Statistics (with a pitstop by the Oxford English Dictionary)

So there's this nifty spot where you can go look at the stats of your blog. And it's very interesting. One of the most interesting things about it is this: when I post something new, my readership skyrockets in South Africa (i.e. here). When I don't post anything new, most of my readers come from the US (though I had a brief spate of popularity in India after I posted a mini-series involving Indian mathematicians).

Is this just because more people use the internet on a regular basis in the US? 'Cos I have a nasty feeling it's mostly incidental/search-engine/accidental traffic.

What is driving this particular pattern??? Any suggestions?

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Pitstop!!

What is the difference in meaning between incidental and accidental in this context?

The pocket OED that I have in my classroom (call me old fashioned but I still haven't gotten used to online dictionaries) says that incidental means "having a minor role in relation to more important thing or event".

Accidental (helpfully) means "happening or done by accident". Well thanks OED. Accident is defined as "event that is unexpected or without apparent cause".

My analysis - incidental relates to the importance while accidental relates to the intentionality of the event in question (i.e. visiting Daydreaming in Maths).

Do you agree??

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excuses excuses

-  lost camera - lost phone - no internet at home - hectic time at work -

- I miss blogging -