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What the Flip Happened to this Place?

Posted 21 months ago|39 comments|569 views
Written by
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
This is a brief message from your local digital lurker,

Some of you probably; no I retract that statement most of you probably don't know me, but I am Glitchy and I have been here before the invasion of scientology buffs and single minded conservative bull headed males that with their constant talking of politics drove off every other original thought having veteran of the site I used to love.

I have been looking around briefly, after my escape when things started turning for the worse*, and all I have seen thus far is the same five people talking about the same 3 things. Trying to convert the other four people to whatever they believe simply because they want to be right. What type of sense does it make to say the same things over and over again? I will tell you, there is no point. No matter how many times you rehash the same idea if it was rejected before most likely it will be rejected again.

Insanity, Doing the same thing over again and expecting different results
~Albert Einstein

This quote is expresses perfectly what I think of you guys. You all are insane; you are all going in circles for what? The approval of someone you will most likely never meet. Find something else to do with the massive amount of time you guys seem to have.


*This was around the time the whole "our post can be searched on Google" came onto the site.
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COMMENTS
Alex Layton
Alex Layton
 Administrator
Puyallup, WA
21 months ago: Yeah, it was our mistake to have every post automatically posted to Google News. Now we only approve well-written, well-thought out posts.

Unfortunately, this does not allow for many posts to be approved.
21 months ago: I'll have to look to see is this post by the "Lurker" was picked up by Google.

Alex, don't fabricate. Your above that.

...Yeah, it was our mistake to have every post automatically posted to Google News...

or do you mean every worthy post that was voted on by the team?

Please. Your answer states that every post was always picked up by google news.
You and I both know that is a bold faced fabrication of the truth.
Alex Layton
Alex Layton
 Administrator
Puyallup, WA
21 months ago: Cypress, more times than not, I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. This is one of those times, but I'll attempt to address your issue.

Originally, every single post was submitted to the Google News site map. Then, the scientology-nutjob floodgates opened and we decided to change the program.

Now, only approved posts are submitted to the Google News site map. If Google decides to pick up something that we did not approve (and that happens), it is not our problem. Additionally, not every post we submit to the Google News site map is picked up by Google News. They have their own standards and some articles are ignored, even if we told them to look at it.
21 months ago: Fair enough. Are you asking me to leave? Are you asking the otherside to leave also? Sit there and find the middle. That is what you do best.

Nice to know you noticed our side calling them "Commies" and disregarded or just forgot to add their side calls our side "NaZiS" and anti-Americans. Yeah. Nice to know there is fair and impartial judgment by the staff.

To sit there and say NOW that every post was submitted to Google while before you implied every post was picked up by Google.

Your words...Yeah, it was our mistake to have every post automatically posted to Google News. Now we only approve well-written, well-thought out posts...

Big difference.
Alex Layton
Alex Layton
 Administrator
Puyallup, WA
21 months ago: Cypress - What specifically is your complaint?
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
21 months ago: ...Now we only approve well-written, well-thought out posts...Unfortunately, this does not allow for many posts to be approved...

From doing a quick check of what's getting passed to Google News, it seems to me the surest way to get to Google is to publish a rather innocuous if not insipid movie review or even a review of a movie trailer. I use the term inspid because of the five movie reviews that were recently published to Google, they generated a sum total of 1 user comment.

That's not to say we shouldn't appreciate movies reviews but if I'm looking for a standard movie review or I'm going to write a typical movie review, I'm heading to IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes. To be worthy for Google, I would hope a movie review on Rant Rave is similar to other postings that are typically provocative, thought-provoking, inspiring, controversial, edgy, etc. and generates interest among the readership in the form of comments.

Submitting milk toast to Google might be corporately safe but isn't necessarily good for the site's well being and while the site has categories for almost every conceivable subject, it should have a volatile passionate "Rant" "Rave" style that sets it apart.
Alex Layton
Alex Layton
 Administrator
Puyallup, WA
21 months ago: This just shows you who actually takes the time to think about their posts. I am able to find more, well-written movie trailer reviews than I am political commentaries.

99.5% of the political posts can be summed up with either "Bush Lied, People Died!", or "Obama is a Kenyan!"

If the movie reviewers (who I happen to enjoy reading) are the only ones writing posts worthy of Google News, so be it.

Regarding your statement about the comments on movie reviews, I bet if you read every single comment on every single movie review, you would find that no one called the author a "Commie", no one blamed the movie's success or failure on Bush, or Obama, and no argument degraded to name calling.
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
21 months ago: Frankly, I rather read and respond to the latest teabagging foaming rant about Obama being Beelzebub's right hand man than read a mind numbing movie review. The very name of this website implies that one can expect to find the former rather than the latter and if the gameplan is to transform the website into a sale-able corporate friendly blog, change it's name to www.drymilktoast.blogsnooze.com and sell it to Rupert Murdoch.

