Due to the prevalence of “sock puppets” and disingenuous anonymous posters in the comments’ section, I’ve decided to get rid of anonymous posting. Now all commenters must be registered with Blogger. I didn’t want to do this, and I’m sure it will not prevent the sock puppet phenomenon over the long term, (however amusing they might be at times. I personally found the Dark Lord’s intervention quite hilarious.), but I figure this is one “soft” measure I can take. I’ve tried the “no policy on commenting policy” and unfortunately having a free and open forum is too much for some to handle. Sadly meaningful discussion has not been enhanced (though there have been some valiant efforts), it has only degenerated (the recent debate over the grammatical veracity of “ther’re” is just one example).
Also as much as I would like to engage in my own little Seanovshchina and hunt down sock puppet masters through their IP addresses, I just don’t have the time. Playing school yard monitor is just too tiring not to say disillusioning.
I can sympathise entirely – although I’m impressed that your patience lasted far, far longer than mine did!
(By the way – the “there’re” debated even turned up at SL briefly, courtesy of Andrew Waller. Happily no-one’s taken the bait).
Sean & Andy:
As per the above, one of the referenced issues has to do with the use of there’re versus there are. The worded version currently at the above post is incorrect.
The relevence of my bringing this up has to do with Peter Lavelle’s grammar Nazi friend Chris Doss, who incorrectly accused me of not using proper English with the use of there’re. The record shows that a troll patrol of Mike bashers (if you may) jumped in support of Doss’ incorrect claim.
Andrew Waller isn’t a sock puppet. On a related note, I reference Sean’s stated female friend who posted at SRB on Sunday as an anonymous. One other person besides myself questioned whether that particular anonymous was a sock puppet. Like Sean’s stated female friend, – Andrew Waller is entitled to his privacy.
Right?
I hope that no one is duped by their own biases in conjunction with any kind of a pile on of troll patrol like antics.
I hope this note clarifies everything and that the nonsense can at least be significantly curtailed.
Sean
On another point of yours, I’ve my favorites as well, which further confirm some of the biases at play here.
Dammit, Mike, stop bringing up Andrew Waller. He and Alexandra already told you in unequivocal terms that they don’t work for you any longer. They are my sockpuppets now and only I can use them.
It is symptomatic of your contempt for sockpuppets that you continue to pretend that you have some sort of control of them even after they have left you for another master. That’s just sick, Mike. What kind of a monster are you? Oh yes, I already know — Alex and Andy have told me about the beatings, about the lying bound and gagged in dark rooms, about the days without food, about having to play Doctor with “Daddy Mike.” You’re a complete bastard and I hope you get what’s coming to you. I am going to call Sockpuppet Protective Services.
Gosh – sorry. I appear to have inadvertantly kicked off the whole debate again.
Sorry — couldn’t resist!
Peter Lavelle’s puppet Chris Doss just can’t resist.
Face it Mike, you have been outclassed and outsockpuppeted. Your feeble skills at suckpuppetry are as nothing compared to my virtuousity with these electronic manikins. I have a veritable army at my fingertips that would make the hardy warriors of Tamarlane cry like little girls. I am a Ninja of sockpuppetry — as Einstein was to physics, Leonardo was to painting, and Wilt Chamberlain is to pleasin’ the ladies, so am I to sockpuppetry. And unlike you I did not have to rely on infernal pacts to do it — no, I’m all natural, baby. Fear my virtual legions, Averko, fear them.
I hereby challenge you to a duel –my mighty army of sockpuppets versus your feeble bunch of virtual muppets. No holds barred, this will be an Ultimate Fighting, no rules sockpuppet fight to the finish who has the right to call himself the True Master of Sockpuppetry.
Are you man enough to try? C’mon, I dare you. Nay, I DOUBLE DOG DARE you.
Whatever turn you on Herr Doss.
You were bullshtting before about never posting at The NYT forums.
Nope Mike. I ain’t never been no where at no NYT Forums and there’re many who feel like me, not like the court appointed not so Russia friendlies.
Gotta wonder about that Chris.
I once again cite PL noting how the two of you post (at the time of his saying such) at a certain unnamed forum which he described as resembling The NYT. At The NYT Russia forum, there were two regulars with a noticeable resemblance to the two of you. That forum was one of the more popular of Eng. lang. Russian talk venues. PL referenced that forum at a now closed from viewing Google Discussion Group. No doubt closed due to some pathetic comments made by some of the court appointed Russia friendlys and unfriendlys.
Roobit and others are aware of all or most of this.
Bring it on if you’d like. I ain’t (old English) gonna be stopped and have my own WMD.
“At The NYT Russia forum, there were two regulars with a noticeable resemblance to the two of you.”
You mean they were well-educated and used big words?
More like big egos, typified with one suggesting a great grammar background and the other having gone three hours straight talking about himself at dinner with someone he just met. The first mentioned having been proven wrong on the use of there’re. The latter mentioned talking BS about some others in private, while ducking valid criticism and sucking up to a problematical force by issuing a forced apology.
As per his claims, who is Bill Everett, a self described 60 year old, with an Iowa background, who lives in the Moscow area for about 10 years; has a media background and a striking resemblance to ….
For a brief moment, an Iowa based Russian attorney edited a one time active site with a mailing list.