The Purpose of Merb v Bickering Merbites

[korbel]

Hello all,

I come to Merb for information to help enjoy a good time in Montreal. I often do searches in a particular area of concern when I have a certain preference of one kind or another. It can be difficult to even find a thread answering these issues. Then, with some luck, a thread with a promising title turns up. On checking into the thread hoping to acquire the information I seek, the promising thread has degenerated to some very tedious bickering because someone has taken offense at one point or another. Often no real offense has been given. But someone has answered the post and someone else has perceived some slight against his favorite lady though on clear negative point was given. The thread supposed to contain helpful information has become an exchange between bickering merbites.

All of us need to remember more often what Merb is supposed to be. Threads should not be misdirected to the point where it is then worthless for relevant information. Threads are not an opportunity to come to the rescue of your "slighted" lady like some medieval knight trying to gain her favor. Merb should be a vault of information...NOT a tool for displaying your anger. Certainly, there are posts that should be challenged. But not to the point of making the thread completely useless. I want to make a loud protest against this "silly" use of Merb in the hope for more restraint and better information. I thank all those who have provide relevant information and distanced themselves from the pettiness that goes on.

Regards,

Korbel

PS

YES...I realize I this post is negative. But I make no apology for trying to bring notice to a bad situation.

 

[Techman]

In an ideal world a quick PM to the mods would result in immediate action. But unfortunately the mods are not always around and sometimes it takes a couple of posts to identify one of Tony's multiple personalities. I don't think we will ever be able to rid the boards of the elf, and his presence makes all new posters suspect. We've been through it all before and still have not been able to solve the "problem" of Tony.

 

[korbel]

Hello all,

My issue is really about staying on target. Of course, as Regnad said, "this is exactly the kind of post that starts the pissing contests." He's perfectly right about that. But this post was not offering information. It was about trying to get some feedback and perhaps suggestions on the problem of what I call Post Degeneration. This post was meant to sort out an issue. And the issue for me is when posts about legitimate information are turned into stages for bickering or self-promotion.

When I go looking for information about someone, or I try to find information on ladies who may be more "unique", I would like to find that information without a long series of tit for tat exchanges that have nothing to do with the thread subject itself. Some of my own threads have been contaminated in such ways. And that silliness discourages those like me from helping others because, in my case, I post less since I don't appreciate those who use my post as an opportunity to serve their pettiness or agendas. I am sure otehrs feel the same way, so everyone loses a little; maybe even a lot. I don't think anyone is encouraged to participate when they find this sort of thing going on with their posts. A couple of continuing hobbyists I know have stopped posting completely in part because of this "STUFF!"

I don't know anything about "Tony" or what he may have done. As I said, "there are posts that should be challenged" for one legitimate reason or another. But we should make distinctions between this situation and rampant, unnecessary and irrelevant pettiness or useless self-promotion. Let's all be a little more discerning about what gets posted.

There is one thing I just thought of while writing. If each poster could permanently close only his/of her own post once it degenrates we could do our own policing since we are more vigilant about posts we write. No one would be allowed to change or erase replies to their posts. It would simply be closed by the original poster if it degenrates into attacks, bickering and other offensive situations. That might cut off a lot of nonsense. Of course the mods would still make the ultimate judgements. This was just a flash thought.

Good luck,

Korbel

 

[agentleman27]

Thanks Korbel

 

[Salmacis]

All of us need to remember more often what Merb is supposed to be. Threads should not be misdirected to the point where it is then worthless for relevant information. Threads are not an opportunity to come to the rescue of your "slighted" lady like some medieval knight trying to gain her favor. Merb should be a vault of information...NOT a tool for displaying your anger. Certainly, there are posts that should be challenged. But not to the point of making the thread completely useless. I want to make a loud protest against this "silly" use of Merb in the hope for more restraint and better information. I thank all those who have provide relevant information and distanced themselves from the pettiness that goes on.

I agree. As such, I try to keep my posts limited to comments and reviews that are relevant to the thread. However, this being a public board there is little that can be done other that delaying and filtering all posts - Canbest style.

If each poster could permanently close only his/of her own post once it degenrates we could do our own policing since we are more vigilant about posts we write.

Good idea, it will have an impact on some threads.

 

[Techman]

.....

There is one thing I just thought of while writing. If each poster could permanently close only his/of her own post once it degenrates we could do our own policing since we are more vigilant about posts we write. No one would be allowed to change or erase replies to their posts. It would simply be closed by the original poster if it degenrates into attacks, bickering and other offensive situations. That might cut off a lot of nonsense. Of course the mods would still make the ultimate judgements. This was just a flash thought.

Good luck,

Korbel

That's a great idea as long as the mods could re-open a thread if necessary. We don't want to end up going too far in the other direction with posters starting a thread and closing it after the first dissenting post. There has to be room for discussion. Maybe allow a poster to close a thread for 24 hours to give a mod time to make a final decision. This would also give people time to cool down a bit. Of course there is nothing stopping someone from opening a new thread just to continue the arguement and I have a feeling that is exactly what will start to happen.

