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Windypundit

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2011 in Review

December 31, 2011 By Mark Draughn Leave a Comment

2011 was kind of a busy year for me, especially during the latter half of the year when — after 10 years in the part-time consulting racket — I returned to full-time employment. It really cut into my blogging time, and I want to thank all of my loyal readers for sticking around. In any case, here at Windypundit, 2011 was the year in which:

  • I argued that bloggers shouldn’t tone it down. (In that post, I responded to Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik’s call for less vitriolic speech by pointing out that “A dozen guys like Glenn Beck and Keith Olbermann–or a thousand bloggers like me–couldn’t begin to do as much harm with words as Sheriff Dupnik’s SWAT team could do in one bad day.” A few months later, they had that bad day.)
  • I wrote about keeping the balance between insensitivity and despair when writing about the kinds of issues I cover.
  • I discovered that Chicago had a real criminal defense blogger in Marcus L. Schantz.
  • Chicago had a bit of snow.
  • I reviewed a few episodes of The Chicago Code (episode 2, episode 3, episode 4).
  • I explained how flat legal fees are a form of trial insurance.
  • I explained one reason there’s a blogging gender gap.
  • I discussed the math behind drug-sniffing dogs.
  • I discovered street terrorism.
  • I argued that SWAT shootings are inevitable.
  • Like everyone else, I had some thoughts about Fukushima.
  • I explained why it’s hard to decide who to vote for.
  • For some reason, I was almost shocked that big media companies are scumbags.
  • I promoted a couple of local businesses.
  • I argued for strict liability for wrongful imprisonment.
  • My co-blogger Ken complained about the Qur’an-burning reaction.
  • I found the coolest geek website ever.
  • I ran into some costly geese.
  • Sprint annoyed me again.
  • Chicago didn’t get a space shuttle.
  • I complained about a Stalinist feature of American criminal trials.
  • I discovered that even best-case immigration is annoying.
  • I offered a defense of some street photographers.
  • I responded to the horrifying contention that there are no innocent civilians.
  • The Weird Al-Lady Gaga battle exploded.
  • I was so angry at the world that I totally missed it when my co-blogger Ken posted this for Easter.
  • Rogier van Bakel, Rick Horowitz, and I launched the new Nobody’s Business blog.
  • I blogged about the scandal that Obama is afraid to confront.
  • I bravely spoke out in favor of killing Osama bin Laden.
  • I explained that Trump is crazy.
  • My cat Dozer died.
  • I gamed the Alexa blog rankings. (Back down now.)
  • I explained libertarian compassion.
  • I complained about unnecessary seizures of computers.
  • I posted a compilation of clips from porno movies.
  • I proposed a model jury instruction on reasonable doubt.
  • Joel Rosenberg died.
  • The TSA…did what they do best.
  • I drove to Avalon and back.
  • I argued that Caylee’s law would probably do more harm than good.
  • I explained why the iPad is more futuristic than the space shuttle.
  • I got a new kitten.
  • I learned the two of my nemeses have teamed up.
  • I explained a point of etiquette to Wayne LaPierre.
  • I denounced the idea of a debt ceiling.
  • I won a lawsuit.
  • I reviewed Declaration of Independents.
  • I met Matt Welch and Nick Gillespie.
  • I fell for a Paul Krugman parody.
  • I paid some medical bills.
  • I wrote one last 9/11 post.
  • I called out the University of Wisconsin Threat Assessment team.
  • I found the flaw in the new iPhone 4S.
  • I went on yet another beep hunt.
  • I explained why Jana Svrzo might not be a psychopath.
  • I discovered that some people don’t know why you shouldn’t let your kids lick lollipops from strangers.
  • I revealed the conspiracy against Lindsay Beyerstein.
  • I did some math about GPS tracking.
  • I joined the call for a national conversation on law enforcement.
  • I wanted to emulate the DEA in a plan to stop auto accidents.
  • Business Insider paid me a compliment.
  • I’m still confused about the mortgage crisis.
  • I owned the #1 and #2 Google search result for “Obama’s left testicle”.

Happy New Year everyone!

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