Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

An almost top 10,000 blog!

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

People are complicated. Love is not.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

Consistently wrong since 2002

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Hey Lurkers!

Hey Lurkers!

by | 312 Comments

This post is in: 

It’s lurker appreciate day here at Balloon Juice!

It’s been awhile, and it seems like a good time to have a thread for all the lurkers out there.

When you post your first comment, it goes into moderation, and sometimes it takes a while for one of us to see it and free your comment so it shows up for everyone.  Once it’s released from moderation, it goes into the comments with the time-stamp for when you first submitted it, so then most people probably never see it.  So it’s not surprising that first comments don’t get replied to.

I will keep an eye out for first comments that go into moderation.

In any case, it’s lurker appreciation day here on Balloon Juice!  Welcome, all.

Hopefully our BJ commenters will chime in to welcome you guys, too!

Totally open thread.

Reader Interactions

312Comments

  1. 1.

    RedDirtGirl

    Not a lurker anymore, but just want to say what a great way to welcome people into the community. It took me a long time to make my first comment, oh, so many years ago, and I definitely would have jumped in sooner had this been around then.
    What a full-service blog!

  2. 2.

    Mr. Longform

    I probably don’t completely qualify as a lurker since I have commented like 10 times in 10 years, but I am an appreciative semi-lurker anyway.  BJ is my launching pad – I use the blog roll to go to my other dailies: XKCD, Charlie Pierce, Digby, and LGM.

  3. 3.

    Baud

    When you post your first comment, it goes into moderation,

    Sometimes when you post your one billionth comment.

  4. 4.

    SadOldGuy

    I have been a mostly lurker since at least 2008, but I have been visiting the site daily since the Obama vs Hilary days.  I rarely have anything useful to say and everyone ignores me when I try, so I suspect I am mostly banned; I probably deserve it.  I will say that am very grateful for the great people here and I wish for all of you the best.

  7. 7.

    Mr JWags

    Hello!

    Been lurking for a good long while (maybe 12 years?).  It’s one of my favorite spots on the internet, thanks for creating such a cool community!

  8. 8.

    Roger Moore

    Hopefully our BJ commenters will chime in to welcome you guys, too!

    Welcome lurkers.  It’s probably better to introduce yourself in a thread like this one and then participate in a few less controversial threads before you get into big arguments on the most controversial topics.  That will hopefully minimize the risk of someone accusing you of being a troll who only shows up to tell everyone how wrong they are.

  15. 15.

    Roger Moore

    @SadOldGuy: ​
     

    I rarely have anything useful to say and everyone ignores me when I try, so I suspect I am mostly banned

    Being ignored is par for the course. You have to do something egregious to get banned. If you really want people to pay attention to you, you have to say something really stupid. I guess really smart would work too, but this is the Internet, so I’m going to go with the more probable approach.

  19. 19.

    Nancy

    Hi, As a lurker since the beginning(almost)  I can say that they’ve been nice since I started communicating.

    Welcome to the wild and crazy.

  25. 25.

    Squid696

    I don’t know what the definition of “lurker” is, but I am probably close to one if not technically one.  I  think I have commented about 10 times over the years, as well.  This is my go-to blog and the website I go to more than any other.  I enjoy the posts and comments, tremendously.  I am a sixty year old white, male, lawyer, ex-Navy, descendant of Confederate veterans (and probably slave owners) on both sides of my family.  So, someone you would expect to be a Republican or conservative.  But not.  My parents were liberal Democrats who hated Nixon from the ’50’s and my older brothers and sister were hippies and anti-war.

  26. 26.

    Uncle Cholmondeley

    Usually, someone has already made a point in comments that is both more erudite and witty than anything I could come up with, so mostly I just enjoy the comments. But I have pretty much stopped by here daily since at least 2006 — can’t believe it’s been that long!

  29. 29.

    Math Guy

    Like Mr. Longform, I am a semi-lurker.  Been reading BJ for about a year (I’ve lost track) and chirp in once every few weeks. Just retired from a 30+ year academic career and moved from red Missouri to Minnesota. Love it here – I do not fear the winter.

  30. 30.

    lige

    Been lurking for years since 2008 or 2009 at least  – I’ve posted a comment or two but it’s been awhile!  Still one of my favorite sites – thanks to all you front pagers and regular commentators for all the informative and entertaining conversation.

  31. 31.

    WaterGirl

    @Ken:

    Naw, for your billionth comment the duck comes down and you win $100.

    How sad that we lost all the old comments and we all have to start at zero again.

    *I can only say that because I can see that the old comments are there even if we are not merged yet.  Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to joke about that.

  36. 36.

    Antonius

    Thought I’d de-lurk not on the occasion of condolences or lateral chastisement.

  37. 37.

    Josie

    @SadOldGuy: You shouldn’t assume that your comments don’t have an effect.  At least half of the time when I comment, no one answers. But I like to think that someone read my comment, liked or disliked it and just never answered. So many people read this blog who never comment. I believe it’s good to get varied points of view, so chime in and don’t worry about who answers.

  39. 39.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @WaterGirl: I’m not.

    And my recurring advice to new posters:  If you are new to commenting here, it might not be a bad idea to comment on a few of the less controversial threads before wading into the fight.   Emotions have been running high for the past half decade or so, and some commenters can be quick to suspect new new people who disagree with them.  Probably not the most welcoming attitude, but jackals will jackal. Easing into the community might help avoid stress.  It’s what I did back on 2007-8 when I migrated from Eschaton.  After a little while, I let my freak flag fly as it were.  And now only some people hate me.

  41. 41.

    Swordfish

    Do we get a free drink for stopping by?

    Don’t answer that.

    This is a great site & I often read here.  Don’t seem to have much energy or motivation for posting at this point in my life.

    But thanks for being here.

  42. 42.

    Anotherlurker

    Yup. My NYM says it all.

    I really appreciate this blog. There are some wonderful, insightful comments and subsequent discussions that I really enjoy.

  43. 43.

    NotMax

    Totally open thread.

