[BartSimpson]

With regards to the political balance on CKA we're actually pretty fairly balanced right now.

From our current stats:

[DrCaleb]

martin14 martin14:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

You are large percentage of the reason for it.

Are you trying to insinuate people left CKA because of my posts ?

Oh, I would love to see some proof of that.

No insinuation, I stated it directly. As for proof, sorry. Private Messages are Private. But you are a small slice of those who told me why they were leaving.

martin14 martin14:

$1:

It's rather sad too, because I used to enjoy your contributions to the site. Bike trips through Europe, tours of War Cemeteries.

Right, so as long as I am spending my money and posting pretty pictures,
everything is fine, but the second I have a political opinion, now I am
not a nice guy anymore.

It's not your opinion, it's how you choose to share it. I think the contest is pretty even between you and Beave as to who I've had to give warnings to.

martin14 martin14:

This place has changed, a lot, and not for the better.

As I wrote before, this place is a reflection of those who post here. We all can choose to be the change we want to see, or continue being the problem.

[martin14]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

It's not your opinion, it's how you choose to share it. I think the contest is pretty even between you and Beave as to who I've had to give warnings to.

Yeah, except for the fact that some people get warnings issued without anything being flagged by other posters,
some people may get a warning after a flag and a lot of shouting,
and some posters get no warning no matter what they post, no limits on insanity or rage or language or hate content.

$1:

As I wrote before, this place is a reflection of those who post here. We all can choose to be the change we want to see, or continue being the problem.

Last point, you respond, then we should stop cause we are wayyyoff topic.

The current moderation staff has no ability or desire to fix the current problems. In fact, it's become worse. Much worse.

[DrCaleb]

martin14 martin14:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

It's not your opinion, it's how you choose to share it. I think the contest is pretty even between you and Beave as to who I've had to give warnings to.

Yeah, except for the fact that some people get warnings issued without anything being flagged by other posters,
some people may get a warning after a flag and a lot of shouting,
and some posters get no warning no matter what they post, no limits on insanity or rage or language or hate content.

True. I used to use my own judgement, but since I gave a finger wagging to Brah that others disagreed with, I have taken a step back and will only look at something if someone else reports it. Just because it offends me does not mean it's offensive.

We use the rules as posted as our guide, and the rules say nothing about insanity, rage, language or hate. The closeset they come is "Undue discrimination against any member or visitor to this site is not tolerated. Please see the section titled “Flaming” for special consideration into this matter."

So if it doesn't break that, it's allowed. And some people are very, very good at not saying what they really mean, so we can't do anything about it.

martin14 martin14:

$1:

As I wrote before, this place is a reflection of those who post here. We all can choose to be the change we want to see, or continue being the problem.

Last point, you respond, then we should stop cause we are wayyyoff topic.

The current moderation staff has no ability or desire to fix the current problems. In fact, it's become worse. Much worse.

Yes, agreed, offtopic.

We can't. As above, if it's not stated in the rules that Trevor wrote, we can't address it. As I stated, I would go all "HULK SMASH" if I could. It would be the exact opposite of what you see now. That might be worse, or not. But it would be more civil.

We've been asking Trev for more direction, more ability to address it. But we don't get any reply.

[BartSimpson]

martin14 martin14:

The current moderation staff has no ability or desire to fix the current problems.

First, the current moderation staff is focused on keeping the place active and vibrant.

Collectively we've chosen to have a lighter hand on moderation than past moderation staff have had.

However, we do agree on acting to keep the personal insults to a minimum and by 'personal insults' we mean those insults that are clearly intended to hurt or malign a person.

We are not the language police and we're not going to parse broad statements that someone might find offensive.

Welcome to the internet: it gets offensive sometimes.

And what some people perceive as a 'problem' other people may consider a feature.

[llama66]

I think the moderators do a good job with the tools they have. I'd like to see this place more lively, I mean its Me, Bart, Caleb, Thanos, Robair, Raydan, Martin and Brah with a supporting cast of Newz, Herbie, Green and others. We need more than 5 or 6 super active members.

[Freakinoldguy]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

martin14 martin14:

The current moderation staff has no ability or desire to fix the current problems.

First, the current moderation staff is focused on keeping the place active and vibrant.

Collectively we've chosen to have a lighter hand on moderation than past moderation staff have had.

However, we do agree on acting to keep the personal insults to a minimum and by 'personal insults' we mean those insults that are clearly intended to hurt or malign a person.

We are not the language police and we're not going to parse broad statements that someone might find offensive.

Welcome to the internet: it gets offensive sometimes.

And what some people perceive as a 'problem' other people may consider a feature.

Makes sense to me. But if we accept your explanation about how this place is being run and about why you're going to let people play so long as they don't go completely off the rails we also have to stop perpetuating the myth that every person from the left who departed did so because of the toxic environment being created by someone with a right wing point of view.

If the truth be known some people may have gotten tired of the fighting but I'd guess that alot of people of both political persuasions have mostly left because they have thin skin and don't like to lose arguments or have their preconceived point of view challenged. So, it wouldn't have mattered who disagreed with them, left or right their leaving would have been inevitable anyway since no one is going to have everyone agree with them on every topic.

