Althouse: "I have wondered sometime how people - particularly all the 'regulars'

January 29, 2018

"I have wondered sometime how people - particularly all the 'regulars' - find time to comment on here."

"I don't comment all that often, but I can claim to have read every single post on Althouse since Glenn first pointed me to it in early 2004. That was during over 12 years of work (2004-2016) and now 2 years in retirement. Every. Single. Post. Doesn't mean I always got to them that day; I used to travel a lot and sometimes I would have a couple of days I would have to catch up on. But when I got to wireless or a cell phone signal it is usually the first thing I'd check. I found that whatever was trending in the news Althouse would have a link, some comments of her own, then all the commenters on here get on it. I have read Althouse in airports and hotels all over the world - all across the US and Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Dubai, India, Singapore, Japan, Korea, and a number of Caribbean isles, even flying over the Pacific. I love it when she gets up about 4:30 in the morning and starts posting and I already have something to read while I am drinking my first cup of coffee and cooking my breakfast. First page I check every morning."

Thanks, MountainMan! I too love it when I get up at 4:30 in the morning and find you here, drinking your first cup of coffee and cooking breakfast.

172 comments:

Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Genius/Thank you; 1/29/18, 7:03 PM
Ann Althouse said...: It would be cool to be traveling and to notice that somebody was reading Althouse.; 1/29/18, 7:06 PM
Karen said...: I second that, Mountain Man. I didn't discover Althouse until 2007, but have read every post since then, and in recent years, have especially relished the comment threads.; 1/29/18, 7:09 PM
Jaq said...: If I comment a lot, it means I have something important to do that I should be doing instead of commenting. So that’s how I find the time.; 1/29/18, 7:11 PM
Virgil Hilts said...: A good friend (who died a few months ago) posted here regularly and sometimes sparred with Ann. It was probably his favorite web site.
He was a genius at music who got rich in his 30s (music related software), retired way too young and lost his health through no fault of his own. He was really a great guy, but also a curmudgeon who had a lot of challenges. This blog engaged him and made him happy.; 1/29/18, 7:23 PM
Ipso Fatso said...: I try to comment only when I can add something to the conversation and if someone has already said what I would have said, I leave well enough alone. I have been here almost since the beginning and was directed here thru Instapundit. I am a regular reader but somewhat infrequent commenter. I do not read every post. Peace.; 1/29/18, 7:24 PM
John Borell said...: I have read every single post since about 2006. I comment sometimes and read enough comments that I know the regulars. I’d love to see a list of the top commenters and how many comments they have made over the years.

I love the mornings I’m up before Althouse and waiting for her to post. I’m always worried, will this be the day she breaks her streak and misses a day?

Actually I’m worried for the day she loses passion. I hope it’s years away. And I wonder if she will tell us or if she’ll just stop.; 1/29/18, 7:29 PM
Ipso Fatso said...: Virgil, what name did your buddy post under?; 1/29/18, 7:33 PM
Michael said...: I have read and commented from England, Scotland, Spain, MEXICO, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Bahamas, France, USVI, Dominican Republic and Canada. Go to blog.; 1/29/18, 7:34 PM
Ann Althouse said...: @Virgil

Love to your friend.; 1/29/18, 7:35 PM
Humperdink said...: Up at 6AM eastern time, first check out the AA blog after I push the start button on the coffee pot. I try to add humor to my comments. Enjoy the political topics. The artsy ones, not so much. Enjoy the open-ended cafe posts.; 1/29/18, 7:38 PM
Phil 314 said...: I've been coming since 2008. I check it our early. I get up at 4:30 and always assumed the time difference was why the Professor already had posts ready for me. Good to know she gets up that early also.

I'll check the blog later that evening so generall any comment by my that leads to a response (that's few and far between) won't usually get a follow up by me since I'm long gone
.

I honestly can't keep up with all the posts.; 1/29/18, 7:38 PM
Birches said...: Wow. I just realized Althouse is the first thing I check out every morning too. Before fb, before email. First.; 1/29/18, 7:41 PM
Luke Lea said...: Ann is go to for me as long as Trump is around.; 1/29/18, 7:42 PM
PoNyman said...: Holy cow, same here! I found Althouse on her first stint covering for Instapundit, I subsequently dropped Instapundit years ago because his posts were overwhelming in volume and I have a tendency to need to read every post of every blog I read. Althouse seems to hit the magic number enough to keep things fresh and not too much. I have the same question about a lot of the commenters, how do they keep it up? I find that if I dive into comments I'm hoping for some Freeman Hunt, MadisonMan, and some of the other "old timers." And I find myself thinking about Simon from time to time and his, what seemed to me, attempts to intellectually hit on Althouse before Meade came along.; 1/29/18, 7:43 PM
Paddy O said...: I think I followed that same link as MountainMan. I go in spurts with commenting, but I continue to read most every day. I can't say I've read every post, but when I miss a day I usually try to catch up. While there have been ups and downs in the commentariat over the years, there's a consistently better tone here than most anywhere else. Plus, there's almost always a resident expert on any given topic that adds a lot of depth and authority. The commenters tend to be conservative but are far from unified on a lot of issues, making it interesting.

Plus, I like that I can't predict what Ann will conclude on a given topic or what topic she'll find interesting among the regular politics. That makes it continually interesting.

Like just now, she surprised me by pointing to something that might be fun about traveling. I sense a quest forming for her and Meade: To travel until she finds her(blog)self.

I'm sad to say I've become a worse writer over the years (too much teaching, not enough writing), so I like that Althouse inspires me to sharpen and hone my writing and my thinking.; 1/29/18, 7:45 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/29/18, 7:49 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/29/18, 7:51 PM
Original Mike said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/29/18, 7:56 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: I got kicked off Stacey and Ace and others and also Goldstein said I didn't learn nothing but I knew, sadly, I had learned (opposed to nothing) I was a harmful jackass.

Felt comfortable here.

The written record will show multitudes of me not my own.

And Althouse, in the onslaught of doubt and fear because of the truthful shammery, did, as did I, Tonya, say Not Today Will I Quit.

Loyalty and fearlessness are not common nor weak, neither good nor bad.; 1/29/18, 7:56 PM
Original Mike said...: There’s no way I have the time to read every post, and I’m retired!

But it is the first place I go in the morning.; 1/29/18, 7:57 PM
MaxedOutMama said...: I try to read frequently.

Here's something that I find newsworthy - I read about it in a German online newspaper, and then went hunting to find US news about it:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-refugees/u-s-to-resume-refugee-admissions-from-11-high-risk-countries-idUSKBN1FI27F
The United States will resume admissions for refugees from 11 countries identified as presenting a high security risk, but with extra vetting for these mostly Middle Eastern and African nations, senior U.S. officials said on Monday.

It's almost as if these measures were really driven by security concerns rather than bigotry. Who could have imagined that?; 1/29/18, 8:02 PM
Michael K said...: I've been reading for about ten years but have cut way back on comments because of the nastiness of other commenters.

I still skim posts and, sometimes, comments.; 1/29/18, 8:02 PM
traditionalguy said...: Time was all I had once when recovering from a Heart Incident, and my son would not even let me walk down the steps at his house without assistance. It was then that Althouse touched my heart with her unique charm and intelligence.

Needless to say, she is stuck with me now.; 1/29/18, 8:09 PM
Darrell said...: I've been here since a few months after you started. I've cut back on comments after they started disappearing at the end of last November. It takes the wind out of one's sails.; 1/29/18, 8:09 PM
cubanbob said...: I have been reading this blog since 2007(?) and while I don't read every post ( subject matter may not interest me) I do come here everyday. I have logged on from numerous countries and from airplanes, cruise ships, trains and expensive cell networks. Thank you Althouse.; 1/29/18, 8:10 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: I started to read Althouse during her and Meade's excellent first hand reporting of the Wisc protests against Gov Walker. This was probably in 2011. I started commenting, I dunno, maybe in 2015 or so.

