the nice new format and a chance for cordial relations all round

[Martin]

I think the new format is nice and there may be a chance for people to be charming and witty again----and enjoy each other's eccentricities as we did in the good old days

 

It cheers me very much to see Yourdad back.

 

I see that CapRef has posted a list of warnings so I have decided to, on my own, operate a system of SHADOW WARNINGS

 

Due to our recent upgrade, the warning points system has been renovated. Warning points are now issued on the following scale:

• Multiple Posts: 2 points, 7 day expiry
  
• Disrespect: 3 points, 7 day expiry
  
• Spamming: 4 points, 10 day expiry
  
• Advertising: 7 points, 14 day expiry
  
• Copyright violation/plagiarism: 10 points, 14 day expiry
  
• Inappropriate Profile Content: 10 points, 14 day expiry
  
• Flaming: 10 points, 14 day expiry
  
• Trolling: 10 points, 14 day expiry
  
• Persistent Strawmanning: 12 points, 16 day expiry
  
• Repeated Prejudice: 15 points, 21 day expiry
  
• HazMat Violation: 15 points, 21 day expiry
  

Once a user reaches 25 points, they are issued a 3-day ban.

 

In keeping with the time-honored SHADOW GOVERNMENT practice of Loyal Oppositions everywhere and throughout modern history, I shall keep a SHADOW WARNING list.

 

In this case, if anyone is disrespectful to Bettina they will get 3 shadow points from me.

 

If they do this 9 times within the 7 day expiry period, then the luckless ones will have accumulated over 25 points and will receive a SHADOW BAN from me, which means that I will not pay attention to what they say for 3 days.

 

My reason for doing this is that my parents taught me to be a Southern Gentleman and to be chivalrous and protect the women folk. I may have lapsed in later years and lost the knack of it, but i will try to make up for this. She will reciprocate, I am sure, and act like a lady and refrain from uttering blood-curdling yells against the infidel.

 

Also anybody who aggravates with Bascule too much will be shadow warned for trolling. Bascule is gentle by nature---not at all antagonistic. he only gets provoked when people troll him by contradicting him aggressively and repetitively...

 

Aggravating Bascule will bring a shadow troll warning of 10 shadow points expiry of 14 days.

 

Friendly best wishes to all at this happy board

 

I'd try to be protective of Azure Phoenix too, but she would kill me.

I wouldn't dare.

======================

 

I had something urgent that I wanted to say, what was it:

 

Oh yes. At this point we at the SFN community really have to be loving and tolerant of each other because why?

 

Because we have gotten into some bad habits which have alienated people and caused some unnecessary attrition and the PPD HAS GONE DOWN.

 

I just looked at my notebook and there was some April, I think April 2005, where we averaged over 400 posts per day.

As of 1 April the running total was 145,456

and as of 1 May the running total of posts was 157,793

so the posts that month was some 11,972

and that is an average of over 410 posts per day.

 

Now if you look at "New Posts" in the past 24 hours it is usually 30 some or 40 some.

 

Well at this point I would, if I could, say that every soul is precious.

Especially people who are OUTSPOKEN and have something unusual to say---like for instance IMM and ecoli just to pick random examples of people who say unexpected things and take unusual positions on issues.

Because it is the UNORTHODOX FREE SPEECH aspect that has always made this board entertaining.

 

and if it isnt entertaining, the fire tends to go out.

 

So have fun everybody, enjoy the refurbishing by Dave et al. Staff please remember that the customer can sometimes be right. And to mix two Semitic languages:

 

Shalom/Salaam all,

 

=======EDIT=======

 

HI ATHEIST, since I can still edit I will not waste a post and will reply to you here.

 

thanks for your suggestion, which I will remember in trying to budget limited time in ways I think contribute to board vitality.

 

the three days of not paying attention to the person's posts is meant as the shadow equivalent of a 3 day ban. (just a joke actually since I don't have time to read all the threads and all the posts by every person anyway) no redundancy was intended.

 

appreciate your response!

[timo]

In this case, if anyone is disrespectful to Bettina they will get 3 shadow points from me.

 

If they do this 9 times within the 7 day expiry period, then the luckless ones will have accumulated over 25 points and will receive a SHADOW BAN from me, which means that I will not pay attention to what they say for 3 days.

I see a bit of redundancy here. Are these "not pay attention for three days" supposed to be within the three days the user is banned or as an additional three days thereafter?

 

 

I had something urgent that I wanted to say, what was it:

 

Oh yes. At this point we at the SFN community really have to be loving and tolerant of each other because why?

 

Because we have gotten into some bad habits which have alienated people and caused some unnecessary attrition and the PPD HAS GONE DOWN.

I agree with what you said but I probably don´t agree with what you meant. Not only has the ppd gone down but imho more importantly the scientific content has gone down. And imho the bad habits causing this might be a lazyness not to get involved into scientific discussions. A few reasons for this that might come to my mind (but it´s not that I actively observed it, so take it as an assumption not as an impression or observation) are:

- Swaying away user questions with "look it up on google" or "take a look at this wikipedia link".

- Ignoring threads that might force you to use your brain.

- Staying quiet because someone might know better and show you wrong.

- Ignoring replies you don´t understand instead of asking how they were meant or perhaps even thinking about them and ignoring demands to try being a little more precise with what was actually meant in the OP.

