Why Google Analytics Isn’t Useful

After a couple months of being completely without site analytics, I thought I’d try out Google Analytics.

Things it doesn’t measure; RSS feeds, downloads, downloads from RSS feeds.

Considering 95% of what I’m tracking is accessible via an RSS feed (like podcasts). Google isn’t helping me. The previous iteration of their tool – Urchin, was a server log cruncher, not a pixel bug (little big of javascript on every page). As a server log cruncher – I could measure RSS subscriptions and related downloads. As a pixel bug – despite how sexy the map overlay view of traffic is – I’m helping Google more than the other way around.

I’m confident the people that I’m writing this for – i.e. you – are reading this via some type of RSS aggregator (yes, My Yahoo and the gFeed counts). So, ironically, the people I’m most interested in – i.e. you – aren’t counted via Google. Only the people viewing the HTML version of the site. Like those coming by via Google. Hmmmmm. This doesn’t feel right.

Related: Read/WriteWeb: “Page Views per user: RSS blows HTML away”

Update 5 Jan 2006: Google Analytics doesn’t give full referrer URLs. It’d be more useful if it did.

Tuesday’s Triple Play – Love Goes the Distance

Back when Jen and I were dating, I made a mix tape for her entitled ‘Breakup Song Not Included’ – I think it’s still around here somewhere too. She took one look at the track list and declared, “Everyone of these songs is a break up song.”

She was right.

And if you know who said, “There are no love songs, only out of love songs. When you’re in love, you don’t have time to write a song”, this week’s Triple Play is dedicated to you.

Goodbye BlogDigger, Hello AmigoFish

There’s been a problem since the dawn of podcasting – how to find interesting, new things to listen to.

For the past year, my strategy: subscribe to the notoriously noisy BlogDigger for say, a day or so then frantically unsubscribe – the phrase “drink from the firehose” seems appropriate here. Listen to everything over the next 3 weeks, toss out 98% hay, keep the 2% needle.

Highly inefficient. Unfortunately, nothing better existed.

Until a couple weeks ago when Dave Slusher unveiled AmigoFish. Think Netflix for podcasts – rate what you’ve listened to thus far, have the rest of the world find good stuff you’ve missed.

Thus far, I’ve found the fantastic smallworldpodcast interview with Gallagher and noticed Smart City Radio (highly recommended by Joe Urban) is now available via RSS.

From my predictions – there’s a good mix of music, tech, public radio, audio blogs, and stuff less easily definable. These are all good things.

Blogdigger has been wiped from my aggregator. I don’t expect it back ever. AmigoFish is my new friend.

The oddest thing about my experience with AmigoFish?

Everytime I skim the list, I think, “Dave thinks I should listen to this”. Now, that’s no more true with these podcasts than it is with books at Amazon or films at Netflix – but it makes me feel better about AmigoFish than those other places.

UPDATE: AmigoFish adds RSS Prediction Feeds. I knew AmigoFish wouldn’t be useful until it had prediction feeds – I didn’t think it’d turn into my favorite ‘podcast’ in under a week.

Newborn Diaper Review

We started with a couple packages of Huggies newborn diapers. Worked well enough. Though odd things would happen – say, Cooper’s back would be wet. How’s that happen?

I wrote it off to our model being slightly smaller than Huggies’ newborn model. Then we mixed in a couple packages of Pampers newborn diapers. Despite their new car with baby powder smell, they perform better than the Huggies.

Tonight, we got a pack of Luvs newborns – with their Ultra LeakGuard. Unless Luvs are installed differently, something is seriously odd with these diapers. I had to check the package twice to verify they were for newborns. Pulling the sides all snug in front leaves a half-inch gap up front. With a little boy – this is like staring down the barrel of a loaded gun. Tick Tock.

We tried 2 before switching back to the Pampers.