Rant: to speak or declaim extravagantly or violently; talk in a wild or vehement way; rave: The demagogue ranted for hours.

Rave: to talk wildly, as in delirium - to utter as if in madness. to talk or write with extravagant enthusiasm
Rudi Stettner
Rudi Stettner
 Moderator
21 months ago: You really boiled it down to essentials by going to the dictionary. My family reunions were always like liberal amen choruses. I have attended conservative amen choruses too. We have the movie crowd, the right wing and the left wing and the Christian crowd, to name a few They all add their numbers to rantrave's monthy hit count. Rather than chase ANYONE away, why not just get out the message that rantrave is like a department store, that you can find just about anything? We could even have a search function that would bring up liberal, conservative, paranoid, religious, atheist, etc.
Sports bores the hell out of me, but some people like it. Everyone has a topic like that. Let's advertise our diversity. Every hit counts.

PS Siempre Solo Where are you?
Alex Layton
Alex Layton
 Administrator
Puyallup, WA
21 months ago: Mark - Then read and respond to the latest teabagging rant and ignore the movie reviews.

I don't understand why the posts that make it to Google News affect the way you participate in the site.

If I'm missing something, please tell me, but I just don't understand where you're coming from right now.
21 months ago: Burn!
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
21 months ago: Hi Glitchy

Been expecting to hear from you. You should read more of the posts, because we have quite a few new contributors, discussing things like fashion, sports, social mores, movies, and recently a few interesting posts about books.

We have also lost a few, including the one you are here in regard to, who was just as bad, if not worse than the rest. While many just argue back and forth, debate style, some were prone to start something, and then get shrill and start calling names. Some few would only keep an issue going for the sake of responses.

And some, like yourself, would condemn an entire group of thoughtful considerate talented people to get back at a few with whom you have a bone to pick.
21 months ago: Siempre.

You're back!

markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
21 months ago: They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa.
They're coming to take me away, ho ho, he he, ha ha,
To the funny farm, where life is beautiful all the time
And I'll be happy to see those nice young
Men in their clean white coats and
They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa!
glitchypetpeeve89
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
21 months ago: Out of the box> the fact that you even know who i was referring to just proves my point, and yes the conversations do start out divers but as the comments goes along it just ends up in the same topic

Red state guy> must you include my father in everything you guys talk about? If you think way back we solved this already

Markbyrn> OOOO I love that song I just can't remember where its from.
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
21 months ago: It was a hit novelty tune from 1966 by Napoleon XIV (aka Jerry Samuels)

They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDbojVcpe... (2005 remake by Neuroticfish)
glitchypetpeeve89
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
21 months ago: ooo yey thank you
Alex Layton
Alex Layton
 Administrator
Puyallup, WA
21 months ago: A radio host in Seattle parodied this song...

http://www.bobrivers.com/#v9025

Bob Rivers has written hundreds of "Twisted Tunes". He may be best know for "Walkin' Round in Women's Underwear."
glitchypetpeeve89
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
21 months ago: ooo i have listen to his songs before i love his 10 days of Christmas parodies
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
21 months ago: "the fact that you even know who i was referring to just proves my point"

Was your point the fact that we are more like a family rather than an anonymous website? For the most part, the active members here are mostly honest about their REAL lives, when it becomes appropriate to reveal such things.

Of course I knew that Siempre Solo claims you are his daughter, I'm not an Alzheimer's patient. He mentioned you on several occasions, and as someone who cares, I remembered that tidbit.

We squabble, we form the strangest alliances depending on topic, and we constantly surprise each other. I don't think anyone here is really trying to rule the roost, or even become any kind of RantRave legend. The fact is, some can deal with criticism, and others wear their hearts on their sleeves. Chip on the shoulder, line in the sand, whichever metaphor suits.

Can't we all just get along?

But, as Siempre was fond of saying, I digress. Exactly which point did my knowing why you popped in prove?
glitchypetpeeve89
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
21 months ago: None of what you just said had to do with anything I said. My point is that a few people are bring down rant rave, and you proved my point by responding. It shows that you and others knew who I was referring too. That you know exactly what you are doing and you don't care. I know that there is camaraderie here and thats great, but leading every topic you guys comment on back to one topic: politics, is turning people away from joining this site. If this keeps up this site will shut down, because no new people are joining. Then there will be no place for any of the conversations we all love to have, because so far I haven't found a site quite like this one.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
21 months ago: Well, Glitchy, you need to do a bit more research. There are quite a few new members and politics isn't the only language spoken here.

But I can name two members who are always right, regardless of what else is said and done, and if it takes sticking their cyber fingers into their cyber ears and saying NA NA NA NA NA I can't hear you!! then that's what they'll do to remain right in their little cyber world.

I'm done here.
21 months ago: Sorry.

I either missed or forgot the Siempre daughter connection.

