Dakota Free Press fielded 29,099 comments from 698 distinct commenters in 2018. Who talked the most?
52 individuals, including myself, commented at least once a week on average. Kal Lis and Francis Schaffer just made the list with 60 comments each in 2018. 16 of us—down to O at 505 and Rorschach at 427—contributed at least one comment a day.
We can also look at the length of comments. I use the same quick and dirty formula as last year: count every character typed in every comment and divide by 5.1, the average length of words in English. Excluding my own comments, I find that you, dear readers, contributed over 2.1 million “words” to the comment section, up 5.8% from last year. Your contribution to the comment section is the equivalent of 32.6 Brave New Worlds.
67 of us wrote more than 2,500 words in the comment section in 2018:
I posted 3,464 comments under my 1,546 posts in 2018. That’s 9.5 comments a day, responding to and posing questions, adding context and sources, refuting blatant nonsense, and keeping things on track. Here are each of our top commenters’ totals, with their percentages of the conversation:
Commenter | Comments | % | cumulative % |
Cory Allen Heidelberger | 3464 | 11.90% | 11.90% |
mike from iowa | 3313 | 11.39% | 23.29% |
jerry | 2460 | 8.45% | 31.74% |
Jason | 2012 | 6.91% | 38.66% |
Debbo | 1829 | 6.29% | 44.94% |
Porter Lansing | 1488 | 5.11% | 50.06% |
OldSarg | 1208 | 4.15% | 54.21% |
Roger Cornelius | 1206 | 4.14% | 58.35% |
grudznick | 963 | 3.31% | 61.66% |
Donald Pay | 707 | 2.43% | 64.09% |
bearcreekbat | 574 | 1.97% | 66.06% |
leslie | 555 | 1.91% | 67.97% |
Jenny | 553 | 1.90% | 69.87% |
Ryan | 519 | 1.78% | 71.66% |
o | 505 | 1.74% | 73.39% |
Rorschach | 427 | 1.47% | 74.86% |
Robert McTaggart | 358 | 1.23% | 76.09% |
Kurt Evans | 319 | 1.10% | 77.18% |
Darin Larson | 224 | 0.77% | 77.95% |
Adam | 214 | 0.74% | 78.69% |
Dana P | 212 | 0.73% | 79.42% |
happy camper | 205 | 0.70% | 80.12% |
John Kennedy Claussen, Sr. | 200 | 0.69% | 80.81% |
owen reitzel | 185 | 0.64% | 81.45% |
Robin Friday | 180 | 0.62% | 82.06% |
John | 179 | 0.62% | 82.68% |
T | 174 | 0.60% | 83.28% |
Nick Nemec | 152 | 0.52% | 83.80% |
Dicta | 149 | 0.51% | 84.31% |
Clyde | 123 | 0.42% | 84.73% |
Stace Nelson | 108 | 0.37% | 85.11% |
Debbie | 103 | 0.35% | 85.46% |
grudgenutz | 102 | 0.35% | 85.81% |
Anne Beal | 98 | 0.34% | 86.15% |
Daniel Buresh | 93 | 0.32% | 86.47% |
Richard Schriever | 93 | 0.32% | 86.79% |
jimmy james | 89 | 0.31% | 87.09% |
Steve Pearson | 88 | 0.30% | 87.39% |
TAG | 86 | 0.30% | 87.69% |
RJ | 85 | 0.29% | 87.98% |
Curt | 84 | 0.29% | 88.27% |
David Newquist | 84 | 0.29% | 88.56% |
Evan | 71 | 0.24% | 88.80% |
Loren | 71 | 0.24% | 89.05% |
Roger Elgersma | 71 | 0.24% | 89.29% |
Buckobear | 70 | 0.24% | 89.53% |
tara volesky | 67 | 0.23% | 89.76% |
96Tears | 64 | 0.22% | 89.98% |
Francis Schaffer | 60 | 0.21% | 90.19% |
Kal Lis | 60 | 0.21% | 90.39% |
This chart shows an outsized example of Pareto’s principle: just over 90% of our 2018 comments came from just 7.45% of the commenters. If I take myself out of the math, the percentages remain about the same: 90.03% of non-Cory comments came from 7.78% of the commenters not named Cory.
You can compare word counts and number of posts in the following table. You can also see the top commenters’ equivalent output in terms of novels (Brave New World, the median-length novel on Amazon.com, at 64,531 words) and inaugural addresses (Barack Obama delivered 2,406 words in 2009).