Even though you´ve switched your user title to resident expert, last time I checked it actually was physics expert. So how about taking a look at this thread http://www.scienceforums.net/showthread.php?t=22846 , trying to figure out what Rajama meant (that´s where the "need to use your brain"-constraint comes in - I openly admit that I was too lazy to do it) and try making a useful discussion out of it?

I personally see your energy invested much better there than in threads like this which just fuel unnecessary thoughts on how much was meant as fun, what was meant serious or what you´re trying to achieve here (my suggestion is that you want to live up the place at bit, hence my suggestion on how you could do that a better way).

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

I just looked at my notebook and there was some April, I think April 2005, where we averaged over 400 posts per day.

As of 1 April the running total was 145,456

and as of 1 May the running total of posts was 157,793

so the posts that month was some 11,972

and that is an average of over 410 posts per day.

 

Now if you look at "New Posts" in the past 24 hours it is usually 30 some or 40 some.

That's not an accurate measure. New Posts counts threads in which new posts have been made, not new posts in total. We get many threads with multiple posts in them in a day.

[Martin]

That's not an accurate measure. New Posts counts threads in which new posts have been made, not new posts in total. We get many threads with multiple posts in them in a day.

 

great! I am glad to hear that. It is very hopeful news. If I understand you we are currently averaging considerably better than 40 posts per day.

 

when I counted by hand (back in April I think it was of 2005) we were getting more than 400 ppd average.

 

Could you please arrange for the post count is displayed. I think many of us could be concerned (and if not then perhaps ought be)

or could you direct me to where, on the site, the post count is displayed?

 

thanks,

M

[padren]

Just out of curiosity, what were the stats like last year?

 

In most online things I notice, everything drops off when people can go outside and do things, then get busy as winter sets in and the air outdoors persistantly tries to kill everyone off whenever you leave the house.

 

I'm just wondering if its a seasonal trend.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

We have been losing hits and new members due to our loss of ranking on Google. We think we have that problem sorted out now, and it should (I hope) be fixed in a few weeks.

[ydoaPs]

It cheers me very much to see Yourdad back.

 

Who isn't greatly cheered to have me back?

 

There's no need to have SHADOW WARNINGS to protect me, as we all know I can take care of myself........especially if I have my penguin mind control device handy...

[Martin]

Who isn't greatly cheered to have me back?

 

There's no need to have SHADOW WARNINGS to protect me, as we all know I can take care of myself........especially if I have my penguin mind control device handy...

 

why Yourdad, everyone is greatly cheered. I'm certain of it.

 

the mere fact that you are here at all, and in your whites to boot, is proof of the extraordinary effectiveness of the penguin mind control device.

[-Demosthenes-]

great! I am glad to hear that. It is very hopeful news. If I understand you we are currently averaging considerably better than 40 posts per day.

 

when I counted by hand (back in April I think it was of 2005) we were getting more than 400 ppd average.

 

Could you please arrange for the post count is displayed. I think many of us could be concerned (and if not then perhaps ought be)

or could you direct me to where, on the site, the post count is displayed?

 

thanks,

M

We only have 40 posts a day? I remember back I single handedly averaged 28 posts a day (actually got in trouble for that one).

[Martin]

We only have 40 posts a day? I remember back I single handedly averaged 28 posts a day (actually got in trouble for that one).

 

 

NAAAAAH! I made a MISTAKE IN COUNTING.

 

I have to get back to you on this Demosthenes. CapRef pointed out a dumb error I made. As a very rough guess it is on the order of magnitude of 100 ppd.

 

quite a bit better than 40! but down somewhat from the 400 I noticed in April 2005.

[Jim]

I think the new format is nice and there may be a chance for people to be charming and witty again----and enjoy each other's eccentricities as we did in the good old days

 

It cheers me very much to see Yourdad back.

 

I see that CapRef has posted a list of warnings so I have decided to, on my own, operate a system of SHADOW WARNINGS

 

In keeping with the time-honored SHADOW GOVERNMENT practice of Loyal Oppositions everywhere and throughout modern history, I shall keep a SHADOW WARNING list.

 

In this case, if anyone is disrespectful to Bettina they will get 3 shadow points from me.

 

If they do this 9 times within the 7 day expiry period, then the luckless ones will have accumulated over 25 points and will receive a SHADOW BAN from me, which means that I will not pay attention to what they say for 3 days.

 

My reason for doing this is that my parents taught me to be a Southern Gentleman and to be chivalrous and protect the women folk. I may have lapsed in later years and lost the knack of it, but i will try to make up for this. She will reciprocate, I am sure, and act like a lady and refrain from uttering blood-curdling yells against the infidel.

 

Also anybody who aggravates with Bascule too much will be shadow warned for trolling. Bascule is gentle by nature---not at all antagonistic. he only gets provoked when people troll him by contradicting him aggressively and repetitively...

 

Aggravating Bascule will bring a shadow troll warning of 10 shadow points expiry of 14 days.

 

Friendly best wishes to all at this happy board

 

I'd try to be protective of Azure Phoenix too, but she would kill me.

I wouldn't dare.

 

Martin, I've not bothered to tell you in the past how much I have enjoyed your rare combination of perspective, intelligence and genteel nature. This post had me smiling. Thank you.

[Martin]

Martin, I've not bothered to tell you in the past how much I have enjoyed...

 

Likewise!

especially enjoyed your construction of an intelligent Mullah viewpoint

and voice in that other thread today.

 

ecoli commented. I concur.

 

thanks,

M