It comes to all of us with age. As hairlines recede and waistlines expand, cosmetic surgery becomes more attractive. While this blog is just around 2 years old, in human-to-blog years that is almost middle aged. In the last few weeks, various regulars have suggested that the site needs work to handle the large number of visitors and entries. This is an attempt to see what you would like to do with the site. I view this site as belonging to all of the regulars and I would like to solicit your thoughts on changes that you would like to see from different cosmetic touches to different structure. This entry will also allow discussion of those things (not people) that you least like.
I cannot promise immediate changes (I am swamped in litigation), but it seems like the regulars would like to see some changes in structure etc. Remember: I am a chimp. I have little skills or knowledge in this field.
Everything is on the table (beyond my removal and forced retirement), so do not hesitate to recommend anything from the most mundane to the most magnificent.
Mespo has some good ideas I go along with posted on ‘Bio’:
mespo727272 1, June 6, 2009 at 9:57 pm
thatmtnman:
If JT takes you up on your kind offer, put me down for a preview box, spell checker, archive by date function, and word processor function so I can either bold face or italicize the fonts.
–
Also, with respect to that page, why not put the most recent posts first, now since there so many, so time is not scrolling since 2007 or archive some, perhaps?
Unfortunately, part of the problem is that your Bio page has been commandeered for other purposes. Like trying out a private stunt debate site, for instance…
Professor Turley.
My suggestions follow:-
1/ Preview button. This would allow checking that hyperlinks do what they are supposed to do and finding out what html tags are supported. It is a problem in posting on internet sites that different ones support different subsets of html, the only way to find out if a particular feature is supported is to try it and see but without a preview facility this means submitting damaged posts when the html does not work.
2/ Subscribe button. Sometimes one is interested in seeing all posts on a thread but does not oneself have anything worth posting at the time.
3/ A list of which html tags are supported. Some sites put a short list above the Reply box, but an alternative is to have a separate page linked from your sidebar.
4/ I believe the following minimum set of html tags should be supported:-
a) Bold <B>
b) Italic <I>
c) Underline <U7gt
d) Blockquite <BLOCKQUOTE>
e) Strike oute <STRIKE>, very useful for indicating that a commonly used term is a euphamism.
f) Ordered and Unordered lists <OL> <UL> <lI>
5/ In the beginning uppercase was used for all html tags but later standards for html encourage use of lower case. My impression is that not all internet sites support lower case tags. Ideally it is best to support both so that posters do not have to remember that this site only supports upper case and that one lower.
6/ You probably need to employ an HTML nerd to deal with these things as no one has a right to expect you to do all the extra work involved in this blog after a normal day. How many hours do you work, 48 or 72?
7/ Contrary to what I said in the previous item, a little knowledge of html is extremely useful for maintaining documents of any type. You do not actually need that much, while most things obey th 80% / 20% rule where 20% of what you know is used 80% of the time html obeys the 95% / 5% rule. You can an awful lot with a very small subset of html. For learning HTML I recommend books by Laura Lemay put out by SAMS publishing.
8/ Your system already underlines misspelled or unrecognized words in red. A link to one of the many online dictionaries on your entry page could supply the other part. For example
http://www.howjsay.com/.
One thing that bugs me is that some sites use American spelling dictionaries and some British for words ending in ize or ise.
It would be nice if either were allowed.
9/ Your blog used wordpress.com software. A lot of these feature may be options that can be selected or not as required. Also later releases of software usually add more function
Regards, Carlyle Moulton.
See my previous post is an excellent example of why preview is needed. in list item 4 my attempts to represent html tags with angle brackets failed, here is another attempt:-
4/ I believe the following minimum set of html tags should be supported:-
a) Bold < B > ….. < /B >
b) Italic < I > ….. < /I >
c) Underline < U > ….. < /U >
d) Blockquite < BLOCKQUOTE > ….. < /BLOCKQUOTE >
e) Strike oute < STRIKE > ….. < /STRIKE > , very useful for indicating that a commonly used term is a euphemism.
f) Ordered and Unordered lists < OL > ….. < /OL >, < UL > ….. < /UL > , < LI >
I am sure I saw someone do it on a post in this blog, but it does not work for me.
In the preceding posts the < stands for the mathematical less than sign and the > for the greater than sign. HTML uses these as brackets to mark tags.
If possible, I’d like a reply function which already incorporates the target post to which the reply applies. For example if I am replying to Patty C — as I am wont to do– my reply would be directly below her previous comment. It saves a lot of cutting and pasting and it can be turned off if the comment is for the good of the entire order, as opposed to one that is more in the nature of a dialog. I am getting tired of typing *’s.
In Re RIL Website Modifications
1) Archive – There are enough threads past now to certainly merit a little consolidation and perhaps improved searching (perhaps via metadata tagging so topics can be searched easier).
2) Dedicated Threads – It seems some topics are so recurring/persistent that semi-permanent threads or thread groupings might be an option. These could be as general as Abuse of Police Powers or as specific as Tasers & “Non-lethal” Weapons or perhaps themed such as “The Supremacy Clause: Where do State’s Rights end?”. The Drug War. The Right to Petition: Lobbyist Graft vs. Citizen Access. The Prison Industry. Each of the component amendments of the Bill of Rights. Mules vs. Goats. Chianti vs. Pinot Noir. The possibilities are limitless.
3) Encourage regulars to get avatars. It makes hijacking an identity harder (not impossible, just more difficult). An alternative – one that’s admittedly high maintenance – would be passwords (too much sugar for a nickle would be my guess). Since http://www.gravatar.com ties avatars to e-mail addresses, it’s an easy and relatively low tech buffer against this issue.
