Comment Policy

As any of my friends or family will tell you, I like to talk. OK, I love to talk. To just about anyone. About just about anything. So, I hope that you’ll help turn my blog posts into a conversation by posting a comment.

I have a few simple ground rules to keep the conversation civil and polite so that everyone feels comfortable jumping in. By posting on my blog, you agree to the following:

  1. You may post anonymously. To discourage spammers, I request a name and email address, but you don’t have to give me your real one. I don’t keep or reuse this information or share it with any third parties. I hope that you’ll use your real name and email to encourage a spirit of genuineness in your conversations, whether on this blog or elsewhere on the web.
  2. You may disagree with me or other commenters. Discussion and debate are fine. In fact, they’re a terrific way to liven things up and stimulate conversation. However, I ask that if you disagree with me or any other commenter that you do so in a way that is respectful. Please focus your comments on the content and refrain from personal attacks. If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, please don’t post it.
  3. I reserve the right to delete your comments.While you have the right to express your opinion, that doesn’t mean I have to publish it. Specifically, I will delete your comments if, in my sole opinion, your comments are:
    • rude, mean-spirited, personal attacks, or hate speech
    • off-topic, irrelevant, or spammy
    • libelous or defamatory
    • abusive, harassing, or threatening
    • profane, pornographic, or blatantly offensive
    • false or misleading
  4. You grant me a license to post your comments. What happens on the blog doesn’t necessarily have to stay on the blog. You grant me the right to store, use, transmit, display, publish, reproduce, and distribute your comments in any format, including but not limited to a blog, in a book, a video, or presentation. This license is worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free (hey, why not dream big?).

A note on spam evilness: If my spam blocker, Akismet, thinks you’re a spammer, your comment will be blocked. If your comment is nothing more than a thinly disguised attempt to advertise, solicit, or otherwise promote goods and services, I consider that spam and will delete the comment. You’re more than welcome to include a link to your site or your most recent blog post or include a smidgen of self-promotion in your comment. As long as your comment isn’t spammy, I’ll post it. If you don’t see your comment posted, chances are it was snagged by my spam blocker. You’re welcome to contact me directly if you feel your comments are being incorrectly excluded. Akismet is a pretty good judge though.

I hope that clears things up. Now, go on and post a comment!