Message from the Admin
I don’t usually post to HillBuzz, preferring to keep my support to the backend, but since my inbox is now filling up with over a dozen reported comments and things are starting to get out of hand, I feel the need to come out here and say something…
HillBuzz was not sold, it remains the property of Kevin DuJan to do with as he wishes. The people maintaining the site right now are personal friends of his that have met him in that crazy place called “The Real World” and helped him build this new site from the ground up using all of his old content. This includes yours truly, who designed the whole thing (including the new logo and Action Bees) and donated nearly $5,000 worth of time to get this site off the ground (which I was glad to do) without an expectation of a return on investment. I considered it my “Action Item” and my way of being able to contribute to the political process by “getting off the couch and doing something.”
Unfortunately, due to personal, health, or other reasons, Kevin has not been back here to check the site, or been in touch with any of us, for quite some time. We do worry about him often, and continue to keep him in our thoughts and welcome him back with open arms if he returns. But this happened rather abruptly, with not a lot of preparation for us as to what we should do about HillBuzz, after having just finished building a full-featured site for him with very expensive hosting requirements (which used to be free on WordPress.com). So, we’ve tried to keep the site alive as best as we can, so there is still a place for all of you to come to read, talk, and contribute, and so the community that had been built would not die. This is at personal expense to us (like, real dollars, writing checks for high-end hosting) as well as a lot of time where we could be actually earning money.
We weren’t expecting any of this to happen, and we were hoping that Kevin would come back soon and we would be able to go back to normal. While I am sure he will be back, in the meantime we are doing the best we can with limited resources, and even more limited experience in actually running a political blog in my case (I’m a developer and a designer, not a pundit).
Also I just want to clarify- we only have two or three SuperAdministrators on this site, Kevin (obviously) and myself (as the person who built and fixes it) are on that list. We also have many other people who are Contributors- they can write or edit their own posts, but have no other administrative abilities such as comment moderation or the ability to tweak anything on the backend.
So, the conspiracy theories can stop. There’s no sense in dividing factions here- if you don’t like what is being covered or think you can do better, please send in a ground report or guest blog post! We’d love to be able to feature a more wide variety of topics, provided they fit with the rules governing the site and the commenting (which Kevin wrote himself).
© 2011, Admin. All rights reserved.
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I think you guys are doing great!
DITTO that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You guys are doing a terrific job! I am afraid I missed all the conspiracy junk, but I do know that Kevin has been gone for a while and continue to keep him in my thoughts and prayers. I guess it's best that I missed all the conspiracy junk, since they are all wrong anyway.
I love the work you all are doing and I'm sure Kevin will be proud of how you have held down the fort.
Hang in there.
Ditto. Thoughts and prayers always for Kevin. XO
I, and many others, love the current HB management. We understand KD's need to "recharge his batteries."
Sure, we all love KD and his posts! His style is unique and refreshing! In the mean time, what will we do while he is off the bridge of the USS HillBuzz?
We "carry on." The ship runs. We move ahead. We continue everything KD set up, like his color-coded teams. (I'm in the Red Team – Writing.)
Here are the teams that KD asked us to self organize into:
Red Team – Writing
Orange Team– Mysteries
Green Team – Fundraising
Gold Team – Creativity
Blue Team – Research
Purple Team – Palin
What team(s) are you on?
We're started on the path KD laid-out, but HB needs more help! Here is my (Newt Love) assessment of our status.
(It does not represent the opinion of HB management or ownership (KD).)
Red Team – Writing – good start, but we need more writers, especially of "Ground Reports" that are much more factual than the material provided by LSM journ-O-lists that report on Town Halls and other events.
Orange Team– Mysteries – we're weak in this one. We need more readers to point out the gaps in the LSM and conservative media, like what are the real facts of the War Powers Act and Barak Obama (who is not a Muslim) invading Libya. "Given 'A' and 'B,' can you explain why 'C' (your position, action, et cetera) makes any sense?
Green Team – Fundraising – Sarah Palin and the other Republican candidates are doing pretty well, but HillBuzz could use some contributions to pay for web hosting servers and other normal fees. HB needs more help with fund raising.
Gold Team – Creativity – our message signal in this category is "bursty." We have folks that spurt some cool stuff, but then there is a gap in time before the ideas for bumper stickers, cartoons, and the like flow again. We need more people to volunteer, especially for web videos, so HB can have a steady output of creative vibe-making content and material!
Blue Team – Research – This ties into the "Orange Team – Mysteries" group, where folks research the details on things like the War Powers Act, and provide analysis on which positions espoused by the various politicians have merit. We need more research!
Purple Team – Palin – we have lots of discussion, but need more action. These are Action Item teams. We need constant stream of how we HBers can tie into Sarah Palin's events, and support her.
That's just my $0.02. Your mileage may vary.
Blessings on our paths…
I'm a long time reader – back from early in the 2008 election, but never a poster. Thanks for the explanation, you are doing a great job of holding it together – everyone misses Kevin and hopes he will return soon. This sort of thing has a wax/wane sequence occasionally – it's a lot of effort to keep it all going.
