We are one
Crikey, doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun? Wings Over Scotland is a year old today. The site was created on the 1st of November 2011 with the import of a clutch of Scottish-politics posts from my personal blog, though it didn’t go properly officially public with an original post of its own until a week later. And jings, readers, what a birthday present it is you’ve given us:
Click on the image for an enlarged version showing all the stats. The site’s pageviews increased by a staggering 53% last month, and the number of unique readers by 54%. October 2012 was also the first time we’ve attracted more than 100,000 views in a single seven-day period. We’re gobsmacked.
There’s a long way to go, a lot of people still to reach and a lot of work to do. But I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who’s helped us get this far so quickly – the contributors, the commenters, the people who send us tip-offs, the people who spread links and bring us new readers, and those of you who simply lurk quietly. (If you feel like joining in more actively over the next 12 months, give it a shot – you’ll find a warm welcome.)
We do this because for the first time in 300 years, there’s a glimpse of a promised land on the horizon – a nation waiting to be returned into the hands of its people. We’re not there yet, but we’re coming down the road. Scotland is an ancient country waiting to be born again, but Wings Over Scotland is 12 months old. We are one.
Happy birthday!
Congrats Rev. This has become a daily destination site for me as I’m subscribed through RSS. I can’t do without my daily dose of Wings Over Scotland! Here’s to many more years!
Happy Birthday to Wings…
Happy Birthday to Wings…
Happy Birthday Dear RevStu…
Happy Birthday to Wings….
Three cheers –
Hip Hip… Vote Yes!
Hip Hip… Vote Yes!
Hip Hip… Vote Yes!
Congratulations!
Well done WOS. Many more to come I hope, but it seems like you have been around forever.
Congrats indeed! The stats are impressive and we are fortunate that you decided to open up your blog. We need the truth to get out there and this site and its posters does that very well.
Congratulations and Happy Birthday! The next few years will certainly be interesting, politically the most important in Scottish politics for 300 years.
Happy Birthday!
Where’s the beer at? 🙂
Given that many media websites and political forums are now closing down, restricting or laser targeting their posted comments, it is good to find a site that still lets free debate from all corners. Well done, long may it continue.
Congratulations!
didnae realise that i had been reading WoS virtually from the begining. brilliant site.
(may i take the opportunity to doff my hat to Peter A Bell, another excellent blog)
but, congats sir. i raise a wee class
Happy birthday Stu.
Congratulations on such an excellent site.
Lang may yer lumb reek!
By the way, Macart, the beer is at the “Darkened Room!”
NOT inside, but outside. 😆
Many Happy Returns Wings. This site has become the voice of reason and sanity in a land of Unionist msm insanity in a post independent Scotland! I was pointed in your direction with a simple few words from someone at the Edinburgh march & rally. Thats all it takes.
So yeh let us all as one get our country over the finishing line and win back Caledonia’s independence. Spread the word about WOS and nullify the Unionst’s propaganda.
More power to your elbows everyone.
Congratulations.
I thought about a link to the Happy Birthday Mice but then I thought that you’d appreciate this better.
Congratulations.
No surprise though re. the stats. You’ve got a great formula that works, and is addictive!!
I have a formula? Blimey.
Nice ‘one’ Rev Stu.
I’m intending to go to the Edinburgh Yes Scotland meeting tonight and may even wear my WoS T-shirt to spread the word!
Cheers MB
Wee bit of fromage here. Sorry, couldnae help masel…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiJKZ70cI7k
Happy Birthday WoS. Keep up the good work.
Happy birthday and very well done indeed.
If the rate of growth over the past 6 months continues, you’ll be reaching over half a million people by the time of the referendum!
I didn’t realise I’d been here from almost day one either! Happy Birthday! Here’s to another great year!
Congratulations, and Happy Birthday Rev. Stu. WoS is my first port of call in the morning. I was a lurker for most of this first year, and I have learned a lot, thanks to you. Long may you continue to grow and reach out to the people of Scotland.
Yes Congratulations and Happy Birthday to WoS and Rev. Stu, Live long and prosper WoS (Said with a Mr Spock Vulcan Salute). MajorBloodnok please wear your WoS shirt so that I can say hello to you at Yes Edinburgh event.
