Pushing Towards Number 250,000 Or Is That Number 500,000?

Got back from a little mini vacation yesterday and opened an email from my pal Woody. Seems we are getting close to our 250,000th visitor. But the Site meter doesn't tell the whole story so I'll put up a few Screen Shots courtesy of Snagit (which is a great program to have if you like grabbing screen shots). First, the Sitemeter stats:

As you can see, Sitemeter lists just short of 250,000 visits. This includes some from the old blogspot site, added to the old dot com site which is now this site where I moved my blog in early 2006. But Sitemeter, as good as it is doesn't measure everything, and you have to pay extra to get the big stuff listed.

With however, my mu.nu blog (see our guru Pixy Misa by clicking on the link) comes Awstats which is an even better stats program. here are the 2006 stats:

And the 2007 stats:

According to Awstats, I've had 79,643 unique visitors in 2006 for a total of 232,915 visits. In 2007, I had 66,894 unique visitors for a total of 235,104 visits. Now, together that would be 146,537 unique visitors for a total of 468,019 visits, or, pushing a half million visits in just over 17 months. Of course, I like Awstats numbers MUCH better. But, even if I didn't have all of that, I'd still have made an awful lot of friends via blogging that I'd not likely have made with out it, and I've enjoyed every moment of the almost three years of blogging.

On November 7th, this blog (including its previous iterations) will be 3 years old and I owe it all to you, my beloved readers and I am well aware that any blog sinks or swims by the readers that come and go. So, in preparation for my 250,000^th or my 500,000^th visitor thanks for all the fun.

Gone Fishing

Hey everyone, I'm turning the blog over to Woodster while my beloved and I take a tour of beautiful Fredericksburg, Texas and the Hill country on a little mini-vacation. God speed to you all and I'll be back posting soon.

Old Town

The Museum in Fredericksburg

Texas Horned Mice - We Grow Them Big

And while you are at it, go on over to see the Carnival of the Insanities... Dr. Sanity has outdone herself.

Meet Joe Harvey - A New Writer For GM's Corner

This started out as a solo blog, just me and my thoughts, urged on by my friend and political opposite Marc Cooper and GM's Corner will be three years old this coming November.

Two years ago I went on a vacation and asked Woody if he would be willing to fill in for me while I was gone. The Woodster picked up the ball and ran 99 yards to a touchdown and I asked him to stay on. Woody graciously assented and he has been with me ever since. This Month, Woody has been with me for two years, his first post (here) somehow, due to the move to mu.nu, got translated as having been written by me, but truth-The Woodster did it on May 13, 2005.

But, I digress. Joe Harvey is joining our little group and he may post frequently, or maybe infrequently as the mood strikes him. I have known Joe for a decade, and a finer person you won't find in the blogosphere. I've watched Joe in his interactions with other healthcare professionals and am always delighted to watch him in action, his care and concern, demeanor and honesty are a joy to watch as he pushes for the best in client care regardless of the "politics" of a situation or of a place.

Joe is, like me, a mental health professional, and a thouroughly nice guy. Joe is a Christian who actually practices all that he preaches. I was over to his place the other day and going in the kitchen to get a soft drink, noted a number of Bible verses scattered on the cabinet doors, the refrigerator, other places, and thought to myself how lucky I am to know this man. He is a father, the youngest of his brood of 5 is only a few months old and watching Joe hold his little one reminded me of the classic Hummel figure of the Madonna and child... except that the Madonna is far nicer looking.

But again, I digress. Joe is a solid conservative as am I, but don't expect to see us agree on everything (though I'm frequently delighted that we agree on so much about so many varried things). You, if you are conservative, may also disagree with Joe on some things, just as you disagree with me on somethings.

Be that as it may, Joe writes with compassion, conviction, and a sense of honor and honesty that you don't often find and it is not only my pleasure to know this gentleman, but to be able to introduce you to him. When you see his first post, and it may be in a day or two or in a week or two, welcome him and expect to find a friend, for he is that kind of guy.

Chrys, Just, Well, You Know - THANK YOU!

Those of you who are perceptive, which of course are all of you, otherwise, you wouldn't be reading this blog, will have noticed a new banner at the top of the blog. Well, I have to brag on the very kind lady, and lady she truly is, who put it together for me. Her name is Chrys, and she is a member of a Google group that I belong to and is one heck of a delightful person. At any rate, I noticed her blog (Pettyfog, Jots & Tittles) some time ago and added it to my blogroll. We began chatting via email, and I discovered a new and valued friend. Click on the link to take you to her site and click on all of the petals, some terrific reading awaits you there.

