We know that a couple hundred people visit the site each day. But only a fraction of you ever participate beyond reading. If decent people, conservative or otherwise, are ever going to restore the city square, it is up to people like you to begin speaking out. Let’s start here.
To that end, we ask that each of you:
1. Please Comment. We want to hear what you’re thinking, seriously! We spend a great deal of time putting together the articles and we’d like to know what you think. Are we wrong? Do you have questions? Do you have a better idea or just a different idea? Or maybe you just agree? Tell us, we want to know.It’s time for all people of good faith, be they conservative, liberal or something in between, to speak out and reshape the political dialog. Your voice makes a difference, both here and out there. Please participate!
So do the other people who visit here. People of good faith need to know that there are others out there like themselves. Let our other readers know that they aren't alone! And that brings us to the next request. . .
2. Spread The Word. Please, tell your friends and family about Commentarama. . . even if they’re liberals. Mention us at other websites you visit. If you think people would enjoy reading one of our articles, link to it. You never know whose eyes you might be opening!
3. Vote In Our Polls. We think we have a pretty special audience here and we want to know what you think. The more of you who vote, the more meaningful the results. It only takes a minute, but your vote can help us understand what is going on in the “thinking class”. . . that’s you, my friends. :-)
4. Contact Your Congressman. Finally, if you see something that you think is a good idea, pass it on to your Congressman. They’ll probably ignore you, but they might not. All it takes is the right person to notice and suddenly you’ve changed the world for the better.
Thanks for listening.
Today’s Question
What are your favorite places (political or otherwise) to visit on the web?
55 comments:
happy to spread you guys around, but i don't know if i fit in your demographic of "discussing the issues intelligently"...sometime my ball of knuckles gets the best of me.
fav places: here ;), politico, drudge, fox, tmz (WHAT?!), and a special little joint of my own...
Well... my favorite places to visit are the following (more or less):
-Movies/DVD: Home Theater Forum, Aint It Cool News, DVDTalk, TVShowsOnDVD, TrekMovie, Film Score Monthly, io9
-Information: Gawker, Gizmodo, Mac Rumors, Consumerist, Wikipedia, Google Maps
-Politics: Commentarama, The Atlantic (Andrew Sullivan, Marc Ambinder, Megan McArdle + the Atlantic Wire news aggregator), The Next Right, Threedonia (a spinoff of John Nolte's last site)
Interestingly enough, even though I'm an independent, all of the political sites I visit are center/right-leaning... hmm...
I also visit Big Hollywood but not nearly as often as I used to, for reasons I've mentioned before (their news headlines can be a bit sensationalistic and some of the bloggers seem to reach a little bit for connections to Hollywood).
And the funny stuff: peopleofwalmart.com, failblog.org, Cake Wrecks, engrishfunny.com (borderline racist... sorry!), awkwardfamilyphotos.com, and sexypeople-blog.com (more bad photos)
Patti, LOL! Even if you don't fit our demographic, we'll make room for you! ;-)
Definitely thanks for helping us spread the word -- I always appreciate the links!
P.S. I enjoy your site and visit every day -- great sense of humor! Let me recommend it to everyone: Not A Wonk
Scott, I've never heard of some of these places -- I'll have to check them out. Bad family photos huh?
Yep... not every photo is hilarious but some are wonderfully bad (bad facial expressions, bad hair, bad clothes, you name it!). Don't ask how I find these things!
I also forgot The Digital Bits (the best and possibly oldest website relating to DVD and Blu-Ray discs).
And some former Star Trek designers have blogs of their own now where they showcase what they're working on plus cool material from the Trek archives:
http://johneaves.wordpress.com/ (John Eaves)
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/ (Doug Drexler)
http://web.me.com/michaelokuda/michael_okuda/Blog/Blog.html (Michael Okuda)
That last one should be:
http://web.me.com/michaelokuda/michael_okuda/Blog/Blog.html
http://web.me.com/michaelokuda/michael_okuda/Blog/Blog.html
Third time's the charm!
Nevermind! After /Blog, there should be Blog.html
Sorry for talking up so much space!
Drudge for the day's headlines; then Commentarama for some sanity. I also read AnnCoulter's weekly column for my weekly dose of snarkiness. I check out AZCentral.com for my local news. I also have a lot of other blogs on my blogreader that I check out throughout the week.
