Introducing the Current Affairs/IMHO forum

05-03-2020 11:42PM

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

What’s with all the inverted commas? It makes for confusing reading.

Emmet is a ''whacky'' online ''character''.

EmmetSpiceland · 06-03-2020 09:20AM

Omackeral wrote: »

Emmet is a ''whacky'' online ''character''.

You should really just stick to “tournament” threads, unfunny “jokes” and threatening old men.

This is a feedback thread, not a place for taking “potshots” at people. If you have any feedback around the “Current Affairs” forum we’d all love to hear it. Otherwise keep your beak out of it.

Mr E · 06-03-2020 09:30AM

Admin: Get "back" on "topic" please and stop the stupid "bickering".

Raconteuse · 07-03-2020 04:53PM

Holding conservative/right-wing views does not make someone hate-filled or nasty. And some with liberal/left-wing views can come across as very hate-filled and nasty.

osarusan wrote: »

6 months later, this remains a real problem.

Yeah being a dick - whatever your persuasion - seems to be the problem at times. E.g. in the thread about the recent RTE documentary Redress, a person who has form for dismissing abuse survivors - their only contribution was "Slap bang in "Bart's People" territory from the off I thought" in relation to very traumatised survivors of sexual abuse and extreme physical abuse telling their stories. That's not discussion - that's just a spiteful pot shot.

You've then people who just go around being a nuisance and winding people up/spamming - one (who has been driving people mad for months) on the thread about Darndale et al saying "So you're saying xyz? Really? You're saying that? Lol" (when they're not). You've another who claims over and over that false allegations of rape are at saturation point yet won't give examples (nobody is saying it doesn't happen, but it's not the epidemic he claims), is continuously hostile re women and will mostly engage via sneering and passive aggressive smilies.

What value does their m.o. bring to the place? They're clearly being dicks and still carrying on. I don't get it. Not saying ban them but a change in their debating style?

08-03-2020 01:46AM

Raconteuse wrote: »

Holding conservative/right-wing views does not make someone hate-filled or nasty. And some with liberal/left-wing views can come across as very hate-filled and nasty.

Yeah being a dick - whatever your persuasion - seems to be the problem at times. E.g. in the thread about the recent RTE documentary Redress, a person who has form for dismissing abuse survivors - their only contribution was "Slap bang in "Bart's People" territory from the off I thought" in relation to very traumatised survivors of sexual abuse and extreme physical abuse telling their stories. That's not discussion - that's just a spiteful pot shot.

You've then people who just go around being a nuisance and winding people up/spamming - one (who has been driving people mad for months) on the thread about Darndale et al saying "So you're saying xyz? Really? You're saying that? Lol" (when they're not). You've another who claims over and over that false allegations of rape are at saturation point yet won't give examples (nobody is saying it doesn't happen, but it's not the epidemic he claims), is continuously hostile re women and will mostly engage via sneering and passive aggressive smilies.

What value does their m.o. bring to the place? They're clearly being dicks and still carrying on. I don't get it. Not saying ban them but a change in their debating style?

The type of people your describing won't change their debating style, because it means not being a dick and that's why they post to be a dick, and that doesn't even include the trolls/rereg accounts.

There are a few who seem to have real issues, such as a poster who seems to be so triggered (hate this phrase but it's the most polite one I can use) regarding any report of someone being raped/sexually abused that sometimes I've actually wondered if they were involved in a case as the accused, due to the way they dismiss claims and actual case verdicts. They more than likely weren't but they sure as hell post like they were.

Then you have the posters who defend a know convicted criminal and post about how they donate to them because well he dislikes muslims and immigrants as much as they do. Well a fool and his money are easily parted as they say but they have a habit of trying to make out that anyone who points out that their hero is actually no one to be looked up to (again being as polite as possible) and has issued anti Irish sentiments, is either a paedophile or sympathies with them.

Your not going to get anyone like this to change their debating style because facts don't hold any meaning to them.

Muahahaha · 08-03-2020 02:28AM

Mr E wrote: »

Admin: Get "back" on "topic" please and stop the stupid "bickering".

Well I must say that the "modding" on the CA forum has been "not too shabby".

