As 2010 looms one looks back at one’s website stats for the site’s second full year:

2009

  • 79000 Unique Visitors
  • 178,000 Visits
  • 634,000 Pages
  • 2,076,000 Hits

2008

  • 42,600 Unique Visitors
  • 97,000 Visits
  • 458,000 Pages
  • 1,429,000 Hits

Not clear to me how many of you follow by RSS feed and where if anywhere those numbers feature in the stats. But in any case a year of solid growth for what is never going to be a site which features self-indulgent sensationalism, and so attracts a sensitive yet highly intelligent readership.

Google Analytics breaks these stats down into all sorts of esoteric detail. Broadly speaking, a link here from one of the big hitter sites (Guido, Iain Dale, Devil’s Kitchen) adds a juicy but fleeting stats bump.

What matters is to keep readers’ attention for longer than a few seconds. It is especially gratifying that during the year many thousands of readers have stayed here for an hour or more.

* * * * *

So much for 2009, when not much went well in the greater scheme of things: too much underperforming if not corrupt government in too many places. The Climate Debacle in Copenhargen seemed to epitomise the end of a certain way of looking at big picture policy-making. Lots for a new UK government to think about in 2010 at home and abroad, if it is to make a difference for the better.

If worthy citizens in some or other English constituency choose me as a Parliamentary candidate and I surge to victory in the ensuing 2010 election, then maybe I’ll be well placed to feed in some serious New Thinking, welcome or otherwise.

If not, then more of the same, for as long as I can afford it. Some people ask me why I do not write a book. The main reason is that it would not get the readership I win through the site. On the other hand, people might buy the book. Anyone wanting to contribute generously to help support my blog writing needs only to offer. All sensible currencies accepted.

I expect to reboot the ‘look’ of the site somewhat in the New Year, mainly to get rid of some clutter and simplify the colour scheme. I find that whereas in daylight the main background looks an attractive pale creamy colour on my screen at least, it mutates as night falls into a murky custardy hue.

Plus look out for a significant new Ambassadors Mediation initiative in January.

Happy New Year. And thank you.