Troll Busters!

So, erg, who has a limitless supply of library Free-Range Hobo computers to use to get on the site, keeps coming back.

I've deputized a secret star chamber of morons to rewrite and redact troll posts and the like. They're all long time readers who are cool-headed, so I doubt very much they'll go drunk with power and begin deleting unobjectionable comments. Or deleting your comment just because you're beating them in an argument. (I've specifically asked them to never do this in a heated discussion in which they are participating.)

Also, the occasional super-long link that breaks the margins might be fixed more promptly.

This isn't some big push for censorship or anything; it's just for trolls who won't take a ban, and agent provocateurs coming in to write, as one wag quipped, his considered opinion that all members of a certain race should be hanged.

I really can't keep up with erg and the like, and neither can the cobloggers, though they do try, bless them. There are just too many comments.

If you ever think a comment of yours has been redacted or rewritten unfairly, drop me a line and let me know. I honestly do not expect much of that, if any, but if it does happen, I'll apologize, try to restore the basics of the comment (as you explain it to me from memory), and let the TrollBuster in question that he was a little too quick on the draw on that one.

BTW: If you're wondering why you weren't asked, there were three criteria:

1) You have to be a long, long time commenter and tipster, so that I sort of "know you" as much as the internet permits.

2) You have to run cool.

3) I have to have your email. This was a big one, as a couple of people I would have asked have emails that don't match their screenname.

and

4) You have to comment a lot.

I'm also keeping these guys secret for now out of cheekiness and fun, because I want it to be like The Lords of Discipline, where if you go up against "The Ten" you'll be destroyed. And they're all secret.

But that's pretty much just a gag-conceit that amuses me. There's no real reason for it except I'm a gaywad who likes the idea of having a secret cabal of minions executing my will from the shadows.

If people think (as I imagine some might) that those with this power should be named, I'll do so.

And if you weren't asked, but really want to do this, drop me an email, as long as he criteria are met. There are several people I considered asking, but they just haven't been on the site very long, for example. They seem reasonable and level headed, but who knows, they could be maniacs out to get me.

PS: It just occurred to me that certain soft-headed liberal dopewads like Seattle and Beloved Weaver might be worried about this. No, I've specifically told the guys to lay off you, that you're water-brained jackasses but not trolls.

This really applies to identified trolls and agent provocateurs, not to people who are just occasionally annoying, like all of us are. Especially me.

posted by Ace at 12:10 PM

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