    Free access weekend for Epix channels, if you happen to have the Sling streaming service.

    Fine opportunity to check out Perpetual Grace, LTD (only 10 episodes, so bingeable over one weekend).

    Richard Armitage fans (seem to recall more than a smattering here) may care to dip into Berlin Station.

    While absolutely devoid of any logic tethered to reality, From does have a certain jagged appeal.

    In an entirely different direction than those above, the six episodes of Belgravia might float yer boat.

  47. 47.

    Mr. Longform

    @WaterGirl:

    So you are just using us to get to all your other blog friends?

    Well, it’s more like I am BJ’s +1 at the reception and I get to hang out at the cool table because of that.

  50. 50.

    JAFD

    Salutations, Lurkers ! *

    Would say something witty here.  But just walked half-mile each way to bank and supermarket.  Was too darn hot.  Trying to get energy to make dinner.  Probably hot dogs…

    If any of you are heading to Historicon** next weekend, I’ll be volunteering, probably be at GM help desk Saturday, look me up

    * Also a shoutout to ye frontpagers, jackals new and veteran,  young and old, camp followers, sutlers and hangers-on.

    **the grand gathering of grown-ups who still play with toy soldiers…

  53. 53.

    Jharp

    “When you post your first comment, it goes into moderation.”

    My comments have been going into moderation for years and still do to this day.

    And the absolute earliest I can document this is when the first garden photo was posted.

    It was mine and it was posted after I suggested sending photos. In my moderated post.

  54. 54.

    sab

    Isn’t everyone who hasn’t commented since the unfortunate events a few months back technically a lurker ( i.e. going into to moderation with their first comment until released) ?

  56. 56.

    the pollyanna from hell

    I try to deliver such a completed thought that no reply is needed or possible. (You should always explain when you lie like this, no matter how egregious it seems to yourself. Someone will always miss the clues, and its very embarrassing and wasteful of precious electrons when you have to explain later.)

  57. 57.

    mozzerb

    I’ve been reading BJ regularly for quite a number of years — can’t actually remember how long — but rarely rouse myself to post, although I keep meaning to make an effort. Often threads are almost over by the time I get to them though — I’m one of your Brit readers, who took to reading US blogs to get a better sense of what was going on in US politics in the early Dubya era.

    So I lurk here, having what seems to be a continuing interest with US politics, doubtless the result of horrendous crimes committed in a former life or something. Or possibly because UK politics is just too damn depressing.

  59. 59.

    Travels with Charley

    I’ve been a lurker since 2008, and mostly come to the threads in the early morning (so commenting is irrelevant), but am happy to call myself one of the jackelariat!

  62. 62.

    Expletive Deleted

    I think I’ve posted less than half a dozen times, but otherwise lurked for many years.

    Appreciate all you do here, and have enjoyed the thoughtful evolution of this space.

  63. 63.

    Violet

    Mostly a lurker, but very grateful to this community. I live in my Massachusetts bubble so I love to hear what’s happening in other parts of the US and abroad.

  69. 69.

    Old School

    How exciting! A fresh round of people to add to the pie filter!

    Just kidding – welcome New Names!

  71. 71.

    Lapassionara

    Welcome, lurkers. I read most of the BJ posts, and the comments. I comment infrequently, mostly because by the time I have read all the comments, someone has already said what I am thinking.

    thank you, Watergirl, for thinking of ways to build the jackaltariat.

  74. 74.

    HearMeRoar

    I have been reading the Balloon Juice blog for some time (years, if I’m honest). I’m a liberal who is alert to what is going on in politics from the local level to the national level. However, I don’t usually feel comfortable commenting, so I guess I am classified as a “lurker.”  But, since you’ve opened the door for me to comment, I do have a question about something I always wondered about. What happened to the poster (I forgot her name) who wrote about animal welfare issues? It’s been a few years since it was here and it didn’t last long but I was so happy, at the time, that an overlooked subject was finally being addressed on a blog that deals with the issues important to those who are powerless. Why didn’t that subject stay on the blog? Were people adverse to hearing about the plight of animals in our culture? If so, it’s strange because people here will rally to save a homeless duck, cat or dog (which I applaud) and even sometimes birds nesting on porches :-) but aren’t interested in issues of animals caught in the horrific factory farming industrial complex, animals tortured in laboratories, stolen from their homes to populate zoos, endure shock training for circuses, and the list goes on. Why are these topics not considered? I believe that quote from Isaac Bashevis Singer sums it up for me, “As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and justice cannot dwell together.”

  83. 83.

    LesGS

    Thanks, WaterGirl! I comment rarely, usually about issues I know at least something about, like trans rights or very large cats, but check in many times a day. But I haven’t piped up since the Our Late Great Troubles and am checking in now to be pre-unmoderated. Moderate is so not me.

  85. 85.

    Eric S.

    I don’t think I’m a lurker but a very infrequent commenter. I’ve been here since… checking sundial… since at least 2004 and. Baud20xx supporter since the beginning. Arrived via that British feller’s blog. It’s my first stop every morning and multiple stops each day.

  86. 86.

    mozzerb

    @WaterGirl: Er — depends on daylight savings and which US time zone you’re in, so I’m not sure either. I do remember that when daylight savings is not a factor (either active or inactive on both sides of the Atlantic) GMT is five hours ahead of New York time, and it’s about 10pm here.

    When my job was working with weather data I remember converting time zones was a major pain in the arse, especially when DST was a factor.

  87. 87.

    neabinorb

    I’m reading here every day but rarely commenting. Today I spent the afternoon carving stone. I’m getting a lot done. This week I finished one sculpture and have been shaping two stones that will eventually become sculptures.

  88. 88.

    CaseyL

    Welcome, lurkers!

    Just Reading is fine; I read more often than I comment, these days.

    But if you do feel like chiming in, I agree with @Roger Moore: that this is a good place to get started, as no flame wars are likely to break out.

