June 14, 2012

50 million visits.

I hit a big milestone on the blog sometime in the last day: 50 million visits. (Page views are creeping toward 100 million.)

It's been 8 years and (exactly) 5 months — with never a single day without posting and never a co-blogger or guest-blogger, but with lots of company on the comments pages and with Meade at my side.

Who knows how long such a project can continue? I could be overcome with plague, tuberculosis, or lovesickness. I could wander off into the forest and forget my last name. HBO could put my head on a pike. I might take an unlucky leap to the left or at a wall or decide it's just too quiet around here.

But until then, I must go on. You don't have to read, but by some miracle, you do (at least until you don't), and that's really cool.

114 comments:

Farmer said...

Hi, Althouse.

Bob Ellison said...

You'll know you've really made it when HBO puts your head on a pike.

Thanks for all the blogging, Professor!

Farmer said...

I started reading sometime in 2004, pretty soon after the blog started. After comments were axed but before they were brought back. What a fun blog!

Roman said...

Congratulations, a HUGE milestone.
Keep it up!

yashu said...

Huzzah!

Scott M said...

Congrats!

So when is AlthouseCon and who will the keynote speaker be?

Tank said...

Guilty of reading every day.

Congrats.

Great line about that pike - but you're more likely to see that in your own hometown, I think.

dreams said...

I've been reading since at least 2005 maybe before. I probably found Althouse via the Instapundit.

Bob said...

Congratulations on the visits.

CWJ said...

Congratulations & thank you.

Ipso Fatso said...

Choom!!!!!!

jungatheart said...

I highly recommend Althouse, a beautifully-wrought tapestry.

Kelly from Georgia said...

Thank you. I read every day.
Kelly

Anonymous said...

50 million Althousians can't be wrong!

Not all at once, anyway.

TWM said...

"I could be overcome with plague, tuberculosis, or lovesickness"

Go with plague, the other two are long, slow and often painful deaths . . .

Patrick said...

with never a single day without posting and never a co-blogger or guest-blogger

Here's a question I've been thinking about since you last guest blogged for Instapundit:

If you were going to have a guest blogger, who would it be? More specifically, if you wanted to choose someone with whom you frequently disagree, who would that be? Someone you think writes and argues well, and would maintain the high standards of the blog.

Likely I've given more thought to it than you.

Oh yeah, Congratulations. A lot of effort, and you do a great job keeping it interesting.

The Drill SGT said...

Tank said...
Great line about that pike - but you're more likely to see that in your own hometown, I think.


I had much the same thought, but it ran to "torches and pitchforks"

The scene from "Young Frankenstein"

Fen said...

I'm here because you are the ONLY liberal I know who values Free Speech more than ideology.

Its nice to be able to have an intelligent and civil debate with someone who doesn't share my political values. If only you could draw in similar liberal commenters.

Well done and keep up the good work.

TWM said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Roger J. said...

Well done professor: when your dean starts carping on you about publishing, you might point out that you have had 50 Million people view your work--if you were publishing a lot of papers, 20 people might view your work!

MadisonMan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Original Mike said...

You could become trapped in the wilderness with only peanut butter and hot tubs to sustain you.

Well done, Althouse!

MadisonMan said...

Congratulations.

A successful website requires outsize rewards for the able (and lucky) few.

(Hint, hint)

Fen said...

Oh, I came in when feminist Valenti was damning us noticing her breasts and Monica-wanna-be pose for her favorite serial sex offender.

sane_voter said...

Congrats Althouse. This has become my favorite blog, passing Insty. Also, I think Scott Walker should invite you and Meade to the brat fest.

LCB said...

"Fen said...
I'm here because you are the ONLY liberal I know who values Free Speech more than ideology."

Liberal? I thought everyone knew she was a rightwing, teaparty conservative! :-)

That's the beautiful thing about her blog. She's not beholden to the left OR the right in her views. I believe she takes her stands after, you know, thinking things through.

Congrats!!!

sane_voter said...

OT: Ras has Tommy Thompson by 16 over Baldwin.

Fen said...

She's liberal. She's just been denounced as a Heretic by the Inner Party because she spotlights their hypocrisy and thinks for herself.

For example, the whole Valenti mess? It was questioning why the netroots and feminist bloggers were so quick to pay homage to Clinton. Of how quickly they ditched their principles for a change to share lunch with their celebrity President.

traditionalguy said...

