February 1, 2007 State of the City Blog
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IdahoFallz.com publishes monthly updated visitor counts and highlights some of the best-written stories in the past month. This is done to update our stakeholders, which include anyone concerned with improving Idaho Falls. 
January 2007 was our sixteenth month in operation, and we earned an astounding 10,400 visitors! I am very proud to pass this milestone, and I must thank all you visitors and participants. We now have 460 articles, which have generated 3,123 comments.
Here is a screenshot of our monthly visitor counts for the last 12 month rolling period, showing our growth chart. November appeared to dip because our Sitemeter service lost a week of data. I estimate November’s visitor count was a hair below October’s.
Here is a screenshot of our daily visitor counts in January. The cyclical dips are the weekends, typical for most websites. 
I ask everyone to please help out by sharing IFz with your friends, family and co-workers, setting IFz as your browser homepage, and continued participation through chat, votes, comments, and especially writing your own articles.
Thanks for all of your visits, stories, comments, and participation. You are what makes this site what it is. We look forward to an even bigger and better February.
The most-commented-on (new) articles in January include:
- chrisr671’s What about healthcare?
- vote4change’s Is raising the min. wage a good idea?
- JeremyPlo’s Should English be America’s Official Language?
- Ronin Rich’s The Social Pressures of Mormonism
- Ronin Rich’s Got Ink?
- Ronin Rich’s What’s the deal with all the empty space?
- Joe Vandal’s Idaho Wolf Discussion
- Joe Vandal’s What do you want to see 10 years from now in Idaho Falls?
- Joe Vandal’s What about Larry Lyon?
- Joe Vandal’s Worker Free Speech: Rights, Responsibilities, Sensibilities, and Getting Away With It
One final note on the potential sale of IdahoFallz.com. Yes, IdahoFallz.com and resources (like the pictures, stories, database, scripts, and of course Google juice) are for sale; serious inquiries please email me at idahofallz (at ) gmail (dot ) com. The only concern I have heard is about user’s private information.
If I sell the site, I promise to give at least 30 days notice of who the new buyer is and giving all users time to edit their personal information if they like. If I don’t find a buyer, I foresee supporting this site long after I move onto other projects. IdahoFallz.com is taking a leading role in Idaho Falls, and is not likely to wither away soon. And that is thanks to you.
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Comments
Vote:
0 
0 Just to be clear, for those who like to make accusations without taking the time to research or ask the facts:
1. Yes, I have contributed to the costs of maintenaining Idaho Fallz.Com.
2. NO - the fact that I have contributed toward the costs of this site did not result in Joe asking me, along with others, to help moderate the site.
3. YES- I have asked several of you about helping with the costs previously and have some really unpleasant things said to me.
While Joe has stated elsewhere that everyone on this site is an adult, thus unpleasant comments have remainded, I will say this. All of you who took your swings did so already. I don’t need a second round. Perhaps some people don’t like to think of the fact they have been using a site that others are paying for, since this isn’t a sponsored site. I don’t know your personal issues and I don’t want to.
I’ve once again raised the issue about the fact this site isn’t free and to this point, Joe hasn’t required a registration fee or monthly fee from all who use. I promised a user I would do it one more time, given the many new users we’ve had and the fact it isn’t a subject Joe discusses directly.
I don’t want and won’t take the verbal abuse again. Don’t go there - and you that gave it know who you are.
Assess your use of this site and where you would be without it in your life. Then decide if you should find a way to help support it financially. I’m happy to help problem solve with those who need to remain anonymous but want to help.
I hope this effort to raise the issue that this site isn’t free, but few have tried to help support it, has a more positive response.
My ultimate goals are:
1. Alert those who truly don’t know that Joe has requested monthly donations to help support this site.
2. Offer options of how to stay anonymous and still help offset costs of this site.
3. Ask the questions of how much content might not be continued, if the site were purchased by someone else, as another owner has no responsibility to continue all current discussions.
4. Ask the question of whether you feel you should help support a site you have read, possibly written opinions and generally interacted with others.
5. Advertisers who may opt to advertise at IFz.Com may not allow certain subjects to be discussed, if they were to advertise here.
Bascially, I’m asking you to think about how much you value your ability to write almost anything at Idaho Fallz.Com, and whether you should help support the site financially or not.
Just to be clear, Joe did not ask me to write this.
Vote:
0 0 Nope, I didn’t ask. But I certainly appreciate it.
I hope people notice when others disagree with me or other moderators, that those comments are not deleted. The strength of IFz is in the open and honest communications, even if we site admins and moderators are revealed to be quite-less-than-perfect.
It has not happened much lately, but there have been times we’ve had to be vigilant of fending off spammers and trolls posting junk that nobody wants to read. I am a normal guy here in Idaho Falls working a normal full-time job and raising a normal family, so I cannot be here all the time.
I must thank my moderators for the help they’ve provided also, because they really came to my rescue a few times.
Leave Your Comment
Our Community's Comment Guidelines:- Please stay polite and on topic.
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Vote:
Congratulations Joe for accomplishing this milestone. I know you didn’t even dream of 10K visitors/month a year ago. I am proud of your success. Without you designing and maintaining the site, none of use would visit.
NOW - about the financial maintenance of this site. First, many of the newer users don’t seem aware of the fact this site isn’t sponsered and you are footing the bill entirely, except for those who have contributed.
Also, I’ve brought that issue up with many users over the months and received a variety of responses. Some users here who say they aren’t aware of costs or how users can help and that until you (JOE VANDAL) spell it out exactly the costs and what you need from those who use the site. Some of the comments aren’t worth re-typing, except to say, I don’t think many users think about the cost of maintaining this site, because you haven’t written about it.
I know this is not your favorite subject, but I do think it will help if readers can understand at some level how much $ you’ve put into this site (not counting your professional time, which is endless). Or even the monthly fees. I know you are not “making money” hosting this web site and offering a place for locals and visitors to go read opinions or write them.
This site does cost real $ to keep open. I think some readers would benefit to know more specific information about the costs.
Just as a reminder to some who are concerned about being able to financially contribute, yet remain anonymous, I don’t mind sharing what I’ve done. Especially now, it’s easier than ever to buy a pre-paid Visa, Master Card or American Express to send.
I’ve sent the pre-paid credit cards because that has allowed me to remain anonymous, yet to the best of my knowledge Joe has been able to use them. I don’t find it practical to send a $2.00 month check, I personally dislke PayPal, so I have mailed gift Visa/Master Cards a couple of times this last year.
What I would like to know is how others users think the best way of financially helping share the cost of this site are, since there currently are no advertisers. I do know that others besides me have contributed either a cash payment or an in-kind payment to help support the site.
Protecting our confidentiality is very important to many of us. Yet, I find it easy to maintain my identy while still contributing.
And one thing I’d like other readers to think about is this: Say there were sponsors for this site. Would all the discussions currently occuring be allowed? Some who might want to advertise might not agree with certain articles being published or discussed. Consequently, some may ask that subjects x,y,z NOT be allowed if they advertise.
I’m quite certain most companies wouldn’t want to advertise here and have their employees complain about their work environment.
I’m only bringing up this issue - what might some advertisers or even a new owner allow, as I don’t know if all users realize that with no advertising and Joe footing the bill of this site, that almost any subject is allowed currently. That may not always be the situation and I think it is useful for users to think about what they receive from this site, what they write about here and do they want that to change?
Thank you again, Joe, for all of your work. I congratulate you (and Mrs. Joe - for all the sacrifices) making Idaho Fallz.Com available to over 10,000 visits in Jan 2007.