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I'd still love an 'ignore' button for threads I don't have much interest in (....not always politics). Is this still technically impossible?
If you are ignoring the person who started it, you don't see the entire thread (so I have heard) so it may work for some old ones started by people who no longer post?
 
Thanks also.

It's possibly the same sort of thing, but it irks me when people post crime news stories in the fortean forums which (to me at least) don't seem to have a fortean angle. Mostly they're just heinous or gross, like most of the ones in the 'beheading' topic.

Call me a fortean purist perhaps, but that's why I come here.

Sadly many beheading stories are mundane rather than mondo.
 
Thanks also.

It's possibly the same sort of thing, but it irks me when people post crime news stories in the fortean forums which (to me at least) don't seem to have a fortean angle. Mostly they're just heinous or gross, like most of the ones in the 'beheading' topic.

Call me a fortean purist perhaps, but that's why I come here.

That will be dealt with quickly if you are able to post a link in the Help with Re-organisation thread in Web Site Issues. I'm happy to move non-Fortean threads elsewhere, but I may not always agree.

As to ignores and opt-outs, Stu is looking into them.
 
I'd still love an 'ignore' button for threads I don't have much interest in (....not always politics). Is this still technically impossible?
Why not just ignore them?
Or do you have OCD?
I think I have mild OCD myself.
 
I'd still love an 'ignore' button for threads I don't have much interest in (....not always politics). Is this still technically impossible?
There are lots of threads I'm not interested in and ignore - as time goes on and even more stupid threads get added, the proportion must be approaching 50%...

So if there was an ignore button, I'd need to do a lot of clicking! And what good would it do me? Or anyone else, for that matter?! :twisted:

So if I never post on threads you like, then take it as an unwritten message that - erm - I'd better not post the rest of that thought, or the Mods will be on my back!
 
There are lots of threads I'm not interested in and ignore - as time goes on and even more stupid threads get added, the proportion must be approaching 50%...

So if there was an ignore button, I'd need to do a lot of clicking! And what good would it do me? Or anyone else, for that matter?! :twisted:

So if I never post on threads you like, then take it as an unwritten message that - erm - I'd better not post the rest of that thought, or the Mods will be on my back!

Yeah. I don't see the point of an ignore function for threads. Just don't read the ones that don't interest you. It's not difficult.
 
If threads managed to stay on topic, an ignore function might make more sense. As it stands now, I'd be loathe to employ an 'ignore' setting because I'd have no confidence in knowing exactly what I was thus blocking.

Another thing occurred to me ... With all the ongoing thread consolidation, I'm not sure what would happen with 'ignored' selections if the targeted thread were merged into one or more others. I suspect it would mean having to re-ignore the resultant thread, and this would in turn make the ignore function another target for griping.
 
Yeah. I don't see the point of an ignore function for threads. Just don't read the ones that don't interest you. It's not difficult.
Oh wow, thanks for that. If only I could have worked that out for myself. Cheers. :rolleyes:
 
Oh wow, thanks for that. If only I could have worked that out for myself. Cheers. :rolleyes:

If you like, I'm prepared to come round & rap you on the knuckles with a ruler if you start browsing a thread you don't want to. Of course I'd have to rely on your honesty in admitting it. There would naturally be a nominal charge for this service.

I feel this could be the ideal solution..
 
If you like, I'm prepared to come round & rap you on the knuckles with a ruler if you start browsing a thread you don't want to. Of course I'd have to rely on your honesty in admitting it. There would naturally be a nominal charge for this service.

I feel this could be the ideal solution..

You would make a good dominatrix.
 
With all the ongoing thread consolidation, I'm not sure what would happen with 'ignored' selections if the targeted thread were merged into one or more others. I suspect it would mean having to re-ignore the resultant thread, and this would in turn make the ignore function another target for griping.

The vast majority of the merged threads were years old and inactive--it's unlikely to have affected much.

Edit:
Given that all moves and changes have been made, this thread is now locked. If absolutely necessary, future related issues may be posted on the 'Suggestions for Improvements' thread in Website Issues.
 
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Please leave politics at the door. We have had lots of issues with politically-related spats, arguments, etc, and that's not what this forum is about.

Any purely political discussion / argument / flame war will be swiftly shut down. Attempts at resurrection will incur warnings, and possibly even bannings.

So, be warned.
 
