Ill get my coat!

[Aurora]

For what it's worth folks, I would still be a regular contributor if it wasn't for the likes of RGR, JSD and An Inspector Calls.

They have been a divisive influence on this forum for some time, a fact that I raised with Biff in a PM (to no avail) some months ago.

Cheers, Aurora.

Indeed but I'm not a mod so I think you pmd the wrong guy

There is clearly a substantial number people calling for the trolls to be banned and some who have left the forum or are saying they will if things don't change. We do seem to have reached a crisis.

And yet there seems to be complete silence from the mods, whoever they are. Can we have some reasoned explanation and action from the mods please before the forum dies and victory is conceded to the trolls?

Apologises Biff, I meant the overtly inactive Bandidoz.

[DominicJ]

They have been a divisive influence on this forum for some time, a fact that I raised with Biff in a PM (to no avail) some months ago. ..........
I suspect there are many other potential contributors that feel the same way. Anyone remember Vortex?

Since when was diversity a bad thing?
How dare they lead then flock away from the "right" shepherds!

I dont often read RGR or AiCs posts, but when I do, they are often well thought out, informative, and lacking zealotry and dogma.

From my PoV, people dont like AiC because he argues for nuclear power in a sensible way, whereas those who argue against it are still screaming all Japans unihabitable and the worlds about to end.

I do remember Vortex, I actualy PM'ed him a couple of days ago after running across his old threads.

It was my impression he left because 99% of the people on here arent remotely serious.

Think about it a moment.
How many of the self aggrandising Champions of PowerSwitch Purity are actualy practicing what they preach?
FifthColumn moved to whats likely to be the last palce in the world to have oil.
Vortex owns an 11 acre farm.
I'm making moves on 1/4acre.

How many people who actualy have useful knowledge are harrased into leaving by those who do little but demand we all elect the green party and live in yurts?

[madibe]

Unless anyone is feeling super generous then simply:



Job done, no one needs to quit the forum...just post a nice banner like this and then stay with the topic, ignoring all pleas from the troll for food.

Really easy.

[biffvernon]

Nobody has asked that you be banned, Dom. It's not about people we disagree with or people who are wrong or stupid or or or ... it's just about people who act in a classically trollish way, time and again, to the detriment of the forum.

[biffvernon]

Job done, no one needs to quit the forum...just post a nice banner like this and then stay with the topic, ignoring all pleas from the troll for food.

Really easy.

But it's not so simple.

Take this thread, for example: http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/forum/vie ... c&start=15

AIC said something that to any newbie who doesn't know a lot about climate science sounds quite plausible. It needs refuting and clv101, who does know a lot about climate science, it being his day job, made a swift refutation. It was needed and done well.

But that is also feeding the troll. AIC has made the same sort of comment before, he knows he is wrong and he knows he is just being vexatious. He is a troll.

Sadly, there is no alternative if the forum is to survive but to ban. If I am wrong we will get a reply from AIC saying, "Oh I see, I didn't realise the Arctic and Antarctic were such different systems, thank you for enlightening me." I'm not holding my breath.

[caspian]

Biff, it's all too easy for that sentiment to turn into "that person is annoying me and/or being offensive. Ban them too". Trollish behaviour is not always clear cut.

[Ludwig]

This is the logic of the censorious: don't like an argument? Then ban it. I don't like RGR or AIC any more than you do, but chucking people off discussion lists isn't the way to go.

I used to think that, but RGR isn't here to engage in honest debate. His sole intention is to disrupt things.

What next - banning climate change deniers? And then what - people who don't recycle enough? It's a slippery slope. Just ignore him and eventually he'll get bored.

He's been here for the 3 years I've been visiting PS, with no sign of getting bored yet.

He seems to be strangely committed to the site. For example, when threatened with expulsion, he immediately (for a while) tones down his comments. When a couple of people recently said they found his new avatar irritating, he removed it.

These facts - together with his patently disingenuous arguments - fuel my suspicion that he's being paid to post here. I find it hard to believe that it's worth anyone's money to disseminate such low-level disinformation, but what do I know?

