Erection Dept: on the way up!

[Capn Jimbo]

Way back when...


I still remember being laughed at by the Preacher with this puny little website. I was thrilled and amazed when the views hit maybe 5,000 per month. Then 10 and 20,000 and wow! 50,000 monthly visits.

Of course 100,000 monthly visits meant the peeps actually cared about an honest and independent approach. Even then, it was just something to feel good about, but the Project was about publishing, not promoting. No biggie, but it was surely satisfying anyway. About that time we were starting to develop some solid regular posters, and this began to change my thinking.

Up until then our focus was mostly educating newbies, you know, about styles, the need for reference rums, and outing the sugar bombs like the Zee rums. I learned that due to the readership these words, descriptors and concepts were actually spreading across the net.

Now though our concept of education (and understandable reviews) was retained, more and more - and recognizing our very intelligent regulars - the discussion began to get a bit more sophisticated. The result:

Around 200,000 views per month. Good grief! And about that time we all got pretty political. Some of you got really pissed about the fraud and about the subsidies, so things got seriously political. The usual suspects were highlighted and bitch-slapped, as they well deserved. The Petition to Save Caribbean Rum was instituted and was signed by the Who's Who of Spirits, like Dave Broom, Beachbum Berry, Carl Kanto, and many more.

The views went up.

Sections were added - coffee, whisky, gin, tobacco and so on. And our group of regulars grew and participated more to the point that my loyalties were to them and I began what no webmaster in his right mind would do: to actually restrict membership to the very few who are not only intelligent and experienced - and who cared about purity - but who had the cajones to speak their minds.

Views hit 300,000 and not all that long ago. I'm so proud of all of you and for what we have done as I'm extremely proud - and surprised - that views are now over 350,000 and closing on 400,000 per month.

Better yet this is not based on dumb ass "What did you drink today?" posts, but serious and competent observations by some very, very talented people - you.

Thank you. Please know that when you post, people read you - many, many people - and they keep coming back. What you say - what we all say - is making a difference. Be it the Zee rums, the subsidies, sugar and additives, the myths and hype - those many thousands who read are carrying away the information you share.

You are making a difference...