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Barbelith 2010

  
  

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deja_vroom
18:53 / 26.08.09
So, starting from the assumption that we are giving this proposal a thought - where exactly are we?

I ask because I might have something or other to add to this idea (not that much though, since I was always expecting that knowledgeable people from this metier would jump in to either shoot the idea dead or to take the idea and run with it, improving upon it).

Realistically, are we more at a stage of waiting to see what Tom thinks about all this? Or is it worthwhile to keep throwing ideas and suggestions around without having any idea if/when Tom is gonna give his thoughts on the matter?
 
 
Tsuga
01:15 / 27.08.09
Realistically, we are always at a stage of waiting to see what Tom thinks, unless we're just... being here.
 
 
eye landed
07:17 / 27.08.09
as a semi-outsider stumbling on this thread in all its cercopean glory, i like the energy of the original suggestion, and i think it can be partially implemented using the structure we have.

a news site needs a board of editors: one that is going to have the credibility necessary to even keep the books on any finances, let alone attract investment. this board of editors would be responsible for posting news-worthy content in a new forum called 'globalwatch' (or whatever), which tom would insert above 'conversation'. only the board of editors could post here-- comments are redirected to the other forums, in hopes of generating new global-worthy content.

next steps include advertising, and money details that i wont pretend to help you with. but the board is key: sane and dedicated members need a louder voice than hooligans if the corporation is going to become anything other than a toy.

as far as attracting money goes, i think there are plenty of wise and wealthy people in the world who could recognize the potential and skill base at this site, even still. but money doesnt flow toward chaos, as goes the old chinese saying.
 
 
Dead Megatron
09:55 / 27.08.09
Steady on, now, darling Megatron. We're trying to be nice and calm. No need to try to start a fight. (Although I suppose that was something else that Hitler did...)

Are you sure you don't want a fight? I mean, not even a little fight? For old times' sake? C'mon, I know you want it, you practically crave it, admit it. Let's talk about boxing kangaroos, about the reality of pain, about what constitutes Science Fiction (you know, the really polemic issues...) just a little. It's gonna be fun!!!!


I MISS YOU, MAN!!!

(think about it! Remember that anothet thing that Hitler did was loosing in the end...)
 
 
deja_vroom
15:15 / 27.08.09
It seems this proposal is not even about becoming something new, but reverting to an earlier form, only more effectively this time...
 
 
toughest, fastest, fatest
18:27 / 27.08.09
It's been so long since I last posted on, or read this board that I've forgotten who Tom is, which allows me to speculate pleasantly on his possible identity based on the comments on this thread.

My favourite speculation is that he is a metaphor for lost hope.
 
 
deja_vroom
18:55 / 27.08.09
He's actually god, in quite a literal capacity (Barbelith as a Beckett play dreaming of becoming the Sullivan & Gilbert production it once was...).

Sorry for rambling, slow day at work.
 
 
ONLY NICE THINGS
14:21 / 31.08.09
Not wishing to disrespect anyone in the hood, but I think that rather key here is this statement:

a news site needs a board of editors: one that is going to have the credibility necessary to even keep the books on any finances, let alone attract investment. this board of editors would be responsible for posting news-worthy content in a new forum called 'globalwatch' (or whatever), which tom would insert above 'conversation'. only the board of editors could post here-- comments are redirected to the other forums, in hopes of generating new global-worthy content.

next steps include advertising, and money details that i wont pretend to help you with. but the board is key: sane and dedicated members need a louder voice than hooligans if the corporation is going to become anything other than a toy.

Whether that's the right way to set it up (editors who are also in control of the finances seems a bit of a danger) is something of an academic question, because right now there simply aren't a quorum of sane or dedicated members. Before we even get onto the question of who generates the actual content, there simply are no people who would be willing and competent to perform any kind of editorial work.

So, you'd be talking about someone hiring a group of people to act as editors, and then at this stage hiring people to blog about news stories, or paying freelancers, in pursuit of, essentially, something like a disinfo/HuffPo competitor site. Nothing wrong with that, per se, but it's nothing like what Barbelith was, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of point in trying to maintain continuity.

There certainly was an intelligent and engaged group of people here, and a fair number of sane people, and they certainly might at a point in the past have been prepared to volunteer their time for that kind of a start-up. However, this is no longer the case, so what's the advantage of selling this new hypothetical product which will require a new team of people and a new technology base as "Barbelith"?

Tom might know people who would be ready to contribute their time and talents for free to a potential start-up; hey, I'd be fascinated to see what he might do next because I've found his work - at the BBC, on Fire Eagle &c. regularly interesting, and I'd be happy to help out if I could. However, as I think he already concluded in the magical rainbow energy thread, Barbelith as it stands isn't where that is going to happen.
 
 
deja_vroom
15:04 / 31.08.09
Thanks for the input. The thread was badly in need of a nice wrapping up and summation of the current state of things.
 
 
eye landed
15:08 / 31.08.09
this is no longer the case

what about yourself, nice one? you still seem to put a fair bit of energy into the site. any chance you could still function from a position of authority?

the advantage of using barbelith is that we are already a node of information. some precious lost members might even be tempted to return if the signal-to-noise ratio tips a little.

we wouldnt really be competing with disinfo or huffington. the form and content would be significantly different from huffington, and the form rather different from disinfo, both of which are very top-down. disinfo is a link blog, with discussion centered around effectively random topics that are posted each day. if it was more user-generated, maybe we would all be there now, and happy.
 
