Forum / Team?

Other discussions not related to the Permanent Portfolio

Moderator: Global Moderator

Post Reply
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9423
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Forum / Team?

Post by vnatale » Mon Dec 09, 2019 6:30 pm

Looking at the five people on the team it seems like that only two of them are currently active?

Who "owns" this forum? Who pays its bills?

Vinny
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
drumminj
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 319
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:16 pm

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by drumminj » Mon Dec 09, 2019 7:07 pm

Xan.
User avatar
Xan
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 4392
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:51 pm

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Xan » Mon Dec 09, 2019 10:42 pm

MediumTex used to run the forum, and Craig owned the domain. At one point he asked for some volunteers to be moderators to help him, and so TennPaGa and l82start became moderators.

I think Tex had largely backed way off almost to nothing by the time Craig decided to move on to things other than the PP. Craig was ready to jettison everything. I volunteered to keep the forum going, and Craig and Tex graciously transferred the domain and the forum's database to me.

A while back Tenn needed to prioritize his real life, and so stopped visiting (or at least posting) on the forum. Hopefully he'll be back someday.

That's where things stand on "The Team". I still consider it primarily Craig and Tex's site, and they are welcome to have it back if they ever want it. I try to run it as they would have. I'm largely happy to be the administrator, although I really don't like moderating. On occasion I've been forced into it. For the most part, this forum requires really very little moderating.
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9423
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by vnatale » Tue Dec 10, 2019 9:33 pm

Xan wrote:
Mon Dec 09, 2019 10:42 pm
MediumTex used to run the forum, and Craig owned the domain. At one point he asked for some volunteers to be moderators to help him, and so TennPaGa and l82start became moderators.

I think Tex had largely backed way off almost to nothing by the time Craig decided to move on to things other than the PP. Craig was ready to jettison everything. I volunteered to keep the forum going, and Craig and Tex graciously transferred the domain and the forum's database to me.

A while back Tenn needed to prioritize his real life, and so stopped visiting (or at least posting) on the forum. Hopefully he'll be back someday.

That's where things stand on "The Team". I still consider it primarily Craig and Tex's site, and they are welcome to have it back if they ever want it. I try to run it as they would have. I'm largely happy to be the administrator, although I really don't like moderating. On occasion I've been forced into it. For the most part, this forum requires really very little moderating.
A BIG thank you for taking it on and keeping it going!

Vinny
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
dualstow
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 14228
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:18 am
Location: synagogue of Satan
Contact:

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by dualstow » Thu Jan 09, 2020 3:56 pm

Wow.
In any case, a belated happy new year, Tenn!
Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years
User avatar
Xan
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 4392
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:51 pm

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Xan » Thu Jan 09, 2020 3:57 pm

Tenn, sorry to have mischaracterized your departure. It's always great to hear from you, even if (sadly) you're saying that you won't be coming back.
User avatar
Mountaineer
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4959
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Mountaineer » Thu Jan 09, 2020 5:17 pm

Xan wrote:
Thu Jan 09, 2020 3:57 pm
Tenn, <....> It's always great to hear from you, even if (sadly) you're saying that you won't be coming back.
Ditto
DNA has its own language (code), and language requires intelligence. There is no known mechanism by which matter can give birth to information, let alone language. It is unreasonable to believe the world could have happened by chance.
Kbg
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 2815
Joined: Fri May 23, 2014 4:18 pm

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Kbg » Thu Jan 09, 2020 6:16 pm

The thing I like about this board is it has "Other Discussions" where people can be obnoxious, opinionated etc. and it kinda stays there and every once in a while I like to whaller in the mud/gutter for fun as well. As long as it stays there I'll be around for a while. If it gets into the investing sections, I will be gone.

It also has the VP section that folks can discuss non PP stuff and not have the PP doctrine nazis come after them which is a definite problem with BH board.

In the above respects the framework of the forum is almost like well designed off ramps for stuff that has killed many a board.
User avatar
Mark Leavy
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 1950
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:20 pm
Location: US Citizen, Permanent Traveler

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Mark Leavy » Thu Jan 09, 2020 10:42 pm

Fantastic to hear your voice again Tenn. It's no mystery why Tex gave you a set of keys.
Mark
User avatar
Pointedstick
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 8864
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:21 pm
Contact:

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Pointedstick » Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:28 am

Agreed, nice to hear from you again, Tenn.

FWIW I agree with you 100% about how the tenor of political discussions evolved, and I stand by that "obituary," though obviously the forum isn't dead and here you and I are still posting very occasionally.

My experiences here as well as in real life during the Trump era have left me fundamentally convinced that you must give no quarter to trolls, fascists, and any others with no respect for their fellow man or ability to hold rational discussions when they try to join polite society. You need to push them out them, or else they will slowly poison the deep well of social value that others have painstakingly saved up. If they don't go away or play nice, then they are demonstrating that they only understand force and you need to crush them. When you start to do this, they will yell and scream and complain about how unfair it is and call you names, bleating disingenuously about how mean you are and how you're being a hyprocrite or are actually a fascist yourself, but this is just a trick to weaken your resolve. They know that power and force may be uncomfortable tools for you and they're trying to take advantage of your vulnerability to undermine your self-image. You must harden your heart and crush them remorselessly if you want to preserve your society. There is no other way.
User avatar
Xan
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 4392
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:51 pm

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Xan » Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:09 pm

I wish I had all the answers, and a way to satisfy everyone, but it just doesn't exist (which I think is a big part of PS's point above). In the other thread about the forum, I pointed out that there were outages when nobody was running the ship. That's better now from a technical perspective, but perhaps nobody's been running the ship in terms of the conversation.

