| Author | Message | ||
     LibraryLady(ncjanow) Supporter Username: Librarylady Post Number: 2278 Registered: 5-2001  |
Is it just my impression, or is there less posting going on than usual on this Board? Are people hesitant, and the moderators removing possibly litigious posts? Soapbox,Politics and Ed are all pretty quiet.There appears to be a chill overwhelming the board. | ||
| Mark Fuhrman Citizen Username: Mfpark Post Number: 1372 Registered: 9-2001  |
LL: The Board has become.....Boring. At least in the Politics section, and to some degree in the Soapbox. Same people posting same arguments, just with a different focus--it is becoming tired and stale. Lots of personal attacks, irrelevant comments, and other negative leavening scaring away new posters. Lots of in-jokes and buddy-groups making it not so fun for new posters. And lack of really engaging new issues. Could also be some burnout from the Presidential election phase, and a quiescent period before the next Township election phase (see the vituperation already coming out in the Vic DeLuca thread that is fast becoming a rope). And I am seeing less willingness of people to engage each other in discourse--look how almost no one posts in the Reading Room, how the Sports Section has almost disappeared. These were areas where people talked with each other, not at each other. Add this to the negativity of the Soapbox and Politics section, and you get a lot less posting--even though Dave's figures say people reading the site is still up. | ||
| susan1014 Supporter Username: Susan1014 Post Number: 430 Registered: 3-2002 |
Golly, a negative post to complain about negative posts... Sorry we aren't discussing what you want us to Mark. We each have different conversational/informational needs, and I don't think mine match yours! I think that the board will remain strong (occasionally waxing and waning somewhat), as long Dave is able to prevail in his legal issues, so another great thanks to him for providing this forum. (just another happy supporter) | ||
| D. Moderator Username: Dave Post Number: 5510 Registered: 4-1998  |
Haven't removed anything. If anyone's interested in reading about the laws protecting online communities and their application, this is the recent Moldow decision: http://www.lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/decisions/appellate/a5942-02.opn.html In short, Congress wants us to continue online political speech and so do the courts. | ||
| Maple Man Citizen Username: Mapleman Post Number: 518 Registered: 6-2004  |
I don't think it's fear of anything that's made the political Soapbox grow a bit stale. To Mark's point, I think a paraphrasing of Daniel Patrick Moynihan goes a long way in explaining why I've been posting less: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but no one is entitled to their own facts. A lot of folks in the Soapbox are working with their own set of "facts." When that's the case, debate or discussion is impossible. | ||
| Rick B Citizen Username: Ruck1977 Post Number: 497 Registered: 8-2003 |
IMHO Political soapbox drives people further to their sides rather than bringing them together. Its just the nature of the beast (online communication). If the discussions in Political Soapbox were held face to face, they would be much more effective. In my case...the election burned me out and I haven't been back their since. it got ugly there for a while. no idea if it still is or not. | ||
| redY67 Citizen Username: Redy67 Post Number: 617 Registered: 2-2003  |
There is only so much you can post about. Topics keep repeating themselves.... I think that is why MOL is so quiet. | ||
| Meandtheboys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 289 Registered: 12-2004  |
I, too, was thinking it seemed kind of slow and boring lately. But I'm still relatively new to MOL, so I thought perhaps it was me. Rick B.: IMHO, it seems to me that if any of the "discussions" that are held in any of the topics were held face to face, they would be much more effective, and much more civil. Seems like a lot of people here jump right to nastiness, criticism, insults and unfounded assumptions when posting. I like to believe it's because they're protected by the anonimity of the medium. I can't imagine all of these people would be so quick to be so downright nasty in person. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 3971 Registered: 5-2001  |
Well, being March, it is time for the annual debate on Xmas decorations that are still up. We have a lot of newcomers, so it could be a fresh discussion. | ||
| wendy Supporter Username: Wendy Post Number: 587 Registered: 5-2001 |
Maple Man: "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but no one is entitled to their own facts." What a great quote or paraphrase. This will become my next mantra. How very true. In my opinion, of course.  | ||
| Robert Livingston Citizen Username: Rob_livingston Post Number: 932 Registered: 7-2004 |
When there's nothing to talk about, talk about how there is nothing to talk about. | ||
| Mark Fuhrman Citizen Username: Mfpark Post Number: 1373 Registered: 9-2001 |
RL: Like a Seinfeld show! | ||
| Meandtheboys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 294 Registered: 12-2004 |
Yadda, yadda, yadda! | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 7836 Registered: 5-2001 |
Actually there is a lot going on in the Education section and that will heat up even more once the candidate debates start for the upcoming BOE election. The Presidential election is over and the local political scene in both SO and MW hasn't really heated up yet in MW, but some sharp comments are being passed around about the SO BOT election already. By the end of the month this should be a blast. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 3585 Registered: 9-2001  |
Boring is as boring does... If there's anything anywhere that seems off or wrong, it's off or wrong with the people... The Message Board is just a message board, and it's perfect just the way it is. | ||
| Cathy Supporter Username: Clkelley Post Number: 753 Registered: 6-2002 |
I agree that it's been quiet lately, but that's fine with me. I've also wondered about why it's so quiet, but I think it's just that we don't have a really hot issue to discuss at the moment. The pres. election is over - and although there is lots of political stuff to discuss still, fewer people stay involved. And those that do stay involved are pretty solid in their opinions so the conversation isn't all that interesting. I think the best posting is when people are really trying to change each others' minds. Or something - not sure I could put my finger on it. The hoo-ha about the holiday music has died down for now. There is the lawsuit to discuss, but everybody is on the same side - not much to add to that is there? And the Nail Salons issue can only occupy a small part of one's consciousness. Things can't stay crazy all the time. Don't worry, a new issue will pop up and it will get "interesting" again. The BOE elections will probably stir things up in Education, at least. In the meantime, I think we need a new Serial Novel or something. Word Association needs to die. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 5743 Registered: 1-2003  |
I'm not worried, either. I figure this is just part of a cycle. Things will be back after a while. | ||
| Crazyguggenheim Citizen Username: Crazyguggenheim Post Number: 773 Registered: 2-2002  |
Call me crazy, but the slowness of the board is directly proportional to the time that you habitually spend looking for new posts. It's the first sign of an addiction. Don't ask me what the second sign is.  | ||
| Joan Supporter Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 5107 Registered: 5-2001 |
Posting on this board seems to follow a cycle: 1. Hot debate about one or more emotionally charged issues. 2. Discussion of issues drifts to discussion of the attributes of certain people posting on the issues. 3. Suspensions are handed out to the most obvious but not necessarily the worst offenders. 4. Those suspended are unable to post for a while. 5. During suspension period posts get more gentle and posters more cautious. 6. Numerous people on numerous threads compalin of bordom but do nothing to start threads on topics of interest to them. 7. Virtual Cafe and Please Help get many more posts than usual. 8. Someone complains that conversation on the board has slowed down. 9. One or more new highly charged issues are introduced. 10. Cycle continues. | ||
| tulip Citizen Username: Braveheart Post Number: 2081 Registered: 3-2004 |
I'm reluctant to start a new thread for fear of offending someone, frankly, or I'd give you some hot topics to discuss. If you really want me to stir up some dust, I'll be glad to do so, just don't suspend me!! |
