Rhetoric and the art of Collaborative Discussion

[BenDhyan]

As a zen practitioner, I try to stay above the RI board ongoing conflict wrt the posting conduct of members.. As everyone knows, there are members with whom I disagree on some matters and vice versa, so I do my best not to overly trigger those who see things differently. The problem that presents itself to the board now is a war of 'take no prisoners' on the part of those who are politically orientated in one way or the other wrt certain topics. I am inclined to mention this as it seems AD's 12 month suspension has come into effect, and in the spirit of the new year, it would be indeed a healing act if all sides can agree to a way forward that resets the board wrt all suspensions. Beyond that, RI rules must be followed and mods should have the power to administer justice as they see fit. I expect Elvis can do this with integrity,

[JackRiddler]

It's always a New Year somewhere. If the "spirit of the New Year" means once again shortening the well-deserved suspensions of AD, there will always be an excuse.

The question here is whether serial rules violations -- not minor ones, but flooding of a design that effectively determines and dominates discussion on the board -- continue to dominate the board.

Nobody has to care, but I am not the only one who has said I will no longer participate here if this announced moderator ruling is not enforced. That's not our stubborness. We just see no reason to participate under these circumstances.

[seemslikeadream]

thanks so much Jack for announcing to the board of jerky's suspension where did you read the posted news if it wasn't for you I guess we all would have missed it?

I hear jerky is banned again

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=41450&start=30

[peartreed]

Much like Colonel Tom Parker controlled Elvis Presley from behind the scenes, manipulation is subtle.

We should rename this forum Riddler’s Institution to reflect the actual administration and control.

Now that American Dream has again been banned for a year and Jerky has been suspended again, there is little in the way of Jack getting the most attention as the pre-eminent voice here and the most prolific poster. His only competitor now for volume of postings is seemslikeadream, so he’ll soon renew her criticism and harassment.

Should anyone else dare object or obstruct his domination, or directing of the discussion with any serious disagreement, they too will soon be gone

[Sounder]

Breaking the ban to respond to peartreed, hope you feel special. Generally I do not read peartreed material because the gist of it, (to me,) a while ago was; accept the gaslighting because it is more important to be civil. Not gonna happen.

As to Jack, peartreed you appear to have not got a clue. Jack actually comments on and provides analysis for a wide array of pertinent happenings in the world. Uhhh, what represents the depth and breath of your chosen field of comments? Right?, thin.

[peartreed]

Who knew this forum was a competition for content contribution?

Trump tweets dominate Twitter but don’t determine the quality of the thought or the kindness of the character contributing. Someone needs to counter a control agenda with a sense of conscience.

[Heaven Swan]

Jerky was suspended? Why on earth? Elvis or 82_28, could you please let us know what’s going on?

[Belligerent Savant]

.

viewtopic.php?f=45&t=41501#p668348

[seemslikeadream]

until 3 members here accept the fact that I also have friends.... really good friends here there will be no peace..I am sure there are a few members that do not like me but they politely abide by the rules

SLAD!
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=41191

or if you would like to see this BREAKING THE RULES thread about me that did not quite go as planned by the OP this was posted when a person was permanently banned for breaking a very important rule .a thread that was immediately locked and sent to the Fire Pit ..a rule that has only been broken 3 times in R.I. history ...14 years and only 3 people have broken this rule...2 of them permanently banned the other one remains ...I've always wondered just who here despised me so much that they had to start this thread...a member that had only posted 80 times in 7 years ...whats the point?

is it just me or is SLAD this forums pet propogandist?
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=40184

lovely ...just lovely

If it's a form of performance art/trolling: it's somewhat impressive.
If it's a lack of reading comprehension, my condolences.

Enjoy these virtual/avatar friends of yours.

I love how you phrase things...it is definitely an art

save your condolences for someone who needs them

I do enjoy all my real friends here I would appreciate it if you would stop trying to run them all off...anyone that speaks up for me gets the treatment so I can understand not wanting to get involved ...Countdown was the last to leave because he was attacked for the crime of being a friend to me ...most people will not take the harassment I can fully understand that

peartreed was never a problem here until he decided to speak up for me and now he is the enemy ...one of "The Vile Bunch"



I am staying I am not going anywhere get over it....I had the great honor of Jeff inviting me to join R.I. before it was even up and running...he absolutely knew how/what I posted about and it apparently was not a problem for him ...he thanked me a number of times in his blog for information I had posted....he talked with me about his book about starting his blog about starting R.I. ...he never suspended me he never put me on probation

[elfismiles]

First, welcome back Elvis.

If anyone simply insists on discussing any of this, please reply in the Rhetoric sticky thread. But no cheering or gloating. Peace.

Peace, indeed. Can I get a HalleluJAH?!?

Thank you for the Moderator Announcements for January 3, 2019 post / thread. I think it is very important to have a public place for folks to be able to find information on the board's punishment of users for rules infractions (with specific statements about what rules were violated). I've felt (and heard from others) for quite a long while that moderation at this forum has never been equitably distributed.

I will be the first to admit that I often do not perceive the level of trolling ascribed to certain users that is perceived by others. And so it was with the accusations against American Dream ... I think I've since read some descriptions that help me begin to see the outlines of what is alleged but ... that level of "subtle" trolling seems so innocuous to me as to warrant a significant evidential accounting - especially for such a harsh (year-long) suspension. Can the mods please explain exactly what board rules he violated? Preferably these explanations should appear in the thread/post/forum where such bans and suspensions are publicly posted so that folks don't have to hunt for them.

And alleged "proxy troll" sixlegged ... ??? Obviously wasn't off to a good start but, "proxy troll"? Evidence? What board rules were broken warranting a ban?