I actually think Althouse and Meade helped to turn Wisc from blue to red, not through any political activism, but just through their dogged reporting and rigorous commitment to the free exchange of ideas.

So, I don't know if I qualify as a regular, but I like this place. And, until someone kicks me out or it gets hideously boring, I'm fixin' to stay!; 1/29/18, 8:12 PM
tdocer said...: I'm another everyday reader since the early day (thanks to Insty) and rare commenter. Althouse always dishes up interesting fare, often seasoned with the right amount of pepper. The addition of some brilliant commenters over the years made this blog a must-read in the daily rotation.; 1/29/18, 8:13 PM
Original Mike said...: I’ve wondered when I started. I know it predates her first Insty posts, because I read them both and was surpprised and pleased when she showed up there.; 1/29/18, 8:17 PM
MaxedOutMama said...: Bay Area Guy - there have been many high points in this blog's increasingly long life, but the coverage of the WI Walker hysteria definitely stands out.

Ah, memories. The flight of the D legislators, the drumming, the school cancellations. It really was a spectacle. Sad to say, the Ann/Meade coverage at this blog was the most interesting, informative and neutral way to understand what was going on. It was also vivid. Great photography and local color.

It's certainly not WI's fault, but I have lately begun to feel that the drum circle frenzy have gone national. Not what I had expected! In the last year I have thought a lot about the Walker frenzy's foreshadowing of 2017's Trumpocalypse, and always with reference to the posts and discussions here. In part because of the NYT-type media's insistence on "fake news" and Trump's pushback.

I do feel that somehow Ann has had a great deal more cultural influence than one would have believed possible twenty years ago. If that is true, it must be because of a failure in standard journalism.; 1/29/18, 8:17 PM
eddie willers said...: I started to read Althouse during her and Meade's excellent first hand reporting of the Wisc protests against Gov Walker

I'm thinking that's about the time I landed here. Don't really remember.

But I've been here every day since.; 1/29/18, 8:18 PM
Mr. Groovington said...: Just in the last six weeks I’ve read Althouse everyday through Burma, Manipur, Nagaland, Assam and how West Bengal. Been like that for the last year or so, since I discovered her.; 1/29/18, 8:19 PM
Paddy O said...: The question is how regular commenters find time to comment. I find the commentariat skews older and retired.

I comment semi-regularly because I don't have a set schedule, and find the post and comments actually useful in learning what people think about topics that are important for my field. So, sometimes I dabble in professional exploration in ways that I might not be able to do in other forums. Sometimes it's just to blow off intellectual steam, that helps me recover my more temperate voice when that's necessary.

It's more interesting than watching corporate-controlled sports for me.; 1/29/18, 8:21 PM
Scott M said...: Back around 2009 or so, I used to be FAR more active hereabouts, posting quite a few comments a day of varying and mostly low quality :) Honestly, the demands of my career picking up steam kept me from remaining as active, but I still poke my head in just about every day to see what our gracious hostess has cooked up. I'm very rarely disappointed.; 1/29/18, 8:23 PM
MountainMan said...: Althouse said: "It would be cool to be traveling and to notice that somebody was reading Althouse."

Yes, it would. But I think you have said on here more than once that you don't like to travel.

And, to paraphrase the famous question once asked of Bear Bryant upon retiring from coaching::

Q: "MountainMan, what do you think would happen if you no longer had Althouse?"
A: "I'd probably croak in a week."

Thanks for the highlight.; 1/29/18, 8:23 PM
glam1931 said...: I've also been reading since the early days...I started reading Insty post 9/11, and started reading Ann early on. I used to read 10 or 20 blogs a day, but many once-prominent bloggers have quit or died or become idiots (Charles Johnson). Now I just follow Insty, Althouse and Drudge as my daily must-reads.
I read most of Ann's posts except stuff that absolutely doesn't interest me (like anything Dylan-related). I lean right but appreciate Ann's moderate perspective on most things, except gay issues...I'm 62 and gay, and find I have little sympathy for the current gay agenda. I especially enjoyed all the Walker-years inside-Madison posts. I usually only comment if the topic is in my area of expertise (film, television etc.). While I read most posts, I almost enjoy the comments more.
By the way, I have some health issues and haven't worked for a couple years, as I care for and live with my 88 year old Mom. I have decided to take social security (and a state pension) now, and call myself retired. That way I can justify spending more time reading Althouse.; 1/29/18, 8:26 PM
D 2 said...: Been so long, I cant remember when I started. Might have been after my visit to Dnipro. At one cafe, it was the home page.

In any case, its too late to stop now.; 1/29/18, 8:29 PM
Paddy O said...: I haven't traveled a lot geographically over the years I've been commenting, but I've traveled significantly professionally and personally. Althouse has been a daily thought-provoker at every stage, from the lowest points and darkest places, and onward.

Thanks, Althouse, your blog really has been a important part of my journey over the years as I think about it. There's a lot of judgment and nastiness said about online conversations, but this blog really has been a treasure for me along the winding roads, regular signposts that have encouraged me to keep my thinking always moving forward.; 1/29/18, 8:29 PM
Temujin said...: I have to say 'ditto' to most things said above. I've been reading Althouse since I was knee high to a grasshopper. (thank you Firesign). Over the years as I've been phasing out reading things that have gotten too trite, too often incorrect, predictable, or just lame, my regular reading list has drastically narrowed. I read a lot of different things. But those things that are a regular part of my day have become fewer and fewer over the years. The 'A' List grows smaller. Althouse remains a staple, and among the first things I go to, and check back on during my day. Mostly because it's intelligent, entertaining, and almost always interesting. Unpredictable in it's topics, it will often lead me down a much needed rabbit hole.; 1/29/18, 8:36 PM
MayBee said...: I have read you all over the world!

The hardest was when I lived in Japan, because you would all go to bed in the middle of my day. If only Althouse had been so committed to an early morning back then! :-); 1/29/18, 8:38 PM
MayBee said...: @Virgil, who was your friend?

I know there was a chef in Kansas City who had cancer(?) and I've wondered about him the past years..

I have not knowing if people have passed away or if they've just chosen to go elsewhere with their commenting time.; 1/29/18, 8:39 PM
Elliott A said...: It is easy to read all the posts in a busy day, but difficult to comment since I like to read the comments before posting as not to duplicate an already existing one. I commented a lot in the past, however my last couple of years have been hectic. The blog has been and I hope will continue to be a wonderful source for thought provoking commentary and discussion.; 1/29/18, 8:41 PM
madAsHell said...: Off topic, but here's Ronnie Reagan in 1975 on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Trump has re-booted Reagan.; 1/29/18, 8:42 PM
madAsHell said...: Dear Hostess,

What do your Google Analytics tell you about us?

Sincerely,
madAsHell; 1/29/18, 8:52 PM
madAsHell said...: Here's my guess......

Engineers, lawyers, and Dr. K.
50 plus years of age.
Predominantly male....I'll guess 80/20.
Home owners.
2.1 kids.
A dog.
A passing acquittance with firearms.

What did I miss?; 1/29/18, 8:56 PM
madAsHell said...: I forgot. Married.; 1/29/18, 8:57 PM
Jaq said...: I have looked at Google analytic’s opinion on me, and I don’t really recognize that guy. Netflix thinks I am a girl, probably because of my addiction to Rom Coms and yes, period romances.

Since I have started using Duck Duck Go, Google knows even less, and for the past week, I have been seeing ads for modest swimsuits on lovely models, so whoever made that mistake, thank you.; 1/29/18, 8:57 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "I have not knowing if people have passed away or if they've just chosen to go elsewhere with their commenting time."

Some of them whine like little bitches.

