Comments as of today

It is a pity that many of us did not follow the guide-lines that Robert set for us.We should have taken heed,or acted in a better fashion.I myself admit to being one of the culprits,I now regret giving the Muslims an undeserved victory if the comment should close down.
I will continue to submit comments at other sites but I shall try to remember the above rules
At the moment I am active on a pleasant Swedish site, where many posters understand English
http://www.fomi.se/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1432
also
Foehammer has a site
http://www.foehammer.net/
and Big sleep has a site,but has a few problem with a hacker that needs to be fixed
http://watchmyjihad.blogspot.com/2005/08/no-comment-and-dont-quote-me.html
So maybe if the comments close we shall be scattered to the four winds,but that should not stop us from continuing what has been started here.
I feel this is the right time and place to enter this from FFI's forum.It is for us all to remember when we appear on other forums,
This forum is created for exchange of ideas. It is not for mindless babble of nonsense nor for clashes of personalities. We are not interested to dig more ditches but to build more bridges.

Our policy in moderating this forum is least intervention. In other words we operate this forum based on the Daoist philosophy of governing. The gist of this philosophy is wu wei, or “do nothing”.

There is an order in the nature, but you can’t put your finger on it. It simply cannot be measured or defined. Nature does not have geometric figures and it has no specific shapes but there is order beauty and harmony in it and it is perfect. Look at the clouds, the trees, the mountains or the rivers and lakes and the stars. They all have order but we simply cannot measure or describe it. This is Li - organic pattern.

The Dao is the way nature operates. You cannot find the controlling center of it, because there isn't any.

We humans are part of the nature and our society is a natural evolution. Internet forums are cyber societies and hence part of the nature too. Nature knows best how to regulate itself. So we moderate this forum letting it evolve under its natural impulses. We do not see human society as a factory were you have to plan and control every aspect of the production but rather as a garden with a life of its own, where all you have to do is assure that the trees and plants are watered and occasionally pruned and weeded, and watch it grow on its own.

Society is like an individual. In fact we individuals are only a society of billions of cells. There is no governing organism in our body. All cells know what to do and there is harmony. This harmony is the natural way. It exists in everything. Dao is the path of non intervention. By doing nothing you will accomplish more than by doing a lot.

The rules or the Dao of this forum are the natural rules governing any civilized society.

The Dao of the forum or its 10 commandments
1 Do not insult other members, Do not utter racial slurs or call for violence against certain groups of people. Clashes of opinions are welcomed but clashes of personalities are not.
2 Do not spam or flood the forum with too many postings. Limit your postings to maximum seven messages per day.
3 Think before writing. Quality matters more than quantity.
4 Do not use foul language nor override the general norms of civility. Let your words be the expression of who you are.
5 You’ll be “flamed” by other members if you behave unscholarly.
6 You do not have to be a scholar to participate in this forum but try to act like one.
7 Do not use an offensive nickname as your user name.
8 Be considerate of other members’ time and write only if you have something of value to say.
9 Remember that the membership to this forum is not a birthright, but rather a privilege. We love to see the flowers of all kinds and hues in our garden but the moderators are always on the watch to weed out the “thorny” shrubs that try to suffocate other plants.
10 This forum is for serious discussions. Please do not register multiple usernames like Muhammad and his Allah whose one alias said one thing and his hidden alias came to his support. We can easily see if you use multiple usernames, do not like it and will reveal your little secret. So don't do that.
I will sorely miss many posters and their comments from Granny Weatherwax to dgene, Carolyn2 to otterfisher, Paolo to Terminator, Foehammer to voletti, JW gal to Caroline, skidd to sonofwalker, DC Watson to abolitionist, sexy kafira to waterdragon52, Cornelius to albion, Hilequ Khan to Vikrant_Camberleykar, kevin to Susanp. suzan to duh_swami,Catherine to Nassen, Imam Geoff to Mentat,dennisw to t-ham and not forgetting prophetsbeard to Big sleep PLEASE is it possible you can all leave links so as to where you are commenting we can follow each other up
Dont tell the spirit of JW just die out.Let us be the Mustard seeds
Hope to see you at other sites
Best regards and take care
SHIVA

It is a pity that many of us did not follow the guide-lines that Robert set for us.We should have taken heed,or acted in a better fashion.I myself admit to being one of the culprits,I now regret giving the Muslims an undeserved victory if the comment should close down.
I will continue to submit comments at other sites but I shall try to remember the above rules
At the moment I am active on a pleasant Swedish site, where many posters understand English
http://www.fomi.se/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1432
also
Foehammer has a site
http://www.foehammer.net/
and Big sleep has a site,but has a few problem with a hacker that needs to be fixed
http://watchmyjihad.blogspot.com/2005/08/no-comment-and-dont-quote-me.html
So maybe if the comments close we shall be scattered to the four winds,but that should not stop us from continuing what has been started here.
I feel this is the right time and place to enter this from FFI's forum.It is for us all to remember when we appear on other forums,
This forum is created for exchange of ideas. It is not for mindless babble of nonsense nor for clashes of personalities. We are not interested to dig more ditches but to build more bridges.

