Captcha death: My DeLong comment fails

I was trying to submit a comment to Brad DeLong's typepad based blog:

Grasping Reality with Both Hands: Brad DeLong's Semi-Daily Journal - typepad comments

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I authenticated using my TypePad ID, but I was still asked to pass the captcha test. I tried four times, but the captcha kept getting more and more cryptic. I had to give up.

I swear I have a high res 21" LCD and I can still read. True, I am a bit demented, but so is everyone over 25.

I assume that captcha difficulty is being driven by the spam wars. I think we've now hit the wall. The spam technology and/or techniques have defeated the captcha.

It's time for phase II - the end of anonymous comments and robust identity management.