Thread: The Improved Quality of WAB

Xris,

If you had joined when I had joined, you would have been banned! That is the holy truth! It was then a Redneck board!

The board has come a long way.

I agree it has to move on; but then nothing is achieved if one forces the push. Let it evolve.

I am not on the Board or connected with it. But I can assure you that this board is in safe hands and in the hands of many an intellectually endowed person. Have faith in them. I am sure our faith in this board will make it better.

Have faith.

I assure you it is a great board and I have not become a topper in posts without having educated myself through rapid fire discussion with a divergent of views that this board has to offer.

Of late, it has become an exciting place for knowledge and views. Very exciting indeed.

To imagine it is 0135 hours where I live and yet I am hanging on, lest I miss something!

Try other boards if you don't believe me.

At times you may feel you have been wronged. It is natural. PM the person and I assure you that you will realise what made him do so.

The Adminstrators, Moderators and the Owners are good chaps. I have experienced the whole set since I assure you I am not the one who takes things lying down and so I had to visit each type that makes this Board.

I can without hesitation state that the folks that own, run and moderate the board are good people and without an agenda!

Help them to help yourself!

Parihaka is not offensive. He is the one who keeps the international aspect of the forum alive before some jingo bans and stifles divergent views and makes it the Redneck humbug that it was.

Obviously, he (Parihaka) has to be moderate to moderate the non moderate!

I don't agree with many issues on what he has to say, but then he has to organise some semblance of moderation!

Give this poor boy a chance!

He does all this for us inspite of having two young children whose time we are snatching away!

Give this noble man who wants international fair play a chance.

Ira is a Jew (ZFBoxcar) and Lunatock is a Moslem while the Colonel is a Chinese while Tophatter is of Lebanese descent or so I believe.

I daresay if I can state that they have been partisan by siding with their lot.

So, while they do give us enough ground to get angry, I assure you they do not do so willfully. Mostly by unwitting default. PM them and you will calm down. I have done it many a time and have realised how hamstrung they are trying to be even handed.

Originally Posted by xris

#47 (permalink)
Parihaka Moderator Join Date: 11-11-04Location: Te Ika a MauiPosts: 5,901 Country: Quote:Originally Posted by xris Also, I don't know what a troll is.x
A troll is internet terminology for someone who's only actions are to criticise other members and or their countries actions, often with false or misleading statements, designed to inflame other posters.A troll offers no opinions other than those criticisms, no solutions, and evades any questions aimed at eliciting their constructive opinions, or simply put, how they would have done things differently.Despite my question being directed at another member, you chose to answer it by criticising America's actions and suggesting the country should be tried for it. When I asked you what you would have had done differently and would you be happy with the outcome if Iraq was not invaded, you evaded the question, just as you did with the christian conspiracy/aboriginal genocide statement you made earlier.And it is not up to others to 'judge' whether you should be a member of this board, it is up to me.__________________"In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility"Gottfried Leibniz


http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/int...tml#post364250


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I found your thread interesting Ray, in many respects.

I was wondering what to do about the above post of parihaka’s in the above thread, and now I think an open post may be the best response, seeing as it follows on from some of what you said.

Also, please remember that I am fairly new here and am still finding my ground with different posters.

I found parihaka’s post almost offensive, and coming from a moderator I find it quite unacceptable. I am still not too sure if it is meant in a weird humorous way, but if that was the intention then it has not worked.

There is a clear criticism of me for mindless anti-American sniping. Nowhere have I done this although I have criticised the US involvement in Iraq (along with a few million other people.) The comment about putting the US on trial for an unprovoked invasion of a sovereign state is clearly not something that will happen and is clearly meant as a academic line of thought – which I believe has some merit. To try to kill it dead and lambast me as anti-American shows a (how do I say it) strange attitude to free democratic debate as well as a blinkered approach to Inter. Pol. and this site.

I agree with Ray’s comments that WAB is healthier now that it is more international, although I wasn’t around when it was mainly a US site. Unfortunately parihaka’s post does not indicate that.

I am not American, but so what? I have no more feelings for or against Americans than for people from any other country. I am interested in healthy, even rigorous, debate about all matters international, which is why I first chose to post here.

If my posts are going to be twisted, not properly read and used to berate me, and tell me I am going to be banned, then I think it does not reflect well on WAB and leads me to wonder if I should bother wasting my time here.

I have also been accused of not offering anything and of being a ‘troll’.

