the Big Mattress - Freeform Interactive Radio on the Net

FWIW -- Sounds good to me.

Woo-hoo!!!

Early on I think your blog was close to your radio shows. Lately I agree with you perception of comments etc. It is all your show as it always was. Go for it I will always be listening.

...are you becomming like Mr. Boyton, the old man in my late 50's/early 60's North Medford neighborhood who would scream at us to "get off his lawn" when our whiffle ball would land near his azaleas? I say this as (I think) your friend... go f-yourself and stop bloggling if want to allow free expression only when you feel like allowing free expression...

love you-

-d

To quote some Rush: "You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice. If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."

The beauty of a blog is it's YOURS. So if you choose to let people comment, or not, it's YOUR choice. Nothing wrong with that at all. People don't HAVE to come to your blog if they don't like the rules

I have to admit that I lurk more than I post, and I would be extremely sad if you shuttered the blog completely (or made it a subscription site). But again, it's all about what you want to do.

As long as you have a blog, I will read it, and if I feel I can contribute something to the conversation, I will. And I will continue to direct others here when you post something I think should be shared.

Peace out, Charles.

hear, hear charles.
Its your ball.
Let whoever you want to play with it.

Charles...a blog is a lot like talk radio. There are thousands of listeners, many of them intelligent...but the show gets the same handful of callers all the time. And the radio commentators go through the same frustrations you do. But I know I speak for many of us that we enjoy reading your blog every morning with our english muffins and coffee...just like we all enjoyed the 'big mattress' all those years ago. We'll maybe not quite that much. :)

Hopefully you get a lot of "long time reader...first time poster" in your stocking this year!

May The Force Be With You..

Charles:

For me the fun part is commenting on the information you post and getting a response (rise)from the other bloggers. I admit in the past I was guilty of name calling but I have stopped that. Its intersting how the nature of online conversation can turn ugly. I think that is a byproduct of the anonymous comments, if the people were all in the same room the conversation would not turn so nasty, although I have seen recent Presidential discussions turn very uncomfortable and even ugly in my local pub. Why can't the comments continue un-edited? Maybe you could change the way you are notified about new comments or maybe you don't have to be notified at all? dialougue between bloggers is interesting and for a blog to be a blog it's necessary, even if the comments are not quite up to your standards. If you dis-allow comments then the blog is no longer a blog,it becomes just a website. I realize this isn't a democtacy but I think you should re-consider the editing or not posting of comments you disagree with.

Thank you Chuck, not being all that bright, I comment rarely and tend to be more sarcastic than insightful,(sorry), but I check the blog daily and although I don’t comment much, I read, follow the links laugh, sometimes share and if it’s possible for an old fart like me, I learn. I think most of us have realized whose comments are wacked out (or not), and take them as entertainment or ignore them completely.
I like the blog, perhaps I’m still brainwashed by listening to you day after day, year after year, but it’s my choice and I hope you keep doing it.

Hi Charles, I was thinking about your Boston Radio Show today and how growing-up with it made me think. You were entertaining and intelligently informative both socially and musically. My morning choices in Boston now are either immature teenage boy format, angry republican white guy format or tween crap. Thankfully some of the college stations are pretty good but you’re missed very much!

Charles---works for me---rock on

I'm one of your many readers that doesn't bother to read or make any comments. Charles, I just wanted to let you know that I drop by your blog every few days to enjoy all that you share with the world. Keep it up! (Boy, do I miss the WBCN of the 70's and 80's. Those were they days of great Boston radio. I only tune into NPR once in a while.)

I applaud your decision to take back the blog. It's hysterical that you did this today, because I was thinking of sending you a note regarding the same just last night.

Most blogs today are moderated, and require subscriptions, etc. I have commented in a few other places, and often get the "your comment is awaiting moderation" before they post.

Bravo, great decision...................I agree with all you have said.

Here is a note from the "Daily Kos" which is pretty straightforward:

http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/DailyKos_FAQ#First_comments

"But, what about Freedom of Speech?

