Red line bordering my posts and a couple of others

Originally posted by backinblack
I say it's just ATS deciding who they want in the list..

Huh. That's interesting. Could explain the velcro Nike's and the castration kit I got in the mail recently.

I remember reading about some WATS "formula" a while back.

Off to see what nifty new ATS Search can tell me...........away!

ETA: I'm back.

This is what I got from TrueAmerican:

It means exactly what the site owners want it to mean, and that's that. Flags x Stars divided by 200,000.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by backinblack


I dont know either, but it certainly cant be our charm and sweet nature that gets us in the running or I sure wouldnt have a border.

so where is the ranking list so we can see what we're aiming at...?

Originally posted by FOXMULDER147
so where is the ranking list so we can see what we're aiming at...?

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Slayer is #1, All hail the GoldFather

Originally posted by Fractured.Facade

Originally posted by FOXMULDER147
so where is the ranking list so we can see what we're aiming at...?

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Slayer is #1, All hail the GoldFather

That's only the top 50... way out of my league.

Where's 51-100

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


LOL! You can't believe a word out of TrueAmerican! He also said this.....

But of course they're getting paid, and are so humble they don't need any recognition.

I need to re-negotiate! Maybe they lost my address?

Originally posted by FOXMULDER147

Where's 51-100

Ah, they're all away on Family business.

Other than that, you may spot them occasionally in the threads.

Originally posted by Illusionsaregrander

Originally posted by wildoracle13
And I am going to second the guy that said, "watch out cause now you are easier to identify" I will be reading your replies/threads before some others, keep you on your toes.

To me, thats the down side of starring, and maybe these borders were supposed to combat that problem somehow, but popularity doesnt make a good post. Nor does length of time on the board, or threads started, or how big someones bar is/was. or what color their border is.

Honestly, you should consider each post on its own merits or failings, and not really base your opinion in any way on the perceived status of the member. I have seen lots of very impressive, intelligent, well reasoned posts from people with absolutely no bling, not even an avatar.

I see where you are coming from writer-fighter, but see, from a new person's perspective, 89.9% of the time, I am running into minor T&C violations, funny but non-contributary type stuff, illusions of grandeur and lotsa other crazy stuff. My method of sorting out ATS best of the best is by seasoned pros like yourself. You guys have been there done that in most cases and shut down trolls or re-direct topics better than anyone. I rarely give stars but when I do it's to a poster who has made me really think. I give a flag when there is a post that I believe needs more attention. Is that not the rule for star and flags? What's with the guy that has 9,245 posts and 89 flags? I look at that kind of thing. Helps me gauge credibility. Am I wrong to do that?

All that these stars and flags do is encourage people to spam this site more with posts that have no relevance with the current thread or encourage people to make more threads with little to no information and no intent on keeping the threads up and just hope that other´s will do the research and contribute to it and make it a good thread. While they just go ahead and find another topic to start up another thread.

I for one predict a huge increase in worthless threads and posts that have no relevance with the current thread.

Proceed with caution

Originally posted by wildoracle13
What's with the guy that has 9,245 posts and 89 flags? I look at that kind of thing. Helps me gauge credibility. Am I wrong to do that?

This happens all the time and does not factor (IMHO) into whether a thread is credible. Consider that the "I'm an alien" threads (just as an example) tend to rate high flag/star counts and then consider whether it's wise to base one's opinion of thread-worthiness heavily on flags/stars. Unless of course you ARE an alien and then, well ...

Originally posted by Spacedman13
All that these stars and flags do is encourage people to spam this site more with posts that have no relevance with the current thread or encourage people to make more threads with little to no information and no intent on keeping the threads up and just hope that other´s will do the research and contribute to it and make it a good thread. While they just go ahead and find another topic to start up another thread.

I for one predict a huge increase in worthless threads and posts that have no relevance with the current thread.

Proceed with caution

This new feature probably won't do more to encourage this type of behavior above what the other features on the site (both past and present) have done. People will post what they wish, for their personal reasons and that isn't going to change. The only person you can control, is yourself...

reply to post by LadySkadi


As I'm looking through the top 50, I am not seeing a big contingency of Alien/UFO/Chemtrail/Ptroll types. I am seeing a lot of moderate and articulate folks that participate in a variety of threads.

Therefore, I do not think the points/flags/star system has done anything to lower the quality of contribution, because if you read the posts of the top contributors, they are still high quality contributions!!

**And I'm not just saying that because of the gold box around my post.

reply to post by getreadyalready

It wasn't a diss, it was *just an example...

:shk:
_________________
ETA: well, maybe it was a *tiny diss to the aliens amongst us... my apologies

Congrats to all.

I just wanted to remind all that with this status comes absolutely NO authority yet it carries a huge amount of expectation and responsibility. ...

Love this place....

reply to post by LadySkadi


LOL!

And my post wasn't entirely pointed to you, it was just a general observation.

And for the record, most of the Mods are aliens, and they are kept in an underground bunker. I only visit to bring them donuts and coffee on Thursdays.

reply to post by wildoracle13


I started a post about how of course you shouldnt look to popularity or even length of time on the boards to decide who was worth listening to on a given topic, but to use your actual judgment and let each post speak for itself, but I already said that.

I suppose its just a simple truth that people do look for badges, stars, letters after a name, a plaque on the wall, or some other superficial marker to tell them who or what is worth listening to. Its just a shame that that is how it is. Its that quality people have that makes it so easy for media to lead people around, and manipulate.

Edit to add,

And just so you know, you can be a "writer-fighter" simply by contacting a mod for permission to post in certain forums. Its not an award you win, or anything.

The best part of this thread has been some of the replys.

Priceless.

Thanks for the recognition ATS command!!!!! Much appreciated.

anon72

Thanks for the New Gold Border. I'd be a liar if I said that accolades and recognition don't matter to me.

Silver is the new Gold. And gold is the new....


ahhhhh

I noticed in my new threads today about this border thingy.

It's cool, I guess. I feel special that there are only 100 of us.

Everyone else is just jealous. They wish they had the outline we did.

Pred...

Silver would have worked better with the new avatar.

Damn you slayer!

(yes i'm blaming you!)



Edit...Why is mine broked?

It's fixed now, someones playing games now...