As time would have it, she sent me an e-card with a design and hidden in the design was her name. Knowing what a smash up her blog is, I asked her about it and she acknowledged that she knew her way around a pixel or twelve and there you are, a new brand for GM's Corner.

Now, the old brand with the eagles and title was nice, after all, I designed and built it myself, but standing mine next to hers it should be obvious who the champion is; and it isn't me.

What I particularly like is the "old fashioned" look about it, the humor and well, just everything. I particularly like the sepia tone look, the photograph above my head (which is my beloved daughter) and the "therapist of old" appearance. And, yes, that face really is mine!

Most of you know I'm an older blogger (I'll not see 60 again) and this fits me to a tee. Chrys, thank you so kindly. In her emails, Chrys always signs off "Just - Chrys." and so, I'll sign off

Just - Thank you dear friend!

Something New

One of my particular joy's in life is reading Chris Muir's Day By Bay cartoon. As I've learned more and more html and CSS I've been playing with the forms and format of the blog and only today figured out how to add Chris' cartoon to the blog. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

GM

A New Look Is Coming

There will be a new look coming to this blog in the very near future. The blogging and comment system is by Pixy Misa at Ambiant Irony. If you would like to see how it will look go to Pixy's blog and look around. Drop him a line and let him know that I sent you.

New Buttons For GM and Woody

Yessiree, we here at GM's Corner want you to have the latest and the best available. In accordance with our desire to have more people on the internet, and particularly this blog, we've added a couple of fun items for your fun an pleasure. Our first addition is The Diggit button at the bottom of each post. It looks something like this but without the big box:

all you have to do if you like a post is click on the button and Diggit will ask you to sign in... and yes boys and girls, it is FREE to register. That will help publicize GM's Corner which will encourage both Woody and I to write more stuff for your education, elucidation and just plain ole fun!

The second item added for your pleasure is of course the Weatherstreet over on the top of our sidebar. Click on that, add in your city or zipcode and you will get your weather forecast which, listening to the GWTB's (Global Warming True Believers) you already know the weather will be

Hot,

Hotter

and

HOTTER THAN HELL

Now, if it doesn't work out that way... (what do you mean that it's still winter, that it is snowing in Minnesota, Wisconson, Maine and Oregon... what are you... a global warming denier?.... ed!) AS I WAS SAYING... if that doesn't work out... I"m going to be selling long underwear for summer times in the coming Ice Age!!! Yes my friends, A new Ice Age is headed your way... why, there was a consensus of scientists only 30 years ago that forecast it... you wouldn't doubt a

CON-FRIGGIN-SENSUS OF SCIENTISTS

would you? I didn't think so!

And the last item which has been there for some time is something I'm really proud of... IT IS A DONATE TO THIS SITE BUTTON!!!! And what an idea is percolating through my head as I write this... why, we are going to raise money to decrease your

CARBON-FRIGGIN-FOOTPRINT

So, if your carbon-friggin-footprint is a size 47 and it ought to be a size 9, why all you have to do is donate a measly $100.00 bucks and either woody or I will plant an

OAK

TREE

and send you an 8x10 color photograph of your very own Oak Tree. You will be able to show it to your great grand-kids and tell them that they are alive because you thought ahead and saved the world. Don't let Al Gore be the only one to erase his size 47 carbon-friggin-footprint. Be the first on your block to have your very own

TREE

Named just for you and of course, your progeny. Click here to donate (and if it doesn't work, the one on the right does):

And Thanks from both GM and Woody!

Its Celebration Time!

That really devilishly handsome fellow to the right is GM himself. Moi, myself, me! Now, granted that this is a little bit of an older photo (I no longer have the beard, but all the gray is mine) you will notice that this charming and devilishly handsome fellow (did I say that already?....YES, you did!---ed.)has a nice smile on his face. And today, I do, for I have the pleasure of announcing on my blog, my daughter Jennifer's pending marriage to Mr. Michael Becker. Mike is a fine young man, though a little on the liberal side which really is OK as this gives me the chance to play Archie Bunker (OK Mike, get used to the term "Meathead" ). Mike works for the Texas Department of Transportation and Jennifer is a Teacher at Maplewood Elementary School in Austin, Texas. They plan on getting married in May and will reside in Austin. Me, I get to walk my beloved daughter down the aisle, sniffling all the way and proudly dump her give her away. (just kidding honey). Actually, Jennifer and I have a great relationship. Today is her birthday and I've been her proud daddy for xx years. (Aww, come on, you didn't really think I'd reveal her age did you?) At any rate, over my professional career I've obtained a number of encomiums and titles, but the best one I've ever heard is "Daddy!" I'm one proud pappa! So, make a comment or twelve and I'll print the whole thing up in a week or so and present it to them as a keepsake. Oh, and you can see their photo by clicking on read more!

