A Toast to Banned and Disappeared Posters

[Simulist]

We may have just lost Alice again. But I hope not.

I hope not, too. I like Alice a lot.

If someone disagrees with what she says, then fine. But no one has any business putting words in her mouth that she never said — and would never say.

[compared2what?]

We may have just lost Alice again. But I hope not.

Oh, cheer up. At least, I'll be gone for real by tomorrow evening. So there's that.

[Joe Hillshoist]

For real?

That'd be a loss.

Thanks tho. And whatever happens I hope it goes well.

I'll always regret that I never felt those red pumps grinding into my chest.

This is for you:



Trip the light
And who of us can tell what's real
and what's fantastic
You do it right
No-one else could have such grace
and be so spastic


For those days that suck:






Cheers big ears.

[lupercal]

I figure he joined the French Foreign Legion, or maybe Anonymous or something. Moved to Sweden, maybe.

You might try a pm.

He sent me a pm just over a week ago, saying that he found the groupthink on the subject of Wikileaks "weird", that it had given him "a whole different view of RI" and that he would be reducing his posting on the forum.

I hope I'm not betraying a confidence, but I've been feeling a little weird myself, and wonder how many others are feeling uneasy in the current atmosphere but not speaking up.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I do miss the multi-lateral, vigorous, critical debate that I always associated with this board, which coincides with the apparent emergence of an alienating echo chamber with lots of "Amens" and back-slapping and unresponsiveness to information or opinions that don't fit the script. Wikileaks seems to have just sucked up a lot of the energy here and left little for timely debates about what else is going on in the world. Just in general, I don't feel I'm learning as much as I used to, which is a huge part of what made RI so attractive. I don't know if it's my imagination, but there seems to be fewer active posters as well.

Finally, the old RI (I think) would have made mincemeat of a poster like "Hacktivist" blowing in here and demanding agreement based on his secret, inscrutable knowledge, then explicitly threatening to "silence" dissent. Instead, few seemed to find his attitude objectionable and in fact he's been quite warmly welcomed by some.

Maybe it's because of the holiday season, and most people are preoccupied with RL. Time will tell, I guess.

Thanks Alice, I'm very glad to hear Montag's exit was voluntary. I hope it will also be temporary, likewise your own, as RI would be considerably less interesting and informative otherwise.

Nobody really knows anything at this point.

Wrong, and there's really no excuse for pretending otherwise. I've posted plenty of evidence, as have Alice and Montag, pointing to the ridiculously obvious fact that wikileaks is a spook show, but believe whatever the hell you want, as you're going to anyway.

There's a good chance I don't actually know what you're talking about,

I'd say the chances are good indeed. Not to get on your case Nordic, but the "we'll just never know for sure" argument makes about as much sense as "we must first read every cable,", and both are as lame as "read the NIST report, then decide." Well I read the NIST report and it's exactly what I expected, a steaming pile of shit. Every leaked cable I've seen has also been exactly what I expected, i.e., in some way convenient to the CIA. As for the derring-do of wikileaks before they hit the big time with the weather station "leaks," whatever. As Young has clearly explained in several ways, they were scammers from the start. Whether any of them weren't also spooks or spook-payrolled from the get-go is a question, but not an important one. Anyway enough wikileaks idiocy, I'll say more if necessary after I recover from this hangover, meanwhile happy hollies to all!!

[Jeff]

Thanks Alice, I'm very glad to hear Montag's exit was voluntary. I hope it will also be temporary, likewise your own, as RI would be considerably less interesting and informative otherwise.

Seconded. And also, I don't want members to be wondering whether a suddenly absent comrade has been disappeared. Other than silently nuking spambots, I've almost always posted news of account suspensions and bannings. (Which, I have to say, are rare events. And exceptionally rare in recent months.) But almost isn't as good as always, so I'll determine to do so henceforth.

[82_28]

I miss the little swashbuckling avatar and the "hahas" from old Montag. I tried talking him out of taking off a month or so ago. He'll be back. Honestly those wikileaks threads confuse the fuck out of me and I just stay out of it anymore.

[Simulist]

I miss the little swashbuckling avatar and the "hahas" from old Montag. I tried talking him out of taking off a month or so ago. He'll be back. Honestly those wikileaks threads confuse the fuck out of me and I just stay out of it anymore.

Agreed. And even more curious than the WikiLeaks' threads themselves are the premature certainties they appear to inspire in some.

It isn't that people don't know what they know — it's that what they don't yet know (and there's a whole lot more of that) could possibly change the way the overall picture presents itself.

[Nordic]

Lupercal, you seem every bit as convinced of your own opinion as Hugh is of his.

That's not something I'd take to the bank.

[IanEye]

I found Montag's treatment of smiths in the back and forth that starts here to be unnecessary. Perhaps Montag decided some time away was needed. Any time someone is mature enough to make this decision for themselves is certainly a good thing.

[Peregrine]

Oh, cheer up. At least, I'll be gone for real by tomorrow evening. So there's that.

Again? That sucks, I was enjoying you make quick work of the hack!

[Project Willow]

Oh, cheer up. At least, I'll be gone for real by tomorrow evening. So there's that.

Again? That sucks, I was enjoying you make quick work of the hack!

C2Dub, stop leaving all the time, you're just stirring up everyone's abandonment issues.

^ 'Tis the season to use guilt. Sigh.

[Jeff]

The Hackivist has bidden us adieu.

Also, c2w has asked me to deactivate her account tonight.

[barracuda]

[82_28]

Just in time for our winter recruitment drive.

Jesus, come on back guys.

[Cosmic Cowbell]