I visit a lot of writer's/editor's web sites including PublishersMarketplace for the day's deals;
For fun, I'd been going to BigHollywood but not nearly as much as I used to. I may have to check out Scott's fun list to add to a few more of my own. ;-)
Writer X, As with Patti, let me also thank you for helping us get the word out, for commenting, and for the articles you contribute!
Also, let me recommend your place to everyone too -- very enjoyable read: 100 Most Annoying Things.
I come to Commentarama every day but rarely comment on the more serious stuff because everyone else, whom I consider to be so much more intelligent and informed than I, say it all for me. So commenting with an Amen Brother! or a Yessiree Bob! seems like a waste of space if I can't come up with a unique perspective.
My Senators are Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold. They have been FOREVER! Do you seriously think that contacting them makes any difference whatsoever? No. I'm really asking.
"Thinking Class". I like that. And that's why I like this site. And that's why I DO tell others about it.
Keep up the good work!
Other good sites:
PJTV
Fire Breathing Christian
Not A Wonk
Ann Coulter
Big Hollywood
Cheryl: If you think you've got it bad, try being represented by Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. It's like a nightmare that won't go away!
Cheryl, Thanks! :-)
You do comment though, and that's all we ask -- that everyone comment once in a while. We really do want to hear from everybody!
I feel your frustration about Feingold and Kohl and I can't honestly say that we will ever sway them. . . . BUT, it's still worth speaking your mind.
Not only does it let them know that their constituents are watching, but you never know what might strike a chord. They might not agree with everything you say, but they might agree with some of it, and that might make a difference. Plus, it never hurts to try?
Andrew: I've been a longtime fan of Instapundit. They don't allow comments, but they have an amazing amount of capsulized information every day from the conservative, conservative/libertarian point of few. Plus some of their stuff is hilarious.
Also, if you prepare yourself for a little stridency in advance, but want to know what's really going on with our Muslim friends in the Mideast, I suggest Jihadwatch. Spencer is a bit too tolerant of proto-fascists in Europe for my tastes, but I find things there that I rarely see elsewhere.
I do my comments at my desk, in my office, and though I’m the owner, I have limited time so the extent of my page views are few, and precise.
Blogs: Big Hollywood, Commentarama, Big Government
Websites: Drudge, Neal Boortz, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh
As far as commenting on a blog is concerned until 11/4/08, I never even looked at a blog, and never commented until Big Hollywood, I was compelled when I read the first article “One Pissed off Dude,” Gary Graham, powerful! This is where I met, you guys, virtually of coarse.
Getting people to comment seems to be a challenge for any blog or website. Older people it’s a matter of trust, and minding your own business, you know the old adage, “every bodies business, is nobodies business,” I was raised to keep one’s thoughts to one’s self, maybe it’s a Southern thing. But, that’s not okay in the times we are living in, we must speak up, if for no other reason we helped create the monster that’s devouring our great country, ‘60s radicalism. Leftist count on our silence, no more people, the challenge is at hand, and the fight for America requires more than our silence.
As a selfish aside, and this is not a critique of the quality of the articles, I’m certain that it’s and incredible amount of work. The ad-lib comedy routine that used to run in the threads over at Big Hollywood, though sometimes silly it drives the point home, with a smile, and you guys had reams of people watching, me included. How you would pull that off, I’m not sure, but just a thought. The things we say make into the vernacular. When I play with a troll, I like to ask, “what’s in it for you?” Within a couple of weeks I started hearing this in several spots with various talking heads, including Pres Sec. Robert Gibbs, who said to paraphrase, “people are asking, what’s in it for you?” I nearly fell out of my chair, coincidence, maybe? Even though it may be anecdotal I think what is said on these blogs makes out into the wider world. Sorry for the long post.
Cheryl, Lawhawk! I’m jealous, you’ve got Senators and Reps., that need a constant Conservative pounding. These are the very places, Wisconsin, CA, that need the most attention. Though you may believe it an exercise in futility, IMO the left is counting on it.
Stan, Well said. Not speaking is a particular problem for conservatives.
I have spoken to so many conservatives who never spoke up before because they were always told "people don't want to hear that" and "never talk politics or religion." And even though the liberals around them never followed that rule, they kept to it.
