"Some questions about the Editors" Topic

Showdown,

Thank you, that was very reasonable.

Cheers,

The Bandit

It seems as if some are trying to pad their stifle counts. It's working…

The Stifle count? OMG. The Stifle count is irrelevant and is an irrelevance.

It was "won" by a thoroughly nice foreign chap who enthusiastically contributes enormous amounts of stuff to TMP daily but apparently that was not the right thing to do, and second place has been secured by a thoroughly nice foreign chap who set out to show how utterly ridiculous the Stifle Table is given the explanation of its existence by the Editor.

Apparently, both have failed in the respective intentions!

The only "Grand Inquisitor" here seems to be Bill. He's the one who is banning people left and right, simply for associating with those he considers to be his "enemies".

I got banned back last year for defending myself against a death threat made by Mithmee – on the Blue Fez, of all places.

Mithmee threatened to kill me and I simply pointed out that his name was on his page and on other places where he posts with the same handle. I said that if he continued to act like an ass to all and sundry on the internet, some day there was a good chance he'd find a fleet of Domino's pizza trucks crusing up his driveway, courtesy of Anonymous.

Bill called this a threat and "virtual stalking" (a term I had to look up) and banned me for it, although Mithmee's murder threats were apparently understood by The Editor to be good-natured banter. After all, why would anyone think a self-proclaimed sociopathic homophobe would ever do any harm to someone he considered to be a "pervert"?

Murder threats? That's just good clean banter in The Blue Fez, I guess.

Now, apparently, I am being banned again, simply for having the temerity to take Editor Gwen up on her promise to answer any questions we might have via private messages.

Inquisitors are the people who censor and ban and punish, Javelin.

I CERTAINLY don't feel "safe" participating in a site where someone can threaten to kill me, repeatedly, and get away with it, who makes it very clear that they consider me to be a sick pervert who should be jailed or executed for my political views. It's even worse when I get punished for defending myself from said person (all this on a Politics Only restricted board, mind you) while the guy who made the threats – who proudly claims to be a sociopath – is allowed to continue on in good standing.

So no, I do not think Bill is making a "safe" environment for anyone, especially for people whom many of his protected posters think are "perverts" and "criminals".

Say what you like about Frothers, but I have received ZERO threats from the folks over there. Can't say the same thing about TMP, unfortunately.

Mac you have been kicked out for a most terrible invasion of privacy. You are not welcome here. And btw, I am sure you will get much more from Frothers than you ever got from us.

Now, apparently, I am being banned again…

Not "again" – the correct word is "still."

Way to go Mac, one post and locked.

What a mess…….

nicely put but sadly the truth

How many of the Editors speak English fluently? If they do not speak or write English fluently, does this have a negative impact on the smooth running of TMP?

I aspired to be part of the growing "call center" industry in the Philippines. Sadly, I've been rejected several times already. Not that I am either incompetent with my communications or comprehension; rather, it is with regret to say that I wasn't able to graduate college. I can say my writing is above average, and also my speaking. With English not being my native language, I can't totally regard myself as talking English fluently, but I don't see how it would bear negative impact on TMP. I worked my way up with my capacity for fast-learning and have exceeded Bill's expectations as an assistant editor.

Are all the staff based in the Phillipines?

I live in Rodriguez, Rizal, formerly known as Montalban, a provincial state just outside NCR (National Capital Region). You can google-map my area, if you like.

Why have none of the Editors commented on the recent controversies?

I am guilty of this, but it isn't my intention to avoid the war with Frothers. In fact, all ten of my fingers are itching to type phrases, commentaries, and self-defenses against whoever is bashing my beloved TMP, co-workers, and especially Bill. It just happens that my IP address is blocked by Frothers.

I find it funny that someone is "concerned" about being part of a website that exploits people when he probably buys and uses products every day made for companies that use foreign factories in countries with very questionable labor practices.

Obviously your post is just another boring attempt to deflect rather than think about what has been said, but I'll bite anyway; actually I shop as ethically as I can and I take a great deal of discernment in the companies that I use. Some of the guys on this forum will be able to tell you what I think of the global corporations and how they are exploiting the natural world & manipulating the minds of the people. I work as an ecologist and have a great respect for the our world, including its human habitants. I am not a completely strict vegetation but when I do eat meat I try to make sure it comes from an organic or free-range source from a farm that I can trust. I don't get a sense of ego from stating any of this, I am only stating it because you have decided to question my integrity rather than engage in a worthwhile debate. Nice job, but about par for the course on this thread so I'm not surprised.

Our integrity is one of the few things that we have in this world that should not be compromised. I will not willingly associate with anything or anyone that I believe to be "dodgy". And Bill and TMP are coming over as exceedingly dodgy lately. And when someone asks questions about all this, they are rounded on by a pack of sycophantic zombies.

