We Interupt This Orgy Of Self-Congratulation...

Henry Farrel of Crooked Timber posts a late draft of a research paper on blog readership.  From his summary this passage has caught attention:

First – blog readers seem to exhibit strong homophily. That is to say, they overwhelmingly choose blogs that are written by people who are roughly in accordance with their political views. Left wingers read left wing blogs, right wingers read right wing blogs, and very few people read both left wing and right wing blogs. Those few people who read both left wing and right wing blogs are considerably more likely to be left wing themselves; interpret this as you like.

Jon Chait of TNR interpreted this as an opportunity to have a bit of fun:

I'm going to go ahead and interpet it: Liberals are more interested in listening to opposing points of view than are conservatives. Now, most people in general do not like listening to opposing views, but those who do are overwhelmingly on the left. I'm going to wallow in smug self-satisfaction for a few minutes, then go over to the Corner to see if anybody has a rebuttal.

Tim F at John Cole's Balloon Juice chose to dislocate his own shoulder while patting himself on the back:

In other words, it’s almost impossible for rightwingers to read leftwing blogs. The message is pretty obvious, but I’ll belabor it anyway: modern conservatism either makes people amazingly sensitive to criticism or it preferentially attracts people who already are (nature vs. nurture? discuss.). The idea certainly fits with sociology studies linking conservatives with whiny kids who crave certainty and the comfort of authority. Bleeding heart liberals, environmentalists, peace activists and non-wealthy black people come in for plenty of abuse at the hands of big evil Hollywood and yet I somehow find myself able to sit through a movie without feeling compelled to write a five thousand word post defending my precious way of life against every hack writer.

Yeah, yeah.  Chait was mostly kidding and it is hard to take this seriously either.  James Joyner provides a bit of reason:

Further, as I’ve discussed perhaps ad nasuem in posts over the past five plus years, most blogs are frankly unreadable by those not sympathetic to the point of view of the author.  This holds true even when one excludes the 90-plus percent of political blogs that are unreadable, period.   Few people have an appetite for being rudely insulted on a regular basis, having their intelligence, decency and patriotism questioned.

And now let me provide a rebuttal on the chance that that Mr. Chait did not find satisfaction at The Corner:

1.  Let's not attribute to the vast majority of either group qualities that are rare to both groups.

According to co-author John Sides, only 6% of relevant respondents have the open-minded attribute hailed by Messrs. Chait and "F".  Based on an eyeoballometric estimate of Fig 3 (p. 35 of the .pdf), I would guess that 43% of respondents read only right-wing blogs and 51% stroll only on the left side of the street.  I will further generously guess from the charts that, within the 6% that cross over, lefties outnumber righties by 4-1.  That implies that 4.8% of respondents are open-minded lefties and 1.2% are open-minded righties.

So in total, 55.8% of respondents are lefty and 4.8% are, as per Mr. Chait, "more interested in listening to opposing points of view".  Well, then, roughly 91% of lefties are close-minded and uninterested in the views of others.  Does this really contrast all that favorably with the 98% of righties that don't seek opposing views on the blogs?  The overwhelming majority of both groups are well-cocooned by this simple measure, as Chait noted.  "F" is operating at the level of "Hey, mister, you're even uglier than me".  Thanks for sharing!

2.  I question the data driving the cross-over readership (without having access to it).

The Sides post recreates a chart showing a distribution of six popular blogs - Michelle Malkin, Little Green Footballs, Crooks and Liars, Matt Drudge, the Daily Kos, and the Huffington Post.  Is it just me, or does one name stand out there?  Matt Drudge is a famous news aggregator with very little original content and plenty of lefties read it simply because Drudge can drive a news cycle (tidbit - the non-righty NY Times advertises there).  In fact, from the Sides chart the median readership of Drudge is not shoved off to the extreme left or right, as with the other Five Faves.  A clue?