Our policy in moderating this forum is least intervention. In other words we operate this forum based on the Daoist philosophy of governing. The gist of this philosophy is wu wei, or “do nothing”.

There is an order in the nature, but you can’t put your finger on it. It simply cannot be measured or defined. Nature does not have geometric figures and it has no specific shapes but there is order beauty and harmony in it and it is perfect. Look at the clouds, the trees, the mountains or the rivers and lakes and the stars. They all have order but we simply cannot measure or describe it. This is Li - organic pattern.

The Dao is the way nature operates. You cannot find the controlling center of it, because there isn't any.

We humans are part of the nature and our society is a natural evolution. Internet forums are cyber societies and hence part of the nature too. Nature knows best how to regulate itself. So we moderate this forum letting it evolve under its natural impulses. We do not see human society as a factory were you have to plan and control every aspect of the production but rather as a garden with a life of its own, where all you have to do is assure that the trees and plants are watered and occasionally pruned and weeded, and watch it grow on its own.

Society is like an individual. In fact we individuals are only a society of billions of cells. There is no governing organism in our body. All cells know what to do and there is harmony. This harmony is the natural way. It exists in everything. Dao is the path of non intervention. By doing nothing you will accomplish more than by doing a lot.

The rules or the Dao of this forum are the natural rules governing any civilized society.

The Dao of the forum or its 10 commandments
1 Do not insult other members, Do not utter racial slurs or call for violence against certain groups of people. Clashes of opinions are welcomed but clashes of personalities are not.
2 Do not spam or flood the forum with too many postings. Limit your postings to maximum seven messages per day.
3 Think before writing. Quality matters more than quantity.
4 Do not use foul language nor override the general norms of civility. Let your words be the expression of who you are.
5 You’ll be “flamed” by other members if you behave unscholarly.
6 You do not have to be a scholar to participate in this forum but try to act like one.
7 Do not use an offensive nickname as your user name.
8 Be considerate of other members’ time and write only if you have something of value to say.
9 Remember that the membership to this forum is not a birthright, but rather a privilege. We love to see the flowers of all kinds and hues in our garden but the moderators are always on the watch to weed out the “thorny” shrubs that try to suffocate other plants.
10 This forum is for serious discussions. Please do not register multiple usernames like Muhammad and his Allah whose one alias said one thing and his hidden alias came to his support. We can easily see if you use multiple usernames, do not like it and will reveal your little secret. So don't do that.
I will sorely miss many posters and their comments from Granny Weatherwax to dgene, Carolyn2 to otterfisher, Paolo to Terminator, Foehammer to voletti, JW gal to Caroline, skidd to sonofwalker, DC Watson to abolitionist, sexy kafira to waterdragon52, Cornelius to albion, Hilequ Khan to Vikrant_Camberleykar, kevin to Susanp. suzan to duh_swami,Catherine to Nassen, Imam Geoff to Mentat,dennisw to t-ham and not forgetting prophetsbeard to Big sleep PLEASE is it possible you can all leave links so as to where you are commenting we can follow each other up
Dont tell the spirit of JW just die out.Let us be the Mustard seeds
Hope to see you at other sites
Best regards and take care
SHIVA

After a skirmish with a poster who got all flamed up with me for (drum roll, please) alleged faulty historical scholarship (the stuff of leisure), I'm doubtful of the constructiveness of this system. It's OK to point me to an error and correct it; it's not OK to berate me for it on personal lines, to insult me.

There are various posters here having in common an awareness against Islam: Christians, atheists, pagans, conservatives, liberals etc. As a microcosmic image of it all, it shows you that, for an effective effort, the common ground should be put to the front, not the dividing things. Christian bashing of paganism, or atheist bashing of religion in general, or right-wing bashing of the idea that the economy should be state-regulated--all those things drain us of the energy we need for the only thing that matters right now.

Whatever you decide, Robert. But either way, I think I'm done with commenting. It just isn't worth my time.

After a skirmish with a poster who got all flamed up with me for (drum roll, please) alleged faulty historical scholarship (the stuff of leisure), I'm doubtful of the constructiveness of this system. It's OK to point me to an error and correct it; it's not OK to berate me for it on personal lines, to insult me.

There are various posters here having in common an awareness against Islam: Christians, atheists, pagans, conservatives, liberals etc. As a microcosmic image of it all, it shows you that, for an effective effort, the common ground should be put to the front, not the dividing things. Christian bashing of paganism, or atheist bashing of religion in general, or right-wing bashing of the idea that the economy should be state-regulated--all those things drain us of the energy we need for the only thing that matters right now.