One recently told me, that she used to sit with her friends and it drove her nuts that the liberals would just blabber on their standard garbage. I asked, "why don't you speak up?" She responded that it wouldn't matter, and besides, she was the only conservative and they knew her views.
I told her to give it a try, which she eventually did. She said it was stunning. Apparently, they did not know she was a conservative (because silence equals consent), AND she discovered that two others were conservatives -- she had assumed they were liberals. In fact, the conservatives out numbered the liberals!
Since that time, she says that her conversations have gotten much more bi-partisan, and they've even convinced the liberals to start seeing a little bit of reason.
There is a lesson there for all conservatives.
StanH: Thanks for all your positive comments, since our infancy. It is indeed hard to get people to comment. Andrew and I both value the opinions of everyone who comes to the site, and you loyalists have made it all worthwhile. We know that there are many, many readers out there who are with us, but think that if they disagree on a particular topic, we can't be friends anymore. Those are the people whose comments we want the most. Good politics isn't about lockstep agreement. It's about consensus.
Andrew and I didn't know each other from Adam. We just both showed up on Big Hollywood back in February or March, and recognized we thought much alike but also had some juicy arguments at the edges. In other words, what brought us together were our disagreements rather than our agreements. The colloquy over "torture" versus "enhanced interrogation" was probably when we first thought of getting together and doing our own blog. Two conservatives who are incidentally lawyers (that wasn't the bond at all), who would voice our views, knowing that we wouldn't always agree. And though we still get into it occasionally, our roles are a bit different here from what they were at Big Hollywood.
Oh, and one final note. Remember, I'm the smart one.
Lawhawk, Well said, except the part about being the smart one. It is the differences that make life interesting.
I keep trying to go back to BH, but my schedule has kept me very busy. Also, when I am there, I haven't found people to be nearly as interactive as they were before, which makes it hard to start conversations like we used to have.
Andrew: I feel the same way. Retirement has kept me busier than my full-time practice. I suddenly discovered that I have three kids and eight grandkids who deserve a little attention as well. The combination of doing the research for our articles, along with outside but inevitable factors has kept me from being able to spend much time on the other blogs. Sad, but nearly impossible to avoid.
Andrew and LawHawk,
You guys haven't missed much. Most of the people who comment on BH and BG don't take the time to acknowledge others there now.
I go to Drudge, American Thinker, Commentarama, BH, BG, Breitbart.tv, NewsBusters.
I suscribe to Rush but I usually end up just listening to his podcasts. I pop over to Mark Levin for the same reason.
It ends up that I usually comment on this site most of all now. I use to comment regularly at BH but the people who comment regularly there now want their opinion read and not to discuss things. That is why I said you haven't missed much.
Also, I have been a regular reader of 101 Most Annoying Things.
Sorry WriteX,
I thought it was called 101, I just checked again and sure enough, I was wrong.
100 Most Annoying Things.
Joel, no problem. :-) And thanks. If it's any consolation, I passed 100 a while back.
WriterX,
Yes, I know. I have been reading your blog ever since you had gotten to the Thirty-Three mark. I went back and read all the rest when I had the time.
To me, you are one of those authors I would buy the book with out having to check anything out of what you wrote. You are that good.
Joel, you just made my day! *Hugs*
This is a great site. I never did any commenting until BH which is where I learned about this site and most of the folks over here. If there is anything I could say about Commenterama, it is that I feel like the regulars are my friends even though we have never met. It might be nice if we had some more divergence of opinion so I'll try and work on that. Maybe I'll try and find a devil's advocate hat somewhere just for fun.
Places I go regularly in the political sphere are: American Thinker, Real Clear Politics and Michelle Malkin. I read Anne Coulter's column each week, but rarely comment, and hit Iowahawk's page once a week. I almost always read Jonah Goldberg and Rich Lerner each week. Strangely, I am commenting less and less at BH, don't know exactly why. I don't see enough really meaty articles anymore, maybe.
Outside of Politics, I regularly visit Internet Movie Database, online guitar tuner (every other day), deadnet (for new releases) and Woodward DNA Geneaology project. Sometimes, I consciously step away from going online because of it's potentially addictive qualities.
