Tom Tomorrow has found an utterly charming way of dealing with comment thread bilge:

Also, a comments week rule arising from the Colbert thread: anyone who suggests that the hostís choice of a given topic is too frivilous when there are Serious Issues in the World To Be Solved will have their comment run through a pirate translator and reposted.

Sample comment: How can you waste time writing about your new book when there are children starving in the world?

Sample comment run through pirate translator: Yarrr! How can ye waste time writiní about your new book when thar be sprogs starviní in tí world?

Like that.

Yeah. Like that. But more so. I want people to feel free to speak their mind here, but you need to be engaged in what you’re talking about, even if I regard it as just a lot of mindless idiotic babble. Morons on the other hand, who just want to flit around from web site to web site posting crap in random comment threads like a bunch of bored street taggers can expect to be treated in my little corner of the world wide web as idle sport for carefree ridicule. It’s just the kinda guy I am. Hi Brian. Arr.

Spammers will be shot on sight, deep fried, rolled in sunflower seeds and fed to the birds.

Policy.