Top 10 Most-Viewed Stories on AustinChronicle.com

Illustration by Jason Stout

A list of the Top 10 stories people looked at, maybe even read, on our website is by nature reductive – it captures only a smidge of the Chronicle’s online life. We’ve had our share of social media roundabouts and ram, and what we know are some of our most popular features – our “Best of Austin” issue, photo galleries from festivals – aren’t necessarily reflected here.

Still, it’s a meaningful list, as lists go. The fact that nine of the 10 are News stories, most of them features, indicates that our readership is conscientious, serious, and plugged in to politics on every level (also that you like to read about drugs). You’ll find more of our cyber-Top 10s below. Feel free to Tweet about them.

1) "Proof of Nothing: When you were busted for public intoxication, were you drunk? Or did you just piss off a cop?"

News feature, June 24: Jordan Smith delves into APD's attitude arrests.

2) "How High: Divination or hallucinogenic drug? Whichever way you look at it, 'The Spirit Molecule' is gonna move you."

Screens feature, Feb. 11: In the only non-News story to make the list, Marc Savlov interviews filmmaker Mitch Schultz about the drug DMT, the film Schultz made about it, and the "remix." "Altered states? Ken Russell has nothing on this stuff," writes Savlov.

3) "Reefer Madness: The Thin Green Line: Author Jonah Raskin recounts the contradictions of life in 'Marijuanaland'"

News column, Oct. 7: We're beginning to discern a theme here, with Jordan Smith's interview with Raskin on his book about the pot economy.

4) "Perry the Executioner: Texas leads the country in executions, and Rick Perry holds the record tally"

News feature, Sept. 16: It doesn't get any more controversial than death and the Texas governor. Jordan Smith tells the frightening story of how Perry's body count came to be.

5) "Point Austin: Have You Been Screwed by Rick Perry?: The governor's political offenses outstrip his sexual ones"

News column, Aug. 26: What's almost as fascinating as death? Oh, right, sex. With rumors and full-page ads "investigating" the guv's possible peccadilloes, Michael King weighed in on actual, documented destructive behavior Perry has wrought on the state populace.

6) "Water Fall: Between Austin Water's conservation goals and its execution ... lies a shadow"

News feature, June 17: Nora Ankrum lays out the complex controversies around water conservation and Water Treatment Plant No. 4 in a clear and engaging way, providing insight into one of the many issues Austinites are passionate about.

7) "Access Denied: Cap Metro saving money means hardship for neediest riders"

News feature, July 8: Lee Nichols' moving and incisive story examined the ways in which Capital Metro has fallen short – way short – in providing public transportation for people with disabilities.

8) "The Occupation of Austin: The '99 percent' takes a stand against corporate greed"

News feature, Oct. 14: Striking photos by John Anderson, Sandy Carson, and Jana Birchum documented Occupy Austin's liftoff, with much more to come.

9) "Why Rail?: The city is pushing for a 2012 vote to build urban rail. The critics are asking, 'Who needs it?'"

News feature, April 8: What's almost as controversial as sex and death? Oh, right: urban rail. Lee Nichols finds out why.

10) "Just Say No!: Rick Perry's approach to sex education has helped Texas boost its teen pregnancy rate"

News feature, Oct. 28: Jordan Smith rips into Perry's ridiculous abstinence stance and some of its tragic repercussions.