Sorry the photo offended you, dmc. I thought it was funny at the time. I hope not enough for you to pack your bags. It was just a 60 year old acting like 6 in a moment of weakness. I enjoy your posts.Quote:
Originally Posted by dmc
The Dope Head
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Sorry the photo offended you, dmc. I thought it was funny at the time. I hope not enough for you to pack your bags. It was just a 60 year old acting like 6 in a moment of weakness. I enjoy your posts.Quote:
Originally Posted by dmc
The Dope Head
Oh come on guys -- don't anyone go anywhere -- we need everyone here to stick up for their points of view.
At least I know on this board everyone is real person and not a troll.
And at the end of the day our own individual interpretations of simplicity unite us.
Ziggy, I always enjoy your sense of humor and hate to think you have to tone yourself down to stay within community guidelines, but I gotta tell ya bud, that doctored photo was funny by itself, but the reference to Michelle Bachmann was a little misogynistic, don't you think?
Otherwise, keep up the good work showing the innate differences between liberals and conservatives, even if the evidence disappears before everyone has a chance to enjoy it. I appreciate your efforts more than you know. :devil:
Thanks Alan for the support. I will admit that it was over the top but it was on a Friday night, I was feeling good and I thought it was really funny in my own demented sort of way. Of course waking up today it appeared not so funny to many. Seriously I guess I just don't take things like that seriously but maybe should. I make no bones about my political leanings but would never intentionally try and offend anyone.Quote:
Originally Posted by alan
I also love to hear from the other side - it does help to keep me balanced because I would probably be a extremist otherwise ;) FYI - it does make me feel bad to think I offended anyone.
Peace
"So this is how liberals engage in pubic policy discussions? I use to find it numerous reading post from Peggy, loose, and the dope head. But now it's getting old, I guess when you have to defend a failed president, all you can do smear. I think I'll join Bae.
Have a nice life in your liberal fantasy land." (dmc)
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Well, I'm sorry....I can't comment on Zig's cartoon, because it was deleted before I came onto the thread.....but not to worry, dmc......what's more likely, if you are like some others who have made dramatic exits, you'll still be here, every day, gobbling up all our words of wisdom, just withholding your own "pearls", reluctant to cast them out before swine........
I don't think anyone really needs, ever, to flounce off in a huff about what some poster says or posts on an internet forum. Such things say much more about the thin skin and easily bruised egos of the leavees, to me, but........
Personally, I think we need ALL the voices, whatever their viewpoints, but that's just my own viewpoint as a member....nothing "official".
Please yourself......boy, that must have been QUITE a cartoon, Zig.......clearly it hit a nerve.....sorry I missed it. It didn't portray Governor Perry as a witchdoctor in a grass skirt, with a bone through his nose, did it? Or as a big, thicklipped baboon? Because if it had done that, probably none of the conservatives would have been offended, because they would have known, "it was just meant as a joke", etc.......
I don't think you've ever seen anything like that here have you?Quote:
Originally Posted by loosechickens
And as for those others who have possibly left in a huff, do you think that it had anything to do with how they were treated after being subjected to angry rant's just before having their posting privileges suspended by the same "official" member doing the ranting? And what is "dramatic" about not posting again after being subjected to such a thing? It seems to me that people can often-times choose to stop participating for very valid reasons, which shouldn't be mocked or ridiculed by others involved.
Ah, Alan.....you are so dependably "kneejerky".
Virtually every member on these forums who has had a hissy fit and made dramatic announcements of their departure, returns, often under another name, sometimes never really leaves, but just lurks and reads everything, but refuses to participate. You know well how addictive these forums are. When you were undergoing banishment, you spent tremendous energy trying to get registered on the forums under dozens of identities, etc. None of us can STAND to not be here. There is nothing mocking or ridiculing about noting that fact. It's just the way it is.
