News Media

GUARDIAN FIRST BIRTHDAY May 12

How quickly a year passes!

Fed up with lack of response from local leaders and eager to provide a forum for concerned citizens, the GUARDIAN was launched just about a year ago. Daily hits have jumped from a few hundred in May 2005 to a whopping 20,000 daily in May 2006.

Our first story was about the city locking citizens out of the Depot which we all own. Ginger Jewell–384-4060 ext 32–told a reader they were planning to have the Depot open during the summer months and staff it for the tourist season. They NEVER DID and the Depot remains a private club open only to those who can afford to rent it.

Our good readers provided enough information about wrongdoing at the POOP FARM to force a lengthy audit which resulted in a police investigation and two arrests. Much of the staff has left the Twenty Mile South biosolids disposal facility and a new manager has been hired. Both suspects await trial. The auditor quit and the city never replaced him.

We have had a lot of fun adding to the local lexicon with terms like TEAM DAVE, COMMISHES, NON-LIBRARY TYPES, GROWTHOPHOBIA and GROWTHOPHOBE. We also coined COUNCILORS for gender neutral reference to city councilpersons.

Here are just some of the highlights during the past year:

–Depot neighbors lost a battle with developers over a condo project.

–Library bond failed, EMS bond failed and school bond passed. TEAM DAVE leader said library bond was a bad plan that was 3 years old from the previous administration. He suggested some alternatives, but only AFTER the bond failed.

–Ada Commishes took a lot of heat for Hawaiian trip and then for a closed door meeting that should have been open. So far they cost citizens about $30,000 in legal fees.

–President Bush visited and Kempthorne got appointment to Interior Secretary. Tamarack continued to get benefits from government.

–Growth runs rampant throughout the valley and quality of life declines. More traffic, more houses, more demand for water, electricity, flood threats are big issue with high end homeowners along the river.

–Property values have increased, but the homeowner exemption has also been raised to $75,000 and includes land. Some land values have more than doubled in less than a year.

–IDAHO STATESMAN has three owners during the year. They are either an unwanted orphan or a hot property, depending on your point of view.

–Commishes and sheriff got caught trying to hold a public meeting at a private club over a detox center plan.

–Jim Tibbs knocked Jerome Mapp off the Boise city council.

–Boise public works department “tool lending policy” exposed in GUARDIAN and curtailed by the city.
–TV Dope Awards become popular with readers and newsrooms.

–Infill with skinny houses creates a big stir among BSU area residents and prompts a council emergency ordinance vote.

–Mayor’s Hotline transcript is added to the weekly GUARDIAN offering.

–GUARDIAN editor, David Frazier wins Idaho Supreme Court decision over airport parking garage which will allow citizens throughout the state to vote on how their tax money is spent on long term debt.

Unlike mainstream media, the GUARDIAN is a blog and all of you have made it what it is today–a forum to exchange ideas, opinions and comments in a literate manner. Without exception the GUARDIAN readers offer the best written–and funniest– comments of any publication in Idaho.

Thanks for reading the GUARDIAN and let’s hear from you on future issues or even your favorites during the first year.

NOTE–There is a little search engine in the upper right of the page which grabs most keywords if you are looking for something.

Comments & Discussion

Comments are closed for this post.

  1. You might explain to your users the difference between a “hit” and a “pageview.”

    20,000 hits sounds QUITE impressive. Until you realize that when you load the boiseguardian.com home page ONE TIME, you generate 31 hits (the page itself, four stylesheets, one javascript, 15 flash headlines [plus three in the sidebar], and a varying number of photos [7 in this sample]).

    Take 20,000 divided by 31 and you get 645 pageviews. Respectable — but still less than the lowest rated newscast in the Treasure Valley (which would be KBCI’s morning show with 800 viewers on average, according to boisetvratings.com). And, in fact — lower than a large number of other Boise blogs.

    That said, congratulations on your first year.

    EDITOR NOTE–Thanks. You make it sound so worthless! Maybe those “page viewers” are the cream of the crop. But compare the GUARDIAN one man band to the staff of KBCI, that really hurts. For the record we get over 1,000 unique visits per day.

  2. Observer said “…still less than the lowest rated newscast in the valley”… I think it’s perfectly lovely that the Guardian spend a moment tooting his own horn, so to speak. This forum has been a great opportunity for some to share thoughts, brutal candor and a good hoot once in awhile. I surely think the page viewers ARE the cream of the crop! Most of all, I think judging by the content of the posts and the stir they cause on occasion, this blog makes a difference. Isn’t that what counts? When has the early show on KBCI ever done that? Go Dave! Great Job!

  3. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! – we look forward to celebrating #2!

  4. Agent Whynotski
    May 4, 2006, 9:18 am

    Tam, I hear what you are saying, however, Dave falls into the same group of media and government types who like to skew data for their own self-inflation when he reports his hit numbers. While Dave may be sincere in his attempts to bring to light the many controversies we face daily in the valley, he is still reporting crap when he reports his web statistics without fully understanding what they mean.