Whatever you decide, Robert. But either way, I think I'm done with commenting. It just isn't worth my time.

I would recommend shutting down the comments.

Sure, there are sometimes intelligent, poignant comments made, that add to the points raised in the news article or Robert's commentary, but all too often the comments amount to nothing more than a collective "GROAN! Effin' Muslims this, Effin' Muslims that". This decidedely _detracts_ from the overall quality of this site and the service it provides. From a cost-benefit analysis, allowing comments is just not worth it.

Those that want to "discuss" the issues further can do so elsewhere.

Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

I'd like to go off topic and talk about something which I've just seen on TV.

There's a show called Media watch, and it comments on the media in general.

The presenter was talking about a show called Today Tonight in which a muslim said that muslims would never intergrate. This was taken up by talk back radio shows etc in which people voiced their anger over this young muslims statement.

Now it emerges that he said that he was taken out of context, and that he said that muslims would never intergrate to the extant that other immigrant communities have done.

Media watch took that up, to say that in effect Today Tonight virtually lied and took this guys comments out of context.

But what this muslim said even in it's entirity was still the same thing. Muslims will never intergrate.

And that's something that us infidels already know.

Personally I like a little color on message boards and chat. If we toe the mark of perfect intellectual decorum, we get boring. 'All work and no play makes Johnnie a dull boy'. This is important because part of JW/DW's plan should include expanding readership. New people of average intelligence and eductation, need to understand the nature of Islam/jihad ect, as much as the intellectual astute. Comments give the readers a chance to respond, to interact, and feel like they are part of something. It gives a chance for personality to come out, credibility to be established, and learning to occur. Comments lend proof to the idea that we are all in the same boat, and the boat is sinking, the strong must bail for the weak or the boat will go down. Comments help the weak get stronger so that they can join in bailing.
But first, you must get their attention, and hold it. JW/DW gets their attention and comments holds it. I would not suggest that a first class site like JW/DW, should lower its standards to accomodate low grade behavior. A set of rules like Shiva listed, along with the normal 'terms of use' would be helpful. Serious offenders could still be booted.
Yes, comments often ooze garbage, but among that garbage, are gems of truth and wisdom. It is up to us to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

I guess I just voted to keep the comments feature. "What is the sound of one hand clapping"? JW/DW without comments...

Shiva:

I share your concern over the loss. I will miss the exchange of historic information, "local reports" from the folks on the ground, interesting perspectives and the humour as well.

If Robert kills the Comments section (and I can't blame him), and there's an alternate means to keep in touch, I'm for it.

Robert:

Please keep the Comments going. This is the part that makes your site alive and real. Without Comments it's just another news/informational site, although you certainly give us news that the mainstream media won't.

Through your Comments we find others who agree or disagree with us; some who make us angry and some who make us smile - but always interesting.

"Comments" is the personal touch that a news-based site just doesn't have.

My suggesstion:

Robert should invite the top 20 posters to comment. The ones who know how to post responsibly. They get a password. Others can watch. Like the group blog at National Review Online called "The Corner"

Later on the 20 posters can be expanded

I found the comments extremely useful & interactive. Indeed I would go so far as to say that it almost changed my perspective to life.

I do think that the number of hits to the site will fall quite dramitically which will be a pity.

Mr. Spencer, I hope you can keep them going, the comments should almost be self-regulating, all should be adult about it, so Insha Allah I hope that the comments will remain.

However, if it closes then that is what Allah will have wished.

OK, that last by Naseem is the best reason I've ever seen for keeping comments open.

If Spencer decides to close comments, here's one option for keeping in touch:
SusanB and I have compiled a list of JW/DWers who wish to make their e-mail addresses available for contact with other JW/DWers. This is how it works: if someone wishes to have interpersonal contact with another member (exchange personal e-mails), they contact SusanB who will then request authorization from the other party for his/her e-mail address to be shared on a one-time basis, only with the individual requesting contact. No e-mail addresses will be given out without authorization of the parties involved. Sometimes individuals prefer to network offsite and this provides an opportunity to correspond privately and perhaps in greater depth than would be appropriate posted at JW/DW. Also, this may be our only recourse should we lose the ability to network here.
If you would like to be included in our database, please e-mail SusanB at susan_b356@yahoo.com. Please don't forget to include your JW/DW screenname so that we know who you are.

Also, Susan will soon be enabling comments again at co-jet, an independent spin-off of JW.

http://www.co-jet.org/

Right now the site is updated on a weekly basis but soon it will be updated daily and at some point commenting will be back online.

CGW

Closing comments will be, and will be seen as by muslims, a victory for jihad and the silencing of Infidel voices, effectively making dhimmis of us all.

Naseem, muslims aren't religious; they're just superstitious, and your last comment proves it.

