A Few Housekeeping Rules

Hi everyone--just a post on a few housekeeping rules for this blog. As many of you know, I do not like to delete or block commenters here but do so on occassion and will do so more readily if comments disinegrate into insults. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) there are just a few commenters who try to ruin threads for everyone. The majority of you are thoughtful, kind, provocative and downright humorous. This blog is meant to be a place where people can feel free to share their opinions and thoughts that may not be politically correct and of course, for disagreement but--please--do so in a civil fashion.

In addition, many of you email me with links and articles that I very much appreciate. If I post on the topic, I will typically give a hat tip to "a reader" or use the reader's first name only or sometimes the commenter's name if I pick up a commenter's link or comment in a thread. I usually do not use full names unless someone has a blog already and I link to it, uses their full name online anyway or tells me to use their name. Some of you have written me and told me never to use your name first or otherwise, others have wondered why I did not post their full name and still others don't send any name at all. Please specify in your email what you wish but by defalt, you will be called a "reader."

And now, a warning--believe it or not, I am not following every thread in this blog 24/7--so these threads are not always monitored nor do I wish to spend all of my time this way. As I assume commenters here are adults who can handle themselves without intervention, I try not to interfere too much. That includes responding to requests in the posts for some kind of "debate." I have no problem answering questions if I feel they are asked in good faith and I have something to add. However, those commenters who come on in a snarky fashion and think that I am somehow required to respond to every fascinating insult they care to throw out need to get their own platform.

Finally, I have had many complaints about the confusion that anonymous commenters are causing on threads, particularly those with more comments. I can typically tell people apart but it gets hard after awhile and obviously, the anonymous option gives many of those with less then decent intentions a way to insult and annoy others. There are upsides to the anonymous option, however, which includes those of you who work in certain jobs and settings who want to share your views but do not want to be identified in any way. This is perfectly understandable. So I leave it to the readers here to leave a comment and let me know what you think of the anonymous option. Remember that blogger would require all to register should that option be restricted--and this may cause some very fine people not to post. Thanks in advance for any input or suggestions you might have.