This is a very welcome change and hopefully an effective one that will promote civility and informative dialogue.  It is a shame when a small number of people ruin the experience for everyone.  I sure hope that a particular violator of CB's posting guidelines, a relative of one of CB's reporters, takes this change to heart and follows the posting guidelines.  

Civil Beat's discussion threads are not one's personal blog.    We all have the right to free speech, but Civil Beat is under no obligation to serve as host to that free speech.  Civil Beat is a private entity that has moderated forums and we must follow the rules for posting.  Speaking of these "Commenting Guidelines," how about making them more accessible?  To find them one has to go searching through the FAQs.  It would be helpful if there was a link to them above every discussion thread.