An open letter to Newsvine

Simply add a few of your favorite commenters to your track author and follow along. Things have a way of unfolding before your very eyes and you'll know what's happening as it does. Just don't follow me since I'm always a day behind and playing catch up. Typing 11 wpm doesn't help either!

Pamela said: Just don't follow me since I'm always a day behind and playing catch up.

Don't listen to her, Huckleberi, and definitely follow her. She's always got something interesting to say, and does some excellent reporting, especially on the "agricultural/industrial complex." And despite her 11 wpm, she's not the slowest, since, even with my 30wpm, I am later than her.

I hope it's just voicing concerns.

That's what it is, folks committing to raising the bar, not leaving.

Beautiful name you have there, Magz.

Thank you, Ann. Had nothing to do with it. My parents did. Only person who calls me Leopoldo is my Mom, and only when she's angry. Everybody else calls me Paulie. Mom calls me hijo when I'm good.

Hey magz, that's a fantastic name! My children have very simple names (only a first and last) but I do say thanks to your parents for choosing yours so I could read it! :)

magz,

Your full name is almost poetic, or melodic, or something.

In grade school, I had about 4 different nick names.

washichu is the Sioux name for white people, what is the atsidi?

I too, am noticing the decline in the decorum here. Unfortunately some who have signed the above are part of the problem. Slinging invective is hardly the province of the new user here, along with patently inaccurate article and seed headlines that do nothing more than draw the kooks here in the first place. It helps your standing to have hundreds of comments on these inane subjects but few of them achieve the purpose of helping people get smarter. Some of the leading lights here on the vine are the most guilty of this type of pandering.

Atsidi is a Navajo word for smith or silversmith. I think the literal translation is hammer. Atsidi Sani--Slender maker of silver--One of the first Navajo silver smiths, Atsidi Chon--Ugly Smith--also a prolific early silver smith.. I am not enough Indian to claim, so I am White Smith.

Newsvine...you need to pay attention and respond to your users....if you don't or won't, they will quit providing the arena that continuously attracts new and existing users to this community.

ReggieK you nailed it with this line. Newsvine has gotten to be popular because of the users; we have made it the success it is. I started back last October before the big influx of people and see that it has indeed gone down hill, but this attitude of the staff of"our way or the highway" is counter productive. If the long time users leave all that will be left is the "drive bys" who will keep the new and potential main contributors from sticking around, which will in turn cause the advertisers to think twice about investment.

In other words; Newsvine is what it is because of the users not the staff.

Which raises the question that came up when the MSNBC buyout was first announced. Is this a way to add strength to the alternate voices or a backdoor to silence the critics of corporate media with a bonus platform for GE to air more of their own views in cyberspace?

The purchase price was chump change for GE and the numbers of critical voices aggregated in one spot a virtual killing in terms of critics, if that's the aim. So far the jury is still out on that.

I'm afraid that the marketing people are simply looking at total number of users, page hits, and then selling that to the advertisers. Plus it's tied in with support for MSNBC so it's not all about the ad dollars here either. So as long as they have more eyeballs here they're happy - they don't care about the quality of the conversation unless the numbers start to drop.

As for me, I've been visiting less frequently, been turned off by the comments (mean as well as off-topic and simply childish). Some articles were interesting but then I get to the comments and they're all so stupid I don't even want to join the conversation.

It's a shame - I joined the vine about a year and a half ago and it was a wonderful place, full of interesting people and I really did get smarter here. Now, it's becoming like all the rest.

I will try and curb my sarcasm which can be very biting at times.

No need to do that simply add a notation of (sarcasm) and it will be fine. The issue isn't that everyone needs to act like we're having tea and crumpets before the Queen when expressing themselves. The problems are that MSNBC posts are often unmoderated and contain plain old nasty, foul mouthed, hateful remarks and that we have some packs of trolls who like to create conflict and stifle debate, call names and their numbers and power have grown unbalanced and unchecked.

Lots of trolls. They follow you around the Vine too.

Once upon a time, before we were MSNBC's message board, the Greenhouse did just that.

don't expect to be around soon ..... things change (very sadly)

It is sad, too sad to absorb. Losses like this makes it seem the sale was for a pound of flesh.