If lefties are scoring open-minded cross-over points because 9% of them read Drudge, color me unimpressed.  Elsewhere in the paper the InstaPundit appears as a popular blog - since he might also be viewed as an aggregator I would offer the same objection.

Only the researchers can tell us, but if they could break down the blogs that drove the cross-over scoring that might settle this.  I would be shocked to see that Michelle Malkin and LGF have a notable lefty readership.

3.  Did I mention the Times?

The real question seems to be, does each side keep tabs on what is brewing on the other side of the aisle?  I am sure I am not alone in thinking "Why do I need to read left-wing blogs when I am shelling out $40 bucks a month for the Dead Tree NY Times?"  Need I point out that by the time I have finished with their front page, the editorials, the letters to the editor, and the op-eds I have a pretty good sense that BusHitlerBurton is Evil (and so am I).

A righty who wants to keep up with left-of-center conventional wisdom can rely on the NY Times, the LA Times, the Washington Post, TIME, Newsweek, CNN, CBS News, ABC News, or MSNBC.  Not exactly inaccessible.

An open-minded lefty who can't abide Rush, Sean, or Fox is pretty much stuck with the Wall Street Journal editorial page, National Review, the Weekly Standard, Commentary and some blogs.  I wonder if that affected the survey at all?

Whatev.  I don't suppose a related study testing people's inclination to think critically about information which reinforces their preconceptions and self-image is necessary.  But if it is undertaken, Messrs. Chait and "F" may be useful data points.

MORE:  And that'll teach Jon Chait to joke around!

Comments

[Neo]

Simply .. no need to read the lefty blogs when most of the MSM is already in the tank of the leftosphere.

[Neo]

LOL

The proves media bias.

[Dan Collins]

Here's the study you're looking for, Tom:

http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=12647

[JR]

It explains why you always have liberals showing up at McDonalds to buy tires for their car.

[BRD]

The big unanswered question in the study is why someone chooses a cross-over.

Of the people that do read across the aisle, how many do so with an actually inquisitive mind, and how many are simply getting fodder for a rant or are hanging around to troll.

From time to time I will see folks from the other side of the aisle drop in for a bit, but the odds are quite low that they are actually there to engage or actually examine an idea - rather than to do a drive-by trolling.

[SlimGuy]

For what it is worth we had a lengthy discussion of this on a message board and the conclusion could be summarized is that the left side blogs tend to exclude right side posters more than the reverse.

Thus more left siders inhabit and survive in right side blogs (even as trolls) which would skew the numbers.

Also it seems that the right tends to say that only periodic checking is necessary to confirm that what is perceived as illogical basis messaging is occurring and it doesn't take a constant monitoring presence (even if read only) to determine outcomes.

Right siders seem to rely more on those who do observe the left to point to the most troubling content to keep many informed without having to create a need for vast right side observation of the left.

One major left side blog even keeps 'lurker' statistics of registered users that never post painting them as 'opposition researchers'.

RSS readers have actually made the issue moot.

[Jane]

Good Morning! My limited experience with lefty blogs is they rarely say anything. I just thought they were placed there as carriers of BDS coupled with mind-numbing adoration for the great Messiah.

A liberal with an interest in an opposing point of view appears to be a rare thing indeed. I note our own Appalled as an exception that proves the rule.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

---
A righty who wants to keep up with left-of-center conventional wisdom can rely on the NY Times, the LA Times, the Washington Post, TIME, Newsweek, CNN, CBS News, ABC News, or MSNBC. Not exactly inaccessible.
---

Lefties would of course disagree with this list; the Post, CNN, ABC, NYT, etc. have drifted rightward over the years.

Judith Miller wasn't exactly a cause celebre in the leftyverse, and Fred Hiatt isn't a lefty luminary. Crowley, Blitzer and Beck? Please.

Charlie Gibson mouthing Laugherisms during a dem primary debate? Certainly not one of ours.

CNBC; Kudlow and his variants.

On TV, Keith is our guy; an oasis in the desert.

