The best thing about this blog is the quality — and frequency — of the commenters that visit. A year ago or so I tallied the number of comments received here, and — because to my knowledge, Movable Type has no automated way of doing so — crunched the numbers on which folks were commenting most frequently.
As of right this second as I write this, we have 4725 comments here on this blog. The all-time most-commented post on this blog was March 23, 2005’s Life and Death, with 152 comments. The Zeke versus Cody contest got 55 comments, many of them pledges that are still unpaid.
This post got 52 comments.
This one got 47. This one got 33.
This one got 31.
And Lurker Day got 69 comments, though I suppose when the whole point of the post is to ask for comments it’s sort of cheating.
Since January, a number of new regular commenters have come by and ensconced themselves, brightening this place (and my life) considerably. People who’ve made more than ten comments since this blog started in May 2003 are listed below, in order of number of comments:
10 Alex
10 CMD
10 Jim McCulloch
10 Limesalttequila
11 Phil
11 Fred
11 Charles Jones
11 Doc Rock
11 Lauren
12 Alice
12 Alphabitch
12 Handdrummer
12 jamie
12 Norbizness
13 Amanda Marcotte
13 peacebug
14 ae
15 Bellatrys
15 Nikki
15 paperwight
16 SneakySnu
19 GrrlScientist
20 Mike Anderson
21 Desert Donkey
22 Robert
23 Nina
25 Sara
27 Hungry Hyaena
28 Doghouse Riley
30 PZ Myers
31 Kathy R.
31 Rita
33 leslee
35 Miguel Alondra
36 Carrie
36 eRobin
37 carpundit
39 Rurality
40 Rexroth’s Daughter
42 Space Kitty
44 Hank Fox
46 Jarrett
46 Vicki Robinson
49 butuki/Miguel
50 Kathy A.
52 Paul Tomblin
53 Siona
54 Murky
55 Susurra
59 Roxanne
64 Allison Ruth Clarke
65 Carl Buell
66 Dale
69 dread pirate roberts
82 Anne
88 Kathy Flake
88 Ron Sullivan
89 Pica
91 Dave Bonta
96 The Bone
107 Stephaniequinox
125 Craig
137 Beth
151 Tost
251 Rana
And me, I’ve made 651 of the damn things.
But what do all these commenters think? I figured the best way to gauge that was to download the comments database, and take each sentence I found that began with the words “I think.” So here you go, in found poetry form, below the fold.
What Creek Running North commenters think.
I think a lot of people are feeling this way.
I think a lot of us have earned the “liberal elite” moniker, sadly.
I think anvils are perfectly appropriate for the desert, don’t you?
I think Bush, Dobson, and their ilk, set the standard for decency and family values in the country today
I think Dillard is doing something similar: she’s making myths.
I think Dillard’s consciously writing AGAINST the romantic tradition that says God is beautiful because nature is beautiful.
I think he was trying to force women to report abortions, myself, and got hammered over the miscarriage issue.
I think I might agree with you.
I think I remember most clearly the afternoon she and I spent together in Chicago, shopping and eating on Michigan Avenue.
I think I’ve read something about the way to remove it being to put something non-wet onto it, because it just loves water and absorbs it and makes itself bigger and slimier with it than without it.
I think it’s going to be a non-partisan event that does it.
I think it’s just possible that Loin of Cod really could take away the sins of the world.
I think one path back to sanity — and there are many — is for individuals to make the conscious choice that they’re not going to play the game any more.
I think perhaps you’re retrospectively applying standards that weren’t relevant to the time and place.
I think playing guitar is the most efficient method.
I think some of our collective angst is due to just knowing about stuff that always was there on a local level.
I think talk of “alien,” “exotic” and “invasive” plants provokes more worried finger-wagging than does talk of animal species.
I think that evangelists of every stripe are obnoxious, and, frequently, evil. I think that I interpreted what you said as it’s not that you’re asking for help from God (as you define God), but that God is trying to teach you something. I think that must be the home address of BT, my service provider.
I think that one of the main “points” of _Pilgrim_ is that looks are deceiving because GOD is deceiving.
i think that other commentors confirmed my impression of the denotative meaning of murky’s beginning comment and much of his followup.
I think that over at “Making Light”, you have attributed to me some comments made by someone else.
i think that people all across the spectrum of conventional intelligence have strengths and weaknesses in various spheres.
I think that the polemic 2 party system is obviously flawed and unable to fully represent the diversity of ideology in our country, but I don’t see a practical alternative (beyond the local level) which is what I was getting at when I asked for a how.
I think the “task of science” with regard to objective reality is pretty much the same as the task of men with regard to feminism: to try to get as close as possible by increments, but never to expect to arrive.
I think the Bush people of the Kalahari have a sense of place that is closer to the kestrel’s than ours.
I think the left is pretty susceptible to some Kool-Aid sellers too.
I think the only discussions I have had regarding Churchill have been with Conservatives regarding the Eichman issue.
I think the public is starting to reject Bush a little bit but there needs to be a reason given for them to finally, and utterly, reject him.
I think the scientific project is essentially a theistic one: it depends upon the fry-pan-ness of fry-pans having been given by God, and therefore to be knowable by human beings.
I think there are dimensions to brilliance.
I think there’s a good reason why your story reminded me of this funny one.
I think there’s something about the adrenaline, and the immediate *necessity* of the situation that makes it possible for ordinary flawed people to “rise above.”
I think these are just meant as milemarkers, and opportunities for us to take a look at where we’ve been so far.
I think Ward’s ideas are generally valuable, there’s even some merit in his commentary on 9/11.
I think we all agree that CRN is one of the former (there may be more of them than Almond is aware of).
I think we stole it from the Tiny Toons or Animaniacs.
I think we’ve been dealing with a different group of people when discussing the removal of “invasives,” though.
I think what this is getting at is the question of when generalizations are legitimate and fair.
i think you are a great writer and i hope you follow that out and see where it goes.
I think you did mean it.
I think you feel centered and sane in the wildlands partly because you feel SAFE.
I think you should go start your own blog.
I think you win that one Chris — but shouldn’t Myers name be changed to Pee Zee Myers?
I think you’re right about the “side issues.”
I think another factor in how many comments a person has is — at least in my case — an inability to shut up.
I think that says it all...plainly.
