‘I noticed today that the sitemeter on this blog (on the right hand side, near the bottom of the list of stuff there) says that the BA Blog passed the 500,000 visitors mark. I installed it on May 22, 2005, so it started counting at that time. In fact, my own web statistics package says the number should be higher, but I’m not overly concerned about it. The point is, a lot of folks come here!
And in fact I know more people have visited, because I didn’t install the sitemeter for a couple of months after I started the blog. The first blog post was on March 13. I missed my first anniversary! 
I’m really not much for arbitrary celebrations, so it’s not a big deal to me, but it’s nice to know that after a full year plus some, the Bad Astronomy Blog is still going.
When I started it, I wanted to write about astronomy, the parts of it that enthrall me and make me want to learn more about it every day. But as time went on, things got more complicated. It’s almost impossible for me not to inject opinion into what I write, and from talking to people it seems that this is the very thing that they like about what I write. The Universe is cold, dark, and deep; yet for me astronomy is a very personal endeavor. So my own take on it is inevitably going to come out in my writing.
But then the attacks on science kept coming. Of course I would blog about the Moon hoax, or astrology, or the face on Mars. But as the attacks started coming from higher levels, from people who were not just gnats in a storm but actual wind-makers, I knew I had to speak out. My first few entries about this seemed pretty tame compared to what I’ve written lately, but at the time I felt really tentative about it– even nervous. I’m glad I did it though. Every day I am more appalled at what I see going on in the seemingly permanent war on reality, and every day I take a deep breath and feel the stronger for fighting it.
I’ll add that one of the main reasons I started writing for The Huffington Post is that I knew it would increase the audience, get more people aware of not just science, but of those who would destroy it. An entry I wrote the other day (mentioned here) got onto the front page of HuffPo as well:
These issues are not just the blatherings of some blogger somewhere; these are critical issues which affect us, our friends, our family, and our future. This is not hyperbole. This is cold, hard fact.
It’s been a year, and more than a half million visits. But I have a lot more to say, and you can count on me saying it here for some time to come.’
March 22nd, 2006 at 4:22 pm
You’ve really have a great blog!
March 22nd, 2006 at 4:44 pm
Congratulations, BA! I, for one, am delighted to see you speaking out about all the nonsense going on around us. The way things are going politically and in the courts, I’m cautiously optimistic that we’ve crossed the peak of the religious right’s influence and will start back down the long road toward normalcy. But that won’t happen if people like you don’t keep speaking out!
March 22nd, 2006 at 5:26 pm
Happy 5exp(5ln[10])+1th visitor.
March 22nd, 2006 at 5:42 pm
Always thought your website’s content would be well suited to a blog and was surprised to discover that you didn’t have one (this was back in late 2004/early 2005). Needless to say, I was pleased to see you start one last spring, and have been reading it regularly ever since.
March 22nd, 2006 at 5:51 pm
You know Phil, it never ceases to astonish me how otherwise highly educated people will still take such a strong stand on no more than “faith”. These same people are ones that wouldn’t dream of making the simplest business transaction without a signed contract. They are the same ones who as jurors would never put a defendant in prison without proof beyond any reasonable doubt that a crime had been committed. They no longer believe in the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy. They wouldn’t dream of purchasing a precious jewel from even a reputable jeweler without a certificate of authenticity and a receipt for their hard earned dollars.
But bring up religion with these same individuals and rationality and any need for common sense proof flies out the window. They “know” they are right. Or they just “feel” they are correct. Why does the need for proof of something so obviously important to them cease to be important in this subject area? Why are religious concepts exempt from having to pass any reality check? (Obviously rhetorical questions and observations only.) What’s really scary to me is that many of these folks are our political representatives. Where do we have greater need for rational thought and facts as the bases for decision making than in our own government?
You keep going Phil. We need more like you to keep us from being dragged into the dark ages again. Anyone else who can become enlightened by your teachings will put humanity one step closer to truly understanding who we are, why we are here, and where we came from. In the words of my favorite TV scientist, Bill Nye, “Science Rules!”