Congratulations, Rev Stu and well done! Would also like to say a great big “Thank You” for all your hard work especially as you could have been off living the high life on my £2 per month subscription, but instead you chose to stay on task, even when you were ill. You’ve brought a lot of great people together on this site and created a wonderful on-line community. So thanks x.
PS: I’ll stop crawling now.
A year up already? Lang may your lum reek.
@Major Bloodnok
Good idea to wear the t-shirt. I’ll take my bag to the East Dunbartonshire one. In case any East Dunbartonshire people are reading this, the Yes Campaign inaugural meeting is on Saturday, November 17th in Milngavie Town Hall. Wear your Wings gear!
Well done on the 1st anniversary from a lurker – I’ve just sent a small donation as a birthday present 🙂 I first read the “caption” piece on the Scottish Labour conference earlier in the year that was linked somewhere, loved it and have read it ever since. Keep it up please.
Like the rest I wish you (and me!) many happy returns! Great site and some really great analysis. I hope I have palyed a small part in your success as I send links all over the place. Keep up the good work. We will need all the ammunition we can to win in 2014.
Vote No. Get nothing.
Borders meeting in Galashiels on the 18th. Anyone going? I’ll wear my “All our base” sweatshirt.
Happy birthday Wings. You show your passion for independence and deserve considerable respect for reaching such a large audience. Even a unionist like me welcomes the chance to read well written articles from the nationalist standpoint and engage in reasoned debate with political opponents.
And happy birthday by the way.
(I notice a certain troll hasn’t been back since someone linked to his posts on a different forum. Woo-hoo!)
Congratulations! It just shows how people are searching for THE TRUTH and not the lies and misinformation that passes for news in the UK MSM, an MSM that is presently on one of the biggest propaganda drives ever seen in the ‘free’ world attempting to enforce its will on the democratic process, that democratic process being the referendum of 2014 when the people of Scotland have the right to choose the future path of their country and its people.
Meanwhile – sorry, O/T.
Couldn’t let this one pass! Last night I became aware of the latest scare story re Scottish independence from the BBC’s Newsnight Scotland – and it’s a belter! I’m sure most of you regularly visit here will have heard the ‘story’ by now but I’ll leave the link anyway for you to have a shake of the head and a LOL!
The Washington Post have, in an editorial piece, put across the scenario that should Scotland become independent the whole world is doomed!! Pure comedy gold!
Note any factual errors, such as “Alex Salmond … says his would-be country [sic] would withdraw from NATO …”, and misinformation, such as “London would have a veto over both” pertaining to Scotland being able to “join” the EU and retain the pound; “Some say [sic] England would retain up to a third of the fields.” pertaining to the oil and gas fields presently belonging to the UK …
And then the real ‘killer’, “But the more fragmented Europe becomes, the less it will be able to use its collective strength on the global stage, both in military and diplomatic terms.”
So now it seems we’re not too wee, poor or stupid to have a major influence on world affairs …!
Coming soon, “How Scottish Independence Will Destroy Democracy”, “Salmond Accused of Deliberately Causing Climate Change”, “Scotland to be a Terrorist Haven After Independence “, “Scottish Independence Will Cause Third World War”, etc., etc, ad vomitum!
Anyway, I suppose that will be the CIA as well then, trying to influence Scotland’s democratic right to self-determination.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/scottish-independence-vote-is-part-of-worrying-trend/2012/10/30/4c320fb2-1896-11e2-a55c-39408fbe6a4b_story.html
Dal Riata
I’m waiting for “Scotland: too big, too wealthy, too intelligent”
@Effie Deans
Well we are still hoping to win you over Effie.
Hope by the time you’re three, Scotland will no longer need you.
@The Tree of Liberty
Oh, there will be plenty to do after the referendum one way or the other so I expect we’ll still need Rev Stu for a bit longer than that!
@Dal Ratia
Given the massive level of US debt, I’m wondering whether it can really ‘survive alone’. Maybe it should give up its independence and come back into the bosom of the ‘mother of all parliaments’ that is Westminster.
Must add my congratulations/. And yes you have a winning formula. Good informative articles with a slant to them that attracts comment and further contribution, such that several well-informed and knowledgeable people contribute with comment.