[Neo]

Eighteen percent of Americans think the sun revolves around the earth, one poll has found. Thus it seems slightly less egregious that, according to another poll, 10 percent of us think that Senator Barack Obama, a Christian, is instead a Muslim.

This certainly renders the 'Obama is a Muslim' meme pretty darn moot.

[bgates]

I am sure I am not alone in thinking "Why do I need to read left-wing blogs when I am shelling out $40 bucks a month for the Dead Tree NY Times?"
Have you seen their circulation numbers? You might actually be alone.

[happyfeet]

I don't have to read left-wing blogs. I listen to NPR.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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opposing point of view appears to be a rare thing indeed
---

Poor Jane; her frustration is due to lack of
opponents.

Condescension, thy name is Jane.

[Paul Zrimsek]

Tom, you sure do spend a lot of time bashing Krugman for someone who's too insecure to read him!

This post sets up a nice natural experiment. How many lefties touting the study will turn up on this prominent conservative blog to defend their reasoning?

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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I listen to NPR.
---

Listen? You mean without a keyboard?

Must be some new kinda tech thing.

[bgates]

Few people have an appetite for being rudely insulted on a regular basis, having their intelligence, decency and patriotism questioned.
Ding! Joyner gets it; I don't think Jon "Hatred" Chait is in a good position to evaluate how inequitably the rude insults are distributed around the blogosphere.

Saying conservatives stay away from left-wing sites because they're close-minded is like saying Jackie O avoided convertibles so she wouldn't muss her hair.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

---
the conclusion could be summarized is that the left side blogs tend to exclude right side posters more than the reverse.
---

That's an interesting question in itself; any good data on that? Not an ironic question; I'm genuinely curious.

But it doesn't hold up; if lefty blogs were more limited, the righties so inclined would gravitate to the remaining open blogs, so individuals with an interest in crossing the aisle still have alternatives available.

[daveinboca]

I get my dose of leftyverse thinking watching PBS Lehrer News Hour & Week in Review plus occasionally dipping into the less obnoxious offerings such as Wash Monthly or the Atlantic's stuff.

Drive-by trolling on tempting targets at Think Progress is this man's guilty pleasure.

[Sue]

Maybe the left leaning blogs should ask themselves why they can't attract a more diverse crowd to their sites? Naw...that would be too simple and require taking personal responsibility for writing Bush done it, no matter what the situation.

[Sue]

rather than to do a drive-by trolling.

Is there a way to get them to do the drive-by, instead of moving in?

[daveinboca]

left side blogs tend to exclude right side posters more than the reverse seems right as I have been evicted from two lefty "news" blogs for simply contradicting their inaccurate Middle East ravings against Israel. They don't like what they consider counterfactuals which are actually true.

Or sometimes my offering simply doesn't get accepted by the censor. Critical thinking isn't prized in some quarters of the left, as well as some on the right [I was regularly bashed in Freeperland].

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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inequitably the rude insults are distributed around the blogosphere.
---

Your Jane has done quite an admirable job correcting whatever imbalance may have existed.

Having my patriotism attacked or being called a marxist is stock-in-trade and one expects that sort of response, but being attacked for authoring words of kindness?

That was a new one.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

---
Maybe the left leaning blogs should ask themselves why they can't attract a more diverse crowd to their sites?
---

'my kids hate vegetables, so I feed them cake'

[centralcal]

Actually, all you have to do is read one or two of 89's comments to see why there really is no need to wade through most of the dreck on the left.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

OK OK Lefty bloggers are always looking for better looking clicks at the right leaning sites

---
It's sad and lonely being stuck in my mother's basement all day long

---
Please please somebody put me out of my misery

[Jane]

How many lefties touting the study will turn up on this prominent conservative blog to defend their reasoning?

That assumes some "reasoning".

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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I have been evicted
---

Kevin Drum allows dissent; you could try over there.