    Back when Dave wanted to toot his own horn with a report of over 6000 hits, he and I participated in a dialog via email as I tried to explain to him the usage of the web statistics. At the time he stated “I won’t mention anything about web stats again.” He has done so twice since our discussion.

    When I rain on his parade regarding unique visits (still not completely accurate as dial-up users get counted multiple times when they disconnect and reconnect, multiple computers being used by one person gets added to the number, plus deletion of cookies by users can inflate numbers) I do so not out of spite but out of a sincere desire to share knowledge with someone who states he is against self-serving data often used by COMPASS, the county, the city, and the state. Now that Observer has also shared knowledge with the editor, it will be difficult for “Team Dave” Frazier to hide behind his self-inflating numbers.

    EDITOR NOTE–I feel compelled to jump in and defend myself. I offer up the numbers only to point out interest in the site has multiplied. Regardless of how you compute it, the readership has multiplied many times over the past year. Agent, thanks for monitoring so closely it keeps my numbers up every time you check!

  5. The Guardian is local activism at its best. Unlike newscasts, the Guardian generates dialog and makes things happen (or not happen, if you’re an illegally-funded parking garage).

    Happy Birthday, Guardian!

  6. I personally think that page hits is a good number. Even Unique visitors is a good indication of traffic. TECHNICALLY, agent is right about all those things that can skew numbers. Though, I doubt you are doing them, so your numbers are a good indication of your presense. If you keep using the SAME number, from year to year, it gains more strength. But, as was posted in the first comment, avoid using hits. They are deciving. 🙂 (I really annoyed people at the place where I work, when their little PR paper showed last year, they had 100k people visit this site, and last year, they only had about 30k. We then had to explain the difference between hits and page views/visitors. With your site consisting of mainly one page, I think that page views is a good gauge of your site.

  7. Agent Whynotski
    May 4, 2006, 10:18 am

    My IP better be listed as the top reader or I will be sorely disappointed.

  8. lib.Redneck
    May 4, 2006, 10:28 am

    LIBERTARIAN/LIBERTY/LIBRARY/LIBERAL/LIBEL- REDNECK SAYS THANK YOU.

    Since June of 2005 I have been a reader. My first comment (I think?) was on the over-paid undercover (complete Orvis set-up) cop wading in the Boise River busting those ‘durn law breakin’ drinkin’ floaters. I’d like to see some enforcement in the river right now…

    I enjoy the format of this site and how it’s been run. Those that read and comment have insights and opinions that help me to develop a more insightful and less ignorant opinion. Alas, I am still ignorant so please don’t point it out in the following comments.

    For a final note to readers: The lib.Redneck is moving from his home state. Off to the Olympia, Washington area by the end of June. Celebrate if you must; cry if you will.

    Keep up the good work Guardian readers and Editor.

    EDITOR NOTE–We will miss you, but you are always welcome. On-line you are as near as your keyboard. Also, the cops SWEAR the fisherman was not one of their’s. It was still good fun.

  9. I want to thank all of you. Guardian, you old gadfly, keep up the good work. You give hope. Grassroots efforts and the free exchange of ideas are what make our democracy work. And the rest of you nitpicky reprobates for educating me on how the rating system works in the blogosphere. I’m enriched every day I visit the site.

  10. Guardian… I feel like a late arrival! (But I hit the ground running.) Shoot, I can’t remember the exact timing, but I heard the website mentioned on the broadcast media… perhaps on KIDO Saturday morning, and maybe back when the city council campaigns were percolating.

    Your diligence at “moderating” is appreciated… many of those other blogs, discussion boards, etc., that are self-edited turn into juvenile name-calling forums. Disgusting.

    Congratulations on the milestone. (And you should be grateful to Observer and the Agent… maybe you won’t need that bigger-size hat after all! hahahahaha!)

    I hope Lib.Redneck and others don’t feel they don’t have a voice, just because they don’t live in the flood zone. The beauty (and mystery) of this relatively-new medium is how it can bring people from across the Fruited Plain to discuss their common interests. Unless Lib.Redneck announces it, he could be from Boise, or Star, or Rawlins, Wyoming, or Muskogee, Oklahoma! (Just so you know… people say I look a lot like a young Tom Sellick, except more “buff.”)
    (-;

    I extend a Laurel, and Hearty Handshake to you, Guardian. Let us Pajama People know where to meet for cake!

  11. From someone “inside” local government I can tell you that your site has caused more than one elected official – and a bunch of staffers – to say, “OH CRAP!!” more than once. Now and then their comments are even more colorful.

    For these moments your site has been the source of great joy!

    Please keep digging and please encourage others to come forward with the hidden agendas of those who said one thing to get elected and then turned their backs on us or tell us we are stupid or care less how our tax dollars are spent.

    Happy Birthday!

  12. The Guardian is the most interesting thing to happen in Boise in recent memory. With the new Statesman, BG will soon be the only interesting thing in Boise. Oh I forgot to mention, the freakin predictable 6-8 bloggers on BG. Redneck, I’m going to miss you dude! Hope you like tofu because where yur going, they think it’s meat.

    Give it up for the FRAZ.

