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Tuesday, 10 April 2012

90,000 Hits and I'm Drunk on Cabbage Wine

WE’RE drunk on cabbage wine tonight at the ‘umble ‘ovel on the ‘ill as we celebrate the 90,000 hit mark.
In just two months, this blog has been read in 1460 cities in 111 countries.
The sudden surge was due to 4772 people reading, ‘R&R Magazine. Full Uncut Interview’ in the last four days.
And a very avid reader in Cochabamba.
My greetings to you sir. Or madam?

Oddly, although this is one of the most read posts, it attracted just one comment. And that was from a very kind lady reader.
A handful of people tried to whip up a spot of vexed outrage on Twitter but it didn’t take off.
I’m not sure if the silence indicates acceptance or ambivalence of the NCIS role.
The usual anti-Murdoch trolls were of course black with rage. Thankfully, there aren’t many.
It’s like being shouted at by a stranger on a bus. Safer ignored I find.
Most are anonymous. So it’s more like being shouted at by a stranger on a bus – wearing a mask. Time to get off!
There’s no reasoning with these characters.
As chief crime reporter for a paper which specialised in undercover crime investigations, I was deluged with crime tip-offs.
I wonder what they would have said if I had chosen to throw all the leads into the bin and allowed paedophiles, drug dealers and potential terrorists to do their worst instead of tipping off the police and the security services?
I think they would have been black with rage at that too.
Module 3 of the Leveson Inquiry, The Press and Politicians, starts on April 23. But before it does, I'd like to share one of my favourite anecdotes with you.
This blog does not tolerate bad language as a rule. But on this occasion, I’ll have to make an asterisked exception as it’s the day I told a giant figure in the Labour Party, “If you like yourself that much, why don’t you go f*** yourself!”
Oh dear. Well. I’m afraid he was getting more than a little pompous at the time.
I’ll tweet it when it’s up.
In the meantime, my grateful thanks to you for reading. Whoever you are. Wherever you are.
Nev T
* If you too are reading this from some far-flung outpost, do send a short message to the blog or via email and let me know.

11 comments:

  1. Andy10 April 2012 20:51

    As a journalist myself, this is my favourite blog. Love it. Keep up the good work. (I'm still waiting for the novel...)

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  2. Andy Barker10 April 2012 20:56

    Way to go!!! 100k just round the corner - maybe time for R&R full uncut part two!!
    Andy Barker
    R&R

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  3. Neville Thurlbeck10 April 2012 21:20

    That's extremely generous of you to say so. Many thanks for taking the trouble to read it.

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  4. Anonymous11 April 2012 09:03

    I read this great blog from deepest darkest Cardiff! Keep up the good work! Btw can you really down a pint of cider that quickly?!

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  5. Neville Thurlbeck11 April 2012 09:18

    The secret is to stir it for a minute to get rid of all the bubbles and make sure it is at room temperature. Our mutual friend Paul Arscott holds the record however at 3.5 seconds set in 1982 in County College bar at Lancaster University. It was an astonishing spectacle, although most of it appeared to come back down his nose.

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  6. Zeds12 April 2012 17:46

    Looks like you soon may be back in the saddle. Let's hope so!

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/apr/12/sue-douglas-rupert-howell-sunday-tabloid

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  7. Neville Thurlbeck12 April 2012 19:37

    Let's hope the paper does take off. And many of the NoTW staff are taken on there. It's an inspired, bold move.

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  8. Nick Sawbridge16 April 2012 00:06

    Great blog, fascinating reading. Does Nashville Tennessee count as far flung?

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    1. Neville Thurlbeck16 April 2012 06:13

      Many thanks Nick. From the vantage point of this tiny island in the sea, it does seem rather a long way off. It's always a pleasure to hear from our American cousins. Thanks for tuning in.

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  9. Bella @ wine tours melbourne6 June 2012 15:26

    More hits to go! You have a wonderful blog and you really deserve these hits. How was the experience of Cabbage Wine? :-)

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    1. Neville Thurlbeck12 June 2012 17:49

      Thanks so much, that's kind. And the cabbage wine is delish. Although I suspect there will be a dirth of it next year due to so many tanks taking liberties by parking on my cabbage patch!

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