Although IMHO Smallville is such crap lately that I'm not sure anyone's using the thread to talk about the show.

You misspelled "the thread has become inhospitable to actual discussion of the show because of the vocal nature of the 'this season sucks' crowd."

But I wonder why it needs to be a vote. In the past people have asked for new threads to address a particular interest (like TTT or Farscape). If enough people were interested to sustain such a thread it was made. It wasn't a majority vote.

There does seem to be more dissent this time around.

I'm abstaining. I'm sure I'd enjoy a music thread and would probably be a useful contributor, but I'm worried that this time-sink will turn into time-black-hole for me. I know that's my issue, which is why I abstain.

Although IMHO Smallville is such crap lately that I'm not sure anyone's using the thread to talk about the show.

If that's the case, is it time to close that thread? I don't hang out there, but if it's just slash recs and natter at this point, should folks move the recs to Due South, or FanFic?

It's moot now in this specific instance, since mieskie/Michael violated his suspension (twice).

But in the future I'm wondering if we want to allow people who are being disciplined to defend themselves in Bureaucracy or have their say. It seems fair (on the one hand) - and yet it is also a kind of invitation to shit storms. I really don't know.

I want the process to be fair so that somebody has a very clear idea of why they're in trouble and what people are objecting to. I'm thinking that maybe even a sampling of this current discussion could be useful to send to somebody who's been given a warning.

So...warning should be in thread and by email. And might include a link to the beginning of the discussion so the offender understands who we as a community have decided our standards.

Dude, I've only just got a gift parcel of Smallville CDs sent over from the US. I have no idea whether I'll think this season sucks yet.

Um. OTOH, I'm trying to cut down my online time. Ignore me.

I'd almost be inclined to blend the dS and SV threads into a general HoYayTV thread. That way, those who wish to discuss Sports Night, Highlander, etc. etc. have a place to do so.

I'd almost be inclined to blend the dS and SV threads into a general HoYayTV thread.

We could do that.

If that's the case, is it time to close that thread?

The issue with Smallville is that it's sort of its own subcommunity at this point with its own history. Aside from the show.

Jon's argument that a music thread would be too tempting and draw him into further discussion does not sound compelling to me.

You misspelled "the thread has become inhospitable to actual discussion of the show because of the vocal nature of the 'this season sucks' crowd."

Yikes, I'm really sorry to hear that you feel that way. I don't watch the show anymore, so I don't read the thread and therefore won't be an impediment to discussion if I was before. I apologize if I contributed to an inhospitable environment.

Edit: A HoYayTV thread would be fine with me, although I suspect that Michele isn't the only person who may want to discuss more than the slashy subtext of Smallville.

It seems fair (on the one hand) - and yet it is also a kind of invitation to shit storms.

It really is an invitation of that sort. Allow the person to e-mail the stompies, and if the stompies think he or she has a point, they can open the discussion here.