I think that anyone who engages in the blogging world and actually takes the time to carefully read what people have written, gains an insight which perhaps can't be gained anywhere else. Or if it can, it takes a great deal more reading and research.  Speaking as a layperson, I appreciate being given a window into the attorney's perspective on the questions of the day.  It's the kind of perspective that we who do not move in this world seldom see.

Having been immersed in the blogging world since 2003, let me just say that this is one of the best blogs around, with a nice balance of legal, political, criminal and entertainment issues making it accessible to most everyone.  If you've read TalkLeft long enough, you're almost sure to find a number of topics which will spark your interest on a regular basis.

On a personal note let me say, I know I've given you guys plenty of sh-t over the years, and I thank the blog moderators for their patients, tolerance and for indulging me even when I have engaged in what some might describe as rude or even criminal behavior, what can I say I've always been bad, bad to the bone. :-)

But if you been paying attention you'll know that it's just because I feel passionately about things and I don't have any problem expressing that passion with my words, in the hopes of conveying the depth of my feeling.  I'm not shy about this, or ashamed of provoking people into doing the same.  Provocation is one of my specialties, and I often see the need to maintain an adversarial stance otherwise people spend too much time being polite, fearful of offending anyone. But just so you know, it's not personal and I'm almost always writing with a smile on my face.  I apologize if my sense of humor is lost on some of you, I chalk that up as a failure on my part as a writer.  It's all just part of my unique communication style, which on occasion engenders anger and laughter, admiration and disdain, sometimes within the space of same paragraph. So don't hate me because I'm beautiful and ugly, I'm certainly have no qualms about showing all aspects of my personality.  Or maybe I'm just an abusive SOB, you be the judge, I accept the sentence of the court, with no plans for appeal.  :-)

So thanks everybody for your contributions, happy birthday to TalkLeft, and keep on blogging people, because even if you only reach just one person, it makes a difference, I know it does.

Sincerely

the additions of the three co-bloggers has only helped make talkleft better.  and the ratio of facts to snark on talkleft approaches infinite proportions, something not found on most other blogs (including my own).

i want to thank on a personal level for your support of my blog from the beginning, and on a macro level for maintaining the level of discussion amongst blogs to an adult, erudite and reasoned level.

I'll just say it has been an interesting and informative four years.

When I started blogging I discovered that many on the Right would normally delete my comments because of my social positions and so would many on the Left because of my war position. I suspect nothing has changed, although I almost never comment outside TL.

As for the blogs, I think they reflect the country. A huge rift that will take years to close.

To those on the Right who have come and gone, sorry to see you leave. To those on the Left, I enjoy you very much, so stick around.

So, keep up the good work, and many more happy blogiversaries, too!

PS:  I like the trolls.  They live under the bridge (they're not much to look at, so we keep 'em there) and make the most entertaining noises*.  And, if you poke 'em (right in the ideas) with a (pointed) stick (of logic or rationality), they make even funnier noises*.  Great fun!

warmest regards

-
* Like this - Over at Trentlott.com, well, someone didn't keep their registration current, I guess, so now it redirects to moveon.org.  Funny!

*  Like this - claiming the Free Flow of Information (a federal reporters' privilege) would jeopardize national security.  No, it'll only jeopardize the retirement security of those government flunkies who would rather bury their wrongdoing.

There's really nothing left to defend vis-a-vis America or any other nation-state, however. I expect something entirely new will take their place, and I have the strongest intuition that this will not be a bad thing. Stay loose, and best wishes from northern New Mexico.

More than that I've enjoyed the community that has developed here among the commenters. It was already firmly established when I started reading back in winter 2006, but they take all comers, thanks in no small part to your comment policies and firm hand. I know it takes some effort to police our occasional excesses and I thank you for it.

Thank you also for the headaches associated with the switch to Scoop. The new digs have been awesome for commenters and have only added to the sense of community around here. We benefit because of your hard work.