That's diligence, and your writing style is an extraordinary pleasure in this world.

However, reading this post first thing, pre coffee and before the others of the morning was scared me.

Why is she talking about being overcome by plague, tuberculosis, lovesickness, wandering off into a forest, forgetting her last name and leaping off a wall???

But the rest of the AM materials then calmed me down. All is OK and it's a beautiful day at Althouse, Year Seven.

Marcus Carman said...

Congrats Ann. A day without Althouse is like a day without Althouse!

MadisonMan said...

@tradguy, yes that was my experience too.

It was enlightening, after reading this blog post, to scroll down and see all the antecedents that helped form it.

caplight said...

Congratulations on reaching 50,000,000 visits and counting! I pray God's blessings for you as you use the life and gifts he has given you so well in service to others.

Love sickness is not an option. It is not a valid excuse. Plague is negotiable.

rehajm said...

Thanks for the efforts- well done. Amazon love your way...

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! Your success is well-deserved.

I found this blog in 2004 via either instapundit or vodkapundit, I forget which. This blog and instapundit are the two that I visit every day without fail.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Congratulations.

Has to be a world record.

ndspinelli said...

Congrats. You should be proud. I would say you have a blue collar work ethic except for your self praise. That's incongruous. My old man showed up for work @ the Pratt&Whitney plant every day but 2 for 40 years. He never brought attention to that. He was proud of his work and work ehric but simply let it speak for itself.

gerry said...

Indeed, congratulations.

I'll say it again: your comments sometimes piss me off, but then I realize what you are doing...making me think, and I calm down and laugh at myself for leaping into a conclusion about you without thinking first.

Also, thanks for giving me perspective. I love it when you write "CALM DOWN, PEOPLE!"

Best regards for the future.

Pete said...

I'm a long time visitor with a current love/hate relationship with Althouse and her blog. Still, attention must be paid. So congratulations to this achievement.

Freeman Hunt said...

Congratulations! Quite a milestone.

LordSomber said...

Just when I think I am out... the vortex pulls me back in.

Congrats.

chickelit said...

Congratulations Althouse. I reckon about a million of those 50 million hits are mine because Trooper York hit a half million based on me, and you've been around twice as long. Plus, I feel mighty stoned on blog.

Ken Green said...

Congratulations, Anne - You have much to be proud of!

virgil xenophon said...

Like a moth to a flame, lol...first viewed circa late 2004-early 2005 iirc. Consulting one's muse every day for that long without the muse developing laryngitis is ABSOLUTELY no small feat..

Mark O said...

I'm thinking plague.

Congrats. Keep it up.

Duane Firesta said...

Congrats!

tim maguire said...

I don't know how you manage to post everyday for so long, and I suspect that the day you do not post is the day I send flowers and a condolence card to the surviving Althousians.

Pianoman said...

Thanks for your work, Professor. It's part of my everyday blog experience.

Anonymous said...

It's amazing what can come of raw intelligence, erudition, and pure intellectual honesty.

That, and an almost uncontrollable ferocity when some hapless journalist takes a shot.

MTF said...

This lurker loves to read this page for the legal insights, the political comments, the pictures (not so many of those lately-more!) and the musings on life.

Thank you for making the effort to write in the midst of your busy schedule! I am grateful to have a place to go that I enjoy so much.

hamcentral said...

I rarely comment, but I read every day. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

I'm a latecomer here, being here less than a year. Amazing blog! I've enjoyed every single day of reading your posts, the arguing, laughing and cussing that happens here.

If you ever do leave, and I hope it's not for a while, let it be for love sickness, what a way to go.

Ann Althouse said...

"If you were going to have a guest blogger, who would it be? More specifically, if you wanted to choose someone with whom you frequently disagree, who would that be? Someone you think writes and argues well, and would maintain the high standards of the blog."

I can only think of my sons and my husband.

garage mahal said...

You're welcome for me making this a better place.

And it's Flag Day. You know what that means?

It's my birthday! TY TY TY. Please, that's enough. Stop.

Ann Althouse said...

I would find it very hard to trust anyone else to write on the front page. I wouldn't want someone I frequently disagree with (outside of those named family members).