I appreciate the dedication and hardwork of all the authors. The articles are great. While I cannot claim I put in even 1% of the effort you folks do in writing the articles, in my own way, I try to respect each of your efforts by making my comments thoughtfully (for the most part.) Keep up the good work
Joel, Thanks! I've noticed that lately about BH as well, people don't seem to talk there anymore, they just come and make a post. I don't know when (or why) that changed, but it has.
Writer X, I think a lot of us would love to know what you write -- I certainly would, but (sadly) I do understand the need to stay anonymous.
Jed, Thanks! And I think that I can honestly say that we view all of you as friends too -- even though we've never met.
And we definitely appreciate your comments, always very thoughtful -- very interesting.
Online guitar tuning? Hmm. I had no idea there was such a thing!
Andrew,
I noticed the change when BG came into being. I mostly go there now to see if there is a new ACORN video.
The odd thing is that the trolls aren't as good as they used to be.
BTW, Do you have a new article on TROLLING in the works?
Joel, I don't have anything on trolling in the works because I haven't really been inspired by the trolls I've run across.
They seem to have lost the spirit lately. I guess that's what happens when the Kool Aid turns out to be sour!
On BH/BG: I noticed that BG made a big change at BH as well. I see that some people now comment exclusively at one or the other.
One of the things over at BH are the trolls have all but disappeared, this IMO got the discussions going at times. Also you guys are not there. BH can be repetitive at times, Garafolo, M. Moore, etc. There writers are solid, and I do find their articles prescient, and a depth of information that’s useful. Same for Big Government, a great site and Breitbart is really affecting issues, most specifically ACORN, and the NEA. So I try to lend my time to comment, to maybe help make a difference.
Commentarama is a slower pace, and I always feel informed on an issue when I leave. You guys hit on points many times you can only get here. Being a silly person I always enjoy Boiler Room Elves, the captioning contest, and Lawhawk and Bevs reports from the belly of the beasts that are SF and NY. WriterX’s insight on the adventures of an author are always educational and fun. ScottDS brings back memories, and has me wishing for a do over. Many of the people that do comment are some of the best, patti (Not A wonk) great site from a spit and vinegar Texan, Jed, Cheryl, USA Art Guy, Joel, and son on.
So, don’t be a wuss make a comment on Commentarama! The waters fine…
PS: You want to get Andrew going mention conspiracy theories, and Lawhawk the Garafolo beast, ha!
Andrew,
I really do appreciate this site. The readers who do comment all seem to be very well informed and while there may be a lack of conversation on some of the topics I believe the posts that you, LawHawk, Writer X and the Boiler Room Elves – am I leaving someone else off? – are so well written that sometimes comment isn’t always necessary. I also really appreciate the civility I find on this site. Hats off to you and the readers for keeping it above board.
There are a lot of times I’d probably comment but I learned long ago that the person who speaks least will be listened too most. I really balance in posting as to whether I can add something of worth to the discussion or am just spouting verbal diarrhea for my own self-gratification.
Now, the question… I always start with Drudge in the morning. He does a great job of getting news that falls through the cracks. Obviously I come here often. I have a large list of links on my website that goes from the American Federalist Journal to World Net Daily. I have blogs from The 100 Most Annoying Things (there you go Writer X) to Cynthia Yockey who is a self-described conservative lesbian. I also have think-tanks from Americans for Self-Government to Texas Taxpayers and Research Association. I don’t go to all on a daily or even weekly basis. I pick and choose depending on mood and desire for the day – and of course my workload. I’m a libertarian by mentality but I play a conservative on TV so my interests are across the board.
Fred
Writer X:
If you tell us who you are, we promise we won't tell anyone else.
WriterX,
Here is an Idea. Use Andrew as a go-between. I can always use another author to read. :-)
Cheryl, Joel -
I promise: When my books become as well-known as, say, James Patterson's, my Commentarama friends will be the first to know!
Sorry for being so mysterious, but my agent, who I've known for several years now, doesn't even know that I'm conservative. He'd freak. Not to mention people who buy the books. It's a crazy business.
Thanks for the kind words, though. Much appreciated.
Stan, Let me echo your sentiments about all of our commenters! I think you're all great! Seriously, our audience impressives me -- very thoughtful people!
I'm glad you feel informed, that's our goal. And I assure you, I would write a lot more if I could, but my brain would explode. :-( I need a cloning kit.
