Netroots Nation Scholarship

by: Rob Kailey

Mon Apr 25, 2011 at 12:38:06 PM MST

Given the events of the last several weeks, it is likely that some regret their support of my candidacy.  If you do, don't fret. I didn't make it based on the popularity contest of it all, nor did I fantasize that I would.  The auto-scholars all had over 900 supporters, which is far too many for a small market blogger to get.  I am the equivalent of an 'affirmative action hire'.  Democracy for America still holds to the ideals of it's founder, Gov./Dr. Howard Dean.  They still believe in the 50 state project; and though I am not privy to the thought behind the selections, I can guarantee that being from Montana pretty much sealed the deal.

But there is more news.  There is a Round 3.  There are 8 more scholarships available, and voting will go as previous.  These exceptions apply.  It doesn't appear that the voting pool will be promoted on the DFA website, so it will all be up to self-promotion.  The top 3 supported candidates get auto-bids.  The remaining 5 will come from the selection committee.  The voting will go until May 5th.  If you want in, then apply and let me know.  I will do the best I can to promote you, and I'm certain that there are those out there in the community who can at least garner more than my 109 supporters.

This Is Left In The West

by: Rob Kailey

Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 14:39:18 PM MST

If you don't want to participate here, then leave.  No one needs to hear your formal declaration of leaving, you pompous asses; that is, save you.  Yes, I'm absolutely certain that the departure of pompous left wing assholes will kill the website, (except that traffic has been well up over the last period of conflict).  In truth, I don't care if it does.  It isn't my website; I'm just the guy trying to run it.

Here's the dealio.  Democrats still have value.  I like Jon Tester, even more for taking action on wolf control dictated by the judiciary.  Don't like that?  Tough shit.  Leave.  I like Barrack Obama.  I think he called out the Republicans and has played them very well.  Don't like that?  Tough shit.  Leave.  Seriously.  You don't like Democrats?  Leave, assholes.

This is the only website in Montana that allows diaries.  The last three have been left by wingnuts, and I'm not seeing a whole lot of difference between those and the ones left by the "left".  Obama sucks, for sure.

This website may die without the self-important input from "the real left".  I really don't care.  I almost favor that at this point.  But don't assume that you know what I think or believe.  Don't assume that you control what happens here because you are such a "progressive".  This is Left in the West.  This is and will remain a Democratic favoring website.  If that's too scawy for you, then leave.  And we'll get on with our business.  

Netroots Nation Scholarship Update

by: Rob Kailey

Mon Mar 28, 2011 at 16:07:08 PM MST

To make it to round two, I must be selected for that by a committee.  I knew that going in, so it isn't a big surprise.  Even after round two, there will still be 34 scholarships up for grabs, again selected by committee.  Votes of support carry over, and 99 of you have supported me so far.  For that, you have my deepest thanks.  One person 'supported' me by attempting to smear me, and that's fine too. I even appreciate that.

At one point, I was up to #24 in the polling.  But in the last day, I have been surpassed and now reside at #31.  The people who have overtaken me geographically fall out like this:  1 from Michigan, 4 from Florida, 2 from Texas and 1 from California.  (The guy from Alaska was already ahead of me, and he's falling back too.)  It's a simple fact that I am asking for support from a small market, and that's just the way it works.  That market may be tapped out, but if not, please support me here.

Many of the folks more well positioned than I are community organizers and activists.  I am just a working schmo and blogger with a particular distaste for stupidity. I have ideas to bring to the table, but that may not be what is desired or needed.  Ironically, Democracy for America is holding a seminar in Bozeman this week, and I can't attend because my work life is coming to the end of the fiscal year, and that is my priority.  Funny that.  Since I don't really know what the selection committee will be looking for, we'll see what happens.  For me, confidence remains high.

Again, thank you for your supporting votes.  And if there are people you know who want to help a Montana boy teach these elitists how it's done in rural America, please get them to support me to go to Netroots Nation.

UPDATE to the UPDATE:

Round one of the Democracy for America Netroots Nation scholarship is over, and the selection committee has done their job in choosing the 17 candidates who join the top 3 supported for scholarship.  You can check out the 20 recipients here.  Woohoo and congratulations to Blue Gal, who I voted to support.  She and Driftglass can now go to the conference, and this is a good thing.  If you are unfamiliar with their work, then please check them out either at their own websites or Blue Gal's submissions to Crooks and Liars.  For the record, Blue Gal is wicked funny and hella smart.  Driftglass is just freaking brilliant.  If you aren't reading them, then you're truly missing out.

