Now, I can hold a note for a long time...actually I can hold a note forever. But eventually that's just noise. It's the change we're listening for. The note coming after, and the one after that. That's what makes it music.

Host ,'Why We Fight'


Bureaucracy 1: Like Kafka, Only Funnier  

A thread to discuss naming threads, board policy, new thread suggestions, and anything else that has to do with board administration and maintenance. Guaranteed to include lively debate and polls. Natter discouraged, but not deleted.

Current Stompy Feet: ita, Jon B, DXMachina, P.M. Marcontell, Liese S., amych


Jesse - Apr 14, 2003 12:34:31 pm PDT #9824 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Some of us would rather not get involved in the inevitable flame war filing an official complaint about such a poster would lead to.

Ah. But here, a flame war would, I'm pretty sure, lead to warning/suspension more quickly than anything else. I mean, a warning should come pretty quickly, which would either end the flaming, or lead right to a suspension. We Don't Do That Here.


Steph L. - Apr 14, 2003 12:36:21 pm PDT #9825 of 10001
Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe

So...THAT is acceptable behavior?

Saw it too. Think it's unacceptable behavior. And I'm feeling too beaten down and upset to bring it up. So thank you.

Thank YOU for agreeing with me. That statement really pisses me off. She's been e-mailed by more than one person informing her of this discussion, and she hasn't chosen to participate.

She has not complied at all with people's requests to modify her posting style.

And now she insults the community as a whole.

And we're supposed to just tolerate that??

I'm appalled.


Jessica - Apr 14, 2003 12:37:35 pm PDT #9826 of 10001
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?

Ah. But here, a flame war would, I'm pretty sure, lead to warning/suspension more quickly than anything else. I mean, a warning should come pretty quickly, which would either end the flaming, or lead right to a suspension. We Don't Do That Here.

What Jesse Said.

I understand that confronting a really belligerent troll on their behavior might be headache-inducing, but if it does result in flame-throwing, well, they'll be gone that much faster.

And I wouldn't want people complaining anonymously about me. I'd want to know who was hurt, and why.


Laura - Apr 14, 2003 12:38:01 pm PDT #9827 of 10001
Our wings are not tired.

but I did pretty much leave a forum recently because I bitched at/about someone and she decided I was The Biggest Idiot in the World

I think we all were concerned that you were being abused here, because we would not allow that to happen because we know you are clearly not tBIitW

Also, feel strongly that the discussion belongs open in public in the thread. Some of us may be shy about coming forward with a complaint, but if it is that bad some one will come forward.

Onwards with a system.


askye - Apr 14, 2003 12:38:56 pm PDT #9828 of 10001
Thrive to spite them

I read what Steph linked to and I agree with her.


Atropa - Apr 14, 2003 12:39:30 pm PDT #9829 of 10001
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.

Steph just said what my brain was trying to churn out.

We've bent over backwards to be give Zoe the benefit of the doubt. She has done nothing to reciprocate that.


thessaly - Apr 14, 2003 12:39:44 pm PDT #9830 of 10001
"...and that calls for some hard-hitting, potentially violent SCIENCE!"

Can't speak for Lyra Jane, but if a request to a stompy is made backchannel, I would expect the poster to have already tried to address the problem in-thread and failed.

I think collecting the X requests backchannel makes it look less like Bureaucracy is a place to count complaints and keep traffic down. Once the X number of requests is reached, discussion can open up to the entire community. Basically, it seems to be a way to keep kvetching focused on things that merit attention, rather than every time one poster has a problem with another, making everyone feel the need to discuss what may be a minor problem that can be worked out by individuals.

Would it help if any emails were posted at the start of the discussion period after X requests had been reached? I'm not interested in a Star Chamber, just in not tiring everyone out by having 400 posts on an issue that turns out to have really only deeply concerned 2 people.


bitterchick - Apr 14, 2003 12:40:57 pm PDT #9831 of 10001

Presumably they have eyes, and brains.

Except that what one finds offensive is very personal. Let's say someone makes a remark to me that I find offensive. They make the comment in Spoilers. I go to a Stompy privately and complain. The request gets passed on to PMM to deal with because she's over there in Spoilers. She doesn't think it's offensive and thinks I need to get over myself.

Now maybe ita would agree with me that it was offensive but since she doesn't frequent that thread, she's not going to be able to make a judgement call because she doesn't have context. This would normally be the time that community members would chime in on their take but, since we're doing this all backchannel, that doesn't happen here.

I mean, I'm giving myself a headache just thinking about an anonymous process given the way we have this board set up.

Also, I don't think it's a fair burden to put on Stompies. They signed up to help out with opening threads and fixing spoilers. They didn't sign up to be our watchdogs.

Basically, I feel that, while I understand some posters' reluctance to raise issues publicly, I don't think anonymous complaints helps anyone. Especially in this community. If you have that much of an issue with a poster that you want them gone from the community, you need to step up to the plate and say that to their face.


Jesse - Apr 14, 2003 12:41:15 pm PDT #9832 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

I'm sorry, but I think that comment this morning is unclear to the point that I can't decide if I think it's offensive or not.


Kat - Apr 14, 2003 12:41:38 pm PDT #9833 of 10001
"I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret." Leigh Bardugo

From People's Forum in the Angel Topic: [link]

Edit: This culture of cowardice is starting to irk me. I wish people would use their real names so I can tell who I'm speaking to. I have half formed and unverifiable thoughts as to who I might be speaking to, never sure. Could be Joe Bloggs from down the road or the galactic emperor himself no way to know.

Although to be sure the Emperor would have more guts so I reckon it's safe to assume Joe Bloggs until anything suggests otherwise.

And when it's just a waitress with delusions of grandeur hiding behind a username it's one thing, but when that person is actually SCREWING with me...!

How am I supposed to save him when he acts so completely suicidal? I mean he could at least say *Thankyou* or send an email to introduce himself.

I'm not really sure what this is about and what it means. But this along with calling the Buffistas vengeful don't seem to be the words of someone who wants to play nice.

All that stuff I said about not liking the turmoil on the community... well, now I don't like what is being said either.

Also if stuff in our topic in PF isn't fair game, I'll delete this if requested.