Commenter | words (calc) | comments | words/comment | Novels | Inaugurals |
Cory Allen Heidelberger | 303,136 | 3,464 | 88 | 4.7 | 126.0 |
jerry | 288,576 | 2,460 | 117 | 4.5 | 119.9 |
mike from iowa | 183,173 | 3,313 | 55 | 2.8 | 76.1 |
Debbo | 120,892 | 1,829 | 66 | 1.9 | 50.2 |
OldSarg | 117,965 | 1,208 | 98 | 1.8 | 49.0 |
Donald Pay | 111,696 | 707 | 158 | 1.7 | 46.4 |
bearcreekbat | 96,403 | 574 | 168 | 1.5 | 40.1 |
Porter Lansing | 95,022 | 1,488 | 64 | 1.5 | 39.5 |
Jason | 80,359 | 2,012 | 40 | 1.2 | 33.4 |
Ryan | 63,001 | 519 | 121 | 1.0 | 26.2 |
Roger Cornelius | 58,761 | 1,206 | 49 | 0.9 | 24.4 |
Kurt Evans | 52,067 | 319 | 163 | 0.8 | 21.6 |
leslie | 49,654 | 555 | 89 | 0.8 | 20.6 |
grudznick | 49,204 | 963 | 51 | 0.8 | 20.5 |
o | 45,516 | 505 | 90 | 0.7 | 18.9 |
Robert McTaggart | 36,859 | 358 | 103 | 0.6 | 15.3 |
Jenny | 32,187 | 553 | 58 | 0.5 | 13.4 |
Rorschach | 28,555 | 427 | 67 | 0.4 | 11.9 |
Darin Larson | 27,745 | 224 | 124 | 0.4 | 11.5 |
John Kennedy Claussen, Sr. | 26,157 | 200 | 131 | 0.4 | 10.9 |
happy camper | 19,872 | 205 | 97 | 0.3 | 8.3 |
Dana P | 19,257 | 212 | 91 | 0.3 | 8.0 |
Adam | 18,000 | 214 | 84 | 0.3 | 7.5 |
Stace Nelson | 15,797 | 108 | 146 | 0.2 | 6.6 |
David Newquist | 15,188 | 84 | 181 | 0.2 | 6.3 |
Clyde | 14,610 | 123 | 119 | 0.2 | 6.1 |
John | 13,970 | 179 | 78 | 0.2 | 5.8 |
Joe Nelson | 13,842 | 48 | 288 | 0.2 | 5.8 |
Robin Friday | 13,690 | 180 | 76 | 0.2 | 5.7 |
TAG | 11,756 | 86 | 137 | 0.2 | 4.9 |
T | 10,912 | 174 | 63 | 0.2 | 4.5 |
Daniel Buresh | 10,853 | 93 | 117 | 0.2 | 4.5 |
Debbie | 10,427 | 103 | 101 | 0.2 | 4.3 |
Evan | 10,372 | 71 | 146 | 0.2 | 4.3 |
Anne Beal | 10,264 | 98 | 105 | 0.2 | 4.3 |
Dicta | 8,775 | 149 | 59 | 0.1 | 3.6 |
96Tears | 8,772 | 64 | 137 | 0.1 | 3.6 |
Nick Nemec | 8,283 | 152 | 54 | 0.1 | 3.4 |
Richard Schriever | 8,050 | 93 | 87 | 0.1 | 3.3 |
Roger Elgersma | 7,699 | 71 | 108 | 0.1 | 3.2 |
John W. | 7,623 | 20 | 381 | 0.1 | 3.2 |
Kal Lis | 6,680 | 60 | 111 | 0.1 | 2.8 |
Michael L. Wyland | 6,500 | 47 | 138 | 0.1 | 2.7 |
John W | 6,276 | 34 | 185 | 0.1 | 2.6 |
owen reitzel | 6,270 | 185 | 34 | 0.1 | 2.6 |
tara volesky | 6,198 | 67 | 93 | 0.1 | 2.6 |
David Bergan | 5,741 | 30 | 191 | 0.1 | 2.4 |
Steve Hickey | 5,440 | 40 | 136 | 0.1 | 2.3 |
jimmy james | 4,840 | 89 | 54 | 0.1 | 2.0 |
Craig | 4,742 | 19 | 250 | 0.1 | 2.0 |
Paul T | 4,654 | 25 | 186 | 0.1 | 1.9 |
Francis Schaffer | 4,653 | 60 | 78 | 0.1 | 1.9 |
RJ | 4,428 | 85 | 52 | 0.1 | 1.8 |
Bill Adamson | 4,376 | 4 | 1094 | 0.1 | 1.8 |
Steve Pearson | 4,063 | 88 | 46 | 0.1 | 1.7 |
Curt | 4,004 | 84 | 48 | 0.1 | 1.7 |
grudgenutz | 3,772 | 102 | 37 | 0.1 | 1.6 |
John Tsitrian | 3,641 | 42 | 87 | 0.1 | 1.5 |
Patricia Shiery | 3,456 | 15 | 230 | 0.1 | 1.4 |
Aaron Aylward | 3,081 | 20 | 154 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
Greg | 2,824 | 50 | 56 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
Eve Fisher | 2,817 | 39 | 72 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
Loren | 2,800 | 71 | 39 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
Lori Stacey | 2,633 | 21 | 125 | 0.0 | 1.1 |
South DaCola | 2,601 | 46 | 57 | 0.0 | 1.1 |
steve novotny | 2,518 | 13 | 194 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
Robin | 2,502 | 17 | 147 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
One other way to put all this data in context: If we all lined up at the mic to speak our comments, and if I slowed down to match the national average speaking rate of 174 words per minute, it would take us 231 hours—9.6 days of nonstop speaking—to recite every word in the 2018 Dakota Free Press comments sections.
