Open thread for comments

A recent traffic spike seems to indicate that it is time to open a thread for comments. Comments are usually going to be disabled due to the ever present irritation of comment spam and other forms of automated clickfraud, a plague upon our Parallel World and one that frankly your authors do not have the time or inclination to defend against. However, we are interested in good conversation regarding the profession, and are eager to hear the ideas of those who have not yet stepped into the discussion.

As a reminder, the comment policy on this blog is to edit or delete without warning any inappropriate information. However criticism, rants, and any other constructive input is always welcome. If this policy offends anyone, there are plenty of other places to comment in the blogsphere and trackbacks are enabled to help cue readers' (and our) attention to those other places.

The picture, for those not familiar, is the Checkpoint Charlie sign of our generation: seen just before departing military controlled areas down Route Irish in Iraq, once the most dangerous road in the world.