Why comments Are Fewer

For at least a month now I have experienced "flame out" whenever I try to post a comment to this extraordinary web-site/blog.

The "flame outs " occur when I attempt to replicate the required, " I am not a robot" security words. Clearly, this new system is part of an anti Al Quaida ( I can't spell in arab ) efort to keep terrorists out, as well as red sox fans ( is there really a difference?). That is a discussion for another day.

Back to the story line: Each day, I carefully craft my comments to a blog subject and then enter the tangled, danger zone of "verification." At least 95 times out of 100, I am declined. My words and thoughts die on the vine like a bad raisin.

My fear is that this is happening too often. And possibly to real, well-intentioned guests and visitors. My studies show that comments are off by 45% in the last 4 week period, vs. same store sales one year ago.

This cannot be due to a diminishment of core content ( that provokes and encourages commentary ) which remains, by any measure, spectacular, but only to the administrative and visual nightmare of trying to cope with illegibility.

As a consequence, I have funded a new line of tee shirts for the site ( see above, right ).

The first contains my message to the, " I am not a robot" security word administrator.

If he can tell me what it says on the tee shirt, and replicate it as a security code message for tomorrow, I will buy him a bottle of Crown Royal Black.