Google Analytics problems and bugs

Unusual for me to go about techy things but the current version of Google Analytics just isn’t fit for purpose. Things that took 2 minutes in the previous version take 20 now or are basically impossible.

 

Here is a screen-shot of me viewing segment data from a couple of years ago :

 

Note the numbers, 2500 rising to 4000…brilliant, let’s get that into a spreadsheet

 

 

Oh, great…Why can I see the correct numbers on the screen but not export it?

 

Also why on earth did they change the format of the data export for more than one segment? Instead of the old columned format

 

 

You get this :

 

Make a graph out of that if you can.

 

This sort of thing is typical. Have been onto their support people but to no avail…I know it is free so I shouldn’t complain but the old version was great. This version makes a big thing about gimmicks like “real time” tracking but is that really useful to a webmaster?

 

Absolutely perfect day for a walk on Crosby beach to see the Gormleys

Off to see Waterloo today but took a detour down to the sea front, been a while since I've been to walk amongst the iron men but they are still there making the view interesting and striking

Dawksplaining : A definition

"Dawksplaining" a word we definitely need.

When I was a kid I read a book on physics, it was okay...explained a fair bit about molecules, how they bind together. Atom what they are made of etc etc

I found it interesting but I didn't want to really be a scientist and so didn't read up on it much more.

Much as I love hearing about the wonders of the universe and ambition and intelligence of scientists to take human knowledge that little bit further if I were to challenge and mock a particle physicist on the basis of my sketchy knowledge of the topic (based as it would be on decades old knowledge and whatever I've picked from watching Brian Cox fly to all four corners of the globe to demonstrate how gravity works) you'd think I would be on shaky ground....you'd be right.

Why is it then that someone who stopped going to Church years ago feels they can, with confidence, talk about someone's belief system and tell them what they believe is wrong

I am not talking about skeptics, you don't have to believe the same as me...the world would be dull if we all did. I am talking smug, supercilious often aggressive and insulting barracking just for someone having the gall to believe in something they don't.

In the backdrop of his Holiness retiring and Pope Francis being installed and now Easter I've had a few of these conversations and almost universally I've been derided and told what I believe is nonsense ("imaginary friend", "mental illness", "bigot" etc) although singularly not one of these people has asked a single question about my Faith or beliefs.

That's Dawksplaining.

Not everyone who believes in God, is a right-wing, evangelical creationist...next time why not talk to them and actually have a conversation.

Graphs of UK newspaper circulation figures

Graphs of UK newspaper circulation figures 2009 - 2013

The vile headline in the Daily Mail yesterday made me curious about which newspapers are actually getting read in the UK. Pretty depressing picture

UK Newspaper Circulation Figures

uk newspaper market share graph

Got my figures from wikipedia, it’s a particular interesting picture of how the Daily Mirror and Daily Mail percentages have diverged giving the right-wing Sun & Mail block an almost un-challenged voice in the UK. The i newspaper has undoubtedly had a positive effect on Indedendent readership but things like the Guardian and the Times are just bumping along the bottom.