Martin,

I reset my hit counter this summer, not long after you added my link to The Meme Machine, and I'm pleased to announce that I passed the two hundred mark sometime during Monday. It's been nearly four years since I got bored and decided to start a web page just to pass the time. At first I just used it as a place to showcase my oddball writing that had no chance of real publication, then I started adding personal news and rants, then last summer I began to come to terms with what I could only call atheism. Having been raised Pentacostal that was a very negatively loaded word for me, and it took some time for me to accept that it was an appropriate label for myself. So I began scouring the web for like minded people, if only to assure myself that I wasn't alone.

During this I stumbled onto The Meme Machine, which caught my interest because I had just bought a copy of Dr. Blackmore's book. I really enjoyed and admired your site. At that time I had begun writing serious opinion pieces on civilization for the now deceased themestream.com, and after it closed I decided to begin posting serious material on my page. It was a bit of work at first to revamp the old Mostly Harmless, it required me to add on to my meager knowledge of html, but I kept on during my spare time in hopes of having a sight as good as The Meme Machine. But of course traffic was still lacking; I got on average 3 to four hits a month, mostly from people I know. Adding Mostly Harmless to the local directory of web pages bumped that up to about 2 to 3 a week. Having a link on The Meme Machine brought that up to about ten to fifteen a week. So since I'm celebrating the 200 hundred mark (among other things. My friends and I scored some amazingly excellent marijuana and declared today a holiday) I figure I might as well say thanks for the inspiration, the traffic that keeps my work from totally going to waste, and the advice on stylesheets and frames. During my initial adjustment period to the whole "Yeah, I guess I really don't see any reason to believe what my entire family and town believes" thing it was finding other rational people, on the web and at college, that kept me from feeling totally isolated in a sea of theism. So three cheers for The Meme Machine.

Jason Manning

Mostly Harmless

Thanks for the message.

Think of me while you relax, I'll be thinking of you.

I remember the joys of those milestones on the counter too. I'll give you some ethical tips for boosting site traffic if you want them.

I think it is vitally important that we make a strong presence felt on the internet. As atheists and also as voluntary content creators. I would hate to see the internet become the preserve of big corporations only. We need the independent voice and also the site produced without a constant eye on making money as if that is the only reason to connect your modem. The internet is a communication medium, a huge powerful medium that is at the same time actually available to the masses as producers of content not just as consumers or target market. This is revolutionary.

We are the guardians of this legacy. If we let the big boys take over websites will become broadband, big budget zero cerebral content junk, hip-hop beat babble and eye candy. Synthetic controversy. Ersatz debate. Inter-inactive.

We want to keep this medium available for the people. For the individual of any land to communicate directly and freely with any other individual within the boundaries of a basic framework of respect for law.

Freedom this precious is worth paying for, and worth defending.

Keep up the good work. We need more good websites.