Closed climate thread
Author
Discussion

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

284 months

Tuesday 5th April 2011
quotequote all
There will be celebrations afoot on the Bad Science forum tonight.

They got what they wanted.

The Excession

11,669 posts

279 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
mybrainhurts said:
There will be celebrations afoot on the Bad Science forum tonight.

They got what they wanted.
A1

Go find some links to that on their forum and start a thread.

I'm fed up of trying to moderate kindergarten style posters on what is supposed to be a science thread.


I'm pushing for a PH Science forum and perhaps we'll get a chance to see how that pans out.

All the mods here cut everyone a whole heap of slack on OUR climate threads.

Seems to me, most po(p)sters can't keep to the facts or the nature of the thread.

Hence closed, No stiffling of debate, just utterly sick of the noise.

micky g

1,576 posts

264 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
Excession, I'm with MBH.

If you are fed up of policing such a problematic thread then hand it over to someone else, I know it's been hard work for you.

But, by the virtue of that very fact, it's a topic worth keeping open.


The Excession

11,669 posts

279 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
micky g said:
Excession, I'm with MBH.

If you are fed up of policing such a problematic thread then hand it over to someone else, I know it's been hard work for you.

But, by the virtue of that very fact, it's a topic worth keeping open.
Please, go ahead. Start a new thread. Bring some science to the debate.

That thread is over/gone and won't be re-opened.

Would you like the job of trying to read every climate thread post on PH each and every day?

And then would you like wading through and replying to all the heaps of emails? Some being complaints, some saying you're doing a good job?

And then you tell me to hand it over to someone else. You're off your tits lad.

There's no one else daft enough to take it on.

DieselGriff

5,160 posts

288 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
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I'm sorry - I bit when the creationism cake was handed out and I shouldn't have, perhaps too many glasses of top fuel Cabernet clouded my judgement.

I'm sure someone will start a climate thread soon enough and if so I promise to do my best to keep on topic.

micky g

1,576 posts

264 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
I personally can’t see why the thread has to be ruled with a rod of iron.

The ‘noise’ is irritating but it is not the end of the world to skim over it to get to the more salient points. PH is not a serious science forum; indeed some of the more jovial banter between the exponents of both camps can be quite entertaining and is in keeping with the nature of this site.

I have followed the climate threads from day one. They have been highly informative and thought provoking, and although the quality has deteriorated in recent months, (mainly down to the influx of BS members and childish debating tactics), this site has been the better for their existance.

The other aspect of closing the thread is that new members and existing ones who to date have somehow avoided stumbling onto it, will be deprived of a wider perspective on such an important issue. It has always been on the first few pages of ‘What’s New’ and must have served as a source of information for hundreds of members such as myself. It would be interesting to know how many hits the climate thread has had and how many members had it bookmarked

Perhaps a 24 hour ‘sin bin’ or similar would be appropriate for people that ignore moderator advice or get multiple reports and could keep a thread on track without having to be too heavy handed.

Or perhaps I’m off my tits - dad… wink

DieselGriff

5,160 posts

288 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
micky g said:


Perhaps a 24 hour ‘sin bin’ or similar would be appropriate for people that ignore moderator advice or get multiple reports and could keep a thread on track without having to be too heavy handed.
I would have preferred this action to have been taken against me rather than the thread closed.

I also agree that some of the banter whilst it can be slightly O/T is PH and as you say not the end of the world.

The Excession

11,669 posts

279 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
Guam said:
damned if they do damned if they dont situation
This.

The opening post on that thread asked everyone to consider that when they posted on the thread if the post they were making was contributing to in a worthwhile manner to the discussion.

I've met better behaved 3 year olds than some people posting there.

It's all well and good asking the mods to sin bin people for 24 hours, or prune and keep the thread on topic, but what people perhaps forget is the huge amount of time and effort required to perform these duties.

I tried the rod of iron approach, people seemed to appreciate it and the thread stayed pretty much on topic. But take a few days off and or turn my back and the whole thing descends into chaos again.

Those climate debate threads are supposed to illustrate the supreme quality of the best PH has to offer, not reflect the bickering of kids in the school yard bleating 'my dad's bigger than you're dad'





mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

284 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
We've had climate threads for years, with the same content that's now deemed unacceptable. DrJonboyG used some very colourful and foul language against me and others, for example.

