Next Level BS: Why is ATS now hell bent on shoving this turd down mine and everyone else's throat?

a reply to: stargatetravels

No no no. I don't believe ATS is here to change the world. I believe the users of ATS are.
Perhaps it is seen as a business model, but it is also a hub for some of the most intelligent minds and critical thinkers of the world over to come and discuss issues, dig for truth, and perhaps take action, even if the ToS deliberately prevents such things from happening.

There are other ways to have revenue stream but with modern business models unless you are increasing revenue steadily by xx%, you are no longer a successful business.

I have been here a long time and I have discovered new things and I have learned right alongside everybody else. I have learned about freedom, about science, about critical thinking, about wolves in sheep clothing around the world, and I have seen action taken, even if it was not as successful as it could have been. The users here have so much potential that could be harnessed as true change in the world and yet it is wasted on "entertainment" as you stated.

And the more it becomes "entertainment" and feeding a subjective side of arguments, the more these people of intelligence, critical thinking, and potential, will leave because they feel the same - that this is no longer a place that can make a difference.

Call it a pipe dream or what you want, but it is how I feel, and through my discussion with members of the past, it is how many other feel as well.

originally posted by: Eunuchorn
Let's be honest everyone; if NLBS had a female host, this thread would have never existed.

That's not true at all.... "The Conspiracy Chicks" had 2.... yes TWO "hot" female presenters and that sucked way, way worse than TNLBS does and people complained MORE than they are about this and people were more embarrassed by the "chicks" than they are about this.

So no, not even remotely true.

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

You are right about a lot of what you mention. The psyop comments have me thinking differently about some of the comments in this thread. Thanks for that.

Sadly, I was drawn into the topicality debate of the shows when that is not the issue at all here. The debate is the show itself, the poor presentation, the subjectivity, the push for a singular "truth", the flaunting of the show in everybody's face, the dumbing down of intelligent research, and the disrespect shown towards dissenters of the shows topics.

a reply to: TheNewRevolution


I completely agree with you, I wasnt saying what I did to be mean or because I like what ATS has become, I was saying it because it is true.
Activism and recruitment/solicitation are not allowed on ATS so yeah, it is a pipe dream.
So much could be achieved and yes it is a waste of all of these great minds.
But that is the way it is, you either go with the flow here or go elsewhere really.
ATS is what it is - it won't be changing any time soon.

originally posted by: TheNewRevolution
a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

You are right about a lot of what you mention. The psyop comments have me thinking differently about some of the comments in this thread. Thanks for that.

Sadly, I was drawn into the topicality debate of the shows when that is not the issue at all here. The debate is the show itself, the poor presentation, the subjectivity, the push for a singular "truth", the flaunting of the show in everybody's face, the dumbing down of intelligent research, and the disrespect shown towards dissenters of the shows topics.

Sounds like standard "news" to me!

I totally understand your point, your message, and your frustration. I just want to throw this out there. at 1920x1080 resolution, if I zoom my page to 130% (which I sit a ways back from my computer, this is usually the standard zoom for me) I see NO sidebars. I actually had to zoom out to see them the first time I noticed people complaining about it.

Works for me, might work for you.
It's not a PERMANENT solution, but it works for me for the time being.

a reply to: Ensinger23

I get the same result at 150 percent, but notice the tiny slice of ads along the side? That's where my hover clicks occur. The post width used to be a little longer, and at 150 it covered all the sides, but it was changed a couple of months ago so the slice is left (my next choice is 175 percent, which is too large).

The poster above mentioned about this threads placement on the front page. This one now has 88 flags, but is very near the bottom, although at least it's on the page (it's not even on top topics). The two top treads, NLBS (of course) has 63 flags, and then the second featured thread, on Hitler, has only 43 flags and only two pages of posts. Apparently the coding which lines up the articles on the main page doesn't take flags into consideration (or does it, and it's broken?). Reason I'm asking is every once in awhile on a very good thread someone will suggest that everyone should flag it so it will be main page worthy and the general readership would be more likely to see it (although this particular thread is really for in-house consumption, and not for the general readership, imnho). But does flagging a thread actually booster its main-page rating, or is it just a pat on the back to a good OP and thread and not an indication of where it will be placed?

originally posted by: TheNewRevolution

I've spent a good portion of the last 8 years of my life on ATS

Perhaps you should view some other options to make a comparison?