Few leave for any other reasons than real life considerations, change in lifestyle, etc. The ones who make the dramatic announcements about leaving because of something someone said, or because they don't feel they were treated with enough reverence almost always return, never leave, or just become lurkers. that's a statement of fact, based on lots of past experience. Who was it that said "you can learn a lot just by watching"?
I'm the first one to realize that, as nearly daily I swear to myself to just come on here, do my necessary moderator duties, screen new registrations, deal with spammers, etc., and then GET OFF THE DARN INTERNET.....yet, every day, here I am....engaged in useless debate with you, hahahahaha.
At least weekly, I determine that these forums just take up too much time, and I really need to resign as moderator, so I don't feel I have to come here every day, yet, I never do, and every day......here I am.
We've gone over this ad infinitum, yet you persist in saying such things as " just before having their posting privileges suspended by the same "official" member......", although you know well that ALL moderating decisions involving any discipline of a member, suspension of privileges, etc., are made by consensus, by the entire board of moderators, after lengthy discussion, often communication with the person facing suspension of privileges, etc., and because of clear violations of forum guidelines.
Even if I WANTED to, I have no power to make ANY unilateral decisions on this board, and you know it. How many other things do you know are completely untrue that you continue to put forward? Honestly, it makes me question your veracity on other subjects, since I know this particular one is false and you know it is false. How far into the weeds of "truthiness" are you willing to go to make a point? One that you know to be untrue? One wonders.
Well, enough of this..........I'm off to Camping World to do my part to stimulate the economy by buying a new 12 volt fan because our old one has bitten the dust and manages to resist even the intercession of my sweetie's screwdriver to continue rotating.........
I call B.S.Quote:
Originally Posted by loosechickens
What I "know" is that I've been suspended, without notice, on the old site within 5 minutes of questioning your actions, and in Bae's case, another Administrator had no idea he'd been banned until several weeks after the fact, which sorta makes me wonder about how much "consensus, lengthy discussion and communication" actually goes on. But, this is a new incarnation and you guys don't seem to be quite as "kneejerky" (I can repeat a phrase in the general sense after having it used to refer to me specifically can't I?) as you used to be, well not as consistently anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by loosechickens
By the way, good job on branding me as a liar, it goes well with your previous descriptions of me as "rabble rouser", "trouble maker", "thin skinned malcontent", etc. Some things never change.
I didn't see the video either but am curious as to why the mods deleted it (enquirering minds want to know :-)!). I'm also curious, being very unfamilair with proper forums conduct, why the mods must check a persons IP address when they first sign on or in order to see if someone is trying to regain enty onto the boards if they've been banned. And how do they do that with people like me who use free wi-fi in various locations -and even various e-mail addresses wouldn't it be different at each place? It seems to me that a free web site that is "suppose" to be anounomaus (sp?) wouldn't need to "check out" anyone if they wanted to post here. I can see banning them if they are totally out of hand but am suprised that they would go to great lengths to stop a poster - new or old - from starting fresh with a new ID if they wanted. Someone enlighten me. And what would cause someone to be banned anyways? Crude language? Personal attacks? Gloating ;-)? Also how do you check an IP address? Is that something anyone can do from their computer to check out someone else?
This used to be a pretty exclusive neighborhood. Gotta keep the riff-raff out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spartana
Oh well, guess that means me too. But I have been kicked out of fancier diggs before so I guess I can't complain :-)!Quote:
Originally Posted by alan
I actually have never registered or posted to any other websites so this is all new to me. Don't really understand it but maybe it's common. I thought the mods were here to make sure that people didn't violate the forum rules not to be doing background checks to see if they are who they say they are. I don't get why that would matter. If I want to come back after I've been banned for bad behavior as someone else and start fresh, I think I should be allowed to do so - without the mods knowing my true identity (I am, in fact, Batman). If my behavior goes south again then they are welcome to kick my butt to the curb. As long as I play nice I should be allowed to stay on in any personna I want IMHO.
