What's the over/under for the failure of Blue? I want to put my money on 6 months and 1 day.

Will the commenters get their own Blue Field like this one or is Wizbang Blue on another program? (I heard but don't understand Typekey implications, etc) They're doing a bang-up job over there, but reading the comments in that format (too many characters per line, too bright) isn't any fun.
The layout at Wizbang Main is superb. Reconcile Wizbang Blue to it. (please.)

Or maybe it not characters per line (on re-checking). It's just confused. Bigger fonts and wider spaces maybe. (Re: comments section)
The post section is fine.

Why do you feel the need to pander to snot-nosed jerks like Mantis?

I think it is great to be able to comment on a liberal site without being banned just for being conservative!

And if their agruments are weak or they purposefully leave out information, there is nothing like Wizbang posters to tear apart they arguments and fill in those gaps.

I agree with engineer. What makes Wizbang so good is that people who disagree can communicate (or try to!) with each other.

Thanks!

What the hell...? I bookmarked it yesterday when I heard about it, and un-bookmarked it today when I read it. Waste.

Do we have to hear any more about your "Mini-Kos" site?

I can't believe you set Lee up with his own blog. As a very loyal reader I am amazed after seeing some of the crap he posts. Heck none of his comments have set the tone for an entire Rush Limbaugh monologue but you haven't offered me my own blog.

I like it because it gives lee something else to do.

I have to agree with BryanD, please reconcile their format with the rest of Wizbang. It makes the mental jump a little easier and will keep them from whining about being oppressed, sent to the back of the bus, disrespected etc.

Also, consider changing their banner. It reminds me to much of Labatt's Blue.

Kevin,

I respect your commitment to open dialogue. The fact that Daily Kos would never do this is probably the one thing I like about the idea.

That said, this still seems like the ultimate case of feeding the trolls. Since you asked for questions not just rambling comments: Are you sure this isn't Stockholm syndrome taking hold?

I'm all fine for the idea of giving them their own page. Especially if you feel they earned their chance to do so.

But would it kill them to quote something other than MSNBC? Cripes, the MSM is bad enough. MSNBC is like...well...like a bunch of things my momma said I should never mention, if I couldn't say anything nice.

I would like to see more principaled effort on their part, but I'll still read for now. It's good to know what the enemy is thinking, even if it gives you a headache every so often.

I've often said that I don't want the poo-flinging trolls banned because their stupidity and coarseness should be on display for all to see; however it seems beyond the pale to reward the very worst of them with their own forum.

Kevin, I'm just a guest in your house and it's clearly your option to install an open sewer in the living room, but don't expect me to linger in such a fetid place.

In the living room? It's more like in the neighboring town.

I'm still surprised at the negative reaction to this. I seem to remember that we conservatives are more tolerant to letting others speak even if we don't agree...which is something we should take pride in.

Kevin also mentioned that it's not Lee's own blog. It's Kevin's blog and Lee is one of the moderators.

Anyway, I'm all for it.

That said, this still seems like the ultimate case of feeding the trolls.

Actually, I think WB-B blurs the definition of "troll" because, it being hosted by a popular rightwing blog, there's going to be so many non-troll commenters going from Wizbang Main to there, where on another leftwing blog they would just be considered "trolls," that things are going to get rather confusing.

I do predict a hostile comments section and don't envy the bloggers involved -- generally, when I have a blog, I like it to be an inviting place to come to and not a verbal bloodbath.

The blogroll could use a few unique links -- it looks too cookie cutter-esque. Adding The Newshoggers and Shakesville, for a start, would give it a little more color.

I agree with bryanD about the layout, too. (and even though we're trolls here, it might be the first time I agree with him about anything!)

Why do you feel the need to pander to snot-nosed jerks like Mantis?

Yeah, WTF?

And I should also mention that Kevin deserves credit for putting this up. Somebody else in this thread mentioned that it's not like dKos would put up a "red" blog. That's too narrow of a view, though, because any blogger from any side of the political fence will give the other side airtime (for example, I don't see Red State starting, say, "Blue State").

For attempting to have a measured dialogue among differing factions, WB-B is definitely a step in the right direction.

"Actually, I think WB-B blurs the definition of "troll" because, it being hosted by a popular rightwing blog, there's going to be so many non-troll commenters going from Wizbang Main to there, where on another leftwing blog they would just be considered "trolls," that things are going to get rather confusing."

I think you are going to be proven quite wrong about this; I bet most of us will not touch that site. I've been once and that was all I needed.

What did anyone expect of the liberals' page? If you don't like it, you can either not visit it, or visit and post smarmy off-topic comments like some of them do on the main page or on the Politics page.

This is an innovative move, so I suppose controversy is to be expected. Just wait until Kevin gets the forum up . . . then EVERY reader can be an Editor . . .

;-)

Jim's got the right idea:

or visit and post smarmy off-topic comments like some of them do

Maybe a contest for the most smarmy off-topic comment?

Jack, I think WB-B will definitely get some runoff from the main site. Hell, Jay Tea would occasionally link to one of my posts on a past blog and I certainly got the Wizbang crowd then... Wizbang main and Wizbang Blue are just too close together to not have some intermingling.

Maybe Kevin lost a bet and hosting a leftist playpen is the worst thing the winning party could think of imposing on Kevin.

It would be nice to know who all the Wizbang Blue authors are, at least the ones who have been selected. Also, some background would be nice.

As for the layout of the site, well it's incredibly hard on the eyes. Kevin, you should use black text on a black background. That would make it much easier on the eyes.

well I'll have to live with it I guess, but I'm not puttin' 'em on the blogroll!!!!

lol.. I still don't think this will be a bad idea.

I am of the opinion that any left leaning painINtheasses creating crap here will now vent at blue.