Though I do "wonder" why "Beasty" always gets to hand out all the "cards and bans". Other "Mods" dont get a "look in". Maybe we need more "ban hammerers" matched with a bit of "diversity" to achieve a "Boards Utopia".

"Amirite?"

Beasty · 08-03-2020 03:38PM

Muahahaha wrote: »

Though I do "wonder" why "Beasty" always gets to hand out all the "cards and bans".

Just to be "clear", I've handed out less than 700 "cards and bans" in the forum since it was created

I've handed out a lot more sitebans in that period.....

osarusan · 08-03-2020 04:58PM

Raconteuse wrote: »

What value does their m.o. bring to the place? They're clearly being dicks and still carrying on. I don't get it. Not saying ban them but a change in their debating style?

I am saying ban them.

They never engage, simply drone on about the same topics over and over and over again in thread after thread after thread. Their presence on threads make the threads worse. Their presence in CA lowers the quality of CA.

They contribute nothing positive or worthwhile whatsoever. The threads, CA, and boards overall would be better off if they were simply not there.

Beasty · 08-03-2020 06:43PM

osarusan wrote: »

I am saying ban them.

They never engage, simply drone on about the same topics over and over and over again in thread after thread after thread. Their presence on threads make the threads worse. Their presence in CA lowers the quality of CA.

They contribute nothing positive or worthwhile whatsoever. The threads, CA, and boards overall would be better off if they were simply not there.

This is down to your interpretation of poster intentions. Now in due course some of those posters may be dealt with and banned, but equally yours in not the only view that counts. What you may consider to be posts in bad faith may be interpreted differently by others. We see both extremes of views expressed on a variety of topics, but we will still find people at those extremes considering their views to be "mainstream"

Now I do try and read all the reports, but at present that is not very easy when I come back after a family event to find dozens more reports, some of which may have been dealt with. We will deal with persistent troublemakers, but will not ban people without building a case. Hence if we see reports and posters don't respond positively to sanctions being handed out they will find those sanctions escalating

biko · 08-03-2020 08:26PM

I must say since the inception of the CA forum the mods have done a very good job of managing it. I wouldn't agree with every decision I come across but in all they do great work under such pressure.

Beasty · 08-03-2020 09:39PM

biko wrote: »

I must say since the inception of the CA forum the mods have done a very good job of managing it. I wouldn't agree with every decision I come across but in all they do great work under such pressure.

No-one can get everything right. Hopefully we get quite a lot more right than we get wrong. Equally a lot of judgement is required to work out the genuine intent behind some things being posted, and often it cannot be black and white.

Some people simply post without thinking how it can be interpreted, some look to be contrary for the sake of it, and some are out and out trolls. Of course the vast majority are entirely reasonable and never much of a bother. The extreme posters get the headlines around here (ie Feedback) in particular, but a lot more positively contribute to discussion in the forum

KyussB · 09-03-2020 02:08AM

Beasty wrote: »

Just to be "clear", I've handed out less than 700 "cards and bans" in the forum since it was created

I've handed out a lot more sitebans in that period.....

JFC...I do think CA is unusually well moderated for Boards, despite my own run ins - and fair play on that, it seems to be close to the right balance of moderation - but Boards must hold some kind of world record for mod-actions/bans, for that to be considered a modest number...

Beasty · 09-03-2020 01:03PM

KyussB wrote: »

JFC...I do think CA is unusually well moderated for Boards, despite my own run ins - and fair play on that, it seems to be close to the right balance of moderation - but Boards must hold some kind of world record for mod-actions/bans, for that to be considered a modest number...

Nah! just shows I am more likely to siteban you than issue you with a yellow in CA:pac:

Raconteuse · 22-03-2020 03:09PM

Glad there is a dedicated covid19 forum and it must be a lot of work.

There is a cohort of narcissistic folk though who are using it to spread absurd conspiracy theories, to ridicule and insult people who are rigidly complying with WHO guidelines to stem the spread, to spread dangerous misinformation that it's over hyped, to be the opposite also - scaremongering, stating various stuff "will" happen, to spread misinformation in general, to just go on a wind-up, and to push a political agenda of e.g. reams and reams of anti FG stuff based on little to nothing (just their obsession with finding fault on a non stop basis - the government is clearly doing a good job) and anyone who disagrees is a shill, not merely disagreeing.