Well and you are, actually. From what I've seen, people do come back after the ban period (I think it's usually just a day or two) and they are usually banned for personal attacks. Things can get pretty heated here and mostly we keep it civil but sometimes someone will get a little too personal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spartana
Actually, I don't have the figures but I don't think it's actually happened that often. Alan mentioned being banned, I don't remember it, but here he is. And bae was banned for a day or two I think, but I think he lurks here. I always seem to miss the particular posts that get people banned, but I'm guessing they delete the offending post as well. Or maybe I see them and don't think they are worth it. It takes quite a bit to offend me! Oh, and Alan, I think it was me who said you were a rabble rouser, but you well know I was jesting, as we also often do. That's what makes these boards good I think. If it was just bickering all the time it wouldn't be fun.
But this brings me to Zig's post. Dang! I always miss the good ones! I didn't see that toon either. It must have been a doozy!
I posted it and I deleted it - It was simply a animated gif that portrayed Perry eating a corndog much like Bachmann - I thought it was funny but it offended some people and so I deleted it. I was loaded and it probably was over the top but I really didn't think anything about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spartana
Look - this is a wonderful forum with people of all races (wish we had more blacks) and countries around the planet. I'm not sure why this has to escalate into a pissing match between people it was simply a off-color joke about someone that I hold in low regard. Now that I think about it I shouldn't have posted it.
Can we all just give a group hug and admit that we are only being human without anyone stomping off? DMC, my brother, don't take it so personal - I love you and I don't mean that in a sexual way.
The election is coming up and we need people of all persuasions to express their ideas - I learn from you guys and look forward to a spirited debate.
BTW - Leave Peggy and LC out of this. It was my mistake and not sure why they should even be mentioned. Just because they tend to be progressive is no reason to blast them.
It is becoming more apparent that Rick Perry is not long in this race (much to my chagrin) but he is no more radical than myself - except I am not running for POTUS. Maybe I should!! Could you guys loan me a few hundred million? I promise to make it worth your while.
Peace and Love
Oh I thought they meant banned for life. That makes more sense. Sory of a "You've been bad, go to your rooom with no supper!". Still don't know why they need to check a poster's IP address when they join or want to repost under a new ID. Maybe someone can explain it to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by peggy
I was banned for life, well, according to one of the moderators who took exception to me. It would appear that's just a convenient talking point though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spartana
There's actually a good reason to check IP addresses on new registrations. You wouldn't believe the number of bots out there, crawling the web and looking for sites to register with and post spam. Most forum packages have several means of making it harder to do that. A forum administrator can choose to require a new registrant to respond to an automated email in order to complete the registration process, successfully complete a CAPTCHA form (entering data displayed on the screen requires human intervention), or have a staff member personally review every registration request and make a personal decision as to whether to grant the request.
Here, they have chosen the last method. It's handy to have the software keep track of IP addresses because you can block many subsequent bots all working from the same IP address or even domain. It's just a bonus that you can also prevent past members from getting in again by linking their IP address to their previous identity. One or two of the past administrators were extremely diligent with that one.
What I don't think any of them really understood though, is that the typical home internet user has dynamic IP addresses, it may change daily, weekly, monthly or maybe only once or twice a year, but they do change without it being anything sneaky the home user is up to.
OK I understand now...well sort of. But what's to keep people from using different free wi-fi sites from logging in as a new user? I log on to this site from different wi-fi places all the time - and I'm assuming different IP address too - and have never been denied access under my (only) user name. I also delete all my cookies before I shut off my laptop so it's not tracked that way. UGH, guess I DO need a computer class.
