Moderators

[Cobblestoned]

I like the LA thread. It is generally the first one I check when visiting. There are many knowledgable posters, Dr. M, RR, Cimacoppi etc that are far more into it than I, so I don't post often in there anymore. Not much to offer. There are also a few fools that don't offer anything of substance but are tolerated or better yet ignored. Whatever. It is an open forum.
Where it all goes to hell is when the obvious trollers enter. Nothing to offer, misrepresent themselves, and argue for the sake of arguing. Nothing at all to back it up.
The mods need to get a grip on the trolling. That is where the failure of the thread is.

You forgot that excellent dude, smart berzin and the hog of course.
What most people don't know or do not want to accept is, that Web2.0 rules say that haters are just a subgroup of trolls.
Every Hater is a troll at heart.
The only one I would exclude is the Doctor. He is moderate, fair!, clever and on the ground. Aseptic. Ok, he's a Doc. But only moderate and steril, because he fears legal issues. Thats how I got it. Thats very honest, but somehow wrong. He is biting his tongue and rarely showing something like an opinion. Others don't care.
We will never see the full Doctor M., neither his (real) opinions.
Anyway, when the first thing you do in a cyclingforum is entering the LA clinicthread, when you more or less only name people that are clearly identified as overfocused haters, you might be somehow biased, focused and have a problem of not really beeing accepted as neutral individuum. But ok. We have to hear all POVs.

Da da da dum x11

 

[Cobblestoned]

Proposal:

A (2nd) lance thread that is moderated.

ONLY discussion. No jokes, no snarls... boring, but to the point. If I feel something has passed the scene before once too often in that thread, I will delete the post "raising it yet again".

I have proposed it a few times, this will be the last time that I offer it. If you are curious what tone that would take, read the 200 posts before I drew that red line. I will moderate it to that standard. Clear rules at the outset, so folk know what is acceptable and what not. The aim is to have that

ONLY discussion. No jokes, no snarls... boring, but to the point.

It does mean you will have to take me as the one overseeing it, and I expect you will see edits and deletions from time to time. I will open a thread here where you can discuss my moderation. I suspect some of you won't like me as the one overlooking it, but it is my best offer, knowing full well it is a further commitment to more time spent here with material that will only start to really interest me if something new happens.

Thoughts?

We need 3 LA threads.
One for the haters and those REAL cyclingfans, one for the fanboys and cyclingfans, and one to meet each other.

For me, a usual LA thread (reopened) in the racing forum to honour and praise the man, or just to talk about cycling, would be enough. Thats an institution and normal thing in every single cycling forum I know. However, at CN it's closed because he has retired. "because he has retired"

But to be honest, that one was derailed and flooded by the haters, bringing their hate and clinic-sheit with them. Like all RS threads, or now, it's the RS + and the Leopard threads, and all threads connected with those, like the Fuglsang weight thread.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Proposal:

A (2nd) lance thread that is moderated.

ONLY discussion. No jokes, no snarls... boring, but to the point. If I feel something has passed the scene before once too often in that thread, I will delete the post "raising it yet again".

I have proposed it a few times, this will be the last time that I offer it. If you are curious what tone that would take, read the 200 posts before I drew that red line. I will moderate it to that standard. Clear rules at the outset, so folk know what is acceptable and what not. The aim is to have that

ONLY discussion. No jokes, no snarls... boring, but to the point.

It does mean you will have to take me as the one overseeing it, and I expect you will see edits and deletions from time to time. I will open a thread here where you can discuss my moderation. I suspect some of you won't like me as the one overlooking it, but it is my best offer, knowing full well it is a further commitment to more time spent here with material that will only start to really interest me if something new happens.

Thoughts?

If you mean to keep both threads open why not simply move (moderately) offending posts to the original thread where folks can continue their jokes/snarls if they are of a mind to, and C'stoned can continue making me feel just a little stupider for every one of his posts that I try to read.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Yup, you would have two threads, and folk can find the one they are most comfortable with. Hopefully, the ones who prefer content and prefer discussion would find one free from the stuff that other folk also some here for.

We're really not here to spoil folk's fun, but it isn't as easy to keep different expectations and audiences contained within the same sack. Maybe that thread should have its audiences split wider.

The general rules of this forum would, needless to say, still apply to both.

 

[Race Radio]

Snipped for brevity

Most who have been here for a while understand that BPC is not the only user whose focus is to disrupt and has been banned multiple times only to return. Just because a user does not share BPC's ip address or vernacular does not mean they not a troll.

I have no problem with the occasion insult, some are quite entertaining. It crosses the line when it is part of effort to bait or disrupt. Uniformed opinions are also fine.......however when new user immediately goes after specific posters, floods the board with nonsense and obfuscation then it becomes an issue.

While it is easy to say that these posters should just be ignored it sometimes takes a while before their intentions are clear, often after a few absurd posts.

I agree that there are far less trolls then before, and that is a good thing.