4) Word Processing functions. Not so critical for me on my Linux machines as the system dictionary works just fine with WordPress, but I do think it’d be nice for some of the less experienced Windows users or those posting from MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices) or Netbooks that may not have robust OS or application support.
5) Reverse the posting order as Patty suggested. On longer threads (100+ posts), the utility of this change become evident upon use – on shorter threads not so much, but something to consider.
6) Turning the “Bio” section into a non-commenting section. It’s not that the conversation there doesn’t have its moments, but it is literally all over the map topic wise. That thread also seems to have picked up some persistent squatting trolls. The semi-permanent threads mentioned above would help diffuse this phenomena by “channeling troll aggression” to more specific targets.
7) I liked the idea of a “Media Channel”. A little one-stop shopping for your media appearances would benefit the regulars who miss an appearance and it’s good PR to have it all consolidated for easy presentation.
ohh, nice catch, mespo.
8) A respond to specific post option would be a nice addition to the general respond to thread posts.
Close it down. There are only a handful of raving left wingers that hang around here anyway. I think they were banned from even the Daily Kos.
Hi Mary
Mr Turley,
Many of these suggestions are easily found in a simple change of theme. Look for something pleasing to your eye and has the ability to add widgets from your control panel.
I come here for the content more than any flash, but flash can be nice.
You just keep rocking us with your insight and I am satisfied.
Did I say hello to Mary, yet?
JT and Buelah,
Perhaps a calendar of upcoming T.V.\Radio appearances?
I’d like (and need) a spell checker. Some blogs allow you to select the oldest and most recent comments and that option is nice on a long thread. I would prefer to have that option, rather than it being automatically preselected to start with newest first. Other people had good ideas as well. The only thing I hope doesn’t happen is banning comments on the bio–that’s some of my favorite stuff, because it’s so out there. It’s the wild west of this blog and I’d hate to see it shut down.
Buelahman man said it best, “I come here for the content…You just keep rocking us with your insight and I am satisfied.”
Mary wrote:
There are only a handful of raving left wingers that hang around here anyway.
Wrong as usual, Mary. There’s a whole bunch of raving left wingers here. There are also a few Independent/Libertarians. Since your posts largely indicate you’re part of the lunatic right wing fringe, WTF are you doing here?
Comment moderation.
is this bold?
is this underlined?
is this in italics
StrikethroughBold
Italics
Underline
Strikethrough
An Ordered List
Bold
Italics
Underline
Strikethrough
An Ordered List
I don’t think WordPress has a spellcheck for comments, maybe a newer version than any I have used. The same with the preview post
JT,
Love the site, I agree w/a link to tv appearances, etc.
Ability to comment to a specific poster.
Maybe a petition, “JT For Supreme Court”
I haven’t seen a WordPress version that had this, however I can put one together and the Prof can either link to it from my site or he can copy and put it on the sidebar
I think the only option (I could be wrong) for a spellcheck for comments is to have an edit option I’ll have to fire up one of my old blogs and see
sorry for being all over the place, these were supposed to be one post
I use WordPress (Andreas09 theme which is not very nice looking, but has decent functionaility). The following HXTML is allowed in comments:
Stop the harassing of moderates would be a start.
The handful of lefty “regulars” here use intimidation & name calling to make their “points”.
They need to be banned permanently.
OK, so XHTML DOES work here. Sorry for the gibberish above.
Available XHTML for Andreas comments are below (where you see a [], use
[a href="" title=""]
[abbr title=""]
[acronym title=""]
[b]
[blockquote cite=""]
[cite]
[pre]
[del datetime=""]
[em]
[i]
[q cite=""]
[strike]
[strong]
Batsheva:
“The handful of lefty “regulars” here use intimidation & name calling to make their “points”.
*************
I see very little name calling but lots of intellectual challenge going on. Maybe that’s what offends your tender sensibilities.
Dangit.
Use >< keys
(I hope that works, if not they are the arrow keys above comma and period).
Good ideas:
- Sorting comments in reverse chronological order (newest first).
- Preview box.
- Per-thread RSS subscriptions.
- Hierarchical comment threads. (That is, your comment is indented below the person you are responding to.)
- Turn off comments on pages that don’t need them (bio, for example)
Not so good ideas:
- Spell checker. Most modern browsers come with that built in for text boxes (if yours doesn’t, go here: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/personal.html ). Carlyle Moulton is confused when he says ‘Your system already underlines misspelled or unrecognized words in red.’ This is the browser doing it for him.
- Word processor functions. What’s wrong with plain text for comments? There’s already plenty of ways to _highlight_ IMPORTANT *things* in the comments. Giving people power to easily italicize/bold is just asking for these features to be abused. (apparently the functionality is already there anyways, as C.Everett Kook has demonstrated)
- Other HTML-enabling functions. Do we honestly need any of these features? The fact that links are automatically linked is more than enough for me. Other HTML features just get annoying quickly (see above point). You think trolls are irritating now?
- Archives: you already have archive links on the sidebar, so I’m not sure what other people are requesting when they say ‘archives.’ As far as searching the archives goes, Google can do a much better job of indexing your content than any search you implement. For example: http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Ajonathanturley.org+torture (created with the query ‘site:jonathanturley.org torture’, which searches only within the jonathanturley.org domain for thinks related to torture. Read about more special google operators here: http://chainlynx.blogspot.com/2006_11_01_archive.html )
For the comment improvements, I highly recommend http://disqus.com/ (and not just because I know some people at the company) for improving the quality of blog comments. Check ‘em out. A lot of blogs are using them now, and they’d be a worthwhile addition to the site.
