The problem with posting comments in the order they're submitted

[Scuba]

[Nye Bevan]

1. OK, who wants to pay me $20 per hour for surfing the internet and posting comments?

Anyone?

[Scuba]

2. John McCain ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/06/AR2008080603589.html

On McCain's Web site, visitors are invited to "Spread the Word" about the presumptive Republican nominee by sending campaign-supplied comments to blogs and Web sites under the visitor's screen name. The site offers sample comments ("John McCain has a comprehensive economic plan . . .&quot and a list of dozens of suggested destinations, conveniently broken down into "conservative," "liberal," "moderate" and "other" categories. Just cut and paste.

Activists and political operatives have used volunteers or paid staff to seed radio call-in shows or letters-to-the-editor pages for years, typically without disclosing the caller or letter writer's connection to a candidate or cause. Like the fake grass for which the practice is named, such AstroTurf messages look as though they come from the grass roots but are ersatz.

McCain's campaign has taken the same idea and given it an Internet-era twist. It also has taken the concept one step further.

[el_bryanto]

3. I'm sure they are even more sophisticated today

At least they seem to have worked out more effective ways to keep such efforts out of the public eye.

Bryant