Of the 17 committee selections there are a few surprises. Several of them are offline activists, not surprising on the surface.  Those folk are needed now more than ever.  But it is somewhat amusing that they are scholarshipped to "Netroots Nation".  I find that amusing in a kind-hearted sort of way.  I am happy for them. One young woman is neither an activist (online or off) nor is she a blogger. But this opportunity seems to mean a great deal to her, and these are the people that should be attracted to join a progressive movement.  It does appear that the selection committee is seeking geographic diversity, and that also is a good thing.  I have begun to worry that Howard Dean's message of a 50 state strategy was starting to fall on deaf ears.

As should be obvious by now, I was not selected in the first round. I begin the second round positioned at number 15, and well behind the current top three.  I am tied, at 103 supporters with 3 other gentlemen. That alone surprises me more than I can admit.  There are still 20 scholarships up for grabs, and April 17th is the cut-off.  If you know anyone else who wants to see a better Montana online, then have them give me a shout-out of support.  Thanks again.

Poll Review, and New Poll

by: Rob Kailey

Tue Mar 22, 2011 at 16:41:30 PM MST

Given the choices before Congress, what would you do best for America regarding tax reform?

* Extend tax cuts for those earning below $250,000 - 9 votes (52.94%)
* Let Bush Tax cuts expire completely. - 5 votes (29.41%)
* Flat Tax. - 2 votes (11.76%)
* Extend all Bush tax cuts. - 1 votes (5.88%)
* No Taxes, no time. - 0 votes (0%)

I confess.  I was one who voted for letting the tax cuts expire completely.  See, I kind of believe that BS about "shared sacrifice".  There are two ways to help balance a budget.  Raise revenue (which I have great faith in) or decrease spending.  What will heretofore be known to me as the Blackmail Compromise, our government chose the latter and simply can't follow through. They won't be able to.  Extend all tax cuts, which did actually garner one vote, simply put a higher burden on the poorest of Americans (which to be honest I think was outrageously overstated, but true nonetheless.) Still, most readers who voted agree that we must raise revenue. That is not all that irrational.

Which?
* Cats - 5 votes (41.67%)
* Dogs and Cats - 3 votes (25%)
* Dogs - 2 votes (16.67%)
* Birds - 1 votes (8.33%)
* Ligers - 1 votes (8.33%)
* Fish - 0 votes (0%)
* Ferrets - 0 votes (0%)

WTF?  A bunch of cat lovers?  Seriously?  I went Dogs and cats, but let's get real.  My cat is  a terrorist.  That's no lie.  Dogs rule, and cats just contemplate your murder.  Let's at least be honest about that.  ~Heh~

Which?
* They both sucked , but 2011 will be even worse. - 5 votes (31.25%)
* They both sucked, but 2011 will be awesome! - 4 votes (25%)
* Nothing ever changes. Woe is us. - 2 votes (12.5%)
* 2010 was better than 2009. 2011? - 2 votes (12.5%)
* 2009 was better than 2010. 2011? - 2 votes (12.5%)
* Nothing ever changes and I'm cool with that. - 1 votes (6.25%)

Personally, this one was terribly intriguing.  Though the SoapBlox software doesn't allow for such, this poll demanded comment.  25% of you are uncertain of the future, 25% are optimistic, and 31% are doomed and gloomed.  I'm going to repost something similar after the end of the normal legislative session, knowing that we will have a "special session".

The Wackiest Proposal from the wacky in the Montana Legislature

You can look up the results, but it dawns on me that this poll was pointless until all is said and done.

Where are you getting your news of the 2011 MT. Legislature?
* Blogs - 17 votes (42.5%)
* Newspapers - 6 votes (15%)
* Twitter - 6 votes (15%)
* I'm there MAN! In Helena! I'm in the Sh**! - 4 votes (10%)
* Word of mouth (watercooler talk) - 3 votes (7.5%)
* TV News - 2 votes (5%)
* Facebook - 2 votes (5%)

23 voters delivered 40 votes.  That suggests, though it is not certain, that most people voted for 2 options.  I have to admit that I was surprised that fishwrap equaled Twitter.  I am happy for the blogs, especially Intelligent Discontent, 4 & 20 Blackbirds, Montanafesto, and Montana Cowgirl.  They have all been doing a stellar job of presenting the ugly.  Unlike most of our rightward brethren, or the local TV news, they have been on the money in presenting the Montana legislature.