 

[gtadick]

Threads,posts,info needed

Somehow with the decline of the spreadsheet, we need to finds ome way of separating out posts that are pure reviews-reviews only of an encounter from the rest of the thread that has nothing to do with that enouncter or escort or agency.

Maybe just splitting it out?

 

[StripperLover]

Korbel,

We all come to this & other boards for information but it comes down to the validity of the information by that very poster. If the poster chooses to write his revew or comments such that they are left up to interpretation or that someone else thinks that there are apparent holes in that review then those are instances where others with differing experiences are going to challenge that very poster.

Should the original poster be allowed to cut off any & all dissenting opinions or thoughts or perhaps should the original poster determine what is an acceptable dissenting opinion or even who is an acceptable dissenting poster ?

That would make a board a pat on your back shill environment as anyone could write any nonsense & no one could ever challenge them.

EXAMPLE: I see a regular SP & she is the type of person who is not an aggressive person in the least. She needs a certain amount of time to relax especially with a new client. I go & back-channel this information to someone & he immediately makes a date with her. I had mentioned that if you're going to only book a 1 hour call & go for the gusto within minutes of her arrival, being a slightly passive person she'll back off in the service that she gives, even though she is a sexual pig. He did like her but in his recounting to me the details me of how it went, I got the immediate impression that he jumped her within mins & then I asked if he only took 1 hour. Both were confirmed.

Had this person written a poor review of his experience with her & blocked off any dissenting opinions or remarks, a person like myself who may have perhaps more experience and/or a dissenting knowledge would not be able to voice it in that thread. And that to me would make a board useless.

Just because someone posts his experience, that doesn't make it or that person unapproachable.

Perhaps there should be a constantly revising set of rules as to what is acceptable or not in a review. As an example, I only want to read what the poster has felt or thought to or for himself & other comments are to me, to use a hockeyism, offside.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Korbel,

Although I agree that sometimes threads become clogged with pointless bickering of a personal and/or irrelevant nature that only serves to distract the reader, Stripper Lover makes an important point. There are some posters who appear on the Boards with clearcut agendas and if they are not challenged, those agendas will be successfully foisted on others who don't know any better. Unfortunately once there is a challenge there is sometimes a deterioration of an otherwise legitimate thread started by a legitimate poster.

Regarding the "White Knight Syndrome", i.e. the tendency of certain posters to aggressively defend certain ladies and attack even the slightest wisp of legitimate criticism of them, this syndrome is indigenous to every known escort review board in the universe, and there is no known cure for the affliction. However most of us know who the "White Knights" are, and basically over the course of time as they ride that high horse they lose credibility. Personally, I don't become beholden to any one SP or agency and I find that those who do and post repeatedly on one agency or SP have little or no credibility.

In any event Korbel you have been on the Boards for a very long time, at least as long as me or longer, so none of this should be news to you.

 

[eastender]

Korbel,

We all come to this & other boards for information but it comes down to the validity of the information by that very poster. If the poster chooses to write his revew or comments such that they are left up to interpretation or that someone else thinks that there are apparent holes in that review then those are instances where others with differing experiences are going to challenge that very poster.

Should the original poster be allowed to cut off any & all dissenting opinions or thoughts or perhaps should the original poster determine what is an acceptable dissenting opinion or even who is an acceptable dissenting poster ?

That would make a board a pat on your back shill environment as anyone could write any nonsense & no one could ever challenge them.

SL one of your posts on another board had a different opinion - quote

Eastender
"It seems to me that the person starting thread is the creator of it & thus he should be able to determine it's fate just like an artist can alter or destroy his own work or choose the segragation of his work from those other's who he/she so chooses."

Quote as made with omissions and grammatical flaws.

Previously you argued - in support of one of your friends,that they should not be held accountable or open to the democratic process.You clearly believed in censorship - that an "artist" can choose the segregation of his work - akin to a leading artist like the Rolling Stones dictating to radio stations which other artists may be played on that station or within a time frame of a Rolling Stones record.

Now when it suits your purpose you adopt the opposite point of view as evidenced by the last sentence in the quote from a post on this board.

No PMs only public board posts.

 

[korbel]

Solution??????

Hello all,

My suggestion about posters being able to close their own posts WITH oversight by the moderators was not offered as a perfect solution. It was just an impulse that came to me while writing. Of course, I seek all your help for a better solution.

Be sure of one thing. I know we all want helpful dialogue and we all want to identify and stop schills and the like. This should never be hindered. And this is certainly not an attempt to block legitimate contrary views. BUT face it...there is lots of trash that is just real trash and we need to cut it way down even if we can never stop it completely. One person said there will be those who will open a new thread just to continue a closed one. Well...true. Then that would make him or her instantly indentifiable for what they are. If they insist on continuing with bickering instead of productive discourse then we would know that person as a troublemaker and he or she could be justly dealt with by the mods instantly.

I look forward to your ideas.

Good luck.

