USMB is STILL a Discussion Forum...

[K9Buck]

We can't score members on effort.. We can't insist that they take serious issues seriously.. We're not judging the flaming that comes with adult discussion.. But we've always insisted that they RESPECT the SPECIFIC topics of every thread outside of the Taunting Forums in EVERY post. And we're gonna continue that unique style of moderation...

The number of "daily outrages" is growing.. The media is less trustworthy than ever.. And REAL discussion boards SHOULD BE at this point -- the more important part of social media.. THIS is where folks are supposed to be sort out the truth and facts.. Not be fed a diet of "alternate facts" or rely on phony fact-checkers..

So -- on the bright side, it's more important than ever to have a rocking place where folks can READ threads and perhaps learn a little more than they heard on the "top of the news"....

But it's getting difficult to CONNECT folks to HAVE discussions.. And we need to work on that. So -- USMB Mod Staff will be focusing on the 1st 2 or 3 pages of EVERY thread to make sure that a solid discussion has at least a CHANCE of germinating and progressing...

To that end, we will be monitoring and massively ejecting folks from threads who just drop in to troll and derail discussions... Might come with warnings or bans, but if you drop in without COMMENTING on a topic, you're gonna be ejected...

Memes are fine if the memes themselves are a comment on the SPECIFIC title and OPost.. But if you're dropping into a thread where you have NO interest in the topic -- find something in the famous Taunting Forums to tag up...

Each side wants their version of what's important to them.. Respect that. And also respect the fact that virtually no one wants to read the same brawling confrontation in EVERY thread... If you want to attack the assertions in an "opposition thread" -- have at it.. DO NOT attack the member in your first posts.. Make the effort to discuss..

That's why we're here. When it get worse --- and it probably will -- we'll STILL BE TRYING to have actual discussions at USMB....

I have a large number on "ignore" because I tired of the pointless trolling, insanity and lies. I come here to learn and to share, not to engage mindless morons.

 

[flacaltenn]

You mods take all the fun out of everything.

Dunno.. It's a party everyday in the Mod Room as long as the vending machines are full.. And the Flame Zone is a lot of fun in a weird twisted way...

So just what are you suggesting???? That I should spend more time in the basement cause I'm weird & twisted???????? Or that you already spend too much time down there????

btw.......you guys have vending machines??? I feel cheated I tell ya

Yeppers.. Stocked with all the drugs that can help us from hating ourselves....

 

[flacaltenn]

We can't score members on effort.. We can't insist that they take serious issues seriously.. We're not judging the flaming that comes with adult discussion.. But we've always insisted that they RESPECT the SPECIFIC topics of every thread outside of the Taunting Forums in EVERY post. And we're gonna continue that unique style of moderation...

The number of "daily outrages" is growing.. The media is less trustworthy than ever.. And REAL discussion boards SHOULD BE at this point -- the more important part of social media.. THIS is where folks are supposed to be sort out the truth and facts.. Not be fed a diet of "alternate facts" or rely on phony fact-checkers..

So -- on the bright side, it's more important than ever to have a rocking place where folks can READ threads and perhaps learn a little more than they heard on the "top of the news"....

But it's getting difficult to CONNECT folks to HAVE discussions.. And we need to work on that. So -- USMB Mod Staff will be focusing on the 1st 2 or 3 pages of EVERY thread to make sure that a solid discussion has at least a CHANCE of germinating and progressing...

To that end, we will be monitoring and massively ejecting folks from threads who just drop in to troll and derail discussions... Might come with warnings or bans, but if you drop in without COMMENTING on a topic, you're gonna be ejected...

Memes are fine if the memes themselves are a comment on the SPECIFIC title and OPost.. But if you're dropping into a thread where you have NO interest in the topic -- find something in the famous Taunting Forums to tag up...

Each side wants their version of what's important to them.. Respect that. And also respect the fact that virtually no one wants to read the same brawling confrontation in EVERY thread... If you want to attack the assertions in an "opposition thread" -- have at it.. DO NOT attack the member in your first posts.. Make the effort to discuss..