Fatigue

by: Rob Kailey

Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 19:39:18 PM MST

Booman makes a point, much broader than I believe he felt was his focus.  In discussing the lack of focus on jobs in Washington DC, he writes:

So, the reason that (the Montana legislature) Washington DC doesn't care about jobs is that the Republicans have too much power.

The Democrats aren't blameless, but they don't like to waste time. After a few days, it gets really boring trying to reason with Republicans. Then you just figure out what you can muscle through and you go for that. The Democrats know that they can't close the unemployment rate because anything expensive enough to work is just going to get voted down in the House or filibustered in the Senate. So, they move on. They focus on other things that they can make progress on rather than sitting around moping and feeling impotent.

The addition was of course mine.  But it does clarify where I'm coming from.  If your knee-jerk reaction to that quote is to pick the nits off of Booman's generalizations, then I suggest to you that you might be part of the problem.  In the ideological/cultural/class wars we find ourselves in, the right is winning, and they're winning pretty big right now.  And they're doing so because it's a war of attrition, and the left is fatigued.

In the GBCW post below (don't make me explain it, just go read the damned thing), D. Gregory Smith makes a simple and pointed comment:

Looks like the dialog is starting to break down according to passionate involvement- at least at first blush.
Or maybe it's just fatigue.

I find that kind of causal.  In order for my theory to carry any weight, however, I have to show how "passionate involvement" leads directly to "fatigue".  That's not actually all that difficult to do, at least for me.  Given the importance I find in that equation, I'll give it an attempt, weak as it likely will be to the rest of you.

Before I go any farther, let's all just admit something right up front.  The left has a problem.  We argue and fume and fuss about the same things the right does.  The Overton Window, Democrats as a political tool or as political collaborators, purity, what is best for the country blah, blah blah. But see, we have a problem they don't.  I call it reality.  The reality I see is that we aren't getting what we want in the specific because we can't focus on the general.

To be continued ...

ITEOTBAWKI and I Feel Fine (Part 1)

by: Rob Kailey

Tue Mar 01, 2011 at 14:41:15 PM MST

For the period, LitW had a total of 10,718 visits, with 53% of those coming in the last 2 weeks of the period.  The average per day is 346 visits, jumping to 377 over the last two weeks.  Just for fun, I removed the weekend counts (invariably lower) and just ran the numbers for weekdays.  On the Monday through Friday, the site averages 410 visits per day.

Weeding that down further, there is the stat of Absolutely Unique Visits.  This weeds people like me down to one visit, even though I may check the site several times a day.  For the period, LitW had 7645 Absolutely Unique Visits, 71% of total visits.  That's an average of 246 AUV per day.  This too is trending up.  3939 of those unique visits were in the last two weeks of the period for an average of 263 AUV/day.  During the reporting period, the site was visited by 3365 New Visitors, or 31.4% of total visits.

Now that the raw numbers are out of the way, on to the fun stuff, at least more fun for me.  Of all visits to the site in the period, 7357 came from Montana.  That's 72% of total.  Missoula has the largest showing, with 35% of all Montana visits.  Helena comes in at #2 with 22% of Montana visits.  Bozeman has 12%, much of which is likely me, and Billings rounds the top 4 with 11.5%.  The state is very well covered with multiple visits from such far lands as Plentywood, Eureka, Broudus and Circle.

The majority of the traffic is coming from referrals at 37.73%.  Search engines provide 30.56% (which might explain the visits from Novocherkassk, Russia.)  Google is the king provider of visits, and I looked for any amusing search terms to offer you but no such luck.  The best I found was 'Missoulian editorial horse Rehberg drunk vodka'.  As far as referrals, far and away the most are being provided by Mt Cowgirl, 26.7% of referrals.  Second is 4 & 20 Blackbirds, with 12.9%.  My other place and Intelligent Discontent come in 3rd and 4th at 6.6%.  I'm going to try, in the copious amounts of free time I don't have, to track the referrals more closely. At some point in the period, the site was linked at both Facebook and the Democratic Underground.

The final bit of fun is check out what networks are being used to access the site.  I'm going to keep some of the interesting stuff to myself, for various reasons, but it's still fascinating.  Obviously Bresnan cable dominates. But these stats might interest.  Over the period, the site has gotten 633 visits from the State of Montana network.  That's actually weighted heavily to the last 2 weeks.  And one of the amusing things to me is that we have gotten 27 visits from the U.S. House of Representatives network, with 3 of those coming just yesterday.