But I don't hang out at the typical red-meat-left sites, so I can't offer you much information on them.

[centralcal]

OT: Congrats to Rush! $400 Million.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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Actually, all you have to do is read one or two of 89's comments to see why there really is no need to wade through most of the dreck on the left.
---

You forgot to add 'marxist', and reworking it to include the phrase 'gay lobby' gets you bonus points.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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OK OK Lefty bloggers are always looking for better looking clicks at the right leaning sites
---

Is there a 'hot or not' site for 'clicks'?

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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That assumes some "reasoning".
---

Say, Jane; you should have the lab guy freshen your formaldehyde; it's looking a little stale.

[blue]

Thus more left siders inhabit and survive in right side blogs (even as trolls) which would skew the numbers.

I have tried to regularly post on a few left-side blogs like Obsidian Wings.

But it is the posters themselves that drive righties away. Often their responses are hateful and irrelevant to what you actually posted. So, why bother?

Even someone like Sebastian Holsclaw couldn't manage to keep posting there because of the way lefties attacked him. (Granted I am putting words in his mouth, but I believe it is close to accurate.) If I am not mistaken he is homosexual, against waterboarding and many other Bush policies. If the lefties drive him away what righty wouldn't be driven away?

[bvw]

I do not read "left-wing" blogs in general because they are full of insanity and pathological delusion. Regular exposure to such insanity does effect a person. The "right-wing" blogs have a occasional crazy post, but such are rare.

The grudge bearing is also found on the left, a lot less than the right. Although ten years ago it was found on the right side as well.

In general the right-wing blogs have been alive longer, and are more matured.

As an adult, try hanging out day after day with seventh graders, at their level and see what it makes you.

[RW]

Kevin Drum allows dissent; you could try over there.
--

Kevin Drum doesn't moderate the comments. And, no, dissent isn't necessarily allowed as I've had comments (including nothing more than one stating "hey, my previous comment was deleted") deleted that went against the lockstep groupthink.

Two words: Fairness Doctrine.

Well, those plus the fact that you have morons who think that the NYT & the MSM aren't tilted to the left. Emphasis on "morons", by the way. There's a reason that they need the gov't to take care of them, after all.

[Jim Miller]

I tend to avoid most leftist blog sites because so many of them, even the better ones, use such crude language. An example which is remarkably relevant to this study: Daniel Davies, who blogs with Henry Farrell at Crooked Timber, wrote an obscenity-filled post -- I forget what the topic was now. I wrote a light comment joking about his use of "effing" villages, though of course he didn't write "effing".

Davies exploded and attacked me, using extraordinarily crude language. (His reply was obscene, scatalogical, and, I suspect, libelous -- but I am not a lawyer, so I could be wrong abou that last.) When I complained to Farrell, he defended Davies. As did most of the commenters at the site.

Needless to say, I have spent less time at Crooked Timber since that incident.

By the way, although I don't have comments on my own site, I do write, from time to time, for a group site, Sound Politics. And I have, more than once, deleted comments from conservatives that I thought were out of bounds.

[RW]

One more thought: I've seen lefties proclaim their openmindedness by stating that they read all points of view, including right-wing sources like Andrew Sullivan, TNR and John Cole.

You know, really deep thinkers.....of the "Tim F" mold.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

How did they control for Brad DeLong deciding non-liberals need not apply after a few years of him losing arguments?

[RW]

I tend to avoid most leftist blog sites because so many of them, even the better ones, use such crude language.

A staple of the modern leftist is a penchant for typing at a keyboard that which they would never - ever - state to someone's face. The Napolean complex is indeed alive & well.

[Sue]

The left are "free thinkers". It is truly a coincidence that they all say the same thing.

[RW]

How did they control for Brad DeLong deciding non-liberals need not apply after a few years of him losing arguments?

Heh, yeah, I remember posting info on tax data at his site that went against his 'needed' rationale. Deleted. Then, I posted "hmmm, the comment was deleted, but here's the official gov't site with the data that refutes Mr. DeLong". Deleted. Then, I simply posted the link with no commentary. Deleted.