While I was throwing striped sunflowers seeds out for a very tame mourning dove (as a squirrel did a "Flying Wallendas" routine on the dangling plexiglass feeder above), it spoke to me, yea, in the voice of the Angel Gibreel, and this is what it spake:

"Jihadwatch and Dhimmiwatch without comments sections is like a soup without a sachet of herbs."

Now, to tell your the God's honest truth, I was surprised that a bird would know the word "sachet", first of all.

And secondly, if it is good enough to 1.2 billions Muslims, the voice of Gibreel is good enough for me.

For the sake of the Islamic moderates, and the fate of their effort to civilize their 7th century brothers (since we all know the sisters are essentially muted by the relevant suras and hadiths), you should preserve this "avenue of resonance" (as the mourning dove later described the comments sections...)

This winged one talked for 10 minutes or so (between nibbling sunflower kernels), rambling over "the need for feedback to enrich the basic reportage and essays", and even mentioning the "6th Pillar of Islam", something I'd never heard of before, but will reveal here for the first time:

"And forget not the 6th Pillar," the bird cooed,
"Which is this: to remember that no human is perfect, and that all truth must be refreshed by the new insights of the advancing soul, thus, the Qur'an shall be eternally reinvigorated by the greater insights of clearer eyes and more humane interpretations of its multivalent language."

(My jaw dropped at hearing a bird say "multivalent", I'll tell you.)

So, how can you deprive our Islamic neighbors of this vitual venue?

Comments are NOT actions.

In the anonymous world of the internet, Jihadwatch/Dhimmiwatch is one of the few places where those of us who know the danger of islam can vent our frustrations, educate/support each other, etc.

I am a nice bourgeois mom whose worst brush with the law is getting two speeding tickets in an 18-month period. As nice as I may seem to people, MEAN, CRUEL, SARCASTIC thoughts do race through my mind when it comes to islam. But they remain that: thoughts borne out of frustration with a media/world that refuses to call a spade a spade, and a belief system that serves the worst desires of arab males.

And in this still-free country, no one goes to jail until thoughts become actions.

Shutting down comments would silence all the other voices in the wilderness--leaving Robert, Hugh and Rebecca on their own.

CGW said, "Closing comments will be, and will be seen as by muslims, a victory for jihad and the silencing of Infidel voices, effectively making dhimmis of us all."

Michael Graham(radio host suspended - maybe fired - from WMAL)

Jeffrey Scott Shapiro

The story held up, which is more than Shapiro's career did. By the end of the day, he was no longer the Journal News crime reporter.

These are but two examples of silencing valid discussion.

On the one hand, I understand Spencer's concern for maintaining the integrity of his web sites. He has done more to educate the masses on critical issues to the GWOT than any other. And I respect whatever decision he makes.

It's just a damn pity, the double standard, in a world where those that shall not be subject to critical analysis
can announce, threaten and kill without consequence - simultaneously chisel away our constitutional rights, eventually making it illegal to even point out the perversion. God save us.

closing the comments section will be viewed by the muslims the same way the pullout from gaza is viewed--as a victory for islam--hence giving credence to the slogan going around "today, the saturday people, tomorrow, the sunday people".

Voltaire:

Naseem sometimes posts some rather surprising thoughts and some very interesting accounts of what is going on in Pakistan today. She has also been very frank about the turmoil she feels, trying to reconcile the adherence she feels to the faith in which she was raised and jihaddism, which she opposes.

In this case, as CGW observes, her posts can also be very appropos. Although I'm not convinced she was trying to be ironic, I could be wrong, and certainly closing down the Comments section would be a victory for the wrong side.

I quite appreciate the moderator's frustration. I was busy all weekend, but this morning had a look and there are a number of threads on DW where, among other things, good old ia??? played his usual mischief, illiciting some over-the-top responses. Banning provocateurs like him might address some of the problem, but not all of them.

Until such time as Robert pulls the plug, let's remember what he has to say and keep this in mind as we post:

"...this is a struggle for human rights and human dignity, that you should meet it as such, and that this is not a place for you to vent your spleen to no good purpose."

However, if it closes then that is what Allah will have wished.

Posted by: Naseem at August 22, 2005 09:36 AM

Allah? What is an Allah?

I believe that removing comments is a backward step.

I am not concerned about how Jihadists view such a step - that is just the 'to and fro' of propaganda. Claiming victories / defeats of a particular battle rarely affect the outcome of a war. If this were not so, we would all be corresponding in German or Japanese ! - I very much doubt that temporary set backs will have us all having to bow down to a particular structure on this earth !!

My concern is more along the lines of underestimating the power of the internet and the ability of the reader to be their own censor / filter.

I agree that some of the comments can be a bit off putting but it does NOT detract from the ability to extract really informative information from those posts that are of value.

I would be more inclined to adopt a different format for comments - along the lines of a subject and author identification which then needs to be selected before exposing the content of the post.

