Re: Getting people to post comments/start discussion
Sorry for being a devil here but I often discourage that type of things on my own blog. The mess and trouble it creates for me in deleting the pharma and adult comments is way too much for me.
But if you don't want to lose the user generated content on your blog then comments should be on along with akismet.
Re: Getting people to post comments/start discussion
Politics and religion triggers people but you won't like the results
You should think about topics that you'll have the will to comment and go for them.