This morning's Ithaca Journal reports on its most popular stories of 2007, based on website traffic, and has an accompanying reflection on what made a hit. Darkness is clearly a key ingredient, and some of Dryden's darker 2007 moments are in there. (I was also happy to see "Dems sweep supervisor races" at 34.)
There's also some reflection on their Story Chat feature. I participate in it sometimes - as simonstl - but generally I just shake my head when I read the comments. Somehow it quickly became a haven for people on the far far right, though it's slowly broadening to include a wider range of perspectives. Usually I worry that political conversations in Tompkins County tilt too far left to explain to the outside world, but on Story Chat the tilt is definitely the other direction.
The Monitor has a very strange Dryden assault story that I don't really understand.
Posted by simon at December 29, 2007 6:20 AM in Ithaca Journal , crime
Although the most popular articles at the IJ were dark, they were also local. I read the gorge accident articles so I can educate my 8-year-old son about the dangers of the gorges while he is young enough to still listen. And, I read about other accidents to see if it was someone I know. I've also come to develop a healthy respect for more dangerous driving areas in winter.