The recent rash of mean-spirited, personalized, argumentative posts

[RevNeal]

[QUOTE]I'm curious what would happen, on this here new fangled format, if you inadvertently put the same person on both lists?[/QUOTE]

You will cause the board to have a nervous breakdown. :D

In my opinion, the "Ignore" option provides overly-heated personalities, caught in the midst of an overly-heated exchange, an opportunity to cool down without being tempted to see something that the other person posts and having it set them off. It's not a permanent assignation; it can be revoked either temporarily or completely, then re-imposed if desired. It might do one well to click on ignore for a week so in order that the irritant that annoys them the most vanishes for a little while. Indeed, I wish I could do that to certain church members. :D I wouldn't want them to disappear forever ... just until they cool off. ;)

[HeatherInFlorida]

[quote name='joeinwpb']Re: Another way of looking at it...

Heather I have a problem. I did what you said, and I checked out “Heather”. I came up with 0% negative. So I went to add her to “My Buddy List”, but she was already on it. Now what do I do? :confused:
Please email with further instructions.[/QUOTE]
[font=Comic Sans MS]What a conundrum!!!:D I have no idea. I don't really understand the Buddy List. I just put you on it to see what it was all about. I clicked "add to buddy list" and then it asked if I wanted to do that. I clicked submit. So what does that mean? Does anyone know what the buddy list does?[/font]

[superstein61]

[quote name='Host Walt']Well, your final assumption is still the correct one. The portion you quoted establishes the misuse of the term by many on the web, not the definition.

Here's another description, more comprehensive, that you might enjoy. It delves into motivational aspects as well. [b][url=http://members.aol.com/intwg/trolls.htm]Internet Trolls[/url][/b]

In any case, we have very few "real" troll eruptions on Cruise Critic. They tend to thrive on political or policy boards (such as hatebush.com or hatekerry.com) where debate is the objective, not on content boards such as this.

[BTW, if you want to see some rough posts, check out some accounting boards. Yep, that arena can get really tough. A big one these days that draws out a lot of emotion is the expensing of stock options in the P&L. Really exciting stuff, I know. Different strokes for different folks ;)][/QUOTE]

Thanks Walt - interesting reading. I am surprised about your last comment re: accounting boards (especially since that was my college major :) ) However after 6 years in public acctg, I moved on to a broader management role which I have enjoyed much more over the years. Still responsible at a high level for finances in my current position - but its just one of many areas I oversee. Anyway - I don't recall the accountants being such rabble rousers when I was working in public acctg

[superstein61]

[quote name='Host Walt']In our opinion, the term "troll" is inappropriate and derogatory in [b]all[/b] cases.

We Hosts consider all troll references (even if those people really are "trolls") to be attacks and [i]prima facie[/i] hostile posts. Accordingly it should never be done.

If you or anyone else sees a potential "troll," don't make an accusation on the public boards. Rather alert us directly using the [img] http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/buttons/report.gif[/img] button in the upper right corner of every post or by sending an email to Doug or me.[/QUOTE]

That seems to me to be a very good policy

[superstein61]

[quote name='Host Walt']I have removed posts that have been seen by some to be very nasty just by their wording where I am confident that the person who posted it had only the best of [u]intentions[/u]. [/QUOTE]

I agree with you Walt - I think the tough part with this medium in general is that one can not see the person they are communicating with - so we don't see one's inflection, delivery, smiles or yells, laughs or anger, etc Each person is left on their own to make their own conclusion from a bunch of typed words - and that at times can be very difficult, especially when folks are arguing opposite sides of a position.

the little smilies :) help a little - but not nearly enough

[Host Walt]

[quote name='superstein61']Thanks Walt - interesting reading. I am surprised about your last comment re: accounting boards (especially since that was my college major :) ) However after 6 years in public acctg, I moved on to a broader management role which I have enjoyed much more over the years. Still responsible at a high level for finances in my current position - but its just one of many areas I oversee. Anyway - I don't recall the accountants being such rabble rousers when I was working in public acctg[/QUOTE]Way back when I was with PW in NY, we had many spirited arguments about comprehensive tax allocation, goodwill accounting and EPS calculations. These days the folks and I are having extended spirited discussions on stock options, SOx and governance rules.

My thing is basic accounting theory and its impact on business, securities markets and internal management decision making. That stuff attracts the purists, the relativists and the pragmatists...and the discussions are much more heated than we have here about dress codes, tipping, chair hogging, bringing booze on board and kids in the adult pools.

[superstein61]

[quote name='Host Walt']Way back when I was with PW in NY, we had many spirited arguments about comprehensive tax allocation, goodwill accounting and EPS calculations. These days the folks and I are having extended spirited discussions on stock options, SOx and governance rules.

My thing is basic accounting theory and its impact on business, securities markets and internal management decision making. That stuff attracts the purists, the relativists and the pragmatists...and the discussions are much more heated than we have here about dress codes, tipping, chair hogging, bringing booze on board and kids in the adult pools.[/QUOTE]

Ahhhh, I understand. The accounting theory and impact could indeed generate a host of different views - and I can see some folks arguing their position quite strenuously. I guess there are hot issues everywhere.

Perhaps if more of the folks at AA&co had debated some of Enron's practices more, AA would still be around today. Its funny (AA is where I worked - but I left many years before Enron) - I recall talking to a neighbor I used to work with at AA at a Christmas party when Enron was hitting the fan. He and I had started around the same time - but he stayed in public, went on made partner, etc. I still recall him telling me - its no big deal - a couple lone wolves in the Houston office taking a few agressive positions - and that it would all blow over. Well we know what happened after that