My involvement with the new project I had mentioned previously requires a step-up in the efficiency with which I handle this blog. As a result, I need to post a frank message about how I'll be handling some comments, and some commenters, from now on.
I will be following Golden Rule v 2.0:
Do unto others as they deserve.
Almost all of you are welcome here. Reason: almost all of you, regardless of your ideological leanings, have exhibited an honest desire to engage in objective, respectful debate. Almost all of you possess enough self-confidence and backbone to use your real name in private messages. That's the community I enjoy the most in this blogging activity; that's the best forum I've ever found for advancing knowledge; and that's the community that keeps me intent on continuing this blog indefinitely. Thanks to all of you for making this an enjoyable two-way street.
However, there's a tiny minority that isn't like the vast majority described above: a few who apparently made a commitment to their chosen ideology at an early age, then learned how to keyboard and name-call... but, sadly, never learned manners, decorum, or respect; a few who prefer to be able to throw their objections, barbs, and smart-ass remarks around, while carefully guarding their own personal anonymity.
So, especially for that tiny minority, here's the new policy: If you run and hide when I ask you privately for your real name, I will consider you a low-integrity coward. Expect to be ignored, and expect your comments to be deleted and banned. One of the best things about the freedom to blog is the freedom to choose who I hang out with. Low-integrity folks are not on my list.
Golden Rule 2.0 will be applied from here on out. Most of you have been abiding by it for years; I thank you for that. I will trim this community as necessary from now on, with a goal of achieving 100%. Not much trimming will be necessary, but it's not zero, either.