I haven't given this access to anybody in over 8 years, so why would I want to give it to someone that disagrees with me. Who do I even frequently disagree with who would want the responsibility of maintaining the readership here?

Citizen Dave?

Anonymous said...

And Ann, I love a woman who can ring her own bell! Glad your not shy about it.

Scott M said...

Who do I even frequently disagree with who would want the responsibility of maintaining the readership here?

Well, whatever you do, don't turn the keys over to Victim-Ego-Shameless-Self-Promoter-Lookit-My-Blog.

Not even for a minute.

Ann Althouse said...

Mentioning Citizen Dave makes me very aware of the fact that the people I frequently disagree with don't write in an interesting enough way.

I'd link to them a lot more if I did. I like disagreeing with stuff, but I loathe bad writing. I take a lot of care to make things readable and interesting. Who could I trust to do that?

Scott M said...

And Ann, I love a woman who can ring her own bell!

I was under the impression that was pretty easily done for most women.

Ann Althouse said...

"Well done professor: when your dean starts carping on you about publishing, you might point out that you have had 50 Million people view your work--if you were publishing a lot of papers, 20 people might view your work!"

Oh, I've been saying that for a long time. But they don't carp at me. If there is carping, and I assume there is, it's elsewhere.

Ann Althouse said...

"You could become trapped in the wilderness with only peanut butter and hot tubs to sustain you."

LOL. Yeah, if I go back even to yesterday, I will find lots more scary fates.

Scott M said...

If there is carping, and I assume there is, it's elsewhere.

The carping is done at those Cherokee lunches you're not invited to.

Ann Althouse said...

But I wouldn't go to the wilderness in the first place, because where's the WiFi (or at least 3G)?

Patrick said...

Happy Birthday Garage, and many more.

Anonymous said...

It's been quite a ride.
Congratulations, AA.

garage mahal said...

Thanks Patrick!

syd B. said...

If I made love as often as I visit this site, it would either fall off or be cut off.

Congrats on an achievement for which you should be very proud.

Anonymous said...

...but I loathe bad writing...

OK. I get it. I don't want to stay anywhere I'm not wanted or appreciated.

(I wonder if wonkette loathes bad writing.)

bagoh20 said...

WHAT?! 50 million? I thought it was just us. Wow, did I ever make an ass of myself. For better or worse, this strange phenomenon makes people on here kinda famous - one of my worst fears. No wonder people don't use their own face as an avatar. It's damned scary to an introvert like me.

Amazing job Althouse - maybe too amazing.

Only one criticism, and it's nobody's fault, but we could use a lot more liberals with good arguments please. We have some great ones, but we need more.

I mean c'mon - the host debased herself and voted for the most liberal congress critter ever for President, and they still won't come. What does she have to do, put her own head on a pike? Maybe offer some free birth control? Great writing and an incredible basket of interesting posts every day must not be enough for that prey.

I know you hope and try for more of them to come, but you simply refuse to do what most in the media do to get them: make bad arguments that stroke them.

I guess at least that means we get the bravest and best of them.

Well done. If I go on the net, I usually go here first. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Oh it really is Garages birthday today, well Happy Birthday to ya!

edutcher said...

Many congrats, Madame.

Your hard work on the blog is again recognized.

garage mahal said...

Thanks Allie!

bagoh20 said...

See, the leftie is really loved here. I never heard anyone so longed for as Garage was last week. People were begging for him to show like he was the Messiah.

Happy hatching day, dude. stick around.

tiger said...

Congratulations, Professor.

(I still find it hard to believe you're viewed/self-proclaimed as 'liberal'. You seem to be more of a 'realist' than anything.)

Christy said...

Congratulations, Althouse, and Thank You. May you always find the time and interest to blog.

Happy Birthday, Garage!

bagoh20 said...

Althouse's reminder that "Better than nothing is a high standard." is the essence of libertarianism. It's a natural move for a smart 60's liberal as they mature to start adopting that realization, just as it is for a smart conservative as they grow.

This site seems to me to be the perfect place for left and right to flesh it out, and pare it down to effective, lean policy ideas.

And of course there is always the detachable penis, zombie cannibals, and American Idol.

Bob Ellison said...

bagoh20, you're right that more liberals with good arguments help the blog.

Garage is a good example. He argues well, he's funny, and he never seems to hold a grudge. And he has the greatest screen name ever. Happy birthday, GM!