[Trooper's Other Place]; 1/29/18, 8:58 PM
Jaq said...: LOL ADS!; 1/29/18, 9:00 PM
EAB said...: I'm like glam1931 in that I read a large number of blogs for many years and came here from Instapundit early on. Instapundit and this are the only ones left that I check daily. I like Insty but I find some of the items more knee-jerk than I prefer, even though I'm conservative. I prefer ruthless analysis. I don't think I read comments much until last five years, and I have maybe commented three times in all the years reading. I prefer reading the conversation rather than joining. And I commonly follow the link to Other Side of the Ocean, especially when Nina is traveling. Thank you for that vicarious enjoyment.; 1/29/18, 9:02 PM
madAsHell said...: period romances.

I'm not sure what a period romance is, but I hope there weren't any dead rabbits.; 1/29/18, 9:06 PM
Big Mike said...: "I have wondered sometime how people - particularly all the 'regulars' - find time to comment on here."

I retired. Time is the main thing I have on hand.; 1/29/18, 9:20 PM
Jim Howard said...: I don't remember a time before Althouse. I probably came here from Instantapundit.

I do know that when I type the letter 'a' into my browser's window autofills to Althouse.

Every morning I read IP first and then Althouse.

I commit occasionally. I'd comment more if the blogger comment functionality was not so primitive.

Our Professor and I are the same age, and we both like long car trips, so we've got that going for us.

I'm sorry I never had the chance to meet the Professor when she was traveling to Austin fairly often.; 1/29/18, 9:22 PM
Amexpat said...: I have been clicking Althouse pretty much daily since 2004, from too many places to remember. Commenting depends on free time and if there's a topic that engages.

Sometimes the nastiness of the some of the commentators turns me off and I just read the posts. would be great if one could block the commentators one didn't want to read - that was a function on same of the early bulletin board on the Internet.; 1/29/18, 9:27 PM
David said...: I think I've read them all, until Althouse links back to something that she remembers as relevant to the day's post, and when I read the link back, I say, hmmm missed that one. Too bad it was interesting.; 1/29/18, 9:29 PM
YoungHegelian said...: Yep, first two sites I open when I get the time are AA & Insty, simultaneously in two tabs. AA always loads first, because Insty got so much advertising goop on it it. AA's site is much leaner & meaner from an HTML point of view, for which, Prof. Althouse, I am eternally grateful.

I spend too much time here, reading the posts & commenters & bitchin' & moanin' with my responses. Time I should be using to build the business. But, ya know, it's a lot of fun in its own twisted way, and much cheaper & less socially dangerous than alcohol, controlled substances, and women of dubious moral character.; 1/29/18, 9:31 PM
madAsHell said...: I've lost track of betamax/lazlo/jj.

A shout out to jj!!; 1/29/18, 9:32 PM
Kathryn51 said...: Althouse is a daily read since the Boob Gate imbroglio with Jessica Valenti. I forget the year.; 1/29/18, 9:36 PM
Leslie Graves said...: @john borell "I love the mornings I’m up before Althouse and waiting for her to post. I’m always worried, will this be the day she breaks her streak and misses a day?"

Same here!

I love reading Althouse each and every day, but it seems particularly delightful to be able to do that on holidays (not sure why that is).; 1/29/18, 9:38 PM
Fabi said...: I'm an early riser most days and read Ann first thing -- before Drudge or RCP. I initially came here because of a comment at Ace of Spades HQ.; 1/29/18, 9:49 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Having absorbed much of The Last Psychiatrist, via anything-but-the-new zeitgeist as I saw it, alone, at that time, and sub/consequently later talked about much differnent but so similarly different close-enough-to-the-sane we cakked it the'60s.; 1/29/18, 9:51 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: I'd like to thank Chuck's "great" Trump improv yesterday.

That was good stuff.

It insprired me.

MI is actually not a shithole BTW; 1/29/18, 9:52 PM
cold pizza said...: I read most posts. Don't comment as much as I used to (back in the day). I recall reading Althouse before she moved to the new platform and lost all the old posts. I remember reading AA back when I was stationed in Hawai'i--pre-9/11. I discovered Insty after years of reading about him on Althouse.

I don't comment much for 2 reasons: First: time. I'm still gainfully employed. Second: I'd rather not get sucked into the muddy gyre again. I suppose it becomes a habit to offer up what one thinks is a unique perspective or bit of rye humor, but then one runs the risk of descending into the 7th-and-1/2 lower level of Hell: the blogging commentariat.

Sometimes the bait can be especially tasty.

Welcome to the grand salon of the Alt-house. With its many rooms and 24/7 conversations. -CP; 1/29/18, 10:02 PM
Sebastian said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/29/18, 10:08 PM
Henry said...: There was that one time I read Althouse in Shanghai while on business. If Althouse saw an uptick of blogspot.hk traffic a few years ago in May, that might have been me. I read Althouse because the idea of looking at politics as pageantry dovetails with my own sensibility. There is no one else writing about politics this way. At least no one alive. Maybe Althouse appeals to old guys because old guys come from an era where you didn't talk about politics and religion if you wanted to stay friends -- and staying friends was more important. Or maybe it's because time and culture has forced old guys to be observers of an alien spectacle -- despite their strong beliefs and long memories.; 1/29/18, 10:08 PM
Sebastian said...: Althouse is my daily fare, of course. As is commenting, pretty much: better than pencil-sharpening, healthier than stewing on the latest prog outrage, so worth a few minutes every day. Collectively, I'd like to think, we make this a more interesting place, at times one of the most interesting places on the web--not to be too high-minded about it, but I want to do my part to keep that going.

I do wish we got more smart lefties around here, and I miss some old-timers like Simon et al.; 1/29/18, 10:08 PM
sane_voter said...: I got involved with the blog world in the wake of 9/11. Instapundit was the king of the hill at the time followed by Steven Den Beste and some others. I remember Glenn would highlight Althouse posts quite often, and I wondered why does he seem to be pushing her on his readers so hard? I didn't follow a link to this blog for quite a while as a reflex, but I finally did and am forever grateful.

I also find it interesting that I never read the comments at Instapundit, but always read them here, except for skimming over some of the trolls.; 1/29/18, 10:10 PM
wildswan said...: I came here from Insty when the Walker election was going on and stayed because of the different subjects and the comments. Somehow they reach my imagination better than other sites.; 1/29/18, 10:14 PM
Pamela said...: Reader since 2007!; 1/29/18, 10:17 PM
Danno said...: I have Althouse up on a browser tab starting early (6:30 am) in the morning along with RCP for political stuff, and have the WSJ, Barron's and my investment accounts for my self-directed investment activities. I rarely close the Althouse tab, though on some days I don't keep up with her various posts during the day. It is going on four years since I retired, but I have been a frequent reader of Althouse since about 2008-2009. I don't always have time to comment and frequently catch up to some posts well after everyone has finished posting. There are very few topics that Ann raises that are of no interest to me.; 1/29/18, 10:18 PM
Lucien said...: I found Instapundit from Yahoo News right after 9/11 and found Althouse from Instapundit. Like others here, Althouse and Instapundit are my go-to links. I hit them daily except when I’m traveling. I comment occasionally but most often when I’ve been drinking, which can lead to wincing the next day when I see what I’ve posted!

I used to follow multiple bloggers but everyone but Althouse and Reynolds have fallen away. Some of the others went crazy (Charles Johnson, Andrew Sullivan, Oliver Willis) while some turned pro and rapidly became less interesting (Jane Galt, the Volokh Conspiracy, Kevin Drum). A few got pulled into other things (Jeff Goldstein of Protein Wisdom had to fend off a stalker, Josh Trevino left Tacitus to set up Redstate which never interested me).

