Here’s a comment I posted yesterday which is probably worth a read. I posted it in relation to the recent banning of Loki, and subsequent protest from some contributors.
Let me put it this way…I’m at work for the majority of each weekday, while at work I do not have access to this website or to my personal email, I therefore have no way of monitoring comments.
When I do finally have a chance to check on the site, I tend to find a bunch of completely off-topic, near-defamatory comments…often against people who either read, or know people who read this website.
It’s fine for you…the chances of anyone ever finding out who you are and being able to take legal action against you for defamation is minimal…I on the other hand am responsible for what gets published here…I’m the one who will be facing a defamation lawsuit one of these days.
I don’t mind if people wander off-topic occasionally, I don’t mind if people criticise me…and I enjoy reading a lot of the comments, but I have to take some action to avoid defamatory comments, and repeated attacks on various contributors.
I can’t force every comment into the moderation queue because I would only be able to check it once or twice a day…and that would stifle any discussion, therefore I have to revoke the comment writing privilege of people abuse their privilege.
Loki is strongly suspected of being someone who has been banned multiple times.
I don’t guarantee to be consistent, and I reserve the right to change the rules as I see fit, and to not publish those rules.
I don’t care if I lose contributors because they don’t like my administration of my own website, in my view it’s good riddance. Just because some parts of the Internet are seen as “anything goes” areas, doesn’t mean that I have to run the same kind of website…you have your own website Captain Flume, and anybody can setup their own website if they don’t like the rules on this one.
Basically, if you don’t like it, go away and don’t come back.
I appreciate that some people don’t like my stance, but I see no good reason why I, as the person paying for this website, should have to let everyone else dictate what goes on…actually, no, it’s not that I just don’t see a good reason…there are no good reasons. It’s my site, and I shouldn’t have to justify my administrative decisions.
It seems that many people have this absurd idea that the every website on the Internet has to adhere to some golden rule of free speech (When I started blogging I thought that was a great idea, but it just doesn’t work on the Internet) and that if you block a comment for any reason then you are some facist censorship pig from the office of Mr. Stalin. I like the idea of free speech, really I do, but with free speech comes responsibility…unfortunately many people on the Internet seem to think that they can ditch their responsibilities by being more-or-less anonymous, such reckless actions ruin it for everyone else, and make what could be a good place for open discussions a place with anxious admins…and that in turn scares the contributors who become paranoid about saying something “wrong”.
I, as the administrator here, have responsibilities too…I have to ensure that you don’t break the law when you post here, I have to maintain certain standards, and I have to clean up the mess when someone ditches their own responsibilities…I don’t like that last role, but if I didn’t do it, no one else would, and the website would be a complete waste of time, not to mention be in all sorts of legal trouble.
I did consider having someone acting as a moderator, but I can’t rely on other people to make those decisions, especially when I’m not making any money out of this website (the Google Ads might pay USD$100 in another year or two…if I’m lucky) and wouldn’t really be able to pay them for their time.
My decision is final, that’s the way the website works, if you don’t like it then there is nothing stopping you from complaining about it elsewhere, or sending me an abusive email…maybe you’d like to complain about it in the comments of this post…that’s fine, but I am tired of the constant ridicule of people who aren’t related to articles, the constant off-topic inuendo, and the constant attacks between certain contributors.
I like debates, I’m more than happy for you to debate (on topic) things here, and I’m more than happy for the occasional off-topic foray, and the occasional textually violent disagreements between contributors which are bound to occur. But when it happens too often, it becomes stale, boring and painfully monotonous.
There are two bottom lines here:
1. Your ability to contribute to this blog with comments is a privilege, not a right, and that privilege is granted and denied by me.
2. My site, my rules…I’m fairly flexible most of the time, but I have my limits, and many people hear have me at near or beyond breaking point.