The topic isn't the place for "just muh opinion" and "free speeeeech (that I agree with)". It's a devastating health crisis with huge knock-on effects and not the place for such poison.

Disagreement and debate and questioning can go on quite easily without that muck. Can there be a blanket redirection to the CT forum of these vindictive types? They are just gleefully making a worrying issue worse.

Some clearly do not care one bit about others and seem to lack empathy, like psychopaths.

Discodog · 22-03-2020 03:32PM

And something serious that we should worry about gets hidden in the dross.

Muahahaha · 22-03-2020 03:32PM

From what Im seeing anyone who posts disinformation or is on the wind up is getting called out by all the other posters. If they sustain it a Mod comes in and says Do not post in the thread again and thats the end of that. I think it is running like clockwork, especially given the volume of posts.

Discodog · 22-03-2020 03:50PM

Muahahaha wrote: »

From what Im seeing anyone who posts disinformation or is on the wind up is getting called out by all the other posters. If they sustain it a Mod comes in and says Do not post in the thread again and thats the end of that. I think it is running like clockwork, especially given the volume of posts.

I think it's getting better as the volume reduces.

Beasty · 22-03-2020 07:48PM

Raconteuse wrote: »

Glad there is a dedicated covid19 forum and it must be a lot of work.

Certainly is!

Discodog wrote: »

I think it's getting better as the volume reduces.

By my reckoning we're now getting about as many posts in the forum as we were getting in the dedicated threads when it was confined to CA

To put it all in perspective it's attracting about a third of site traffic in terms of posts since the new forum was set up last week

However having a number of "Megathreads" is making things a bit easier. The main problem I find is that a large number of posters want to start threads on any related topic they can think of, rather than posting in one of the Megathreads (which are often relevant to those topics). Then some of the longer running/more substantial threads get pushed off the front page, encouraging more to start similar threads

A little search, or simply scanning through the first 2 or 3 pages will often identify a relevant thread. To date I reckon I've probably closed a dozen or so threads (in addition to those closed for getting to 10k posts) and merged another 40-50 into other threads. We still have getting on for 150 or so "open" threads already in the few days the forum has been open

22-03-2020 08:58PM

Beasty wrote: »

Certainly is!

By my reckoning we're now getting about as many posts in the forum as we were getting in the dedicated threads when it was confined to CA

To put it all in perspective it's attracting about a third of site traffic in terms of posts since the new forum was set up last week

However having a number of "Megathreads" is making things a bit easier. The main problem I find is that a large number of posters want to start threads on any related topic they can think of, rather than posting in one of the Megathreads (which are often relevant to those topics). Then some of the longer running/more substantial threads get pushed off the front page, encouraging more to start similar threads

A little search, or simply scanning through the first 2 or 3 pages will often identify a relevant thread. To date I reckon I've probably closed a dozen or so threads (in addition to those closed for getting to 10k posts) and merged another 40-50 into other threads. We still have getting on for 150 or so "open" threads already in the few days the forum has been open

The last main thread and the current one appear to be a continuous moan about kids/people being outside, a few posters asking the same question again and again, political bickering, misinformation, along with the usual (being polite) edge lords.

If we ever go into an actual lockdown as being called for, not that anyone appears to know what one is and what it will entail, I expect those that were calling for it to be complaining about the length and restrictions introduced.

Hat off to ye, I wouldn't have the patience.

Raconteuse · 26-03-2020 01:26PM

I wonder could the people who are insisting this is a cover for fascism (yet not suggesting an alternative) maybe be redirected to Conspiracy Theories? Their derangement is purely to antagonise. They are literally calling people nazis.

Leg End Reject · 26-03-2020 02:15PM

Raconteuse wrote: »

I wonder could the people who are insisting this is a cover for fascism (yet not suggesting an alternative) maybe be redirected to Conspiracy Theories? Their derangement is purely to antagonise. They are literally calling people nazis.