As long as no one decides they don't want you around anymore, you don't need to worry about where or how you log on. But once they do decide, expect to be scrutinized using every tool available.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spartana
Oohhh, sounds like an alien anal probe ;-)! Ok, I guess I can play nice - I always do anyways.Quote:
Originally Posted by alan
Ha, ha, that's an apt description for anyone that's been subjected to it. :moon:Quote:
Originally Posted by Spartana
Yes, you did, and I know you said it in jest, but you weren't the first. I honestly thought you were just repeating what she's said on several other occasions without the tongue-in-cheek slant. Since you often mimic her style, I really thought you were just repeating her.Quote:
Originally Posted by peggy
I mimic her style? Really? And here I though i was unique.:( I do think we support a lot of the same causes, but so do millions of other folks.Quote:
Originally Posted by alan
Maybe us lefties just all look alike to you :~)
I really don't remember anyone in particular (except me) calling you a rabble rouser. Actually you don't hear that phrase too much anymore. Another one I really like is 'ner-do-well, but you almost never hear that one, and I don't think anyone here is one so I guess I won't be able to use it. but I digress...
This whole IP bot thing is really confusing to me. I don't see the point. What could anyone possibly have to gain by that?
And Michelle Bachmann eating a corn dog??? What's THAT all about? I really need to pay more attention.:0!
Spartana......as Alan said...forums like these are a magnet for internet bots, spammers of all sorts, people with time shares to sell, Viagra to market, fake watches they'll sell you for a song, etc. We actually use a combination of pretty much all the systems Alan mentioned......
We automatically block a large number of IP addresses that various anti-spam groups maintain, to help weed out the automated systems and high volume spammers. This needs to be updated pretty regularly, as the spammers continually use new IP addresses and identities to circumvent controls.
We also go through the new registrations that come in each day that make it past the automated anti-spam controls, and put each IP through several steps checking for any spam record, looking up the location of the IP.....(it's reasonable to suspect that we're not likely to be attracting many legitimate new members from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Romania, Nigeria, etc., so weed out those because they are almost always spam....and if by chance, they aren't, when they don't get in, they will email us to ask why not).
When I am doing registrations, the ones that pass that, I usually Google on the email address just to make sure, because I've picked up new spammers there even when everything else has checked out.
The reason we go to such lengths is that if a spammer DOES get through, they may post spam messages on a dozen forums, or large numbers of posts, which takes up a lot of moderator time trying to clean up the mess.
We also keep a list and ban the IPs from troll posters who have made it onto the boards only to spew out vulgarities, pornographic or racist rantings, etc., and clearly mentally ill posters who post long manifestos of rambling posts which make no sense, which has happened way more than once.
No one is looking at your IP once you are a registered member, you're registered from wherever you post. All the IP examination is done at the time a person first attempts to register, and is pretty much done completely for the purpose of eliminating spammers and/or trolls.
In the case of banning.....we've gone over this many times before. It has only happened in a handful of cases, and in almost all of them involved suspension of posting privileges for a few days or a week to reinforce the necessity not to violate forum guidelines. And no one has been suspended, let alone banned without clear and serious violations of forum guidelines. We are not in the business of policing, and are quite happy not to have to do any moderating of members at all.
And no moderator has the power to decide on a suspension, and decisions like that are made after discussion and after a consensus is reached. Sometimes I'd LOVE that power, hahahahaha.....but I don't have it, and neither does any other moderator. Again, regardless of gossip. That is a fact.
Despite gossip to the contrary, I do not know of a single person who was ever banned or even suspended for a few days for their viewpoints, but for personal attacks on other posters, serious breaches of forum guidelines, etc., and usually on more than a few occasions, and with warnings, finally culminating in that "one step too far", which brought on consequences.
As Alan has said, there was a period when he was banned from posting on the boards in the past. Rather than accept that ban, he registered over and over under dozens of names, proxy IPs, etc., and then began the same behaviors. When it was realized it was him, that account would be closed. Finally, he registered under a new name, but followed forum guidelines and conducted himself as we expect members to do. Moderators realized it was him, but consensus was that he had learned his lesson and was behaving in line with guidelines, so he was allowed to return. Since then, he has been a valued and useful member of the forums, and there have been no more problems.
