Also (this is either because of your comment form or because my computer’s being weird) but when I typed in my name then pressed tab, the cursor didn’t go to the email section. This isn’t important or anything, just wanted to point it out

Thanks
david

I am willing to engage in open discussion … some of what I write IS controversial … but I am not willing to see my comments section disintegrate into an open brawl. Thus, the first comment from a new source is moderated. After that, you’re ‘in’ until you show some other ‘colors’.

That acknowledgment email is an important part of the process. For that reason, I recommend the “What would Seth Godwin Do?” plugin, which automates the initial email contact. Then, as a ‘real’ reason for dialog develops, you can get into one-on-one emails.

Reading a little further, I see that Mirjam posted regarding “CommentLuv” and ‘dofollow’. I use both of those also because I think that a commenter deserves their “pay”. Akismet does a great job of catching the ‘truly spam’ and that leaves me with valid, hand-written, comments. I am less concerned about “link juice” than I am about encouraging a lively community of discussion. Sadly, my most-commented post so far has been about my starting to do push-ups.