For that reason, I'm out. Have fun TMP.

Sorry to lose you. Hope you change your mind and come back in a few weeks.

Oh, c'mon, Texas Jack!

Mithmee threatened to kill me not once but TWICE.

It was hardly the first time he did that to someone, either.

All I did was go to his TMP member page, note his name – clearly stated there – and note that he was a real person whose data was quite findable, all over the net.

I then said that, given his penchant for being an ass and threatening people like a real Internet Tough Guy, he should tone his down or one day he would be liable to find pizza trucks blocking his driveway, sent by Anonymous.

Now fine, that can be read as a threat. It is CERTAINLY less of a threat than the multiple death threats Missy sent my way, neh?

About which Bill did absolutely nothing.

So bull me no about "invasions of privacy", TJ, when all I did was state the man's name, as written on his TMP member page.

Even by Bill's odd understanding of "privacy", I don't think that was an invasion.

Dawghousing for the both of us until we cooled off? I could see that.

But that would require that Bill evenhandedly moderate and hell, he doesn't want to do that, especially when it's some tea-bagging cretin who will be sent to the Dawghouse.

That is why this is such hypocritical B.S. Bill is accusing Frothers of being sexist pigs, but it is Bill and this site that ran ALizardInCrimson out on a rail for objecting to "needs more boobies", isn't it? In fact, ask any woman you like: the NAME of that board is at best in sensitive and at worst a slap in the face. Ask your wife if you have one. Any board that does crap like that has no call to scream "sexism"at another board.

Several people are also accusing Frothers of being trans- and homophobic (or they would, if they had any guts or real commitment to the rights of LGBT people), but it's OK to let self-proclaimed sociopaths threaten to murder people they think are "perverts".

Give me a break, TJ!

So why do some of us think this whole thing stinks beyond words?

Well, hell, if Bill thinks it's OK to drop a dime on a transpinay he and his friends helped, declaring to the Phillipino police (paragons of human rights that they are) that she's scammer… What is he capable of doing if one of his editors becomes less than enchanted with him or her job?

We are talking about people who are waaaaaaaaay out on a limb here, TJ:

1) They are not U.S. citizens, working for a U.S. based company.

2) They belong to a social category that's one of the most stigmatized on the planet, that's ROUTINELY targeted for violence by police and general run-of-the-mill s alike.

3) They are posting their info and pictures on a site where they are being paid for this by either Bill or his very good friend.

4) They are working in an industry that is chock to the brim with homophobes, transphobes, and sexists. Even if people like Mithmee weren't the Editor's fair-haired little boys here, even if absolutely EVERYTHING Bill says about Frothers were true (and it isn't), then all he and Mont y have done is put the Editors in danger by hiring them off Monty's site and having them post their profiles here WITH THE SAME PICTURES AND NAMES.

I mean, let's take Bill at his word and presume Frothers is full of evil homophobes, transphobes and sexists. So how much of a dangerous "invasion of privacy" is it for him or Mont y to buy the editors' stories, publish them (and note that "publish" and "public" have the same root for a reason), then hire them here and have them use their same names and photos?

"Oh, yeah. Gaming is just full of evil men who want to hurt you, honey. So let me hire you and put you in PRECISELY a position where we can make sure that they will do exactly that, OK?"

At best, this whole "charity" thing of Bills has been poorly thought out and his response to people discovering the obvious has been ham-fisted, to say the least.

At worst, Bill can be accused of gross negligence towards his employees' privacy and well being.

@ editor Hebber – did the call centers say why they rejected your application? I worked in a call center (IBM) for a while so maybe I can point you in the right direction for training??

I've been watching this unwind with some surprise and amusement. Like many others I was completely oblivious of what was going on because I mostly stick to the pages about wargaming. But then all this stuff spilled over into the other areas and people who regularly made valuable contributions to threads about wargaming were leaving.

So I went over to Frothers to see what the fuss was about – it was my first (and last) visit. There is one thread that summarises things for those that don't want to read the main thread (which had reached 500 pages when I looked at it of which I looked at the first fifteen or so). Essentially I suspect most of the blokes over there are British wargamers who reacted in a typically British manner – ie they fell about laughing, and began cracking smutty schoolboy jokes to one another (this is a site where as far as I can see there is very little wargaming content but a lot of four letter words in every post).

And I suspect that was where it would have ended if Bill hadn't gone over there and asked them to stop being nasty. The Frothers guys just reacted like a red rag to a bull – and then Bill gave them the oxygen of publicity on this site by a succession of ill considered decisions, such as publishing that incredibly weird and unprofessional interview on the front page, and then going off the deep and whenever the subject was mentioned.

