RATS access

Hi, I had access to the RATS forum, and i needed to get my comp reformatted, and i got it back, but i had to start over with ats points, why? shouldnt remember that with my username?

Hey Paladin327, after the initial entry fee RATS now requires a monthly subscription fee of 250.

Jack

What's the initial RATS entry fee?

Originally posted by Radiohead
What's the initial RATS entry fee?

dont know,
look on the shop. I dont think i will be renewing my RATS fee because,to be honest, RATs doesnt have the same effect anymore

Originally posted by infinite

Originally posted by Radiohead
What's the initial RATS entry fee?

dont know,
look on the shop. I dont think i will be renewing my RATS fee because,to be honest, RATs doesnt have the same effect anymore

I saw the forum and it sounded really cool. But after reading yours and others experiences, it doesn't sound worth keeping up with.

Nor, it seems, are you

Now i see ATS further eroding members privilages eh?
Why am i not suprised?

The "You must pay to play" mentality is rampant here as being able to access or speek freely about things is becomming more and more controlled by "the man".

Soon the only ignorance you'll be able to deny is what THEY approve for you.

Keep sucking on the spoon fed pablum of CONTROLLED MASS MEDIA, with the illusion of denial of ignorance.
Now with RATS, denial of the ignorant has become a members only club with a constant drain on participation...translated, you must constantly re-prove your non ignorance for inclusion.

And the mods always try to downplay points to members...yeah,
they just made them more valuable, not less.

Originally posted by CazMedia
Now i see ATS further eroding members privilages eh?
Why am i not suprised?

You nor anyone else has a right to complain. Being a member of this FREE board is a privilage in its self.

Yes Caz, its all part of a master plan, soon we will start selling ATS points on ebay.

Tomorrow the world!

Originally posted by CazMedia
Now i see ATS further eroding members privilages eh?
Why am i not suprised?

The "You must pay to play" mentality is rampant here as being able to access or speek freely about things is becomming more and more controlled by "the man".

Soon the only ignorance you'll be able to deny is what THEY approve for you.

Keep sucking on the spoon fed pablum of CONTROLLED MASS MEDIA, with the illusion of denial of ignorance.
Now with RATS, denial of the ignorant has become a members only club with a constant drain on participation...translated, you must constantly re-prove your non ignorance for inclusion.

And the mods always try to downplay points to members...yeah,
they just made them more valuable, not less.

Bad Christmas CazMedia?
Snowed in for a few days, couldn't get out of the house?
Question pertaining to what you just mouthed off above:
Where the hell have you been?
The points access for RATS has been around longer than you have...DOH!
Now all of a sudden, you have PMS and want to dribble off about "the" access to RATS?
Do a search, k...then maybe you'll find the reason for such 'payment', maybe?
Need a spoon, napkin, or a tissue?




seekerof

Originally posted by Seekerof
Bad Christmas CazMedia?
Snowed in for a few days, couldn't get out of the house?
Question pertaining to what you just mouthed off above:
Where the hell have you been?
The points access for RATS has been around longer than you have...DOH!

Now all of a sudden, you have PMS and want to dribble off about "the" access to RATS?

Do a search, k...then maybe you'll find the reason for such 'payment', maybe?
Need a spoon, napkin, or a tissue?

hahaha...

Shut Down by "the man"!



Anyone who thinks that an internet message board is "controlled mass media" seriously needs to get out of the house more often.

[edit on 27-12-2004 by Shoktek]

Kano,
I wouldnt be suprised if points dopnt eventually get "sold"
What a way to generate cheap revenue for the site.

Seeker,
No snow, great x-mas...I will take a napkin, is a sanitary one?
My point was not the original cost, but now the renewal fee?
Its like stern going to satalite, you gotta "pay to play"
no intellectual elietism there eh? Those nable to pay, have no "voice" in Rats. Its cool, make it like you want it, im mearly pointing out the obvious.

Shoktek,
The spirit of Jim in lacking in the world...More lizard king!
you say,

Anyone who thinks that an internet message board is "controlled mass media" seriously needs to get out of the house more often.

As someone who works in the mass media, i question your conclusion.
Is an internet message board a form of mass media communications?
Yes as it can allow your message to reach millions.
Is said board controlled by someone somewhere?
Yes, and THEY can decide who's message get to reach millions
Hence, ATS is a form of controlled mass media.

Now boys and girls, i know I poke the "free speech" issue all the time here.
I know ATS is owned and "the man" can do what he wants with his site.
I mearly pose the question of how is ignorance denied thru restrictive communications? The RATS forum definatly is doubally qualified as "speech restricted", as its already under the general "speech decorum" guidlines of ATS plus then being further restricted in that it needs points to access, now it needs continous infusions of points to maintain access. (a third layer?)
I just find it amusing that soo many people on this site speak of inclusivness and rights of humans on all sorts of things,
yet
when someone points out the true lack of "free speech" in the pursuit of ingorance denial, its quickly put down.
Love ya ATS,

(I hear heavy MOD footfalls approaching my position...)

Originally posted by CazMedia
(I hear heavy MOD footfalls approaching my position...

)

Do you include this closing bit of drama with every post?

Fred asks,

Do you include this closing bit of drama with every post?

