... you can talk about whatever you want (though you'll have to wait for me to do the moderation, which may take minutes or sometimes, hours (but I'm thinking the stopping and the flowing, in alternation, is having a good effect on conversation)).
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32 comments:
"I'm thinking the stopping and the flowing, in alternation, is having a good effect on conversation"
Well if making them disjointed, delayed and likely dissuading some folks from participating or following..might be true.
My favorite story this weekend was about firewatchers.
Ten days in, then onward to permanent disability payments. Ho Ho Ho.
"but I'm thinking the stopping and the flowing, in alternation, is having a good effect on conversation"
Enough about the menses already.
"Well if making them disjointed, delayed and likely dissuading some folks from participating or following..might be true."
Continuous flow facilitates the kind of commenters we at Meadhouse call "back and forth," which can get too personal and repetitious, with maybe only 2 commenters taking over.
@David I meant to do that.
I like the new format better.
One does not go to the Internet to practice self discipline and delayed gratification.
She's right. Sleeping on ideas overnight is civilizing us.
Over the long weekend, I read the "Devil's Chessboard" by this liberal Salon writer, David Talbot. Basically, Talbot blames everything bad thing that happened in the 20th Century, including the JFK murder, on Allen Dulles and the CIA.
It's not a well-argued book.
The "original" sin of liberals like Talbot is WWII. They don't seem to understand the implications of the Hitler/Stalin non-aggression treaty in 1939 to carve up Europe. True, Hitler invaded Poland first, which shocked the world, but liberals forget that Stalin invaded Poland from the East about 2 weeks later.
They also forget that Stalin invaded heroic little Finland too.
In essence, Hitler(Nazis) and Stalin (Commies) united to cause WWII.
Now, it is true that in June of 1941, Hitler invaded Russia, and, yes, we (USA) made a decision to send millions of dollars and materiel to Russia under Lend/Lease.
But, it was clearly in our interest to prop up the USSR, in the face of the Nazi onslaught.
It didn't change the evil nature of Stalin or the Soviet Empire.
That's why a few sharp, tough men with foresight understood as early as 1944, that once we handled the Nazis, we'd have to deal with the Soviets, not as allies of convenience, but as adversaries.
Liberals don't get this. They don't understand or accept that the Commies were as evil as the Nazis.
The moderation has pretty much ended any conversation but there are other blogs.
Somewhere in the wilds of Wisconsin roams an unusually artistic beaver.
I'm currently reading No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It is an admiring if not quite hagiographic account of the Roosevelt's domestic life during WWII. I learned that Eleanor formed a spontaneous , affectionate friendship with a number of women, including two of the founders I'd the League of Women Voters. They would have sleep overs and get into pillow fights. WTF.
Every one of Hillary's economic proposals is unsound and debunked by Chapter 10 in the freshman economics textbook. Naturally, attacking the textbook has begun.
"She's right. Sleeping on ideas overnight is civilizing us."
That's not why I did it, but having been forced to move to moderation, I'm inclined to look for the bright side.
You're right about the way moderation and delay helps commenting overall. It increases the quality and tends to drive away trolls.
But it does make the site less visit-worthy. I still visit every day, more than once, but the lack of lively discussion takes some of the sugar out of the cake.
It's a marketing question. Do you run the site more to market your essays, or more for the discussion that ensues? Probably the former. That may change your blog if you keep it this way. It may change the things you write about and the ways you write. You might get lots of cling-ons and Pinterest types, especially if you go back to that Gatsby crap.
The new format is terrific. The back and forth often devolves into insults or worse. I think speaking one's onions with minimal back and forth is what has been contributing to better comments. It's hard to get personal with time delays in commentary. Please don't go back to unmoderated comments.
Ann Althouse said...
@David I meant to do that.
Figured as much. Oh they mystery of women.
Sleep on this: http://www.wsj.com/articles/islamic-state-entrenches-in-sirte-libya-1448798153
ISIS has taken control of the city of Sirte, a port on the Libyan coast. Over 5000 fighters and potential fighters have moved to that place from Europe and other places in the Middle East. There are oilfields in the area that they control and they are restarting the wells to generate cash for their operations there. ISIS now polices the town and imposes its cultural norms (full covering for women among others) on the people. They defeated a Libyan militia and put down a local revolt in taking charge. Sirte is a city of 79,000, or was before they took over.
This all took place last summer but the NYT and WSJ are writing about it today. Maybe Obama was not aware of this when he said that ISIS is contained. ISIS now controls the surrounding countryside as well and is expanding its control. It's a nice base for expansion in Libya and for terrorist training and staging.
When the takeover was going on the Arab League was asked for air and other support but none was provided. There has been no European military action to counter this development. The US apparently mounted a small air strike recently but that is all.
The scandal is not Benghazi.
The scandal is Libya and the total Clinton-Obama failure there.
Georgie said...
The new format is terrific. The back and forth often devolves into insults or worse.
Also rapid refutations of Georgie's assertions.
The other bright side of moderation is that we don't have to listen to insults and Althouse over time may spend less time culling it out.
William, sometimes a pillow fight is just a pillow fight.
In any event Eleanor had cause enough to hanky and panky if she chose. I rather like it that the press chose to ignore it all.
Please eliminate all links to firewalled news sources like the WaPo. It's beyond irritating to follow the link only to have to back out again upon being informed that I have already exceeded my article allowance.
ISIS is just a name along with all the others.
Either IS - the Islamic State - or the Caliphate - would be a better name for the overall movement, which does not recognize anyone else's state borders.
"I think speaking one's onions with minimal back and forth is what has been contributing to better comments. "
Yeah, and autocorrect is the cat's meow.
If anyone in the Madison area likes indie rock/folk/punk, Frank Turner is in Madison tomorrow night. He puts on a great show. It is very loud ( and well worth it! )
Love Ire and Song
Get Better
Tell Tale Signs
Caught this Hooded Merganser napping in a canal near my house. It and a hen mallard have been inseparable for weeks now, the Hoodie even chases the drake mallards around in a show of aggression. The heart wants what the heart wants I guess. Who am I to judge?
Yes..quite the "conversation" format. If you're used to conversations where you don't know what was said 20 minutes ago or right while you speak.
You have some very old and well liked/trusted commenters on this website.
Why not have them help with the managing of the comments so that the comments sections doesn't get shut down during the same times of the day each day?
Blogger Ann Althouse said...
"She's right. Sleeping on ideas overnight is civilizing us."
That's not why I did it, but having been forced to move to moderation, I'm inclined to look for the bright side.
My previous post was in response to this. Forgot to quote.
It may just be a stump turtle. I've seen them where there is no trail.
here.
So..nothing new here since 12/1/15, 6:33 AM?
Or did Althouse tire of this thread?
Whether she posts this or not.we will never know.
Now THAT'S a conversation...
Hi, walter.
How's it going?
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