This place used to be a lot more fun.
???
Earlier today, a very well worded post was put up in regards to a person's experience on other boards.
It went away.
Perhaps it was collateral damage.
It was a good, straight forward post, and should be read by all WhiteBlaze members. My opinion.
The Weasel you left the site and started going by Rusty when it was moderated less. I have heard time reconciling that with what you just wrote.
"Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
Call for his whisky
He can call for his tea
Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan
Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.
I feel a sense of sadness about this post. Over time, I've come to think that Alligator does not act out of a sense of "I have the power," and I have always understood that he acts from the best of intentions for WhiteBlaze and the users here. And, as I suggested in the post a little bit ago, he is doing what ATTroll wants, and that's the only "vote" that really counts.Originally Posted by Alligator
But I wish sometimes that Alligator, who seems to do the vast majority of deletions and thread closures, could have a better understanding of how "keeping it civil" doesn't mean that he has to make unilateral decisions like, "This thread is going off topic and is closed" where there is no uncivility going on. Nor does it have to mean, "Post deleted" when someone makes a crusty comment; I don't agree with a lot of Lone Wolf's opinions, and sometimes in the past his - and, I emphasize, mine, maybe even more so -statements went way over the line. But LW's (and many others) were valued ("pithy" was a multi-layered comment that was often used) and added some delight and spice to puncture (mine and maybe a few other's) pomposity.
That's all gone now, because WB's Moderators differ from some of us about what "civil" means. To some of us, "civil" means open, clear, specific opinions, including on things that involve how politics and culture affect the AT and hiking, short of a line that involves threats, vulgarity, and personal attacks. That's a broad definition than our Moderators have, and - I emphasize it again - they are in charge, not us, as they seem to view "civil" as "non-controversial" and scrub WB accordingly.
So I've been wrong: Alligator - as is each of the Moderators here - is, I think, possessed of the best of intentions. There is, however, a road made of those. Nevertheless, I thank him for what he has tried to do. I hope he's right in the long haul.
The Weasel
"Thank God! there is always a Land of Beyond, For us who are true to the trail..." --- Robert Service
As I said earlier, 'That was then, and this is now.' Perhaps you - and maybe a few others - will reconcile it better when you read my post above.
TW
"Thank God! there is always a Land of Beyond, For us who are true to the trail..." --- Robert Service
While it is true that a fair number of the regular posters have left or severely cut back on posting, there are quite a few new faces who pop up everywhere.
Well, it could also be due to a lot of repetative nonsense, imo. I've only been hanging around for about a year and have seen the same comments coming from the same people over the same topics more times than I can count. After awhile, you can almost place bets on who will say what to whom and how that person will respond.
Then you get into the people who post who have absolutely NOTHING to add to the conversation, seemingly just to have something to say. Take the post I made about Boot Camp vs. Thru-hike, asking which was harder. Out of the 3 pages of replies it got, 75% of the people admitted up front they hadn't done EITHER of the two things I was asking about. What exactly is the point of that? Then, out of the 25% that was left, most of those admitted to having only done one OR the other, so at best, that's a half-baked opinion. I think I honestly got only 4-6 people who had actually done both. Keep in mind, I tried to keep it as broad and civil as possible, trying not to get into the age-old debate about which branch of the service was harder...but inevitably, it was still tossed into it within a page.
I have learned a lot from reading things here on the site, but what I'm most glad for is that I've identified those people who I feel have honest, factual opinions based off experience. Now I can just PM them when I have a question and avoid those who want to post incessantly just to hear themselves talk. If I wanted broad sweeping opinions not based in experience about any range of topics...I'd just call my mother.
Pyro - Bringin' the heat! '11 Safety Tribe firestarter
2011 - Springer to Pearisburg
You can't expect them to read that. I read it and was embarrassed that I read the whole thing. Jeez Louise.
I need an aspirin.
#44 I speak of.
shelters suck.Well, it could also be due to a lot of repetative nonsense, imo. I've only been hanging around for about a year and have seen the same comments coming from the same people over the same topics more times than I can count. After awhile, you can almost place bets on who will say what to whom and how that person will respond.
Then you get into the people who post who have absolutely NOTHING to add to the conversation, seemingly just to have something to say. Take the post I made about Boot Camp vs. Thru-hike, asking which was harder. Out of the 3 pages of replies it got, 75% of the people admitted up front they hadn't done EITHER of the two things I was asking about. What exactly is the point of that? Then, out of the 25% that was left, most of those admitted to having only done one OR the other, so at best, that's a half-baked opinion. I think I honestly got only 4-6 people who had actually done both. Keep in mind, I tried to keep it as broad and civil as possible, trying not to get into the age-old debate about which branch of the service was harder...but inevitably, it was still tossed into it within a page.
I have learned a lot from reading things here on the site, but what I'm most glad for is that I've identified those people who I feel have honest, factual opinions based off experience. Now I can just PM them when I have a question and avoid those who want to post incessantly just to hear themselves talk. If I wanted broad sweeping opinions not based in experience about any range of topics...I'd just call my mother.
Maybe Mom has more experience, and knows more, than you think. Give her a call. Listen. Don't hang up.. *** If I wanted broad sweeping opinions not based in experience about any range of topics...I'd just call my mother.
TW
"Thank God! there is always a Land of Beyond, For us who are true to the trail..." --- Robert Service
Yeah, they're full of mouse traps
I'm thinking the "cool kids" have found something better to do - like hanging out somewhere smoking cigarettes and drinking beer.
It's a great day to be alive !
ROFL. Sorry TW, wayyy off base there. I have a relationship with my mom that most people couldn't even begin to comprehend. I not only love my parents, but like them as friends. Nice way to jump to conclusions though.Maybe Mom has more experience, and knows more, than you think. Give her a call. Listen. Don't hang up.
TW
Pyro - Bringin' the heat! '11 Safety Tribe firestarter
2011 - Springer to Pearisburg
Can't post in that thread anymore......
Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.
*** If I wanted broad sweeping opinions not based in experience about any range of topics...I'd just call my mother.Glad to hear that.
TW
"Thank God! there is always a Land of Beyond, For us who are true to the trail..." --- Robert Service
Yes, I think it's your imagination.
And, for what it's worth, I think the moderation on WB has increased tremendously (for the good) in the past year or so, back to more like it used to be in the beginning.
RainMan
.
[I]ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: ... Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit....[/I]. Numbers 35
[url]www.MeetUp.com/NashvilleBackpacker[/url]
.
Believe me.....you have proven that point time and time again.
Which again answers the question as to why numbers are down.
There is a time for moderation, and a time to step back and let things occur as to appear not to be heavy-handed.
There are three moderators for the General forum.....not a single one balked at my comments.
"Why is it a penny for your thoughts, but you always have to put your two cents in?"
- Stephen Wright
Sorry........I stand corrected.
There are four moderators for the General Forum.
Not a single one balked at my comments.
"Why is it a penny for your thoughts, but you always have to put your two cents in?"
- Stephen Wright
Wow, I dont get on here all day and look what happens
My observation is that people are exploring more threads than just the general forum. I have noticed that more threads are being moved to proper places. Some people have just gotten tired of some of the BS (wont go into it) and left and gone over to the other site.
Also, and I think Mags said it, its the holiday season. It always dies down a little. The thruhiker stuff will kick back up closer to mid march when the Rucks start up.
AND, when people get "picked on" for being opinionated it starts a snowball affect.
I pointed that out almost verbatim but it was deleted. . . . .
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