So, I averaged about 2 comments per day. That’s about right. I have been on a Madison, Wisconsin blog for 17 years, and that’s what I average there. I spend probably a half an hour per day on average writing comments on each blog. I have never been one to limit what comes out of my pen, so I have a relatively high word count, but it is a lower count on average than a letter to the editor. As I expected, Jason has a lot to say, but what he actually says is vanishingly small. In other words, there is no substance to what he says. Ignore him.
SOMEDAY, there’ll be Artificial Intelligence that can analyze the year’s output and determine how much of each person’s post was on topic and how much was each person talking about distractionary and misleading info and how much was each person talking about themselves.
Make America Great … support new things and ideas (no matter where you live and where you share your mind’s bounty)
People used to travel by horse in 19th Century America to attend meetings of political parties, farming organizations, state legislatures, veterans associations, etc. It would take them two or more days to arrive, and when it became their turn to talk, it was not unusual that a single speech could last an hour or two. After adjournment, they would jump back on the horse and travel two or more days to return home. Voila, your Dakota Free Press allows our inner blowhards to empty our opinions and share our knowledge without the travel. Judging by your stats, there are many among us who are capable of two-hour stemwinders. Happy New Year to you, Cory, and thank you for providing an intelligent and well-informed destination to express ourselves.
I’ll try to do better in 2019 ……. and thanks for including me in the “SD Blogsphere” list.
Mostly thanks go to Cory for allowing us the privilege of hacking our guts out here in his time and blog. Thanks go out to all posters for keeping the entertainment going along fairly well most of the time.
I learn more stuff here nearly every day than if I was enrolled in school. Some (most) is true and reliable info. Some is not. If I had the wisdom to0 know the difference w/o talking precious time to look stuff up. Maybe in another hunnert years.
I have learned stuff from everyone. Just don’t let it go to your heads, Trolls.
111 words per comment average? I must become less wordy.
Hope everyone has a great 2019
I welcome stemwinders, 96Tears. Go long, but go well… well enough to make it worth driving two days there and back to hear you.
Donald, I like your comparison to letters to the editor. Aberdeen American News limits us to 300 words per letter, only one letter every three weeks. What typical newspaper would provide you the same opportunity you get here to express your thoughts on matters of publci importance?
Now imagine what the world would be like if every citizen took the time to compose one or two brief, thoughtful letters to the editor every day.
Glad to have you, Buckobear! Keep your thoughts coming!
I’m glad you’re learning, Mike! I learn here, too.
Wordy, Kal Lis? Sure, your 111 words a comment is ahead of the average of 83 words per comment, but if commenters were employees and DFP’s stock price depended on quality output, I’d be knocking on your office door and saying, “Hey! Pick up the pace! We need more of your good stuff! Shoot for 200!”