The Forvm Elections – Nomination Thread
As HankP pointed out just before folks went off to grill animals and explode things for the Fourth of July, we're a bit late on nominating & electing a new troika of hallowed hall monitors here at The Forvm.
A new round of elections, with concomitant vicious power struggle, was to have taken place in mid-June, and the next three suckers hapless victims lucky volunteers to steer us towards comity and felicitous palabration as we head into the *other* election in November were to have assumed power by now. Well. En retard is better than jamais as they don't say in France, so let's do this thing.
Please post no more than three (3) nominees in replies below. Nominations will be open for one (1) week and several hours until midnight July 17 (17), at which point we'll tabulate and Hank (92) can set up one of those election poll thingies.
The election will be held that weekend, with voting to close on Monday evening, July 21. Let's say 8pm EST so most of us can watch the photo finish and congratulate the new triffids.
Current moderators can also post their intentions here. I believe catchy said he'd decline a nomination, on the grounds that he has a busy Fall coming up, and also that this job is making him despise every living thing on the planet. Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm available. Tomsyl?
--
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. -JH
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References -
PM, Pranky, and AndrewSshi
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)Oh well it is friday past the deadline...
--Ask courageous questions. Do not be satisfied with superficial answers. Be open to wonder and at the same time subject all claims to knowledge, without exception, to intense skeptical scrutiny. Be aware of human fallibility. Cherish your species and your
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)be put into contension also..
--http://theforvm.org/diary/hankp/looks-like-i-screwed-up-with-updates#com...
Ask courageous questions. Do not be satisfied with superficial answers. Be open to wonder and at the same time subject all claims to knowledge, without exception, to intense skeptical scrutiny. Be aware of human fallibility. Cherish your species and your
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| parent ).
--Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. -JH
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| parent )Model 62
Sulla
Wagster
BTW, to keep the formalities in order I second all the previous nominations.
--I blame it all on the Internet
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)Consider 'em seconded
--Excess on occasion is exhilarating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit. - W. Somerset Maugham
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| parent )1. BlaiseP
2. Søren Kierkegaard
3. Micky Love
Traveller
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)Macallan
Brooks and B Rational
Soothsayer
All seem committed to a higher standard of conversation around here, which I take to be a good trait in a moderator. I'm sympathetic to catchy's idea of having a slate of all-rightward-leaning tripods for awhile. And it's a good way to keep Macallan from wandering off in disgust once again. :)
--Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. -JH
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)Thanks Jordan. I'm flattered. But I think others with longer histories here and greater familiarity with the participants and with all things Forvm would be better choices, so I will respectfully decline being considered.
I haven't even submitted nomination choices because I don't think I've been here long enough to have the privilege of weighing in. I think the current troika is doing an excellent job, and I'd be more than happy to see the three of you continue.
For what my two cents are worth, I suggest maintaining an ideologically diverse troika at all times if possible. Moderation is often a subjective art, and we're all vulnerable to our partisan/ideological biases even when trying to apply a single standard. Additionally, from a "marketing" perspective, a diverse troika is consistent with what I think is Forvm's "positioning" and makes a broad range of folks feel more welcome.
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| parent )Moderating isn't an "honor," it's a kind of onerous duty, and as long as you seem like a trustworthy person who won't abuse the responsibility, it doesn't matter how long you've been venting opinions here. It's kind of like in the film Where The Buffalo Roam – we all fly the plane. My criteria are: seems to have time to keep up with diaries; is even-handed when it comes to dealing with people across the aisle. That's you.
Besides, you're from our sister site.
--Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. -JH
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| parent )Thanks again.
As for time, actually, what I'll have to "moderate" a bit more is my time spent here. I'll still participate pretty much daily, but I've been spending a bit too much time here lately due to all you f--kers presenting so many opportunities for stimulating conversation, and it's costing me in a "time is money" way. A few months spending this much time here and I'd end up like...this
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| parent )every time I see it.
--Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. -JH
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| parent )Shouldn't this topic be weighted to remain on top of the front page until the vote? I don't pretend to be an expert, but it seems to me that in order for this election to remain fresh in members' minds and comments, it shouldn't have to be hunted down the page or referenced through links from other diaries.
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)...some folks, but they all appear to be taken. Let's work backwards. Is there anybody left who has posted in, say, the last year who hasn't been nominated?
--The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.
- H.L. Mencken
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)for them all! ;)
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| parent )Sulla
vinteuil
stillnotking
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)1) Steve Malynn
2) Tomsyl
3) Harley
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)Steve Malynn (if he's willing)
--Vinteuil
Wagster
For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise - B. Franklin
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)Is he unwilling or unable to take up the reins again?
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)I blame it all on the Internet
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| parent )Sorry for not reading the diary earlier and responding to your question. I threw my porkpie into the ring by not pulling a catchy. Speaking of whom, let's talk off-site about an appropriate, ah, reward for C-note (as he's called in private) bugging out. I'm thinking of some sort if Hank-omatic script that automatically gives him a user name of our choosing whenever there's a logon from his IP address.