That's why we're here. When it get worse --- and it probably will -- we'll STILL BE TRYING to have actual discussions at USMB....

When did you guys decide to do this?

Sounds like a Congressional "inquisition".. LOL... Yesterday in fact. When we ran out of free X-anax in the Mod Lounge...

Hmmm..a X-anax forum in the taunting arena...it could be like the rubber room, but more relaxed

Mandatory positive drug tests.. Probably perk up the Badlands and Flame Zone... Hmmm...

 

[flacaltenn]

We can't score members on effort.. We can't insist that they take serious issues seriously.. We're not judging the flaming that comes with adult discussion.. But we've always insisted that they RESPECT the SPECIFIC topics of every thread outside of the Taunting Forums in EVERY post. And we're gonna continue that unique style of moderation...

The number of "daily outrages" is growing.. The media is less trustworthy than ever.. And REAL discussion boards SHOULD BE at this point -- the more important part of social media.. THIS is where folks are supposed to be sort out the truth and facts.. Not be fed a diet of "alternate facts" or rely on phony fact-checkers..

So -- on the bright side, it's more important than ever to have a rocking place where folks can READ threads and perhaps learn a little more than they heard on the "top of the news"....

But it's getting difficult to CONNECT folks to HAVE discussions.. And we need to work on that. So -- USMB Mod Staff will be focusing on the 1st 2 or 3 pages of EVERY thread to make sure that a solid discussion has at least a CHANCE of germinating and progressing...

To that end, we will be monitoring and massively ejecting folks from threads who just drop in to troll and derail discussions... Might come with warnings or bans, but if you drop in without COMMENTING on a topic, you're gonna be ejected...

Memes are fine if the memes themselves are a comment on the SPECIFIC title and OPost.. But if you're dropping into a thread where you have NO interest in the topic -- find something in the famous Taunting Forums to tag up...

Each side wants their version of what's important to them.. Respect that. And also respect the fact that virtually no one wants to read the same brawling confrontation in EVERY thread... If you want to attack the assertions in an "opposition thread" -- have at it.. DO NOT attack the member in your first posts.. Make the effort to discuss..

That's why we're here. When it get worse --- and it probably will -- we'll STILL BE TRYING to have actual discussions at USMB....

staying on topic is harder than herding cats

That really goes to people's personal motives for being here.. We realize that the heat is turned up pretty high, so after 2 hours of cable news or reading biased political sites, people drop in here, got confronted with stuff they DIDN'T LEARN and can't understand from that 2 hours.. Probably some members spend all day stocking up on shit that's no more than gossip, dramatic exaggerations, ect...

So -- there's a natural tendency to NOT accept "balanced discussion"... And maybe NOT take any titles/topics seriously that clash with your "daily media indoctrination"...

But if you're NOT here to pick up on nuances and topics and maybe LEARN something, than you're probably just wasting another 2 hours...

If mod staff can KEEP threads interesting and informative, by REQUIRING topical conversation, than there's a chance that 2 hours HERE is MORE valuable than watching hired talking heads sell you talking points...

 

[flacaltenn]

Every single discussion this place has had about Islam gets turned on either attacks on Judaism or Christianity. In some cases, mods have DEMANDED people attack Christianity in threads about Islam, and I have been told in a p.m. that there are no limits placed on one specific antisemite's ability derail any thread they wish by turning them into anti Jew hate fests.

Does this announcement indicate a new policy or will it continue to be business as usual by targeting some posters and not others?

Most all examples of what you describe ARE allowed under scope of discussion -- BECAUSE -- most of the threads on "Islam" are really anectdotal current events or issues attacking Islam...

So just like in politics, when CLinton (either one LOL) is the topic, mod staff can NOT exclude COMPARISONS to Bush or the other Bush or Reagan or even Kennedy...

