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" Hello! My name is John! Your site is good! "

" I applaud the Pantagraph's policy of allowing reader's comments on various articles. (Although I wholeheartedly agree with their policy of allowing no comment on the Obituary page.) Nevertheless, it isn't true that the Moderators of this site will allow anything to be posted. I can tell you from personal experience, it just ain't so. These pages are a very good way for folks to let off a little steam but, in my view, most importantly, to have a little fun. So, again, and biting good Independent nails, I commend the Pantagraph and hope these pages will remain open for comment. To those who are offended by what they read, they always have the option to 'Hide Comments'. Personally, I love the range of opinion, especially when expressed in a well reasoned, well written, well punctuated Post. Not an easy thing to do in 200 words or less. But I especially get a kick out of the one's which aren't. ( Mine, for example.) And celebrate the fact that there are still folks reading these pages who can tell the difference. So, I say, press on Mr./Mrs. Pantagraph. "

" ..occasionally i'll run across the "type" that insist on total eye-contact during conversation. I've heard their reasons, yet "my" response ? "Sorry, i wish to engage in a conversation, not a stare down contest". And brush them aside as precisely what they are, "misguided, control freaks".. Pantagraph, ya got a good thing going here. I would'nt tamper with it. To paraphrase an earlier post, "there are those who would take great joy in silencing the masses", or attempt to hard stare you into submission. "

" • On crime-related stories, suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. We will not post comments implying the guilt of any specific suspect who has not been convicted of the crime in question. This is not true. I could repost an endless stream of posts that try and convict many a person merely charged, not yet even beginning to run the gauntlet of the courts. • Blatant rudeness to other posters on the board will not be tolerated. Also not true and very well documented in thread after thread. I have already posted that I think registration has it's merits. If the Pantagraph just cannot see requiring real, legal names then they should at least support user IDs and block all alternates. One ID per user. The Right of Free Speech and the function of the public forum do NOT dictate or require anonymity. "

" If it weren't for the chance to make obnoxious comments on certain stories, I wouldn't look at the paper at all! Long live the freedom of the pressed! "

" hire me as a moderator. seems like the easiest job on earth. click...hateful comment approved. click...harrassing, threatening, and racist comment approved. "

" Thank you, but you still need to address my post earlier (that you blocked). About how someone can respond to a post that was blocked. "

" Any postings critical of the Pantagraph Staff will be blocked! "

" Maybe the Pantagraph needs to be more selective on what they allow people to comment on. I've noticed that the Obituaries don't even allow you the chance to comment... Perhaps if it's something that could possibly cause a huge stink and tons of rude/disrepectful comments, maybe they should remove the abilty to comment and if a person really has to have a say in the matter, they can always write a "letter to the editor". "

" Let's just make rules and bans for everything, no talking out of turn, no comments, heck why not just take away all our freedoms. So what if the pantagraoh uses it to count return visitors. Are we not returning? If it keep us coming back then we are using their site and they have a right to use that info. Even if it's to raise rates. It is hard enough for papers these days with all the online communication, they need to find news ways to pass along the news. I use the comment page to have an opinion when I often just mumble to myself. If people want to make rude comments or yell...let them what is the harm? If it makes you think or consider another point of view just for a second I think it is worth it. I actually read the news now! "

" I think it's funny that you all ridicule the Pantagraph, while taking advantage of their policy at the same time! "

" Its all about "page views" and "return visits" ... it has nothing to do with the substance of the comments. The reason the Pantagraph has them, is because like rats to a feeder bar they know we'll keep coming back again and again to see if our comment made it, and what other people had to say about it. "

" I know this comment will raise the ire of many but since I believe it to be true I am going to make it anyway. There is a value in anonymity. While the policy brings out the ignorant and the vicious it still serves a purpose. As someone who does business in Bloomington-Normal I know first hand the price you pay if your opinions are anywhere left of the far right. In order to live and be successful in this community many people swallow their opinions in order to feed their families. Sometimes it is cathartic to say what’s on your mind without fear of jeopardizing your livelihood. "

" Why does the Pantagraph keep running its "rules" on this site? The rules are routinely ignored by your moderators. Just post the following notice on the site, "On pantagraph.com anyone can anyone can say anything they darn well please and we'll let it run. So there." "

" This is a pleasant coincidence and so many posters totally agree. It's ironic that I wrote the following message to a couple of our Illinois Smokers forum groups yesterday. I hope that eventually posters WILL need to identify themselves, if only to be registered with your paper. Of course, then the most insulting messages won't even be written by the cowards now hiding under the protection of anonymity. Those who want to write an opinion or send a message will need to become responsible for the contents of their comments. "Forums: Also, I had quit posting comments on most newspaper forums for several months because they had become such name-calling and insulting free-for-alls. Yesterday, I looked at several of the Illinois papers that have comments sections. It appears most have added posting controls now, and I commented on every one I was able to locate..... Even Topix.net has applied controls to their forum boards now." Illinois Smokers Rights "

" It's funny you should print this story. Your online policy is a complete sham. The things you allow people to call each other on these boards is shameful. You allow the east side/west side snide comments, the Judy Mausoleum, the "typical Tri-Valley parent, leaning on a truck", and the constant bashing of State Farm in your comments. And you're not just allowing free speech. You're doing it to get outlandish comments so that you can print them on the inside cover of the paper. You're doing it so people return to a story multiple times, so you can bump up the number of "return visitors" to your site, so you can charge more in advertising rates on the web. What you're doing is shameful, dirty and disgusting. Not that I'm expecting THIS to get printed, or anything... "