This is our semi-occasional-once-in-a-blue-moon thread for reader suggestions. Please tell us what we can do better, from comment handling to annoying advertising, to sidebars and navigation. And of course, how we can improve our content. Or, talk about whatever the hell you want on this open thread.
Right Pundits blogs are in a lucky position to be read by almost 10 million visitors so far in August. Here as everywhere, only a tiny fraction of visitors bother to comment. But without visitor comments which engage, challenge, and sometimes even heckle us, we are like performers talking on radio rather than in front of a live audience. Help us improve!
Meanwhile, your two-cents counts for two-cents. Right Pundits will donate two-cents for every comment made to the Republican National Committee.
This thread is prompted by some good ideas offered by LA Cajun on this thread.
July 25th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Keep in mind we also have a very open comment system, we have thus far resisted any efforts to require folks to register before they can post, which a lot of blogs are doing.
Mdelf mentioned that the site doesn’t save his name when he posts, I think that has to do with cookies and such, not the site. At least, for me it always has my name there, even when I’m not logged into WordPress.
But I would love to see what others think, anything we can do to make the experience here more engaging we should look at. You guys telling me how stupid and inane my posts are is what keeps me writing them.
July 25th, 2009 at 11:57 am
it does not save my login info either. it used to, but stopped some time ago. i have to retype it in every time.
i think you should add an open thread that can be a running discussion
finally, if you must page comments, can you make it so that you automatically go to the last page. it is annoying to have to double click to get to the most current comments.
July 25th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Brian,
I did a little research and you are right. I need to enable cookies. I am working on that. My wife actually did something to the computer. Now, I have to undo what she did without her knowing.
I will echo Lisab’s comments.
McCain – You are good! Very good! You smell an opportunity here and are going to take full advantage of it. There are more defectors waiting. Make this a place where harrassment won’t stand and you will get more active commentors. You know who I am talking about. She is a site killer. Lisab’s comments in one of the threads below detailed that perfectly. Honestly, Lisa, I think your really mad at the Rino’s over there, not the libertarians.
July 25th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
So if I post 10,000 comments in August that means….
July 25th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Okay good good. We have to page comments but how about last comments displayed first?
We can try open threads, so let’s make this the first one.
MDefl, we’re starting it already and will keep going til two-cents breaks us. It’s a long, long way until election so we can do our part.
BTW, This isn’t about HR, and I don’t want any defectors. Only liberals believe that pies cannot be expanded. So NO, stick with Dave’s site. It’s one of the best on the net. Besides Dave will take care of business by banning so and so. No worries!
July 25th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
McCain – you should make this offer over at HHR. You definitely will get more people to comment just based on the RNC contribution. I have continued to read all the stuff. I just have not commented much. That will change.
July 25th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Mdelf, how about you make the offer, we don’t want to poach
But we don’t mind if you do 
July 25th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
The best thing you could do is shut down. There are too many lies and liars out there already.
July 25th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I thought the comments like the one in 8 would have stopped after I left? I guess not.
July 25th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
And yet you keep coming back and posting, Klo. Thank you for your continued support and patronage.
July 25th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Klo,
In August, make sure you tell these guys and gals who run the site that they are awful people. Do it at least 15x a day.
July 25th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Hey, liberals are welcome here. Klo, what do you suppose would happen if I posted on DU or Kos? I’ll tell you (because it’s already happened) they ban all conservative voices on those sites.
July 25th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
klo,
do you see the ads on the site?
when you post here you make McCain money.
perhaps you did not see the picture of himself he had up before — on his sail boat! you make him money.
July 25th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
one key thing i suggest about open threads is do NOT let every thread be an open thread, thus the term.
HHR went down hill when Dave “retired” and stopped monitoring threads. now every thread is just a loooooooooong post by the author, followed by maybe 3 posts on topic and 200 posts on why sarah palin is the stupidest human being on the face of the earth.
July 25th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
that said, one of the reasons i have not posted here so much is the lack of an open thread. often i am not that interested in the topics posted.
the HHR has a long history of an active open thread, and i think it would give you a heads up when something breaks in the news if nothing else.
July 25th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Lisa, I think you described Hot Air, Ace of Spade and just about every other conservative site out there right now.
I will try to start a daily open-thread topic and keep it moderated, I think it’s a good idea.
July 25th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
“I am serious. What you described was your issus with Chekoti. She called me a Naz* yesterday and I want her banned completely. No one has any respect for her. As for Wes and the 1 or 2 others, hey you can handle that. ” MDefl
actually i was also serious. i considered your points before i made my decision. you may remember i was the one who refused to sign the petition to ban chekote.
the reason i left was not the continuous personal attacks against me by the libertarians. they were snide and personal, but for the most part i ignored them.
the reason i left, was that it really is a libertarian or faux libertarian site now. Polaris is a real libertarian; he can articulate why he thinks something even if we do not agree.
libertariangirl is a faux libertarian. she pretends to be for individual rights and non-government intervention, but i will bet you … um … ok … i will go back to hhr and post that tm the toady is brilliant if libertariangirl came out strongly against obama’s interfering in the police issue in boston.
i am absolutely positive she sees nothing wrong with what obama did. why? because there is no way she would ever, ever, go against obama especially if it involves discrimination. she benefits from affirmative action so i would bet my last dollar she thinks it is perfectly acceptable for the president of the usa to involve himself in a local issue.