If the TOPIC and point of the thread is to GENERALIZE about Muslims or Islam,, than COMPARATIVE examples from OTHER religions ARE on topic...

It's hard to balance this out.. That I will say.. But we err on the side of "broadening" the topic rather than narrowing it...

Myriads of threads GENERALIZING every bad, evil or stupid action of that group and demanding the ENTIRE group be slimed, are gonna get some push back.. Whether it's RACE or RELIGION or CULTURE or POLITICS..

If you expect no one to slow down the "shoot them all" train - I've got some alternate forum site suggestions for you...

 

[flacaltenn]

One of the main motivations for this announcement is to give both sides of this partisan food fight some space.. Like separating boxers during a match when there's no real boxing going on..

It's really aimed at folks who drop into thread that threaten their cognitive harmony just to attack or troll... Message boards tend to attract "the wingers".. It's really not representative of voter demographics.. And folks without a political clan or folks looking for deeper details generally shy away from "retail politics" and winger views.. And in fact -- there's a LOT more of them in America, than there are "wingers"...

So -- we want a space that ORGANIZED, topical and informative.. And members do a spectacular job of posting threads that cover the news, issues and relevant discussion.. The "daily diet" here is almost as complete as Drudge or Huffpo or other "news consolidators"..

If we can improve on the "information quota" in each of these threads, we'd get a lot of folks who REALLY DO want to explore and learn and pick up nuances about the quickening cycle of daily outrages.... And than you'd have a real cast of members that either winger side can play to rather than just pummeling each other and making every thread the same old brawl...

 

[Dogmaphobe]

- I've got some alternate forum site suggestions for you...

Yes, that would be most helpful, thanks.

 

[K9Buck]

...after 2 hours of cable news or reading biased political sites, people drop in here, got confronted with stuff they DIDN'T LEARN and can't understand from that 2 hours.. Probably some members spend all day stocking up on shit that's no more than gossip, dramatic exaggerations, ect...

Many are so blinded by their partisan ideology that they cannot see, let alone acknowledge, basic truths and facts and there's really no point in engaging them because they're brainwashed. One's loyalty and priority should be to their fellow people, not to a politician, but that's not the case for many here.

 

[K9Buck]

The "Clean Debate Zone" is probably the best quality sub-forum on this site. Trolls apparently avoid that forum.

 

[flacaltenn]

...after 2 hours of cable news or reading biased political sites, people drop in here, got confronted with stuff they DIDN'T LEARN and can't understand from that 2 hours.. Probably some members spend all day stocking up on shit that's no more than gossip, dramatic exaggerations, ect...

Many are so blinded by their partisan ideology that they cannot see, let alone acknowledge, basic truths and facts and there's really no point in engaging them because they're brainwashed. One's loyalty and priority should be to their fellow people, not to a politician, but that's not the case for many here.

To avoid frustration with this subset of members, confront them on the issue, lay it out, move on.. Saves pages of useless typing.. It's up to the members to judge who's worth your time.. And if you've won your case and they're shooting blanks -- just move on...

That's a personal opinion.. Not a moderation opinion of course...

 

[K9Buck]

To avoid frustration with this subset of members, confront them on the issue, lay it out, move on.. Saves pages of useless typing.. It's up to the members to judge who's worth your time.. And if you've won your case and they're shooting blanks -- just move on...

That's a personal opinion.. Not a moderation opinion of course...

Oh I do. If people are too dishonest to allow themselves to be persuaded, that's their problem. The reader can decide.

 

[deannalw]

The "Clean Debate Zone" is probably the best quality sub-forum on this site. Trolls apparently avoid that forum.

Hey I went there once.

I ain't afeerd.

 

[Olde Europe]

To that end, we will be monitoring and massively ejecting folks from threads who just drop in to troll and derail discussions... Might come with warnings or bans, but if you drop in without COMMENTING on a topic, you're gonna be ejected...