Best to Kevin and thanks for your hard work.
K
I agree – you are doing great. I hope Kevin is well and look forward to his return. If you speak with him, let him know he is missed. We also would like to hear from the Coffee Club too………….
I think you guys are doing a great job. It's true that Hillbuzz has been Kevin's "baby" but the fact is that this is a community. I think that's why there's been so much concern about where Kevin is, it's because people care about him.
I know it hasn't been easy for any of you, working away as you do with some people sniping at you and consipiracy theories flying. Thanks for all of your work in keeping this website up and running, I know it's not easy, (I do similar work myself….I know how time consuming it is), but I appreciate it so much. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for continuing to keep this going. I really appreciate those who are writing the blogs in Kevin's absence and am very grateful that Hillbuzz continues. We NEED this site and the great info we get from it. Many thanks to you and everyone holding it together — the quality hasn't suffered one bit. You guys do Kevin a wonderful tribute by keeping his vision and hard work alive. Bless you all, and love and prayers to Kevin.
Many folks left after the USO comments. A shame that Kevin never recovered, and I fully expect this post to go poof.
Yeah… I've heard a lot about that from both sides of the story. It's a shame it went down the way it did.
Maybe we could discuss the artistic integrity of the Village People singing Y M C A, and bring some of them back from the USO canteen?
(Just trying some humor…)
I just read that USO thread posted elsewhere. The thread was new to me, but the tone was not. By the time that thread came up, I had already seen too many sincere, long-time posters called out and treated harshly for doing nothing more than making constructive comments.
I loved this site and Kevin in particular. Without him this site is not as sharp. But it is also not as gratuitously harsh.
Thanks for this. I remember when Kevin dropped off Hillbuzz for several months, causing me to conclude that it would remain dormant forever. But it came back. I hope Kevin will return this time as well.
I missed all this. What was the USO comment? I was wondering what happened to some of the posters.
I read this site daily too and I don't remember the USO kerfluffle. Maybe I'm not observant enough??
I still love this place but I'd like to see Kevin's opinion when Palin jumps into the ring!!
OMG, this explains no new "Whose Dressed Better?" entries — my very best to Kevin, and thanks to his team for keeping the blog going!
Well, I still come here every day just to read what some intelligent, thoughtful and like-minded people have to say about the current state of affairs in our country. Posters direct me to god articles and I learn something almost every day by visiting.
Thanks for keeping the site up and running and providing a place for our community to come together.
Kevin is great, and I am so glad he got this started back in the day, but you all have been doing a great job keeping it going. I have actually really enjoyed hearing more of the libertarian perspective, since I did not know much about them and had been unsure how much the libertarians and tea party had in common. I appreciate those kinds of political writings, so thanks!
Bridget, Kathleen and Michelle: I think you are doing a superb job keeping the blog going, and staying very true to Kevin's vision! I am, however, concerned about Kevin. When you note that he has 'not been back to check the site' or 'been in touch' with any of you 'for quite some time,' and that this happened 'abruptly,' this increases my concern. Since you are personal friends of Kevin's, do you have any way to contact him to at least determine whether he's ok, and then let us know? I'm a mom, and a natural-born worry wart, and certainly don't want to be unduly alarmist, but I am genuinely concerned.
I agree, especially since he got national attention with "defending Palin & the Dancing w/t Stars" episode — and "some people" did not like what he was saying — Kevin, you have touched many lives, and we all understand the need to disengage — and I as tell my own kids, if I didn't care, I wouldn't worry. You have so many people in cyberspace that truly care… and we worry.
I too find it alarming that Kevin has not been in touch with close friends for some time. That seems very odd, but I hope it's nothing serious. Meanwhile, it's great of you all to keep the site going. Thanks for sharing this info.
Yes, miss Kevin's writing immensly. So in Kevin's and all hillbuzzer's honor, WE need to keep up the spirit of Hillbuzz! Never forget that we all read and post Hillbuzz because we have the same goal – fighting to get this country back. It would be a shame if this site fizzled after all the hard work and dedication put into it. Don't let that happen!
Thanks for the kind words, everyone. We worry about Kevin too, of course, and can't wait for him to get back. But because he's been the subject of death threats ever since he was outed by the Democrap Underground and Daily Kooks as the owner of Hillbuzz, he has had to do a great deal to maintain his privacy. He's purposefully hard to find and hard to reach, for his own safety. We've tried to respect his privacy and need to recharge as much as possible and just do our best to maintain the site ourselves in the mean time. Having done this for a couple of months now, I honestly cannot imagine how Kevin did it all himself for so long. It is truly exhausting sometimes.
I had no idea! Kevin, please stay safe. Always put yourself first. I miss you being here but understand the need to lay low. You know we will be here when you return.
Take care and be well.
What he said. Dittos and kudos.
While Hillbuzz is a must each morning, Kevin's absence has been obvious. My best to him and hopes for a speedy return.