--Rust never sleeps.
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)Nobody's going to believe "ketcheez" took a degree in philosophy. Or how about "Im with stoopeed" and an arrow pointing at himself? "Kick me"? We could put the chorus from the Titanic song in his sig file.
Wait, you said off-site, right?
--Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. -JH
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| parent )... then I'm going with:
M Scott Eiland
Sulla
Jordan.
That's a winning ticket, right there.
--Brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio.
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)Bernard Guerrero
Sulla
Kierkegaard
We've had 2 left-leaning troika members since this site started and I have a strong preference to change that balance. This is a site dedicated to bi-partisan discussion and I really think it's time for some minority rule.
As someone who got to witness the behind-the-scenes deliberations of tomsyl + Jordan, lemme just register how excellent I think their judgment is + how lucky I believe the site was to have them. My desire for new blood is no reflection on their Solomonesque moderating.
Oh, and Kierk? Well, he's just an interesting character and would guarantee some dynamism. Never a bad thing. If he's not willing to serve I'd like to nominate Elagabalus (also a character) in his stead.
Best wishes to the new candidates!
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)You'll be missed here, catch. A lot.
--Rust never sleeps.
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| parent ). . .if there was a troika with all liberals or all conservatives, but as long as they all have to agree on suspensions, bans, or other major actions one conservative (or liberal) is balance enough IMO. I've suggested a voting structure to guarantee this before:
1st place
2nd place
3rd place, unless that would make up an all conservative or all liberal troika, in which case the candidate with the most votes of the other political alignment would be elected
Alternates would be the candidates from each political alignment with the next highest vote totals (meaning one liberal and one conservative). This would mean that the breakdown chosen by the voters would be preserved until the next election in the event of a vacancy, as a conservative would be available to replace a conservative, and a liberal would be available to replace a liberal.
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| parent )Perish the thought.
Surely, any true conservative would be mortified on hearing such a proposal.
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
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| parent )though I still feel victimized by something or other having to do with the NEA.
--Rust never sleeps.
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| parent )This isn't Affirmative Action, its a simple recognition of the need for a site where Conservatives aren't routinely bashed out of hand.
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| parent )But really, for the most part, people behave around here. How often do violations happen? How often are people suspended or banned?
It's pretty infrequent.
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| parent )we gotta soft pedal it to protect the delicate sensibilities of conservatives who might otherwise get the impression they would be benefiting from preferential treatment.
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
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| parent )It's ending Affirmative Action for Liberals, though I can understand why you may feel the need to continue it. It could get scarwy.
I say just continue with the ol' 2 mommies to 1 daddy ratio, it's sooo 21st Century.
.
[I kid, I kid]
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
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| parent )I've been telling my wife that's a great combination!
--Standard Disclaimer: I only speak for myself. I may or not agree with others. Ask, if you are curious. If I post about X I may not have an opinion about Y, no matter how closely related you think they are.
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| parent )a conservative with the perspective of a member of the original Tacitus site might arrive at that conclusion. But abandoning the field and ceding intellectual territory doesn't seem to meet the definition of an action that is affirmative, not to me at least?
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
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| parent )If you want to call boredom with sophomoric sophistry, "ceding intellectual territory", well then Sir, I cede the field.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
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| parent )Let's not get all accusing each other of being Libertarians here. ;)
--It's impossible to debate if people simply hold beliefs that have no grounding in reality.
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| parent )I barely know the Dewey Decimal System, so don't go there!
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
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| parent )You are failing conservatism sir!
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
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| parent )Whence my suggestion of BG and PM - needed especially for the current election cycle - leaving a trail of exploded heads in their wake. Wagster, as no 3.
--Manish Ghosh
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| parent )Today's been pretty good for compliments; got a paper I'm junior author on accepted.
--It's impossible to debate if people simply hold beliefs that have no grounding in reality.
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| parent )Just curious.
--The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.
- H.L. Mencken
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| parent )I'll put linkies up once it's published in a few months.
--It's impossible to debate if people simply hold beliefs that have no grounding in reality.
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| parent )I would immediately become power-mad and stage a coup, then ban half the commenters here solely on the basis of extreme tedium. Then I'd turn the place into a pay-site called 'The Gentlemen's Forvm'.
Elagabalus, Bernard, and Sulla are all great choices, if any are willing and available. If they all are, I vote we make it a Quintet. Or a Quoika.
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| parent )in the silk Versace "Che Lives!" t-shirt, Danny Ortega designer scarf and "X" cap throwing an Aeron chair through a Seattle Starbucks window during the '99 WTO dustup there. And the followup shot of you sitting on the same chair sipping a latte and eating a stolen croissant in the ruins.
--Rust never sleeps.
