Well, I for one come here partly in hope of seeing something new from Bint Al-Shaitan, who must have better things to do than entertain a fanclub of losers with a blog of her own. How's that for insight? As grim as it sounds, if it's good to read I could live with interesting and unique.

It helps me on occasion. I've changed some views based on arguments presented here or at your old Livejournal site. Figure that commenters are a small percentage of readership and extrapolate from there.

Is that influence worth the time invested? A normative question that depends on one's scale of values and the opportunity costs involved.

I see this site as filling a gaping void in online commentary: people who actually know what they're talking about when it comes to MENA. 6 years after 9/11, there are a lot of Americans and other Anglophone types who have a general idea of things, they know what Islam is etc., they want something a little more in-depth, something usable. Enter places like Aqoul, Abu Aardvark, Missing Links, etc. And speaking for myself as someone with an academic background and no practical experience, I profit greatly from the perspective of those people who live and work in-region.

Part of the problem, is that this site thrives on current events. The value you create greatly expands when there's a new controversy or crisis. In those situations, there's so much blind whanking that Aqoul is a great haven for, ahem, informed comment. An Iraq War, Israel-Hezbollah War, Dubai Ports Fiasco, Fem-Islamophobe publicity stunt, etc. give commenters something to talk about that has the attention of the public and where there's a very real possibility to persuade the less informed as few people know the facts/context and opinions are still being formed.

Times like now are more difficult, there aren't really any new developments so all that's left to talk about are either esoteric sociological "blah blah" or irredeemably personal stories. I personally find both of those very interesting, but I can see where an author might just say, "Why bother?"

Perhaps eerie has some insights into what sort of entries generate the largest traffic, but I suspect that traffic is dramatically higher than comments would indicate. I enjoy Lounsbury's financial posts, but never comment on them because I'd rather not expose certain gaps in my knowledge to ridicule. He might interpret lack of comment as lack of interest, but at least in my case that is not the case. eerie has also said in the past that there's a lot of traffic from US gov servers(hence the sometimes bizarre ads), so I suspect this site has the ear of people who can make a difference.

True, we have a lot of lurkers. A huge number, in fact.

As for web stats, there are search engine referrals and site referrals. A fair number of search keywords arriving here are porn-related (sexy hijab, arab porn, etc). Once you filter those out, keywords start skewing towards Hirsi Ali, Wafa Sultan and gender-cultural issues around Islam.

Popular entries are all over the place, but strong clusters around gender-cultural, economy and Iraq.

And yes, there are a lot of US gov and other weirdo regulars. Perhaps this is why spy recruitment and language training ads keep showing up?

". . .a lot of US gov and other weirdo regulars"

Don't spit on the customers!

Sincerely,

A weirdo contributor

PS -- I understand from the information on traffic, however, that logically a review of a book like, say, I don't know, perhaps, um, Infidel by that um, Ali-Magan woman might inform, attract, and stimulate readers.

"A fair number of search keywords arriving here are porn-related (sexy hijab, arab porn, etc)."

Amusing! Perhaps, then, Lounsbury should finally get around to doing a series on his beloved "slinky abayas."

I am both a lurkert and a person that find this site the best I spotted about the theme.
As I am Italian some of the themes discussed here are harshly discussed back home too.
This site gives me a better insight and many interesting topics and ideas to think of.
I do not comment because I do not feel I have the competence and to knowledge to say something meaningful or to add anything new to the discussion.
But I surely think that this site is unique.
Tnx for the work!

If this is supposed to be a PE ratio analysis of time spent on writing on MENA matters to change actually achieved, well, that's a losing game. Speaking on the internet is always like sending radio signals into space, with about as much chance of response. As such, it's best to perceive it as simply a steam vent, not an agent of change.

Personally, I have learned tons since I started reading this most learned & erudite blog, and I can't be the only one. Less stupid now, that can't be bad.

"If this is supposed to be a PE ratio analysis..."

Knowing the gentleman's bottom line focus, I expect it's a more telling price to cash-flow analysis.

In this TED talk: http://www.futuramb.se/blog/2007-07/incredible-ted-talk-by-hans-rosling/ Hans Rosling says that in the dimensions of development money is the greatest means of development, while human rights and culture should be the goal of development. Therefore, since your blog covers both the means and goal to human development, it goes against human development for you to stop blogging (wanking?) on.

As you state your passion is your job (money) so that must mean you bring your culture to your jobj (goal to the means). We have all been humiliated sometime or another on your blog, but because you treat us all the same there is no humiliation felt only deserved. With humiliating being against all human rights your blog must, because no humiliation is felt, be pro human rights. So I say keep on doing whatever it is you are doing on this blog.

Personally, I have learned tons since I started reading this most learned & erudite blog, and I can't be the only one. Less stupid now, that can't be bad.

Second that. And even apart from learning a lot, reading and participating in the debates here tends to help me test ideas and unclog my mind on those subjects. This has been terribly helpful, and I've had a number of good ideas here that have made it into job/real-life related stuff.

So, by all means, keep on doing whatever you think you're doing. If anything, more often, it doesn't have to be a three-page essay every time. Short link-and-snark posts will do fine, since if the topic is interesting, debate will fill it out anyway.