Thanks for Successful 2010

Just wanted to take a quick moment to say thank you to all of you my loyal readers. I recognize that a lot of you read my blog because you hate my guts, either because you hate my politics or hate me personally, but I still appreciate your patronage.

I know I've bounced around from url to url because I was trying to find a platform I really liked, made my own, and then came to blogger for the final permanent home of The LionStar Blog, but I am humbled that so many of you have followed me around.

Last year I had a little over 70,000 visits to my website, which really isn't the total of the year because I have only been on this blogger site for about 9 months or so, but its still a good number.

When I started blogging, I did it for a way to vent and it was sort of therapeutic for me. Eventually though, people started expecting coverage of local political events and I felt the pressure to deliver, whatever that means.

My blog eventually let to a career on the radio and doing morning drive time. Trust me, I haven't forgotten that it was you, the readers, that made that possible, along with some other people along the way. If this bores you, you can stop reading right about now.

First and foremost parents Benito and Lucia Abeytia. It was my parents that lit the spark of political awareness in me from an early age. Someday I'll do something worthy of God giving me the parents He gave me.

My family for putting up with my absence at times and having the patience to deal with my long hours on the computer. Its not easy being my relative or loving me and I thank you for your daily encouragement to do what I do.

Several legitimate news people that have guided me along the way. I'm not a legitimate news person or source. I make that clear pretty regularly, but having the mentorship of some real journalists has been invaluable and made me better at what I do. Two in particular, old school print journalists, have been very helpful by constantly challenging me, questioning what I write and teaching me nuts and bolts of reportage. (Sorry, I'm pretty sure there's supposed to be some fancy French accent thing there.)

Next, El Paso leaders. You people always give me something to talk about, for better or worse. I can't think of an easier place to be a political blogger than El Paso thanks to the cast of colorful characters in this west Texas town of El Paso.

Sammy C. He's my homeboy and we always have each other's back, regardless of the fact that he's completely wrong politically. You know you are homeboys when you completely disagree on policy but it doesn't ruin a friendship.

and David K. Yeah, I said it, David f'in K. We don't agree on policy, and usually don't agree on approach either for that matter, but we are each other's yin and yang, which sounds dirty. We provide balance to the Force. He's the bad guy, I'm the good guy, and sometimes he's the good guy and I'm the bad guy, and most often, we are both the bad guy. But Batman always had the Joker, Luke had Vader, the Redskins have the Cowboys, etc, etc.You'll probably write something that will piss me off in the next few weeks, and we will inevitably be on opposite sides of almost every political issue, but I still hope you beat Leeds' ass in court!

Thanks to all you readers for making 2010 successful and I'm looking forward to 2011! See you around town and on the internet. Until then...Speak Truth to Power!

I was going to post the most viewed video on my blog here, but its the whole Norma Chavez lesbian gay woman comment and I think you guys are pretty sick of that one so here's the second most-viewed video on my blog last year.