Things change all the time.

Change here.

see that really hits home for me because chill was funny, constructive, fun.

and he's kind enough to pop back. This is not an imaginary thing. We've been screaming for help for months. and what we've got back is, "well there's always been screaming"

I don't know about others but I wouldn't think it an understatement to state some are a tad miffed.

The..system..is..broken.

By circumstantial design almost.

Personally I've grown more frustrated and more aggressive with it.

I'll take full responsibility for that whether or not others step up and start taking responsibility for the degradation of the site.

There's a lot of buckpassing and underplaying and political misdirection IMO

Djehuty, my fine friend, add my name to the letter above.

And hello all you Viners who still remember me. *smiles*

SHE LIVES!!!!

I can't even begin to put a name to the jolt of excitement I felt upon seeing your name there, Aine.

You know, if I really think about it, I realize that the decline of the discourse here on Newsvine started right around the time you left.

You'd better stick around, my friend!

Great to hear from you again, Aine - welcome back!

Wow. Can it be? A legend walks among us. *shields eyes*

And hello all you Viners who still remember me. *smiles*

How could I forget my adopted sibling? :)

Aine...so very good to see you again!!! I've missed you here alot.

Holy sh*t, Jason, you actually went back and found that thread? Good on you! :)

I dunno if I'm back or not, but I thought I should at least sign Djehuty's letter. And yes, Viki, things went South about the time I left... not a coincidence, I'm thinkin'. hehe

::tackles Aine::

OMG! How could we forget you? :D

Good to see you, lady.

And hello all you Viners who still remember me. *smiles*

Abso-frigging-loutely sweetie, there's not enough pot on the planet to forget you here!!! ♥

Aine..........................!!! You don't know what a relief it is.

Hey Aine! It's good to see your name up there in a thread again :) Nice surprise too!

Yay for Aine!!!!!

The prophecies were true! She has returned to save us all!

Aine, glad to see you here. You have been missed.

Aine is here? SWEEEEET! Things are lookin' up already.

Nice to see both Aine and Frank Scott back amongst us, even if temporarily.

Welcome back, Aine! I've so missed you

Awww, you guys are so sweet. There's so much blue in this subthread, and... ummm... I seem to have been humorously deified in my absence (!)... next thing you know, you'll be expectin' me to walk on water or perform miracles or some-such... HA! :D

Good to see all of you again, too. *hugs*

Hey, Aine. I remember you once asked somewhere (I reckon it was Facebook) whether anyone would notice if you disappeared.
I totally noticed, and I think a lot of other folks did, too.

It's so good to see you here. *big hug*

Aw, Aine. It's so nice to see you again.

Well Aine, your avatar does have a conspicuous angelic overtones ;-)

And it is great to "see" you again. Have you been lurking or did someone give you a heads up on this thread?

Killfile: Djehuty was kind enough to post a link to this article at his Facebook account, where we are Friends. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have seen it.

I have been away not only from Newsvine but also the news. I haven't even been reading my RSS feeds or even keeping up with my email. I -needed- the hiatus, it wasn't a matter of "wants".

Oh, and for those of you that recall and have been of help to me (and again, thank you for that)... I now have a new computer [and WinVista does not suck as badly as I thought it would]. :)

Aine!!!! Glad to see you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the third day after Jesus appeared on the top 20 of the weekly leaderboard we had the second coming of Aine. It's just not like in the bible except not at all.

Then this happened today! Behold the signs!

Jeebus... err... Cheesus!

RAmen! Has anyone clipped this to Church of the FSM?

Cheesus Christ - now that there's a damn fine seed. Thanks, Walt D. I'll dedicate that one to you.

And hello all you Viners who still remember me. *smiles*

AINE!

Celestina said it! I was worried! I looked for you EVERYwhere online. I did not want to try tracking you down offline out of fear you were going through something or something was going through you. But I have VERY much missed you! God. I am so glad to see your "name."

{{{hugs}}}

Who's Aine?

And who let that crazy angel woman out of my basement?