  13. Unique hits, page hits total hits, WHO CARES!

    As long as the first 20 hits a day are “Team Dave” and his cohorts, then the message,(and the messengers) is being heard. I can assure you that every post is discussed every day. That’s the point, and it has been very successful in that regard.

    Keep the fires stoked up at city hall, you are making a difference.

  14. Wow! Boise Guardian turning 1 and “The Fraz” turning 60 — all within a month of each other! Can hardly wait to see what 2 and 61 brings about. 🙂

  15. Good job and Happy Birthday.
    Yes, I remember when Dave presented the idea of the BG at the group of ne’er do wells at the old funky Moxie (previously the old A&W) on Vista.
    Great follow through, Fraz! It’s not just news, also the “ignorant masses” take on the news. Much more fun as well as interesting. Yet another spot in the great web where folks can waste their time. lol

  16. BoiseCitizen
    May 6, 2006, 12:47 pm

    Dave,
    Congratulations on one year of service to the citizens of the Treasure Valley. Thanks to you, the “good old days” of bypassing the voters for dubious projects are gone for good. Keep up the good work!

  17. “20,000 hits sounds QUITE impressive. Until you realize that when you load the boiseguardian.com home page ONE TIME, you generate 31 hits (the page itself, four stylesheets, one javascript, 15 flash headlines [plus three in the sidebar], and a varying number of photos [7 in this sample]).”

    For those who want to get technical with Dave (in an effort to correct his “ignorance”)… my visit to his home page one time does NOT generate 31 hits – as was stated. It generates just a few, because my brower (and 95% of the browsers out there) caches page elements (style sheets, images, etc) in an effort to reduce the bandwidth.

    So, if you’re going to get technical with Dave over his “page hits” then at least educate YOURSELF before doing so. Otherwise, you might just find yourself the center of ridicule.

  18. If you ever want to have some fun (meaning, a lot of city council blunders to report on), just look into the City of Garden City council! One key item, which they fail to address, is the fact that, years ago, Garden City residents were all charged $1.00/month surcharge for “backflow valve inspection.” Well… the city decided to make us directly responsible for getting our backflow valve tested each year (at an average cost of $35), but they never bothered to rescind the $1/mo fee that they tack onto our water bill for it!

  19. Late with my comment, but I must include my props to you Dave. I am probably one of your more liberal fans and appreciate the lack of hysteria you show.

    Keep up the great work!

    Take comfort in the posts above and ready yourself for another series of whoppers from Team Dave for there is so much more to come.

    To my fellow readers, regardless of your stripes, I really enjoy the opportunity to interact. The fact we are civil in our discourse shows the content is dependable.

  20. So, Fraz blows his own horn, and Agent specializes in trying to pop other people’s balloons.
    Which is better — being proud of what one is doing or trying to knock the wind out of other people?
    Hey, Fraz, I love what you’re doing and believe it’s well worthwhile — hell, if stomping on the ignore-the-voters bonds and closed meetings is the only thing you ever accomplish, you still have done a helluva lot more good than most of the rest of us will ever do.
    Hey, Agent — get a life … do something you’re proud of so you can blow your own horn, too, instead of just trying to mash someone else’s bugle.

    — gp

  21. Lew,

    Boise is a “State of confusion”. Garden City is a “State of mind”.
    I think it’s really cool you guys have the option of using “Boise” or “Garden City” in your adress.
    How bout those GC pols, they all live in “BOISE”!

  22. Happy Birthday and may next year be as productive as the last!~! Boise has really needed a forum to inform, educate , and entertain us all! And sometimes we can even rant!! And someone has to watch the City officials underhandedness and you Dave do it well!!!

  23. City Insider
    May 9, 2006, 10:45 pm

    I echo the comments of Inside and then some.

    There are some at the city I wouldn’t turn my back on with if I were you. Those that don’t like to follow the rules and especially those that have been challenged as a result of your efforts would like to see you put out of business.

    The Boise Guardian has empowered honest government employees with the ability to come forth with information without fear of reprisal. Those of us that have gotten to know the Boise Guardian this past year is grateful for all it’s done for us and the public we serve.

    Thanks Dave – keep up the good work…

  24. Concerned Insider
    May 11, 2006, 8:38 am

    City Insider,

    You realize that the city is currently conducting ethics training. They make it a point to tell employees of the proper paths to follow to air their complaints and concerns.

    They prefer that the Boise Guardian and others get their information through public news releases and the freedom of information act, not employee leaks.

    I don’t know of an employee that wouldn’t want to work within that system, if only it worked as advertised.

    It doesn’t matter if its Public Works managers being allowed to go astray or how our tax dollars are being spent, the Boise Guardian has become a growing voice for the informed public.

    Happy Birthday Guardian…

  25. First of all. Happy Birthday!
    I do so appreciate the Guardian. I am a caregiver and it is hard to attend meetings
    and the such.

    I have never been in favor of a convention center as it seems everything has to be
    crammed downtown as if we do not have more space surrounding Boise, but then the
    “right” folks must not “own” that property.
    Thanks again.

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