    I, for one, would love to see some fresh faces/nyms among the regular commenters.  We’re getting to be like an old folks home, where the same people are the ones doing most of the talking.  Just don’t diss Democrats – or do, but make it very clear that you’ll vote for Democrats even if they piss you off – and odds are no one will bite your head off.

    Again: welcome!

  89. 89.

    raven

    @SiubhanDuinne: I had a softball team in one of my leagues that was “Drunks Against Mad Mothers” (DAMM). Funny but not as funny as Nine Jerks and a Squirt!

  91. 91.

    rockstar

    My favorite day, been lurking since before Cole put the bottle down. A quick hello to all, and thanks for everything you do WaterGirl, you rock!! Now back to lurking until the next one of these…

  92. 92.

    worn

    Hey a lurker thread I didn’t miss (as least I think so, as I am typing)!

    I live out here on the Left Coast and often don’t settle in to BJ to see what the day has brought until the 11 pm or later. So in many more cases than not, by the time I show up to peruse a post & comments it is either the case that: 1) oh dread, said thread is dead 2) other jackals have already pithily commented and thus my 2 cents don’t even seem worth that much. But mostly, it’s the first scenario.

    That being so, even if tacet I am still here almost every single day, as I have been since 2003 or so (if memory serves).

    But mostly I just wanted to drop in and say merci beaucoup Watergirl for all the tremendous effort you have invested to keep this joint functioning. Please know that it is most appreciated. We jackals (even the lurkers) are very lucky to have you on board!​

  94. 94.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @raven:

    LOL

    There’s also the classic:

    Q: What’s the definition of a dyslexic agnostic insomniac?

    A: Someone who tosses and turns all night pondering the existence of Dog.

  97. 97.

    WaterGirl

    @HearMeRoar: Hi there!

    Are you thinking of Hillary Rettig?  She left in 2017, saying she was super busy, as I recall.

    One thing I will say is that if there is an open thread, and someone brings up a topic, almost anything can be discussed.  I guess that might be a way to get a sense of whether there is interest in that.

    Of course, there’s a bandwidth issue these days.  When you feel like you are being assaulted on all sides some things fall by the wayside because it’s all you can do to handle everything that’s being thrown at you.

    As a woman, that’s pretty much how I feel after the SC deciding that I have no right to self-determination.

    But I digress.  Maybe bring it up in an open thread sometime and see if there’s interest?

  98. 98.

    mozzerb

    @HinTN: ​
    We laugh that we may not weep …

    Also, nutty ideas in US politics have a nasty tendency to make their way over here, so it’s good to be forewarned I guess.

  100. 100.

    Joseph Patrick Lurker

    Happy Friday everybody and it’s great to be here today!

    Joseph Patrick Lurker

  103. 103.

    raven

    @HinTN: It’s funny how it has died. I had 180 teams playing on four diamonds  seven days a week. The game has dwindled down to a shadow of what it was.

  106. 106.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Ken:

    That’s unavoidable for me.

    Also, just saw this sentence on Twitter and I laughed.

    Marla Maples is having all the stairs removed from her house.

  108. 108.

    bk

    First-time caller, long-time listener.  Actually, I average about a post a year here but have read you daily for a LONG time.

  109. 109.

    Immanentize

    @JAFD:

    According to the Kinsey Report, ev’ry average man you know
    Much prefers his lovey-dovey to court
    When the temperature is low
    But when the thermometer goes ‘way up
    And the weather is sizzling hot
    Mister, pants for romance is not

    Welcome lurkers! And semi-lurkers! And regulars welcoming lurkers!

    I recommend the Sunday morning garden chat which unfortunately now gets posted before sunrise. But it is still always a celebration of nature and each other and I love it even when I can’t face the rest of the blog.

  110. 110.

    CarolPW

    @raven: That’s the only photo of you I’ve seen (taken over about 50 years) where you look a bit on the pudgy side.

  114. 114.

    sheila in nc

    Thanks for the thread! Semi-Lurker here — I rarely post but read daily. I second the kudos for WaterGirl and all the front-pagers. Plus the commenters — it’s great to have such a talented and knowledgeable group. This site got me through the ACA discussion (thanks, Mayhew!) and lots of other policy debates.

    I’m not yet retired although I’m of retirement age. I’ve been living in NC (one of the blue parts) since 1996. (I definitely feel the responsibility that comes with living in a purple state.)

    Gotta run — community chorus concert is tonight! Call time is 6:15!

  115. 115.

    thruppence

    Mostly lurky, occasionally say something innocuous, throw in a few of my meager bucks on fundraisers

  117. 117.

    FastEdD

    Been lurking at BJ for many years, I decided to take the plunge on Lurker Appreciation Day. I’m a long time Dem, former political director for a SoCal teachers’ union. I should be able to fit in, but I don’t like to argue that much, so I’m not so sure! When this goes into moderation, that’s okay. Just throwing it out there.

  123. 123.

    Jazzman

    Still mostly a lurker, and when I do comment it tends to be on dead threads (how come no commenters ever boast “LAST!”?)  But I’ve loved Balloon Juice for many years; it’s my required morning read.  So many smart and witty people here!  Pet pictures, travelogues, recipes, coverage of politics and the Ukraine war better than you find in most of our news media–it’s all good.

  127. 127.

    WaterGirl

    @FastEdD: I don’t like to argue, either, but i hang out here. ‍♀️

    Give us a try. :-)

    edit: I will be happy when we get back to the original BJ which doesn’t turn a 3-character smiley face into an emoji.

  128. 128.

    HearMeRoar

    @WaterGirl: Thanks for answering my question. I had wondered what happened. And perhaps I’ll dive into an open thread sometime.

  131. 131.

    Violet

    @WaterGirl: I’ve been here for a while but only posted recently, so no. By the way, I want to personally thank you for all you did to get this blog back up and running. I didn’t realize how much I came to rely on you people until you were gone.

  132. 132.

    Expletive Deleted

    @WaterGirl: Thanks! It’s an old handle from a long-ago coffee shop chat net. Seemed appropriate for this venue.