But what keeps this blog afloat? The Professor, of course. The comments are just a hang-out.

ndspinelli said...

Happy birthday, Mr. Garage. I'll burn a flag in your honor.

Roger J. said...

Happy Birthday Garage--if it wasnt thread hicjacking would tell you about smallmouth flyrodding trip on the Buffalo River in TN--Tight lines buddy

garage mahal said...

You guys are too much. Really. I'm blushing.

rcommal said...

If all those visits were unique visitors, you'd be talking about something like the combined populations of, what, California and Ohio. Or the population of the country of South Africa.

Wow! Congratulations, Althouse.

Beta Rube said...

Nicely done professor. 50 million hits and Meade. Who could have predicted what would come your way when you started?

RonF said...

I like to stop in to see what's going on in my northern neighbor. This is a well written blog and there's lots of good comments.

BTW - have you seen the latest Rasmussen poll about the Wisconsin U.S. Senate seat coming up for election? Among likely voters it calls it Thompson (R) 52%, Baldwin (D) 36%

Paddy O said...

I've been around since 2004, during the election--which is when my blog reading started taking off. Came here via Instapundit.

Now, Instapundit and Althouse are pretty much the only two blogs I read regularly. Both exhibit very different styles of blogging, but are similar in creating daily conversations--Althouse with response, Instapundit without.

I've long wondered why I'm attracted to blogs written by law professors more than folks in my own fields. I suspect it's because both of you are legal experts with broad interests--interests that often intersect with the law, thus providing a forum for thoughtful responses. But, you're not narrowly focused on talking legalese, making for more of a salon style of intellectual engagement.

Your comment section here is likely a big reason too---most comment sections devolve into partisan childishness. There's some of that here, but again and again, when there's a topic of interest, there are actual experts who are already among us who contribute thoughtful dialogue.

That you've posted everyday is a mark of pride with you and also a model of public intellectual engagement. Some snipe at "You! A law professor!" for not being rigidly law scholarshippy, but I think this is where your role transcends your position. Your daily interactions show what it means to be educated and engaged in thoughtful interaction with the world, intellectual as as instinct rather than to prove something or to establish dominance.

You're intellectually curious, which is often lacking in both public discourse and academic interactions.

All this to say: thanks!

Paddy O said...

Happy Birthday, Garage!

Batman AZ said...

I'm down with it here in Prescott, AZ. Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Ann.

Lauderdale Vet said...

Congratulations, and THANK YOU. Love your blog. Have for a long time.

Petunia said...

Congrats, Ann!

And Happy Birthday, Garage!

traditionalguy said...

Garage is a very talented man. Now that he is a year older, maybe he will see the light.

But we really need to keep Garage as the spot on liberal lobbing those hard to return shots ...Like on the Fox News tokens.

Maybe Garage is a Roger Ailes plant???

wyo sis said...

You've convinced me that not all law professors are cogs in the progressive wheel. You, and some of your commenters, sometimes even convince me that a dearly held belief of mine might be worth reexamining.
And, as a bonus, I've now seen more penises, (pictures of,not in the flesh) than I ever could have aspired to otherwise. Which, by the way, was NOT my goal. I'm an old fashioned prude from the sticks.

Rusty said...

You Bitch!










Just kiddin'
Much congratulations and thank you for having me.



Garage has a birthday today?

Well, happy birthday.
You're still a very bright sixteen year old.

edutcher said...

bagoh20 said...

Althouse's reminder that "Better than nothing is a high standard." is the essence of libertarianism. It's a natural move for a smart 60's liberal as they mature to start adopting that realization, just as it is for a smart conservative as they grow.

No, smart Conservatives stay Conservative. Smart Libertarians become, at the very least, Conservative Libertarians or realize pseudo-anarchy just doesn't work.

PS Many happy returns, garage.

Anonymous said...

Dang, step out for a bit and I miss all kinds of stuff. Happy birthday, Garage! Glad to have you back!

And I trust your Lab is doing fine?

- Jess (or at least I was before google decided I wasn't logging on ever again)

Ron said...

"Althouse" is really just a shell....a product of the work of all of us commentors. We take turns writing the actual posts...

Art is the reason for our Blond Trojan Horse.

Happy 50mil!

MayBee said...

Yay you!!!!