On a unrelated note – I don’t understand why Muppets and other children’s characters are on the front of newborn diapers. The kid can’t focus that far – and well, I see a huge opportunity for helpful hints like – in the case of the Luvs – installation instructions. At least something entertaining like George Carlin quotes.

“What if there were no hypothetical questions?”

It’d be a nice moment of Zen.

Gardens of Salonica – Comfortable Greek

Last night, Jen and I went out to dinner in celebration of our anniversary at NE Minneapolis’ Gardens of Salonica (19 5th Street NE, Minneapolis). Gardens is half a step outside of the hustle and bustle of the St. Anthony Main and that’s why I like it. This 2-room restaurant so comfortable and personable, I feel like everyone that walks in is family. Thankfully, ours was home keeping an eye on Cooper.

Then there’s the food.

The pureed caviar appetizer is amazing. Just remarkable. I don’t know why they have any other appetizers. The tangy saltiness sets the meal off right every time. On the other hand, as much as we like calamari, we never have much luck with their octopodi.

Jen went with the tried and true Psito – which I believe is Greek for “best lamb you’ve ever had”. Yes. So good. I had the goat shank and spinach special, fall off the bone tender, nice hint of lemon, still not as good as the lamb. Plus, both were sensible, reasonable portion sizes. Refreshing in itself.

Normally, we’d go for their figs-in-port desert – but tonight Jen wanted chocolate and nothing on Gardens’ menu fit the bill. Instead, we walked 2 blocks to the Wilde Roast Cafe and sampled their molten lava chocolate baby cake.

First Crack 67. Steve McClellan on Developing Musicians and Independence

Steve McClellan’s name is synonymous with and as legendary as First Avenue where he worked for 30+ years. Lately, he’s been working with the Diverse Emerging Music Organization – a non-profit focused on connecting independent venues and new artists. We sat down at the Acadia Cafe, I had a Duval (Acadia has an amazing beer selection) and he jumped right into it.

Keep up and you’ll hear about:

This is one of my favorite conversations ever. I couldn’t have asked for anything better to end First Crack’s month hiatus.

Special thanks to Bill Boulger from IndieTickets for connecting us.

Listen to Steve McClellan on Developing Musicians and Independence [49 min]

Check out my FastCast for a 10 minutes bonus track with Steve McClellan focused on DEMO, the Bootleg CD, and the December 14th CD release party.

CDs for Good and Not Evil

Now that the Sony rootkit fiasco is behind us. Here’s a selection of CDs that support a good cause and won’t destroy your computer. Just in time for Christmas.

Hey Dan Klass, when do I add The Bitterest Pill Vol. One to this list?

UPDATE 12 Dec 2005: Dan’s taking orders – definitely a steal at $10.

Sports Night – Still Best Show Not on TV

Sports Night on DVD finally bubbled up our Netflix Queue. More than 5 years later, it still has the best dialogue of any television series ever.

It’d translate perfectly to the video iPod also; audio that doesn’t need video and very basic video (people talking, generally not moving quickly). Hopefully, iTunes will become a strong enough distribution platform that studios will make more shows like Sports Night and send them straight to the fans.

Amazing Race 8 – Episode 9

“The Amazing Race has cured me.”

The promos for this week’s episode were edited to look like a hot air balloon collision caused the Weavers to freak out. After watching the episode in its entirety – it’s clear that wasn’t the case.

Detour: Spike it or Steam it?
We’re spiking it. Knowing how a railroad gets put together seems more interesting than hauling coal. Coal Haulers: feel free to comment.

Raodblock: cattle drive.
Since it’s just Jen and I in this armchair Amazing Race, we’re both doing it.

There’s soooo much driving in this season – blah. I’m longing for the last-minute airport counter negotiations of the previous seasons. We’ve driven some of these stretches. Honestly, being at each others throats in a car in the desert is never cool.

On a related note – anyone know what the “production errors” are that cause the car batteries to be drained? Seems to have happened a handful of times already.

Current Standing of Garrick’s Favorites:

  • Lintz – #3