Don't feed the troll.

We all have our weaknesses, and some people can't seem to resist replying to him. (I'm the same, with certain topics: I know that by responding, I'm heading for a massive and pointless argument, but I can't stop myself.)

[snow hope]

How many people who actualy have useful knowledge are harrased into leaving by those who do little but demand we all elect the green party and live in yurts?

I think that's rubbish Dom. But please feel free to back it up - I for one, will be interested to see the harrasment......

Most people come on here because they see the bigger picture and are concerned for the future based on the oil decline that follows the peak/plateau. Most want to learn from others on the site, or give their opinions on what they are trying to do, want to do, or plan to do.

[Aurora]

How many people who actualy have useful knowledge are harrased into leaving by those who do little but demand we all elect the green party and live in yurts?

I think that's rubbish Dom. But please feel free to back it up - I for one, will be interested to see the harrasment......

Most people come on here because they see the bigger picture and are concerned for the future based on the oil decline that follows the peak/plateau. Most want to learn from others on the site, or give their opinions on what they are trying to do, want to do, or plan to do.

Well said SH.

[frank_begbie]

This is the logic of the censorious: don't like an argument? Then ban it. I don't like RGR or AIC any more than you do, but chucking people off discussion lists isn't the way to go.

I used to think that, but RGR isn't here to engage in honest debate. His sole intention is to disrupt things.

What next - banning climate change deniers? And then what - people who don't recycle enough? It's a slippery slope. Just ignore him and eventually he'll get bored.

He's been here for the 3 years I've been visiting PS, with no sign of getting bored yet.

He seems to be strangely committed to the site. For example, when threatened with expulsion, he immediately (for a while) tones down his comments. When a couple of people recently said they found his new avatar irritating, he removed it.

These facts - together with his patently disingenuous arguments - fuel my suspicion that he's being paid to post here. I find it hard to believe that it's worth anyone's money to disseminate such low-level disinformation, but what do I know?

Don't feed the troll.

We all have our weaknesses, and some people can't seem to resist replying to him. (I'm the same, with certain topics: I know that by responding, I'm heading for a massive and pointless argument, but I can't stop myself.)

I suspect this is true on all forums not just sites like this one.

Whenever someone posts something political you always find the same people coming to their aid and trying to make a mockery of your point of view.

Mention Peak Oil, and its all hands to the pump, denying there is such a thing.

Kind of makes me suspicious.

[kenneal - lagger]

Us mods don't have an annual conference at which we decide on any policy for the year so we don't have a recognised policy for banning trolls. I was appointed by Admin to clear out Spam and Spammers and was given no remit on deciding who is or is not a troll so I don't feel that I have the authority to ban anyone for that reason.

I do feel that certain people can be a pain but they also, in the main, bring in experience in certain fields which can, at times, be useful. I do mostly feel that rebutting their arguments is an important activity as it lays out the pros and cons of a position, not only to visitors to the site, but to regulars, who might want clarification. On other occasions I do feel "Oh here we go again!" as others do.

Do we ban Snowhope for his denial of Climate Change? Do we ban DomJ and I for our Tory thinking? Where do we stop? Anyone who can't take criticism or counter argument should stop and think about their own position, in my opinion. I am reluctant to ban any one who makes sensible contributions to this forum but if Admin wish I will.

[Silas]

[Catweazle]

I find it hard to believe that it's worth anyone's money to disseminate such low-level disinformation, but what do I know?

It makes sense if you work for a company that installs and maintains pipelines, and requires investor confidence in continuing oil supplies in order to secure funding.

[DominicJ]

It makes sense if you work for a company that installs and maintains pipelines, and requires investor confidence in continuing oil supplies in order to secure funding.

And I'm sure BP bases its investment decisisions on the opinion of powerswitch...

[Kentucky Fried Panda]

The whole paid peak oil denier thing is a bit paranoid and borders on real LATOC tinfoil.

If TPTB wanted to stop peak oil information getting out they'd hack every site and denial-of-service the whole lot.