[Neo]

“inartful” now ranks up there with “inoperative”

“This is the operative statement. The others are inoperative.”

What could be next ? "I'm not a crook"

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

---
One more thought: I've seen lefties proclaim their openmindedness by stating that they read all points of view, including right-wing sources like Andrew Sullivan, TNR and John Cole.
---

I subscribed to the National Review for years; but I don't subscribe to mags any more since the web provides every point of view imaginable.

And it's indexed.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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A staple of the modern leftist is a penchant for typing at a keyboard that which they would never - ever - state to someone's face.
---

In real life Jane would never attack someone for being nice, even if she thought it was 'the most despicable thing I can even think of'.

It's not a left/right dichotomy.

In general, if you don't wanna be called names, stay away from the internet boards.

[Rick Ballard]

TM's quick and concise shredding of the "study" demonstrates the primary reason why "crossing over" is a waste of time. I have to agree that lefties are much more "open minded". Stand next to one in a breeze and you can hear a whistling noise from the downwind ear.

Perhaps we could reflect for a moment upon acceptance by lefties of the infamous "600K killed" Lancet study as a data point wrt their ability to dispense with reason at the drop of a tear. Or their buy off on the AQ propaganda driven Haditha story as a reflection of their micro thin patriotism?

Somehow I just can't work up a sense of dismay for having passed up the opportunity to read the scribblings of the shallowest of thinkers emoting about the depth of their feelings. Even if I try very, very hard, I find that I just don't give a damn about what 90% of the lefties purport to think. Perhaps I should work on redefining "thinking" to include "typing without cerebration"?

[Jane]

Perhaps I should work on redefining "thinking"

Oh I'm pretty sure the left has taken care of that for you. It involves the commitment to never deal in facts.

[Topsecretk9]

If left blog readers are more open to other ideas, or whatever, how come all their sites are strictly controlled comment environments that allow NO alternate view with comments deleted and users banned if they don't toe the line?

[Topsecretk9]

If left blog readers are more open to other ideas, or whatever, how come all their sites are strictly controlled comment environments that allow NO alternate view with comments deleted and users banned if they don't toe the line?

[pappy]

Yes, I read Huffpost online as well a Weekly Standard. It's called "know your enemy".
The next level is to look at the lib vs conser blog "review rules". I find it much harder to get a comment posted at Huffpost than say Human Events.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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reflect for a moment upon acceptance by lefties
---

Yes, and we were accepting of Hans Blix' findings that even with US help and direction, they couldn't find WMD in Iraq.

Only the pure-mental-energy beings guiding the right wing think tanks could discern The Manifest Truth of the existence of WMD's in Iraq.

Silly silly lefties.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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that allow NO alternate view
---

First comment on a Kevin Drum post.

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Obama will be the same way. Progressives have already demonstrated deceit on energy, both sides will continue this.
---

[RW]

First comment on a Kevin Drum post.

Oh, wow, you've really convinced me (someone who had multiple entires at WaMo deleted) now! Where's my registration card, I'm changing parties.

Here's a tip: go to firedoglake, pretend to be a black conservative & comment on how Obama is wrong to push for income tax hikes & continuing affirmative action policies. Wanna give it a go? I dare ya.

[boris]

ixnay on eedingfay the rolltay

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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pretend to be a black conservative
---

I take it this is popular with right?

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continuing affirmative action policies
---

You mean the Bush DOJ's demeritocracy where Republicans were given preferential treatment in hiring?

[bad]

Need I point out that by the time I have finished with their front page, the editorials, the letters to the editor, and the op-eds I have a pretty good sense that BusHitlerBurton is Evil (and so am I).

TM Your bitterness and cynicism are showing. Put down your prayer and back slowly away from your gun.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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ixnay on eedingfay the rolltay
---

I like how this one actually gets funnier with each iteration; now it's climbed all the way up to 'uninspired'.