My job
Another point of housekeeping, recently there has been some discussion here about my new job…admittedly I handed out more information than I later wanted to, and subsequently withdrew that information and have remained very tight-lipped about my job. This has created an air of mystery, and a few rather curious individuals.
For various personal and professional reasons I do not wish to discuss my job here, nor do I wish to hand out any information about it. I would also appreciate it if there was no further speculation about it on this website. If you must speculate about it, please do so elsewhere.
Your cooperation is appreciated.
All comments relating to the above are welcome in the comments section below.
Samuel
Comments Disabled To "Blog Housekeeping"
#1 Comment By Chuck A. Spear On November 27, 2006 @ 1:44 am
I think this is about the fourth ‘Stalinist’ (who is Stalinist?) purge I have seen in my time contributing to Samuel’s Blog.
From what I have read Loki has distanced himself from myself (Roger Mullet), Captain Flume and others. Quite admirably I may add.
This leads me to suspect like Samuel said that he may be the former contributer JohnB1_B5 or the_total_cynic who has been playing an extremely dangerous game of double bluff. But I am prepared to give him /her a chance.
This is what got ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko pushing up daisies. Before he was knocked off he did mention something about his #### #### to get into hospital.
However, suspicions aside, there is no evidence to prove this.
Whoever Loki is, I have enjoyed his /her relevant on-topic comments.
If Loki’s innocent asking of the job that Samuel said he was waiting for a #### #### for, was the reason he was purged then maybe the above post from Samuel should have been made ultra-clear before his sentence to the gulag in the ether of Siberia.
I just hope that the lesson of the ice pick to Trotsky’s head is not applied to others.
Samuel. The chances of you being sued are about as much as a person winning the lottery if they buy a ticket or not.
I have read your new policy and I am sure if you let Loki out on bail, with strict conditions, they/he/she will abide.
But I will be surprised if they return and just hope that they don’t feel too hard done by these extreme measures.
By the way. I have seen the film Top Secret and when the girl got off the motorbike and her hair stayed in the same position that it was in when she was riding it (flowing in the wind) and was highly offended I realised that maybe I just needed to loosen up and go see a lady of the night.
Best wishes to Loki and I hope to see their well informed contributions back soon.
#2 Comment By tmothyh On November 27, 2006 @ 10:44 am
Well said Samuel!! I see no reason why you should have to justify the administration of your own site to people. Keep up the good work.
#3 Comment By Token Blackman On November 28, 2006 @ 12:51 am
Hello Samuel,
It has been a while since I last read your blog. However, I do have to say that you should becareful of Nige54. Ok, he might try to get you a girl, but he to is like Loki. However not as good at it.
I won’t be surprised that he will send a hundred of his “friends” to say that Nige54 is a great guy and is really great with the ladies. But Im sure you can tell from their IP adresses that they are all one in the same. Why would a person have dozens of people all commenting about him from on IP? Ok off topic there.
No, kinda on topic. You should keep a log of all the IP addresses “trouble makers” use, like keep the list on your PC. That way, if it matched with someone you suspect is a trouble maker then you can take the correct actions to prevent the suspect from making trouble.
The same goes for if they access proxy servers. I take it that your main demographic is Australian? Well, if a trouble maker likes to user Korean Proxy Servers, just ban the entire Korean nation.*
I use Korea as a example.
That said, it would be hard to ban a nation, if most of the traffic comes from there. I think you know what I mean.
Well, I just like it how Nige54 had to plug his self. (Sentence removed — Admin). Contact Nige54!
#4 Comment By Captain Flume On November 28, 2006 @ 3:21 am
It is worthwhile pointing out that I hadn’t seen John B1_B5’s comment about him also going to see the Kingswood, so I was unaware that he was coming, and was surprised when he arrived. I didn’t recognise him at first, but I had requested that Mike Frame stand next to the Kingswood for a photo, and John B1_B5 arrived so we both wanted to take a photo of this, it was only just before we took the photos that we recognised each other. We promptly started a small competition to see who has the best Kingswood photos.