 

[StripperLover]

eastender,

What I meant in that post consistent with the applicable VBulletin software & the configuration that this board chooses to adopt, is that a thread starter can absolutely delete his opening post & as a result of the 2 factors above, the whole thread will be removed.

There is no current provision, within the VBulletin software to do what Korbel is suggesting & I realize that it's just a suggestion. I do agree with a thread starter's right to pre-determine, in writing, in his opening post, the absolute direction of a thread, as is his right to remove it all but that being said I don't agree that anyone should be able to censor in or out posts as he/she chooses. I'm saying either remove it completely as this board allows or leave it there for all to agree or disagree within board rules.

 

[StripperLover]

Korbel,

I disagree with your conclusion, in that if a person is not permitted to post his facts or point of view, then I don't come to your same hypothesis that he/she is a troublemaker, just that he wants his voice heard on the subject.

There are times when some people may have information that others do not, be it via back-channelling or such & because it isn't necessarily public knowledge should that person not be heard because it may be contrary or ruffle a few feathers ?

 

[korbel]

Bickering

Hello Stripperlover,

Thanks for taking the time to respond and showing interest in this post. I do enjoy reading all lucid responses like yours. But you seem to have misunderstood or misread my last post. I said..."this is certainly not an attempt to block legitimate contrary views". I thought this made it very clear that what I am trying to protest is very different from someone's "facts or point of view" whether they agree with the original poster or not. I used the word bickering. Perhaps that was a poor and ineffective choice. What I am talking about is two basic things. These are: when responders take the post completely off subject; and when things degenrate into name calling, back-biting, generally juvenile and disrespectful remarks or just plain insults. I am sure we can all agree that all facts and points of view are welcome...minus the irreverant childishness. The trash like that is all I would like to see censored.

On the matter of software to follow through on my suggestion if all find it acceptable; I do not know much about the technical aspects of software. In my simple logic it would seem to me threads are like a door. If a poster can open a thread then why can't he or she also close it. How difficult is it to insert this software? If the mods can close threads then why can't someone else. Please remember. I am only talking about the original poster being able to close his or her own thread only. And with the moderators supervision, only when it has clearly moved away from its intent or degenerated beneath civility. But no one, except the mods, should be allowed to "censor" anyone else ever. All final decisions would obviously belong to the moderators alone to keep closed or reopen based on their sense of the situation.

Thanks for all of your input.

Best regards,

Korbel

 

[StripperLover]

Korbel,

I think that I now better understand your purpose regarding the insults, name calling & just disrespectful comments. In these regards, I think that anyone who transgresses in these on the public board against any member should be suspended for a 1 week period, beginning immediately, with a graduated scale of a 2nd offense period of 1 month & finally a 3rd offence being a 6 month period.

Knowing a bit about VBulletin software, I don't believe anyone but a Mod, Super Mod or Admin can presently do what you are speaking of.

 

[korbel]

Recognizing it.

Hello b_cup_lover,

I have tried to avoid specific names and subjects on this thread because I think 99% of us can recognize when things are getting out of hand and degenerating in silliness and insults and there should be no distinction between one subject or another when it comes to this. I have not read or participated on either side of posts you label as "French bashing". Unfortunately, threads concerning political or cultural conflict often degenrate faster than other themes into the kind of useless and harmful exchanges I think we all want to stop. I exclude no subject when I address these types of posts.

In this paragraph I began to write a response to the subject of "French-bashing". But I erased it so I would not get off the subject and into other matters. If you wish to have a dsicussion on this matter please direct me to it. For now, all I will say is...VIVE les Francais.

Bon chance et bonne journee',

Korbel

 

[korbel]

Silly???

Hello Mod 5,

Clearly there are many problems with the suggestions in this post and all you have pointed out is likely to happen since those who do these things simply don't have the self-control to stop themselves. No one is trying to usurp the authority of the mods. In truth, I never thought the suggestion I made would be accepted. But it did seem to generate discussion much further than I thought it would. As for your characterization of the suggestion as "silly"...clearly even the more sensible of us need more awareness when phrasing our contrary views.

Regards,

Korbel

 

[StripperLover]

Korbel,

When members respond to posts that they disagree with, I think a newer & clearer set of rules should apply so tht ALL members know them.

I have listed above (post # 29) some of what I think are the most important and/or those that cause the most irritation amongst those with opposing view points. I forgot to include the revealing of personal info in my list which some seem to need as a revenge quotient.

 

[korbel]

permanent ban

Hello Stripperlover,

I think the revealing of personal information is the most unforgiveable offensive any one can commit. In this case my opinion is that he or she should get life without parole. I think that makes all of my point here.

Regards,

Korbel

 

[StripperLover]

Korbel,

I don't fully agree with your lengh of the sentence that you would impose.

I think that it should be slightly less, & again on a scale but in all of these cases, I think that the violator should be publicly berated or exposed by a Mod(s).

That way everyone on the board knows that this person has committed a transgression & then all other posters from then on who they are dealing with in regards to personal info being revealed.