PianoLessons said...

Thank you for your dedication to this blog project - you combine culture, politics and scholarship (among other things) to create a very interesting read every day. I got hooked by your awesome pictures years ago - you have a great eye!

I'm a big fan. Keep it up and congrats :-)

Anonymous said...

Do the totals include the other sites in your global blogging empire? Blogger has already redirected me to www.althouse.de in the course of this trip, and I'm posting this on www.althouse.it. Was the aborted talk about changing the domain name to althou.se just a trick to divert attention from your imperialism? There probably already is a www.althouse.se... but someone else is going to have to find that out.

Amartel said...

Thank you and many congratulations. 50 million. You've created a valuable and unique product that people like.

"I could be overcome with plague, tuberculosis, or lovesickness. I could wander off into the forest and forget my last name. HBO could put my head on a pike. I might take an unlucky leap to the left or at a wall or decide it's just too quiet around here."

Well, just don't detach your penis.

cold pizza said...

Althouse is the modern salon. Join the discussion in the main room or wander off into misty passages or half-lit cafes. Daily visitor since 2004. I found Insty through her. -CP

bagoh20 said...

edutcher,

I don't see libertarian as a thing you become, but a sensibility you can adopt to different degrees that improves you whether you are basically liberal or conservative. For that matter those labels can be just adjustments themselves to a basic libertarian ideology.

I think I would describe myself as basically libertarian with an American Exceptionalism boner.

Scott M said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Scott M said...

I think I would describe myself as basically libertarian with an American Exceptionalism boner.

Oh, give it up. You're too old to get a boner without Rx help.

Harrington said...

Prof. Althouse,

Congratulations! It's hard to remember what life was like without you every morning. I don't see how you find the time.

Jessica said...

Congratulations, Ann! You really make my day more interesting and more fun. I've been a daily reader since I discovered you about 18 months ago. I hope FOR MY SAKE that you keep it up.

bagoh20 said...

"Oh, give it up. You're too old to get a boner without Rx help."

I have John Phillips Sousa piped into my bedroom - try it.

Scott M said...

I have John Phillips Sousa piped into my bedroom - try it.

Does it have to have been written by Sousa or can it just have been arranged by Sousa?

wildswan said...

Great blog. Thanks for your diligence. Many of my relatives are liberals and I've tried to get them to read this blog. But they just aren't used to hearing arguments. They just hear Wapo/NPR drivel: "the science is settled and so is the policy, except for a few racist-clinger-treasonists, and the sooner racist-clinger-treasonist heads are on a pike the better for America" so they aren't ready to discuss things. Maybe someday.

Fen said...

smart Conservatives stay Conservative. Smart Libertarians become, at the very least, Conservative Libertarians

True. But after they die, they all end up voting liberal Democrat. :)

MamaM said...

You don't have to read, but by some miracle, you do (at least until you don't), and that's really cool.

Use of the word miracle made me smile, bringing to mind the ancient story of 10 healed lepers, prompting a return on my part to say "Thanks"! At a time when I most needed a window and a relatively safe community, the Althouse blog provided both and I am grateful for the laughter, inspiration, provocation, beauty, connection and invitation offered. Daily there was something new to look forward to, with cafes open late through the evening and early morning hours.

The courtesies, consistencies, insights and variety of perspectives I encountered here during that time brought a blessing I consider to this day to be really cool, if not miraculous!

Faithfulness takes many forms; yours has been and still is very much appreciated.

Darrell said...

Thanks for being an always reliable stop on the Information Highway! McDonald's, without the requisite bathroom stop couple hours later.

marylynn said...

I don't miss a day here - i am often inspired, frequently educated, sometimes angered, and always entertained by you, Meade, and your commentators.
Thanks Ann, and congratulations.

JAL said...

Hey. It's still GM's birthday -- so I'll pile on: Hope it's a blessed day. :-)

As for the blog -- I was reading on and off for quite a while. But it took me forever to figure out how to post! (google and I were not friends back in those days.)

You have created a unique place on the WWW, Professor. I am not aware of any other place anywhere near what this place is. Congrats.

John Lawton said...

Althouse: #1 in my bookmarks & #1 in my heart (apologies to Meade, you lucky devil!)

Ann Althouse said...

Thanks for all these comments. It's really very nice. Ver encouraging.