As far as the implementation goes, WordPress is a very popular blog platform and you should be able to find plugins that enable most of the features that people are requesting here: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/
Note to Carlyle Moulton: regarding the less than and greater than symbols, you’re forgetting the semicolon in your HTML character codes: http://www.ascii.cl/htmlcodes.htm
BIL: I don’t care either way for your ‘Media Channel’ suggestion, but if I may recommend something that may already provide for your interests: http://www.youtube.com/user/firedoglake
Test: Welcome to the blog! I look forward to your illuminating contributions!
Mr. Turley: thanks for providing this incredible blog, I much enjoy coming here both for your commentary and the insightful comments of others.
Fucking shit, my comment is ‘awaiting moderation’ again, a purgatory that it never seems to come out of. How about eliminating that ‘feature’? (on the other hand, maybe not because it might guard against a lot of spam…) So, here’s a mostly link-less version of my previous post:
Good ideas:
- Sorting comments in reverse chronological order (newest first).
- Preview box.
- Per-thread RSS subscriptions.
- Hierarchical comment threads. (That is, your comment is indented below the person you are responding to.)
- Turn off comments on pages that don’t need them (bio, for example)
Not so good ideas:
- Spell checker. Most modern browsers come with that built in for text boxes (if yours doesn’t, go and download Firefox ). Carlyle Moulton is confused when he says ‘Your system already underlines misspelled or unrecognized words in red.’ This is the browser doing it for him.
- Word processor functions. What’s wrong with plain text for comments? There’s already plenty of ways to _highlight_ IMPORTANT *things* in the comments. Giving people power to easily italicize/bold is just asking for these features to be abused. (apparently the functionality is already there anyways, as C.Everett Kook has demonstrated)
- Other HTML-enabling functions. Do we honestly need any of these features? The fact that links are automatically linked is more than enough for me. Other HTML features just get annoying quickly (see above point). You think trolls are irritating now?
- Archives: you already have archive links on the sidebar, so I’m not sure what other people are requesting when they say ‘archives.’ As far as searching the archives goes, Google can do a much better job of indexing your content than any search you implement. For example: [LINK RETRACTED] (created with the query ‘site:jonathanturley.org torture’, which searches only within the jonathanturley.org domain for thinks related to torture. Read about more special google operators here: [LINK RETRACTED, search on google with the string "google hacking: maximize the effectiveness of your queries" (quotes included) and click on the first link)
For the comment improvements, I highly recommend disqus (and not just because I know some people at the company) for improving the quality of blog comments. Check 'em out. A lot of blogs are using them now, and they'd be a worthwhile addition to the site.
As far as the implementation goes, WordPress is a very popular blog platform and you should be able to find plugins that enable most of the features that people are requesting here: [LINK RETRACTED, search 'wordpress plugins']
Note to Carlyle Moulton: regarding the less than and greater than symbols, you’re forgetting the semicolon in your HTML character codes: http://www.ascii.cl/htmlcodes.htm
BIL: I don’t care either way for your ‘Media Channel’ suggestion, but if I may recommend something that may already provide for your interests: http://www.youtube.com/user/firedoglake
Test: Welcome to the blog! I look forward to your illuminating contributions!
Mr. Turley: thanks for providing this incredible blog, I much enjoy coming here both for your commentary and the insightful comments of others.
If I could ask for one single improvement it would be a standing thread for topic suggestions. I dislike posting ideas for topics out of place, and admit to doing so on a few occasions (like the taser / DNA swap case the other day), which JT did decide to run.
In a perfect world it would be nice to be able to click on a name and see all postings from the user.
As a participant for about two years I am very satisfied with the functionality of the blog and the level of discourse and participation.
As Charity stated, we need moderate comment moderation against irrelevant, long copy/paste postings such as we observe today by BATSHEVA et al. that break the logical continuity of threads.
I suggest that you allow one very trusted person to assist you as a moderator. Since Mespo72 sometimes prefers to engage the foulest of posters, I think he would be a very fair moderator and would know when lines of decorum have been crossed, especially during your absence. Another option would be using one law student who is well versed with—and a champion of—First Amendment rights regarding free speech. During my collegiate days, I often did extra work for extra credit and I learned more through that process. This might be an honor to which some of your law students might aspire—Turley’s Blawg Dawg.
To be clear, all of the regulars are strong proponents of free speech; however, I do not want the worst Internet cesspool flotsam infecting and dragging down the importance of this *law blawg*. Allowing the chronicling of out-of-bounds postings most likely gives the incorrect impression that Professor Turley sanctions outrageous claims and the foulest of language.
We all know that anything involving humans requires and deserves fair, although definitive, rules to ensure proper decorum. Intuitively, that is why we need laws, lawyers, and judges and to *not* establish laws/rules regulating a law blawg is exceptionally counterintuitive and counterproductive.
I oppose any “post your own” thread topic area (“Socrates Section”) because I prefer to respond to the topics/witticisms Professor Turley posits; otherwise, I think this site would become unfocused and diluted with disparate, rambling, and wayward headliners. The focus must remain Prof. Turley. Without his initial topics—along with his cogent and often witty comments—this site would not continue to be a must-read website, at least for me. When time allows, Glenn Greenwald is a must-read for me, although I always read this blawg first.
I have been one of the more ‘vocal’ proponents requesting some moderation. I simply want a unique site where others and I can learn more about—and discuss the applications of—the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and common, civil, and criminal laws as they pertain to everyday life and with additional assistance from the visiting attorneys who can explain the arcane aspects of all law.
This is an exceptional site now and appearances are that is will become even better.
