"Readers Mike Van Pelt and EricThegreen point out a story in the East Bay Express alleging that online restaurant review site Yelp is doing more than providing a nice interface for foodies to share their impressions of restaurants. Instead, says the article, representatives from the site have called restaurants in the Bay area to solicit advertising, but with an interesting twist: the ad sales reps let restaurant owners know that, if they buy advertising at around $300 a month, Yelp can 'do something' about prominently displayed negative reviews of their restaurants. If the claims are true, it sure lowers my opinion of Yelp, which I'd thought of as one of the good guys (and a useful site). I wonder how many other online review sites might be doing something similar."
"Apple has blocked the creators of South Park from selling an iPhone app based on the long-running cartoon series.
According to a BoingBoing post, the blog site's 'friends at South Park' said that 'We first announced our iPhone App back in October, after we submitted the Application to Apple for approval. After a couple of attempts to get the application approved, we are sad to say that our app has been rejected.'
The reason? The content was 'potentially offensive.'"
-quote-In my view this newsgroup is a much more interesting forum for discussion of Scientology than any of the nannyish message boards of dubious longevity.
I disagree, Barbara. ARS is an example of an unmonitored forum - do you honestly think it is better, with all its antipsych spam and trolling, an environment for the discussion of CoS?
-unquote-
Spammers and trolls? They're at an all time low on a.r.s at present and were always easy to handle.
But, I suppose it's a matter of personal choice. Some prefer the genteel up-market bar with no dust on the skirting boards, the friendly bar tender and the smartly dressed clientèle, whilst others feel more at home in the tavern down by the docks with sawdust on the floor, where a wrong word will get you a punch in the head. But in the a.r.s.tavern you can punch them back with no fear of being thrown out.
"After eight years or so, it looks like they've faded away, leaving the
Trudybot talking to itself.
http://home.primus.ca/~ronsharp/circlejerk.html
They used to have four or five identities at any one time replying to each
other, now down to one robot poster."
"Say what you like it's a liberal board. Besides when I answer Anonymous forums presenting facts such as actual court documents or affidavits I am soon blocked from posting (often on the 3rd time). Here people are not so fanatical in their beliefs though really all they have to rely on are what they see on the internet."Not sure that this really happened but I would not be surprised, knowing Shallonymous cultishness and the hypocrisy of critics regarding "free speech".
"4) German government extend official invitation to Anonymous. German authorities organised a conference last September in Hamburg entitled "What is Scientology?" and extended an official invitation to Anonymous to attend. Scientology representative Tommy Davis was denied access on the grounds that "If you discuss the dangers of illegal drugs, you do not invite the drug dealer to speak on stage"This is typical of critics' justification to prevent free speech: first label accordingly, then you do not need to feel guilty about banning the representation of opposed viewpoints. Never mind the fact that the title of this conference was "What is Scientology"? So you would not want a Scientology representative to give his view or defend Scientology against accusations, right?
"Scientologists Targeting HIV-Positive Protesters" - Story spreading
And here we go!
Scientology Accused of Singling out HIV+ Protesters :: EDGE Boston
Scientologists Targeting HIV-Positive Protesters / Queerty
Scientology lobbying to restrict rights of HIV+ — Bearnaked Joe’s
$cientology’s unethical practices on its dissidents | inlandutopia.com
And some Scilon Spin-control
Another Look at Scientology: HIV+ Rumor Only a Rumor
The order is slightly different because, apparently, Youtube reorganizes the comments after a while, putting replies under the posts that were replied to, rather than concentrating on top. Or maybe this is not done automatically, I don't know. You can see on this picture that the comment of gaxeviw, the fourth one that did not point to magoo's inconsistencies, is still there, now as a reply to the message that was addressed. However, the three other messages are not there anymore. They have been deleted by "free speech" Magoo.
You may think that they are now under the messages that were replied to rather than at the top, but it is not the case. You can make a search on the string from the original message replied to, and you will find the message without gaxeviw reply underneath. Check it out.Messages by one "FreedomDignity", who also questioned her on that subject, were not deleted, but those from gaxeviw were, as where those by two previous accounts, which she also blocked from posting again, just like she banned gaxeviw too.
Tory Christman claims that she was ordered off her seizure medication by the CoS but she forgets to say that such illegal orders were promptly overturned by higher CoS authorities, and that for the 30 years she was in Scientology she was allowed to take her anti-seizure medicine, as confirmed by her 2003 affidavit.The message was deleted! So it was reposted, with request for Magoo that she comments the allegation. Her "answer" was to delete all such messages and ban the user!
Tory Christman affidavit is the best proof there is that Scientology is not against seizure medicines where needed.
Google "Tory Christman" affidavit 2003
I too have had my messages either deleted or blocked by Magoo. Seems she only allows those who agree with her to speak.Related blog entries:
I'm not a Scientologist but came upon her video, thinking it was one of genuine sympathy.but, instead, found a lecture to John Travolta.
She wrote to me saying that if I'd lost hundreds of friends then I would understand to which I replied on her comment page, that I'd lost enough loved ones to allow me to have empathy with a bereaved father, a quality her video lacks. In fact, thr video comes across as self-serving and pious, a lecture wrapped in the giuse of a sympathy message.. i asked how she expected John Travolta, a grief-stricken parent, to listen to her message, when even I find its timing sickening.
That message was deleted and I can only assume that all future posts were blocked. So much for free speech!
"Madonna, always in fighting shape, has won a round against the British press. The pop star won a judgment Monday against a British tabloid that she accused of breaching her privacy and copyright by publishing pictures of her 2000 wedding."If we believe anti-Scientologists that bringing down a leaked video aimed at an internal audience and on which they have the copyright is against "free speech", how about that one? Shall we now see masked protesters roaming around Madonna's mansion?
From http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/magazine/article/505849
"Yes, some interesting threads were sent there to die that could actually have engendered some good conversation and, indeed, actually were doing so. Perhaps it was truly the best call as flaming was taking place but thing is, if you don't have the ~right~ POV there, to the TD you will go."Needless to say, declaring someone a "troll" or "OSA" is a favorite tactic of critics to get rid of dissenters, and in any moderated forum ran by critics this is exactly what happens. Even ARS has its list, that demonstrates how simple dissenters are so labeled. The only difference is that critics cannot apply it since ARS isn't moderated (and is the reason why the most interesting discussions still happens there rather than in moderated fora).
"There have been several critics banned from Enturbulation.org over content posted regarding Noelle North & Subway. Is it fair? No. Is it censorship? Maybe. The folks at Enturbulation have been accused of conducting the same kind of censorship that the Scilons have long conducted on a much larger scale."