NO, only when i know im pushing the buttons of MODS and site Admins, by challenging them to deny ignorance thru accepting all forms of speech, and thus not "censoring" out the ignorant.

And whats wrong with "drama"?
Humanity is often present in members postings, as people are emotional beings. "Drama" is part of our nature, how dull would this site be if everything read like a technical manual?
Dont worry, if the trend here continues to become more and more restrictive, "speech" will become sterile, uniform, and as lifeless as drones are expected to be by those in control.......

Originally posted by CazMedia
Kano,
I wouldnt be suprised if points dopnt eventually get "sold"
What a way to generate cheap revenue for the site.

What what what? They aren't going to be cheap. Soon the exchange rate for ATS Points:US Dollars is going to be greater than 1:1!



As a side note, I'm starting to get the impression that Caz is going to really really dislike the next secret forum at ATS, the No Caz's club.

and thus not "censoring" out the ignorant.

CazMedia, i think you just answered your own question.

Sanc'.

Originally posted by CazMedia
As someone who works in the mass media, i question your conclusion.
Is an internet message board a form of mass media communications?
Yes as it can allow your message to reach millions.
Is said board controlled by someone somewhere?
Yes, and THEY can decide who's message get to reach millions
Hence, ATS is a form of controlled mass media.

OK, since you have paraded this around the board before, this is not the WB. Where do we control "Mass Media"? If anyone 'controls' it, you are one who helps. While ATS members post stories, thoughts, and theories about almost any and everything in the world, you guys sit around and see what you can cram into a half-hour/hour of news. You decide what you think "I" want to see, when 9/10 times it is not. So are we going to see what you "see" in the newsroom from the Indonesia earthquake? Do we have to 'pay' in some way to see it? Are we going to see any parts of your stories that were 'left out'? Are we able to make up our minds with all and any information available? NO. We are given what you guys want to give us and thats that.

The only control on "Free Speech", as you put it, is see is when a member becomes disruptive to the board. Whether it be harrasing another member by U2U, Out right inflamotory and bigoted comments, people who troll around and post adds to their websites, posting porn, and People who just complain all the time. When it comes to these members, do you go through all their posts? Do you get into u2u conversations with them to address the problem? Do you see anything other than what is in the open board? NO, you don't. While it may, at times, seem petty on the outside, actions not seen by members may have been a result for a warn or ban. Not because we do not like the member for any particular reason.

The reason for RATS access, is to mainly filter out search-bots. It is a place to discuss 'sensitive' material, away from the public, as to not call alarm to something we are not quite sure about. This forum has been used several times for this purpose. The whole idea behind a points access, IMO, is to ensure the posting quality and integrity of the Member. In order to gain points, you either need a lot of posts, or a couple of Very good posts which generate alot of talk and "Applause" from mods, and your inside in no time. A troll, or the like would have a very hard time getting into here simply because of point deductions for one liners and such. Anyone can get in when it comes down to it, it is not biased on the basis of age, race, sex....etc...

The reason RATS went to a monthly point fee is because the Log the system was keeping of members was slowing the board down. This way it has a system set up for the "code" to be able to decipher who regularly wants to have access, which should keep the list down and not add a strain on the server. Maybe SO can describe this better, but this is what I got out of it when asked to explain it to me like I was a 5 year old.

The Mods and Admin give their free time, yes we are not paid, to aid in helping maintain a message board, that is FREE BTW, so that many people may come and discuss things that would not ordinarily be accepted in 'Public'. While at times members may not like what the Admin do, again, they are not seeing the whole picture, just a couple of pieces. I personally have not seen a decision made just on Personal opinion and dislike for a member. While all of us may not agree with what one another says on ATS, we still have to respect others. If it was a case of Admin making decisions purely on dislike for someone because of their 'Personal' reasons, I would not want to be a part of this team, and look

Paladin, I just checked to see if by ANY chance you took a sabbatical from posting. I see that you have posted off and on since 12-06-2004, when the following topic was posted by SO:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Over one hundred replies---how did you miss it?

Originally posted by Kano
What what what? They aren't going to be cheap. Soon the exchange rate for ATS Points:US Dollars is going to be greater than 1:1!

IM RICH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by CazMedia
Is an internet message board a form of mass media communications?
Yes as it can allow your message to reach millions.
Is said board controlled by someone somewhere?
Yes, and THEY can decide who's message get to reach millions
Hence, ATS is a form of controlled mass media.

It has the POTENTIAL to reach millions...it is completely your own choice to visit any website on the internet...every single page on the internet is "controlled" by someone and "reaches" some people. I'm against censorship, but on a private website there's not much you can do about it. Yea, I guess you could say web pages are a form of mass media, but when you throw in the word "control" it makes it sound like people are forcing their own ideas upon you. Which is not the case at all when you come to any website...

Dont worry, if the trend here continues to become more and more restrictive, "speech" will become sterile, uniform, and as lifeless as drones are expected to be by those in control.......

Really??? That's odd, because I don't know any other discussion board where you can talk about pod people, nordic aliens, george bush assasination predictions, etc...or maybe even this is too civilized of a discussion, because if it isn't far off of main stream, then we must be lifeless drones controlled by the man...

[edit on 27-12-2004 by Shoktek]