If you've stayed with me this far, then I thank you.  I may not know very much, but I do know blogging.  To me, there's a very clear takeaway from all these numbers.  To grossly misquote the great Samuel Clemens, the reports of this website's death have been greatly exaggerated. Let's just leave that trope in the dust, shall we?

There are other conclusions that can be drawn as well.  The rather high percentage of unique visits per day is reflected in the fact that we have a significant number of readers, trending up. But the site has very little participation in comments, which drive a higher number of daily return visits.  That's one topic that begs for future examination.  An addendum to that is that it's likely that visitors are reading posts/diaries, but not reading comments.  There are other statistics which I didn't dwell on here that bear that last point out.  That doesn't sit terribly well with me, considering how much time I and some others put into comments and discussion.  I have a few ideas on correcting that as well, as well as possibly increasing front page content at the same time.  What I didn't see in this analysis was a strong correlation between who posts to the front and readership.  Still, there's a lot more fine digging to be done on that score, as well as a deeper analysis of who among our visitors reads what.  These kind of inquiries will take time.

New Poll and Sharing

by: Rob Kailey

Wed Feb 23, 2011 at 16:04:28 PM MST

It is my intention to present a playback of poll results about once a quarter, you bunch of cat-lovers you.  It is my hope that you enjoy such things, as unscientific as they are.

Also.  Too.  The code to share individual posts with other online media is now in the diary template. You can't share from the front page, but click on the diary's title and look near the bottom towards comments. You'll see the widget.  So, if you find my pithy ramblings, or other's more significant efforts worth sharing with your Facebook buds, let's get this stuff out there.

Stats

by: Rob Kailey

Fri Dec 10, 2010 at 15:42:06 PM MST

This is more than a little inside baseball, but bear with me here.  I'm feeling very prickly over an email I received today claiming that I've 'killed the website'.  I'm feeling somewhat less prickly but still annoyed over the fact that, as Craig pointed out, the one person we can count on to consistently comment beyond the front pagers is Eric Coobs, who wouldn't know a fact if it walked up to him in a bar, bought him a drink and then punched him in the nose.  So let's at least get some statistics out there.

I've been gathering web stats for a week now, using Google's analytics.  Please keep in mind that "visits" are not "hits".  Hit's can be pretty meaningless, for one because they increment every time someone hits refresh (or preview diary, as it were).  The information I'm going to present is actually from yesterday's totals, but remains consistent with yesterday's inclusion.

With a week's worth of data in, there aren't too many conclusions that can be drawn. So just take this as 'fact consumption' for now.

1)  We're averaging 283 visits a day.  Keep in mind that average is weighted downward by the weekend.  Saturday was 207, and Sunday was 220.  Counting only weekdays, that average is 318, with Monday being the high of 370.

2)  Of the 1825 total visits, 760 visitors are absolutely unique. 

3)  The average number of pages viewed is 2.1, and it appears that mostly it's the front page, and the page of any given diary posted (where comments would appear.)

4)  Users spend an average of 2.13 minutes on site per visit.

5)  We are averaging about 100 new visitors per day, or about 33% of any given day's traffic.

6)  How people are getting to the site is also interesting.  26.3% are going directly to the site (bookmarks), 39.95% are being referred by other sites, and 30% are coming in from search engines (the remaining 5% is just labeled other, whatever that could be.)  The search term "left in the west" accounts for over half of search engine traffic, showing that many folks still use a search as if it's their browser bar  ;-).  Of the referred traffic, most is actually coming from mtcowgirl.com, which was a bit of a surprise to me.  I figured it would be my website, since I always use my links to access LitW.  I;'m the admin; that's going to pad the stats.  But my link only accounts for 4.5% of total traffic or 81 total visits, which is about equal  to 4&20 Blackbirds referrals. 

7)  We are still getting 3 to 4 new user signups per day.  So we apparently have a goodly supply of lurkers.

8)  The largest proportion of our visiters come from Missoula (25%), followed by Helena (15%) and Billings (10%).

I'm not presenting this as some weird kind of bravado.  If I were, I'd have posted it other than on a December Friday.  But the site is obviously not dead, nor is it dying.  For that, I offer huge kudos to Doug and Matthew. I have no way or means to compare these stats to those previous to a week ago.  So, please, don't bother arguing about that.

Still, we have a need.  What is needed is participation in diary and comment.  If anyone has concerns about particpating, then let me know of them.  I will accomodate as best I am able.