March 22nd, 2006 at 6:52 pm
i look forward to your insight and enthusiasm each day. i’m just and ordinary “joe”, who can understand how you present science. thanks for keeping up with this.
that said, have you seen this months playboy? quite a spread on what’s going on about the creationism. check it out.
March 22nd, 2006 at 7:14 pm
It’s not just science that’s under attack. For instance, Paul Streitz, currently running for the US Senate in Connecticut, is a determined member of of one of the Shakespeare-denial cults.
March 22nd, 2006 at 8:06 pm
Congrats, Phil, it really is a great blog. Keep fightin the good fight, and don’t ever feel guilty or weird about inserting your opinion when it comes to standing up for what’s right.
Unfortunately, in the arena of public perception and persuasion, the debate has come down to a shouting match. As silly as rational people think it is, we have to make sure we’re shouting as loud as we can. People are generally smart, and we have a great chance of keeping science strong and critical thinking alive as long as we are vigilant.
March 23rd, 2006 at 3:47 am
As one who always seems to miss sending Birthday cards etc until it’s too late, I have kept my reputaion intact again ( shame ). So please accept my LATE Anniversary wishes for your Blog, Phil. I have found I can relate to it, and second the comments of others that it is truly well done.
But I am wondering whether George’s comment which included, ” They are the same ones who as jurors would never put a defendant in prison without proof beyond any reasonable doubt that a crime had been committed. ” is really what was meant as the other instances as quoted seem to be the opposite. Surely proof of guilt is far more important than the Innocent having to proove their innocence. And it is this very questioning that ‘Bad Astronomy’ Blog provides us with an opportunity to join discussions. More power to you, Phil.
Ivan
March 23rd, 2006 at 3:52 am
Many happy returns.
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:46 am
Rock on dude, your site and blog are great
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:53 am
I’m happy to say that I’ve been reading it the entire time. I had BA.com bookmarked and always checked it for updates. Then the blog came and now I don’t to BA.com anymore. Er…well…sometimes!
Your website is also the reason I found out about the JREF, and for that reason I’ll be forever grateful. I look forward to hanging out with you again at TAM5!
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:57 am
BA rocks!!!
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:04 am
Congrats on the visitor total, congrats on blogging for a year, and I want to say I really appreciate what you do in your blog. There are lots of things dealing with the threats to science I wouldn’t know about if not for you. Thank you Phil Plait.
-Tara
March 23rd, 2006 at 12:19 pm
Love the frankness of you posts & your temperate humor.
: )
“Keep on blogging!”
March 23rd, 2006 at 12:29 pm
Great blog, I read it daily.
Blog On!
March 23rd, 2006 at 12:51 pm
Ah, Kim, I was on the Penn and Teller show, about the Moon hoax conspiracy.
March 23rd, 2006 at 3:59 pm
TIME IS THE SIMPLEST THING by Clifford D. Simak
This revolutionary piece of Science Fiction really rocked my world back in circa 1971. Cliff wrote a cautionary tale that warned of how the pendulum could swing from one extreme to the other so easily. From Science to Superstition in one fell swoop. Yes, yes, it involved E.S.P. and various other mental abilities which are patently silly, but there was a hugely important sociological message there that ALL skeptics ought to take to heart. I don’t even know if it is still in print, but damnit, it SHOULD be.
Reality is only for people that can’t cope with SF…
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:49 pm
Some interesting comments you got to that post on HuffPo, Phil. That james2006 character is a pretty typical twerp. Too bad I didn’t see your post until this morning, because I threw a bunch of talkorigins links back at him and his list of questions. I’d have loved to see what his responses were but since you’re off the front page now, I doubt he’ll ever look there again. Alas…
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:12 pm
I hadn’t been able to see the comments until now for some reason. Now I think I’ll just make my posts there and maybe not read the comments…
March 24th, 2006 at 7:59 am
Does it include search engine bot crawls?
March 27th, 2006 at 3:24 am
Hi !
March 27th, 2006 at 8:57 am
nice blog