The advantage, particularly for ID and password accessed sites is that those who never have positive contributions quickly get recognised as such and if ONLY a single line (subject and author) is used, it is very easy to pass them and continue to scan for those authors who are worthy of a read.

Flame wars are somewhat similar but the simplest rule is to NOT respond - I have learned this from my own (bitter) experiences - I have even had to get up and leave the keyboard to recoup my composure and be sensible enough to back off from flame wars - the msg ? - do not feed the trolls - they starve to death if not fed !!

Of course, there is also the issue of bandwidth. This site seems to be highly active but that is a very unqualified assessment on my part. If bandwidth is a problem then again, a change of format (single line with subject and author for comments) must reduce the bandwidth demands.

Well - that is my 2 cents worth but I'm a pensioner - I'll settle for just 1 cent !!

(Aussie) DOG !!

I would hope that the comments section would not be closed.
It is important to have healthy exchange of ideas.
Remember that we are dealing with a subject that is both frightening and, at the same time, invigorates us to mobilize as a country to take up "arms" in an attempt to educate those that are unfortunately, for whatever their reasons, "blind" to what is occurring around them. This is quite frustrating and, at times exasperating. "Popping off" is understandable, however, self control is vital lest we undermine ourselves. Robert and Hugh attempt to guide us, and we must follow their lead lest we become what we are attempting to combat.

i will truly miss the comments. mostly i will miss asking a question or clarification on something in the book when i buy another of roberts books. i point that out to people that not only are the books informative but if you post a question on it the author reads the comments and usually gets back to your question (as long as your polite and dont repost the same thing or pester) robert maybe you can setup a registration process where it is easy to ban someone using their e-mail or ip address. example when i used to post at the ny times forums (pre 9/11) i had to email the moderator with a real e-mail address (one my isp provides) hotmail and yahoo etc... where not considered legitimate as proof of your uniqueness. my posts go way back to when you first started your site (and which helped me decide to buy onward muslim soldiers). OT anyone else having trouble getting ont ali sinas forums? which brings me up to one other point when other sites go down its nice to fall back here to discuss what happened. ok now that i got my punctuation down i gotta learn how to make paragraphs. as for obnoxious posters use my philosophy De Recta Non Tolerandum Sunt.

However, if it closes then that is what Allah will have wished.

Posted by: Naseem at August 22, 2005 09:36 AM

Allah? What is an Allah?
Posted by: DCWatson [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 22, 2005 12:17 PM

allah is a black rock in a square building that people pray to.

Bag the comments, not worth the aggravation. Too much effort (and $$$) to police them. Some comments are excellent, most aren't.

Having the Jihad Watch/Dhimmi Watch website is vitally important, having the comments is not.

"The moderator quit in disgust after just a few days"
Disgust at what?

If a filter of some kind can't be used, then dump the comments. The original articles are what we come here for anyway. Why give the loonies a soapbox, let them start their own.

Besides, I have had a sneaking suspicion that "comments" are a safety valve for those of us who won't stand-up in public and say there what we say here.

This entry will hopefully be pleasing to all, with the exception of those who strive for an Islamic West:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/28/books/bestseller/0828bestpapernonfiction.html

Paperback Nonfiction

Published: August 28, 2005

This
Week

1 THE TIPPING POINT, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Back Bay/Little, Brown, $14.95.) A journalist's study of social epidemics, otherwise known as fads. First Chapter 53

2 IT'S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE, by Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins. (Berkley, $14.) A memoir by the Tour de France champion and cancer survivor. 79

3 GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL, by Jared Diamond. (Norton, $16.95.) An argument that Western dominance is due to geographical advantages. 154

4 DRESS YOUR FAMILY IN CORDUROY AND DENIM, by David Sedaris. (Back Bay/Little, Brown, $14.95.) The humorist's latest collection of essays. First Chapter 11

5 THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, by Erik Larson. (Vintage, $14.95.) The tale of a great architect (Daniel Hudson Burnham) and a serial killer (H. H. Holmes), who were linked by the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. First Chapter 79

6 ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY, by David Sedaris. (Back Bay/Little, Brown, $14.95.) A collection of autobiographical comic essays by the author of "Naked." First Chapter 106

7 RUNNING WITH SCISSORS, by Augusten Burroughs. (Picador, $14.) (Picador, $14.) In the 1970's, a young boy lives with a crazy psychiatrist in a squalid household. 93

8 NICKEL AND DIMED, by Barbara Ehrenreich. (Metropolitan/Owl/Holt, $13.) A social critic reports on what it was like to become a member of the working poor. First Chapter 91

9 TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, by Mitch Albom. (Broadway, $11.95.) The author tells of his visits to his old college mentor, who was near death's door. First Chapter 139

10 A CHILD CALLED "IT," by Dave Pelzer. (Health Communications, $9.95.) The autobiography of a man who survived his mother's abuse. 324

