where are they

He may be back, but he says he's thinking he won't. He's always super busy, and the recent influx of idiotic trolls doesn't make this an enticing place to make time for.

 

Yeah, he wrote me a nice message awhile back in my rep and he mentioned some of his feelings on being here. I don't imagine that with some of the current company he's too thrilled.

But karma, if you're out there...you are missed!

 

the reason why alot of folks have stopped bothering here

 

Cosign this - I want Karma back!!! Karma, shoot me an e-mail and let me know how you are doing. Dont be a stranger!!!!

 

He doesn't even log in regularly anymore, but I'll let him know. He is missed, as are all the members who bring insight, intelligence and wisdom to the forum.

Some days the BS is just too much to wade through Robina. And sometimes it's staggering how stupid people can be.

 

I miss natedogg. He's been gone a long time though.

 

Karma is the man, and I consider Karma and Sir Nose my forum mentors. With that said, I completely understand and often share his reasons for staying away. I just think my friend is finding time to have a bit more fun than I.

 

It's statments like these that make me wonder why we let the trolls have their way around here. Why be so slow to ban them as if they have "rights".

 

I see it from both sides Jordan. I understand that people need to be free to express themselves, and I absolutely support free speech. However, most of the trolls that have been banned started off badly and just went downhill from there. Sometimes you can just read the first post and know they aren't here for a good purpose. I personally think if someone posts anything that violates the guidelines, that one of the Mods should warn them that they're being inappropriate and give them the option to remove the inappropriate content and start again with a clean slate. If they don't, then I think on the second offense they should be banned. I think that takes into consideration the people who just aren't bright, don't know any better, don't understand what is offensive, etc. and gives them the opportunity to try again and do better. Many of the people we end up banning are inappropriate from the beginning, and warnings actually tend to make them worse, so it's pretty obvious they just aren't going to contribute in a positive manner.

That said, I feel we allow some of the trolls to stick around entirely too long. I generally either mention people who I find questionable or concerning in either the Mods section, or to the Webmaster. We almost always take a 'wait and see' approach on them, and in looking back at the people that we took that approach with recently, they've all since been banned. So I think when you see a pattern whereby you're detecting people early on, and they've all proven to require banning, why not just go with your instinct and ban them? I do believe everyone should get one warning, but that's sufficient IMO. Leaving them for days, weeks, or months just degrades the quality of the content on the forum and discourages regular posters from participating, and new people from joining IMO.

I also think we aren't all defining troll the same way. Most people seem to think of trolls as those that show up with an anti-IR agenda, or who are openly racist. However the definition I use is:

One who posts a deliberately provocative message to a newsgroup or message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument.

Using that definition, there are some people here that should be banned IMO, who are allowed to remain solely because they aren't racist, or anti-IR. That doesn't alter the fact that they create a hostile environment that the rest of the members then have to deal with. I think that's not in the best interest of the forum as a whole. All of this is merely my .02 cents mind you.

My best suggestion to everyone is to report posts that you feel are inappropriate, offensive, or just plain hateful. Anytime someone has a lot of reported posts, they'll require attention, and we don't babysit people as that just takes more time than anyone has.

 

I agree with this. And I'm not really sure why this isn't already the case as a basis for being banned. There are quite a few members that would already be banned if this were the case...

When posters are repeatedly abusive and offensive, that should be grounds for banning, even if they do appear to be pro-IR and not racist...

 

A lot of people who have left, who I still talk to by email or FB, say the angst around was just too much.

Most people want to exchange ideas and socialize but without the extra. A lot of times this feeling is perpetuated by people who arrive with agendas and cause trouble right away. It's unfortunate the trolls get their way and scare off the interesting/good people.

 

then there are the vets who dont like new. they dont like people with different ideas and/or inputs. they sometimes harrasse people because they have different POV's which sucks because u should get a new perspective and fresh ideas

 

I don't think any of the vets that you describe are still posting at the moment goodlove. We're pretty accepting of people with opposing points of view around here, but we are not tolerant of people who spout bullshit just to start an argument, or who come at people with obvious disrespect. Those people deserve the treatment they get. You wouldn't walk into a classroom and tell everyone to fuck off before you even introduced yourself, you shouldn't do it here either. That ought to be common sense, so I think when someone starts right in offensively then it's a fair assumption that they either intend to cause trouble, or they lack the social skills necessary to interact with anyone in public.

 

LOL. no doubt.

the remark Im looking going for is toward the new russian gurl ( I was trying to be a little tacit. I shouldnt have been so ambigous and been more direct). I believe she was getting the raw deal. I dont think her statements were bad (at least to the ones I have seen.) maybe a little aberrant but not bad.

 

Nah, she deserved her treatment. Several of us tried to give her the benefit of the doubt & she wasn't having it. She wanted to stir up trouble. She then started posting really inappropriate pictures & got banned. She's come back like 5 times & all have been banned. Good riddance.

 

No doubt she got the hook early cause she was pissing off the ladies...but no's ones that dense, plus she was warned.

There's a few dudes that need to go, one especially, but he apparently has fan girls on here, which makes me wonder what they are thinking, I'll explore that in due time after his banned, but we should also acknowledge the good new members that come on this board.

 

hmmm....wonders who you are referring to...i hate cryptic lol :mrgreen:

so jaisee this tami my love :smt023

 

always tami...!!!