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| parent )I'd never knowingly harm an Aeron chair.
--It's impossible to debate if people simply hold beliefs that have no grounding in reality.
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| parent )....makes them difficult to throw through anything at all. I know, I've tried.
--The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.
- H.L. Mencken
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| parent )back in my Kirghiz days. It's a bit like a balalaika, only it uses a bellows and is considered obscene throughout the Orient.
--Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. -JH
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| parent )It's actually called a tamponia, and is one of the few known historical uses for a fasola gizzard.
--Rust never sleeps.
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| parent )Ooops. Now how'm I supposed to get all the birthday icing out of this thing?
--Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. -JH
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| parent )We could all b*tch and argue over whether we should turn this into a pay-site while you keep adding purchasing options to the side bar.
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| parent )If you forget to hold an election it must mean the status quo (or "Quo" as I think of them) is doing an exceptional job.
As for the third troikist, is automation out of the question? ;)
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)Traveller
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| parent )is automation out of the question
If so, then no; if not, then yes.
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| parent )which, if given the diary and comment tree, could probably conduct a fair assessment and produce a Troll Theta. The thing could be back-propagated with a trivial expert system trained by the moderators, who'd simply tag a given comment or diary as Potential Trouble.
Say a particularly awful thread developed. The Troll Theta might pick up on two posters who began hammering out short replies to each other every five minutes or so. The Troll Theta would pick up a troll condition under the doctrine of Animated Discussion. Certain keywords in that thread could elevate it to Heated Discussion. If a Heated Discussion condition arose, the mods would be notified and the Heated Discussers, especially if they've been using Flame Words, would be throttled back to posting once an hour.
Really not all that tough to implement.
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| parent )I'm thinking the verifications/funding phase on loan apps. We can call it "Robo Loan Officer". Very retro, it'll sell like hotcakes.
--The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.
- H.L. Mencken
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| parent )and if so, would I find Chris Dodd's name in a log somewhere?
--Rust never sleeps.
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| parent )I did that for Citigroup, and lookit where it got them.
Copied straight from my resume:
Citigroup:- Architected and developed Swing-based Java utility software surrounding FairIsaac’s rules-based Blaze credit scoring software. A team of developers had developed over 45,000 rules, stored in XML. I developed a full parser for Blaze, pricing tree analyzers, an extensible Swing based graphical interface, a refactoring utility and a search tool.
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| parent )Not a problem! Citi just forgot to implement a module to collect and parse random samples of dinner-party conversations and feed 'em to the DE as XML.
When the real-estate related chatter reaches 50% of parsed volume, the DE refuses to fund any more loans for 6 months. I call it the "My-shoeshine-boy-told-me-to-buy-index-futures" feedback trigger.
--The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.
- H.L. Mencken
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| parent )First pass says "Never loan a million bucks to a five year old" and suchlike. The second pass does all the credit agency pulls, and there's where the real BS detection begins. Third phase is actual inspection by underwriters.
We had a bunch of old underwriters on staff, and I wrote them a BS detection expert system, almost as a joke, but they found it exceedingly useful. Expert systems aren't all that hard to write, since they're trained by experts. They do suffer from what's called "brittleness", but it can be circumvented by periodic retraining.
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| parent )...on LinkedIn or somesuch?
Direct contact @ bguerrero -at- alumni -dot- stern -dot- nyu -dot- edu
--The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.
- H.L. Mencken
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| parent )... but could it make little needles protrude out of the offenders' keyboards? A seizure-inducing series of pulses from the monitor? Maybe Paris Hilton reading the collected works of Danielle Steele pouring out of the speakers?
That'd be progress.
--Brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio.
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| parent )- Login or register to post comments
| parent )trying to read "ThinkProgress" ;)
I vote for Blaise's AI, too. So now we need a Sextet--or a "Sexoika'.
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| parent )...is inaugurated as a member of the Forvm's Sexoika.
July 25: Skynet becomes self-aware.
July 27: Skynet decides it doesn't like being part of anything called a "Sexoika".
July 2
--The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.
- H.L. Mencken
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| parent )But you have to admit I'm doing my darndest to inject sex into every comment thread.
And never was there less fertile ground...
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| parent )J'irai la-bas où l'arbre et l'homme, pleins de sève,
Se pâment longuement sous l'ardeur des climats;
Fortes tresses, soyez la houle qui m'enlève!
Tu contiens, mer d'ébène, un éblouissant rêve
De voiles, de rameurs, de flammes et de mâts:
from Fleurs du Mal
Now, gennemens, I suspect there are women who read this site, and as a writer of erotica, nothing intrigues them so much as to eavesdrop on men talking about sex. I, a confirmed reprobate of the Old School of Reprobacy, am of the opinion the ground hereabouts is infertile, and nothing improves it like a bit of good manure....
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| parent )... is when Skynet decides it does like being part of a "Sexoika."
--Brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio.
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| parent )