July 25th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
so to continue, i left because the HHR now is just about libertarians and faux libertarians trying to dominate the GOP or perhaps split it up.
a libertarian digs up some story about a whacky Christian running off with his mistress from Argintina — and suddenly all Christians are hypocrites and should be dumped from the party, because things like loyalty to your family and good character have no place in politics!!!
well sorry, but i am not against obama because he is inefficient with our money — though that plays a part of course. i am against obama because i think he is a sexist pig and now borderline racist given the last few days.
i do not care how efficiently he runs the country. if he keeps people from going to the best schools and jobs because of their race — or if fire fighters who pass the test cannot be promoted because they are white … then it does not really matter to me at all what the inflation rate is.
July 25th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
so finally, i left because i did not want to argue with them and just give credence and attention to their arguments.
when i argued with tm the toady it was because he was spewing honest to godness dem talking points. the dems are the ruling party. what they say matters.
what the fringe libertarians say matters not at all, so why bring attention to it?
thus i left
July 25th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
well I was looking for the open thread hanging from out of my screen, but I don’t see it yet. Is there another window I have to click?
July 25th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
It’s interesting, sounds kinda like what happened at Little Green Footballs. Charles Johnson kinda went nuts on anyone who was a creationist and banned them. Won’t allow any discussion and tries to lump all Christians as whack jobs. Sad, it used to be a good blog.
July 25th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Yes, it’s right next to your cup-holder Brian (aka CD Rom).
July 25th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
“Won’t allow any discussion and tries to lump all Christians as whack jobs”
yup …
a favorite thing now is to dig up a story about some creationist claiming the earth is 6,000 years old … and then saying, “see … do you really want sarah palin running the GOP?”
July 25th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
i should be clear, i never have been part of the gop
(but i did vote for Palin)
July 25th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
here is a good example.
i am against private gun ownership, with perhaps a few exceptions. in backwoods alaska with grizzely bears wandering around … ok …
i am also in favor of voting for candidates that are pro-life … i am basically catholic.
however, as a LIBERAL, i realize that BOTH gun ownership and freedom of religion are protected rights.
why is it that libertarians can understand the right to bear arms but not the freedom to vote based on your religious beliefs?
July 25th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Lisab,
You called Libertarian Girl’s reaction to copgate perfectly. Assuming you have not been back to HHR since then, I am very impressed.
I take your points. However, it is really Chekoti who is responsible. She is NOT a libertarian however she attacks Palin and Christians on a continual basis. She has said that she will come here and ask you back. Oddly, she seems to think you like her.
Anyway, I am taking a break from HHR for a while. Heck, at 2 cents a post to the RNC, it pays to post here in August. I will probably go back but not if Chekoti is still hanging around. Funny, that the person who is OK with mass genocide should refer to me as a Naz*.
July 25th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
McCain,
Have you figured out how to get the site to be PDA friendly? As you know, I travel a lot for work and use my black berry for internet access. HHR’s PDA site is what drove me to them in the first place.
July 25th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
MDefl, we are very close to that solution. We have Mark Jaquith on our team who is one of the foremost Wordpress experts in the world, but that particular item is in our list of “B” priorities. I expect to have a solution implemented in August.
“why is it that libertarians can understand the right to bear arms but not the freedom to vote based on your religious beliefs?”
That’s not consistent with libertarian beliefs. There is no official position by the Libertarian Party on God matters, however their emphasis is on personal liberty when ideals conflict.
July 25th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
That’s not consistent with libertarian beliefs. There is no official position by the Libertarian Party on God matters, however their emphasis is on personal liberty when ideals conflict.
Bingo! That is the point I have been trying to make to Lisab. They are NOT libertarians at HHR. They are pure RINO’s. There are only a few but they create havoc at times.
July 25th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
klo adds some balance to all the unhingedness around here. She has gut common sense.
July 25th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Brian,
We you guys have your recess, do they let you watch Sesame Street or a show from the Disney Channel? What is the protocol these days?
July 25th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
/facepalm
July 25th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
I am even trying, albeit failing, to type in his style.
July 25th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
see when all you have to retort is insults and namecalling, that means by just rules, I win the argument. Frankly, your weakness in presenting a cogent, nonbiased, logical and insightful, energizing argument, are absolutely astounding—-just pure facts here. you just want to win. You have no vision, no solutions to people problems. just blame, just say no, … I want to improve people’s lives for real. big diff.
July 25th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
“That’s not consistent with libertarian beliefs. There is no official position by the Libertarian Party on God matters, however their emphasis is on personal liberty when ideals conflict.”
yeah, that is why i referred to them as faux libertarians.
however, the ones on HHR will say things like, “all federal laws must stem from the constitution”
but
religious freedom seems not to be included in that statement.
that is why i never had a problem with Polaris. he is a true libertarian and a atheist, but he still respects religious freedom including the right to be an atheist.
July 25th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
MDefl,
i wrote this below, but i will repeat it here.