Reynolds and Althouse remain because they continue to offer fresh takes on the news of the day, often with an angle that others don’t seem to find. They are amateurs in the best sense of the word - people who do something out of personal interest and dedication rather than for pay. Maybe that’s why they so consistently come up with unique and thoughtful reflections on events.; 1/29/18, 10:24 PM
Fred Drinkwater said...: I've been reading pretty much every post since I first came here from Insty soon after 9/11.
MadAsHell got my demo stats right. I guess I've achieved median-ness or something.
AA is my first read in the morning, from Silly Valley, France, Italy, or Greece.
I am very thankful for AA and her commentariat.; 1/29/18, 10:27 PM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: A google search show's I've been commenting here since January of 2008. I commented all of three times that year. I assume I've been reading for a bit longer than that.; 1/29/18, 10:27 PM
jimbino said...: The best thing about Althouse is the missing censorship and her flagging of firewalled NYT and WaPo links. All that and the absence of the annoying Facebook, Twitter and other social network icons on the page.

I only wish she could have installed some type of filter to screen out all ad hominem and tu quoque comments that manage to pollute the comments here as in most all other blogs.; 1/29/18, 10:31 PM
cold pizza said...: ;); 1/29/18, 10:31 PM
Sprezzatura said...: BTW, all you folks w/ your tabs need more and bigger monitors.

LG has a 42" 4k that is affordable (and has flexibility re inputs). Get a couple and open all sorts of stuff.

If ya can afford it, go w/ three Dell 32" 4k monitors for nice color.

If ya want the best (like me), even though there's no content, grab a few of the 8k Dells. Gorgeous.

IMHO.; 1/29/18, 10:33 PM
Mark said...: "I have wondered sometime how people - particularly all the 'regulars' - find time to comment on here."

Because some of us don't read Every. Single. Post. Just the ones we find of interest and even then not Every. Single. Word. That frees up a lot of time.

And hours upon hours are save by skipping over entirely the usual suspect commenters.; 1/29/18, 10:34 PM
gpm said...: Probably got here originally from Insty, which I've long since given up. Don't remember exactly when, but well before the 2008 election. My second read each day, after Slate (I know, I know, but how can you not love Prudie?). Don't necessarily read every post, but look at every title to see whether it seems interesting. Don't comment much, first, because I'm not much into mixing it up with people I know, let alone ones I don't (unless, you know, I'm being paid to write briefs or the like), and, second, taking after my old man (and taking into account, you know, work), I'm an afternoon/evening reader, and Althouse and friends are usually early morning posters, so the ship has usually sailed. Just occasionally post on mostly the cultural stuff (I'm just under three years younger than Althouse, so it's interesting to compare and contrast). Found it a lot more interesting pre-Trump, because the politics was only a relatively small portion and there was lots of other stuff. The personal back and forth in the comments can be amusing but quickly gets extremely tiresome.

--gpm; 1/29/18, 10:43 PM
Wince said...: One reason to avoid or be anonymous on Althouse and other blogs... the timestamp.

People could get in trouble if their true identity was linked to a comment with a specific time stamp during, say, working hours.

Ipso Fatso said...
Virgil, what name did your buddy post under?

Shouting?; 1/29/18, 10:45 PM
William said...: I read all the posts. I don't think that's much of a challenge. They're fun to read. I like the quirky entries. I can't find much novelty in life on my own. The comments are interesting too, and the comments about Hillary are especially entertaining. Hillary is the comic muse for many here......This blog is a pleasant way to enter the world in the morning. It's a laser pointer and I'm a dumber than average cat.; 1/29/18, 10:55 PM
Thuglawlibrarian said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/29/18, 11:23 PM
FWBuff said...: I’ve been reading Althouse since 2006, initially via InstaPundit and Taranto. She and Insty and Lileks are still my daily must-read blogs (although I always read Althouse first!). I thoroughly enjoy her incisive analysis and her cruel (but fair) neutrality, especially on legal and cultural topics. I don’t comment often because I don’t usually get a chance to read until the evenings after work. By then, there are tons of comments and most angles have been covered. I do enjoy the insights of many of you other commenters, though, and I think Althouse’s blog is unique in the good tension and maturity among (most of) the commenters and our hostess. I’ve read this blog from Ecuador, Honduras, and Hawaii, but usually from home in North Texas.; 1/29/18, 11:37 PM
SteveR said...: I am a daily 2004 vintage, less of a commenter now but it’s at the top of my favorites list.; 1/29/18, 11:37 PM
J said...: Just to round out the demographics, I’m a young married stay at home mom (former grad student nerd in lab sciences). Rarely comment, but regular reader since the Walker protests. This is my main news source, I’ve even given up Insty. I check in the morning with coffee, and read more in depth when putting kids to sleep, like now.; 1/29/18, 11:40 PM
Gahrie said...: I've been coming here since at least Nov of 2005...hard to believe it's been that long...one of the longest non-familial relationships of my life to be honest.; 1/29/18, 11:49 PM
Gahrie said...: What are you all wearing??

Khakis.; 1/29/18, 11:51 PM
Kirk Parker said...: What are we wearing?

Shorts. Duh.; 1/30/18, 12:05 AM
Guildofcannonballs said...: http://www.flowskills.com/the-8-elements-of-flow.html; 1/30/18, 12:08 AM
rcommal said...: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0QukRFVfJQ; 1/30/18, 12:10 AM
rcommal said...: I got to Althouse without, um, "Glenn", aka Instapundit (as I knew about Drudge way before blogging actually became a thing, as Althouse did, I assume, and way before Insty existed).

It's not worth it to me to bother to pinpoint it, now, so I'll just speculate in terms of my own past, so long ago, that I got clued into Althouse, way back in the day (and at least a year before I started e-mailing her, and then just a few months before I started posting comments at her site: and THAT I can pin-point exactly) due to a link via Terry Teachout and/or Jonah Goldberg and/or my very own curiosity, profound fascination with finding out and learning stuff, and excellent research skills far pre-dating, for just one example, Google. And pretty much everything else.; 1/30/18, 12:31 AM
rcommal said...: Man, I even remember getting advice from Althouse with regard to my son, who at that time was a pre-schooler. Now, he's verging on 18.

What the hell, Althouse? I mean, seriosly, old bloggers.; 1/30/18, 12:54 AM
rcommal said...: I've been coming here since at least Nov of 2005...hard to believe it's been that long...one of the longest non-familial relationships of my life to be honest.

1/29/18, 11:49 PM
Blogger Gahrie said...

What are you all wearing??

Khakis.

I am wearing a pair of jeans, an old long-sleeved T-shirt, and, of course, panties and a bra.

WTF?

What a determined, toxic Gahrie you are, Gahrie. Also, lazy.; 1/30/18, 1:10 AM
Breezy said...: I’ve read this blog off and on for a few years. Infrequent commenter.

The posts are more thought provoking here, which I enjoy. Comments are, as well. Reading the comments helps me to pass the time when I have insomnia, like right now...:). I should probably find a book, but the bits and pieces here are a good fit for me these days.; 1/30/18, 1:23 AM
rcommal said...: I mean, at a bare minimum, I have always paid attention. And sometimes noticed. And also am part of the history. This, for example:

http://althouse.blogspot.com/2009/08/commenting-from-mountaintop-we-are.html

Respectfully,

Lori; 1/30/18, 1:31 AM
rcommal said...: http://althouse.blogspot.com/2009/08/were-here-in-colorado-not-just-for.html#c705772961282659106; 1/30/18, 1:37 AM
grackle said...: I’ve been reading Althouse for several years. I comment when the mood suits me and the issue is interesting. Things are going so well for Trump that I no longer feel a need to defend him. Effective commenting requires research, research takes time and I would rather sit back and watch it all unfold – for now. A heavy reading day for me at this blog would be a scanning of maybe a 3rd of Althouse’s posts and reading fewer than that of the comments on any post I’ve read. I never been what I would call a “frequent commentor.”; 1/30/18, 1:46 AM
rcommal said...: reader_iam, rcommal, lori:

b. march 1961, indiana.