Addendum:
I assume FFN used the opening loutishness of his post to “test” or make a point about threads that might receive automatic deletion or that get lost in the Ethernet. However, such vulgarity from commenters—unless the words are relevant to the original topic of a court case, etc.—should not be allowed in the comment section. Again, such sophomoric expletives—which we all know—are replete throughout the Internet; however, a learned person does not employ such words to express or amplify a cogent position. Feel free to use those words around your underage children, your wife, your grandmother, your Catholic priest et al. but there is no reason to use them randomly within this blawg’s commentary section.
Here is the standard I suggest. Consider this site a Professor Jonathan Turley’s distance learning law class via the Internet. Would he allow such vulgar discourse in his live classrooms? Of course, the good professor is the final arbiter.
(I can now imagine Prof. Turley thinking as he rubs his furrowed brow; one had better watch out for that which one asks…)
I’m for all of the above except for Mary’s and Batsheva’s comments, even though I know that some conflict. My major complaints are:
1. Being able to directly respond to a particular comment and a more easy way to quote it than cutting and pasting.
2. Some sort of rudimentary word processing function (bold, italics, etc.)would eliminate some peoples need to capitalize for emphasis.
3. Eliminating the ability to comment on Bio, since many have done it simply to try to besmirch you and others seem to be stuck there and not realize that is not where most of the sight is happening.
4. An understanding of why some comments are “awaiting moderation” so I can avoid the trap.
5. Somebody to tell me what “&” means since I see it so much.
I particularly agree with Mespo’s and Buddha’s lists (what else is new?)but the others also seem to have some good ideas which I’m technologically unable to comment on. I think tough that we must also realize that our host is a busy man and this is a seat of the pants site, so any changes must fit in with his schedule and needs.
I would read this post about the redesign process that the guy who just did Talking Points Memo’s face lift.
http://www.shhhaw.com/?p=34
Former Federal LEO,
Please. This isn’t a law classroom, this is a place to debate amongst (anonymous) friends. I don’t think I’ve cultivated a reputation for being foulmouthed here; cursing is not my calling card. However, vulgarity is rarely useful, and when it is useful, I employ it. For the record, I think I would use the same amount of curses in a law classroom. So, in that light, perhaps I agree with your proposed standard.
Mike Spindell,
& is a failed attempt by someone to create an ampersand in an HTML-enabled field. & with a semicolon on the end is a valid HTML character code: http://www.ascii.cl/htmlcodes.htm I linked to this in an earlier post as well.
I’m not advocating this site, necessarily. I used it last week when I couldn’t find recent MSNBC Tiller footage on MSNBC.com
and notice it has some neat features. One can find JT on youtube, and anywhere else just about!
http://www.videospider.tv/Videos/Channel/YouTube/Category/News/Search/Jonathan+Turley/P/1.aspx
As you can see, we started kicking around the ‘On the Hook’ idea last summer. Mike S., you were around then. It was my attempt at a ‘Take it Outside’ approach since, there were a lot of ‘bar fights’, so to speak, in the run up to the election, if you recall.
http://jonathanturley.org/2008/06/28/exorcising-free-exercise-texas-supreme-court-rules-that-church-can-injure-minors-during-exorcisms/
#
Patty C 1, June 28, 2008 at 5:54 pm
I have an idea…
Instead of posting barbs on JT’s Bio, which seems inappropriate to me, perhaps, he would provide a Free-for-All ‘Chat’ section.
It could be fashioned ‘On the Hook’ – whaddaya say?
#
11 martha h 1, June 28, 2008 at 6:05 pm
boo
#
12 mespo727272 1, June 28, 2008 at 6:08 pm
martha h:
I always thought that since puberty I had “grown some.” that’s what gives me the courage to sally forth against the likes of you neo-cons and try to inject some thought into all that raw emotion. That’s my idea of helping those who cannot help themselves.
Patty C;
That is a fine idea. I second that.
#
13 Jill 1, June 28, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Can this young woman bring charges for kidnapping in Federal Court?
Mespo,
Sit down and shut up! The fossils say No!
Jill
–
Susan 1, June 29, 2008 at 12:45 am
Patty C, I like the “Free For All” Chat section too.
.
Since this is a WordPress blog, there are moderating tools available, and the “off topic” rantings and ravings and trolling can be filtered out, however, I doubt that anyone should expect Professor Turley to be totally on top of riding herd in the comments. I am in awe of Professor Turley’s ability to be as prolific as he is with his blog postings, and find the time for his TV appearances, and find the time to teach his classes, and find the time to represent his clients.
Perhaps he could appoint a trusted third party to handle comment moderation, but, with all due respect to Former Federal LEO and Mespo 72, someone who engages with the trolls, is probably someone who should not be moderating. As much as one might want to take a swat at a troll, that is exactly what the troll is looking for. Trolls should be ignored by other commenters, and where appropriate, their comments can be removed through moderation, or they can be banned and blocked from access to commenting.
I also don’t understand some of the discussion about spell checking as relates to the comments section, I use the Firefox browser and Google tools, and they provide a spell checker to me, so as I am filling in this comment window, they are already flagging misspellings for me, why should Turley’s blog need to do that?
In terms of the “look” of the blog, its design template, I don’t pay any attention to it because I follow the blog through my Google feed reader. Professor Turley has the blog configured to feed out its entire content via RSS, which makes it much easier for me to follow his blog, along with the other blogs and web news sources that I follow. The only time I actually link directly to the Turley blog is when I want to add a comment. So the “eye candy” aspect of the blog would be lost on me.