Policing conversations really isn't what I signed up for. But I don't think Tex ever did much of that, really. I can think of two people who were banned on his watch. I think there's been one since. Of course when he did speak up about toning things down, people listened, and bans became unnecessary.

Perhaps the real lesson here is that things come and go, and we should enjoy the good things while they're around without pining for what might have been when they're gone. If this forum is still useful for people, then great. If not, then we sure had something nice for a while, didn't we?

As Mountaineer might say: The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
User avatar
Mountaineer
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4959
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Mountaineer » Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:31 pm

Xan wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:09 pm
I wish I had all the answers, and a way to satisfy everyone, but it just doesn't exist (which I think is a big part of PS's point above). In the other thread about the forum, I pointed out that there were outages when nobody was running the ship. That's better now from a technical perspective, but perhaps nobody's been running the ship in terms of the conversation.

Policing conversations really isn't what I signed up for. But I don't think Tex ever did much of that, really. I can think of two people who were banned on his watch. I think there's been one since. Of course when he did speak up about toning things down, people listened, and bans became unnecessary.

Perhaps the real lesson here is that things come and go, and we should enjoy the good things while they're around without pining for what might have been when they're gone. If this forum is still useful for people, then great. If not, then we sure had something nice for a while, didn't we?

As Mountaineer might say: The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
Or, Xan quoteth, Xan runneth the forumeth, and Xan is an awesome Texan; the stars are indeed bright, deep in the heart of Texas. Blessed be the name of the Lord. 8)
DNA has its own language (code), and language requires intelligence. There is no known mechanism by which matter can give birth to information, let alone language. It is unreasonable to believe the world could have happened by chance.
User avatar
dualstow
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 14228
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:18 am
Location: synagogue of Satan
Contact:

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by dualstow » Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:35 pm

Pointedstick wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:28 am
My experiences here as well as in real life during the Trump era have left me fundamentally convinced that you must give no quarter to trolls, fascists, and any others with no respect for their fellow man or ability to hold rational discussions when they try to join polite society. You need to push them out them, or else they will slowly poison the deep well of social value that others have painstakingly saved up. If they don't go away or play nice, then they are demonstrating that they only understand force and you need to crush them. When you start to do this, they will yell and scream and complain about how unfair it is and call you names, bleating disingenuously about how mean you are and how you're being a hyprocrite or are actually a fascist yourself, but this is just a trick to weaken your resolve. They know that power and force may be uncomfortable tools for you and they're trying to take advantage of your vulnerability to undermine your self-image. You must harden your heart and crush them remorselessly if you want to preserve your society. There is no other way.

Coincidentally, this is exactly my Middle East policy.
Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years
User avatar
Smith1776
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 3501
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2017 6:01 pm

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Smith1776 » Fri Jan 10, 2020 3:00 pm

If the forum is in need of volunteers in any manner...
giphy.gif
giphy.gif (499.09 KiB) Viewed 5749 times
I still find the James Rickards portfolio fascinating.
User avatar
moda0306
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 7680
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:05 pm
Location: Minnesota

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by moda0306 » Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:49 pm

dualstow wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:35 pm
Pointedstick wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:28 am
My experiences here as well as in real life during the Trump era have left me fundamentally convinced that you must give no quarter to trolls, fascists, and any others with no respect for their fellow man or ability to hold rational discussions when they try to join polite society. You need to push them out them, or else they will slowly poison the deep well of social value that others have painstakingly saved up. If they don't go away or play nice, then they are demonstrating that they only understand force and you need to crush them. When you start to do this, they will yell and scream and complain about how unfair it is and call you names, bleating disingenuously about how mean you are and how you're being a hyprocrite or are actually a fascist yourself, but this is just a trick to weaken your resolve. They know that power and force may be uncomfortable tools for you and they're trying to take advantage of your vulnerability to undermine your self-image. You must harden your heart and crush them remorselessly if you want to preserve your society. There is no other way.

Coincidentally, this is exactly my Middle East policy.
I didn’t know you lived in the Middle East!? ;)
Pet Hog
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 257
Joined: Tue May 28, 2013 4:08 pm

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Pet Hog » Fri Jan 10, 2020 5:01 pm

Pointedstick wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:28 am
You must harden your heart and crush them remorselessly if you want to preserve your society.
I imagine Pointedstick saying this line in this style.
User avatar
Pointedstick
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 8864
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:21 pm
Contact:

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Pointedstick » Fri Jan 10, 2020 5:13 pm

Pet Hog wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 5:01 pm
Pointedstick wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:28 am
You must harden your heart and crush them remorselessly if you want to preserve your society.
I imagine Pointedstick saying this line in this style.
That was in fact how I said it in my mind. :)
User avatar
Maddy
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 1694
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2015 8:43 am

Re: Forum / Team?

Post by Maddy » Tue Jan 28, 2020 3:11 pm

Pointedstick wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2020 9:28 am

My experiences here as well as in real life during the Trump era have left me fundamentally convinced that you must give no quarter to trolls, fascists, and any others with no respect for their fellow man or ability to hold rational discussions when they try to join polite society. You need to push them out them, or else they will slowly poison the deep well of social value that others have painstakingly saved up. If they don't go away or play nice, then they are demonstrating that they only understand force and you need to crush them. When you start to do this, they will yell and scream and complain about how unfair it is and call you names, bleating disingenuously about how mean you are and how you're being a hyprocrite or are actually a fascist yourself, but this is just a trick to weaken your resolve. They know that power and force may be uncomfortable tools for you and they're trying to take advantage of your vulnerability to undermine your self-image. You must harden your heart and crush them remorselessly if you want to preserve your society. There is no other way.
Remember this. It's what lurks beneath the progressive veneer and is apparently a viewpoint shared by several posters.
Post Reply