Like fellow “blockhead” Jay Livingston, I can’t believe I’ve been doing this “writing for free” crap since 2007. Like Jay, I decided to look back at my more popular posts. Unlike Jay, blogger/google doesn’t allow one to look at the past year. The choices jump from “last month” to “all time.” So let’s look at my five most popular posts of all time.
Starting with number 5, with 4,629 page views, a 2008 post in which I cast a critical gaze at St. Louis. St. Louis: Coulda Been a Contender. I’ve found that any time you say something bad about a place people call home (whether it’s St. Louis or Newburgh, NY), some people kinda get upset. Who would’ve thunk it? (Luckily, Baltimoreans have thick skin.)
With 4,766 page views, coming it at number 4, is Sneak-and-Peek from 2011. I observed that parts of The Patriot Act are used not to fight terrorism but the War on Drugs. I have no idea why this simple repost from New York Magazine got so many views. I can only guess it comes up high on some google search. Or maybe all the views are from the NSA.
Number 3, with 8,231 views, is a funny picture montage What they think I do. This must have gotten shared on some police sites.
Number 2, with 9,499 views, features my pictures and Memories of a Baltimore Crack House. The Atlantic linked to this. The Atlantic has always supported me and my work. Somebody there must like me. I don’t know who that person is, but thank you!
Coming in at Number 1, my most popular post of all time (by a wide 3:1 margin with 27,623 page views), is the Right-Wing Lies of the “welfare” of Larmondo “Flair” Allen. I’m proud to play a small role in the liberal quest for truth. Apparently some 27,000 folks also received a B.S. right-wing email and had the bright idea to actually see if it true. It’s not.