I think I have visited the bio page once, and if it were my blog, I would exclude that page from comments. Open ended comments might be better supported using a discussion forum software platform. I don’t see the Turley blog as being an open ended discussion forum, a free for all where anyone can start up a topic. I see this blog as an extension of Professor Turley’s teaching efforts, his advocacy, and an expression of his values, and a place where he may share some personal tidbits. So, for me at least, it is a place where I can learn a few things, sometimes be entertained (in a strange way) at the sheer idiocy of other human beings as described in some of Professor Turley’s postings, and see many of my own values reinforced.
uh!?! well, websites that have an orginal thread and then sub threads can be better than cutting and pasting it also allows the subject to get out of hand
for spell checker… i downloaded a free spell checker for internet boxes like this one…i use it occasionally…though i prefer my manual paper spell checker book…
i think for ur background for the title of the blog could use some spicing up…just use paint to build a pic of law books then use a text box to put in the title…that is how i built the pic for mzravinblack.blogspot.com and my other ones when i am up to messing around with it
but, as it is with life we would all like something perfect in a non perfect world
good luck with any changes
If I had to distill my recommendations:
1.) Ensure that this blawg remains as it is now; this is, focused on Professor Turley’s original posts.
2.) Moderate excessively abusive comments, all irrelevant copy/pastes, and all CAPS posts.
3.) Archive for faster loading for those of us with slower Internet connections.
We could manage the remainder of items individually, especially if ‘extras’ add too much to the ‘overhead’.
After losing some very long, verbose posts, I usually type first in MS Word or another word processor which also serve for spell checking.
This blog is pretty low-tech and home-made and for me that’s a big part of it’s charm. I wanted a ‘Son of Bio’ page but if this blog starts looking/acting like Raw Story or Huffington Post (which encompasses all of the suggestions made) or gets as weird and confusing as Daily Kos, where’s the virtue in that?
Most everything I’d suggest has been covered so I’ll just ‘vote’ on those functions I use elsewhere and would like to see here:
Reply function- yes. Ease of reading a big plus as long as a reply sub-thread can be opened within the primary thread- otherwise you end up leaving a thread, opening multiple pages and having to come back to the primary thread. Not so easy of a read.
Last to first post mandatory- no, Arguments on threads here actually evolve and I like to read that happening, I’m not bright so reading last to first is a drag for me especially if the blog moves to more than one page per thread but I can be fast with the scroll bar so scrolling down doesn’t bother me. Actually a scroll bar is preferable to me than multiple 20 posts a page pagination.
Pagination- no. Just no.
moderation- no. I like the avatar or login idea but I’m with FFNothing on being stuck in moderation hell. Also, if the moderator isn’t willing to sit around and moderate all day and night the postings end up out of order (if they show up at all) and any spontaneity is lost. The often-times conversational nature of this blog with rapid posting/response is part of it’s charm.
Moderation would take care of the trolls but it would take a heavy toll on the other aspects of the blog that are valuable IMO. Maybe a consult with Cheney could give us some ideas about handling the trolls.
Bio as Bio- sure. There are some interesting posting there but I can barely use the page because it has so many postings. Bio’s? So that’s what it was actually for? I’d be happy with it being just an intro. for Professor Turley and no comments allowed.
Open thread- yes. See how it goes. A thread set aside that mirrors the current function of the Bio page might be fun, apparently there’s a need since the Bio is full to bursting. Some of the Bio (now free-for-all thread) posters never make it out of the Bio thread though.
HTML etc.- sure. Go for it. All I ever use is
and it’s all I’ll probably ever use. Preserve the Smiley. For the love of Ghod preserve the Smiley.
PS- Daily Kos: DK is visual disorder to the max. I had a GP that furnished his office in the 50′s and never changed the decor. All of his wall lamps were wall mounted lava lamps. ! I asked him why he never had them lighted (in about 1995) and he said that he had them installed because he thought they would be soothing to his patients but he found that it made several of his patients uneasy to the point of anxiety. Turned out, based on his reading into that phenomenon, that visual disorder made schizophrenics anxious and he didn’t want to upset his patients (some of them did have mental disorders) or lose patients based on his lighting choice. Hmmmm, do you think having this page slip into a DK format would keep some of the trolls away? Just askin’.
I would like to have the functions Mespo and BIL stated. I would like added to this the direct notification of the new article. i.e. have it sent to the registered account holders in box. Not that I do not go directly to this site the first thing as I am drinking my coffee. The notification of the new post is great.
The ability to delete a post that you would like to correct. Your own of course.
How about Turley just getting a life?
I would agree that a calendar of upcoming media appearances would be nice. I agree with Lottakatz that reading the replies in historical order is better than having the most current one on top. I like the site the way it is now and would not change much. Kudos to Prof. Turley.
Yes, Kudos to Professor Turley for maintaining such a wonderful site!
I genuinely love visiting here and enjoy all the “regulars” original and nouveau. My respect, admiration and fondness for you all continues to grow daily.
As a dedicated aficionado I too hope this site will not change too much; but knowing change is inevitable and maybe even desirable (like the ability to respond to a specific comment)
my only wish is that you undertake the renovation ever so slowly. Maybe introduce just a few changes at a time and allow for further adjustments and tinkering as time goes by…
I agree with rafflaw/lotta/CEJ for the most part. Why not leave it be the way it be?
If it ain’t broke …
Here’s my list:
1- Install spelling checker.
2- Embed videos, add the library of all televised appearances you’ve made on countdown in the last 8 years alone and you have a great introduction to both US and international law.
3- Try to review all comments before they get posted so the crazy can’t get through.
4- By all means, just keep on rolling, baby!
Anonymously Yours 1, June 7, 2009 at 7:15 pm
The ability to delete a post that you would like to correct. Your own of course.
–
NO – correct it or it stands.