If Bill had ignored the subject and banned anyone who tried to bring it over here it would probably have blown over, which I also think it would have done if Bill had simply made a statement that he was hiring employees from a particular group and what of it?

I'm sure Bill has acted from the best possible motives but his handling of this whole thing is doing him no credit whatsoever, and it is impacting on the wider TMP site conversations about wargaming.

And the whole idea that we can't refer directly to the elephant in the room seems fairly ridiculous – I think that horse left the sable some time ago.

Malc

Bill,

Sorry to lose you. Hope you change your mind and come back in a few weeks.

If you feel that way why don't you address his concerns?

Malc,

And the whole idea that we can't refer directly to the elephant in the room seems fairly ridiculous – I think that horse left the sable some time ago.

Yep…

Cheers,

The Bandit

If you feel that way why don't you address his concerns?

I answered all of his questions, and two of the editors responded, too.

Editor Hebber, I am very happy to hear from you!

I had the same problem with Frothers blocking my ISP.

What it turned out to be is this: if you post too often anonymously there, you will be blocked. What you have to do is register there – as Editor Hebber or any other handle you might like – and sign in.

That's what unblocked the ISP for me. Since I did that, I have no more problems.

I, for one, would WELCOME you wholeheartedly to Frothers, to say as much or as little as you like. In fact, if you want to step back and tell Frothers to blow it out their collective , go right ahead!

I will support you.

But my experience here on TMP with The Editor has led me to believe that he has serious "issues". For your own sake and that of the other editors, I really don't think "protecting Bill" should be your focus. If he's doing legitimate help work, YOU should be its focus.

And we don't get rid of homophobia, transphobia, or sexism by telling people that they can work as long as they remain quite about what they are.

I'm confused – what difference does it make ??? Do they do the job? Great – pay them. If not – fire them. If Bill wants to hire every etc. person in the world, who's business is it?

People, let's get off this topic and talk about miniatures. Please.

EDIT: Whatever. It's not worth my time or blood pressure to respond to those who have already made up their minds. Back to the wargaming threads!

And now Frothers has some kind of "Join Us!" program going?

Yikes.

Who's a sock puppet? Me?

No, not you! The Tadeus, etc., accounts.

Ok. Thanks. Sorry for the confusion :)

Oh no. I have snips in my last post. Think I'm headed for the dawghouse. :(

Mac, you know, as well as everyone else here, that Mithmee didn´t put his name on his profile until you posted it in the fez. Sheesh.

And I am sure everyone Mithmee has threatened to kill deserved it.

Thaddeus, I'm afraid I don't recall your banning from TMP. I don't remember why Mithmee wasn't banned too – perhaps there was a good reason, perhaps a mistake was made, I simply don't remember.

I hope that you can move past what was, for you, an unpleasant forum experience.

Some Frothers say I'm lying so here's the proof:

Be more cautious on what you say next time.

Ummm. Look at your address on mix.dnsbl.com/blacklist.php. It appears there. :(

Just whistling past the graveyard here. Nothing to add other than I find all of this disturbing but oddly compelling. I have not been able to pull myself away, waiting for worse to happen….

Wow. Go to mxtoolbox.com. That IP is blacklisted by 10 different companies!

"The proof is in the pudding," as they say.

link

Mac, you are still a poopy head.

Ask Mithmee what he thinks about this, and you will get an earful. And from what I hear, it wouldn´t be the first time you spread private information across the internet.

Very persistent, very… unpleasant person.

Thaddeus, I'm afraid I don't recall your banning from TMP. I don't remember why Mithmee wasn't banned too – perhaps there was a good reason, perhaps a mistake was made, I simply don't remember.

I hope that you can move past what was, for you, an unpleasant forum experience.

Bill, I very m uch doubt that you "don't remember" this, seeing as how I sent you e-mails about it for weeks afterwards.

You sent me a mail, asking me to explain myself. At first I didn't have the slightest clue what you were talking about. Then I figured it out. I think about 7 messages from me to you followed.

No response.

Banned, not doghawsed, on the Blue Fez, of all places, where the political gloves are supposed to come off. And nary a word from you why, when the guy who threatened my life – twice – went on his merry.

As for "over it" I was – until this crap came up and

Looking at it more closely, it seems that whole ISP has issues with spammers. I don't think there's an issue with credit cards, etc. as for email addresses – it's way too easy to get any email address you want. I wouldn't give it a second thought.

NLR – do you know how to check blacklisted IP address?

Bill,

I've asked a couple of times now, can you tell us in a relevant level of detail what the heck there is to do to keep TMP running that takes 4-6* individuals typically working full-time?

That's 160+** person-hours per week, on a website where the forums are generally not policed and topics don't require approval with something like ~10 news items posted each day.

I'm trying to understand how this makes sense.