[narciso]

With few exceptions, like Lipscomb's Swift boat post, I don't visit the Huff Pobecause it's like visiting Arkham's asylum; too much crazy over there. For the same reason I won't go near Daily Kos, I value my
sanity too much. I tried posting a few times on Kevin Drum's site, re the Plame
matter; talking to a parrot is more productive. Yglesias's and other Atlantic sites, is as far as I'll go when I want to see the other side. Now 89, is you admit that Blix is not infallible; ie his missing the developments at Yongbyon despite three decades of work, we can talk. Not that I really want to; seriously Soros has a major
quality control problem.

[clarice]

Soros keeps pissing away money on dopes to no end yet and in other good news Warren Buffett's losing lots of money--maybe he won't have to worry about the tax rates being too low for a while.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

You, narciso, are free to attack at will.

You know your shit, you present a plausible case and provide supporting documentation in a spite-light style.

The right would be a better place with more narcisos and fewer Janes; the reverse is the unfortunate reality we inhabit.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

You, narciso, are free to attack at will.

You know your shit, you present a plausible case and provide supporting documentation in a spite-light style.

The right would be a better place with more narcisos and fewer Janes; the reverse is the unfortunate reality we inhabit.

[BobS]

pretend to be a black conservative

Sorry, 89. Identity politics is a Dem philosophy.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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Warren Buffett's losing lots of money
---

Weep not for Uncle Warren; he heats his house with cash; gives a nice clean burn, and it gets cheaper every year that Republicans are in office.

[BobS]

Like most sad lefties, you resort to personal attacks when someone offers contrarian views.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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Identity politics is a Dem philosophy.
---

Republicans too; it's just a shorter list of identities.

[clarice]

89's attacks on Jane are growing increasingly obsessive and bordering on stalking. If people keep engaging him, they are asking for this to escalate. Please stop.

[BobS]

We don't keep lists like that and then assign grevances to each.

[BobS]

Sorry Clarice. Temporary insanity not unlike that I've experienced when dealing with soccer parents.

[DanceBlogger]

As a fiscal conservative and social libertarian, I have views that fall to either end of the spectrum. I find that both sides like to paint with broad black & white strokes when views are expressed that contradict the prevailing mindset. The left however, is far more likely to cast the offender into the pits of non-existent hell. Group think and thought control is far more pervasive coming from that side, IMHO,

[MarkO]

Clarice,

I made an attempt to engage 89 in a rational discussion. He retreated and began to take shots at Jane and others. He has nothing to offer but childish asides. Is this the best Obama can offer this group?

OT. I read today that Obama has NOT distanced himself from Clark's hateful remarks about McCain. BHO is so devid of any real experience or judgment that he must devalue McCain's real world and heroic acts.

[BobS]

As a teacher, DB, I understand your point. I teach in a very successful school district and am, well, more supportive of public schools. I think the right has a tendency to broad brush things about my industry. Its understandable though with the NEA among other organizations being in the pocket of Dem leadership.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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89's attacks on Jane are growing increasingly obsessive
---

All Jane ever had to do was say that her attacks were maybe just a little over the top; but her rigidity won't allow it.

The 'circle the wagons' reaction by the rest of the board probably didn't help matters, but it's admirable when people defend their own; I presume that Jane has some admirable qualities that justify the defense, but it certainly hasn't been in much evidence in any of her interactions with me.

Jane's original comments really were quite nasty and completely out of proportion to anything I had written; I suspect there are people here that agree with that characterization, but expressing a sympathetic opinion blunts the 'destroy the intruder' efforts.

[Molon Labe]

A conservative reading a liberal blog is easily put off by the incoherence and irrationality of the left. You just have to shrug your shoulders and say "where to even begin?"

But liberals come to conservative blogs because the liberal mindest is nihilistic and angry, and it gives them their fix.