     

    (Hopefully this won’t show up twice, posting from the train and the wifi is trying its best, bless it. Simultaneously annoying and also a technological feat I couldn’t have imagined in those 90s internet cafe days)

  134. 134.

    WaterGirl

    @mozzerb: So 5 hours later than blog time, and 6 hours later than me.  There should be plenty of time for overlap then. Unless you’re early to bed and early to rise.

  137. 137.

    rattlemullet

    Long, long, long…long time lurker. I have posted to the pet calendar and have made a few comments. I would like to say I fully appreciate the support and love of animals from your community. The Covid daily update has keep me safe and highly informed, for that I thank you Annie Laurie. Betty Cracker, from a fellow Floridian, I tip my hat to the sweet words of profanity that flows through your pen, pardon me keyboard. Last but not least to the creator, John Cole, thanks.

  138. 138.

    Immanentize

    @Jazzman:

    how come no commenters ever boast “LAST!”?

    OMG just imagine how horrible that would be! Some overachievers would go back to every thread in the past and there would be dozens of “Last!” Posts. “No, I’m LAST!” “Ha ha ha, I’ve outlasted you!” Etc.

  140. 140.

    Immanentize

    @raven: Dancing right up to the speakers! Respect.

    ETA You switched pics just to make my above comment look insane, right? Well, no one could call you a neck beard.

  141. 141.

    Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony

    Good to see all the lurkers! If you have something to say or add, just go for it. Most of the time, people won’t reply, but that doesn’t matter. I think it’s human to want that connection, but some comments are like the period at the end of a sentence. There doesn’t have to be something that follows it.

    Even though there have been periods when I don’t comment much, I don’t consider myself a lurker. My commenting style is more akin to an allergic skin condition. All of a sudden, I erupt in lots of comments. Then nothing for a bit. Then another rash of comments. Certain topics set me off, but sometimes I appear just out of the blue.

  144. 144.

    PBK

    @SadOldGuy: I don’t know (or mind) if you’re actually old or a guy but I do hope you’re not sad.  Thank you for the good wishes and the same to you.

  145. 145.

    Gary K

    The word “lurker” is jarring. I’m a frequent visitor who feels little need to comment, and do so only occasionally. One downside to that is that when one does comment, the more frequent commenters may think you’ve just arrived and don’t know anything about the site. This happened to me, as a matter of fact, just today, when I pointed out that the “On The Road” postings don’t include the usual “show full post on front page” button, so that a casual visitor might never find their continuations, which is kind of a shame — they’re full of beautiful photographs. “Well,” came the reply, “you figured it out…”

    (And please, WaterGirl, forgive me for mentioning this little issue here. I know your devotion to the site is a labor of love.)

    By and large, however, the Jackals seem a friendly bunch, and of course your politics maintain their sanity even as much of the world seems increasingly insane. The coverage of Ukraine has been so impressive — here’s another example where I hope the contributors imagine hundreds of appreciative readers (“lurkers”) for each actual commenter.

  147. 147.

    WaterGirl

    @Violet: I know now you feel, it was a real shock to the system to have the site just gone, and then even to have the site back but no history.

    So glad we are getting all that back!

  148. 148.

    lefthanded compliment

    @Nancy:  I’m more the mild and lazy sort, which is why I mostly lurk. I do very much appreciate both the front-pagers and the usual commenting suspects.

  150. 150.

    Grumpy Old Railroader

    @HearMeRoar: What happened to the poster (I forgot her name) who wrote about animal welfare issues?

    Wasn’t that AngyBlackLady that used to post animal issues? It has been a while and I forgot all about it until you mentioned it

  151. 151.

    Joseph Patrick Lurker

    @Immanentize:

    One of those Catholic Lurkers, eh?

    Not in a religious sense, but rather the lower case definition of catholic in that I have a broad range of interests.

  154. 154.

    Gary K

    I guess really smart would work too, but this is the Internet, so I’m going to go with the more probable approach.

    Austen’s Emma asks us for “either one thing very clever…, or two things moderately clever—or three things very dull indeed.”

  155. 155.

    Ken

    @SiubhanDuinne: Lysdexia jokes, my specialty

    “Dyslexia” has several anagrams which are ideal for jokes.

    EDIT: And “dyslexic lurker” is even worse. Or better.

  156. 156.

    stinger

    Haven’t read the comments yet, but by the time I get through 138 of them, I’ll have forgotten what I wanted to say. Assuming none of the 138 already said it:

    Sometimes you will have the apparent ability to edit someone else’s comment. Actually, you can make changes, but they won’t take. So your comments, and everyone else’s, are safe from outside interference.

    Unless front-pagers can edit them, which I hope they can’t. They can probably delete super-offensive ones, which I’m fine with.

    Speaking of which, I was opening the pie safe for an Adam/Ukraine troll, but the nym isn’t even listed. Just as well.

  158. 158.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @WaterGirl:

    The name is a bit reminiscent of Catholic priest somehow.

    “Joseph Patrick” I can live with.

    “Father Lurker,” not so much.

  160. 160.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @WaterGirl:

    The name is a bit reminiscent of Catholic priest somehow.

    “Joseph Patrick” I can live with.

    “Father Lurker,” not so much.

    .

  162. 162.

    WaterGirl

    @Gary K:  I read your suggestion this morning and we can certainly think about that next time we make some changes to the site.  But the OTR form is a static form, so it’s not like I can just make sure to add the MORE command like we can on other posts.

    Good point, though, that even if you’re new to commenting, you may have been around longer than most of the commenters!

  163. 163.

    The Golux

    Semi-lurker here.  The main reason I rarely comment is because I read the posts chronologically, and I’m usually not reading the latest post.  (I almost never use the front page, I just use the flyout arrows.)  I’m often days behind, so any comment would disappear into the ether.

  164. 164.

    Joseph Patrick Lurker

    @WaterGirl:

    I’m not Catholic, I just like the combination of Joseph and Patrick and as I pointed out in a previous comment prior to seeing this comment, I identify as catholic in that I have a wide spectrum of interests. One of the things I like about the English language is that it’s rich in the sense that many words such as catholic have meanings that fly under the radar because those other meanings are seldom used in conversation.