To those of you who can

by: Rob Kailey

Fri Dec 03, 2010 at 15:15:23 PM MST

Grab your pitchforks and torches, and go give Matt Singer the send off he truly deserves.  The time is 7 this evening, and the place is:

The Stensrud Event Center
314 N 1st. W
Missoula, MT

Come to think of it, though, you might want to leave the torches at home.  And I'd appreciate it if someone would give the guy a big ole hug for me.

And then just because it's deserved, punch him in the shoulder.  ~wink~

More Admin Notes, with bonus

by: Rob Kailey

Thu Dec 02, 2010 at 16:42:49 PM MST

Yeah, I know these can get tiresome, but feedback is always welcome.  And I'd like a little about now.  But if you care to read through, you'll find a special surprise of superior snark.  Yum.

First, the front page posters now have a means and manner in which to link files and images into their diaries, without hotlinking images from elsewhere or burdening the LitW servers.  I know that some y'all were laughing at my Test post, but there was a purpose to it, and that would be it.  If any diarists would like to add files or images to their posts, it can be done, but still needs to come through me first.  Sorry 'bout that, but I will be as accomodating as I can possibly be to your needs.  Email me your woes, and I will provide you with the relevant links as soon as I'm able.  And in case you missed the significance from the Test, GO BOBCATS!

Second, I'm either feeling more confident or really stupid.  I want to start recruiting some other guest posters, especially those who can dilute the testosterone that tends to flood the blog-o-tubes.  This amounts to coldcalling, which has never been a strong point for me.  If you have suggestions for persons I should contact then feel free to let me know. Especially let me know if the potential poster's expertise and focus are Montana and it's issues.

Third, I should be able to start tracking website traffic from here out.  This may not be a "big deal" to most of this community, but I haven't a doubt it will be to the dextra side. ~Hehehe~  It was actually suggested that I do this, and leads me to another query of you good folk.  I can enable a module that would show which registered users are currently accessing the site.  Knowing the native distrust of the sinestra, would this be something favored of the community, or not?

And now is the time on Sprockets when we dance.  "The Editors", over at the Atlantic, have posted some gold-medal snark, the kind many of us wannabees (me) aspire to and will never achieve.  Check this out:

If that's what we've become, then let's go ahead and hand the country over to Sarah Palin. We're not doing much with it, anyway. Right now, what's left of the national economy is lying by the side of the road being picked at by wild birds, and the people who ran it down are drunkenly swerving at top speed about twenty miles further down the road. In response, the Democratic president of the United States freezes the pay of the janitors in the Pentagon and gets ready to "reform" Social Security right into the hands of the financial-services industry, which produces nothing but fraud, misery, and unindicted co-conspirators. After almost a year of romancing insurance company sublets like Ben Nelson, ambulatory egos like Joe Lieberman, and those two faithless wenches from Maine, he manages to get Bob Dole's old health-care plan passed, only to have the Republicans beat him over the head with it. And he then concludes that the biggest mistake he's made is not giving the Republicans more of his ass to kick.

 You have GOT to read the whole thing!

And finally, a quiz:

Brief admin notes.

by: Rob Kailey

Mon Nov 22, 2010 at 18:26:24 PM MST

1)  Welcome to Doug Coffin and John Bacino, front page posters.  Post away, gentleman.  Hint, hint hint, I would like and appreciate some feminine influence as well ...

2)  There is a one day wait between registration and the ability to post a diary.  This is an anti-spam measure.  As I'm certain some have noticed, spammers love them some diary space.  I've already whacked two of them.  Forcing them to wait a day helps.  I have also begun deleting accounts that have emails such as "fine.Gucci.handbags at yahoo dot com".  I may be wrongish, but I don't think they're here for the discussion ...

3)  There is a one day wait for being able to post comments after registration.  This is also an anti-spam measure.  But it has an added benefit.  It prohibits drive-by flaming. There will be (have been) times that something written here sparks someone's need to respond.  The wait allows them to consider whether they really want to respond or not.  In most cases, the answer would be "No".  The simple request is simple.  Join the community, or don't.  You don't get to have it both ways.

4)  If a person has a need to comment or diary about an issue they see here, but can't because of the previous rules, then it needs to come through me.  Just because they have a beef does not mean that these requests should come through other users.  That sort of defeats the purpose of why these rules were set in the first place (by Jay and Matt, not by me.)  It has already happened on my watch, and I would gladly have proffered Katte's response to post.  This is not the norm, but rather the exception.  Please, my email is public.  Use it if you can't get what you want when you want it.