[Cecil Turner]

If people keep engaging him, they are asking for this to escalate.

It's already disruptive to the point of making discussion tedious. Which appears to be the goal. If I were TM, I'd have banned 89 long since.

On the paper, the link giving the coding criteria (http://henryfarrell.net/flspaper/blogLRcodes.pdf) does not work. Based on the graphs, it appears they're calling Drudge a right-wing site . . . which IMO invalidates any conclusion, if it's used to draw any.

As to the variation of cross-cutting, the Kos quote masters the obvious:

Conservative debaters are not welcome simply because the efforts here are to define and build a progressive infrastructure . . .

And the paper concludes that's the most likely explanation for the observed difference:

We suggest that the most obvious explanation for this variation is the existence of a social movement type structure among leftwing bloggers and blog readers, and the absence of such a structure among rightwing bloggers and blog readers.

In any event, the numbers are small, and (if my reading of the graphs is correct) the percentage of respondents appears to be heavily weighted to the lefties . . . which makes me doubt the significance of the result.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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I read today that Obama has NOT distanced himself from Clark's hateful remarks about McCain.
---

There were no 'hateful' remarks; post Clark's quotes if you have proof otherwise.

Damn the torpedoes, Obama.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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the liberal mindest is nihilistic and angry
---

Yes, I *am* quite the cauldron, aren't I?

[BobS]

CT: If indeed the study considered DRUDGE a right wing site, wouldn't this immediatley throw off probability factors?

[bad]

Cecil

I always feel smarter after reading your comments. Your input is amazing.

[BobS]

...and create skewed data?

(I sucked at stats in grad school)

[clarice]

bad, Cecil makes us all smarter and you can count on the reliability of what he says. Rare.

[BobS]

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=94919&catid=339

Maybe a sign of things to come in Denver.

[Rick Ballard]

"Based on the graphs, it appears they're calling Drudge a right-wing site . . . which IMO invalidates any conclusion, if it's used to draw any."

Thet are calling Drudge a right-wing site - there isn't any doubt. This study should be filed next to the Lancet study in terms of value. I would also note that the study has not even been submitted for publication at this point - this is a little pile of lefty residue which can be read as an advertisement to join the KosKretinKommunity of the likeminded and lackwitted.

Pap - which explains its popularity in certain quarters.
________________________
Bad - I flaked out early last night, sorry for the lack of Chapter 3.

[BobS]

Clarice: I hope we will see something soon from you in AT. I love you work.

[BobS]

sorry...your work. Damn laptop keyboard

[Jane]

All Jane ever had to do was say that her attacks were maybe just a little over the top; but her rigidity won't allow it.

89,

If I say that will you leave and promise to never come back?

[Jim]

So lefty crossover readers outnumber righty crossover readers 4 to 1? Small wonder.

Leftism simply isn't equally plausible to conservative thinking. It's rather intellectually bankrupt in comparison. There is no good argument that economic egalitarianism to right or that traditional values are not worth preserving, etc. Leftism is something you snap out of by 40 if you have a brain.

Therefore, conservatives will find no profit in reading lefty blogs. As a result they will not surf there. Lefties, on the other hand, are liable to find their thinking bankrupt and to see reason. They are more likely to surf over to the other side.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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Thet are calling Drudge a right-wing site
---

I think Drudge worked for Fox at one time and a few months back had some earthy comments about Olbermann, so I'd say yeah, he leans right.

[clarice]

Thank you, Bob. AT is carrying mostly articles on the election which I find boring and better covered by others. I'm thinking of new stuff though.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

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If I say that will you leave and promise to never come back?
---

I can reduce my visibility to being a petty annoyance and turn the disruptive knob waaay down; that good enough?

Oh, and you have to send me some chowder from Legal. ;-)

[glasater]

TM provides a forum with his posts that have attracted a group of "regular" folks who comment and write beautifully. The thinking and links they provide help my understanding of what is happening in our country politically and reinforce my own beliefs.
When I have ventured into left blogs and read the posts and comments--the kindest thing I have found to say about their thinking is that it is rude. Some are even so bad that even taking a shower after reading them would not help. There is just not one positive thought going on in the lefty world that I have found.