 

[Francois the Postman]

You and I both know that it isn't just BPC, it was shorthand for "real trolls". And indeed, not all of them are returning ones. But at the same time RR, not all what has been deemed "obfuscation" is that either. We have been doing some deep probing into some recent ones that were pretty much immediately set away as trolls, and "you can't possibly be ...", and they turned out to be exactly what they claimed to be. And sometimes when people were calling "obfuscation", they weren't really listening either. They just didn't like the angle taken, and accepted it as "valid", or "real".

And often it comes down to "willingness to read with the poster's intent of words" vs "what they actually wrote if you take it to the extreme of what it also could mean".

Some arguments get very heated about nuances, but the way they get handled by all/some involved means they become very personal and defensive rather quickly.

A bit like Hugh and I find ourselves opposite each other from time to time, because of our positions, personalities, and roles (random example, by no means perfect or well described). It is very easy to get on paths from which it is hard to step back from. Unless are folk are willing to give benefits of the doubt, and actually discuss and see where the common ground lies, and how it can be best resolved.

I don't, not even slightly, enjoy some of the stuff that some folk accuse me "of getting off on". Nor is this even vague akin "big brother" or "north korea".

We are in the seat where we have to make black and white calls in a sea of grey all the time. Not even imposing my own rules, but standards set by others. Without exception, all mods work hard to try to make this a place that is welcoming and interesting to as many persons and personalities as there are out there, with -and I maintain this- VERY few restrictions. Certainly for a forum that is hosted by a commercial organisation.

So, far less interested in how we got here, just curious how to get forwards on this in a way that doesn't pitch people so often against each other in that thread, and, by extension, us against some posters as a consequence.

Maybe time to try if two threads work?

I know some of you don't like me or my style, but it might be worth actually reading the last 200-ish post in that thread and see if that is something you guys can live with. If you can, I am willing to dedicate some serious time to maintaining it at that level, all voluntary. I am unlikely to join the discussions then, and I will certainly explain myself for condoning or not-condoning certain posts. Here.

 

[Race Radio]

I would hold off on a 2nd thread for a while. Once charges are filed it would be good to have an "Armstrong case" thread that focuses on charges, evidence, witnesses, and ancillary related case.

 

[Cobblestoned]

If you mean to keep both threads open why not simply move (moderately) offending posts to the original thread where folks can continue their jokes/snarls if they are of a mind to, and C'stoned can continue making me feel just a little stupider for every one of his posts that I try to read.

Don't you think that your beloved language-card is slowly worn out ?
I know that you don't understand a word. No one does. Why don't you put it into your signature. So you don't have to waste all that energy for redundancy.
Look, you don't even upset me with this.

Your periodic comments on me and my Englisch don't help anyone, and never will.
Why don't you just ask when there is something that I put too comlicated or just wrong. This would help you AND me. And that would keep the discussions more painfree and make things easier for everyone involved.
But I have the slight feeling that your are more interested in chaos and looking cool.

PS: Be aware, that another long masterpiece of confusion is on its way. Don't miss it. I still owe someone an answer. Still busy at trying to top Francois's word count.

 

[Francois the Postman]

I would hold off on a 2nd thread for a while. Once charges are filed it would be good to have an "Armstrong case" thread that focuses on charges, evidence, witnesses, and ancillary related case.

I already tried to provide an undiluted content LA thread with the "links" one, but as long as it stays this quiet - you and I suspect that the "case" might be a while yet I think- and it has no room for discussion, it is a bit useless just now.

Once the case, if any, will come, I am sure there will be a quite a bit of traffic-guiding going on, and moderation too, let's not kid ourselves.

But this is not really working either, in waves it does, in waves it doesn't. It has worked well in one way, and that was to stop making everything about Lance in the clinic.

So we still might want to think about a half-way house that suits more (in total). Sure that splitting the audience/content-tone in there is not worth a try?

 

[Francois the Postman]

Most who have been here for a while understand that BPC is not the only user whose focus is to disrupt and has been banned multiple times only to return. Just because a user does not share BPC's ip address or vernacular does not mean they not a troll.

Just as an aside: EVERY report for "suspected troll" means at least one of us will read the entire exchange, look over the posting history of a user, we use several tools for traffic research, I use several things that are not made available by CN but that I have access too, and frequently spend time via google etc on top. We discuss if it ain't clear. and keep tracking if we feel it is justified. When our "normal lives" are too busy, it happens at the earliest opportunity, but on the whole , it happens fast.

We even look at new users that are not reported but strike us as "coming in a bit square" for the round holes here.

I think some of you are better served than you realise.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Don't you think that your beloved language-card is slowly worn out ?
I know that you don't understand a word. No one does. Why don't you put it into your signature. So you don't have to waste all that energy for redundancy.
Look, you don't even upset me with this.

Your periodic comments on me and my Englisch don't help anyone, and never will.
Why don't you just ask when there is something that I put too comlicated or just wrong. This would help you AND me. And that would keep the discussions more painfree and make things easier for everyone involved.
But I have the slight feeling that your are more interested in chaos and looking cool.