Along with the sound of crickets..and echos that should be that. D-HOGG in an earlier thread makes the point that Koo Koo Kos refugees might troll over to peek at blue, THEN after jerking themselves into a frenzy, fall over here to this side of the site and cause aggravation.

More lefty trolls is a possibility, but more than likely better conversations are in the future.

As for ME, I'm allergic to liberals, so I'll be staying right here with Wizbang-red....

I suggest a red background for Wizbang blue. Just for the irony.

(Is that really irony, by the way?)

Wait, strike that. Red would be too garish. Give us a Futaba Channel yellow instead.

Why not just let them blog on the main page, instead?

Shocked as hell to watch myself write this...but I think WB-B is a good idea. With any luck, this will keep Lee, et al occupied. Very innovative of you to give the tin hats a seat at the table.

Kevin - ahead of the curve as always...

Eric, look into blog history for your answer. More specifically, the story of how Lorie, Alexander, DJ, and Jayson ended up at Wizbang.

That would be NOTHING compared to what would happen should what you ask for come to pass.

J.

Just playing devil's advocate. ;) I've been reading far longer than I have been posting.

I hope your project works out as planned. I honestly think we're in desperate need of real-and-honest debate. If we don't, I believe bad things are on the way. OTOH, my faith in honest debate died in the 2004 election season when I spent more time debunking the mudslinging than I did discuss--and even then, it was, "well, it may have been false but it SOUNDS right."

Who knows? Maybe this'll work out for the best and we can finally talk instead of shout. I hope so, because I believe completely in, "United we stand, divided we fall."

OTOH, election season came early ...

There are people talking instead of shouting, but it's going on in calmer forums than those we read.

I like to hope that anyway.

This ought to be fun. A train wreck of the fast variety.

Silent Storm: That would be me who links to MSNBC. There's really nothing partisan about it. It's just the first news site I visit every day and I decided that I'd pick a couple or three stories to post to prime the pump, so to speak. I doubt that the other news pages I regularly visit -- NY Times, Washington Post and the BBC -- would rank any higher with the folks on Wizbang Classic.

Thanks to everyone who made constructive suggestions for Wizbang Blue. Any site such as Wizbang -- Old or Blue -- will be only as good as the people who participate and the material they post. I've run a political chat board for 9 1/2 years and learned long ago that name calling and flame throwing do more harm than good. I will express my beliefs, but I will discuss issues and not personalities. For people who choose to resort to personalities with me, I just won't reply at all -- there's nothing to be gained by it.

I hope the folks on here who are really interested in disussing the issues of the day pay us a visit over on the Blue side.

Here's a question: since few conservatives here are going to waste their time there, isn't Blue just an echo chamber for people like Lee and Mantis?

Here's a question: since few conservatives here are going to waste their time there, isn't Blue just an echo chamber for people like Lee and Mantis?

It could end up being that Jason but I think the real goal is to try and expand the Wizbang franchise. Maybe some of the people who visit Blue will be drawn to Pop, Sports or some of the other Wizbang blogs.

As a dedicated leftist, I've been reading and commenting on Wizbang for quite some time. While I disagree with most of what I read I appreciate the quality and thought-provoking nature of the posts that appear here. Unlike some people, I enjoy the intellectual challenge of questioning my own beliefs. I'm not interested in hearing or seeing opinions that only agree with my own 100% of the time. I find the comment areas on Daily Kos to be a bore for that reason.

Consequently, I will be enthusiastically reading all the comments on my blogs at Wizbang Blue (including the ones that disagree with me). I will also continue to make my own disagreeable comments in here. Hopefully, the Wizbang Blue authors can make that blog as compelling as Wizbang Main is. We are sure going to try.

Eric said:

"OTOH, election season came early ..."

I think it would say that it didn't so much come early as it never really ended last time...

J.

Wizbang Blue would be perfect if you could somehow track down the character known as "justice58" and give him/her posting privileges.

By the way, mantis is not a snot-nose jerk. I don't agree with him most of the time but he at least tries to make an argument and he takes the abuse thrown his way with good humor and aplomb (cf. his response comment above).

Heh. I notice the usual lefty trolls have been silent or else all 'sweetness and light' in their comments here and on other posts on this subject.

Kevin gives them their own site and suddenly they're on their knees giving the Fascist Brainwashed Bushco-enablers a Lewinsky.

Paul, thanks for responding. You didn't have to, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

I don't like the others either, but I can still read them. It's just my opinion that:

A. MSNBC seems way out of hand in general, aside from Keith Olbermann (who I admit to liking when he was on ESPN) and...
B. A little more variety in sources wouldn't be such a bad thing on general principle

I do at least try to read Blue because of the importance of seeing opposition. And in one or two cases overall, I actually agreed with the points made. Give me principaled writing and opinion, and I'll keep on reading. Even if I disagree with the sentiment.

Think of it this way also. I don't like either newspaper in my hometown. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's opinion pages are as bad as my opinion of MSNBC, if not worse. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, while cleaving to a conservative opinion, comes across rather snarky, which I also don't appreciate.

Just my two cents...or three...

Actually I'm curious about the forum... I'm almost more interested in moving all discussions there :)

(I swear I'm such a forum junkie)

I just registered, but it seems very redundant to have both the forum AND the blog/comment site.

I notice the WB comments format's been changed for the better. Now if only the colors were in a matte (less BRIGHT) finish. I guess the contrast is too high. I can still feel the backs of my eyeballs from 3 minutes ago (receding, though). Perhaps the values of the blue and white could be toned down to a more monochromatic scheme (yes, like this page). Just a(nother) suggestion.

Scratch that (the above.) I think the abrupt switch from girlie pix to text made it seem brighter than it is. (The blue could still be muted if you wanted to.)
Good job!