What makes you star and flag on ATS?

This is under the general conspiracies section as a means to understanding the conspiracy (Conspire; To join or act together; combine) of ATS.

The basic premise here is to understand what it takes to make you click on a star or a flag.

To my own end I generally hang out in the UFO and Aliens subsection (Which sometimes leads me to the Hoax section) and I am very cautious about what I'd flag. A flag, to me, is worthy of someone who has put in some research, provided links, substantiated their outlook (whether I agree with it or not) and been polite, which includes allowing a touch of their humour or venting towards their polar opposite end of the community.

A flag would usually always get a star from me too.

A star is something I am a lot more particular about. I star something that has added information to the topic and has either been polite or has helped accent the zeitgeist of some of those, usually sharing a similar outlook to my own, within the thread/debate.

Sometimes someone who I like from the boards may get a star for a post another wouldn't get one from me and on occasions when an argument has been heated and then resolved I'll star my opponent by way of letting them know I'm happy with them and what they've presented.

So my question to you is; what makes you star and flag?

There is no wrong answer to this, the system is in place and those who would exploit it via sockpuppet accounts etc. are found and dealt with. So as an abstract to generating the currency of these boards - what makes you flag and star?

And and all thoughts upon this are welcome!

-m0r

reply to post by m0r1arty


Humor, I learned something new or something I agree with!

you just about summed it up for me...

although sometimes I'm a little more liberal with my stars if there is a hot chick in the Avatar...



edit; oh and S&F for you....

S&F for you.... LOL!

I agree. If I think a post has merit I'll flag it to let others know that someone had interest in that subject.
If a post has added some good,funny or relavent infomation I'll give that a star.

Bashing a poster will never get a star from me. It tells me that someone can not argue the topic so they choose to "cut down" the orignal poster.

However a snide, synical, or sassy response will get a star, if that response can be shown to not kill the thread with it's negitivity (balance people).

Thanks
Red

Relevance to the topic and intelligence.I can't stand it when people star bland insults and ignorant comments.

I flag a thread if I think someone has done their homework or if I think it's an important subject worthy of another's attention.

I star when something is funny, well done, researched, raises good questions/points, when someone squishes a troll, (but not ignorantly) or something I agree with (I'll star rather than just ad a silly comment like "totally! ME TOO!!" (as I personally would like to keep my star to post ratio rather high)).. sometimes I give a star if I feel like (woman's prerogative) although I do change my mind and sometimes wish I could take a star back

For flags I roll dice, if it comes up an even number I flag, if it comes up a odd number I don't.

Stars I just do a coin toss, heads you get a star, tails you don't.

I feel fate is a much better judge of things than me, and this allows universal Karma to be the deciding factor!

I personally feel this is the 'correct' system we should all be using.

What do you say, heads we do, tails we don't?

reply to post by LadySkadi

you should make thread about it im new to that idea

If i believe a thread should be heard i will flag it, if i like a personal opinion i will star it.

reply to post by thatonedude


I would star that if I could.
The OP opinion runs about the same as how I do it. Flag posts that I think are well thought out, and star ontopic posts, that add info, and are not snobby/snarky/rude.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


Crap, my coin landed on end
Now what?

I give stars and flags if i think the op put alot of time and thought into the thread..I wont give stars and flags to the cut and paste news threads that i can just read on CNN or my local newspaper and i see alot of that on here

reply to post by m0r1arty


Most seem to s&f what they want to believe , logic and evidence be dammed

Im liberal with stars and flags.

I star funny, smart, intelligent, well researched, things I agree with, (like someone else said, in lieu of a short "I agree" post) I also star things I disagree with if the person makes a good post. I too will star troll squishing if its not too negative. Sometimes I star "lonely" posts where someone is making a good effort and the crowd is just ignoring them.

Flags, I will flag a thread if effort has gone into it, and if it adds value to the site. I tend not to flag threads that are clearly just "flag hunts" ie; the millionth thread on the debate between Christianity and Evolution, or anyone who is clearly trying to capitalize on "hot topics" when they could easily join an existing thread.

Edit to add,

After this thread, I have been paying attention and it really breaks down to I star any post that adds value to the thread.

I flag a thread if I find the 1st post to be interesting and informative. Stars I give out when someone makes either a really good post or posts an opinion that I firmly agree with.

reply to post by m0r1arty

I’ve mentioned this before on a similar thread topic.

I flag the thread if I find it interesting and I think it should be seen by others.

I star a post if I agree on the poster or that the poster has put a good point across, sometimes I even star a post that I don’t fully agree with, as I feel it opens up a broader way of thinking and I normally contemplate their post.

So to me the flag is for all members to take notice and the star is a personal “nod of the head” to the poster.

I'll flag a thread I find interesting and agree with or even if I disagree with it's premise if it's well written, thought provoking and or interesting nonetheless. For me it gives the writer a pat on the back of acknowledgment. Also, hopefully it let's others know the thread may be of interest.

I star posters who I agree with and again even those I disagree with if they post something well written, thought provoking or makes me question my position which makes me check the facts.

Many of those who I debate/argue with here at ATS will often be wearing a Star from me and will never know it.


PEACE

reply to post by m0r1arty


I star if someone has obviously put a lot of work into his/her writing... sometimes even if it's something I don't agree with. I guess I just feel that hard work should be rewarded. I don't star if it's something so off the wall that it doesn't make sense AT ALL or if it's something that has been posted over and over and over and could have easily been found by using the search function. Stars usually get flags as well, unless I've starred something just because it is well written, but I don't agree with it at all. I usually don't flag if I disagree entirely.

If someone is funny, I star. Humor is good. Usually, if someone admits to something that wasn't easy to admit to, I star and flag. For example, when someone openly admits that he/she was wrong.

I tend to star and flag when someone posts "good news" instead of the normal gloom and doom. When someone has obviously done some serious homework, I star and flag. I give a lot of stars really, but not as many flags. I see a lot of posts on here that I feel should have stars but don't have any at all... I'm usually pretty quick to star those.

I know it's just a forum and stars and flags don't count for anything in the big scheme of life, but it's the only way I can reward people on here, so I'm pretty quick to do it if I feel the author deserves it for whatever reason.

I don't star and flag when someone asks for stars and flags for his/her own post. It's usually an obvious attempt to get numbers up and that gets on my nerves, lol. When someone writes a post that seems like it was written for no other reason than to get stars and flags, I don't give any. I'm stingy with my stars and flags when a post appears to be written without enthusiasm or without any interest at all. It's usually pretty easy to see which ones are written out of genuine interest and which ones are written to bump up the numbers.

Maybe I take this star and flag thing a little too seriously, but there are some writers on here who really work hard to keep us informed or to make us aware of certain things and I think hard work should be rewarded in the only way we can award someone we only know on ATS. I've learned a lot since I've been here and without the research and determination of other members, I would have never been informed of some of these issues that are very important to me today.