PS: Be aware, that another long masterpiece of confusion is on its way. Don't miss it. I still owe someone an answer. Still busy at trying to top Francois's word count.

If you want to believe that it is the language and not the content, that is fine, I don't want to be the one to disillusion you what with it being the Christmas season and all.
Good luck with topping The Postman's word count, I don't think it is possible, but you could be just the man for the job.

 

[Cobblestoned]

If you want to believe that it is the language and not the content, that is fine, I don't want to be the one to disillusion you what with it being the Christmas season and all.
Good luck with topping The Postman's word count, I don't think it is possible, but you could be just the man for the job.

The "but, but it's the content, not the language"-card is also worn out.
Same procedure.
You are also free to ask me about content, if there should occur any misunderstandings.
I think all the clarity is cleared away right now, and no alcohol is no solution either.
Now stand aside, worthy adversary.

Happy Xmas days to you too, even when your arm is off.

 

[Hugh Januss]

The "but, but it's the content, not the language"-card is also worn out.
Same procedure.
You are also free to ask me about content, if there should occur any misunderstandings.
I think all the clarity is cleared away right now, and no alcohol is no solution either.
Now stand aside, worthy adversary.

Happy Xmas days to you too, even when your arm is off.

If you were capable of summoning a moment of clarity you would see that it is actually the whole "card"-card that is worn out.

Have a very happy Vestivus and a merry new year.

 

[AussieGoddess]

Proposal:

A (2nd) lance thread that is moderated.

ONLY discussion. No jokes, no snarls... boring, but to the point. If I feel something has passed the scene before once too often in that thread, I will delete the post "raising it yet again".

I have proposed it a few times, this will be the last time that I offer it. If you are curious what tone that would take, read the 200 posts before I drew that red line. I will moderate it to that standard. Clear rules at the outset, so folk know what is acceptable and what not. The aim is to have that

ONLY discussion. No jokes, no snarls... boring, but to the point.

It does mean you will have to take me as the one overseeing it, and I expect you will see edits and deletions from time to time. I will open a thread here where you can discuss my moderation. I suspect some of you won't like me as the one overlooking it, but it is my best offer, knowing full well it is a further commitment to more time spent here with material that will only start to really interest me if something new happens.

Thoughts?

I actually think this is a good idea.

I do like to read the LA thread, find info and the discussion is interesting .... but page after page after page of endless baiting and trolling annoys me so I dont often go there.

A more highly moderated thread would be great ... even if I dont agree with the moderation at times, it will still be way better than what we have.

 

[Anonymous]

Proposal:

A (2nd) lance thread that is moderated.

ONLY discussion. No jokes, no snarls... boring, but to the point. If I feel something has passed the scene before once too often in that thread, I will delete the post "raising it yet again".

I have proposed it a few times, this will be the last time that I offer it. If you are curious what tone that would take, read the 200 posts before I drew that red line. I will moderate it to that standard. Clear rules at the outset, so folk know what is acceptable and what not. The aim is to have that

ONLY discussion. No jokes, no snarls... boring, but to the point.

It does mean you will have to take me as the one overseeing it, and I expect you will see edits and deletions from time to time. I will open a thread here where you can discuss my moderation. I suspect some of you won't like me as the one overlooking it, but it is my best offer, knowing full well it is a further commitment to more time spent here with material that will only start to really interest me if something new happens.

Thoughts?

This is the interwebs, if I wanted an interaction like that, I'd go talk to my neighbor.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Hey!

I have been drinking a Crap Load! (just got fired!)

Who is the drug Mule? Boeing

 

[patricknd]

Hey!

I have been drinking a Crap Load! (just got fired!)

Who is the drug Mule? Boeing

From what I can tell people here don't think the subject of drug mules is very funny, although I was enjoying the playful banter the term caused.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I think we should vote for a new mod...like a general election. (not joking)

 

[krebs303]

I think we should vote for a new mod...like a general election. (not joking)

You know wonderlance would win in a landslide (not joking)

 

[Zam_Olyas]

You know wonderlance would win in a landslide (not joking)

Cyclingnews or future publishing would never have him as a candidate..(seriously speaking)

 

[craig1985]

How redtrevsio has not been perma banned, I don't know.

 

[patricknd]

How redtrevsio has not been perma banned, I don't know.

It's like having a crazy uncle, you still invite him to the family reuinions, you just use plastic knives and forks when you eat.

 

[boomcie]

I think we should vote for a new mod...like a general election. (not joking)

I volunteer. All the mods are my buds and I would love to get into that staff room.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I think we should vote for a new mod...like a general election. (not joking)

That would be awesome. Advertising campaigns, debates, moderators having platforms, pre-selection for Party candidates...oh I could go on.

 

[Cobblestoned]

The day will come when I wake up with a negative post-count
The Mainzelmännchen are always stealing my posts while I am asleep.