#5 Comment By Samuel On November 28, 2006 @ 3:53 am
Well done Captain…consider yourself banned.
#6 Comment By Chuck A. Spear On November 28, 2006 @ 12:47 pm
I don’t think you a really qualified to give advice Token Blackman on how to administer this blog by logging IP addresses of perceived trouble makers and linking previous contributors to a new guest ,Nigel, by labeling him a trouble maker.
You have no frame of reference Token Blackman. You are like a kid walking into a movie and asking what is going on.
Your random incision into this thread has caused derision from one contributer and now Samuel has banned him for simply quoting Samuel.
A banning of which I do not agree with.
I enjoy Samuel’s posts and I also enjoy the persiflage that ensues between contributors afterwards.
I can only hope the banning of Captain Flume is lifted.
#7 Comment By Chuck A. Spear On November 28, 2006 @ 1:10 pm
I just had a glance at Nigel website. Hopefully I may be able to get some free advice from him and use his expertise in some areas.
#8 Comment By John B1_B5 On November 28, 2006 @ 1:36 pm
Did I hear my name mentioned in vain ? (chuckle).
#9 Comment By Chuck A. Spear On November 28, 2006 @ 1:58 pm
Welcome back John. Good to see you are a man of your word.
#10 Comment By Colonel Moodus On November 28, 2006 @ 2:49 pm
Yes, welcome back John. (chuckle)
Captain Flume was bad news from the beginning. Right about now he is melting back into the brush, waiting for Chief White Halfoat to die from pneumonia. Silly man.
Colonel Moodus supports the right of Samuel to ban whomever he wishes. It’s 1984 after all, and going off-topic should never be tolerated.
#11 Comment By Colonel Moodus On November 28, 2006 @ 2:52 pm
I would like to add that my favourite jingle, or more correctly, advert, goes back to the 1960’s when the ORIGINAL louie the fly advert made its debut . It was written by no less than Bryce Courtenay and performed by Ross Higgins (of “Kingswood Country” fame ) .
#12 Comment By Colonel Moodus On November 28, 2006 @ 2:55 pm
And to quote Samuel’s quote of the day:
“Growing older is mandatory, Growing up is optional, Laughing at yourself is therapeutic.” — Random advice
#13 Comment By Chuck A. Spear On November 28, 2006 @ 3:26 pm
Yes Colonel. I believe Bryce also came up with The Milky Bar Kid. Suffice to say his children were quite embarrassed by the cowboy in glasses and distanced themselves from it at school.
#14 Comment By Chuck A. Spear On November 28, 2006 @ 3:31 pm
Keeping on topic about all the secret-squirrel talk, I am about to take a test:
[1]
If I pass I won’t be back!
#15 Comment By Colonel Moodus On November 28, 2006 @ 4:34 pm
Did you know the child actor for the Milky Bar Kid went to our school? He was forced to leave because everyone kept yelling ‘The Milky barrrrrrz are oooooon meeeeee!’ during class.
#16 Comment By Colonel Moodus On November 28, 2006 @ 4:35 pm
I’ve got friends in high places at The Department of Defence. I’ll see if I can pull a few strings, Chuck.
#17 Comment By John B1_B5 On November 30, 2006 @ 6:09 pm
Huh ? I don’t remember receiving any advice from you Nigel …… but anyway, I have a new lady friend now, and all is going well. (I shan’t elaborate on that, lest I get ‘interrogated’ about it next time I call The Drive Show). haha.
#18 Comment By jim On December 12, 2006 @ 3:14 pm
johnboy
remember me jim
you are the most Ignorant gutless person i have every chatted too.
you think you are allways right and we know your not.
your site is full of foul mouth friends of yours.
if you dont like what the persons comment is you wipe it and replace it with insults.
and if they have to insult you they get wiped and blocked from your site.
Samuel’s keep up the good work