patrick.net

rando says

The rating numbers are simply the like/dislike for posts in a different format. The number is likes - dislikes.

Should I keep those links to real estate, politics, investing? I thought they make the header look a little cluttered.

You could indeed ban me. I'm just an ordinary user most of the time. Though I do have access to the database and source code, so I have superpowers if I need them.

The ratings on the side make it look tacky to me and redundant, To me it would be more efficient if the score of all likes and dislikes were
at the top of the original posting so if there were 10 likes anf 50 dislikes it shows a overall consensus.
Definitely keep a few jump links at the top. You could put a few in the frame you have active comments new private using a distinct separator.
The banning is hilarious in general to me, definitely entertaining. I had 1 banned and decided to un-ban them for GP...

Dan8267 says

Here's my hypothesis. None of you pussies will have the balls to accept this challenge.

www.youtube.com/embed/eKmRkS1os7k

This is where I think some creativity is necessary. I've always wanted to try a place where a user was blocked from commenting if he/she refused to answer a direct question. (meaning without a false premise) I know it's going to take some subjectivity to implement but I don't think it's a bad thing.

---------

+1

You took the words right out of my mouth

Ironman says

That's really funny. You challenge people to debate, but these people who would debate you and blow your narrative away are being banned from your threads:

The thread can be opened by Patrick. He'd be the moderator. Are you really not intelligent enough to realize this? Nothing prevents the debate. How about you man up and accept the challenge instead of running away as usual.

#rechargeableBatteriesDumbass

Hm. There are about as many people on Dan's banned list whose company I wouldn't mind being in, as there are not on the list.

Wow dan banned me lol? He's really that butt hurt about me factually stating that his insults and jokes are horrible

errc says

Wow dan banned me lol? He's really that butt hurt about me factually stating that his insults and jokes are horrible

Actually I banned you because I was tired of us butting heads. I recently decided to take a new approach to PatNet of just not dealing with assholes. You fell into that category for reasons you just demonstrated with your post. I'll debate you anytime if you want, but I'm not going to waste my time on you in general. Be a better person and I'll change my mind.

rando says

So Ironman is deleted, along with all his posts and comments (I have backups). And he's banned by IP.

www.youtube.com/embed/_i224xsGmv4

www.youtube.com/embed/VnT7pT6zCcA

Surprising violent for the Muppets.

www.youtube.com/embed/zCRUPWDIgYM

rando says

So Ironman is deleted, along with all his posts and comments (I have backups). And he's banned by IP.

Come on, everybody. Make Patrick's announcement the most liked post ever!

"Yes son, today is the day. That's right. May 9th is the day Ironman was deleted."

He'll be back

With Piggy no longer on Patnet, I just went long goat feed and anal lube.

Dan8267 says

With Piggy no longer on Patnet, I just went long goat feed and anal lube.

I suppose that is no longer insulting another user, so OK.

rando says

I suppose that is no longer insulting another user, so OK.

That was just investment advice.

rando says

Dan8267 says

With Piggy no longer on Patnet, I just went long goat feed and anal lube.

I suppose that is no longer insulting another user, so OK.

Yes, I was counting on that loophole.

Rew says

rando says

I suppose that is no longer insulting another user, so OK.

That was just investment advice.

I thought he forgot to say "Alexa" before adding items to his shopping cart

errc says

He'll be back

I'd guess within a couple months.

errc says

He'll be back

That was one reason I never banned him before. It's essentially impossible to block any one person who is willing to re-register and use different devices from different locations.

But he might be easily recognized by his comments.

That and so long as he doesn't already have some aliases stashed, his reincarnate born on date

errc says

Poobah, put the Donate tab back up in the header!

OK, done!

Hey Ironman, if you read this, go check witopia :))

Lol, we will still know him by his comments.

Anyway, I never quite got the idea of giving up your identity to a VPN provider who will hide your identity only as long as it's convenient/profitable for him.

rando says

People will self-segregate into relatively like-minded groups.

Anyone like to join me in the critical thinking group.

I can't stand Ironman's opinions, ideas and beliefs, but don't believe anyone should be banned.

The closer patrick.net stays to free expression of speech, regardless as to how inflammatory, ill-informed, etc., that speech, the more patrick.net distinguishes and elevates itself above almost all other sites where inter-user discourse is the point.

I am one of the few here who probably believes that ad hominem attacks be allowed, along the lines of "sticks and stones" and all so forth.