Spell check is not needed, so add it only if it does not cost anything. Folks should compose, spell and grammar check, and proofread on their own WP, then paste it up,
Moderation would be good only if it is after the fact. Let the moderators automatically delete irrelevant or abusive posts and ones with links to viruses. Let readers ask for posts to be deleted. But do not delay the posts, since that would stifle the exchanges.
Bio should be frozen and its contents archived since the site is too full and very slow. But there should be an open thread for questions not related to threads. The nip and tuck idea popped up on bio.
Get areas for separate links to columns, testimony, TV appearances, law review articles, and so forth.
Almost all of the suggestions are good, but may be too much of a good thing for the good professor.
So, add a student board of editors to do all the newly suggested ideas, as well as to search out relevant links and to find follow-up information on earlier threads. It would be good experience for the growing area of legal blogs.
And they would be signing on to the No. 1 ABA legal blog.
Reiteratively, I agree that any moderation must occur only *after* the post is submitted.
Some of the most informative posts from the regulars derive from responses to “trollish” posts. However, as with the J.E.B. posts in the Bio section, a time comes when the best of the regulars need to end the discussion.
Some of the most offensive posts are those lengthy irrelevant copy/pastes repetitiously spreading across numerous unrelated topics, sometimes repeated in all of the most current original topic threads.
I’m of the school of thought that cosmetic changes in set up are well and good (archiving, the calender, etc.), but any format change (chat room, free for all thread, even to a certain extent hierarchical comments) will cause a large change the nature of the discussion of the site. I would prefer the site to stay as is in that regard.
Also, remember as much time as we in aggregate might spend here, this is strictly part time for the Professor. Moderation, which would be necessary to the kind of open thread or chat room suggested, would be way to time consuming and effort intensive for his schedule or for him to ask others to do on a volunteer basis. IT would go against the grain of JT’s philosophy towards this site.
I say, put up the new curtains, but don’t rip down any load-baring walls.
Excuse me: “…load bearing…”
Never much thought of myself of a traditionalist, and I am a big fan of plastic surgery when done moderately and by skilled artisans, why perform a facelift when maybe a little botox will do?
that said, i know nothing about how to build or manage blogs. I can’t even figure out how to make the camera on my phone work, send a text or make my facebook account do anything but sit there on the internet machine.
i kinda like things as they are.
I really like this site as it is as well. Comment moderation, except for cut and paste troll posts, should be the result of each person who choses to post here having integrity and a good will towards the site.
Lawd, no one ever suggested a Chat ‘ROOM’ – just some other option aside from constant disruption of thread discussions and random entries on JT’s Bio page, as we had seen in the past.
Again, the ‘free for all idea’ was mine, and made last summer in the run up to the Presidential Election which started getting more intense as early as last spring, and in response to all the troll posts being dumped where they hardly belong. Surely, you will remember zak, niblet, dunder, and helen etc, not to mention Bartles/Cro/and Wayne and his multiple other personas.
Also in part because the trolls weren’t getting the traction they wanted from the group, obviously, and continued to amp until enough people got irritated to engage, and did so pretty effectively, although it didn’t work for very long, if you also remember.
I don’t know that it’s necessary now, what it would entail, or how else it might translate right away. I do think the Bio page is not the place for random discussion. That’s JT’s
‘Shiny Award’ space.
Patty,
I misread what you said. I think the differences between a chat room and a chat “Section” aren’t too vital to the point I was trying to make.
I’ve always understood why it’s been suggested, I just don’t think it’s a good idea.
Patty C 1, June 8, 2009 at 10:14 am
Anonymously Yours 1, June 7, 2009 at 7:15 pm
The ability to delete a post that you would like to correct. Your own of course.
–
NO – correct it or it stands.
______________________________________
Thank you ever so much for your unsolicited advice. However, I strive to live to the standards you expect, I like a lot of others do fall short time to time. So thank you again.
I did not mean a spelling checker for the bloggers, I meant a spelling checker for whoever the good professor hired to write the posts because if he’s typing it out himself, I wonder how he ever got passed high school… There’s not a news item on this site that does not contain a typo or worse… If he doesn’t have the time to check the language, I’ve already offered to do it for him, for a small compensation ofcourse.
My advice IS being solicited, by JT, AND in protest yo to your suggestion specifically, I am more than a smidge entitled to weigh in since you, as ‘AY’ and Bron 98, high jacked MY turlee identity, without my knowledge or permission and again over my objections, while continually to dog my every remark.
It was brought to a new level last week when you joined together in an attempt to malign my partner, no less!
It is not I provoking you, AY. Not now and certainly not then…
I voted you ‘off the island’ because I have some of the very basic of standards. I still want nothing to do with you.
——
Anonymously Yours 1, June 8, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Patty C 1, June 8, 2009 at 10:14 am
Anonymously Yours 1, June 7, 2009 at 7:15 pm
The ability to delete a post that you would like to correct. Your own of course.
–
NO – correct it or it stands.
______________________________________
Thank you ever so much for your unsolicited advice. However, I strive to live to the standards you expect, I like a lot of others do fall short time to time. So thank you again.
Jericho:
“There’s not a news item on this site that does not contain a typo or worse… ”
***********
The trivial mind concerns itself with trivial matters.
mespo -
Notice in Jericho’s entry:
“… I wonder how he ever got passed high school …”
Jericho, you must have meant “past” high school, yes?
But we all make mistakes. You seem to be willing to cast the first stone.
Your advice, is not being solicited by me. If you had read other post I specifically invited everyone but you to comment. So, please do yourself and a lot of other folks the pleasure of not commenting on their posts unless you can offer something positive. It appears I am not the only victim of this maelstrom vendetta.
___________
53.
