deleting comments left and right
Oh, the fun I’m having, sending the idiots to the trash bin.
I’ve deleted more comments in the last 24 hours than I have in the entire history of this site since it moved to the blog format. I don’t know what happened to make the traffic jump as it has, but I can only imagine I got a link on a site that caters to Neanderthals, because all of a sudden, the average IQ around this place appears to have dropped dramatically.
So, just another warning: I’m not kidding about deleting comments that do not contribute to healthy, intelligent conversation. And I’ll tell you this: Baiting me with racist, sexist, and other brainlessly bigoted remarks is an excellent first step to seeing yourself shitcanned.
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comments
posted by JoshDM (Mon Jan 05 09, 4:55PM)
*checks own posts*
Yes! I made it under the wire! :D
posted by Ryan H (Mon Jan 05 09, 6:02PM)
Well, with any luck the bad apples will get shaken out and a few of the good ones will stay. More traffic can't be a bad thing.
posted by Ken (Mon Jan 05 09, 9:22PM)
Don't know why, but I've go that one Monty Python bit running through my head…
Bottom.
posted by Mo (Mon Jan 05 09, 9:37PM)
Good grief. It sounds to me like someone has organized a troll party at your expense. Sorry you have to deal with one of those. :(
posted by JasonJ (Mon Jan 05 09, 11:11PM)
I think I am okay, though I noticed another Jason showed up so I had to toss on my last initial. MaryAnn knows the difference due to email addresses though. If I start to post in a stupid manner I am willing to take an E-trouncing.
This is one of my favorite sites that I have read for many years now and I don't want to be one that sullies it with idiocy. I do assume we are still allowed to differ on opinion though...right?
posted by Phil Urich (Tue Jan 06 09, 1:22AM)
Hey! The paleontology nut in me objects to your slander of Neanderthals. All evidence points towards them being as smart, if not smarter than us homo sapiens sapiens (hey, they seem to have invented religion and stone tools). Admittedly the comparison might be apt; the first found skeletons of Neanderthals were quite disfigured from disease and age, which led in a large part (along with human ego) to the incorrect classical conception of Neanderthals. In much the same way, if a future species was to find the specimens of internet trolls they might reach similar conclusions about modern-day humanity.
posted by MaryAnn (Tue Jan 06 09, 9:03AM)
Yes, I know I shouldn't have slandered Neanderthals. Sorry.
Of course. As long as your argument in defense of your position doesn't consist entirely of namecalling...
posted by Jurgan (Tue Jan 06 09, 1:21PM)
Maryann, stop being such a poopy-head.
Yeah, I said it.
posted by JoshDM (Tue Jan 06 09, 2:29PM)
Oh. Snap.
posted by JasonJ (Tue Jan 06 09, 4:25PM)
Cool. I don't resort to that so I'm good...
posted by MaryAnn (Wed Jan 07 09, 1:17AM)
Disagreements are great, as long as they're substantive and honest. I'm trying to host a party here at which all the attendees are passionate, intelligent, and opinionated. It would be boring if they all agreed with one another. I'd just like everyone to remain as respectful and as thoughtful as possible.
I realize that in the heat of the moment, tempers can flare, which is why I'm trying to allow some leeway, especially with folks who have a general track record of behaving themselves.
But there's been too many newcomers all of a sudden who think that calling me a "fucking bitch" will... I dunno. Change my mind? Endear them to me? Engage other commenters? Do anything other than make me laugh at their childishness?
It's truly bizarre, trying to fathom the minds of those people. And I have no compunctions whatsoever in kicking them out, just as I would have no compunctions whatsoever in kicking an abusive, obnoxious guest out of my house.
posted by bronxbee (Wed Jan 07 09, 11:01AM)
seems like it's almost impossible to keep up with the abusive, trollish idiots -- see Matt over on the Gran Torino comments. how does suggesting MaryAnn "get laid" (such eloquence of expression) further discussion on the movie itself?
posted by Ryan (Wed Jan 07 09, 11:08AM)
Forcing people to register with the site might help? I don't know how hard that would be to implement.
posted by MaryAnn (Thu Jan 08 09, 11:21AM)
Forcing people to register to comment would not be hard to implement, but we've had this discussion before about my postings at Film.com, which some readers here have said it is the forced-registration-to-comment issue that keeps them from commenting over there. I understand that, but it does mean that Film.com -- which gets enormous traffic, much more than this site -- gets almost no comments, and lacks a sense of community and ongoing conversation. I don't want that to happen here.
If I can offer other benefits to people who register -- like the opportunity to create an avatar, or rate comments -- then that would make me feel better about requiring registration. It's definitely something I'm keeping in mind, but I don't want to implement it if I don't have to.
posted by Anne-Kari (Thu Jan 08 09, 1:17PM)
I'd register here if necessary, as I'm sure the vast majority of your regular readers would. But only if it didn't have the registration problems of Film.com - BTW, I still cannot complete the registration problem over there.
posted by Ryan (Thu Jan 08 09, 2:18PM)
I'd be happy to register, doubly so because there are two different Ryans who post here fairly frequently =P
posted by JasonJ (Thu Jan 08 09, 3:57PM)
I'd register. I've had to for every other site I use, it's no big deal to me.
posted by Mo (Thu Jan 08 09, 4:54PM)
I'd rather register than type my email address each and every time I write something...
But yes, it probably would keep many one-time posters quiet, for both better and worse.
posted by Anne-Kari (Thu Jan 08 09, 5:09PM)
Mo - you can click the 'remember personal info?' button (as long as you feel secure doing that on your computer, i.e., it's not one you share with other people or in a public space).
Saves time. But I'd still be happy to register if MAJ goes that way.
posted by Mo (Thu Jan 08 09, 5:23PM)
Yep, shared computer.
posted by MaryAnn (Fri Jan 09 09, 3:49AM)
Mo, if you're on a shared computer, how will registration keep you from typing the same info all the time. If you don't want your browser to save your email address, why would you have it save your login info? Or is there something I'm missing here...?
posted by Mark (Fri Jan 09 09, 10:30AM)
Most login systems are session-based, so you can login, stay logged in while you respond to a dozen posts, and then log out.
Of course, you can just check "remember personal info" for the first post, and be sure to uncheck it for the last one. Or you can use a modern browser (Safari and Chrome come to mind) with an incognito mode that won't store any data after you've closed the window, so you're free to have it "remember" whatever you need.