You know, the ones who sat with the cheerleaders and wouldn't make room for you. The hosts couldn't sit with them either, so now they have their own little group.This is rather long. It appears that hosts locking off topic threads in General Discussion is affected by the identities of the OP and/or the alerter who brings it to the hosts’ attention.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023181405 It all starts in GD when gNads makes a post about the score of a soccer game.
SidDithers thinks it is off topic
Response to nadinbrzezinski (Original post)
Sat Jul 6, 2013, 11:50 AM
SidDithers (28,041 posts)
6. Soccer scores in GD...
Bonobo thinks Sid is stalking gNads
Response to SidDithers (Reply #6)
Sat Jul 6, 2013, 12:48 PM
Bonobo (21,097 posts)
7. Bitter stalking in GD
Bikeman points out that everyday sports is disallowed in GD
Response to Bonobo (Reply #7)
Sat Jul 6, 2013, 12:57 PM
bike man (563 posts)
8. There is this--->
“General Discussion (Forum): About This Forum
Statement of Purpose
Discuss politics, issues, and current events. No posts about Israel/Palestine, religion, guns, showbiz, or sports unless there is really big news. No conspiracy theories. No
whining about DU. “
Bikeman suggests to Sid, one of the hosts for GD, that he might lock the off topic post
Response to SidDithers (Reply #6)
Sat Jul 6, 2013, 01:02 PM
bike man (563 posts)
9. If you think it's off topic, can't you do a 'host-y' lock as being such? nt
Bonobo wants Bikeman to learn about alerts, includes a bit of snark
Response to bike man (Reply #9)
Sat Jul 6, 2013, 01:10 PM
Bonobo (21,097 posts)
10. If you've never alerted before, you should learn about that feature.
I warn you though, it can get addictive.
Sid now explains that locking is not an individual host function, they talk among themselves. Then he adds a tidbit from Autumn, another GD host, that was no doubt from the host forum, where they do that among-themselves-talking. We can get from that Autumn response that they don’t seem to care for Bikeman and his alert button. Interestingly, this response has been hidden, probably because Sid posted for public view an entry from the host’s forum, something the hoi polloi should never, ever see.
SidDithers (28,041 posts)
11. Threads are only locked by consensus...
Last edited Sat Jul 6, 2013, 01:33 PM USA/ET - Edit history (2)
and some Hosts apparently think that a soccer score from a meaningless friendly game is considered "really big news".
Discuss politics, issues, and current events. No posts about Israel/Palestine, religion, guns, showbiz, or sports unless there is really big news. No conspiracy theories. No whining about DU.
Edit: and you should know that many of the other Hosts will intentionally ignore or vote Leave on your alerts, regardless of their merit. Some feel you abuse the alert button, and so judge those alerts not on the post, but on the alerter.
Case in point:
Autumn (11,931 posts)
23. Do you think someone should tell him that most
of his alerts are ignored by some hosts just because he sends them? That response by Bonobo is priceless though
Sid
As one can see, Autumn is at the cool kids table for the first time in her life, probably looking for cheerleader costumes in large sizes so she can relive her miserable school years, but this time as a clique leader.
And there’s this from the ‘about this forum’, which lists the forum hosts “…Forum Hosts have one responsibility: They lock threads which they believe violate the forum's Statement of Purpose….†Perhaps the admins should add “Unless they don’t like the alerterâ€
Bikeman offers an opinion that personalities do in fact come into play among the hosts re alerters.
Response to SidDithers (Reply #11)
Sat Jul 6, 2013, 01:51 PM
bike man (563 posts)
12. So, now we know. The SOPs for the various forums are there just to take up space,
and when an entry is in fact off-topic, personalities come into play.
Announcing the birth of a grandchild, for instance, even though it has a spot just waiting for it in the lounge, and having nothing to do with politics, issues, or current events will be left in GD because of identity of the alerter - disregarding the 'off-topic-ness' of the post.
Sid admits there are cliques and persona-non-grata
Response to bike man (Reply #12)
Sat Jul 6, 2013, 03:02 PM
SidDithers (28,042 posts)
25. I think I'd say that the SOP is selectively enforced,,,
There's an SOP for most of us that doesn't apply to some other posters.
Sid
Bikeman was not aware of the not-to-exceed limit for SOP alerts, so he's gone now. Now
I he's gotta get another email address. They still have Obamanaut's on file.