This TalkLeft will remain the same and completely free, except when I write long posts (1,000 words or more as I am frequently apt to do.) The first part of these long posts will appear on this site. If you want to read the rest, which will most likely be the part with links to the actual documents referred to in the post that I pay to get from PACER or Lexis, you will have to go over to TalkLeft Premium. That's the new second site.
At TalkLeft Premium, the first part of the article will be available to all, after which you will see a message from Tiny Pass giving you several options.
For one dollar, you can read the remainder of the post, comment and read anything else on the premium site for the duration of the day. Or, you can subscribe, for $4.00 per month (and sign up for either 1 month or recurring months). The third option is to buy a yearly subscription for $20.00, for which you get full access to the site and commenting privileges for a year.
You will probably have to sign up as a user at the Premium site, please use the same user name you do here so we all recognize you. (Added: You can also sign in with any existing wordpress account you have, no separate registration required.)
Open threads and for now, the forums, will stay at this TalkLeft and remain completely free.
The premium site is live now, it probably needs some more tweaks and if you have suggestions, I'm open to them. Wordpress has more options than Scoop, and the print is larger. (It seems all the new themes use larger fonts and take up more space, but they also work on mobile devices.)
I practiced on PopLeft, which I also just gave a bloglift to, especially with the various plugins, like spam blockers (another feature Scoop is either missing or way too complicated to figure it out. I did not want to use "captchas" in comments, and with wordpress, I don't have to.) Your first comment will be held in moderation, and after that, it's the same as here.
There's more width to the writing blocks at the Premium sites, and while I still prefer people to use html for links, or a short link, it's unlikely to skew the site. It will probably take me another week to iron out any kinks and set up additional pages on the premium site (for example, dedicated pages with links to the court pleadings and orders in the cases I follow, legislative documents, speeches, etc.)
Suggestions are always welcome. I suspect that the low prices will be temporary, so I suggest if you are interested, you head on over to TL Premium soon and sign up for a yearly pass. You can't beat $20 bucks for a year (although you are free to give more.) And I doubt there will be ads on it. (Note: you'll need to pay at the Premium site through Tiny Pass, rather than here.)
So take a look, bookmark it, and let me know what you think: TalkLeft Premium. Again, this site isn't going anywhere and will remain free. Suggestions are welcome.