 
Quantum
15:58 / 31.08.09
I think we should build a bridge between the UK and USA- NICE THINGS, can you run the technical aspects for me?
 
 
ONLY NICE THINGS
21:20 / 07.09.09
I'd do anything, for you, Quants, anything, for you mean everything to me...

But seriously, yes, sorry about the long delay in replying - a friend was visiting from a faraway land, and we had to whoop it up, dragon-style.

Thanks, deja v, for the kind words. I'm very glad that you're feeling good about where the whole interaction has gone.

Eye-landed - well, it's very kind and flattering that you think I could, but... well. I think first up I don't know if I could dedicate the sort of time now to this place that I did in the day, which I think would be a problem without numbers in the role. Also, although I am very glad that you think I'm competent to do that sort of thing, I think there are a fair few people among the remnant who would disagree. For whatever reason and to whatever end, a Toksik/Life Critic would probably vocally oppose the idea that I represented the sane and conscientious wing, for one. Elsewhere, somebody said that I appeared to despise 90% of those left on Barbelith, including myself. I'd question the math(s), but the person who made the calculation probably doesn't therefore see me as the ideal candidate. Those are opinion the presence of which has to be acknowledged, if nothing else. And, ultimately, there's a hunk of truth: I think that much of what I have to offer would be of little interest to those remaining, and I'm not sure that the current setup (with the possibility of some changes in the future, but nonetheless) would necessarily be a functional lure, either even with or with the further disincentive of my advocacy, depending on where you're looking at it from.

But a lovely thought!
 
 
Char Aina
12:32 / 08.09.09
For whatever reason and to whatever end, a Toksik/Life Critic would probably vocally oppose the idea that I represented the sane and conscientious wing, for one.

Please leave me out of your fantasy.
 
 
ONLY NICE THINGS
15:55 / 08.09.09
I rest my case. It's not a great basis, is it? Or much of a remuneration package, unless weird baked aggro has become legal tender while I slumbered. I fear, eye landed, that the cup should probably pass from my lips at this point.
 
 
Anna de Logardiere
13:35 / 16.09.09
somebody said that I appeared to despise 90% of those left on Barbelith

What? Only now?

This is like Back to the Future II. Let's go back to the past to change the future now. I want a racing almanac so that I can be a millionaire now.
 
 
museum in time, tiger in space
15:23 / 17.09.09
somebody said that I appeared to despise 90% of those left on Barbelith, including myself

That might have been me, actually, but I'm sure I meant it in a nice way. Anyway, that was before your metamorphosis into your current sunny and positive self.
 
 
ONLY NICE THINGS
21:38 / 20.09.09
Well, I'm sure you had your reasons, and I certainly got a bit snippy at times - I mean, I was very aware that I felt a sense of duty to try to manage things, but didn't have the tools or the support actually to do so. It was very frustrating, especially when things got totally out of hand, like the bit where some of the good folks told me that I was a racist, or a languagist more precisely, against the Portuguese language. Got to say, that stung.

But! It also made me aware that things had basically descended into total madness, and in a way that was really useful. Now, I don't really think it's possible to keep the standard of discussion we used to have, because - hey! - there isn't any discussion, in any meaningful sense. And there won't be, unless a bunch of people join, and a bunch of people won't join unless Tom says to reopen the gates, and if that happens then the place will instead become a great sounding brass and tumult, which will itself be beyond moderation, albeit in a different way.

So, what's left? Basically, being nice. Trying to make people's day a little bit more pleasant, by saying nice things.
 
 
Dead Megatron
03:38 / 21.09.09
I'm afraid to say you're failing on that attempt as well. Yoy say ONLY NICE THINGS, but for some strange reason they still come across as ONLY SARCASTIC THINGS. Well, you know what people say about making beds and lying in them...


fight????
 
 
ONLY NICE THINGS
04:40 / 21.09.09
I wish I could help you to realise your desires, DM, but I just don't feel very much like fighting. I hope that you find what you need somewhere else, though!
 
 
Dead Megatron
14:44 / 21.09.09
It won't be the same without you...
 
 
Quantum
18:08 / 21.09.09
In addition to being nice to each other we can recycle! Dead Megapoop, I'll fight you, in a GL vs GJ way

DEAD! MEGATRON!
 
 
Dead Megatron
21:07 / 22.09.09
Sorry, Quantum, I'm not ready to go back to the fighting game yet. No rebound action for you....
 
  

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