There are concerns--with which the moderators have some sympathy--that we're getting more than a healthy dose of right-wing YouTube material here. Complaints have been received about 'Fake News' and 'Political Propaganda'. We have precisely zero interest in attempting to distinguish genuine from disingenuous sources, but would like to remind members for the 75th time that the ForteanTimes Message Board is not intended for lengthy discussion of politics, except for where it interacts with Forteana--for instance in CONSPIRACY. If Paul Joseph Watson, Stefan Molyneux or Sargon of Akkad wish to sign up, we will be happy to discuss their ideas with them; in the event that they don't and you share their perspectives, please at least take the trouble to present their views in the context of your own--don't just video bomb us. I would be saying the same thing about Left-Wing or Centrist commentators, but we don't seem to have seen many of them.

We are a small community and communities naturally like to discuss the issues of the moment, but we will not allow this place to become (yet another) tributary of the endless stream of culture battles raging on both sides of the Atlantic and elsewhere.

If MAINSTREAM NEWS threatens to become POLITICS once again--or threatens to swamp the Fortean Forums with content--it will be removed again for all the reasons previously discussed.

Comments & Complaints welcome by PM.
 
Just to add to what Yith has already said: if you are going to present anything political, you have to give it Fortean justification.

The words "'cos like, yeah, it's like wrong, yeah?" is not justification. It might well be wrong, distasteful, abhorrent even - but if it's not weird, or at at very least demonstrably related to Conspiracy, then I'm sure you'll find somewhere else to discuss it.

As has been said regarding un-commented dumps of C&P or video links, unless they're justified in some way we'll just delete them.
 
As has been said regarding un-commented dumps of C&P or video links, unless they're justified in some way we'll just delete them.
Apparently this needs repeating.

Lately we've seen an upsurge in the number of alt-right videos, and other clips, being posted without any comment or at least without any real justification.

To repeat: unless it has a genuine, Fortean, interest to it, any uncommented, unjustified clips or links (political or otherwise) will be binned without further discussion.
 
Just binned a few posts about some political stuff from a chat thread--protests against the PM or something.
 
:bump:

Did somebody switch everbody's vitamin tablets? I've been fielding complaints and moving loads of posts over the last 36hrs, posts covering both party politics and political philosophy clogging up unassociated discussions.

:willy:
 
Right, I've charitably moved a handful of political comments today (and deleted one), but from now on I plan to just throw them in the bin--I can't keep on sending private messages and requesting edits every damned day.

If I make a mistake, PM me and I'll re-evaluate and perhaps revert, but I wouldn't bet on it.

I have tried asking nicely, but more than a couple of posters literally ignore my requests.
 
In answer to requests I created a BREXIT Conspiracy thread, but within hours we had somebody spouting off about how one side was morally superior to the other in spite of my explicit request that we keep the conversation to actual conspiracy.

The thread will remain locked indefintely for the reason that has just been perfectly illustrated.

Edit: Reading back, that sounds sneery, which I don't want it to, it's just that I tried.
 
The Shamima Begum thread was, rightly, locked following multiple reports as the content had become overwhelmingly political. Such subjects will always provoke strong feelings and opinions, but inevitably will always lurch then into factional discussions. That is not what we are here for.

This is a board to discuss Fortean topics. Weird things. Odd stuff. Bizarre and phenomenal happenings. We banned politics as a subject as it can become toxic so quickly it can eclipse the rest of the forum, and provoke animosity between posters that hitherto could amiably discuss any topic with the civility and tolerance that this board is rightly known for. We've worked hard to get a reputation like that in a field like this, and I'm not going to allow it to slide into a flame-ridden shoutfest.

So, the Begum thread is withdrawn. That's my final decision.
 
From this day onwards, ANYONE who starts politicising a non-political thread without incredibly good justification will immediately be served with a yellow warning. This will be rigidly enforced.

This was written a long time ago yet--nice people as we generally are--not strictly enforced.

Please let this bump serve as notice that tolerance has been abused and exceeded. Further infractions will result in warnings and (if unheeded) bans.

Some members should look to their posting histories and note how little they contribute to Fortean topics relative to MAINSTREAM NEWS and CHAT.
 
Of course we are aware that the Brexit saga is still trundling on and that for some here the outcome could have direct consequences. We know too that the argument is extremely polarising and that many of you will be emotionally invested in it to a greater degree than you would in more quotidian political debates.

For these reasons, now more than ever, we are dead set on sequestering this board from the whole ill-tempered debate. For some time now, practically the only references to the subject that have been allowed to pass have been found on the Jokes & Humour thread, and even there we've filtered out the sneery point-scoring ones (remoaners vs nazis).

