To date, the Hickory Hound has had 21,806 Unique Viewers from all over the World. Many of the targets you see above are people who have viewed this site on multiple occasions. The stats show that over 20% of the people that visit this site come back multiple times.This is something that I have heard expressed on many occasions. Many of these people have some sort of a connection with our area. I think that we should study these connections to make sure that we aren't missing opportunities. This ain't Podunkville any more!!!
This blog is read by almost as many people outside of this community as it is inside the community. The people outside of the community are Googling specific issues and this blog is the only source to find in-depth information on specific issues that have an impact on this community in relation to the local area, the State, the United States, and the World. That is the reason why my articles go to the top of the Google lists pertaining to the subjects discussed.
When it comes to people inside this community. We estimate that around 100 people read this blog on a continual basis, another 100 read it occasionally, and a few thousand people have read it and know it exists. When I think of phrases to describe our community, I think Lack of caring, Lack of passion, and Lack of compassion. I hate to make statements like that, but they are assessments of what I see. I'm not going to dig back into the lack of participation of the public pertaining to the local political scene. People act put out by anything other than trivial participation. Compare the lack of participation in local politics to the 2008 election when Obama ran. More than half of registered voters voted because of the hype surrounding that election, and honestly, you know that it was only about the hype. Hello, do people not understand that local politics is as important, if not more important than what is happening in Washington D.C.
This has been and continues to be a tough road to hoe and I have quit worrying about doing this for the community as a whole. What has to be done will have to occur in spite of the vast majority of people in this community, because it is more than apparent that they don't care about their own community. I do know that there are many people who are overwhelmed by work and taking care of their families, but fixing this community is going to be challenging and our backs are against the wall. We don't have time to devote to mindless hours of pop culture, conditioned news, and regimented politics.
It is my dream that we can restore balance to this community and get it back to where it was in the 80s and 90s. It is my dream that our young people will include our area in the equation of places they want to be when they get out of college. It is my dream that we can raise the standard of living in this area to a reasonable level. It is my dream that we will have a viable housing market and the commercial real estate market will bounce back, sooner rather than later, when the business cycle turns around or we discover new economic principles.
We have great assets in this community. We have people who are industrious and talented. We have serious issues that should be at the forefront of the nation's new paradigm. I think that people just need to get on board and take this community more seriously. You know, the Jon Reep shtick was funny in the beginning, but it is getting old. I don't think we should be pushing a "Billy Beer" agenda around here and I am definitely not on board. I know some very sophisticated people who live in this area and those are the people I am on board with, those are the difference makers, those are the game changers.
The Shuttle Progress took off and exploded. Hickory, we have a problem! These are dead serious times. There is no time for jokes. There is no time for frivolities. There is no time to sit on your hands and wish it was all just a bad dream. It is time for action! It is time to go find the pieces and put them back together so that we can fly again, so that we can get back on the path to progress. It's not going to be the same, but if we put the pieces back together right it will be better.
You need to understand, everything that each one of us does can make the difference. We all have an impact on this community. I don't like carrying a heavier load, but I am willing. We need champions for the cause. We all know the people who are on the right track and have the right mindset. We should invest in those people, lend them a hand, and encourage them when they are down. We need to encourage the trendsetters and create a support network to help them thrive.
I want to live to tell the story of this community's resurgence. I have friends that tell me it will be a generation before we even begin to act. I have compatriots who wonder why there is no sense of urgency to act. Sometimes I get physically ill thinking about how overwhelming the issues we face are. But, it's about the endgame. It's about surviving to thrive. I think about that Hollywood happy ending and we all have our roles to play. And people are watching this story play out every day. What will be your impact on our history?