[quote]and while it was never a true bastion of free speech and decorum,

I must oppose to this, as I have experienced genuine prohibition of free speech in the "real world" Free speech does not validate the right to crush other peoples opinions, but the option to express one self with respect towards/with your opponent.
As for decorum, I doubt one will find a less aggressive, by- partisan virtual reality on this planet.

People were entitled to their opinions amongst each other and ATS didn't really take sides on the issues.

Thank You

Now I've been coming here and trying to avoid this show NLBS I just didn't feel like watching it and I didn't want it shoved down by throat but lo and behold, here it was in front of me so I started watching.

Don't watch it.
There is so much in here, and if you do want a change, make it happen, communicate, diolog, make your point with great compassionate arguments.

they are unsuccessfully attempting to debunk every conspiracy theory, one by one.

The members/we do this all on our own be debunking each other, it is not the intention. We do it our selves as if on auto-pilot.
"OH, I never heard of this so it can't be real.

our choice and our prerogative to get information and learn for ourselves

It is our choice, but we choose not to learn from each other, every one in our "wonderful new world' wants to invent the wheel.

pushed the agenda

No one is pushing you. Observe. Contemplate. React.

Is this no longer a conspiracy site

The mere fact that we are here with so many opposite opinions answers your question

one turd at a time.

Uhh Turd. Thank You for your input, it made me think, and promise to be more observant.
WIS

a reply to: robbystarbuck

I'm not certain how one would go about making so many concessions and changes while keeping the artistic and intellectual integrity of the content. Spin is great for marketing but what if that's what folks watch NLBS to avoid?

That and I feel like the target audience is whoever digs their style, I'm an artist and I don't concern myself with pandering to an audience man I just do what I do because it's who I am.

Maybe folks are into the in your face content and the snarky memes and the no quarter attitude and the lumberjack mini Penn. I loved Penn and Teller's show and, apparently, other folks did too, imitation can at times be the sincerest form of flattery (I'm not even making a leap here man, I see you). So, hopefully they go for support that's viewer based and skip the spin doctoring. Patreon is a handy new device along other crowd funding sources, no need to buy into advertising stuff you wouldn't wanna support or having your content otherwise placed out of context.

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

The best defense against Truth Bias is judicious skepticism. 

Skeptics will always presume there is a potential for deception.

Gonna take a wild guess and claim this might be created by and geared towards skeptics so bias of any variety wouldn't go unexamined for long.

I'm actually pretty shocked at the backlash here, I mean... If it feels right to folks to nod together in agreement and lovingly stroke their pet paradigms, cool, go for it, but here? This site has a two word mission: deny ignorance. All hail the painstakingly cloaked agenda. I don't understand the expectation that the truth should take a back seat to whatever "reality" feels comfy. I hear this logic thing is all the rage these days, you should give it a go.

I want to know why the guy seems to have a pen in his hand most times?
The pen is a sign of academia truth etc.

Is this like the quack doctor having his white coat and stethoscope?
is the message he is portraying "We are the authority?"
A psychological technique perhaps?
Limbo

originally posted by: TheNewRevolution
a reply to: Xcalibur254

Except it is making them out to look like a bunch of shills with an agenda.

Agreed~!!

I looked at it for the first 20 secs and closed it.. it was like.. EVERYTHING is BS.. like why even try to read any of the threads if ALL of it is BS.. you know?

Why not just have a solid professional REAL news group and do away with the unprofessional, mullet style ranting and get back to the roots of what I remember ATS USED to be....lay it ALL out on the table and let the members comment and leave it at that.. ?

The last attempt of this turned out to just as bad as LVBS..I mean .. who is the official that is stating that ALL of this is bs in the first place ...talking about the pot calling the kettle black when EVERY ONE wants 'proof' .. but all we get is BS..? whaaaat?

I completely agree with the OP .. I DON'T GET IT.. !!

Chiming in - I've never watched one and don't intend to. It annoys me.

I haven't watched an episode yet. The side banners dont bother me at all and the fact that they promote it heavily means that they understand how to run a business. This video looks to be marketed towards the youtube-Lets-Play'ers-generation and is probably positioned well to hook a few of them

What are some of the Top episodes that you would recommend if I wanted to check out a few episodes?

originally posted by: noeltrotsky
a reply to: TheNewRevolution

I believe you're right. A fundamental change of ATS is happening with the site. It is clearly moving away from a place for alternate information and theories to be explored into a skeptics only place where truths pushed by the mainstream are the only acceptable evidence.