Patty C 1, June 9, 2009 at 6:29 am
My advice IS being solicited, by JT, AND in protest yo to your suggestion specifically, I am more than a smidge entitled to weigh in since you, as ‘AY’ and Bron 98, high jacked MY turlee identity, without my knowledge or permission and again over my objections, while continually to dog my every remark.
********************
I do not understand the message you are trying to convey. Please do not try and explain it to me though.
____________
It was brought to a new level last week when you joined together in an attempt to malign my partner, no less!
********************
I have no ideal of what you are referring to as I try and avoid your posts to moi or anyone else, unless specifically attacking.
_____________
It is not I provoking you, AY. Not now and certainly not then…
********************
I have taken the liberty of obtaining a definition for you:
pro·vok·ing (pr-vkng)
adj.
Troubling the nerves or peace of mind, as by repeated vexations.
I guess it is subject to each individual interpretation.
_______________
I voted you ‘off the island’ because I have some of the very basic of standards. I still want nothing to do with you.
*******************
And you see that I am still here. I guess I was not hijacking you apparently then or now.
If you truly want nothing to do with me. Then leave me alone and do not comment on any post that I have posted. That should be clear enough for one as educated as you.
I am beginning to know what the definition of stalking means.
——
The ability to delete a post that you would like to correct. Your own of course.
–
NO – correct it or it stands.
______________________________________
Thank you ever so much for your unsolicited advice. However, I strive to live to the standards you expect, I like a lot of others do fall short time to time. So thank you again.
***************
Please read the above.
Now lest we have time for mespo’s sage advice to Jericho:
***********
The trivial mind concerns itself with trivial matters.
I guess that should pertain to my response to yours as well. Good luck at the shore.
Author: Jericho
Comment:
I did not mean a spelling checker for the bloggers, I meant a spelling checker for whoever the good professor hired to write the posts because if he’s typing it out himself, I wonder how he ever got passed high school… There’s not a news item on this site that does not contain a typo or worse… If he doesn’t have the time to check the language, I’ve already offered to do it for him, for a small compensation ofcourse.
some of us are great speller. fabulous, even. we just can’t type very well.
perhaps you ought to have checked your own post for the run on “ofcourse”
mespo writes: The trivial mind concerns itself with trivial matters.
is it consistency or obsession with perfection that is the hobgoblin of small minds?
“Must OF” misplaced your memos, which you no doubt would still like to delete, wherein you, as Bron98, admitted to high jacking my turlee identity when questioned by FFLEO et al which denial now makes you either a thief, a liar, or both.
You choose.
p.s. I was talking about my ‘island’,
Genius…
GWLSM:
“is it consistency or obsession with perfection that is the hobgoblin of small minds?”
************
It’s a “foolish consistency,” as in:
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day.”
R.W. Emerson (Self-Reliance, 1841)
am⋅big⋅u⋅ous
/æmˈbɪgyuəs/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [am-big-yoo-uhs] Show IPA
–adjective
1. open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal: an ambiguous answer.
2. Linguistics. (of an expression) exhibiting constructional homonymity; having two or more structural descriptions, as the sequence Flying planes can be dangerous.
3. of doubtful or uncertain nature; difficult to comprehend, distinguish, or classify: a rock of ambiguous character.
4. lacking clearness or definiteness; obscure; indistinct: an ambiguous shape; an ambiguous future.
I guess all of the worlds words are perfect and any misspelling should always be over looked. I get ya. Now shall we feed on trolls which are the vermin of this site.
Mespo writes:
t’s a “foolish consistency,” as in:
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day.”
R.W. Emerson (Self-Reliance, 1841)
Thank you, Doll.
Oh shit, I made a typo?
1. I’m Dutch, I’m allowed
2. I’m not a law professor
3. K-i-s-s it.
Archiving the material here is important because movement between topics and when posting causes the reloading of 122 items and needlessly consumes downloading bandwidth for those of us with limited/restricted Internet access.
Former Federal LEO,
Dear Mr. Leo…
Thank you for the help. Us old guys sometimes get lost…its the age thing…I hate it…you’ll understand one day too
cheers!
Welcome thatmtnman!
Post away. I am also in my 6th decade of life so I know ’bout lost…
How about listing threads active in the past 24 hours?
And look at that-I just thought you were one of those young whipper snappers! LOL! Thank you for the welcome. Very kind of you.
So-I don’t know a lot about the constitutional free speech guarantees-other than what is the popular domain. I was wondering…there has been a lot of criticism of Bill O’Reilly and how he practically goaded someone to take out a doctor whose practice O’Reilly despised. O’Reilly says it’s his free speech right to say anything he chooses.
I seem to remember that there were limits to free speech-the whole can’t shout fire in a theater idea.
My question is, is that literally true? Can a person in America literally say anything they choose with no worries? If ‘no’ what would the limits be?
Many thanks anyone who responds.
cheers!
thatmtnman,
We discussed the topic at length at the link below and also see Professor Turley’s Maddow segment posted in a link there.
O’Reilly was okay with his speech.
http://jonathanturley.org/2009/06/01/police-arrest-alleged-killer-of-dr-george-tiller/
Dear LEO,
Thank you for the link-I read the entire thread…and I do have to say, what a fantastic bunch! Funny, smart, and just ‘wow’…I am still chucking over the Atticus Leach comment!!
I was a bit confused about the Brandenburg test…nothing too dramatic…I take it that the line is only crossed when an illegal act is both articulated and asked to be done? So ‘burn the house’ is not enough. It has to be both ‘burn the house’ and ‘would someone please’ burn the house. And even there, if there is no likely hood, then there is no violation? Do I have that right?
cheers and thanks again!
uhhh…before some ‘wag’ has at me for the comment…’do I have the right?’…I will amend it to say, ‘do I understand correctly?’ LOL! One can just never be too careful around here! ROFL!
cheers!