  166. 166.

    Ken

    @stinger: Front-pagers can edit comments, but I’ve never seen that abused. I have seen them edit comments when requested by the original writer.

  167. 167.

    WaterGirl

    @HumboldtBlue: Yes, we have to figure out how to get it all merged successfully.  But we do have everything which I know because I have access to the old posts and comments.  Separately from here, but the are there!

  168. 168.

    Rob

    Semi-lurker here. I read/scan the front pager posts for news several times a day. Anne Laurie’s Covid posts I read first thing in the morning. I love Albatrossity’s bird posts, as I am a semi-active birder. I rarely comment though, and I’m always amazed if anybody replies to a comment of mine.

  170. 170.

    Repatriated

    @WaterGirl:

    So you are just using us to get to all your other blog friends?  

    If you wanna be my blogroll
    You gotta get with my friends

    (Just a very infrequent poster revalidating this nym after the Jackalpocalypse.)

  172. 172.

    OHJo

    Another first-time de-lurker here. So thankful for the insights and wealth of knowledge of the jackals! Have read for years, and have learned so much! Will start commenting with pet photos, that’ll be easy…

  173. 173.

    SuzieC

    I’m not exactly a lurker as I do comment occasionally and always contribute to the cause du jour.  Yet somehow, I always manage to come in at the end of a dying thread, like this one, so my posts rarely get noticed.   Doesn’t bother me.  I love BJ anyway.  My top three along with Fogbow and Stonekettle.

  174. 174.

    Steeplejack

    @Josie:

    This is true. This medium is not really a back-and-forth conversation, although it looks like one at times. It’s more like individuals contributing to the flow of the group mind.

    I enjoy or am affected by many comments that I don’t reply to. And once I saw someone talk about something I had written several weeks prior that I thought had gone “unnoticed.” Just get your thoughts out there. They will land with someone, even if you don’t know it.

  176. 176.

    HeleninEire

    A bit late to the party, but welcome lurkers. This is a kind, safe place. I mean really who are you gonna be embarrassed in front of… us?????

    Chime in. ❤

  177. 177.

    WaterGirl

    @stinger: Two quick things.

    First, the “it looks like you can edit” is a bug that we fixed before we ever rolled out Balloon Juice in Nov 2019.  So I think the copy of the code that they found may have been from before then?

    So I haven’t worried about that because A) you guys really can’t edit anyone else’s comment and B) it was a bug that was fixed before so it can be fixed again, and C) I haven’t wanted to bug the developers about that because they have their hands full with all the “365” stuff.

    And the pie filter.  You can only pie someone in a thread where they have commented.  So you would need to go back to the Ukraine thread and then pie them from there.

  184. 184.

    WaterGirl

    @OHJo:

    So thankful for the insights and wealth of knowledge of the jackals!

    I first read that as being thankful for the insults.  And I thought, yeah, that’s a very balloon juice thing to say.

  189. 189.

    JAFD

    @SuzieC: Salutations, Ms. SuzieC,
    Be thou referring to thefogbow.com ?
    (I’ve never heard of it before, that’s the URL I found checking Gogle …)
    Intend to outcheck it in future.

  190. 190.

    Pyre Light

    I suppose we have to redo this because of the old site being exploded. Well here I am, ready to post my 1 comment every six months.

  191. 191.

    zhena gogolia

    @HearMeRoar: I remember that front-pager but can’t remember her name. I agree that she brought something important to the blog.

  197. 197.

    Tony Jay

    For the record, if you’ve ever commented I’ve almost certainly read it, and if I didn’t respond it’s only because I was too busy nodding vigorously.

    Not a euphemism.

  199. 199.

    Magrat Garlick

    @WaterGirl:

    Are you thinking of Hillary Rettig?  She left in 2017, saying she was super busy, as I recall.

    I thought she was treated rather unkindly by some.

  200. 200.

    delphinium

    I rarely comment but usually read at least a few posts daily. Always enjoy the variety of topics presented as well as the knowledge of the front-pagers and jackals.

  203. 203.

    WaterGirl

    @Magrat Garlick: I do think there was some of that, but I didn’t know her personally so I figured I should report her stated reason and not speculate.

    But the rest of you are totally welcome to speculate.  It’s Balloon Juice, it would be irresponsible not to!

  204. 204.

    SuzieC

    @JAFD: You will love it!!  If you join, please give me a namecheck.  I will get brownie points with the Fogbowzers.  The site got started to follow and mock the birthers.  I joined in 2012-ish, when Orly Taitz was going to have her big trial in Georgia that would very, very definitely remove that usurper Obama.  There are lots of snarky lawyers, researchers, tech experts, and libs on the site.  Give it a try.

  209. 209.

    WaterGirl

    @Gary K:

    The word “lurker” is jarring.

    That’s an internet term that I have always accepted but have never thought much about.

    I just googled and thought I would be posting the actual definition of lurker, pre-internet, but apparently there was no “lurker” noun, pre-internet.

    The actual definition:

    a person who lurks, in particular a user of an internet message board or chat room who does not participate.

  211. 211.

    Cptlhill

    Hello All!

    I’ve probably only commented twice in all of my time lurking here; though I  myself regularly plow with pleasure ( and occasional exasperation) through 200+ comment-length threads. I enjoy the family-like dynamic from a safe distance…..

    I have been trying to figure out how long I have been visiting and think it was at about the Time of the Mustard, but I have no idea how long ago that was.

  215. 215.

    Steeplejack

    @WaterGirl:

    Right now it is 11:21 in Britain. They are usually five hours ahead of Eastern time, but there is a little disjunction twice a year because we start and end daylight saving time on different dates.

  216. 216.

    beckya57

    @Mr. Longform: I’m pretty much the same, a regular reader but infrequent commenter.  I did contribute one piece to BJ about my cats early in the pandemic though!

  217. 217.

    J R in WV

    @Jazzman: ​
     

    (how come no commenters ever boast “LAST!”?)

