By popular demand -----

I have been inundated by a chorus of complaints that a ban on "comments" is stifling SST.  I yield.  pl

Comments

[semiconscious]

thank you, colonel. for this, & for all your efforts...

[Alan]

Thank god! I have never commented - I enjoyed the comments of others.

With this latest false flag chemical attack in Syria - and trump tweeting threats not just to Assad but to president Putin we are seeing a dangerous escalation

[Account Deleted]

Colonel Lang

Hallelujah, now he is indeed risen. I commend your brave decision. You could not have chosen a more opportune time.

If the "foule" becomes too much in the future please consider my suggestion re limiting comment capability to 'members' only, which if not possible with Typepad, certainly is with WordPress.

As Oscar Wilde might have said; "There is only one thing in the world worse than a blog with comments, and that is a blog without comments."

[Adrestia]

Thank you, colonel.

Trolling is problematic, but by removing the ability to comment they win.

I'm still thinking of the trollhunter option. Either remove them from the ability to comment or to be able to hide them from view by using filters such as names, ip-ranges and other things in boolean.

Letting them post and then be able to ignore them is a handy feature that forces troll-farms to burn energy in vain. I'll start looking into it.

[ambrit]

Sir;
Thank you from all us in the "cheap seats."
I'll guess that moderating the comments can be a tiresome chore from time to time. Perhaps a periodic 'vacation' from comments so as to give yourself a rest? Having a pause with a known endpoint would be 'easier' for the readers to accept. Then, track if viewership rises and falls in step with the "vacations," and usable information would be gained for future planning.
Yours;
ambrit

[Imagine]

Thank you very much Colonel, and the best to your blog.

Britain's strategic reaction to Skripal has been incoherent and reactive (BMW! Door!), although their tactical reaction (Pull NATO together and move to war! Deport the diplomats!) has been fearsome.

This indicates that Skripal is arguably not a false-flag op originated by the British gov't proper.

b suggests shellfish neurotoxins. This does not explain Detective Sgt. Nick Bailey, nor why a Dect. Sgt. was a first responder. There is also the possibility of a false-flag op originated by mercenaries/factions (mafia? Steele? Neocons?), since the poison seems to be uniquely/immediately/obviously traceable to Russia. Cui bono?

Would like to see a discussion of alternatives to "British gov't op" hypothesis.

[Sylvia 1]

I was not one of the one's who complained--but I also missed the comments. Thank you Colonel. We are all grateful for the level headed commentary SST provides. We cannot find this anywhere else. I know it's a burden to you but the work you do is irreplaceable. I read you every day!!!!

[Imagine]

In one month we have been moved from copacetic to frothing at the mouth against Russia. The tactical levers are in place. Mr. Bolton, however, is no strategic slouch. Would like to see a discussion of how this country will be moved to make war on Iran and lose trillions of dollars. (I guess the inoculation benefit outweighs costs of potentially coming up with new ideas for mischief that haven't been thought of already, but will defer.)

Would like to see someone in heaven's name do an analysis of just how much we lost in the previous grand adventure with Iraq, including ISIS. Action without realization produces no learning.

Thank you again for your blog. Many people appreciate it.

[Le Renard Subtil]

So long Five Points...Uptown here I come!

[jonst]

Well, first off, thank you Col, for yielding. I missed, very much, the community. On the other hand, it is seems imperative, to us lovers of SST, to suggest ways to cut down on the work you do Col. Is it possible to go to an 'approved' list of commentators? People you know? With a history you are familiar, and satisfied, with? It can be open to new members, under conditions. But such a list would be, in theory, the only comments you would have to approve of. Or am I missing the point here? Always a possibility, as she who must be obeyed, reminds me every so often.

Off topic...can you believe how 'timely' another chem attack showed up, bright and early sun morning, in time for the Sunday talk shows? Just when DJT is making noise, anyway, to get us out of Syria?

[Charlie Wilson]

Thank you colonel. My withdrawal has mercifully ended.

[Nightsticker]

Col Lang,

Good news.

Nightsticker
USMC 65-72
FBI 72-96

[Norbert M Salamon]

Thank you Colonel.
Your learned Committee members do teach us by their comments. Appreciate these comments.
Thank you again.