I'd love to see that, but, as it stands, it would require some 75% of "contributions" to be deleted, thread-bans inflicted.

You could start here:
WaPo: information may have been deleted in Ukraine phone call transcript

Actually, I'd be surprised if you got around to cleaning out threads in the CDZ. Your days, I guess, have no more than the 24 hours mine have. Start here:
Error | US Message Board - Political Discussion Forum

Some even seem to believe that the CDZ is the new Flame Zone II.

It would appear, most on here didn't get the memo. Maybe there's a way to announce the new policy more broadly?

 

[flacaltenn]

To that end, we will be monitoring and massively ejecting folks from threads who just drop in to troll and derail discussions... Might come with warnings or bans, but if you drop in without COMMENTING on a topic, you're gonna be ejected...

I'd love to see that, but, as it stands, it would require some 75% of "contributions" to be deleted, thread-bans inflicted.

You could start here:
WaPo: information may have been deleted in Ukraine phone call transcript

Actually, I'd be surprised if you got around to cleaning out threads in the CDZ. Your days, I guess, have no more than the 24 hours mine have. Start here:
Error | US Message Board - Political Discussion Forum

Some even seem to believe that the CDZ is the new Flame Zone II.

It would appear, most on here didn't get the memo. Maybe there's a way to announce the new policy more broadly?

As for that one in CDZ -- seems like mod staff bounced that OUT of CDZ awhile ago and yes it was not "fixable".. It ended up in a Taunting forum...

I personally and several mods cruise thru the "problem forums" regularly.. We're not just handling member reports...

 

[JustAnotherNut]

The "Clean Debate Zone" is probably the best quality sub-forum on this site. Trolls apparently avoid that forum.

Hey I went there once.

I ain't afeerd.

No? Well I bet everyone else sure was...….just because you were there


That oughta teach them to debate with you, huh?

 

[miketx]

Serious question, what about all the trolls who post the same bullcrap media stories day after day? Nothing but he said she said CRAP!

 

[Dogmaphobe]

You mods take all the fun out of everything.

Dunno.. It's a party everyday in the Mod Room as long as the vending machines are full.. And the Flame Zone is a lot of fun in a weird twisted way...

So just what are you suggesting???? That I should spend more time in the basement cause I'm weird & twisted???????? Or that you already spend too much time down there????

btw.......you guys have vending machines??? I feel cheated I tell ya

Twisted can be good and enhance the discussion so long as it's on topic when I'm upstairs and...

*****CHUCKLE*****

except there are times when I just can't help myself.....

Do you think that's what flacaltenn meant about leniency earlier in the thread?

*****CHUCKLE*****

I was lucky enough to see Iggy Pop in the middle seventies. There was this understated dude playing keyboards for him sitting off to the side of the stage -- blond hair and wearing a flannel shirt. I was maybe 10 feet away, and everybody around me knew who it was.

It was only towards the end of the show that he stepped away from the keyboards and gave a little wave that most of the crowd further away knew it was Bowie.




Oh, and for staying on topic -- yes, I'm totally all for that.

 

[Olde Europe]

As for that one in CDZ -- seems like mod staff bounced that OUT of CDZ awhile ago and yes it was not "fixable".. It ended up in a Taunting forum...

Funny, how that goes.

The USMB is STILL a Discussion Forum. Just, in case a thread alights in the CDZ with "Trump" in the title, and a hint of criticism of the Dear Leader, the intellectual equivalent of wild boars descend on it, turning the Discussion Forum into their urinal. Then, it's being declared "not fixable", or "not fit for the CDZ", and instead of bouncing the wild boars, the thread is bounced.

There is no such thing as a "not-fixable" thread, there is no such thing as an issue that isn't fit for the CDZ, just posters not fit to discuss things respectfully. If you can't keep the CDZ, slowly moving as it is, clean, what hope is there to keep, say, "Politics" on topic?