Can we make the blog smell like fresh baked cookies? Sure, it’s a technical challenge, but think of the uptick in traffic.
dear Buddha,
What a great idea! I’ll get to work on that!
cheers!
Please, Professor Turley, have one very ‘trustworthy’ person act as a moderator to remove comments *after* they are posted if they do not meet some basic decorum standards. If you make no other changes, that one effort would be enough.
I hate to see this site devolve into one of those many crass locations available ad infinitum throughout the Internet. We all know you are exceptionally busy and monitoring a site can be time-consuming.
I ask the regulars, please do not allow the childish detractors to drag you down to their base level. Firm, cogent refutations are important and most welcome, although mirror reflective responses of the nonsense are extremely counterproductive and disruptive.
First Amendment rights are expressible with a modicum of decorum.
Lottkatz, buddha, et al. have suggested using an avatar, and although that has been discussed many times throughout many different threads, this nip ‘n tuck topic is a good place to catalog how getting a avatar is best accomplished.
If you already have a WordPress (WP) account with a different screen name than used on the Turley blawg, can you have one avatar (gravatar) for just one screen name and not the other under the same WP account (most likely not) ?
If you have a non-WP account and/or just randomly post with various same screen names, will a single gravatar follow you around regardless of the screen name changes used and only if you use the same e-mail address?
Etc…
I do think an avatar is important to help prevent nom de plume hijackings as unfairly and recently happened with Patty C.
Thanks
FF Leo writes: Former Federal LEO
Comment:
Lottkatz, buddha, et al. have suggested using an avatar, and although that has been discussed many times throughout many different threads, this nip ‘n tuck topic is a good place to catalog how getting a avatar is best accomplished.
If you already have a WordPress (WP) account with a different screen name than used on the Turley blawg, can you have one avatar (gravatar) for just one screen name and not the other under the same WP account (most likely not) ?
If you have a non-WP account and/or just randomly post with various same screen names, will a single gravatar follow you around regardless of the screen name changes used and only if you use the same e-mail address?
Etc…
I do think an avatar is important to help prevent nom de plume hijackings as unfairly and recently happened with Patty C.
Thanks
me: okay. what’s an avatar? Is this going to be one of those ridiculously simple things to explain that everyone under 30 knows about but I missed while trying to be an adult?
GWLawSchoolMom,
I should not answer you because of strawberries; however an avatar is that little thumbnail graphic like buddha’s green, grinnin’ toothless face. It is more difficult to hijack a face like hisn’!
Okay experts, I will leave the rest to y’all…
FF Lso writes: I should not answer you because of strawberries; however an avatar is that little thumbnail graphic like buddha’s green, grinnin’ toothless face. It is more difficult to hijack a face like hisn’!
me: sorry about the strawberries. I have a hard time resisting food talk. It’s like this game I play: talk about it, write about it, don’t eat it.
I’m kind of a foodie and I sometimes do it for money.
anyway — so the avatar….it’s that little picture …ohhhhh. I’d put one on my posts but have no idea how you do this. is this an option you choose when you first sign up for the blog? can you go back to some profile and add it?
ask me anything about food and I am so right there. ask me about this computer stuff and I’m lost.
I did finally find out how facebook works. what I can’t figure out is why anyone wants it to work.
Gravatar is the service WP uses to track icons. It ties an icon to a specific e-mail. You can either get an avatar by setting it up in your WP account (which will use Gravatar by default), but if you want to just get a Gravatar account without WordPress you can at http://www.gravatar.com
GWLawSchoolMom,
If you scroll to the very bottom of the page screen of our blawg and then click on “Blog at WordPress.com” you can set up an account with just an e-mail address. Then you can also click on “Gravatar” on your Dashboard page to get your own avatar through WorkPress and that thumbnail is coupled with WordPress wherever you travel and post on the Internet/Web.
___________________________________
Theme: k2 by k2 team. Blog at WordPress.com.
RSS Entries and RSS Comments
__________________________________
GWLawSchoolMom,
Hey, you done it! In black n’ white no less.
Nice job, GWLSMom. Glad to have a face to go with name.
buddha et al.
Do you know if you can turn your WordPress avatar OFF if you do not want to display it on certain other WP sites different from this site?
In other words, does your thumbnail avatar *always* display on any WordPress site with which you post with the same screen name or even with a different screen name?
Leo writes:
Hey, you done it! In black n’ white no less.
me: thanks for the step-by step.
I still can’t figure out why facebook is so popular but now I have an avatar. I feel so superior to what felt like just a few hours ago. I may have actually become somewhat younger in my pursuit of relevance.
not as young as I was in this picture taken of me with black and white film using a Roleiflex on the island of Mykonos when I was 20 and living in a cave. In those days, one computer filled a huge room and we had to write letters to people we loved because stamps cost almost nothing and phone calls were hugely expensive. and now, no one writes letters anymore. The phone is practically free and can all hide behind the relative anonymity of the internet and say the most horrid things to each other, things we’d never put into an actual letter and mail or say out loud to people who might be valuable to us in one way or another.
I liked the girl I was back then. She was unafraid and had lots of courage. The world was mysterious and everyone she met had a story that was worth collecting and she collected the stories like some people collect stamps.
and now its almost 40 years late and she has a avatar. who’d have guessed.
Buddha writes: Nice job, GWLSMom. Glad to have a face to go with name.
thanks doll.
perhaps add these: conservatory, nursery, and kitchen,…
place for a hammock
i love the way this place uses its gray water.
i mean utilizes its gray water.
(preview option?)