PalMD is a practicing internist in the Great Lakes region of the U.S.. Aside from the great joy he finds in his family and his work, he likes communicating some of that joy to others. He has a special interest in the ways patients---and we are all patients at one time or another---are deceived by charlatans. He aims to change the world, one reader at a time. Previous writings can still be found 
Those of you who gave to DonorsChoose will find an email in your inbox with a gift card. This is free money for you to donate to any project you wish. It represents matching funds from Hewlett-Packard, so don't let it go to waste.
Next, commenting. I keep a very open comment policy, since dialog is really the whole point of a blog, but moderating comments can be rather cumbersome, and the spam and hate-comments have been sneaking through. I am considering a trial run with comment registration. The ScienceBlogs overlords assure me that most of the bugs have been swept out of it. What this would allow is automatic trashing of comments from spammers and the few commenters who spew hate speech. It would not take away the ability to comment anonymously, as pseudonym accounts can be set up, but if you enjoy a little sockpuppetry, it would limit this a bit, which is a shame. I'm open to your opinions on this one.
Comments
Where I work they block all access to what they consider "social sites", including facebook, blogger, worldpress. If the comment registration requires going through what is considered a "social site", I may not be able to post while at work.
Posted by: daedalus2u | November 25, 2009 2:11 PM
Sock puppetry is absolutely a transgression against decency and humanity, why are you encouraging those criminals???!!??
Posted by: SockMonkey | November 25, 2009 2:14 PM
Your blog, your rules. I don't see that minor convenience on my part comes even close to weighing in against the hassle of defending the comment section for you.
Although I do confess to occasionally posting under another nym, since there are some comments that are a bit over the top even for me. Yeah, you read that right -- believe it or don't.
Posted by: D. C. Sessions | November 25, 2009 4:15 PM
Sockpuppetry should be utterly banned
Posted by: antipodean | November 25, 2009 4:42 PM
I utterly disagree with the above comment. Utterly.
Posted by: antipodean's sockpuppet | November 25, 2009 4:45 PM
A necessary condition for that is the elimination of pseudonyms. Bear in mind that banning them wouldn't affect me, but I really prefer that you be allowed to continue with your chosen nym.
I'm willing to accept sockpuppetry as part of the price for your continuing use of "antipodean."
Doc PAL? Maybe not. His call.
Posted by: D. C. Sessions | November 25, 2009 4:46 PM
I'm a big fan of sockpuppetry and pseudonyms, so i'd like to avoid making that too difficlt.
Posted by: PalMD | November 25, 2009 4:47 PM
Satire DC. Satire.
I was taking the piss out of obvious sockpuppetry.
I'm in agreement with PALs current policy. Or should that be utter agreement?
Posted by: antipodean | November 25, 2009 5:31 PM
I got my donorschoose HP certificate and deciding what to spend that on is harder than spending my own money. It's the rare experience of getting to direct their spending, I suppose.
I first heard of donorschoose when somebody was going to get their chest waxed and told two of my school teacher relatives about it. They both submitted requests and both got fully funded! Ain't that cool??
As for comment registration, I'm not thrilled about but will manage. As said above, your blog-your rules.
Posted by: Donna B. | November 27, 2009 1:23 AM
I haven't decided yet. If I do it, I will first run it for a day or two to see how it works.
Posted by: PalMD | November 27, 2009 9:07 AM