    I’m so often last I gave up crowing about it!

    I read interesting dead threads, and if I get agitated I can’t help but write back at whoever got my goat. Everyone knows I’m king of last posters! ;~)

  218. 218.

    stinger

    @WaterGirl: Re: editing, I know, I was just alerting possible new commenters to the situation. Seems like there’s a comment every day or so, on some post or other, somebody notices that they can “edit”, and then you or others have to set them straight.

    Sorry to have made you do it yet again!

    Didn’t know that about the pie filter — thanks!

  222. 222.

    Jodabbler

    Thanks for the thread. I’ve been lurking here for many years, since granite countertops were lefty. You all are the reassurance I seek when I can’t decide if it’s me or the world going crazy. Sorry for sometimes chiming in on your Twitter or FB posts. You’re familiar voices to me, but I must seem like a random stalker to you!

  223. 223.

    DrDaveChemist

    If WaterGirl is still monitoring, since I’m a very infrequent commenter, I’ll post this now so I won’t get moderated on the next occasion I have something to say that hasn’t already been said.

  224. 224.

    Wanderer

    Mostly lurk. Really appreciate the community and every front pager. Thank you each and every one.

  228. 228.

    Geminid

    I found this place in 2018. I was doing a deep dive on the newly famous Justice Democrats and ran into an Adam Silverman post about them on the oddly named site, Balloon Juice. I came back and lurked for most of a year before I jumped in on a conversation about Stacey Abrams to point out that she had unfinished business with cheatn’ Brian Kemp.

    I am by nature an argumentative person and I think that if I gave into this propensity I’d probably be the Pied Griper of Balloon Juice. I’ve tried to learn not to push people because I think this is a fault. To the extent that I’ve succeeded, I give credit to my Muse, the dispassionate Mangy Jay.

  230. 230.

    Jane2

    @SadOldGuy: I semi-lurk. Sometimes it’s hard to be heard in the comments section

    Edit: I lurk so well that this comment is in moderation.

  231. 231.

    J R in WV

    @WaterGirl: ​
    You should look at my three-character smiley — [ ;~) ] which is not changed to a weird icon.

    ;~) it’s safe because of the little twisty horizontal thingy, upper case top right left most key.  ETA fix dyslexic remark…

  234. 234.

    persistentillusion

    @Violet: I heartily agree.  I’ve lurked for a long time, perhaps after the scales fell from John’s eyes.  BJ is a first thing read, mid-day read, evening read and I too am very grateful for BJ itself and for WaterGirl’s extraordinary efforts to breathe life back into the beast after the fire.

  235. 235.

    Ned F

    i’m not really a lurker, but I don’t read postings until the comments are up to 230(!), so I figure everyone has moved on. It is my first blog stop of the day, but I haven’t had enough coffee at that time to formulate a cohesive sentence.

  236. 236.

    The Fat Kate Middleton

    @NotMax: Thank you for this! I know From had all kinds of problems, but I so enjoyed it – have been looking for a way to watch Season 2 without subscribing to yet another streaming service (currently have 6 of them).

  239. 239.

    WaterGirl

    @Ned F:

    …but I haven’t had enough coffee at that time to formulate a cohesive sentence.

    This is Balloon Juice!  I don’t believe that’s a requirement for posting. :-)

  242. 242.

    Bill Arnold

    @SadOldGuy:

    and everyone ignores me when I try

    Always assume that you are being read.
    (I just (re-)read all your old comments, for instance. Sadly that The Matrix interview video is no longer available. I have opinions on the matter. :-) )

  243. 243.

    coredump

    Been a lurker since 2004 (2nd Bush election).  Has been a key ingredient to keeping me sane over the years as we continue to devolve.

  244. 244.

    A Good Woman

    Mostly lurk, but I watch for opportunities to speak up without sounding half assed. Usually the regulars have covered all the bases.

    The site is a daily read for me.

  245. 245.

    MazeDancer

    What a great -and loyal – batch of lurkers!

    Hope some of you become regulars. But it extremely okay if you would rather not.

  246. 246.

    geg6

    I do hope some of you join in more regularly.  You sound like interesting people with a lot of awesome nyms.  Jump in, the water’s fine.

  248. 248.

    andrew

    Lurker for a bazillion years, but you guys have helped keep me sane. Thanks for everything!

     

    –andrew

  249. 249.

    Grey Michael

    Thanks for this forum Watergirl. I spent a long time as a lurker, and recently started commenting. So far, I’m glad a started commenting, I hope other people will begin to feel comfortable to start commenting too.

  251. 251.

    Sorryforlaughing

    Hello! I don’t remember when I started reading and lurking but it was many years ago and now this is one of my indispensable online hangouts. Thank you for the covid coverage, the pet pictures, the election/primary threads, the garden and travel pictures, the mustard sagas, the contentious camaraderie and for keeping everything going after the site went down. Now back to being shy.

  252. 252.

    ColoradoGuy

    Still mostly lurk. Tried the Pie filter for the first time in the notorious Ukraine thread, it works a treat, wish other sites had a gizmo like that.

    Nice to know that other Coloradans are here, some even nearby (in Colorado terms). Also appreciative of the UK perspective on the years of Tory misrule and the calamitous Brexit … hard to tell if the USA or the UK are in more trouble. Adam’s intel experience has illuminated the scale and scope of the psychological warfare campaign we’ve all been muddling through. Betty’s humor and insight has cut through the Republican mass insanity with her unique Florida perspective and razor wit.

    Most of all, I have so many thanks for the refreshing dose of reality and humor that I get every day from this site … thanks to all of you!

  253. 253.

    Barbara

    Came here in 2004, zoned out and came back when I needed a safe space, probably 2007. Whether actively commenting or not, this place is like a buffer against despair. So, so grateful to have it.​
    I like knowing that there are many more of us out there than we see every day here.​

  254. 254.