1961-1967 indiana

1967-1971 illinois

1971-1995 delaware

1995-2012 iowa

2012-2018 delaware

in terms of residency, anyway; 1/30/18, 1:59 AM
Achilles said...: Ann Althouse said...
It would be cool to be traveling and to notice that somebody was reading Althouse.

Lately I started commuting on the bus to SLU because a parking spot here costs 320$/month. I said I would read docs on the bus but I never do. Always reading blogs and a lot of that reading posts and comments here.

For the last few years reading the comments in the news is more illuminating than the actual news. I know they couldn't afford you but most publications could replace any one of their staff and improve their content if they added you as a contributor or whatever they call themselves now.; 1/30/18, 2:04 AM
rcommal said...: ’ve been reading Althouse for several years. I comment when the mood suits me and the issue is interesting. Things are going so well for Trump that I no longer feel a need to defend him. Effective commenting requires research, research takes time and I would rather sit back and watch it all unfold – for now. A heavy reading day for me at this blog would be a scanning of maybe a 3rd of Althouse’s posts and reading fewer than that of the comments on any post I’ve read. I never been what I would call a “frequent commentor.”

Oh, please. Of COURSE you were a frequent commenter at a particular time in this blog's life.

Oh. Yes. You. Were.

I know. Because I remember.; 1/30/18, 2:05 AM
rcommal said...: Also, I remember when Althouse was talking about her experience at Brookside Elementary School in Delaware (quite early in the Althouse blog history). There was a photograph attached, and she talked about how she was rebelling at the time. I totally got what she was experiencing at her very early age (because I'd experienced--or at least I THOUGHT that I'd experienced--a very similar thing, in Indiana, that she'd experienced in Delaware). Also, I knew exactly where Brookside Elementary School was, and also Brookside in general by, and well before, I encountered the Althouse blog. Not to mention the Charcoal Pit, among other "thangs" to which early Althouse blog referred.; 1/30/18, 2:14 AM
rcommal said...: Hey, from a similar era:

" http://ambivablog.typepad.com/ambivablog/2008/10/spin-can-make-you-nauseous.html "; 1/30/18, 2:53 AM
David said...: Be old. Wake up in the middle of the night. Like now.; 1/30/18, 3:22 AM
Saint Croix said...: She is the perfect hostess for a great party.

I have wondered sometime how people - particularly all the 'regulars' - find time to comment on here.

I had a career shift where I became a temp, often searching for new gigs or between gigs. It frees up time.

If I comment a lot, it means I have something important to do that I should be doing instead of commenting. So that’s how I find the time.

That's exactly right!

I often feel like I'm cheating while I'm at Althouse. I should be doing something productive or important or financially rewarding. Instead I show up here and play and have fun. Even when I'm worked up and agitated about something, underneath it I'm enjoying myself.; 1/30/18, 3:33 AM
Saint Croix said...: I don't comment all that often, but I can claim to have read every single post on Althouse since Glenn first pointed me to it in early 2004. That was during over 12 years of work (2004-2016) and now 2 years in retirement.

Wow! You got me beat. I feel like I'm here a lot but I'll bet I missed 10% of the fun.

I have read and commented from England, Scotland, Spain, MEXICO, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Bahamas, France, USVI, Dominican Republic and Canada.

I have posted from work while I was supposed to be working. More than once! Don't tell anybody.; 1/30/18, 3:39 AM
Saint Croix said...: If I was on the Supreme Court I would still show up here. But not as much.

If I am shooting a movie, I will not be here.

I go where I'm happy. I'm here a lot because it makes me happy.

Same with church. I used to skip church when I was a kid. Now I go to extra church.; 1/30/18, 3:45 AM
exhelodrvr1 said...: Generally just read the politically-oriented posts, and probably half of the comments - I skip over those of some commenters as I have found them not worth the time. When accessing the comments after the first time, I usually read from the bottom up as the quickest way to get to the last one I remember.; 1/30/18, 3:51 AM
Mr. D said...: I've started visiting off and on around '07, but really started paying attention during the Democratic freakout of '11. I grew up in Appleton and live in Minnesota now, so I especially appreciate the work you do in explaining what's going on across the St. Croix.; 1/30/18, 5:03 AM
Blake said...: I've been reading pretty much daily probably since 2004 or 05 with maybe four comments at most. Althouse actually front paged one of them, I think back in 2008. It was snark aimed at downtownlad that she found humourous. I was so pleased that I decided to end my commenting career on a high note (except for this one!). Thanks for the always interesting read, Althouse.; 1/30/18, 5:05 AM
Daniel Jackson said...: Like many, I began reading Althouse in 2006 through Taranto and Glenn Reynolds. I started blogging with Sense of Events covering Israel and the Middle East and was in desperate need for some rational thought Stateside.

However, it was not until I came to France that I became a steady, and then, daily reader. It was not simply high dissonance with local culture but my escalating horror of what was going on with US policy in the ME that necessitated grounding in some sort of clarity. That I began to find through the voices (the MANY voices) of the regular commentators on this blog. Listening to THAT show became my daily need for grounding: what WAS happening in the States that was driving the world.

The payoff was clearly material: I made a bit of change on this last election based on the voices on these pages.

It is not JUST Madame Althouse and her insights (and occasional School Marm warnings and comments to be nice); it is the regulars. It's like a cafe where people come, pay their table rent and talk the day away. Even the whiners (you know who you are) complete the picture; make the composition. An incredible display of intellect, bitchiness, and insight.

To translate from the French, "Me. I think you should seriously consider traveling about and meeting your followers about the globe. Me." Just saying. Travel, meet, blog, talk, learn. You could even VBLOG some of your conversations as well as write them. LET US SEE YOU occasionally, especially when you work.

You will be well received world wide.; 1/30/18, 5:08 AM
Humperdink said...: Just a shout out to the commenters I enjoy: Drago, Darrell, Michael the Surgeon, and Mockturtle.

The best part about the blog is AA does not censor.; 1/30/18, 5:31 AM
Rusty said...: Like Tim in Vermont I find time to come here because I'm supposed to be doing other things.
And other things bore me so I come here where I am not bored.
Thank you for not being boring.
The people here, with a few exception, are all know a lot and for the most part informed.
Except for Guildofcanonballs. Who is either insane or proof we are being visited by aliens.
I haven't decided yet.; 1/30/18, 5:48 AM
whitney said...: This is my 3rd site of the morning.

Local news
Instapundit
Althouse

And spellchecker wanted me to change Althouse to workhouse. That's funny; 1/30/18, 6:05 AM
Phil 314 said...: Ok, I take my comment back. Its 5am MST and no new posts.

Now what!; 1/30/18, 6:16 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Sorry, Phil.

I could see that problem developing as I made my coffee and toast.; 1/30/18, 6:31 AM
Ann Althouse said...: EDH wrote (and I had to delete some of it):

Shout and Crack used to go at it pretty hard. Shout used to tangle with a lot of people.

The Crack Emcee is on the radio again.
http://althouse.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-crack-emcee-is-on-radio-again.html

Shout was a musician.

"'I am,' I said/To no one there/And no one heard at all/Not even the chair."
A propos of the Clint Eastwood empty-chair performance, Palladian reminds us of that horrible Neil Diamond song.
http://althouse.blogspot.com/2012/09/i-am-i-saidto-no-one-thereand-no-one.html

Shouting Thomas said...
I'm a complete whore when it comes to music. I'll play just about anything the audience asks me to play.
But, we have to draw the line somewhere.
And the line is Neil Diamond.
Yes, Obama is the Neil Diamond of politics.

Thanks for all your great comments EDH!; 1/30/18, 6:31 AM
Kyzer SoSay said...: I began reading, and sometimes commenting here, back in 2008. Soon after, I moved to Illinois and life got busy so I found myself stopping by less and less. Then, around 2011 during the Wisconsin Democrat saga involving Walker, I realized that coming here to gain insight would be more reliable than the news, so I started again.