11 UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN, by Jon Krakauer. (Anchor, $14.95.) The implications of the murder of a woman by two religious fundamentalists. 55

12 READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN, by Azar Nafisi. (Random House, $13.95.) A memoir of a teacher's life in Iran, centered on a reading group she organized for seven of her former students (all women). 85

13 THE BOOKSELLER OF KABUL, by Asne Seierstad. (Back Bay/Little, Brown, $12.95.) A Norwegian journalist examines the treatment of Afghan women. Excerpt 37

14 SHADOW DIVERS, by Robert Kurson. (Random House/Ballantine, $14.95.) Divers discover the wreckage of a World War II-era German U-boat 60 miles off the coast of New Jersey. First Chapter 10

15 WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS? by Thomas Frank. (Owl/Holt, $14.) An examination of how conservatives "won the heart of America." 14

16 *A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING, by Bill Bryson. (Broadway, $15.95.) From the Big Bang to the 21st century: a guided tour of the sciences. First Chapter 44

17 THE POLITICALLY INCORRECT GUIDE TO ISLAM, by Robert Spencer. (Regnery, $19.95.)

18 MOUNTAINS BEYOND MOUNTAINS, by Tracy Kidder. (Random House, $14.95.) First Chapter

19 TRUTH & BEAUTY, by Ann Patchett. (HarperPerennial, $13.95)

20 PLEDGED, by Alexandra Robbins. (Hyperion, $13.95.)

21 DREAMS FROM MY FATHER, by Barack Obama. (Three Rivers, $13.95.)

22 MY LIFE, by Bill Clinton. (Vintage, $17.95; $7.99.) First Chapter

23 FATHER JOE, by Tony Hendra. (Random House, $13.95.) Excerpt

24 FAST FOOD NATION, by Eric Schlosser. (Perennial/HarperCollins, $13.95.) First
Chapter

25 DON'T LET'S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT, by Alexandra Fuller. (Random House, $13.95.)

26 THE UNITED STATES OF WAL-MART, by John Dicker. (Tarcher/Penguin, $12.95.)

27 GENGHIS KHAN, by Jack Weatherford. (Three Rivers, $14.95.)

28 GHOST WARS, by Steve Coll. (Penguin $16.) First Chapter

29 THE FABRIC OF THE COSMOS, by Brian Greene. (Vintage, $15.95.) First Chapter

30 ALEXANDER HAMILTON, by Ron Chernow. (Penguin, $18.) First Chapter

31 LEAP OF FAITH, by Queen Noor. (Miramax/Hyperion, $13.95.)

32 JOHN ADAMS, by David McCullough. (Simon & Schuster, $18.95.) First Chapter

33 FOUNDING MOTHERS, by Cokie Roberts. (Perennial/HarperCollins, $14.95.)

34 INSIDE THE KINGDOM, by Carmen Bin Ladin. (Warner, $13.95.)

35 ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. (Simon & Schuster, $14.)

Rankings reflect sales, for the week ending August 13, at almost 4,000 bookstores plus wholesalers serving 50,000 other retailers, statistically weighted to represent all such outlets. An asterisk (*) indicates that a book's sales are barely distinguishable from those of the book above. A dagger (+) indicates that some stores received bulk orders.

Order an Online Edition of The NY Times & Read at Your Leisure

I would suggest creating a regular message board rather than attach comments here. You probably could get a way to automatically post as the first messsage of every topic the article. Then turn off the comments from this site. The link to the message board should be separate on the columns to keep Jihad Watch reputation clear of the unwanted remarks.

Rather than comments it would be great to have action alerts with addresses for congresspeople or governments.

Maybe also add a commentary section after each article for the actual Jihad Watch people like Hugh to post in. But only approved posts by approved Jihad Watch people. Since jihad is Islamic, I don't think it is necessary to have Muslim commentators.

I just don't understand the conflict here. The comments are just that...comments. They are clearly marked as not RS's words. No one is required to read the comments. If they offend you, don't go to the comments section . The articles are there for everyone to read, the comments are separate, (you know you have to click that little old comment button to read comments)

Comments
(Note: Comments on articles are unmoderated, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Jihad Watch or Robert Spencer. Comments that are off-topic, offensive, slanderous, or otherwise annoying may be summarily deleted. However, the fact that particular comments remain on the site IN NO WAY constitutes an endorsement by Robert Spencer of the views expressed therein.)
What part of this do you not understand?

I would suggest creating a regular message board rather than attach comments here.

Free web space ... forum setup and upkeep. He never returned the email.

Some of the most interesting information can be found in the comments. While some comments have gone over the top, the worst have been posted by Nazi's
in support of Islam. I think closing comments would be seen as a victory for the global jihad and groups like CAIR.These are groups that want no debate about
Islam and hope to continue the myth of Islam as a "religion of peace".