    Cec65

    Okay, DELURKING.  I have been visiting this blog since the Obama years and many others at that time.  But after TFG won, I found it emotionally damaging to visit many of them just because of them.  This is one of the few I kept visiting.  My political journey has been an interesting one.  I started out as Reagan republican in the 1980s as a person of East European ancestry who felt that the GOP was tougher on the communists.  As the cold ware ended, I migrated to the Reform Party because I had no use for the Evangelicals and I felt actual budget balancing was important.  Perot was a little crazy, but I could not see him winning, After Perot, the Reform party became the preedecessor of today’s GQP and I  left, . Tt was time to become decline to state, felt I was a moderate that leaned right.  Except on a statewide level, where I always voted for the Democrats as the Republican Party in California was crazy.  Well, Bush came along and made me into a decline to state that leaned left.  The TFG pushed me to become a Democrat who now makes political donations.  Now, it is the GQP that supports the Russians.

  259. 259.

    Trine

    I think I still qualify as lurker status even though I’ve been verbose lately and have posted maybe three times in the past 6 months (but always too late after everyone’s on a different post).

    I’ve been hanging around since a few years before Tunch joined the angelic choir. Wonkette & Charlie’s Shebeen are my other favorite places on the innertoobz (if I have the time) but this place is home, even if no one knows I’m here.

    I work long hours and usually come home in at night and hunker down with the days news, reading everyone’s thoughts.  Y’all’s some good people and I enjoy the conversations. I’m in central VA and would love to meet some of you local-to-me folk one day.

  268. 268.

    Scout211

    Oh Shoot!  I missed the lurker thread. I love lurker threads.

    (Mr. Scout had eye surgery today so I was a little busy this afternoon).

    Welcome all you Lurkers and semi-lurkers!

    Don’t be strangers.  

    Okay, now to read the thread.

  270. 270.

    J R in WV

    List? er… Last? probably not yet.

    Just you wait — I’ll be back!!! HaHahah! (evil laugh!)

    ;~)

  271. 271.

    Geminid

    @Trine: I am also in central Virginia (Greene County). I’m no organizer, but be on the lookout for Honus. He’s talked about a meetup before.

    Although Honus is one of those hoity-toity Albemarle County people. He’ll probably want to do brunch!

  277. 277.

    Eduardo

    @Roger Moore:  Ha! Definitely a good advice if you want your opinions to have a better chance of being listened to. But It may happen that you may lurk 99% of the time, thinking you don’t have anything special to say and then there is that one subject in which you know you have most knowledge than most and you are in the minority, not only intellectually but also emotionally.

    Maybe there should be a lurker sign added by the system when one of us posts

  279. 279.

    SFBayAreaGal

    Late to the post. So many great nyms. I hope you decloak once in awhile and comment. Even if someone has said it before.

    Thank you to all that took the time to decloak and comment.

  280. 280.

    billshearn

    I’ve lurked for years and I’ve enjoyed the commentary and the community here. I’ll chime in someday.

     

    Bill Hearn

  281. 281.

    Ol' Nat

    Lurk lurk lurk!!!!

    I love you all and what you do here!! You give me hope in these troubled times!

  284. 284.

    WaterGirl

    Big thanks to all the lurkers who poked their heads out and to all the BJ commenters who welcomed you.

    Maybe we’ll see some of you around in the comments?   Even if not, we’ll know you’re here anyway!

    I’ll check back for more comments in the morning and will of course approve any that are waiting.   That way if and when you want to jump in at a future date, you won’t have to wait for approval then.

  285. 285.

    The Up and Up

    Howdy! I decided to unlurk for a bit.

    My day was one of those where you thought you’d get more done than what happened. As I drove the length of highway, returning a library book, to what passes for downtown a quartet of local GOPers waved anti-vax signs alongside with whoever is running. “If you flip me off I’m going to heaven” one read. The recycling place was a disaster. A multi-generational special needs family slammed glass, jar after jar, shards flying everywhere. After each shattering they hi-fived the attendant. I decided I did not need to get injured that badly and considering the trash along the highway … no one cares there either. Red enclave in a blue state.

  287. 287.

    WaterGirl

    @One More Red Nightmare:

    Okay, all these nyms are just too good!

    I was in bed with the lights off playing a game on my iPad when I realized I hadn’t done Wordle today. So of course I had to get up and get the computer so I could do today’s Wordle.  Those bastards end your winning streak – not just if you lose, but if you just don’t remember to play that day.

    That’s just wrong.

    Okay, back to Mahjong.  Goodnight all.

  288. 288.

    JWR

    @J R in WV:

    @WaterGirl: ​
    You should look at my three-character smiley — [ ;~) ] which is not changed to a weird icon.

    ;~) it’s safe because of the little twisty horizontal thingy, upper case top right left most key.  ETA fix dyslexic remark…

    I’m pretty sure you can also do it just using spaces between characters, thusly: ; ) No tilde necessary. : – )

  290. 290.

    Markzz13

    Thought I’d throw in. Pretty much been reading this blog since nearly day one I would guess. Watching the transformation of John Cole has been epic. From warblogging Iraq and Redstate to today is an amazing diary that is truly journalism in a unique form. I think I may have commented 5-6 times total in all these years. Especially when Grateful Dead and Phish may have come up. Thanks for all the laughs, cries, food, pets, activism and thinking you all contribute to. I am and will probably always lurk here.

  291. 291.

    JGreen

    OK, I can’t resist the temptation anymore. I’m a lurker like many of the others who’ve posted already; I read almost all the posts every day, but I don’t comment because usually someone else has already said what I was going to say, but in a much better way. I have left a couple of comments before; I recommended the “A Different Bias” videos on YouTube for those who want some info on the UK political scene while waiting for the next Letter from Brexitannia from Tony Jay (and I guess I’m recommending it again right now).

    Balloon Juice is the only blog I’ve found that has comments worth reading. Charlie Pierce’s blog had a good cast of characters in the comment section, too (Friedman of the Plains, etc.) but I haven’t read it since Esquire started making you pay (I’m too cheap for that). I don’t mind the term “lurker”–I love it that the Balloon Juice aficionados are called jackals and lurkers; it’s done in a friendly manner. And you can tell it’s friendly by the way the jackals come to the aid of those who are having trouble. Just the way people helped out some jackal who needed a home for a dog (if I remember right) was amazingly impressive; I don’t know another blog where that would happen.