Djehuty, my dear, the one weakness in the handcuff industry seems to be their propensity to use the same stupid generic cuff key for all handcuffs on the planet. That may be changing, but apparently not everywhere... yet. *smirk*

WOO HOO!

If Aine's back, that means Newsvine's already a much better place!

So glad to see you here again...you are never ever allowed to leave us again. (Unless, of course, it involves handcuffs.)

see that really hits home for me because chill was funny, constructive, fun.

chill is still funny baby!

Is that funny....haha...

Or is that funny.... hmmmm?

:)

It is never to late and it's always nice for me to see someone arrive later than I do!

Haha Pamela, I'll be late in future just for you ;)

What is interesting about the list is the range of people who have signed. I see a great number of the old names there, people who were involved early on and took part in the discussions and votes that helped shape the Vine. There are many I have typically agreed with, and many I have typically disagreed with in discussions, but we all know what we want - discussions on a great site, not flame wars.

Susan... I think you just articulated quite well! It sounds as if we also have some interests in common.

Although I was always told by teachers and counselors that I was not college material and to put all thoughts of it out of my head,

Don't ever let anyone tell you who you are or what you can accomplish. That is for you to determine...

Mary

Check your email...

I love Bach! Do you know the Partita in d minor?

Susan, welcome. Please make yourself at home. I was wondering if you were an admirer of Johann S. earlier today upon noticing your NV URL. You're certainly not alone in feeling like a hexagonal peg upon arrival. Guess what? There are more than a few fellow hex pegs here on da 'Vine - and where structural integrity is concerned, there's not a more stable framework to be found than hexagonal forms which fit well together.

Susan:

In my permanent (read that as hard copy) collection of music is JS Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. Always a way to settle me down.

My brother turned me on to the warhorses,Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff (love the 2nd!), yeah, Orff too, but I always go bach (heh) to the Brandenburg when I am down. I have the English Concert with Trevor Pinnock conducting period instruments.

Mozart and Haydn, what the hey, they're everywhere. Could you post some more Susan? Would love to hear from you about your favorites!

Susan,

Welcome to Newsvine. I hope you find yourself at home here. Just reading this little about you I suspect you are home, in a sense.

Friend request sent.

Welcome Susan.

I ditto sentiments of Djehuty, Azsky, Fugitive & Brenda! I really do hope your problems can ease off and do sense that you will fit right in here. Newsvine is a really warm & thoughtful community and the members do try to preserve that aspect of it. So take your shoes off, relax, and settle on in. :-)

Ah, there it is. When I left that comment the names hadn't changed yet. (shrugs)

RebelGirl would never allow a silly thing like "lack of internet", "reality", or "physics" get in the way of posting to Newsvine when the need arises!

I was wondering that too, sushi....

Maybe she made a quick visit to a local coffee shop nearby that had a wireless connection, and now she's back at her private villa on the lake that doesn't have a connection.

Maybe she just typed that for no reason and we all remotely viewed it. (Damn that's a skeptical article.)

Luckily... My Ex is here too, with the rest of my family and he brought his work computer, none of us knew until about an hour ago that he had internet access :L) I unfortunately for my children, trump them... so I am posting :L) As he is kindly lending me his PC, but he leaves to head home tomorrow, so after that I will be out of pocket until Wednesday!

Brad... you know me too well!

Frank, sadly the closest Starbucks is 30 miles away! Trust me I scoped it out when we went to the waterpark at the lake today!

SteveHouse and Djehuty... do you think I would miss an article like this? I know I am usually late to the party, but then making a late, but grand entrance is what we southern girls do!

If I might ask, what lake are you visiting?

LOL we are in Marble Falls, at the Lost Moose Lodge, we spent the day at Horseshoe Bay and tomorrow we rented a boat to hang out on lake LBJ. Of course that is in Texas no less...

I got a little more sun that I wanted to today... my pale skin is now a cherry red :L)

Heh, I got lobster-fied a little when I was in Dallas a month back. Just wondering if I'd heard of the place (Oklahoman). Horseshoe Bay sounds at least kinda familiar.

Near Austin, its a beautiful part of Texas, you should make it down this way and next time you are in Dallas give me a hollar! Darro and I are working on a Dallas Vinemeet...