Frayge6:TheOuterSanctum-A Star Is Born

A Thousand Pointy Heads of Light
If You Bleed Us, Are We Not Pricks?
Compiled by switters
Updated Thursday, October 26, 2006, at 12 PM CST

In a week that saw everything from pole dancing to Dana Stevens' crucifiction* to august's ascension to the celestial realm, Ozymandias looks to the heavens and takes issue with TheQuietMan's request for the editors to remove his star, and the editors' subsequent said star removal. Be careful what you wish for.

Please disregard TQM's request to have his star removed and give it back. His one liners [sic] are generally better than most two page self serving [sic] tomes in BOTF. If he sees this he will probably protest. He'll get over it.

Hmm… We're trying to think of one of TQM's "one-liners", which, if I'm not mistaken (and I rarely am), usually end up being "one hundred-liners". Or so.

Freditor_G wonders if it's a forest or if it's just a bunch of trees.

The main advantage I see to the stars is that they indicate a noteworthy response to help guide readers to good discussions. Thus, the most valuable stars are the ones who get out into the Fray and mix it up, sparking great discussions and giving reasoned criticism of the articles.

There are lots of smart people with sharp writing skills hanging out on the Best of the Fray. Many of them wear stars. But nobody who reads Best of the Fray needs my help figuring out who's a good poster and who isn't. Is providing "blue bong-hits [sic] of approval" and pointy badges of ego-validation to the small groups haunting our community forums really a service to the wider Fray community?

"…blue bong hits of approval…" "…blue bong hits of approval…" That's a keeper, Chief! At least you put it in quotes.

Days cuts his sponge bath short at "the home" to throw his propellered beanie into the ring.

Stars, checkmarks, and funny Slate squares... Are more than just goofey [sic] symbols to color up the page (although that may be their best use) [sic (punctuation?)] they represent the structure of the magazine; the completion of the publication. A star is more than the influence it brings to the page, more than the power of the post it publishes, the star is the character of the magazine; the way it feels to the reader; the reading experience.

I'm sorry. What?

Ozy cuts (back) to the chase.

In the simplest terms, I see a checkmark as indicating "this post is worth a read" while a star indicates "this poster is generally worth a read."

Which I guess means that a little purple "S" in a box means "this post is worth the 'weight'"? Or not.

Pragmatist theoretician sydbristow throws aside "her" blond wig and takes a break from an exciting life of chasing down terrorists and fun-for-the-whole-family international intrigue and "frays" it all on the line.

BOTF is certainly a dilemma. Stars are meaningless (truly), but useful in preserving history (for those who care). So, stars go, more work for editors (assuming BOTF is worthwhile, and history is part of what makes it worthwhile), and where does that leave you?

All in all, though, I would say:

* no new stars; announce the number of stars available (say, 50 <-- no problem, see next point)
* preamble to this point: 1) Editors should view posts with nicks hidden (enhancement of course); 2) check overwrites a star (ditto) .. so, no check in, say, 6 months, star is gone (ditto)
* discourage cross-posting (because it discourages discussion, i.e. make the would-be participants come to the post)
* minimal checks in BOTF (utility perspective: enhance the article-related Frays, maybe the Slate authors will wade in, which upgrades the overall Fray, etc)
*fine with deleting moronic/pithless top-posts in BOTF

Wow. That's quite the bean in that pretty little head of "hers". Which is why I backed off on all the "[sic]"s.

Much miffed, Otoh dares our fearless editor to knock the chip off his shoulder in a spot-on impersonation of Robert Conrad in those battery commercials years ago.

That's rich coming from one of the clowns that starred Switters [sic]. He's sure made Slate/Fray proud of late, hasn't he [sic (punctuation)] with his much publicized adventure with the Daily KOS?

I'm certain that all current and former star holders are very proud to count Switters [sic] as a good member in standing. Ahem!

In point of fact you and Adam routinely demonstrate the same arrogance that represented one of Kevin Arnovitz's major faults.

Sounds like somebody hit a nerve. You might want to think about having that particular sore spot cauterized. It's got "dry socket" written all over it in about 17 languages, 3 of which we're still dictionary-laden in. At least as of this writing.

Is that a frog in your throat or are you just happy to see you? Ouch! Hey, leave me out of it, pinhead. I think we liked you better when you stalked Ender. So it's Kevin's fault again, though he's been gone for 8 months? It's like Blame Game Central over there. He's turning into the veritable Bill Clinton of The Fray.

Still, at the risk of sounding extremely arrogant, what's it like being a guy with penis envy? And I find it supremely ironic that people who like your posts get banned and flushed while people who like mine get, well, starred. Oops!

Oh, and it's switters, you blowhole. The shift key costs extra.

TheQuietMan?

relatively speaking,
the awarding of stars is a juvenile exercise.

It's the equivalent of putting happy faces on children's work. It's nice to be well thought of, but frankly, praise, when dealing with adults [sic] works differently.

What?! Speak up! (And I'd like to buy a comma, Pat.)

Are star posters the highest common denominator, Wooley asks, or are they the highest denominators of the common?

Star posters have some things in common.

1. They all write very well.
2. They read the articles and stick to the topics.
3. They usually do not post much.
4. They do not engage in childish threads and churlish behaviour [sic].
5. They are all very intelligent.
6. They have excellent self-control.

Maybe they're just all high. "They have excellent self-control." "They have excellent self-control." We'll get back to you on that one.

Echoing Ozy, NickD claims that checkmarks are simply more reliable and consistent indicators of quality than stars are.

I respectfully disagree with Geoffs [sic] assertation [sic] regarding his opinion that a Star leads one to a good discussion. I almost always open a check marked post as that is something that has been read by the editor and found to be interesting or as having merit. The star on the other hand has been awarded to a writer for his past work and does not always indicate the current quality of any said post. There are often times when I do not open a Star post, [sic (the comma should go after the parenthetical – what's with you people?)] (I am certain that the star posters seldom open mine either)but [sic] there are a few Star posters as well as un starred [sic] posters I always read.

Buck up there, champ. One of the best-kept secrets of This Place is that everybody reads everybody, except for me, who only reads himself. It'll get better once the swelling goes down.

[A brief aside. Hey Slate writers: If you're going to steal from me, the least you could do is quote me more. Again. Jesus rimjob Christ!]

Now unless you've been toning down the "stay the course (coarse?)" presidential war rhetoric instead of toning down the actual "staying the course" war business itself all weekend, then !!!NEWSFLASH!!! it should come as no surprise to loyal readers of Frayge6:TheOuterSanctum that we fully and wholly endorse august's star. Add the fact that the previous star award went to rundeep, and let's just say the bar has officially been raised. [Gulp!]

On a related note, we here at Frayge6 find doodahman's MTC feature in Fraywatch to be extremely well done, well deserved and well timed. Bravo.

Got too sense? Come join in on the discussion here.

*borrowed from Gregor
=
You ever black out when you're drinking, or as I like to call it, "time travel"? You're at a bar, you're drinking, you black out… You wake up, you're at another bar, you're drinking, you black out… You wake up, you're at McDonald's, been workin' there 3 years, still haven't made assistant manager… You wanna quit, but you're bangin' that girl on the Fry-o-lator… They say she's retarded, but those titties ain't retarded… [nervous though robust laughter]… I'm sorry, is that an Eminem tune?
-Dave Attell