5)  Don't spam email me with your pet issue as if I will suddenly be a jumping advocate.  I am very sympathetic to most leftward issues.  But when I get 5 emails in a day from an advocate for issue X as if I'm supposed to use my limited time to promote X, well, that's just not going to happen.  We have front page editors now who can deal with a remarkable range of issues in a remarkable range of manners.  Trust them, and trust me.  If you have something you wish promoted, post a diary.  Or email me as a human, a real live concerned human, and not an issue-bot.  I'm not a robot; I'm a Luddite, remember?  So you don't be one either.

6)  Thank you for the readership.  I couldn't mean that more sincerely.  

Admin Notes

by: Rob Kailey

Fri Nov 12, 2010 at 16:38:39 PM MST

1)  Matthew Koehler has been elevated to front page post status, that is if I have done so correctly (always open to question.)  His issues may often be singular, and his statements may not always meet with approval.  I don't care.  He has a great deal to say of importance to the left.  That I do care about.  Which leads to ...

2)  Thank you all for the well wishes and encouragement you have left in email, comment and link.  I just hope that we are all up front about this.  I am not Matt Singer, or Jay Stevens, and I can't even begin to fill their shoes; nor do I intend to try.  What I do intend is this ...

3)  Keep this site running.  That means we need content, community and activity.  I will treat them in discordant order.  Activity:

A)  Please comment.  Just 'cause I watched Kill Bill 1 recently, I have to quote:  If you have anything to say, now's the f'ing time.

B)  I've already made the plea for diaries, and being a beggar, I will make it again. Post what you have.  Do it under your own name, and that's a huge bonus big plus extra good.  But if you have anything to add, post it.

c)  Rate.  Matt stopped by today and reminded us all of the power we have as a community.  We can rate comments.  If you think someone is trolling, say so.  If you think someone has something great to say, then damned well say so.  The complaints about such?  Well that's my problem, isn't it?  And hopefully you'll be surprised at how easy it is for me to deal with it.  Which also too,

Community.

We're in this together.  I only agreed to take this gig because I believe that the left should have a significant voice.  Matt and Jay built the megaphone.  It seems it's time we use it.  But there is a problem now, isn't there?  Democrats don't like the left, and the left doesn't like Democrats, and radicals don't like centrists, and the blue dogs ... well nobody really likes them.

It's probably time that I clarify exactly where I'm coming from.  I call myself a "moderate", some would say centrist.  Yet every time I've taken a test to peg me on a political scale, I've landed just slightly to the right of Leon Trotsky.  In this Amurkin world, that makes me a moderate, and hopefully won't get me an ice pick through the head. But Montana is truly center right, and moving rightward with every breath we all draw.  So where is this website?

Simple.  It is "Left" in the West.  I've argued before that it is not "Democrats" in the West.  It isn't, and that needs to be known.  I have no intention of administrating this website for the benefit of Democrats at the expense of the left. Some may argue that I am not fulfilling the desires of Matt and Jay.  I'm not convinced that's what I'm doing, nor do I really care.  I have been tasked with keeping this website running, and that I will do.  And for that, I need the left.

(We'll discuss my love affair with Democrats as time goes by.)

4)  People needn't worry about trolls. I know, now more than ever, that many have never commented or participated here, yet read and want participation.  Folks, I've been at this a long time.  I can recognize a troll about a mile away.  A few will stop coming here simply because I am now an admin.  That's a good thing.  The others?  My hammer is named Troll's Bane, and I have no problem using it. Seriously, if you want to be a part of this community, do so. I ask you to trust me to take care of the rest.  That's my job, and that I will do.        

IT LIVES!

by: Rob Kailey

Wed Nov 10, 2010 at 14:42:30 PM MST

Greetings.  I am Rob Kailey.  I will be your host this evening, and hopefully for some time to come.  Matt and Jay have offered me an admin position here at Left in The West; a position which, with no small amount of trepidation, I have accepted.  The effort to keep this blog active is ongoing.  Though Matt and Jay are irreplaceable, hopefully myself and others can continue to provide you greedy fiends the content you crave.

Kindly keep in mind that I am only an administrator here, and a neWb at that.  I'm still trying to figure out the bells and whistles (Hey, Matt!  what does this BIG RED button do?) and all patience would be appreciated.  As time goes on, we'll see about providing a wealth of quality writing for you.  Relevant and insightful diaries are appreciated now possibly more than ever.  Given the rather decisive conclusion to the last cycle of shouting, it should be the perfect time for a rematch.  What say you?

So, belly up to the bar.  The next game is about to begin ...