There are folks here who are constantly confrontational and likely closer to breaking board rules than these.

BTW - kinda interesting to note that Jerky (whom I don't always agree with and often epitomizes what I just said above - but hey, his username says it right up front) happens to be the earliest / oldest active poster here at the RI forum. Yep, by "Date Joined" he's user number 6 (not counting Jeff and Rigorous Intuition - who never actually post here anymore). So, in effect, he is the longest-term active foundational user / poster here ... with professorpan up next (last visited a few months ago but hasn't posted since 2012) and then our other most active, longest-term founder is SLAD (seemslikeadream) whom "everyone" allegedly has a problem with ... except me. Again, that's not to say I agree 100% with everything she posts or that she couldn't use some constructive criticism in her approach here at the board ... but, glass-houses and all that.

Me, I just LOATHE confrontation. Always have, since first witnessing my parents fighting when I was a toddler, and its made me averse to such conflagrations ever since; both in meatspace and online.

Project Willow would be our next longest-term "active" user here - but, oops, she aint around anymore either (not since she left back in March of 2018 for her own reasons).

And the next last active founding RigInter from that first page of users who registered here way back in 2005 ... ? ... that would be thrulookingglass!

So many folks that used to be long-term regulars here ... so many people I really enjoyed seeing around here. Gone ... each for their own reasons. Even those whose personalities or perspectives frustrated or infuriated me ... I miss them too.

Anyway - if this forum counts for anything and wants to continue existing I suggest we somehow keep our shit together / come together and get this house in order. Clearly stated and better enforced rules - with examples of how people break them resulting in bans, suspensions, deletions (see for instance username MASONIC PLOT) - would be a good start.

"Yer old pal" and proxy troll, ElfisMiles



Moderator Announcements for January 3, 2019
post by Elvis » 04 Jan 2019 05:21

Someone suggested posting moderator announcements, suspensions etc. here, so...

========== Moderator Announcements for January 3, 2019 ==========

from Elvis

1. Unfortunately, Jerky has earned another month off. The sixlegged proxy troll thing may compound the consequences.

2. "Sixlegged" is banned.

3. I don't know whether AD stopped posting on his own, or the software kicked in after the new year and activated the suspension. I'm amenable to reducing the duration and will consider it later (hopefully together with 82_28 who seems awol).


By the level of broad support expressed on the board and in PMs, I'm persuaded these actions reflect the will of this board as a whole, a small vocal minority notwithstanding. Objections are noted, though barrel-scraping psycho-social analyses are disappointing.

If anyone simply insists on discussing any of this, please reply in the Rhetoric sticky thread. But no cheering or gloating. Peace.

[seemslikeadream]

I would definitely take constructive criticism from you elf

pm me with details


Your honest thoughtful and measured post is what is needed here

[IanEye]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P06Y8eQineM

I like this collaboration.

[Iamwhomiam]

HalleluJAH! Oh, HalleluJAH!

I'm feelin all warm and buzzy inside. Thanks for recognizing me as somebody, Elvis. It is much appreciated to have the reason for member suspensions and bans posted to the Members Notice Board. Hopefully, you'll soon explain there why American Dream has been suspended for a year. Please note I've read your earlier announcement of his being suspended. I've rarely read AD's material, as much of the material he posts is of little interest to me. Nevertheless, I haven't missed criticism tossed his way, as his critics have made that impossible. Frankly, I don't know if any of the scurrilous allegations lodged against AD are in any way valid, so if any are, (being a rule breaker), please let us know what rule(s) was/were broken.

I had been very busy working on local environmental issues for about a decade when I first joined the discussion board. That was a few years after first finding Jeff's blog in the summer or spring of 2005. Before the spam bots hit, before registration, when anonymous comments were still acceptable, I registered and posted my first comment after someone mentioned the Capitol Hill Massacre.


Back then, up to a few years ago when I got DSL, I was limited in my participation by my 28.8k dial-up AOL internet connection, which, along with my typing, was too slow for me to engage in real time discussions. A busy thread might advance an entire page while waiting for a page to reload! I mostly read and participated in environmental discussions or archaeology and other weirdness to be found posted here. Since I got the DSL connection I've been able to explore a lot of what I've missed, including a small bit of AD's past postings. The deep state stuff scared me a whole lot when I was trying to figure out this joint; I had imagined I would always be a lurker, but that was before the unimaginable happened.

I figure RI's pretty harmless - and no threat to anyone. Perhaps to the sensibilities of otherwise somewhat rational adults AD's material's is offensive, but I just can't see it having much effect upon anyone outside of those few RI members. Facebook is a far greater threat, btw.

Smiles, thank you for expressing so well your feelings, which parallel mine.

Thanks for resuming your role as moderator, Elvis. If my old pal Jerky was playing sock puppet, I'm disappointed he chose to do that. Please explain his status.

A great many really stimulating discussions have taken place on these pages. Let's continue doing that. Argue politely!

Now I have to go and learn why Masonic Plot was banned. Glad to finally learn why winsome cowboy joined boot hill.

[Marionumber1]

Now I have to go and learn why Masonic Plot was banned.

MASONIC PLOT wasn't banned, they requested their account be closed after a bizarre exchange involving the Johnny Gosch case: http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=16429&start=90 I read this thread a while back when I was starting to research the case. MASONIC PLOT was posting information supposedly from Noreen Gosch claiming he was a personal friend of hers, later changed his story to say he was just an ordinary person who contacted Noreen through her website, and then asked Jeff to delete his account once people began calling him out on the inconsistency.

[Iamwhomiam]

Thanks for setting the record straight for me, Marionumber1. I should have known that. Must have been on of those threads that whisked by in my dial-up days, leaving only a vague memory with me.