Doesn't the First Amendment give me the right to talk about whatever I want here?

No. Daily Kos is owned by kos. The servers are his. He pays the bandwidth charges. He makes the rules; we are here as his guests. If he decides tomorrow that anyone not posting in iambic pentameter will be banned, your options are either to brush up on your poetry skills or find/start another forum. "

Editorializing is one thing but, controlling Thought and Speech…do you really want to go there? I hate to break this to you but this isn’t a radio show. It is however your bandwidth and servers.

Hey Charles-
I was just swooping in for one last look around and noticed at once that your Weblog is OFF! At least in my PC Browser. Not the Content- Ever!
It's your Journal, You were always the Boss!
No Sponsors can Silence a FREE Venue!

But so far- It's just OUR words, like an Essay, to your Professorship.
You never say Anything about Anything?
(A Censor that never puts his Head on the Block?)
Where are you in all of this?
I don't think we (1 of 12 or 13) can Respect you now Charles,
...Uuless we know exactly where you stand?

Sign Me-
(1 of 12 or 13)That actually comment on the BIGMATTRESS/weblog-
LadyArtist444

P.S. And Why isn't your face at the top of the right column*, like it always is?
Where are you? Are you Protesting something we should be preparing to flush our toilets for?

(*Ah! I bet I know what happened - Let me check.)

Charles:

This blog has always been yours. You do whatever you want with it. I never had any problems with your style.

Keep up the good work and don't anyone make you think that they are taking your blog away from you.

Have a nice day!

Sincerely,

Yvonne Christian
Writer of two blogs!

Um, I would like to slightly dispute something:

"It was my
show- I got credit for the great segues and content and I also got the blame for the bad segues and for anything else I screwed up."

Some other people also got blamed for some things back then.

Just sayin'. :D

"...anyone not posting in iambic pentameter will be banned.."

Jeez - I'm so dumb I thought I'd have to brush up on my MATH skills.

I've tried to post several times in the last month, but have had no luck getting my comments to the blog. Not sure what the problem has been.
Good luck with your new strategy!
Rest assured that we love your quirky humor, whether or not we comment.
Thanks for being here!
S

" No Comment"
-e

Great change.

It's you and your thoughts and opinions that I come to this site for, Charles. The listeners/readers comments are just chafe in many cases. As Duane would say "go for it"

Hey Charles,
I am a long time listener and reader of the blog....a few comments here and there. You're like an old friend to me and look forward to hearing from you in any way. People can be negative and argumentative but that's human nature, Frankly, It's you that I come here for. Bottom line, It's your show and do what you want, just don't retire from this too :)

Thanks for years of entertainment and useful daily knowledge, keep it up!

Bob

I am one of those who logs in "often" but rarely posts a comment...probably for some or all of the reasons you've stated. And while reading your thoughts regarding the state of YOUR blog, I was smiling- and still am! To echo the sentiments of (some) others: go for it. I look forward to what is to come.

I for one have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for this to come. For a while now I thought it was me running out of dumb comments to post but soon realized things have changed and wasn't alone.As for editorializing-I agree with Danny (that's right Danny,somebody finally agrees with you!)and a few others that you should leave the comment part alone.Maybe before some of the commenters push the post button they should read through their comment and "edit" accordingly to aviod starting a mudfest and potential censorship. It's a 2 way street that both sides have potholes to fix.That said-HAPPY MEALS FOR EVERYBODY!

Did your Program Director make you do this?

Bill-
Winner! Best comment so far!

I used to go back into the archives to see where we were on some of the posts. I agree that there are only a few who comment and that they have, lately, been a bit mean spirited. It is your ball and you can play, change the rules, or take it and go home if you wish. Are you looking for permission? Validation? Some sort of version of "It's A Wonderful Life" scene? I'm not sure. I only know that, like everything in life, I'll keep doing it until I don't want to anymore. Rule on Chuck.

F

p.s.
Does this mean more "porn" with no ability for anyone to object? Hmmm...

If this many people would have commented more often, we would never even think about messing with the comments!

Ironic....

(over and out.)