A Sign, From Above

Stop - In The Name Of The Lore

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Okay, so it's not often you get to photograph a vehicle from about ten metres directly above it. But there I was, crossing one of the two airbridges at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport that connect the main terminal to the Hilton and the multi-level car park.

Because I'm curious by nature, I always look around - and lo and behold, I caught sight of this ute. (That's Aussie-speak for utility vehicle, or what some of you would call a pickup or a tray truck.) Luckily I always have my camera with me, so I used the long lens to zoom in on a really unusual sight. You could say it was a sign of the times!

Number Cruncher

Hello, Paris, Is This Your Voicemail?

It took a while for Shira Barlow to figure out why she was getting so many phone calls with birthday wishes, party inquiries and requests to get on guest lists at Los Angeles nightclubs. But then it all fell into place. She had been assigned a new mobile phone number that had previously belonged to Paris Hilton. Barlow told the `Los Angeles Times' she intends to keep the number, calling it a greater source of amusement than a hassle.

FOOTNOTE: The Simple Lifeline.

Board With Life

Let Them Eat Cake, Says Los Angeles Baker

A bakery in Los Angeles is getting some mileage out of Paris Hilton's time in jail. The City Bakery is baking spice cupcakes with emery boards coming out of both sides. They're calling them Paris Hilton Visitor's Cakes. The owner of the bakery said, ``If anybody actually gets these to Paris Hilton, she has the choice to actually do her nails with it or try to break out.'' The bakery is selling 50 to 75 of the cupcakes a day.

Home Run

Monopoly On News As Paris Goes Free

Heard this one on Melbourne radio. D’you know why the newly released Australian edition of the Monopoly board game sold out so fast? Because Paris Hilton found that the ``Get out of jail free’’ card actually works.

Star Tech

The Graph Is Greener On The Other Side

In the past couple of weeks, I've been exchanging thoughts about growing a blog's audience with some people who write very lively blogs, including OzLady, Confused Sam, TCOs Garage, Pijush, Bart and Ak-Man. And I guess the common thread has been: how does a blogger ensure constant reader growth?

Let's put this in perspective. Has your readership decreased recently? No? Then you're already a winner. Next up, pay attention to the basics. If you want people to visit your blog every day, you need to post every day. Be lucid, be coherent, be honest to yourself. You don't have to write a 1000-word editorial on world peace. People read blogs to be entertained, to be stimulated.

Many bloggers suffer from ``writers' block''. There is a simple solution, however. If there is a subject you'd discuss in animated fashion with your friends, post it on your blog. Chances are it will engage your readers. And if people comment on your blog, reply to the comments. This is not simply good protocol, it also builds a bond of loyalty.

There are two types of readers. The first category is regular readers who visit your blog irrespective of what you're posting. The second category is casual readers, who might follow a link or a Blogger NavBar update. Check on what they are drawn to - and if there is a pattern, then use it to your advantage. If you find readership increases every time you post about technology or about Paris Hilton or Ron Paul, then that's what will drive your readership higher.

There is one other crucial element if you want to increase readership. Check the stats on your hit counter regularly. This ain't a vanity thing, believe me. Not only are you the editorial director of your blog, you are also the marketing manager. And if you want more readers, you need to know why they're reading you in the first place.

Every blogger needs to be resilient. Don't get discouraged if you get 10 hits a day. As you can see from this Site Meter graph, I only had about 10 hits each day in October. But I persisted ....