There's no shortage of places to post comments. If the comments section here does close down, and it seems more likely with each go-round, we'll lose the centrality of this agora. However, we will perhaps find our own groups of like-minded commentators joining in a more specific common cause. We are not a monoculture like Islam, so we have our various ways among us, some of which are hard to take. But for those who can take those ways, they should have others of like mind to converse with.

One of the things I love about this site is the way Catherine goes on about Islam and the general world.IT SEAMS LIKE I CAN'T FIND NOTHIN ELSE LIKE HER. And she's a valuable contributor.

Thanks to the invaluable organizing skills of Susan B and CGW we have interconnections that allow us to join forces behind the scenes.

And people like KAOSKTRL provide great technical services to those of use who can hardly type.

That list goes on. The point now is that we can branch out, if we will, to specific groups of writers and actors to do our seperate tasks together. We can pick and choose from a dozen blogs and get bounced from those where we don't fit in till we find those we do.If we continue here en mass, then still we can go to our respective rooms to discuss.

Personally, I find that it's been a pleasure and a privilege to read your comments, the good, the bad, and the ugly, over this past 18 months, and I look forward to continuing in the future.

Carolyn, I think that Robert voiced a concern a few weeks ago that the extreme comments on the site would cause people discount Jihad Watch and label the purpose and author as simply extremist rather than presenting valuable information. Hence my suggesting for commentary by Jihad Watch people and a non-Jihad watch message board to replace what happens in the comments.

We should set up an IRC channel.

I think all the threatening emails should be posted at the site, nothing like threats for an eye-opening experience. All the "over-educated" could get a look at the ROP® in action.

I recently received an essay by James Arlandson, an essay we might all benefit from regarding our witing here:

Email dialogue
August 21st, 2005

I have been getting a somewhat steady flow of emails from Muslims critics, and sometimes they are impolite and abusive—and in some ways this is understandable. They are angry. They just read an article that critically examines their religion. Anger masks fear.

However, it is better to calm down and turn the anger into reasonable disagreements. And these disagreements should follow some basic rules, which are open to more suggestions.

They are rules of engagement. These rules for are based on observing these reactions and disagreements in emails.

The goal is to communicate our views clearly and respectfully, but without compromising or flinching from analysis. Maybe these rules can help us reach this goal.

1. Be courteous in emails....

http://americanthinker.com

As one might expect from American
Thinker, Arlandson's essay is intelligent, informed, and wonderful to read.

Since we are "not long for this world" (or this website) we might as well find out what level of heaven or hell awaits us...I made it to Purgatory and I don't even believe in Purgatory) LOL

http://www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-test.mv

NOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS???

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/007760.php#comments
I still feel sorry for the poor innocent muslims that will be caught in the middle of this upcoming horror. Although, I am really wondering just how many innocent muslims there are.
I like to think that there are some (the children at least). I'm just not sure anymore.
No matter what. We should start thinking of ourselves, our families and our friends first.
Islamists and unfortunately most if not all muslims will have to come last.
I just wish it would get started full boar before I get too old to be of much help. Let's get it over with.
Posted by: familyfirst at August 20, 2005 03:07 PM

WHAT REAL AMERICANS ARE THINKING!!!

August 22, 2005

Over 100 islamic terrorist dead today in Afghastan!!!

The Israelis today do this most selfless HEROIC Act!!!
The are giving the Arabs a chance to prove to the world they are human and can live in peace instead of what the world has seen that they are just savage aminals and like a rabbit dog MUST BE DESTROYED??

Yes today once again Israel has shown her GOOD Side!!

Think about it what would the people of let’s say in anytown USADo to those who came to take their land and their lifes work taken a desert and made it bloom??

Would any in the world give up their lands and homes to such AMINALS??

Can the arabs show they really want to live in peace with the rest of the world??

THE WORLD IS WATCHING

LOVE WHAT THE POPE SAID OVER THE WEEK-END??
Over 1 million people show up in Germany to see the Pope??
This is a good thing guess the people of Germany are not against God??
Pope also said we have in common with the Jewish people and must stand together!!

The world is watching and this is part of the war which says how the End will come??

I had to LOL at the Fox Babe talking about things being so tence from paint bombs?? While I had seen her in the streets with the palis while the palis were shooting real bullets and throwing rocks at Israelis??
This made me LOL??

New act proposed BORDER PROTROLE PROTICTION ACT??
Sounds good? If this doesn’t work think about the Draft for the Border Protrole? Then think about 7000 new cases of leaparsy in the USA all Illegal aliens??

Seams the Sina they have arrested 300 islamic terrorist??

I don’t think the arabs can prove they are not just aminals and need to be saved just look at the story about paper cups??

REMEMBER THE SAY FIRST THE SATURAY PEOPLE THEN THE SUNDAY PEOPLE???

