A perfect way to cleanse USPOL

[chassisman]

Originally Posted by Mad_Michael

This thread is priceless. It is a veritable who's who of partisan trolls, discussion derailers and general whiners.

Chassisman, you've inadvertently found a great idea.

Just start up a new thread about once a week here - your threads seem to suck up a lot of the detrious. While they post in this thread, they are not busy ruining every other thread.

I'll pass MM...........I'm probably going to leave for greener pastures (more productive use of my time). They say life is short, but that's only because you're dead for so fucking long.

[Crystal]

I suggested a way not too long ago of a way to move some lesser rated threads out of the way. Of course, anyone can feel free to build upon that idea or submit their own. I know there is a strong desire on the board to raise the quality of discussions.

As we have been saying for months now, we have some issues with our warning system. It no longer suspends or bans people so people are free to keep mucking up the board. I'm working to correct this problem TODAY. I'm working with the mod team and we will agree on some changes until Marc can get the old warning system reinstalled. I'm afraid some of our newbies will be in for a shock - actually if you joined sometime around September 2006 or after you might be in for a shock. As always, I love to hear your suggestions so feel free to PM me, but you better make it fast because I am eagar to get something more useful started.

[Captain Trips]

Sounds good Crystal ;-)

I can learn to play better or nicer if the rules will apply to EVERYBODY. The snide bullshit, arrogance and insults has gotten very old.

If we had some very much tighter rules and restrictions it would be quite interesting to see who DISAPPEARS. That alone will motivate ME to play nice.

[Crystal]

Originally Posted by Thane

Sounds good Crystal ;-)

I can learn to play better or nicer if the rules will apply to EVERYBODY. The snide bullshit, arrogance and insults has gotten very old.

If we had some very much tighter rules and restrictions it would be quite interesting to see who DISAPPEARS. That alone will motivate ME to play nice.

As of right now, 10 points will earn you a suspension. You will be suspended until enough points expire to bring you below 10 points. Points are valid for 15 days. If you earn 10 points today, you'll be suspended for 15 days. If it takes you 14 days to earn 10 points then you'll only be suspended for a 1 day...until those oldest points expire. The only thing I changed was the use of mod queue. Mod queue still allowed violaters to post although a USPOL team member had to approve it first which created a lot more work for us. I changed mod queue to temp suspension which means the violators can not post on the board until their suspension is up, which is how it was always done up until the software upgrade back in Sept/Oct. Anyone here prior to Sept 2006 is familar with temp suspension. I'll construct a more formal announcement and please PM any complaints to me.

Also, Marc has approved the updated rules. We are simply waiting for him to post them. With his work schedule, school schedule, family obligations, and the recent holidays he has been extremely busy.

[Ash]

Originally Posted by Ironman Jack

Mods don't exist?? Hell they spend a lot of time to see if I am going to insult some wimp, and then nail me, so yeah they are out there!

They've nailed me a few times too. It happens when one arrogantly boasts their opinion (something I tend to do from time to time).

[Captain Trips]

Originally Posted by Crystal

As of right now, 10 points will earn you a suspension. You will be suspended until enough points expire to bring you below 10 points. Points are valid for 15 days. If you earn 10 points today, you'll be suspended for 15 days. If it takes you 14 days to earn 10 points then you'll only be suspended for a 1 day...until those oldest points expire. The only thing I changed was the use of mod queue. Mod queue still allowed violaters to post although a USPOL team member had to approve it first which created a lot more work for us. I changed mod queue to temp suspension which means the violators can not post on the board until their suspension is up, which is how it was always done up until the software upgrade back in Sept/Oct. Anyone here prior to Sept 2006 is familar with temp suspension. I'll construct a more formal announcement and please PM any complaints to me.

Also, Marc has approved the updated rules. We are simply waiting for him to post them. With his work schedule, school schedule, family obligations, and the recent holidays he has been extremely busy.

Very good.

I know tougher rules will be hated by many, but I also know how much better the quality will be raised WITH tougher rules. If we're all required to consider what we're typing a lot more thoughtfully everybody wins.

Except trolls of course.

[Ash]

Originally Posted by Thane

Very good.

I know tougher rules will be hated by many, but I also know how much better the quality will be raised WITH tougher rules. If we're all required to consider what we're typing a lot more thoughtfully everybody wins.

Except for trolls of course.

I agree.

[Jack Rackam]

I discovered this forum three years ago. Regularly I come here and read and sometime I contribute a little. To be honest, I was posting more the first year but rapidly felt it was going nowhere as I only wanted to convince the others and that is a lot of work, as you have to do researches and find and confront and present facts and argumentations. If you only repeat on different ways what you believe in, you will never convince nobody. I don't have enough time and will to do that.

