Hi, folks. This feature is something I've been considering for a while now, and I finally decided to get it rolling. If you're a regular reader here, you know the trouble I have getting some columnists to turn stuff in. Eventually, I just give up on them and remove 'em from the "regular columns" list until or unless they turn back up. Such is the case with columns like "The Token Woman" and "In Your Face Astrology" - both of which were started by people with good intentions, but too little time.
The problem is that I can't just remove these columns from the navigation menu, or the back issues won't work like they should. Therefore, the navigation bar has gotten longer and longer, while linking to stuff that's older and older. Clearly, something had to be done, and the Millennium Issue is the perfect time to do it.
With the form below, you can turn any column here on or off. Columns that are switched off won't appear (for you) anywhere except on this page and in occasional cross-links from other places. That means the blurbs for them will go away, the links to individual articles on the front page will vanish, and they'll even be removed from the navigation and the archives. Everything is turned on by default except for retired columns (for obvious reasons) and "sextreme" (due to the subject matter). When you submit the form, a cookie will be set in your browser to preserve your settings.
In the future, I plan to enhance this feature to some extent. For instance, a DHTML alternative to the "vanilla" navigation menu is in the works. Perhaps you'll be able to store your ratings preferences, or maybe configure the overall "look" of the site to suit your tastes. Time will tell.
Have fun, and come back soon.