[Jane]

I can reduce my visibility to being a petty annoyance and turn the disruptive knob waaay down; that good enough?

No.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

That's OK Jane; at least you entertained the notion, which shows you recognize that you were over the top.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

Apology accepted; but I still want my chowder. ;-)

[Jane]

Do not mistake a bribe for an apology 89.

[Soylent Red]

There you go glasater...

This and other conservative blogs help me to learn about my world.

I used to read lefty blogs a lot, but I found that once you've read one, you've read them all. There's only so many ways to say "Bush is Hitler" and "Iraq war=wrong".

I kept saying to myself, "OK. I got it. What else do you have?"

Now, to be fair, there are some conservative blogs who do the same thing. Blogger posts, commenters echo.

The difference is that lefty blogs all operate this way, whereas conservative and libertarian blogs seem to stimulate more original thought.

[Soylent Red]

As for the ixnay...

Uckingfay ay, orisbay.

[eightnine2718281828mu5e]

---
Do not mistake a bribe for an apology 89.
---

S'all good Jane; and I acknowledge that it represents a big step for you, being willing to do something for the sake of the others on the board.

Since such noble sacrifice should be honored, I'll leave you in peace, Jane. And I will say on parting that your defense of gay rights is admirable; none of us are as cartoonish as the opposition would like us to believe.

Saw a quote used by George F Will on Colbert; something to the effect that politics is an effort in organizing our hatreds; truer than it should be I guess.

You may return to your regularly scheduled liberal bashing, JOM'ers; I'm off to help keep the world safe for democracy.

Everyone stay cool this summer.

[Chris]

"On TV, Keith is our guy; an oasis in the desert."

More like a mosquito in the swamp.

To the topic at hand, left vs right blogs. I read the left blogs frequently although I gave up trying to post (on the ones that theoretically allow it from someone with a right of center view) long ago. 89 is a testament to the difference between the genres.

He occasionally offers up something worth consideration but more often than not the post is a distraction from anything relevant. He would have been banned on day one at 80% of left blogs right out of the gate but is still offering up inanities here, for weeks now.

I had my last discussion with the left re: Libby over a year ago. For merely pointing out that it was Armitage who leaked Plame's name I had all comments deleted and found my inbox spammed w/character assassination and veiled threats. Before the comments were deleted the other posters had maligned me personally and suggested that I should be removed from polite society for merely pointing out that Libby had been prosecuted on a process offense.

Politics is personal on the left, far more so than on most right of center sights. There are exceptions but I think the rule generally holds.

[bad]

Rick

Can't wait to read chapter 3.

[Rick Ballard]

Bad,

I'm hoping that SR will pick up some backstory on Lightweight Vibrator. "Wild Times At Punhou" or "Why I Quit Peddling Crack" or "Who The Hell Gets Expelled From Occidental?" are all unexplored to this point.

That or continue with Lightweight Vibrator's Icelandic Adventures.

[Soylent Red]

I'm working on the birth certificate now Rick.

It's difficult because Obamessiah and the Bald Man are close enough in age to make the Bald Man's participation in the conspiracy more tenuous.

But...I have an angle.

[narciso]

This kind of abusive repartee is clearly a crush, but it's still kind of disturbing, in a "Fatal Attraction" sort of way. Now the facts, Drudge is clearly a typical populist, who sometimes leans right,
sometimes leans toward the anarchist left.
(re:his support for the Seattle WTC riots, and his habitual rant on surveillance cameras are an indication of this) His replacement on the radio show; Bill Cunningham, is a typical Ron Paul/Bob Barr
yahoo hack, who's destroying the brand.

[lynndh]

I don't read lefty blogs because I Don't Do Stupid!