I occasionally read the dedicated Covid-19 forum, but these loons are in after hours too.

It's a pity they can't be redirected to Facebook.

EmmetSpiceland · 26-03-2020 03:45PM

Leg End Reject wrote: »

I occasionally read the dedicated Covid-19 forum, but these loons are in after hours too.

It's a pity they can't be redirected to Facebook.

The dam “burst” awhile ago, L. Threads were left in AH for far too long and the weirdos, creeps and oddballs stuck around.

Lots of nasty, and odious, “opinions” constantly being spat into every thread, at any opportunity.

The Covid “sub forum” has certainly provided a distraction for their nonsense but they still come back when they can.

26-03-2020 10:55PM

its a real ""cesspit""!

Raconteuse · 27-03-2020 09:08PM

"Totalitarianism as I have pointed out.

Adolf Varadkar strikes again."

:rolleyes:

The way they're pretending it's for no reason is just trolling.

28-03-2020 12:06AM

This is it wrote: »

I presume you're reporting these? Just let the mods deal with them and card/ban as they see fit. I haven't read much today but the main C19 thread is almost self modded. Anyone talking shyte is called out pretty quick. Some continue but reporting is all we can really do.

It's getting so many zombie accounts resurrecting that it's starting to look like shaun of the dead.
Also hard to tell if people banned in previous versions have been allowed back in or just chancing their arm and posting the same type of guff in the latest version.

Beasty · 28-03-2020 12:45PM

Raconteuse wrote: »

"Totalitarianism as I have pointed out.

Adolf Varadkar strikes again."

:rolleyes:

The way they're pretending it's for no reason is just trolling.

I really cannot understand why you choose to complain here rather than report posts you have a problem with

You may feel you have a larger "audience" here, but I am fed up with these crappy digs at moderation by people who cannot be arsed to follow a process they are totally familiar with. Modding that forum is hard enough without having to deal with this sort of crap

EmmetSpiceland · 28-03-2020 01:49PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

its a real ""cesspit""!

You’re not wrong, S. But it’s a necessary one and I, for one, hope it continues in its present “format” and that the moderators continue as they are letting the place “flow”.

As I’ve stated previously, I feel it’s the AH crew that are letting the “side” down by not moving threads which just encourages the CA “creatures” to spew all over the place.

Ken. · 28-03-2020 02:48PM

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

You’re not wrong, S. But it’s a necessary one and I, for one, hope it continues in its present “format” and that the moderators continue as they are letting the place “flow”.

As I’ve stated previously, I feel it’s the AH crew that are letting the “side” down by not moving threads which just encourages the CA “creatures” to spew all over the place.

Hey Emmet. I'm stuck at home for the day. Could you please report any threads you think should be moved and I'll have a look.

I've just had a look at the first 4 pages and besides 3 covid threads I moved to the new forum I can see no others.

Raconteuse · 28-03-2020 09:20PM

Beasty wrote: »

I really cannot understand why you choose to complain here rather than report posts you have a problem with

You may feel you have a larger "audience" here, but I am fed up with these crappy digs at moderation by people who cannot be arsed to follow a process they are totally familiar with. Modding that forum is hard enough without having to deal with this sort of crap

But this is the feedback forum. I'm not having a go at moderators but at that particular group of posters who are more interested in pushing an Infowars type political agenda and being antagonistic.

Not sure why you just selected my post for admonishment.

Beasty · 28-03-2020 09:46PM

Raconteuse wrote: »

But this is the feedback forum. I'm not having a go at moderators but at that particular group of posters who are more interested in pushing an Infowars type political agenda and being antagonistic.

Not sure why you just selected my post for admonishment.

I made it very clear in my post why I "selected" your post

You complain here about something you cannot be arsed to report

Why is that?

Why do you complain about something in Feedback, but not point it out to moderators?

Maybe if you realise we have had over 500 reports from a forum that has only existed for less than 2 weeks. I have looked at pretty much all those reports, plus more from when the topic was in the main CA forum, I really do not appreciate it when someone comes over here to whinge about something they have failed to alert us to

Introducing the Current Affairs/IMHO forum

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