I've visited this blog from all over the US, but also Spain and Ireland. Spain was my honeymoon.

I used to work from home, and I'd always have an Althouse tab up, checking it often during the sometimes long breaks between work-related stuff. Now I work in an office, but I'm still here anyway. If someone has an issue with it, they've never told me.

As others mentioned, I tend to try and read the comments first, before leaving my own thoughts. This generally means, by the time I'm done, someone else has already posted something that is close enough to what I was going to add that there's no longer a need. I'm also quite a bit younger than the majority of the commenters here and sometimes I defer to the experience of the older folks. Except for the crazy ones. Or the boring ones.; 1/30/18, 6:43 AM
lonetown said...: and thanks for reading my bon mots!; 1/30/18, 6:48 AM
Quaestor said...: Virgil Hilts wrote: A good friend (who died a few months ago) posted here regularly and sometimes sparred with Ann. It was probably his favorite web site.

It sounds like you are describing Bob Ellison.; 1/30/18, 6:49 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "Shout and Crack used to go at it pretty hard. Shout used to tangle with a lot of people."

Shouting Thomas still comments once in a while.

Crack, I haven't seen, and I don't remember why he left. He was an excellent commenter and we gave him a lot of support. Maybe we were too nice to him! He's welcome to come back, but maybe he likes to go where he's not welcome. His shtick may require that.

I'll just always wonder what happened to Bissage. That's the commenter I most miss, perhaps because he was a friendly commenter, and one day he just stopped. No explanation. It makes you feel as though he died. I guess over the years, a number of commenters have died. Unlike the commenters like Shouting Thomas who announce that they're going away, those who die just stop showing up.; 1/30/18, 6:51 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: Finding time since 2005. (Meade was in that thread too.)

How? People have hobbies. This is mine.; 1/30/18, 6:54 AM
Rusty said...: "those who die just stop showing up."
Yeah. That's kind of how life works.
One day you're not there.
And if you were lucky a few people will say, "Where's so and so? I miss them."; 1/30/18, 6:57 AM
Curious George said...: I think I started following and commenting because of Walker, but I could be wrong. I just remember giving famed commenter garage mahal a lot of crap. I do know it's my first stop in the morning, and a regular drop throughout the day. I work from home and own my own business so the how is easy.; 1/30/18, 7:08 AM
Curious George said...: "Humperdink said...
The best part about the blog is AA does not censor."

Which is why so many conservative commenters are here I believe. Too much of the rest of the internet requires a hive mentality.; 1/30/18, 7:10 AM
Triangle Man said...: I miss Bissage too.; 1/30/18, 7:11 AM
show me one socialist success in world history said...: Maxed Out Mama - with regard to your thinking that the nasty political events of Wisonsin's liberals' attempts to overturn the results of an election are going national, they are.

This is probably the best summary of what is happening out there, at least that I am familiar with. http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2018/01/this-civil-war-my-south-carolina-tea.html

I read a lot, web-wide, and I am an occasional visitor and very infrequent commenter on our hostess' blog but I have not - nor aspired to - read all the comments.; 1/30/18, 7:17 AM
HowdyDoody said...: what happened to Laslo?; 1/30/18, 7:18 AM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Dunno how long I've been reading. Over 10 years. I try to comment when I have something to say that's not being said. What I hate to read is something that I can read a hundred other places. That's why Althouse and the comments section is worth the time.; 1/30/18, 7:18 AM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: As far as contrary commenters go, I always liked Robert Cook. Consistent, principled guy.; 1/30/18, 7:21 AM
Humperdink said...: Agree on R. Cook.; 1/30/18, 7:27 AM
show me one socialist success in world history said...: Wow! Just read the Neil Diamond comments from one of your commenters and must step in with a 40 year old memory of the free tickets I go while in the Army in Berlin to see him.

I was a rocker and only accepted the tickets because they were free and my girlfriend would most likely like the outing.

That concert, about 1977, blew me away and changed my attitude toward Diamond to one of strongly earned respect. I couldn't have imagined being entertained nonstop by a 60's fogie but to this day I remember the energy he put into personably entertaining the whole crowd, from "Cracklin' Rosie" to "I Am I Said".

Neil deserves respect for his wide catalog and his career long dedication to quality family entertainment the likes of which our country is in desperate need of again.; 1/30/18, 7:28 AM
Fernandinande said...: Michael K pontificated again...
I've been reading for about ten years but have cut way back on comments because of the nastiness of other commenters.

I'm sure those of us with unusually delicate sensibilities agree that tit-for-tat is quite unfair and uncalled for.; 1/30/18, 7:35 AM
Michael K said...: " I think you should seriously consider traveling about and meeting your followers about the globe."

When Cathy Seipp was alive and blogging, some of her commenters got together for lunch. It was fun. I commented there more than here and even the wild eyed lefties were courteous. One was the black gay guy who wrote the LA Times piece about Obama as the "Magic Negro." I've forgotten his name but I still have the bumper sticker I got for him from the "Scream" bookstore in SF.
I was at Cathy's funeral with Patterico but he has gone full TDS so I left his blog. Inga even quoted some of his nasty remarks about me. Too bad.

I began commenting on Kevin Drum's old blog "Calpundit. I followed him to Washington Monthly but in 2004, during the election campaign, the commenters there became really abusive and the "moderators" banned me and any conservative commenters (I think I was the last one). He later moved to Mother Jones which does not allow any difference of opinion.

Kevin was a real gentleman and I hope he recovers from his lymphoma. The blog won't even let me wish him well.

The Daniel Greenfield post at Zero Hedge is right. It began with Bush in 2000.; 1/30/18, 7:41 AM
Michael K said...: "I'm sure those of us with unusually delicate sensibilities agree that tit-for-tat is quite unfair and uncalled for."

I've ever fogured out iof you just hate doctors, like trumpit, or just me. You do need help.; 1/30/18, 7:43 AM
grackle said...: Oh, please. Of COURSE you were a frequent commenter at a particular time in this blog's life.

Like I posted - I comment when the mood suits me and the issue is interesting. I have been involved in several semi-long debates having to do with Trump. I think those are what the commentor may be remembering. I do not want to devote the time it would take to be a heavy commentor.

I remember Crack very well. He and I (and others) were involved in a debate on black reparation several years ago. He was so passionate in defending reparations that he moved my belief system on the subject, inspiring me to research the subject more deeply than before the debate. I still do not support reparations but I can certainly see why a person could be for them. I am much more sympathetic to those who are pro-reparation after that debate with Crack.; 1/30/18, 8:01 AM
Hey Skipper said...: Here's my guess......

Engineers, lawyers, and Dr. K.
50 plus years of age.
Predominantly male....I'll guess 80/20.
Home owners.
2.1 kids.
A dog.
A passing acquittance with firearms.

What did I miss?

Airline pilot, 62, male, white, renter, two kids, recently passed dog, acquainted with firearms.

I've been base in Germany for the last three years, before that a homeowner.

I'd say you nailed it.

I've been visiting pretty much daily for the last couple years after seeing enough links to Althouse to figure where there is smoke, there must be fire. I almost never comment, due to insufficient cleverness, and almost never having anything to add.; 1/30/18, 8:13 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: “Yep, first two sites I open when I get the time are AA & Insty, simultaneously in two tabs. AA always loads first, because Insty got so much advertising goop on it it. AA's site is much leaner & meaner from an HTML point of view, for which, Prof. Althouse, I am eternally grateful.”