[Anna]

Thank you, Colonel Lang.
https://www.rt.com/news/423499-us-blames-russia-douma-chemical/
"Earlier on Saturday, rebel-linked activists, including White Helmets, accused the Syrian government of carrying out a chemical attack…”
--- This looks like a false flag operation conducted by the "moderate" jihadists" (supported by Israel/NATO) in a Christian country. Israel tried first a Gaza Ghetto fish bowl to kill scores of stone throwers; next came the slaughter of Syrians. The "chosen" and war profiteers / banksters want to see the light leading to the end of mankind.
https://www.fort-russ.com/2018/04/another-chemical-attack-in-syria-but-why-is-the-corporate-media-missing-crucial-points/
"...the mainstream media have immediately blamed the Syrian military for the dreadful attack even before investigations can occur. Their sources? The White Helmets and Jaish al-Islam."
https://www.mintpressnews.com/james-le-mesurier-british-ex-military-mercenary-founded-white-helmets/230320/
"James Le Mesurier, a British ex-mercenary, founded the White Helmets in 2013... Prior to his founding of the White Helmets, Le Mesurier served as Vice President for Special Projects at the Olive Group, a private mercenary organization that has since merged with Blackwater-Academi. …The group’s founding took place just after “the Syrian government had raised concerns about a terrorist chemical weapon attack in Khan Al Asal against the SAA [Syrian Arab Army].” Le Mesurier served as intelligence coordinator for Pristina City in Kosovo soon after the NATO intervention that led to NATO being accused of war crimes for its targeting of thousands of civilians and media.”

[Will2.71828]

I (and you know how much I hate using the "I" word) often learn more from the comments than the main post. So thank you, Sir!

How about a pay for play? Skin in the game? Only Contributors can comment. With exceptions made for indigents or worthy cases. That may cut down on the trolls and hasbara. Or at least ding their budget.

Having said that, I shall now contribute again. But, I have recently found it more entertaining to comment on the twitter and facebook feeds :)

[turcopolier]

jonst

I need to change to a platform company that allows the kind of fine tuning that you suggest. Typepad is too blunt an instrument. pl

[bwilli123]

Colonel, Sir. May I suggest Disqus which requires commenters to open an account via their application before posting anywhere. It is basically an efficient comment moderation system available in both in free and paid versions.

[Flavius]

Again, thank you.
What you are doing is so appreciated, giving voice to reason, your own and from many contributors and commentators, in a time of noise and nonsense from the establishment media and yes, from our government, especially from our government. Responsible journalism as it was meant to be, informed, independent, sobering and indispensable.

[turcopolier]

willi----

I will look into it. pl

[Freudenschade]

Col.,

I encourage you to stick to your convictions.

[A. Pols]

Colonel;
I thought it a bad idea to close commenting and I'm glad you changed your mind.
I fully understand that you as moderator have to wade through all manner of childish and deliberately provocative posts. That's trolling for you.
But at the same time, you get many comments that provide both good insights and valuable information. Might it be worthwhile to "sub out" some of the moderating tasks to some of the rest of this committee? It might save you from having to read some of that toxic stuff...
Cheers

[turcopolier]

freudenschade

My conviction with regard to you is to delete your comments whenever possible. pl

[English Outsider]

Colonel - If you do change to another platform I hope you will be able to preserve the archives. The early years in particular are instructive because the problems examined there are those that were to become evident only much later to us in the general public. The analysis of those problems has also become sharper and more critical. When I read those early archives am I right in thinking that the last decade has been a pilgrimage for you and for your committee as well as for your readers?

Reading those older entries I sometimes have difficulty with the change from nested to sequential comments. It's not always easy to see who is replying to whom. Would it be possible to restore the older threads to their original form if the early articles are to be permanently archived?

As for the salon, how to keep it as you had it, in this age of bots and trolls and the ingeniously disingenuous, must be a trial. If it becomes too onerous a trial then I hope you will still find yourself able to keep the SST articles going. They are a link to sanity and balance at a time when both those articles, either side of the fence, are in increasingly short supply.

[turcopolier]

EO

My life has been a pilgrimage. I have been forced to examine American society in the last fifteen years. That is true for a lot of us I think. I don't think it is possible to re-thread the comments. I have the same problem and often have to search back and forth to make sure who is addressing whom. I won't do anything to damage the archive which, I too, think are valuable. I have a literary heir appointed who hopes someday to publish the archive in some form. pl

[Freudenschade]

Col.,

Here’s another chance. Much luck with your confederacy of dunces.