ATS is slowly becoming a place where you are either with the NLBS crowd or you're a crank. Read some of the NLBS threads if you don't believe that. Very polarizing and very unfortunate.

You've nailed it on the head. I've only been on this site for a few years now but I've seen a major change over that few years towards what you say. It doesn't help that the owners of this site are now pushing this same agenda when they have used the members' beliefs in conspiracy theories to build this site into what it is today, to now push an agenda that makes those very members out to be fools, crackpots and whackos. I used to be a very active member here but not anymore and this is why. I'm tired of the attacks by the shills who have taken over this place.

I agree with OP.

I get that it's ATS's business, and it's their choice how to run it. But the advertising blitz exudes desperation. Reminds me of the SLC Olympics, and the constant barrage of "Jerry Seinfeld is back in NBC's new reality show 'Marriage Ref'!" Every single commercial break started with add promotion for it, sometimes it appeared twice in one break...national anthems were cut short for show plugs. Eventually it became such an annoyance that there was a backlash, to the point where Letterman's Top Ten Reasons Why The Luge Guy Fell Off The Track(a publicized accident) included "To get away from Seinfeld's Marriage Ref". The show was doomed from the start due to these horrible marketing tactics.

NLBS is not and never will be ATS's main draw; it's not why people come here. There will be a small niche of course but the decision go all in and bet all chips on NLBS with what most would call advertising overkill I can't understand from any business standpoint.

This new 'makeover' of trying to be the next Snopes(though it is admittedly subjective so not quite the same), combined with shutting down the entire catalogue of 9/11 forums for what I would call next level bullsh*t reasons, on top of relentless suppression of trending conspiracy threads, leads me to conjecture that either:

a) The website and its operators have been compromised and/or pressured into this new direction.

b) Operators had a 'come to Jesus' complete 180 moment where they became convicted by subjective logic that all conspiracies are in fact not true, and are now aggressively trying to turn the ship around to right all their previous wrongs.

c) This was the plan right from the start.

I'm curious to know which one it was. Denying it is one of these answers just does more disservice to ATS credibility and is somewhat insulting to the members' intelligence...it's simple deductive logic.

originally posted by: TheNewRevolution
The sides of my page are lined with ever episode so that if I accidentally click anywhere on my window....

Don't forget those advertisement pop up windows and paypal advertising window to fund ATS's now commercial website for generating revenues.

This site is turning more into a business scheme than a conspiracy themed website....but I like Fragile Earth forum too

a reply to: TheNewRevolution

I agree wholeheartedly and am in the same boat.

I mostly lurk and just try to avoid the video-ads, pop-ups, and now this ridiculous show, but it's absurd to think one can accomplish that.

I attempted to write a thread discussing the general state of things on this site (such as NLBS, and the fact that donators to ATS are labeled "black project leaders" etc.. which I always thought we were "against"?) and I tried posting that in the "Deconstructing Disinformation" forum..

Here is my thread if you're interested.

but into the rant forum it went! i don't deny that it was a bit of a rant, and I don't want to immediately call conspiracy here, but it does seem like ATS is more interested in being a successful business, than carrying out their original mission statements.. Things that are put into the rant section are rarely read and/or responded to in a sincere and debate-able way and is mostly where ideas go to be misunderstood and die..

I've never liked the idea of "if you can't beat them, join them" and more and more it seems like that has become the ATS motto..

i say "if you can't convince them, learn from them.. and then move on"

WARRNING !
AVG antivirues program is detecting
harmful programs "Downloader.DIO"

"Downloader.DIO allows hackers to get into and carry
out dangerous actions in affected computers, such as
capturing screenshots, stealing personal data, etc."

what the ! is ATS doing?
all I did what look at posts.

a reply to: TheNewRevolution

Had to log in just to Agree with you on this one.

While I have no problem with ATS having a show and do appreciate the effort and hard work. I do not like how opinionated this show is - we are supposed to be the ones who deny ignorance and we have created our own brainwashing media spreading opinion.
Well my opinion is it should accurately portray both arguments and leave things up to the viewer to choose what makes sense. After all the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle.