much clutter. Ditto with voting on comments.
The most helpful thing you can do to help is pass on any articles from here that you find useful or interesting!