Most of you are aware that we have been having problems with the WordPress commenting and spam filtering system. There recently was a software update, and this may be a result of that update. We don’t know for sure.

In the meantime, your cooperation is requested to help us with moderation.

Dozens of valid comments per hour are being dumped by Akismet (the WP spam filter) into the trash bin. We must filter and restore the valid ones and delete the actual spam and trash. This means that we have to validate each comment when we don’t recognize the commenter. This is an agonizing and monotonous task. It would help if everyone did the following:

1. STOP posting comments strictly about not being able to comment.

2. STOP posting comments 10 times in hope that the repeats will somehow get through. They won’t. It just means that we have to take the time to find and delete them.

3. STOP changing your name in hopes that you will get in. You won’t.

4. Make every comment count. A comment that has a smiley face or says “I agree” is just as difficult to moderate as a long, well considered comment.

We spend hours every day trying to see that your valid comments are posted, but it takes time. Frankly, the complaining makes me want to take a 3-hour lunch, and I’m not alone.

In fact, I think I’ll go make lunch and maybe watch a “Miss Marple” mystery.

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