* Four current "editors" plus yourself plus another editor one you said is returning August 1st.
** I'm low balling the number of hours per week under the presumption that not all six of you are going to be working full-time, otherwise it would be 240 hours per week, 160 seems crazy high already, heck, 100 seems crazy high, so even I've I've grossly misunderstood and only half are working full-time the question remains.

Cheers,

The Bandit

Bandit,

Why is the site work load of such concern to you? And how is any attitude not reflecting the Frother Line (which is what you are espousing, whether you are one of 'them' or not) complacency?

I also don't know why you would care about how many members there are and if they are all current because that would really only be of concern to someone who has a fiscal interest in TMP, like an advertiser or a shareholder. Other than that, it isn't of any real concern of yours, unless your goal is to somehow embarrass Bill by bringing up the subject.

Thanks,

Pat

@ TheKing30 – NaughtyLittleRabbit is just another of the one-day wonder trolls.

…can you tell us in a relevant level of detail what the heck there is to do to keep TMP running that takes 4-6* individuals typically working full-time?

Claire does graphics and processes stories off the RSS feed
Jhajha is in training
Gwen is in training
Hebber edits Hobby News and is training Jhajha

Two are full-time, and two are part-time.

Why is the site work load of such concern to you?

Maybe he's getting information so he can launch a rival website? Or maybe he's trying to prove the Frothers theory that there's some strange conspiracy and the editors don't actually work.

"who reacted in a typically British manner – ie they fell about laughing, and began cracking smutty schoolboy jokes to one another (this is a site where as far as I can see there is very little wargaming content but a lot of four letter words in every post)."

Oh, is that what we do is it? However did we manage an empire er?

There is actually quite a lot of wargaming stuff if you look. Not as much as TMP though, I admit. As for all the four letter words, well we did give the world association football and a certain four letter word.

Editor Hebber, if you want to make sure you can post get the TorBrowser it's free and will give you a anonymous IP that wont be banned at Frothers.
You can then say what you want in response to anything there.

Why have none of the Editors commented on the recent controversies?

They have a sense of decorum and know how to exercise personal restraint?

Patrick Sexton,

Why is the site work load of such concern to you? And how is any attitude not reflecting the Frother Line (which is what you are espousing, whether you are one of 'them' or not) complacency?

Don't associate me with people you demonize just because I ask questions about how TMP works.

I also don't know why you would care about how many members there are and if they are all current because that would really only be of concern to someone who has a fiscal interest in TMP, like an advertiser or a shareholder.

That is ridiculous, John the OFM (I think it was) asked a couple weeks ago on TMP Talk why the post stats were wrong. That is completely inconsequential too, did he need to buy a banner ad for his question to be acceptable?

Other than that, it isn't of any real concern of yours, unless your goal is to somehow embarrass Bill by bringing up the subject.

Why is the only option that I must be trying to embarrass Bill?

Bill,

Claire does graphics and processes stories off the RSS feed
Jhajha is in training
Gwen is in training
Hebber edits Hobby News and is training Jhajha

It takes 100+ hours a week to process hobby news, the stories coming from an RSS feed and train in other people do… do the same jobs? There's gotta be other stuff or I've gotta be confused as to how much output there is. Can you clarify this at all and enlighten my ignorance?

Maybe he's getting information so he can launch a rival website? Or maybe he's trying to prove the Frothers theory that there's some strange conspiracy and the editors don't actually work.

Why are you associating me with a website that I've never participated on and which you've made many derogatory statements about?

Don't you get it Bill? Answering the sort of questions I'm asking should be helping your cause. I'm not seeking to make you look bad, I'm seeking to help you answer the obvious questions, doing so would *prevent* them from being used against you as an attack.

I'm asking reasonable things, I'm not lambasting anyone here, but I'm getting a lot of rude replies.

Cheers,

The Bandit

OMG sock puppet heaven here. Let it be guys.

It takes 100+ hours a week to process hobby news, the stories coming from an RSS feed and train in other people do… do the same jobs? There's gotta be other stuff or I've gotta be confused as to how much output there is. Can you clarify this at all and enlighten my ignorance?

Would you like to watch the editors at work?

I don't have socket puppets, Bill should be able to confirm that.

And no I don't want to watch them, why would you even ask that — that is creepy. I just want my reasonable question answered in a useful way.

Cheers,

The Bandit

I don't have socket puppets, Bill should be able to confirm that.

Can never rule out sock puppets completely.

And no I don't want to watch them, why would you even ask that — that is creepy.

Well, I don't know how else to answer your question. It's not "creepy" – we have guests drop by from time to time. Maybe you should ask the individual editors.

And no I don't want to watch them, why would you even ask that – that is creepy

Hilarious. ILMAO.

I don't think our Bill has a case to answer but he sure does seem to like shooting his own foot at times. A classic.