178 replies to this topic

[Miss Alli]

A few things.

First of all, as we start the season, please take the opportunity to read over the FAQ if you haven't in a while. Among other things, please do make an effort to think about spelling and punctuation in your posts, and don't forget the shift key. It is your friend.

Second, something I just want to mention, based on other seasons of other shows, and not on this season of this show (so don't try to figure out what I'm talking about, because you won't be successful, because it's not anything from this season). If you are reading spoilers, do NOT go into the speculation thread and speculate based on the spoilers you are reading, trying to make yourself look brilliant. That is incredibly tacky, and don't think you're fooling me. I have also seen it happen in past seasons on other shows that all of a sudden, the speculation mysteriously turns toward a particular outcome, and it becomes TOTALLY OBVIOUS that that must be what all the spoilers suggest, in effect spoiling people who are trying to remain unspoiled. I haven't seen this for All-Star yet, but if it happens, the offending "speculation" posts will be deleted. Don't get cute.

It's not an absolute rule that you shouldn't be in the spec thread if you're reading spoilers, but . . . it's damn close. If you read spoilers, DO NOT SPECULATE in any way that is influenced by them, either in the spec thread or in contestant threads or anywhere else. As I said, it's extremely lame and tacky to try to make it look like you're just a brilliant guesser, and it stands to spoil others even if you never explicitly admit it's a spoiler.

[Miss Alli]

Another spoiler post.

We are having some big problems with major untagged spoilers. Please watch for this. Even if it feels to you like "everyone knows" something, if it's a spoiler, it's a spoiler.

Please try to watch for it -- I know it's a very easy mistake to make, but that's why you need to be vigilant. Thanks.

[Miss Alli]

Regarding "I don't get the hate":

One very common form of violating the rule against discussing other people's opinions rather than the show is the "I don't get the hate" post. The "I don't get the hate" post masquerades as one that is about the show, but really, is just a way of calling other people's opinions ridiculous. If other people hate a contestant and you like him/her, the way to tell people that is to say, "I disagree that he is rude/loud/ugly/a jerk." Or to say, "I like her, and here's why." Or even to respond to a particular post and say, "I didn't interpret that comment this way at all. I interpreted it this other way blah blah blah."

When you say "I don't get the hate," you simultaneously (1) make it sound like other people are irrationally foaming at the mouth; (2) make the issue other people's opinions rather than the topic itself; and (3) make it sound like other people have to justify their opinions to you, WHICH THEY DON'T.

The "I don't get the hate" post is off-topic, and from here on out, will be deleted or edited to remove the hate-not-getting. Note that I'm not talking about all posts that disagree with an opinion that's negative. I'm talking about the specific use, over and over and over again, of the expression, "I don't get the [blank] hate." Or "I don't get the hate of [blank]." I've seen it at least five times already this season. It bugs. It's both rude and off-topic. Don't do it.

[Miss Alli]

I have moved the "Rank the" threads to Creative Quests, because they were cluttering up GenGab. Please don't create an unlimited number of these. I think we have enough of them. Thanks.

[Miss Alli]

Just so y'all know, the Exile Island area is open for business, and if one of you would like to populate it with contestant threads, you're more than welcome to. Thanks!

[Miss Alli]

I am working on getting the Race Wars -- I mean, "Cook Islands" -- section of the forums up, and when it's up, you can populate it with all the contestant threads your hearts desire, and I'll move all the stuff in Exile Island to Past Seasons. If that makes sense.

Okay, you can hit it on the Cook Islands section; go ahead and create all the contestant threads you like. Thanks for your patience; my apologies that it took me so long to get the section going.

[Miss Alli]

This is just a note of appreciation for the fact that I am floored at how well the boards have gone this week, and what an awesome job y'all have done not getting into spats and throwdowns, when there certainly was plenty of material. I saw things go by that I know some of you wanted to respond to and didn't, and I am seriously so grateful.

I was practically getting sympathy cards, it seemed so obvious that the season was going to invite board problems, and for whatever reason, this section has needed less moderating in its first week than practically any other one I've ever worked on. I know that some of you have chosen to take the generous rather than the ungenerous interpretation of other people's comments, and for that, I just really wanted to commend you.

[TWoP Dietrich]

Hello, Survivor!

I don't know if I'll be your permanent moderator when the next season starts up, but I'm here for now.

...okay, that's all I have. Off you go!

[Woodlock]

Welcome Dietrich!