Nothing was halted or strictly moderated in those days, so what's changed? Is this your own idea, Ex, or have there been orders from Haymarket?

BliarOut

72,863 posts

268 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
FF has achieved his goal, the debate has been stifled.

Kick the obvious trolls out and let the (sometimes heated) debate continue.

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

284 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
Guam said:
The issue is what now?
Until we know if this is policy from on high, can't say...

The Excession

11,669 posts

279 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
mybrainhurts said:
Is this your own idea, Ex, or have there been orders from Haymarket?
Nothing from Haymarket, it came about because of a raft of complaints.

None of the other PH mods would venture into those threads as very few had the time or inclination to follow them or the posters.

A decision was made to appoint one person tasked with trying to keep them on track.

It hasn't worked and I'm not sure where we go from here.

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

284 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
Ta...can't imagine why anyone would complain. Were the complaints justified, or mischievous?

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

284 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
I'm still baffled as to why anyone felt the need to complain..

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

284 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
Guam said:
mybrainhurts said:
I'm still baffled as to why anyone felt the need to complain..
Not wishing to put words in Exes mouth but I think he is talking about the cumulative number of complaints over some weeks/ months (apologies if I am reading you wrong Ex).

Rather than specifically with regard to last night smile
That's what I meant...

The Excession

11,669 posts

279 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
Guam said:
BliarOut said:
FF has achieved his goal, the debate has been stifled.

Kick the obvious trolls out and let the (sometimes heated) debate continue.
Fair point again, however what many dont know was that opinions were canvassed of a number of the regulars on some of the trolling. The suggestion was put as to whether he should be sidelined. Contrary to what may be thought, most of us didnt want to see that happen (including me), as counter views are welcomed in a Scientific debate. Unfortunately that bit many of us in the yaris smile as it transpired. As it just continued to go downhill, in retrospect the first insticts of some, may have been the correct views (canning him)

There has been the constant view by some of these guys that we seek to stifle debate (when the opposite is very much the case).


Beating up on The Excession for this decision is not reasonable (imho) given everything I know, contrary to popular belief the mods do take onboard the opinions of the PH massive and do try to act on it wherever possible. This one however was lose lose for the Excession imho.

Cheers
The problem is that keeping those threads on track and inline with the quality they deserve for the effort that genuine posters put in reading, reasearching and posting is too much work for one person.

It's my view that the topic is deadly serious, if people want to troll or banter there is a whole world of PH and other forums to go to.

People get sick of wading through the noise trying to find the intelligent and pertinent posts. Look at the state of 'that' thread over on BS, you're never going learn anything or even be heard as you can't see the bottom of the pool for all the turds floating in it.

I'd asked repeatedly for posters to self police the thread.

If people are happy to wade through acres of meaningless drivel to get to something worth reading then carry on. The truth is that people don't, they get frustrated and it decends into 'you shut up', 'no, you shut up' adinfinitum.

IainT

10,040 posts

267 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
How about two threads one for the Pro side and one for the Anti. Post information relevant only to the appropriate side and discuss the data positively.

Debate seems to be impossible.


I'll miss the thread as the info posted and general precis were a single good point to get to grips with what's actually going on in the wider community. I don't have time, as few do I suspect, to go through all of the sites, blogs and publications. I'll miss the input from TB, Guam, BJW, etc and the few useful bits of genuine argument.

I agree with posters though that the True Believers have won this one by shutting down debate.

IainT

10,040 posts

267 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
...and on a separate note - thanks for your efforts Excession. Modding a busy forum is a thankless task at best and you efforts to keep teh debate possible for as long as you did are appreciated.

The Excession

11,669 posts

279 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
IainT said:
I'll miss the thread as the info posted and general precis were a single good point to get to grips with what's actually going on in the wider community. I don't have time, as few do I suspect, to go through all of the sites, blogs and publications. I'll miss the input from TB, Guam, BJW, etc and the few useful bits of genuine argument.
I'm in full agreement, there is absolutely no reason why the thread can't be reopened provided there be some mechanism to keep it all on track.

It simply isn't fair on the posters that put in all the hard work to be drowned out or suffer the adhom attacks that we keep witnessing.

IainT

10,040 posts

267 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
quotequote all
I wasn't being entirely serious about the two threads but, as I posted, I find the info interesting and useful.

I'll just have to add a few more sites to my feed reader!