Most participants in these forums have never even been admonished or moderated by moderators, let alone suspended or banned. It is just not something that folks need worry about, although there are a few here who act as though it is something that happens with dismal regularity. Just not true.
Most moderator work on these boards has to do with the constant fight against spammers, not policing of content from members or behaviors. Some like to stir the pot, every group has its kvetchers, but any person who has been suspended or banned from these boards knows exactly why, and had ample warning before it happened, as well as opportunities to correct the behaviors. Despite protestations to the contrary.
In Alan's case, he is correct in that during the period he was banned, if moderators detected one of his many incarnations, that account would be closed without comment. It is also correct that even he was allowed, after a period of time, to have another chance, took it, and has been fine ever since.
Hope this answers your questions.......I can assure you that you need not worry about moderators policing you.
I'm so glad that Alan has "learned his lesson" and is "behaving in line" and is now "fine ever since..."Quote:
Originally Posted by loosechickens
I wonder if you can see how condescending that all is? Probably not.
actually I think there are probably many people like me, who are really good, educated, financially responsible, tax paying, law abiding citizens who have been disgusted by his posts and badgering who will be saying goodbye to these forums. Good luck to all of you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Iris lily
"By the way, good job on branding me as a liar, it goes well with your previous descriptions of me as "rabble rouser", "trouble maker", "thin skinned malcontent", etc. Some things never change." (alan)
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Alan, to my knowledge, I have NEVER used even one of those phrases (i.e., "rabble rouser", "trouble maker" or "thin skinned malcontent") to describe you. And with your ability to dredge up every word that anyone has ever said, I'm sure if I had, you'd be able to post links to the thread and post where I did so.
Do I just drive you nuts or something? Ya got something against poor ole almost 70 year old ladies who just don't happen to agree with you politically? Do I remind you of your mother or something, and you still have issues with her? Honestly....just don't waste so much brain room on me. It's not good for you. ;-) Give it a break!
Let's argue whether or not Governor Perry has been running Texas into the ground or not......this polishing of old grievances like they are precious jewels gets boring after a while.
You're a smart man. I don't happen to agree with your political viewpoint or view of the world and how you think it should be, but I'm NOT your enemy, you know. I'm just a person who happens to disagree with you. And I'm sure there are millions of others. Just as there are millions who disagree with my views. That's life, after all.
as Ziggy says....."peace"...... LC
edited to add: and to you, too, Iris Lily....."peace".....my gosh.
Loosechickens, thanks again for pointing out what an odd duck I am, as if that explains everything. Good job! !thumbsup!
I'm a little disappointed that you infer that I've changed, cause that's not the case. If anything, it's the environment that's changed. Now, it's not very likely that one of you will demand that one poster modify comments that you and favored others felt free to make with impunity. It was my pointing out one of those examples that got me banned in that under 5 minute period mentioned earlier.
Also, in my case, I never violated any of the forum guidelines other than refusing a request to delete a post about the nature of trolls, whether they were real or were created by the double standards that were constantly enforced here some years ago. I didn't delete it on principle and am still glad that I didn't since some of the institutional behaviors here stopped at that point. I think this is a much more welcoming community now as a result.
I believe that it sometimes takes a little friction to rub away the rust and am actually proud to have spent some productive time rubbing. You may see it differently, but I'd expect that. If you think I'm hard on you from time to time, it's because you still feel free to characterize everyone you disagree with in a negative light, oftentimes unfairly, such as your earlier reference to Bae and your constant negative characterizations of your political foes. As an administrator/moderator that's the sort of thing you should be discouraging rather than initiating and I think you know that.
Just a little food for thought.
Alan, I'm not going to argue with you. It's your life's blood, arguing, and you are excellent at doing it. Knock yourself out....I'm tired, and my evening swim is awaiting me. G'nite.
Thanks for 'splainin' Loosey :-)! Clarifies alot.Quote:
Originally Posted by loosechickens