I'm a fervent 1st Amendment and free expression hawk, and detest barring, banning, suppressing, etc ANY speech.

p.s. -'I say this as someone who HATES (a powerful word and strong emotion) both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, believing both are treacherous, hideous, compromised individuals, unfit to lead, and fatally flawed in terms of morality, but I honestly believe that Trump is legitimately clinically insane, is both a sociopath and psychopath, not to mention a fraud and con-man, does NOT care about average Americans whatsoever, really is in deep debt/hock to many banks, including many foreign ones, and is the least fit person to serve as dog-catcher, let alone president, in the history of our nation.

I liked Ironman, he knew how to make the conversation interesting. Otherwise we just have few people constantly agreeing with each other hating Trump, Republicans, anything that's not a direct hand out to them, followed by Dan posting some insults, or male port (weird guy) as his form of revenge.

Dan8267 says

HEY YOU says

Those that ban others must have Straw for backbones.

I'm more than willing to debate this issue with you. Justify your premise that no one should ever be banned. I'll go first because I have brass balls.

Freedom of speech goes both ways. It means that a willing audience can hear ideas they want to hear, but that also means that no person should be allowed to prevent a willing audience from hearing those ideas. This is why those who shout down presenters are kicked out. It's also why trolls are kicked out. Trolls aren't silenced by bans because they can start their own threads. However, they are prevented from disrupting other people's conversations.

Your turn.

This is a written free speech forum. It's a little hard to disrupt a written conservation,if the reader doesn't respond.
Oh! Yea of little willpower.

If one doesn't like what another says on a free speech forum they might not understand free speech.
If everyone is not happy,it's not F.S.?
As for me,if one says something I don't like,I'm taking my threads away from them.
I have such tender sensibilities & a perfect value system.

FortWayne says

I liked Ironman, he knew how to make the conversation interesting.

Well, you can still find him on his other favorite site.

He also made the news.

HEY YOU says

It's a little hard to disrupt a written conservation,if the reader doesn't respond.

Actually, no, it's not. Empirically piggy has disrupted many conversations.

Besides, the ban feature doesn't ban people from the site, just from a particular author's threads. It's a halfway feature between a public free-for-all and a private conversation. You just don't tolerate disruptive people, but still welcome everyone else regardless of the argument they are trying to make.

Dan8267 says

FortWayne says

I liked Ironman, he knew how to make the conversation interesting.

Well, you can still find him on his other favorite site.

He also made the news.

You are a sick man Dan, get help while you still can.

You have no sense of humor, like most conservatives left or right.

I don't like mobbing.

Thanks Patrick....great idea to block constant attackers.

rando says

So Ironman is deleted, along with all his posts and comments (I have backups). And he's banned by IP.

I hereby protest. Ironman has been here long enough to earn tenure.

Strategist says

Ironman has been here long enough to earn tenure.

It looks like it was the doxxing and calling Roberto's place of work that tipped the scales. That's a whole other level of anti social behavior.

rando says

Lol, we will still know him by his comments.

Anyway, I never quite got the idea of giving up your identity to a VPN provider who will hide your identity only as long as it's convenient/profitable for him.

Because it's better than nothing. From the number of hassles I get from google (especially google), craigslist, banks, credit card companies, etc., etc. when they detect a vpn ip it seems that they are very upset at not knowing your actual IP address. I'm not letting them map every aspect of my online life if I can avoid it.

YesYNot says

Strategist says

Ironman has been here long enough to earn tenure.

It looks like it was the doxxing and calling Roberto's place of work that tipped the scales. That's a whole other level of anti social behavior.

Why would I believe that? Consider this. Rumors are not provable, and in America we do have to "prove" before calling someone guilty. Hello, remember that whole "innocent until proven guilty", it's one of our amendments.

YesYNot says

Strategist says

Ironman has been here long enough to earn tenure.

It looks like it was the doxxing and calling Roberto's place of work that tipped the scales. That's a whole other level of anti social behavior.

I was not aware if this.

Wow. That's bizarre behavior akin to stalking.

I also would have preferred not banning Ironman. DIdn't agree with him about most things, but he did not bother me that much. I don't know the story about Roberto; what caused it, is there proof? On the other hand, the way people here have been attacking Ironman, it feels like mobbing, and that I have an aversion to.

Strategist says

I hereby protest. Ironman has been here long enough to earn tenure.

He already has tenure as professor of animal husbandry.