Kathleen, Bridget and Michelle:
You’ve done a wonderful job holding down the fort. I love the look of the new site, and you continue to fight the fight on Kevin’s behalf.
I rarely comment here, but I’m glad to see that you’ve picked up the mantle.
Keep up the fantastic work!
Thanks to you all for keeping the site running and giving us a place to meet.
Kevin, if you're reading this, be well – you are missed.
Thanks for the update. Will keep Kevin in my prayers for a speedy recovery back to HILLBUZZ. Miss him. Please keep Hillbuzz going, GREAT JOB everyone.
Thank you all for your kind words. I am certainly no professional blogger (I work in the healthcare industry) so my posts are usually short and sometimes silly and unimportant. I will never have the spark and passion that Kevin brings to his posts…he's a one in a million and I really miss him too. I hate that he's missing this very exciting and important time with the GOP primaries kicking off but I am hoping and praying that he's back soon. Kathleen, Michelle, Newt and I are trying to keep Hillbuzz going along the same path that Kevin would want. Not too long ago he told me that he wanted to get back to the "Today in History" with the Open Threads so this is why I have been doing that. He originally asked me to do posts on things involving Islam but…of course…we southern gals love to gab so my posts have branched into other areas.
So for now…we will just muddle along until the main man returns. Hopefully giving you guys a place to share your thoughts and opinions. Some days are so busy for all of us that we may only be able to get up an Open Thread.
Thanks for your patience and encouragement. God bless, Bridget
Kathleen, Bridget, Michelle and all Hillbuzzers –
If Kevin or any of you come down to "The Big Sleazy", I would be proud to protect you. The only thing in life I am afraid of is someone doing harm to Emmalunt (as pictured). I am not afraid, and they who mess with me mess with al ol' be-atch!
An inspirational song for everyone out there who's working hard to take back our country and make this world a better place. You all deserve a big round of applause. Keep up the good work and stay strong! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftz98Wkzr1M
Been following this blog intermittently for what amounts to years now. Noticed Kevin's absence and wondered what was happening. Miss his voice. So impressed by those who have stepped up to the plate to create this and keep it going. God bless you all and prayers for Kevin.
I really don't understand, but perhaps it isn't for me to understand. Yes, I miss Kevin. And, yes, I can't imagine why he would abandon something so important to him. It has to be pretty serious.
But you girls have been doing a great job. I truly mean that. I, and many others, appreciate you posting this entry to help us to gain some perspective to all of this.
Can I express my "fantasy" of where Kevin is? I fantasize that Kevin has been asked by the Palin campaign to do something very important and very top secret. And to me, whether it is true or not, would explain all of this to me.
Thanks, Ladies! You are doing a bang-up job!!!
Thanks for keeping the site running Kathleen, Bridget, Michelle and our Admin. You have done a wonderful job but I miss Kevin and his special way of bringing our attention to a particular issue and giving us a new perspective on it and how it matters.
I never read the mentioned post and it doesn't matter to me what it was, I will still love Kevin. I hope whatever is wrong in his life finds a fast cure for the problem. In the meantime he is in my prayers. He was and is a trailblazer and we need his voice.
Thank you for all you do. I'm not much of a poster, but I love the congenial atmosphere here. I will pray for Kevin and the rest of you too because you are providing a valuable service to many.
I love this blog and the efforts by all the stand-ins and extras, just so awesome!
I love Kevin, also, and now I am going to start donating again, our nation is at a perilous point and this is the best blog where we can fight back
Thanks! Although I prefer to think of myself as a “stunt writer.” Sounds sexier.
And I’m sure Kevin will appreciate the donation…everything sent via the “Support Hillbuzz” badge goes directly to him (it’s like his tip jar). If you’d like to help pay for the site, please consider buying a day or two of hosting here.
Ah, those stunt writers!
Midnight in Paris, —screen writers are pulling stunts, too!
Yeah, tomorrow at the office!
You are all doing such a great job at keeping the blog going and letting us have our say about various things. But are you saying that you've gone to all the trouble to bring this new site to fruition — Kevin's dream, so to speak — and he hasn't seen it or come back to see it or anything? That's so concerning! And I'm sad that you've worked so hard on his behalf and now he's not here.
Kevin has absolutely seen it and loved it, and done a huge amount of work behind the scenes. He’s been involved every step of the way. (In fact, he put up a very long post about it when we launched it, which I could go dig up if I had more time.) I think he’s just (understandably) burned out, and taking a vacay as he has done before. If he needed to do such a thing, now is the time, six months before the first primary of 2012.
Thank you for explaining. The original post said, "Kevin has not been back here to check the site, or been in touch with any of us, for quite some time.", I understood it to be that he hadn't seen it or been in contact with you about it. I wish for our sakes and for yours that he would check in. We're worried about him and I'm sure you must be even more so.
And thank you for not responding to me as if I was a concern troll, because I was afraid that it would come across that way.
I hope and pray that Kevin is going to be alright. I check this site everyday and wondering what is going on with him. Sure I miss his posting. Wish him well and be back soon!