h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"believes that Gnomon picked the right week to visit Venice"

and "my only tie to h2g2 is Phantasy Phootball"?

Have there been dramatic events afoot while I was gone? Or is it just all tasting a bit flat to you? The post-election-campaign depression arriving a little late? You realising that you actually enjoy teaching are bored with your week off?

Morning - sorry to barge into the thread like this, but I'm as mystified as Gnomon, and I've actually been here for the last week

Don't go, B - it would be a crying shame if you were driven from the site. Of course, it would also be a shame if you felt you had to leave for work or other personal reasons, but I'd hate to think you were forced out by other users of the site...

It appears that Dr E Vibenstein, a long-standing researcher who I have never particularly noticed around h2g2, decided to pick on Lord Wolfden, an annoying imbecile, by setting up a cruel caricature site external to h2g2. An ace told Dr V off for it. He's left in a huff, and people are being sympathetic to Dr V.

I don't understand this. If it is true, Dr V should probably have been banned from h2g2, so there must be more to it than that.

Thanks for that Gnomon, but as you say, it doesn't seem to be the whole story - I noticed that Shazz has left as well, but I know she's been ill for a while.

I *think* that the problem appears to be a lack of understanding of Lord Wolfden and the problems he has caused on behalf of a couple of ACEs, who then went and told EV off in a particularly heavy-handed manner. Consequently it appears as though EV... and a few others, including Master B, have decided to think about leaving the site.

As I understand it LW was flooding threads quite a lot in the past... mainly threads that EV would usually post in (and possibly not threads you would post in, Gnomon? - the ones that are now mainly in Misc. Chat, for example), and this understandably got EV annoyed, especially when LW posted the same thing (from the caricature site, I would guess something like the "Howl with pride..." thing that's on his U-page) over and over again. For some reason it seems as though not much action has been taken against LW, as far as I can make out because he hasn't technically broken any house rules?

It's all rather confusing to be honest. I'd watched it happening but hadn't expected anything like this to come from it, in my opinion there's a lot of over-reaction going on and people need to stop and think about what they're doing. Particularly Lord Wolfden.

I'm not sure if that's helped much, but I felt I should say something.

I've had plenty of dealings with Lord Wolfden over the last few months, andy, and know well what he is capable of. From what I can see, the man is an imbecile and should be treated as one. If he spams, there's always the yikes button - which does work, despite what people are saying. No complaints were lodged against Lord W over the perioed that all this happened.

A number of people have been organising a bullying campaign against Lord W, which is despicable in my opinion. I've had to tell off five or six researchers for doing it in the past, and they all apologised. If what I've heard about what Dr V was doing is true, then good riddance to him. We can do without that sort of bullying on h2g2.

Oh, and there is no point in asking Lord Wolfden to stop and think about what he is doing. He has been asked many times, and has even said that he would, but has consistently failed. He is an imbecile and should be treated as one. This does not mean we should set up web sites to laugh at him.

I agree entirely Gnomon. EV overstepped the mark in that respect - it is a shame that it seems to have made people like Demon Drawer and Master B think about leaving as well. Guys, if you're reading this, please don't let something which appears (at least from my reading) to have been blown out of all proportion affect your decision. If the time has come to move on, then that's fine, but please don't leave just because of arguments over LW, it's just not worth it.

Hi guys. I'm a bit disillusioned for a number of reasons right now. It goes without saying that EV and Wolfden are one of them.

I probably won't disappear, but I am taking steps to make myself a bit less conspicuous. For a while, anyway.

B

Hmm.

I'm just reading the WJH thread again... did the anagramming thing confuse Wolfden?

Hi B. Sorry that you're feeling disillusioned. Take your time, then come back to us. I suppose if you became Master b you'd be slightly less consipicuous.

I started to read through the WJH thread, but it alternates between Wolfden making reasonable replies and completely missing the point. No wonder everyone is irritated. I'm not going to read any further, but carry on with my normal h2g2ing.

Lord Wolfden may be an idiot, but he doesn't seem malicious. I also think bullying him is a bad idea. We just have to ignore him and remember that stuff about water and rocks. I also don't want you to leave Master B, I enjoy your postings. Perhaps less a few you've made in the last week, but I guess you've been frustrated. Stay on here.

Andy,

I've been lurking like crazy the last few days. The thing is there was a time not too long ago that I was almost bullied off the site and indeed of this mortal coil by one very persistant poster who turned up in one of the relatively safe havens on here. I do know EV well IRL as well as from on here and I've seen him getting more depressed when talking about hootoo recently because of the whole afair.

My one major concern is that the people that should be relied upon to take the right steps to diffuse the situation in some instances only added fuel to the flames that is what is making me sad as well as one or two other points about life on hootoo now.

I have backed the community peer moderation all the way. Unfortunately some of the voluteers seem to lack basic skills and wisdom in some instances. Badges were never meant to be something to pick up but something that was earned. It appears that the reverse is true now in some cases.

Master B, you don't know me, but we've crossed on a few threads here and there over the past few years, and usually on the same general side of reason.

I, for one (of many, I suspect) will miss you, too. Please reconsider a permanent exit, as researchers of your ilk are few and far between. What is the point of a site like H2G2 if the people who add richness to it leave due to one or two clueless individuals? There are places on H2G2 where you can meet like minds, and be unlikely to meet with the General Annoyances which abound in Misc. Chat and Ask.

If you don't come back, I'll understand and I wish you very well in any case!

SC