# "Petrichor" article picked up today **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [November 28, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petrichor-article-picked-up-today/604346 "2011-11-28T15:34:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petrichor-article-picked-up-today/604346/1 "2011-11-28T15:34:41Z")
The Master and his acolytes’ article on petrichor was picked up at ace.mu.nu today. Congrats. Naturally his disciples were right there for a long time propitiating him–a search on the word in GQ reveals ample evidence. Best, Leo ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petrichor-article-picked-up-today/604346/2 "2011-11-28T16:08:13Z")
I’m not finding it at the website you provided. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petrichor-article-picked-up-today/604346/3 "2011-11-28T16:42:24Z")
Scroll down the page at [Ace of Spades HQ](http://ace.mu.nu/archives/324142.php) . They quote part of the article, and have a link back to The Straight Dope if you want to read the full article. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petrichor-article-picked-up-today/604346/4 "2011-11-28T17:31:48Z")
Ah, there it is, right under the Amazon thingy. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petrichor-article-picked-up-today/604346/5 "2011-11-28T18:10:36Z")
Interesting. I wonder if that’s why the page hits jumped suddenly on that column. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petrichor-article-picked-up-today/604346/6 "2011-11-30T08:29:15Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > Interesting. I wonder if that’s why the page hits jumped suddenly on that column. What was Cecil’s most read column, based on hits? ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petrichor-article-picked-up-today/604346/7 "2011-11-30T12:53:11Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > What was Cecil’s most read column, based on hits? That’s very difficult to say, and there are complicating factors (switching web servers, age of the column, etc.) In the past we relied on webserver hits; of late we’ve been attempting to judge success by the number of “likes” and “shares” as well. Among recent columns, the [bacon versus cigarettes](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3013/whats-worse-for-your-health-bacon-or-cigarettes) one far outweighs many, although [cubical planets](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3011/what-would-it-be-like-walking-around-on-a-cube-shaped-planet) was surprisingly successful as well. I’ve been told a couple of times in the past that [zombies v. power plants](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2165/when-the-zombies-take-over-how-long-till-the-electricity-fails) is the most successful Staff Report. I was told back in 2005 it had tens of millions of page hits, and even 7 years later it’s still managed to keep getting a lot of hits, likes, and shares. I realize there is a huge amount of error in relying on likes and shares, but then there’s also error in just relying on page hits too.