I have up the same maybe 8 tabs up on whatever platform I am using: 3 iPads, 2 laptops, 2 desktop computers. It goes: Drudge; Instapundit, Volokh, Althouse... Started with Volokh, since I knew him personally from Cyber Law conferences and listserve groups. Somehow from there, I found Instapundit, Althouse, and Legal Insurrection, because they are all run by (moderate to libertarian) law profs. Tried some left wing law profs I know, and they are indistinguishable from other leftist lunatics. Moved away from Volokh when they were at the WaPo, thanks to constantly running out of my free pages for the month. Moving back, but some of his bloggers seem deep in TDS. And Drudge seems to have lost his edge. Besides, you go there to see what is breaking in the world, and I don’t have that urgency anymore. Which leaves Instapundit and Althouse as the two I constantly refresh throughout the day. Interestingly though, Instapundit loads a lot faster for me than Althouse, so, I will start him reloading, then Althouse, go back to Instapundit, catch up there, then go back here, and catch up, firing off new tabs for what I think might be interesting comment threads. The comment threads load fast, faster than anything else, even Drudge, if you just go with the comments themselves. Not sure what Ann has on her blog that loads so slowly for me - her analytics maybe?

I don’t know why, but I like Ann’s comment threads better than any others that I have found. A lot get very insular. She somehow has brought in an eclectic crowd, which I like. Feels like a community that I enjoy belonging to.

As for time to comment - I have the time now. Mostly retired, but there were 5-6 years awhile back where I was working a lot, traveling a lot (broke 100 flights a year a couple of years), and still kept up. I blame a lot of it on my partner, who has enough issues that I can’t really get involved in anything full time. Luckily, financially, that isn’t a problem, at least right now. Mostly retired, but working on some income opportunities that I can do mostly from home. Got a guy who wants me to do some overflow patent work, which means that he has to deal with the clients, the traveling, etc, and I can just power through it when I have nothing better to do (patent work typically means much longer lead times than most other legal work - drop dead deadline on patent prosecution is usually 6 months if you pay the penalties, 3 months if you don’t).

Finally, I seem to comment most late at night. Or early in the morning, depending on your point of reference. For many decades, I have engaged in “two sleep” sleeping, where I wake up in the middle of the night for a couple hours, then go back to sleep. Apparently quite common in colonial America, esp during the long winter nights. Used it for studying for law school, back almost 30 years ago. Can’t really go anywhere. Which anymore seems to mean reading blogs and commenting on them, esp here.; 1/30/18, 8:50 AM
Jaq said...: LG has a 42" 4k that is affordable (and has flexibility re inputs). Get a couple and open all sorts of stuff.

I took a big monitor and put it vertical on an artist’s easel. That’s what monitors should be. I started doing that while coding since I have the attention span of a gnat, and I needed to see all of the code I was working on. I also constantly have to look at my hole cards when playing poker, err, I mean giving money away to my friends.; 1/30/18, 8:50 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: “I've ever fogured out iof you just hate doctors, like trumpit, or just me. You do need help.”

Maybe some of them do, a bit. Arrogant bunch of SOBs with god complexes. Which I can safely say, given the number of doctors I know (my yearly male bonding ski trips used to have 4-5 MDs, plus the dean of a pharmacy school - which was humorous when they all completely missed the proper diagnosis when I had HAPE, despite us camping at 11-12k feet). But here, I think that it is more personal for you. Most of the doctors I know are not that well read, out of their fields. You are. Maybe one of the best read among us. You don’t suffer fools well though, and that is maybe why some of the leftists here go after you personally. Plus, they know it gets to you. Making things worse, you have probably forgotten more about health care delivery than most of us know, and that doesn’t play well with the leftists here who are sold on socialized medicine, backed Obamacare, etc.; 1/30/18, 9:04 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: “Engineers, lawyers, and Dr. K.
50 plus years of age.
Predominantly male....I'll guess 80/20.
Home owners.
2.1 kids.
A dog.
A passing acquittance with firearms.”

- got both engineer and lawyer together here as a patent attorney
- predominantly male
- maybe 3 months older than Ann
- we own two homes, except my partner has one, I have the other, and we switch back and forth, summer in MT, winter in AZ
- only 1 kid of my own, but she has 2, plus 5 grandsons. Need a granddaughter for all the girly stuff she has and my mother had.
- no dogs. Something we talk about a bit. Problem is we that would need >= 2 large dogs for mutual protection from coyotes, bear, and mountain lion in MT, but don’t have that much room in AZ.
- probably can guess the answer to the firearms point, with my comments last night about planning on going to the range today.; 1/30/18, 9:16 AM
MadisonMan said...: I don't know when I started. I remember the Egg Salad Challenge fondly. I once had a picture I took on the blog. I think that was '08?

Work keeps me pretty busy, but I still find time. Like others, if I'm posting a lot, it means I'm avoiding doing something at work.; 1/30/18, 9:27 AM
Linda said...: I always start my day with Althouse - on vacation or at home. Last week and this week I happen to be enjoying the beautiful mountain air skiing in Steamboat Springs Colorado. Next week I will be back in Madison. I don't always read every post, but I certainly read those that appeal to me. I so appreciate the thought provoking posts and love the fact that through this blog I realize that I am not alone! Madison can be a very lonely place to live if you are not a progressive liberal. I keep quite during most political conversations - every one (and I am really trying not to over exaggerate) that I encounter just assumes that if I am friends with them . . . well I must agree with them politically - doesn't everyone? . . . whether the discussion is about Governor S Walker, President D Trump, tax reform or immigration.
A few weeks ago, I was attending in indoor bike class and the playlist included "Fight Song" - the two women behind me were swooning - "oh I can still see Hillary walking across the stage whenever I hear this song - I get goose bumps". And all I am thinking was - 'you have got to be kidding' - thank goodness Hillary did not win the election. Last year right after the election, women in my Pilates class were offering condolences to each other - they were so shocked and depressed just didn't know what to do, how could this have happened? - hugs and very sad faces were common.
Thanks for accepting that not everyone thinks the same!
Keep up the great work Althouse.; 1/30/18, 9:33 AM
Ipso Fatso said...: One of the great names in former commenters here: Capt. Hate. Wherever you are I hope you are doing well.; 1/30/18, 9:37 AM
Michael K said...: "You don’t suffer fools well though, and that is maybe why some of the leftists here go after you personally"

I agree and that is one reason I cut way back on commenting.

What is odd about Fernandistein is that I agree with most of her posts and don't think she is a lefty.

It's got to be personal in some way but it sure seems odd. trumpit is more understandable.

Oh well, I am reading three books and have plenty to do.

I have a lefty daughter and sent her a copy of Jordan Peterson;'s book, wondering if she would even read it.

She called me yesterday to tell me how much she loves it. There is hope in the world.; 1/30/18, 9:37 AM
Bill Peschel said...: Can't remember when I started here. I was online in the mid-90s through my newspaper job. Put up my own site a few years later, and through Google Reader read a ton of blogs.

I've had to cut back because I'm writing more, but Althouse is one of my few long-term reads. I start with Lileks in the morning, and through feedly keep up with Insty, Ace, Althouse, a lot of online webcomics, books and literature and Guido Fawlks for British politics.; 1/30/18, 9:50 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: I was twenty-five when I started commenting here. Yow! What a difference in life experience between then and now. This blog has, no doubt, been formative to my adulthood. How strange! Good thing I wandered in here and not somewhere else.; 1/30/18, 9:51 AM
Birches said...: So I think Lazlo morphed into jj who was formerly Betamax.; 1/30/18, 10:02 AM
Birches said...: Also there are two grackles.; 1/30/18, 10:03 AM
Ipso Fatso said...: I too wish Crack MC would come back. He was annoying but had a unique view on many subjects. He made me think which is a high compliment.; 1/30/18, 10:16 AM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Fernandistein said...
Michael K pontificated again...
I've been reading for about ten years but have cut way back on comments because of the nastiness of other commenters.

I'm sure those of us with unusually delicate sensibilities agree that tit-for-tat is quite unfair and uncalled for.