The fruit must be close to the tree.
glitchypetpeeve89
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
21 months ago: Its alright I'm not ridiculing you for doing that I fully expected it to happen. I expected the other comment you said to pop up too.
glitchypetpeeve89
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
21 months ago: oh and red state guy i joined way before siempre did and before you guys even met him
Rudi Stettner
Rudi Stettner
 Moderator
21 months ago: The best solution is to be the type of contributor you wish others were. When you let propagandists and others with an agenda get you down, it accelerates a downward spiral. It would be interesting to consider an "extreme" track where people go at it with bare knuckles and a more "ready for prime time" track. Do you remember Dan Akroyd on Saturday Night Live back in the 70s who used to begin his response to Jane Curtin with "Jane you ignorant slut". Some of us are into that and others are not. Certain topics move me to switch channels. It might be a good idea to separate the different audiences coming to this site, but how?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7S_XWuKp...
glitchypetpeeve89
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
21 months ago: Rudi> I it would be great for this site if we can separate the different audiences, maybe not have the top posts be decided by a comment system anymore. So that we get different topics at the top spots.
Alex Layton
Alex Layton
 Administrator
Puyallup, WA
21 months ago: It would be tricky to divide people into two sections. Even if you said "Okay, these posts are for civil conversation and intelligent remarks," it's up to the user to decide if their comments are intelligent.

There could be programming options, but, as we all know, programming means money.

However, as an experiment, I messed around with the rating system and placed a higher value on "Thumbs Up" and "Thumbs Down." It could be chaos, but we'll experiment with it for a while.
21 months ago: Yeah....you make our point...

...and all I have seen thus far is the same five people talking about the same 3 things...

What? Your asking for censorship? Really? Yeah, that would work both ways.

Give sweetcakes a good old kiss from us.
glitchypetpeeve89
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
21 months ago: Wow you always make me laugh, and can you point where I said I wanted censorship? Or eluded to the censorship I apparently am asking for?
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
21 months ago: ...Your asking for censorship?..

Naw, I think she's in favor of the the separate but equal doctrine and you'll have to join the new www.rant-rave-religious-right.com site O.o
glitchypetpeeve89
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
21 months ago: lol wow, I don't think I want to go to another mad house, I just got used to this one.
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
21 months ago: glitchypetpeeve89, do you know amishking by chance? He's a neighbor of yours.
glitchypetpeeve89
glitchypetpeeve89
Auburn, NY
21 months ago: Nope I don't know him personally, but I am aware that he lives in auburn
21 months ago: You do know that Houdini could escape from your picture. Right? Nice try though.
21 months ago: Sorry, I forgot. Houdini also played on simple minded New Yorkers. You still buy that? Thought so....
21 months ago: Wouldn't that be "preyed"? Houdini was after their adulation and their money so to him they (simple minded New Yorkers) were nothing but game to be harvested.
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
21 months ago: I'll try again.

...Now we only approve well-written, well-thought out posts...Unfortunately, this does not allow for many posts to be approved...

That statement ruffled my avatar feathers as it reflects a generous amount of hubris in claiming to the arbiter of what is "well written" or "well thought-out" and isn't the "we" really an "I" or who else on high is anointed to superciliously 'grade our papers' so to speak?

Also, as I alluded to previously, I don't think your personal definition of "well-written" and "well thought-out" jives with the nature of this website as implied by the definitions of rant and rave - IMHO, a teabagging rant is grist for the mill when it comes to RantRave.com. I hope you're not expecting the likes of a William Buckley or Noam Chomsky to write here?

...I don't understand why the posts that make it to Google News affect the way you participate in the site...

Doesn't affect me personally or the way I participate - I'm just giving you user feedback and it would be nice if "we" as in the participants of the website had a say in what is deemed worthy of broader publication. I thought that's what the thumbs up and down was about but I guess not.
Alex Layton
Alex Layton
 Administrator
Puyallup, WA
21 months ago: Okay, that's fair.

Yes, "well written" is a subjective attribute. It is basically my, or the few moderators, judgment call. I will correct this by adding more moderators.

The "Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down" was intended to affect the "Top Rants/Raves" list. However, it's pretty much un-used by the masses.

Lastly, let me give you a brief explanation as to why we are so picky with the Google News posts.

When we were accepted as a Google News provider, it automatically became the most effective way to attract people to the site. Every post was automatically submitted to the Google News site map and their computers (also known as spiders) decided to what went up, but it was almost everything. Everything included real rants or raves, fabricated stories, scientology propaganda, posts by people who couldn't spell, etc.

Our site was somehow flagged by the spiders (I believe it was the scientology posts that were cut and paste from a dozen other websites) and we were banned by Google News, until we revised our submission process. That is when the editorial review was introduced.

So now, we check posts for plagiarism, punctuation/spelling, and overall quality. That basically leaves us with two options. Either "some" are submitted, or they're all submitted, which eventually leads to none of them being submitted.

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