You make a very interesting observation about the trolls at BH -- they've largely vanished. And those that are left are uninspiring. I wonder why?
As for Brietbart, thank God! He's had a tremendous influence -- particularly when it comes to ACORN.
(Yeah, when it comes to conspiracy theories, my motto is "for entertainment purposes only"!)
Joel & Cheryl,
For the record, I don't know who writes behind the mask! All I know is that she's not Stephen King. :-)
Hink, Thanks! I'm glad you like the place. We do try to keep things civil. In fact, we honestly do want to hear from our liberal friends -- or anyone who disagrees with us.
Nothing helps you understand yourself more than having to defend and explain your views to people who don't agree with you.
Thanks for the comments you do leave, they are certainly appreciated.
And I certainly don't mean that people need to comment all the time. But I do want to encourage people to get involved. This is a good place to start the conversation, which you can then take from here into other facets of your lives. :-)
So am I the only one to venture out into the "enemy" camp? I go to all of the usual conservative sites, but I love to give my heart a workout at HuffPo. It's like jumping into the cold water plunge after a sauna. And tweaking the Liberals at HuffPo is entertaining. If you want a really good laugh (or cry) try Whitehouse.gov. I'm writing a post based on my findings there...Love what they say about Fox News...
Bev, That is diving into the deep end of the pool! I'll read the articles once in awhile, but not the comments over Huffpo. Yuck. Pure hate, pure ignorance. Of course, the same could be said for most of their articles.
Andrew, yes, the most of the comments are just the far liberal ad hominem rants you would expect, but sometimes there is someone who makes a good point. Sadly I find that BH is slowly becoming the conservative equivalent to HuffPo as far as the commenting goes. I think that comes with popularity. The more popular a site becomes the more it attracts the fringe.
F B Hink: Thanks again for your comments and encouragement. You did leave my soulmate out of the list of regular contributors--the inestimable Bev from New York City. Without her, everyone would think that the entire United States has tilted toward the left coast. She brings things back into perspective with her reports from the Big Apple. Of course, if my San Francisco and her New York City become too heavy, we'll both sink and the country will crack in the center.
StanH - Thanks!!
BevfromNYC - Interesting comment about BH. Sadly, while I totally respect what Mr. Breitbart is doing, I fear the bigger his "Big XYZ" empire gets, the more crazies are going to start posting. Even on BH, half the people don't seem to care about movies. And some of the articles get a bit repetitive. Michael Moore, okay. But did we really need five articles about how Brad Pitt isn't a fan of religion? It doesn't effect me at all and the only thing I can say is, "Who gives a shit?!" :-)
And as someone who'd like to get involved in filmmaking one day, I personally think the site is doing more to repel conservatives away from movies. The whole thesis is that more people on the right should get involved in the arts (and support the good movies and TV shows) but every other article only pours more fuel on the fire and leaves people asking, "Why should I?"
i came back to check out any new sites i have missed through my own research, and have the mercies, some of you read me. ~faints~
thanks to all for the nice words. spit and vinegar texan made me laugh. it's nice to know that some of you are as warped as I.
the saddest thing? that lawhawk didn't even mention that he reads me....sheesh. wadda i have to do, man?!
one more site that makes me laugh every day: failblog.org
Patti: Mea Culpa. You have one of the most enjoyable sites around. I simply assumed everybody reads it. If not, they should. I just didn't want to sound to wonkish. LOL
Sites I visit (most) every day:
News: USA Today
Politics: National Review, Pollster, Stromata Blog, WSJ, SteynOnline
Religion: First Things, Touchstone Magazine's Mere Comments
Entertainment: Sports Illustrated, AV Club, Big Hollywood, Republibot, What Would Toto Watch?
Humor: Cracked, Iowahawk
Miscellaneous sites: Hatrack River (Orson Scott Card's site), James Lilek's The Bleat, Space.com, Snopes, Freakonomics
I used to comment quite a bit at Big Hollywood, and I'll tell you why I stopped. For some reason, a couple of months ago my browser stopped displaying comments in a threaded format. I don't know if this has happened to anyone else because the people who do comment seem to be clear about who is talking to whom, but to me it's all just gibberish now, and I can't follow any conversations.