 

[OldLady]

Every single discussion this place has had about Islam gets turned on either attacks on Judaism or Christianity. In some cases, mods have DEMANDED people attack Christianity in threads about Islam, and I have been told in a p.m. that there are no limits placed on one specific antisemite's ability derail any thread they wish by turning them into anti Jew hate fests.

Does this announcement indicate a new policy or will it continue to be business as usual by targeting some posters and not others?

Most all examples of what you describe ARE allowed under scope of discussion -- BECAUSE -- most of the threads on "Islam" are really anectdotal current events or issues attacking Islam...

So just like in politics, when CLinton (either one LOL) is the topic, mod staff can NOT exclude COMPARISONS to Bush or the other Bush or Reagan or even Kennedy...

If the TOPIC and point of the thread is to GENERALIZE about Muslims or Islam,, than COMPARATIVE examples from OTHER religions ARE on topic...

It's hard to balance this out.. That I will say.. But we err on the side of "broadening" the topic rather than narrowing it...

Myriads of threads GENERALIZING every bad, evil or stupid action of that group and demanding the ENTIRE group be slimed, are gonna get some push back.. Whether it's RACE or RELIGION or CULTURE or POLITICS..

If you expect no one to slow down the "shoot them all" train - I've got some alternate forum site suggestions for you...

Myriads of threads GENERALIZING every bad, evil or stupid action of that group and demanding the ENTIRE group be slimed, are gonna get some push back.. Whether it's RACE or RELIGION or CULTURE or POLITICS..
"Push back" by whom? It's the basis of at least half the threads here. No one says a single word as long as it's conservatives name calling the left.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Every single discussion this place has had about Islam gets turned on either attacks on Judaism or Christianity. In some cases, mods have DEMANDED people attack Christianity in threads about Islam, and I have been told in a p.m. that there are no limits placed on one specific antisemite's ability derail any thread they wish by turning them into anti Jew hate fests.

Does this announcement indicate a new policy or will it continue to be business as usual by targeting some posters and not others?

Most all examples of what you describe ARE allowed under scope of discussion -- BECAUSE -- most of the threads on "Islam" are really anectdotal current events or issues attacking Islam...

So just like in politics, when CLinton (either one LOL) is the topic, mod staff can NOT exclude COMPARISONS to Bush or the other Bush or Reagan or even Kennedy...

If the TOPIC and point of the thread is to GENERALIZE about Muslims or Islam,, than COMPARATIVE examples from OTHER religions ARE on topic...

It's hard to balance this out.. That I will say.. But we err on the side of "broadening" the topic rather than narrowing it...

Myriads of threads GENERALIZING every bad, evil or stupid action of that group and demanding the ENTIRE group be slimed, are gonna get some push back.. Whether it's RACE or RELIGION or CULTURE or POLITICS..

If you expect no one to slow down the "shoot them all" train - I've got some alternate forum site suggestions for you...

Myriads of threads GENERALIZING every bad, evil or stupid action of that group and demanding the ENTIRE group be slimed, are gonna get some push back.. Whether it's RACE or RELIGION or CULTURE or POLITICS..
"Push back" by whom? It's the basis of at least half the threads here. No one says a single word as long as it's conservatives name calling the left.

What ACTUALLY happens, however, is that people who know about the ideology called Islam are confronted by those who know nothing about it whatsoever other than the fact they feel compelled to defend it. The ignorant then engage in actions geared towards undermining the subject by changing it to something else altogether in order to distract away from the central subject. These apologists then CLAIM that others are generalizing even when they are being specific, and use these false claims to justify their derailment of the threads.

"Oh, so you say Mohammad ordered his men to rape and so that may provide much of the basis for the massive numbers of children being raped in Britain?? Well, you hate all Muslims and so in order to support the rapes, I will call you an Islamophobe for not getting on board with them, claim you have maligned all Muslims and demand you attack Christians or Jews, instead."

That is not "push back" despite the dishonest claims. That is merely a calculated ruse designed to undermine the very notion of discussing the actual subject matter.