[TWoP Dietrich]

And now I'm not your moderator anymore, as I've been transferred to a different show to keep everyone's moderator load balanced. Your new moderator should be here shortly.

Goodbye, Survivor forums. I'll always treasure the time we had together. Or something.

[TWoP Pembleton]

...And here I am! The great moderator shuffle of '07 is over, and I'll be your new moderator. Please notice your emergency exits located at the front and rear of the forums.

But seriously, I don't anticipate that you will even notice the differences. All the same rules are in effect; feel free to PM me or post here if you have any questions. I've watched every season of this show and am looking forward to China!

[SeaBreeze341]

Aww, we'll miss you, Dietrich! See you elsewhere!

Hi, Pembleton! Welcome to the Survivor forums (or shall I say, welcome back)!

Quick question: given that the season starts one week from Thursday, when would be a good time to start the character threads? Thanks in advance.

Edited for tags and other stuff

Edited by SeaBreeze341, Sep 11, 2007 @ 3:59 PM.

[TWoP Pembleton]

You can start them now, as far as I'm concerned. I'll move them once the China section is created.

[RainOnATinRoof]

Hey Pembleton! This is where you took off to! Do you watch Survivor as a fan or were just assigned this show?

[TWoP Pembleton]

Both -- I've watched every season but just happened to be assigned the show. I remember posting on these forums during S1, debating the merits of Richard's strategy.

[iMissEthan]

What was your previous screen name here? Is there a listing somewhere of the Mod's current and previous names?

[TWoP Pembleton]

It's the mod's choice whether or not to reveal -- I'm Kim.

[DenverJules]

Welcome! Will you be our recapper, too?

[TWoP Pembleton]

Nope -- recappers generally stay the same. I am recapping some other shows (actually weecapping).

[birdlady]

Welcome Pembleton. You did the Rescue Me recaps didn't you?

[TWoP Pembleton]

Yep. I have recapped (copying from my staff bio page, because I don't even remember half these shows):

The Bachelor, Bones, The Book Of Daniel, Boot Camp, Dancing with the Stars, Dark Angel, The Dead Zone, Ed, ER, Fastlane, Felicity, Freakylinks, Gideon's Crossing, The Hills, Invasion, Joe Millionaire, John Doe, Karen Sisco, Life As We Know It, Love Cruise, The Lyon's Den, The Mole, My Name is Earl, The Nine, Oz, Party of Five, The Real World, Rescue Me, The Real World/Road Rules Challenge, The Simple Life, The Sopranos, Summerland, Tough Enough, Trading Spaces, and WWF Smackdown

[birdlady]

Geez, I've never even seen any of those shows other than Rescue Me, Dancing With the Stars and Trading Spaces. Will you be doing the Dancing With the Stars recaps when it starts up again?

[TWoP Pembleton]

Yep. Currently active shows are DWTS, The Hills, and My Name is Earl. And I realized I left one more new one off the list: Scrubs. All weecaps, not recaps.

[SeaBreeze341]

You can start them now, as far as I'm concerned. I'll move them once the China section is created

Thanks (and nice to see you)!

[Merlion]

I hope this is the right spot for this. Is the weecap (vs. full recap) the new standard for Survivor? It's just that Miss Alli's recaps are really the main reason I watch, and any less of her hilarity is really quite sad news for me.

[TWoP Pembleton]

Yes, it is the standard. I'm not a Head of Programming, so I can't tell you all of the reasons for the decision (and they generally don't either), but I can tell you that A) Miss Alli's weecaps are only a page or two shorter than your average recap and B) as she said herself in the weecap, the only part she didn't go into detail about was the challenge.

I understand your disappointment, because I also enjoy Miss Alli's writing. But look on the bright side! Now you can read Miss Alli's thoughts the next day instead of waiting up to a week.

[Merlion]

True, true. OK, thanks for explaining.

[iMissEthan]

Maybe all the reality & sitcoms are weecaps now and the dramas are recaps? That seems to be the case for the ones I read.

[AussieGirl]

Welcome Pembleton.

[TWoP Pembleton]

Not all the reality shows are weecaps -- Kid Nation and ANTM are two off the top of my head that are recaps. But you are correct that all of the sitcoms are weecaps. As I said, the HoP have a sort of private formula that they use to make these decisions -- the reason they don't want to reveal it, I believe, is that they don't want a small number of dedicated posters gaming the system to keep a show on the site, if you catch my drift.