But, if people can't take the infighting here or figure out how to use the block function for those annoying posters, they might just be better off in a forum who's moderators stifle arguments and only allow one point of view on every topic. As for me, my background has made me mostly immune to the antics of some people on here and I look forward to fighting with each and every member on this forum at least once before I'm done.

Just one more question thoug before I wander off and make the nursing staff come looking for me, again. Just how many active posters do we have because I tried to figure it out and I can't by using the membership list?

[llama66]

I'd peg us at can't be more than 15 active posters...

[Freakinoldguy]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Not by me. And not by ZipperFish, or Regina, or ShepherdsDog, or Lemmy . . . none of the moderates who used to frequent here has called you names since they left.

We all knew this would happen when Streaker, Lilly and that crowd got banned just for existing; that their opposition would have free reign. And that's what's happened. So CKA is a reflection of the people who frequent it. Shitposts and all. The Lefties that remain have become so frustrated by all the trolling that they end up getting nasty once in a while. and it's up to the Moderators to tone it down.

A pointless effort, in my eyes.

But, why do you assume it's mostly people on the "left" who've departed because of the toxic atmosphere of this board?

...

So, why do you say it's only people on the "left" who get frustrated and become nasty when they think they're being trolled.

I've never written any such thing. Above, I simply state that the views on this board tipped to the right, when the annoying left got banned. And they have remained right leaning since.

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

But, since you seem to think this forum always was or has degenerated into nothing more than a platform for "right wing trolls" to abuse anyone on the "left" with impunity,

Again, I've never written that. Trolling can come from either side.

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

allow me to ask. Why did you become an administrator and why do you remain an administrator especially when, you appear to have such little respect for a fairly large portion of the current membership based on their political leanings?

Firstly, I didn't ask to become a moderator. (I'm not an administrator). I was nominated, and accepted.

If I didn't have any respect for the views of others, this board would be vastly different than the way I see it right now. As I've written many times, quoting another, 'the only true free speech is that which you detest'. If I didn't respect the views of others, every divisive thread on this board would find it's way to "The Flaming Dumpster". Every person starting a thread with the sole intent of dividing us, would be gone. But I am not in charge. I am but a 'referee'.

I remain a moderator because I am perfectly capable of distinguishing between the rules as they are written, and my own opinions. And because moderation is the only thing keeping this board somewhat readable. I think it can still be salvaged, but it has to hit rock bottom first. When the haters start eating their own, my mission will be complete.

Free speech also works both ways. I am enjoying my new role in pointing out the fallacies posters use in their arguments, and making sure CKA is not a safe space for the hate.

So you're a masochist? Fair enough and I wish you luck because they couldn't pay me enough to try and keep a handle on this gong show.

[Freakinoldguy]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

The Omnibus bill was weaponized by Harper. Trudeau sees that, and will use it to his advantage. It can't be put back into Pandora's box, and there is nothing the average voter can do about it. It's also not important enough to the average voter to bother.

So where does it end? Seems to me that someone at some point is going to have to take the moral high ground and stop this bullshit. But I do know one thing for sure is it won't be this gov't because they've gone beyond just using the Omnibus bill to ram home legislation to now trying to prevent future gov'ts from reversing their bills.

[DrCaleb]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

So you're a masochist? Fair enough and I wish you luck because they couldn't pay me enough to try and keep a handle on this gong show.

I do it for the free parking out front of the CKA headquarters building.

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

The Omnibus bill was weaponized by Harper. Trudeau sees that, and will use it to his advantage. It can't be put back into Pandora's box, and there is nothing the average voter can do about it. It's also not important enough to the average voter to bother.

So where does it end? Seems to me that someone at some point is going to have to take the moral high ground and stop this bullshit. But I do know one thing for sure is it won't be this gov't because they've gone beyond just using the Omnibus bill to ram home legislation to now trying to prevent future gov'ts from reversing their bills.

You hit the nail on the head, right there. "At some point is going to have to take the moral high ground and stop this bullshit".

Which means, never.

[llama66]

$1:

Seems to me that someone at some point is going to have to take the moral high ground and stop this bullshit.

That point shall fall to the next government. This government is too busy for moralism.

[DrCaleb]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Just one more question thoug before I wander off and make the nursing staff come looking for me, again. Just how many active posters do we have because I tried to figure it out and I can't by using the membership list?

llama66 llama66:

I'd peg us at can't be more than 15 active posters...

You can go on the front page and down in the bottom right is a display that shows you. Although I think there is a setting where you can hide your 'online' status.

1:

Screenshot from 2019-04-16 12-43-50.png [ 15.13 KiB | Viewed 289 times ]

0:

Screenshot from 2019-04-16 12-44-20.png [ 5.99 KiB | Viewed 292 times ]

There are also a few random stats under "Forum Extras"

fs.php

[N_Fiddledog]

Social Media has taken the lion's share of Message board traffic.

And not just from this board.

How fractious this board is as compared to boards of the past is hard to judge. Easier to see in a smaller population.

As to your judgement of who the "moderates" were though, Doc. Thanks for the chuckle.

[PluggyRug]

llama66 llama66:

I think the moderators do a good job with the tools they have. I'd like to see this place more lively, I mean its Me, Bart, Caleb, Thanos, Robair, Raydan, Martin and Brah with a supporting cast of Newz, Herbie, Green and others. We need more than 5 or 6 super active members.

Good, I slipped under the radar.