    Sometimes I think Balloon Juice is like what a newspaper used to be. There’s great info on insurance, COVID (many kudos to Anne Laurie for the long-time good work there), Ukraine (many, many kudos to Adam Silverman for his great work on that), sports, British politics, even consumer products as well as the political experiences of those in other states besides mine (I’m in the SF Peninsula-some jackals are right nearby). There’s stuff on travel, plants, quilts, pets–It’s rather remarkable, really.

    I mainly wanted to use the opportunity to compliment WaterGirl, Cole, Anne Laurie and all the others who really make this a must-read every day. I don’t have much to add to the discussion other than my recommendation, but I’ll take the chance of wading into the deep end and give my opinion about a topic I’ve seen several times. I agree that it’s not a good idea that companies are making people come back to the office, but, personally, I HATE working from home. I suspect that my job is different from lots of people’s, so I know that my reasons don’t apply in many cases, but I can tell you that the place I live in is not suitable for work and neither is my temperament. I am so glad I’m in the office five days a week and I could tell you why, but this post is already way too long. One thing I will say is that my commute is just seven miles long, so the commuting time is not an issue.

    Ok, that’s enough. I’ll go back to lurking for another six months or so, but to be sure, I’m going to keep coming here to look at the good stuff. Keep it up all you jackals.

  292. 292.

    JGreen

    Hey, Vixen Strangely has a blog, too, right? I’ve read some of her writing and it’s pretty good. Everybody, check it out–it’s called Strangely Blogged, isn’t it?

  294. 294.

    Wutzy

    Hi – regular lurker since 2006 or so (shortly after John’s conversion). I’d like to say thanks for all the commenters for the last 12 years or so – and of course to the great front pagers. I move around a lot, sometimes in places it would be better not to be tracked by the wrong people. But almost ready for retirement, so not so much worry now.

  298. 298.

    Allen Henderson

    What a great thread. Thanks!

    I’ve been reading at least daily since ~ 2009, and these days it’s usually my first and last read of the day. With varying degrees of popularity, I’ve shared posts with friends and family over the years.  What an exceptional resource for those of us who consume and digest rather than create our content here. For everyone who makes it happen, thank you :-)

     

    For the curious, I’m a scientist and group leader in R&D and a 20-year political junkie. Posting under my given name.

  301. 301.

    Jinchi

    @WaterGirl:  Those bastards end your winning streak – not just if you lose, but if you just don’t remember to play that day.

    Really? I could see that happening if the Wordle page was open in a side tab and refreshed itself in the background. But if you don’t visit the site at all, it shouldn’t clear your winning streak.

    (These are the insightful comments that the lurkers keep coming back for. Nice to hear from so many of them.)

  302. 302.

    Jinchi

    @Jazzman: ​
     (how come no commenters ever boast “LAST!”?)

    I’ve actually seen that once or twice. It’s a good way to trigger another 100 comments in a thread that was presumed dead.

  304. 304.

    Scout211

    Thank you WaterGirl for posting this lurker thread.  What a joy to read all the lurker’s newbie’s new comments.

    While these threads are a joy to all of us, they are high maintenance threads for WaterGirl.  She probably had to monitor this thread for hours and then again this morning. She deserves overtime pay for this kind of long high-maintenance thread.  But I know she will likely refuse the extra cash (LOL) but maybe some extra thanks might be in order.

    So here’s mine.

    Thank you WaterGirl! You are the best.  :)

  305. 305.

    WaterGirl

    @Jinchi: I don’t think they count it as a loss if you don’t play for a day, but they definitely end your winning streak.  Like i said, bastards!

    edit:  and yes, I’m sure this is the quality content that keeps all our quiet lurker friends lurking.

  306. 306.

    WaterGirl

    @Scout211: As I was driving home from the farmer’s market just now I was trying to remember who had suggested that this might be a good time for a lurker’s thread.

    Now that I see your nym, i am 99.99% sure that it was you.  So thank you for your good idea!

    I was trying to do these about once a month and I am embarrassed to say how many months it has been since the previous one!

    Watching the lurker threads isn’t even a labor of love, like most of what I do for Balloon Juice.  It’s just nice to see everyone who pops up, so it doesn’t feel like labor at all.

    But I will happily accept your gracious thank you, Scout.  Does your nym come from To Kill A Mockingbird?  I adored my dad, but I would have gratefully accepted another dad, too, if it could have been Gregory Peck from that movie.

  307. 307.

    Scout211

    @WaterGirl:

    Yes, I was the one who suggested a lurker thread. These threads are so uplifting and can be a first toe in for many of the lurkers who feel intimidated by all the verbose regulars.  (Not naming names or looking in a mirror or anything like that . . .)

    My nym Scout is in memory of our beloved black lab who died about 15 years ago.  We still miss her.  But she was actually named after Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, so full circle (kind of).

  308. 308.

    Scout211

    @WaterGirl: I was trying to do these about once a month and I am embarrassed to say how many months it has been since the previous one!

    It’s only my 2 cents, but monthly is probably too often for this kind of thread.  Every few months or even every 6 months makes these threads extra special to all of us and we get excited to jump in and welcome the newbies.

    When the lurker threads are few and far between it seems to encourage more lurkers to jump in when one randomly pops up.  And when lurkers see other lurkers becoming newbies and welcomed so graciously, it tends to encourage even shy lurkers to take the leap.  My guess is that if it was done monthly or scheduled regularly, the threads would be less special and less popular to lurkers and veterans alike.

    Again, this is only my opinion.  Worth 2 cents but not a penny more. LOL

  312. 312.

    WaterGirl

    @AndreaPowers: Yes, your comments should go through right away now on the device you commented from.  If you try to comment again and it goes into moderation, please send me email:  watergirl at install.local

Comments are closed.