Please, a genuine please and not an exasperated huff, save us the potential conflict and refrain from posting images and articles connected to Brexit.

Unless a UFO lands in Barnier's backyard, Jeremy Corbyn is abducted by men in black, or Jacob Rees Mogg gives birth to a cryptid, we don't need to hear about them.
 
As a couple of members were confused, I'm posting to explain that I'm afraid that it was we, the moderators, who pulled the politics comedy from the joke thread.

Complaints were received, and although the images were--obviously--intended to be light-hearted, we agreed that it is best for us to be sour-faced killjoys in the name of strict impartiality.

Sorry.
 
Three points occasioned by various posts this week:

1) Discussion of the media vs Dominic Cummings is definitely covered by our politics ban and not worth any of our time here. I suggest Twitter--they love this stuff on there.

2) Saying 'there's a conspiracy' without any evidence beyond vague speculation is not a get-out clause for posting political material (either from the UK or the U.S.)

3) If in doubt, why not drop us a line? We usually respond within about ten to fifteen minutes. If you simply include all the moderators in the PM, one of us will probably pick it up and respond pretty soon.

Apologies to anybody who feels hard done by, but we're erring on the side of overcaution as a result of bitter experience.
 
It seems a recap and maybe some (yet further) clarification maybe in order.
..Saying 'there's a conspiracy' without any evidence beyond vague speculation is not a get-out clause for posting political material (either from the UK or the U.S.)
The words "'cos like, yeah, it's like wrong, yeah?" is not justification. It might well be wrong, distasteful, abhorrent even - but if it's not weird, or at at very least demonstrably related to Conspiracy, then I'm sure you'll find somewhere else to discuss it.

As has been said regarding un-commented dumps of C&P or video links, unless they're justified in some way we'll just delete them.
This is a board to discuss Fortean topics. Weird things. Odd stuff. Bizarre and phenomenal happenings. We banned politics as a subject as it can become toxic so quickly it can eclipse the rest of the forum, and provoke animosity between posters that hitherto could amiably discuss any topic with the civility and tolerance that this board is rightly known for. We've worked hard to get a reputation like that in a field like this, and I'm not going to allow it to slide into a flame-ridden shout-fest.
Now, lately there have been posts reported from long before the politics ban, often within legit threads. I can see why, but there are important elements to whether or not they are valid reports. I shall explain.

When the dedicated - now archived - Politics forum was set up, we moved pretty much every political thread from Mainstream News into it. Stuff that was in other forums (overwhelmingly Conspiracy) was usually left - this was the easiest and most clear means of doing so. Part of the issue is that there are threads that started apolitical, but then veered (often legitimately) into the political, and vice versa. The threads that were initially political but that have since become fascinating discussions themselves need preservation. As usual we've a few very clear and straightforward posts and threads that we can just remove, but many have distinct shades of grey, and retro-deletion of individual posts can not only disrupt a thread's progression but also has a kind of revisionist angle that I'm very keen to avoid.

Putting it simply: older posts, in the context of a valid thread, will usually stay (unless they are overtly and purely political and have been overlooked, of course). When we drew the line a few years ago, we agreed to apply it going forward, rather than retro-actively. For that reason, posts pre-2017 will usually be left alone.
 
We've been obliged to remove a few posts recently and would like to clarify some simple points:

1. Claiming that a post is not political or disavowing the intention of making political points goes no way to indemnifying you when the material being posted (an image, article or video) is inherently political.

2) There is very limited scope for pulling non-political points from politicised material because there is a high chance that another member will either complain about the aspect you wish to de-emphasise or pick up one of those aspects and run with it in future posts.

3) The above applies equally to politically grounded jokes and humour--unfortunately.

If in doubt, send us a PM--you'll receive a quick reply.

But, to be honest, just use your head; and if in doubt, don't hit 'post'.
 
Donald and Melania Trump have today been diagnosed with Covid-19, as Boris Johnson was before them.

This fact is, of course, of interest and relevant to the discussions on the various Coronavirus threads, but we are
not going to permit posters to drag in personal insult or express hopes of pain and death--or game out the possible
electoral consequences of the diagnoses.

This is not because we are supporters of Donald Trump, but rather because we want a board on which we can dispense with party and personality politics and discuss the one topic in which we are all interested: Forteana.
 
Just a footnote:

Although some of us have a little affection for the Spitting Image television programme, we'd prefer that you didn't post clips of it here.

Admittedly it does lampoon all politicians, but we don't think the laugh is worth the potential spark.
 
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