Well… Congratulations on your “birthday”.
Actually you should not be suprised at the increase in readership….
BECAUSE your stuff is both relevant and interesting.
Keep up the good work!
Well done. Always interesting and informative. A haven of sanity in a mad unionist media world.
Happy returns of the day WOS! Lang may yer lum reek indeed!
Rev I would just like to add my best wishes to you on your 1st birthday .
This is the first site I look at in the mornings and the last one at night .
What I like about your site is the fact that as things develop during the day you will put it up on your site so that we are keeping up with events .
While most of the sites that promote independence are good , yours is definitely the best .
Keep up the good work .
“We are one” – a great thought for 2014!
Many happy returns!
WoS is my first port of call followed by Peter Bell’s scoops, Peter Bell’s blog, Newsnet, Bella Caledonia, WeegieWarbler, Burdseyeview, Munguin etc I like the comedy gold for light relief. We are indeed well served. Many congratulations. The new Scotland should strike a medal for all the bloggers who are overcoming the deceit and lies from the Unionists.
All the very best. I came across WoS only a few months ago, and it is now my first port of call each day. May it bloom and prosper. Let’s aim to celebrate three years of WoS with INDEPENDENCE!
I’ll be having a wee run ashore in Lerwick tonight so will have drink to your success and a YES vote in 2014.
Keep up the very good work!
PS Any articles on Oldco going down the plughole?
Hi
Happy Birthday! The articles are fantastic, well written and I love the comments, in fact, I like the way people talk to each other respectfully, whilst agreeing to disagree on some areas.
For me, this makes WoS very special.
Jen xx
Happy birthday Wings!
Keep up the good work Rev (and Scott)!
Firstly congratualations Rev Stu the accolades are thoroughly deserved, like many, this site is my first port of call when I wind up the internet (I live in rural Aberdeenshire). However, while I think congratulations are well in order, perhaps sincere thanks is more appropriate. The job this site is engaged on is vital to our country’s future. At the moment, many Scots are involving themselves in a struggle of unequal proportions. It is a struggle that we must win but we are up against the might of what is left of the British Empire. We are the last link to the British Establishment’s (in) glorious past and a threat to the most powerful nation on earth, (at least according to the Washington Post). We have a monumental task. Hence I personally wish to thank you on behalf of myself, my children and my children’s children. This site is invaluable in our struggle to combat the lies of the unionist parties and their lackeys in the media.
Thanks again.
Congratulations and a Happy Birthday WoS! Rev Stu’s site has also become a daily pilgrimage for me along with NNS, Bella Caledonia and Peter Bell’s Scoop It! with weekly visits to many others on the blog roll. As the MSM/BBC Bitter Together become more hysterical with their lies by the week, more and more of us are seeking out the truth with cultured debate as we have here. Well done to the Rev and his contributors.
VOTE YES 2014!
I’d like to add my good wishes to all those expressed already.
Happy Birthday WOS.
Belated birthday greetings also, and congrats in the snowballing success. The combination of good writing (from posters as well as contributors), acerbic wit and the occasional flash of righteous anger makes WoS a necessary (sometimes several times) daily fix.
Happy brirthday – and looking forward to cellebrating your 3rd anniversery in a soon to be independent Scotland.
Happy Birthday,
Now if a fair amount of that 400,00+ vote yes, that’ll be a start.
Couldnae believe Rosa brought up the Washington Post, talk about shooting yourself in the foot. By the way, Been there and posted my tuppence worth
Congratulations,
Nice to see 18,556 people being informed and spreading the message.
Well done Stu. Generating those kinds of figures in such a short time is a fantastic achievement. I’ve been reading WoS since January and there’s a quality of reporting seen here that is virtually unknown in the MSM. I’ve directed others to this site too, so I hope that has helped to get the site where it is today.
Congratulations!
That’s an incredible increase in traffic! Well done and Happy Birthday!
Hope that you are celebrating ‘wings’ First Birthday this weekend. The standard of journalism is first rate and a pleasure to read. You stand head and shoulders above the majority in your profession. Thank you for giving us the forum to connect and comment with so many others.
Here’s to the next year!
Adrian B