But I continue to come for the passion and to learn on the US. I often learn things on this forum.

Three years ago, the presentation of facts with links and definitions from reliable sources was a more common practice than today on this forum. It was hard to affirm something whitout substantiating it with a link. But with time, the debates began to emphasises on the biases and the quality of the sources presented. A general distrust of the media and every source in general brecame the rule as you can find almost everything on the Web, and the institutions that you think are credible (like the UN or the Administration) are discarded by others as biased.

Then the practice simply almost disappeared as new posters came and olders went and now a lot of discussions can be resumed by : Yes, No, oh Yes because you are this, oh No because you are that, oh Yes it's so typical of you left/right/democrat/republican/liberal/neocon/communist/warmonger...

Sometimes you only have to read the name to know what is being said. On the other hand, there still are nice threads and discussions in less public subjects.

Anyway, despite all the problems that come with providing sources, I think more emphasis on giving sources and links to back affirmations would contribute greatly to the quality of the discussions. Let's try to have serious debates.

Finally, I don't think this forum is more divided or more passionate than it was three years ago. Not at all! (Jan 2004, when I registered, was 8 months before the elections) It's only the ethics of posting that has degenerated.

Frankly, I think the moderators should simply erase some threads at the source and forbid some posters. Maybe the moderators should consult each others so to be more reasonable. I have in mind some posters that everybody know are poisonning the forum and should disappear.

Maybe there could be a test you have to answer before being allowed to post. I dunno...

It's lunch time here.
Bon appétit

[Captain Trips]

Well said JR.

Stick around maybe things will get better here. We can hope :-)

[jmo]

I think this forums suffers from too much fragmentation.

Previously there used to be 3 categories, which had enough discussion to make them appealing, "Breaking News", "War and Peace" and "US Politics".

Now there are only 2, "Breaking News" and "War and Peace".
Many people seem to be tired of "War and Peace" issues, since it is not possible to write much new ingenious stuff in there and it seems to attract a lot of trolls. So it leaves only "Breaking News".

Other sub-forums are just too quiet so writing a post in there is not appealing, since it is not going to get many viewers.

I would try to bring this forum back to life by making only 4 subforums.
"Breaking News", "War and Peace", "US Politics", and "International Politics".
Maybe 5 five by breaking the "US politics" to some 2 subforums which I leave up to you to invent what they are.

Any more sub-forums are dragging the site south.

[proUSA]

Originally Posted by Rakkasan

ya i was gonna respond on how this thread had turned ugly quick

too damn funny

It just doesn't take long does it..
I've even noticed some tag team going on....

[Shooter]

Originally Posted by Crystal

I [url="http://www.uspoliticsonline.com/878615-post10.html"]actually if you joined sometime around September 2006 or after you might be in for a shock. As always, I love to hear your suggestions so feel free to PM me, but you better make it fast because I am eagar to get something more useful started.

In an earlier post, I kiddingly referred to some here as elitists. After reading this thread, I have no doubt that I was correct. I have no interest in having my posts evaluated and myself judged for giving my opinion on any given subject. Thanks, but really, no thanks.

[drgoodtrips]

Originally Posted by Shooter

In an earlier post, I kiddingly referred to some here as elitists. After reading this thread, I have no doubt that I was correct. I have no interest in having my posts evaluated and myself judged for giving my opinion on any given subject. Thanks, but really, no thanks.

If you read through the forum rules, you'll notice there's nothing in there about critiquing your posts. The rules all have to do with not threatening/insulting/propositioning other members and such.

[Captain Trips]

Originally Posted by Shooter

In an earlier post, I kiddingly referred to some here as elitists. After reading this thread, I have no doubt that I was correct. I have no interest in having my posts evaluated and myself judged for giving my opinion on any given subject. Thanks, but really, no thanks.

If you had spent as much time here as some of us you'd be asking for better control too

What we're tired of is baiting and snide, underhanded insults and lies or opinions presented as "facts". Present your opinions and why you hold them and let others undo themselves with attacks on them or you.

Agreeing to disagree should be fine. What has gone ON hasn't been that at all.

[Shooter]

Originally Posted by drgoodtrips

If you read through the forum rules, you'll notice there's nothing in there about critiquing your posts. The rules all have to do with not threatening/insulting/propositioning other members and such.

One last post. From the things previously posted in this thread, there may not be any "rules", but it's obvious that there are a group of people who make it uncomfortable for people like myself who may not be the brightest bulb in the pack, but want my opinion valued as much as the next person. I belong to a couple of other forums so no lose.