Dave Schuler (mail) (www):
What, are you kidding? Of course.
3.29.2007 7:10pm
Martin L. Shoemaker (www):
Yes.

(All questions should be that simple.)
3.29.2007 7:13pm
La Ventanita (mail) (www):
YES
3.29.2007 7:20pm
Michael Demmons (mail) (www):
I drive 26 miles to work, each way, every day. I have no sympathy! :-)
3.29.2007 7:29pm
Michael Demmons (mail) (www):
As a person who thinks Ali is the most sensible person on the blog nowadays, he gets my vote!

Can I come back??

Just kidding! LOL!
3.29.2007 7:30pm
DanielH (mail):
I didn't realize he had left (or been forced to leave) till I glanced at the staff list today. But my answer is yes.
3.29.2007 7:36pm
Ronald Coleman (mail) (www):
Cripes, Ali, I at least held out for like a week.
3.29.2007 7:41pm
maggie may - labrat:
26 miles? That's around the block around here. My current job is around ten - but tomorrow I'll be talking to a place that's about 40. For 3.5 yrs I commuted 97mi one-way - now that sucked.
3.29.2007 8:05pm
Mike (mail):
Dean, once upon a time I had to commute from Dearborn to Troy. I had to leave no later than a certain minute or my commute would go from 'annoying' to 'a bleedin' knife-fight'.

Unfortunately the roads and highways in southeast Michigan are designed around Detroit as a hub, and as it really isn't anymore trying to get from southwest (Westland-Wayne) to anywhere else is a total hell.

Fortunately I now live less than a mile from the office. I look forward this spring to biking to work.

(gloat, gloat, gloat)
3.29.2007 8:40pm
McKiernan:
Ali is welcomed back as long as any of his written sentences that include the word Islam or muslim are written in farsi. That will save us all a very huge headache.
3.29.2007 8:56pm
Dan the Highway guy (mail) (www):
I moved from a 40-mile each way commute, to a 10-mile each way, to a 3-mile each way. And it's not always the mileage that kills you. A 40-mile commute over an uncrowded highway can take less time than a 15 mile commute around a crowded beltway, or on surface streets.

As far as I'm concerned, length of commute is a HUGE component of job happiness. Having a 10-minute commute gives me about 1.5 to 2 hours a day of elective time over people with the average 45 minute to 1 hour commute. Plus, with a short commute there's very little chance of a single point of failure that increases that time. But that commuting happiness factor can definitely be overridden by other factors. The best is an enjoyable job with a short commute, tho.

And sure, Ali can post here if he wants. :)
3.29.2007 9:38pm
Jack G (mail) (www):
Congratulations on enjoying your work.

I too didn't know Ali had left.
3.29.2007 10:00pm
Martin L. Shoemaker (www):

I too didn't know Ali had left.


Well, since his most recent post was yesterday, you might be forgiven for not noticing. (I'm reminded of a song, or maybe only a joke song title: "How can I miss you if you never leave?")

But prior to that, his last post was standing up for Dean on the Line in the Sand, nearly a month ago.

So when Dean posts a "No Islamophobes" policy, Ali stands up for him. And then judging by the continued presence of Ron and Kevin and last week's flurry of comments by Mary, Ali may be the only person who stopped participating after the Line in the Sand.

But when Dean posts a "What's Wrong with You Americaphobes" declaration in direct response to comments from Ali, Ali asks to come back.

Ali, you're confusing me, man. Does this mean Ron and Arnold are going to leave now? It would seem like the only possible outcome if symmetry is to be preserved...
3.29.2007 10:15pm
Ronald Coleman (mail) (www):
Actually now I've eloped with Arnold.
3.29.2007 10:58pm
Martin L. Shoemaker (www):
Not that there's anything wrong with that!
3.29.2007 11:01pm
Sean Golden (mail) (www):
46 miles one way, vertical difference of 3,500 feet. Snow. Ice. Fog. Elk in the highway. Deer, usually more than one, in the highway. Skunks. Rolled over Jeep Wranglers (one this morning), bridge construction (3 of them). Road construction (5 miles of it).

You call your drive a commute?
3.30.2007 12:59am
Dan the Highway guy (mail) (www):
Well, yeah. There's commuting, and then there's crazy. I think you move into the latter, Sean.
3.30.2007 9:06am
Josh Reynolds (mail) (www):
Hey Dean,

Congratulations on your new job!!! That's great!
3.30.2007 9:32am
Sean Golden (mail) (www):
Dan:

Ah, but the night skies are so dark and clear, and the evenings are so quiet and calm, and the walks around the neighborhood are so pastoral and relaxing.

And the weekends..... ah the weekends.....
3.30.2007 9:37am
M. Barrette (mail) (www):
Ali must be back. While I find myself disagreeing with him quite often, he also is responsible for changing my mind more than once. More Ali!
3.30.2007 11:52am
Rosemary Esmay (www):
Dean's drive is 45 miles one way.
3.30.2007 12:19pm
MaryJ:
I'm so happy to hear about your new job there Son. Good for you. I guess you'll be listening to a lot of talk radio and playing some great music along your way to work.
3.30.2007 7:17pm
Sean Golden (mail) (www):
Rosemary, what's the vertical delta?
3.30.2007 10:04pm
Dean Esmay:
You never had to navigate Telegraph Road at 4:45 pm.

55 minutes going to work. 70 minutes going home. Riding the brake each way. I'm just saying.
3.31.2007 12:08am
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Commenting on Dean's World is a privilege, not a right. Dean is your host, you are his guest, and you should behave in that fashion. Dean is not your babysitter, nor is he your punching bag. Please remember this. In general, you are free to disagree with anyone on any subject you wish, but abusive behavior will not be tolerated.

Of course we all lose our tempers now and then. Dean freely admits to being imperfect in this regard, which is why regulars to this establishment will generally be cut more slack than people who we don't know very well.

Still: behave like an adult, or go find somewhere else to play. Thanks.