1/30/18, 7:35 AM

How proud those of us with normally coarse, indelicate insensibilities must be, then, to batten on them! Of course, the Hatfields and the McCoys went on for generations. I wonder if the later scions clearly recalled the casus belli.; 1/30/18, 10:28 AM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Oh this:

Tim in Vermont said...
LG has a 42" 4k that is affordable (and has flexibility re inputs). Get a couple and open all sorts of stuff.

I took a big monitor and put it vertical on an artist’s easel. That’s what monitors should be. I started doing that while coding since I have the attention span of a gnat, and I needed to see all of the code I was working on. I also constantly have to look at my hole cards when playing poker, err, I mean giving money away to my friends.

1/30/18, 8:50 AM

Look at the Dell 43" 4K. Also Dell has a 34" curved widescreen that is quite nice, not quite 4k at 3440x1440, but snazzy all the same.; 1/30/18, 10:31 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: Also missed: Chip Ahoy and Seven Machos.; 1/30/18, 10:50 AM
Saint Croix said...: not knowing if people have passed away or if they've just chosen to go elsewhere with their commenting time.

That's actually a thing called the Irish Goodbye where you take off without saying goodbye to anybody.

I forgot where I read that. I was like, holy shit, I do that.

I've done that a few times at Althouse.

Always come back, though.

That's probably because I'm Scotch-Irish. My Scotch blood is going, "You mean it's free? Holy shit! What a great value."; 1/30/18, 12:28 PM
Darcy said...: I read for years without commenting (way too intimidated) but finally jumped in, I think in 2007, and found a wonderfully warm community during a bad time in my life. I was horrible phony, then. (Ugh.) Grateful to have met a handful of that community IRL. All very much like their online personas. Including the fascinating Chip Ahoy. He is even more interesting in person. I mentioned to him that I believed he was missed here and he seemed genuinely surprised by that! Hope he doesn't mind my sharing that.

I miss the 2007-2010ish? commentariat, my God, what a brilliant bunch, but enjoy reading this current community including the few still here from that era.

The departure of Bissage has haunted me because I was unkind to him here just before he left. Words matter, and you mattered, Bissage. I'm so sorry, wherever you are.; 1/30/18, 1:04 PM
Ipso Fatso said...: I want to add to something I said earlier in reference to Crack MC, because it goes double for Althouse: She makes me think. To me that is one of the many reasons to stop by here and continue reading. I am glad that Ann is not a reflexive "conservative." In many cases I disagree on her take on things but there are times where she will see an issue in a way I would never have viewed it and put it in a context that I would never have considered. That is fun and Ann, I thank you for that.; 1/30/18, 1:23 PM
Jim at said...: Bay Area Guy - there have been many high points in this blog's increasingly long life, but the coverage of the WI Walker hysteria definitely stands out. - MoM

Indeed.; 1/30/18, 1:41 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Chef Mojo; 1/30/18, 2:00 PM
langford peel said...: Self congratulation is not a good look.; 1/30/18, 2:27 PM
bagoh20 said...: I'm one of the commenters who died, but I'm feeling better now. Hell is not what you would expect. It's a dry heat. I repair air conditioners down here. It's a living.; 1/30/18, 2:36 PM
MadisonMan said...: Also missed: Sippican. And -- senior moment -- the guy who lived in NYC (Not Trooper York but I miss him too). Started with a P?

Ah yes, Palladian.; 1/30/18, 3:03 PM
langford peel said...: The Crack Emcee is gone but not forgotten. As is Shouting Thomas. Sippican Cottage. Sir Archy. The Blogging Cockroach. Jeremy. Downtownlad. Loafing Oaf. Ruth Ann Adams. Seven Nachos. Pastifarian. Palladin. Zachery Sire. Maxine Weiss.

Sometimes it seems there are more former commenters than current ones.

Did somebody go and kill them all?

(This was previously posted but then deleted. I wonder if the mere names of former contributors is enough to drive the moderator mad?); 1/30/18, 3:33 PM
langford peel said...: I also miss Shiloh and Ritmo. Jeremy.Loafing Oaf. Some of the other liberals. They were vastly entertaining.; 1/30/18, 3:39 PM
langford peel said...: I think that the Crack Emcee got a job at ESPN.; 1/30/18, 3:45 PM
Jim at said...: I also miss Shiloh and Ritmo

They're still here, albeit under different names.
You can always tell because the thread goes to complete crap.; 1/30/18, 3:57 PM
Birches said...: Chip Ahoy was awesome! Sigh.; 1/30/18, 6:26 PM
Saint Croix said...: Also missed...Seven Machos.

With the wrestling mask!

If I was losing an argument I would start calling him Nachos.; 1/30/18, 7:23 PM
rcommal said...: It would be cool to be traveling and to notice that somebody was reading Althouse.

Weirdly, Althouse, I had that experience one time. We had stopped at a way-station in Missouri, just past Iowa, on the way to Kansas City, WAY back in the day. I sat down at a two-person table (because it was crowded, and a two-person table--even though we were three, including my then-young child--was all that was available), and the person at the two-person table next to mine had displayed on a laptop ... your site.

In the interest of full disclosure, I can't say that I would have remembered that had I not ALSO accidentally thrown my iPod Nano into the trash when I dumped stuff from my food tray and then didn't realize it until, oh, some akin to 45 miles later. That said, for whatever reason, the experience got burned into my brain, where it resides unto this day.

Of course, it goes without saying, that's nothing like what you're talking about, as proprietor of this blog you are. Still, it's an example of connection, innit (as Chip Ahoy used to write)?; 1/30/18, 7:43 PM
rcommal said...: For those who enjoy Chip Ahoy, there's always this: http://thingsimadethenate.blogspot.com/

And he's been prolifically blogging at http://comonocreerendios-lem.blogspot.com/ for a long time now.; 1/30/18, 7:50 PM
rcommal said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/30/18, 8:11 PM
rcommal said...: I miss Bissage, too, by the way. Of course, Bissage got terrifically used and abused elsewhere as a tool to whack Althouse, and I've always wondered if that's why Bissage left. While, unlike Darcy, I do NOT think I was unkind to Bissage, I do, however, have to wonder/still to do have to wonder if I, too, though for a different reason, played a part in that person's/persona's departure.

_____

Other [not anywhere close to a complete list, much less a comprehensive one, and not in any particular order, with the exception of the first] earlier-ish Althouse denizens whom I miss:

Internet Ronin (died years ago)

Beth [Elizabeth]

Pooh

Icepick

Bit Maestrom

Sippican

Blogging Cockroach

chickenlittle

Theo Boehm

Ruth Anne Adams

Trooper York (earlier incarnations)

amba

Darcy

Irene

RLC

Irene

Chris

John

lmeade

Victoria

DBQ

Bill (of So Quoted)

Jason [the commenter]

XWL

annie

palladian

....... and so many more

[as I said, not comprehensive]; 1/30/18, 8:16 PM
langford peel said...: I thought Sippican Cottage was the best commenter.

He left never to return and deleted all of his posts.

That tells you something.; 1/31/18, 12:35 AM
Darcy said...: Lori, I miss you too! Always enjoyed your stream of consciousness style. Hope you are well.

Bitmaelstrom, chickenlittle, Jason (the commenter), Victoria, MichaelHaz, Ron, and sometimes RuthAnne are on Twitter. I'm uncommentari on there if anyone wants to say hello. I miss Theo Boehm! I think he was Sir Archy and the blogging cockroach. What genius those personas were. Along with the unique and wonderful blog posts, what a rich commenting history this blog has! I don't think there has been or will be anything else like it.

When my husband and I went to meet Chip, I had to try to explain to him our history and it just can't be done very well if you have not read this blog. He's still shaking his head, but I think the connection I displayed in the presence of Chip was very interesting to him nonetheless.

I have been blessed by the discovery of this blog and community. Thanks, Althouse.; 1/31/18, 9:23 AM
rcommal said...: @Darcy

I think he was Sir Archy

He was.; 1/31/18, 10:12 PM