Brian is psychotic (really).
he once referred to himself as a first source dictionary! if you want to have some fun, ask him to explain to you … oh … the relationship of quantum physics to … playboy magazine.
July 25th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
i went over to HHR briefly today to see what Victr was talking about …
wow, the site has crashed and burned.
libertarians gone wild.
July 25th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Dammit, this thread is costing us 74 cents already.
LisaB, with all due respect, libertarians just never go wild. That’s like picturing John McCain in bed.
July 26th, 2009 at 5:59 am
I see that MDefl is here spreading his “version” of what happened. The Nazi comment was a joke in the same vein as Seinfeld’s SoupNazi routine. MDefl has a habit of constantly trying to micromanage the flow of conversations but issuing directives as to who can the group speak to; or what to post. For example, he went ballistic when I posted a recent poll showing the high negatives Palin has. So I made a joke about him being a dictator. A Thread Nazi. And he has been wailing ever since like a spoiled brat. Interestingly, MDefl found no problem when his friend spread false rumours about me. No outrage then. So he is a brat and a hypocrite.
lisab, TimV misses you a lot. I think you should continue to post at HHR just for that.
July 26th, 2009 at 7:12 am
Dump the flash ads – I (and I’m sure others) block them anyway. If your going to have multiple ads on the article\comment page don’t place it at the very top.
The site loads on the slow side, always has for me,try and improve that a bit.
Rework the method for finding prior posts, categorize by date or month or something. Something that makes it easy to load a page that has the last week’s worth of posts.
“We have to page comments but how about last comments displayed first?”
—
I’d would vote not do that, I find it one of the more annoying things on the web, though I would paginate in far bigger chunks, somewhere between at least 50 and 100 comments per page. paging though more then 1-3 pages for a popular thread is almost as annoying as reading the thread backwards.
-my2cents.
July 26th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
“That’s like picturing John McCain in bed.”
today’s john mccain or the 40 year old john mccain?
he was pretty hot when he got off the plane from vietnam.
he is scary now, but … he was all slim and muscular …
navy pilots are by far the hottest … marines are more fit, but marine uniforms are ugly.
July 26th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
i just heard this obama economy is causing divorces on fox news
July 26th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Chekote, I can see you are from their parrellel universe blogdashery, and you see the little brattiness in them. I couldn’t disagree, so You may well be right, and they may well be wrong. Here they play leapfrog with each other to attack any and all fresh ideas. Their tools are embarrass someone, name call, humiliation, and guy manipulation. Its preschool on steroids.
July 26th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
McCain and Beth,
You know me and you have worked with me in the past. I am a rational person. Having said that, the poster in #39 will ruin this site if you allow her unfettered access. She is a plant from the Daily Kos whose only role is to try and sow discord within Republicans.
July 26th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Mdelf, we’ll make you the official RP flyswatter.
July 26th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
BMac,
I am serious. I am all about debating with Dems and Libs and even nut jobs at times. That person is in a category all her own. Ask Lisab. If you want every thread to be about how Palin is destroying the GOP and how we need to be pro-choice, then encourage her to come her. She won’t stop either. She will post the same thing 50 or 60 times in a day. It is really, really strange. I honestly believe that she is a plant from Kos.
She is clearly unbalanced although not like Brian. She probably suffers from a massive insecurity complex and multiple neuroses.
July 26th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Well, I’ve deleted comments that don’t stay on topic. That’s the other rule, please stay on post topics for the most part. We allow some leeway, but if you are here just to hector without making much of a point, we’ll deal with that. Thanks for the heads up.
July 26th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Mdelf, your falling into the trap of playing psychiatrist, just cause lisab does, but its really very rude, especially when you don’t know what your talking about. If you want to get to aparticular topic point then just put it back there. There is no point in making the same exact topic point over and over, so its good to graze the wider areas of the pasture at times. There is no one way. But just running around diagnosing people who have independent thougths is pathetic. They simply have to rise to the challenge of making some kind of workable point others can reflect off of.
July 27th, 2009 at 5:18 am
Hey guys, I know I’m late to the party here, and maybe someone else has mentioned this. But please get rid of the talking ads. It’s tough to blog at work when the browser yells “Congratulations!” to me every time I refresh a page.
The comment system in general is very good. Flexible but civil.
July 27th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Lib and Conservative should be able at the end of the day should be able to go and have beverage of your choice.
There are so many libs that come here and drop bombs and then leave.
I love a good debate and have called names before. Sometimes there just is no debating with Liberals and my frustration fuse had gotten shorter as I have gotten older. But when all the Liberals do is blame others and offer no solutions, what is the point.
I came here last year during the campaign and now write here also. It has been an eye opener foe me. I have dicovered that I am a lot more conservative then some here. It must be a southern thing.
July 27th, 2009 at 10:00 am
I loved the post by the lib who commented here that the site should be shut down. I think ITS name was Klo. Then IT posted another 20 times or so.
Newsflash – It can be closed to you if you do not come here.
Still, I encourage you to do so because the RNC gets a donation every time you visit.
July 27th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Liberals always want to stop the debate because they have no chance of winning.