Continue reading "Its Celebration Time!"

A New Rule For This Blog

My purpose in starting this blog, back in '04 was to express closely held ideas, have some fun doing so, discuss a bit of mental health issues and to, of course, poke fun at the ideas of the left. Needless to say, I do not self identify as a liberal.

One of the thing's I've noted of late is the incessent ad hominem attacks on commenters from a variety of sources (and I'm not excepting myself or Woody from this either) and the comments get more and more strident, more and more obnoxious, less and less about the ideas expressed, and more and more about the person expressing them.

So, a new rule is added to the blog effective immediately:

Any comment expressing what I consider to be an ad hominem attack on anyone, regardless of the source of that comment will cause this administrator/owner/proprietor to delete that comment without warning or explanation. Argue all you want, but cut out the disparaging remarks about other commenters, authors or their motives and stick to reasoned if not passionate discourse. I have spoken!

Posted by GM Roper at 06:27 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)

GM IS TIED UP IN KNOTS

Hi folks, over the next several days I have some things to do that will take up an awful lot of my time, I'll be tied up in paperwork projects (not knots, that was just to get your attention.) I'll be checking in, but not doing a lot of posting until maybe tuesday or wednesday, until then, enjoy Woody's postings and take care of yourselves.

GM
Cancer Sucks.

Posting will be Light

Posting may be fairly light till Monday, overloaded with commitments. Use this post to comment about what ever you want to say... rants included, Mark York and his various personalities not welcome. ;-)

For Your Information

Just as an aside, I thought you might be interested where our hits came from over the last 5 or 6 months. This data is from our Web Server Statistics and is copied for your information. Note there is a difference between a site listed with the prefix www such as http://www.instapundit.com and not stated such as http://instapundit.com. Is this kinda like the NYTimes publishing it's circulation numbers? Discuss!

# of Hits...........Source
30080 http://www.instapundit.com/
27417 http://www.google.com/
15609 http://blog.mu.nu/
15193 http://gmroper.com/
13667 http://instapundit.com/
11798 http://profile.myspace.com/
7571 http://drsanity.blogspot.com/
6438 http://images.google.com/
4546 http://www.haloscan.com/
3062 http://bidinotto.journalspace.com/
2872 http://marccooper.com/
2645 http://search.yahoo.com/
2484 http://www.google.ca/
2269 http://andrightlyso.com/
1738 http://www.rightwingnews.com/
1661 http://shrinkwrapped.blogs.com/
1652 http://bornavol.blogspot.com/
1613 http://blo.gs/
1594 http://www.bloglines.com/
1594 http://www.windsofchange.net/
1396 http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/
1330 http://www.technorati.com/
1248 http://www.mudvillegazette.com/
53332 [not listed: 797 sites]

Merry Christmas To All

Singing with Joy and love, cherish with me these beloved Christmas Carols.

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heavens all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Halleluja,
Tönt es laut von fern und nah:
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Christ, der Retter ist da!

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'.
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Christ, in deiner Geburt!

A Joy Filled And Blessed Christmas To All

Luke, Second Chapter Verse 1-20
1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife,[a] who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold,[b] an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.�
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “ Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!�[c]

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.� 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely[d] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Matthew, Chapter 2, Verse 1-11

Wise Men from the East
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.�
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘ But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’�[a]

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.�
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And in the spirit of giving, we bid you "Peace, and good will toward men."

Out of Pocket

I will be out of pocket on a short business trip for the next 48 hours or so... Woody is in charge so be nice to him!

A new look

Those of you, not still stupified by thanksgiving, and not yet (but gonna be) stupified by Christmas will notice that there has been a change in the blog. The sidebar is now on the right and the site now loads much, much faster (and thus, obviating the need for the warning that USED to be under the elephant on the sidebar. Go thank Michael at Slobokan's Site O' Schtuff. He and the folk at Elegant Webscapes do great work!

We are still encountering problems with comments... so... PLEASE don't use the Preview Button... just comment, enter the security code and click the POST button. If you do have problems, please don't hesitate to contact me via e-mail.