Cindy told PBS that some of the protesters who are in TX are mothers who have sons in Iraq??
Now these are mothers who are ruting for the Islamic terrorist against their own sons SAD SAD SAD??
SEAMS CINDY GAVE AID AND COMFORT TO THE ENEMY IN APRIL AND DID A FUND RAISER FOR THE LAWYER OF THE BLIND SHECK THE LAWYER WAS TRIED FOR GIVING NOTES TO ISLAMIC TERRORIST FROM HER CLIENT FROM JAIL??
SHAME SHAME SHAME!!

Personally, I find that it's been a pleasure and a privilege to read your comments, the good, the bad, and the ugly, over this past 18 months, and I look forward to continuing in the future.
Posted by: sonofwalker at August 22, 2005 03:48 PM

WELL THANK YOU!!

What Have I missed over the last couple of weeks??

What did the mon do why couldn’t they handle it was it because of the raw truth or have you hired a wHinney??

Mr. Spincer I think this is a good thing for the world it shows we just aint reading th MSM that there ae others out there who feel and think do we get along all the time no but in the end we all come together look at even nasseem who is finding Freedom is a good thing!!

ARE SOME OF US RAW WELL YEA BUT THE WORLD IS RAW!!

THE COMMENTS AID PEOPLE BY ALL THE LINKS THAT ARE POSTED BY COMMENTERS WHO SURF AND SURFFEN IS FUN BUT THIS IS A WAY TO INFORM THOSE ABOUT THE THREAT THAT IS SET AGAINST THE WORLD DO NOT CLOSE THE DOOR BEFORE WE ARE IN THE ROOM??

Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spider Killer
GOD BLESS THE USA AND HER FIGHTING FORCES AND ALL WHO FIGHT WITH HER GIVE THEM STRENGTH, WISDOM, SIGHT, AND COURAGE TO STAY THE COURSE TO DESTROY ALL ISLAMIC TERRORIST AND ALL WHO SUPPORT THEM LET NOT THE WORLD BE DECEIVED BY THEM AMEN

PS
I go out to do some good deads and what happens??
THIS WAR IS NOT A PC WAR AND IF WE COWAR TO BECOMING PC WE WILL LOSE IT FOR SURE

MR. SPENCER
DON'T GIVE IN OR UP

It is a shame a few have to ruin it for the majority. I get into good debates on www.allempires.com so if you want to defend America and have a good debate then check it out but it is very well moderated. Some of the Muslims do not like me posting things from jihadwatch.

Though I rarely comment anymore due to time management issues (a google of "jihadwatch" and "by: ted" yields over 500 hits), I must admit that the comments section of JW has been the icing on the cake in my intellectual development of understanding Islam and the Jihad (the cake obviously being the articles, Robert's books, and various other sources).

The ability to interact with many other folks who are quite concerned with the phenomenology of Islam and how it interacts with various other ideologies is very precious. Also, the testimonies by various people from various parts of the planet is enlightening, as well as the suggested reading from time to time.

Thus, I offer the following suggestions to perhaps help control some of the rampant abuse:

1) Many posts are too long, and thus the threads become overbearing. Implementing a character limit will discipline the posters into expressing themselves more succinctly.

2) Perhaps implementing two levels of threads. The first could be for very important breaking stories, and the blogging could be more loose and wide open. The second could be more time delayed so that perhaps a moderator could examine the submitted blogs before they are approved for posting. This would be for filtering the obvious bad posts -- i.e. bad language, calls for violence, and generally low-quality jibberish. After a while, the rejected posters will catch on and either improve their submissions or abandon the site.

Be on the lookout for bums,
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050822/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/terror_threat_homeless

What a shame. I finally get the TypeKey registration process to work without any problems and the comments are under threat again. I've been observing an ebb and flow to the comments of all the posters for quite a while now. The tone, sometimes goes tacky, etc. But that seems to be in response of some of the outrages perpetrated by the wicked ones.
Today I sent an e-mail to RS. In it I suggested that perhaps he and some of the commenters need to take a ten day, to two week vacation from them since he and some commenters seem to be a bit burned out. I suggest that the comments could go off for that period to give everyone a break. Then turn them back on for a while and then see if he really wants it to be permanent. Besides, that leave open the possibility they could go back on should some untoward event happen too.

I am saddened that a relative few may yet spoil what has proven to be a very useful forum for many. Robert will have to do what he has to do aout the comments to assure the main goal: continuing his invaluable work at JihadWatch.

In case comments here do have to be closed, this is another site that I go to regularly for Jihad and terrorism related news, that also has room for discussion: World Analysis at

http://www.phpbbforfree.com/forums/casey.html.

World Analysis was set up by one of the senior members of (but is independent from), the forum that was created when the late Jon Messner "hijacked" Alneda.com, the Al Qaeda website, which became a site for discussion and analysis of global jihad and the terrorist threat for the last four years.