Well, I am not a military person (GOOD- that will help create a sense of balance to this and any site like this), but I have spent many years studying International issues with a degree in International Politics from a reasonably well regarded and well established institution. I would have thought this means I do know a little bit about what I am talking about and perhaps can also offer a different perspective on some issues being discussed here.

There my ramble ends.

x

Okay, time for some housekeeping.

Perhaps you should read this

In brief: I, as a moderator, am sick and tired of perfectly good discussions on a wide variety of topics being destroyed by people with an apparent single agenda, that of abusing America and Americans about the invasion of Iraq.
Those members with a history here will remember the Indo-Pak flame wars, and how the entire site was taken over by "India bad/Pakistan bad" arguments, much to the detriment of the site, and it was only the direct action of the then moderators with multiple bannings that calmed the situation down.

America's invasion of Iraq was four years ago: it is not a raison d'etre for winning every argument about every current world crisis, just as the nazi debate as outlined by Godwins law does not win an argument.

It is time to get over it.

If anyone wishes to start a thread about how much they like or dislike America then feel free, but backhanded insults and trolling in threads covering other world topics will not be tolerated by me.
It has been pointed out to me that my closing down of those debates and my support of those American policies I approve of is somehow innapropriate, that I should somehow stand back and 'be impartial', especially as I am 'not American'.
Sorry, ain't going to happen, I have just as much right to express my opinion on any given subject here as anyone else, my nationality has nothing to do with it: the only caveat being that, like all here, I can actually demonstrate that I know what I'm talking about.

Xris, and other new members.
Membership here is not a right purchased with your internet account.
This is not a democracy.
I do not ban out of hand or many of you wouldn't still be here.
My requirements for new members is their ability to demonstrate that they have at least been touched by the light of reason.
Other Moderators and administrators have differing criteria.

This forum is an excellent discussion forum for a wide variety of topics and is inhabited by members who are at the top of their respective fields, whether military or civilian. Rest assured that on any given topic there will be another member who is equally well versed in the subject, if not far better.

It is considered polite that when joining this forum you should peruse the forum guidelines and call by the Member Introductions forum to do just that.

Xris specifically, it is only since I have paid specific attention to you that we have learned that you have a degree in International Politics, and this after 32 posts.

Much has also been made recently of Bluesman's often caustic treatment of new members. Given that he works at CENTCOM and that he is a former Master Sergeant he 1) knows what he is talking about, and 2) has a natural inclination to put the pressure on new members to see what they are made of. This is a service he kindly provides for free and I thank him for it.

THREAD CLOSED.

Although Parihaka has quite properly locked this thread, I'm going to jump in for a few quick words.

First, I want to thank Brigadier Ray for his comments on this thread.
Almost brings a tear to my eye and certainly makes those frustrating moments worth it and more. Many thanks to you Sir.

And now for the unpleasant business:

Originally Posted by Parihaka

Xris, and other new members.
Membership here is not a right purchased with your internet account.
This is not a democracy.
I do not ban out of hand or many of you wouldn't still be here.
My requirements for new members is their ability to demonstrate that they have at least been touched by the light of reason.
Other Moderators and administrators have differing criteria.

It is considered polite that when joining this forum you should peruse the forum guidelines and call by the Member Introductions forum to do just that.

Much has also been made recently of Bluesman's often caustic treatment of new members. Given that he works at CENTCOM and that he is a former Master Sergeant he 1) knows what he is talking about, and 2) has a natural inclination to put the pressure on new members to see what they are made of. This is a service he kindly provides for free and I thank him for it.

Well said, good points all. At the risk of sounding condescending, Parihaka has proven to be an excellent moderator.

For all others who are interested:

As they say, this is the big-boy (and girl) board, not a sewing circle.

New members to a private upscale club generally don't last long if they waltz in, toss their jacket to the Maitre d', belly up to bar, start loudly demanding service and spit on the floor whilst ladling out insults to all comers. Right?

So why do people register on Internet boards and do some variation on the above description, large or small, and then cry "BULLY"! when the existing members pounce on them with intent to do damage?

Generally speaking, quietly entering, introducing yourself, courteously greeting existing membership and then slowly working your way into conversation and debates is an amazing way to gain acceptance into...well, ANYWHERE.

People here would do well to remember this one other point: If you have a problem with a Moderator or a decision they've made, take it up via a Private Message.

Arguing with a Mod in public over a board issue is just a really bad idea.

It also happens to be against the Forum Guidelines.