I blew my stack a little a couple of weeks ago over people not commenting at Threedonia. A few more people have started since. Hope the same happens here!
Yo, Adrian and everyone else! Sorry to have been so quiet the last couple of weeks...busy figuring out my homeplace and playing catch-up...
I met up with Andrew and LawHawk on Big Hollywood, those two immediately became faves. I still read BH now and then, and took part in 24's online forum this year...it was a lot of fun and I look forward to doing that again, as well as the Academy Awards show!
Okay, so some of my favorite sites or people to read are:
Commentarama, Drudge, Townhall, Politico, HuffPo, DailyKos, WSJ, Big Government, The Patriot Post, Weekly Standard, Camille Paglia, Ann Coulter, Mark Levin, Thomas Sowell, Walter E. Williams, Rush (of course) - basically I am addicted to reading.
I also hit a few shopping sites, and lately I've been reading more and more blogs as I have been developing my own.
I like to comment here, though most often my forte is sarcastic punditry...so I try to keep a lid on it!
I love you guys,...what can I say?
Patti, I can't believe Lawhawk didn't mention you. I suggest hiring a hit man! ;-)
Failblog is hilarious. Some of it is downright stunning.
Mike, I'm hoping that more people do start participating. Even if not here, then just generally. I really do believe that normal people need to start taking a stand again or nothing will ever change.
I have that problem once in a while at BH and I can't explain it. Sometimes I'll make a couple comments and then suddenly find myself unable to see the comments at all, or they show up in the format you are talking about, which makes it impossible to follow.
I check out space.com all the time! (Threedonia's a good place too.)
DCAlleyKat, Thanks! :-) We're glad you're here! And thanks for all your comments, they're always interesting.
I read Williams and Sowell all the time. They are my two favorite writers by far!
(P.S. Feel free to be as sarcastic as you like. There's nothing wrong with good sarcasm.)
I'm usually late, but I always try to comment. I also like to read the other comments. Everyone here always has something interesting to say.
Like MegaTroll, I usually feel "late to the party" around here, but I do love what you guys do. I can't imagine how much time you must spend finding all the facts and tidbits you do and piecing them together for us.
I actually don't visit many other sites for politics. I do listen to talk radio most of the day, though, and keep up that way.
So, I do try to comment; I vote in your polls and I vote in elections; I do write my Senators and reps; and I even donate money to conservative candidates when I can. I'm still working up the nerve to put a bumper sticker on my car - maybe a nice "Idiot" or "Moron" with Obama O's - because you're right that it's nice to know you're not alone. But I'm just not that gutsy yet. Same reason I don't spread the word as much as I could or should - I'm still terribly gun-shy about getting into arguments about politics.
'Course, thanks to your work, I've got a great resource to come to.
CrispyRice and Mega, We do check old comments, so please feel free to comment even on old articles.
We post and vote as time and the bosses allow. We spread the word to all elf-kind.
Among the sites we visit:
MichellElfkin.com
Elftingtonpost.com
WorldElfDaily.com
SleighsRUs.com
BoilerBlog.com
I loved y'all on BH. I still read through their stuff - usually daily if enough time during the in-betweens at work.
I keep 2-3 IE browser windows open. 1st is my email, 2nd is whichever site I am to on my list, and 3 I open for business sites (office depot, online banking, etc) and facebook (yep, I am one of them!).
I start with the weather, then snopes, NRO, (Townhall used to be next, but now I only go occasionally to see the cartoons), then BH, and HERE!, if I have time still it's to a friend's personal blog. I get the Patriot Post via email, so I don't go to the site much - but it's got good stuff.
For amusement, I recently found thereIfixedit.com - hysterical!!!!
over the summer I read http://dcinterns.blogspot.com.
I also hit every so often Serenity Though Haiku.
Amazon.com for book shopping! (yeah used books -- I have an OCD thing about keeping my books - they are mine and you can't make me get rid of them! I think it is a residule of being broke as a kid and borrowing books from the library and my grandmother and they both insisted on the books' prompt return!)
excuse the rabbit chase there - anyway... I like this site because y'all are all smart and thoughtful, but can get riled with the right provocation. I appreciate snarling at the state of the world, but kneejerkness (like at BH) can be depressing in its own way.
So, thanks!!!!
I am going to hit submit before I type more!!!!
Post a Comment