Names on ATS I've Never Seen, yet they are hardwired in...

reply to post by boondock-saint


Ok, this is a perfect example of how close we can get around here, I know you by your writing and posting 'style', I am comfortable with it and like it's familiarity.

With you I never even noticed when your 'date' changed, lol, and this is part of my point.

I join and re join and re join every 6 months or so as i either froget my email and password or dont remember anything. Darn flouride making dumb. lol. Or mabie thats just natural. Plus I never post anything. Just read. Only RE register to make random posts like this one. Here I go back to the land of not posting again... ... ...

Some members vanish because they have other lives or other forums besides ATS. I'm a member of 3 other forums including my own...oh and I work and go to college. I'm quite busy.

Don't be so paranoid. It's a forum. Prepare to see folks you don't recognize.

[edit on 22-8-2010 by SeventhSeal]

Well I created my account and posted a bit but I kind of abandoned the site for a few years. It happens a lot I suppose. People just saw things weired and returned to see what's up.

Being an admin on several forums currently and over the years, I can tell you that the forum userbases are usually rife with "smurf accounts" - multiple accounts that people use for things as innocent as just to be able to log in and post without their usual enemies jumping in on them, to nefarious things like posting in agreement with their other account(s) in order to sway peoples opinion to their side. I've even seen a user use a smurf account to post arguments with themselves, I guess so that their main or other account can look like the good guy. Sometimes these smurf accounts lay dormant for months and even years, until the owner decides he needs to use it for extra support or to hide his identify for whatever reason.

Not saying that's what's happening here, but I would be surprised if there were not a single ATS member that had more than one account, so it is a possible explanation for these things you have noticed.

[edit on 22-8-2010 by Blazer]

I think I'm one of those posters you're talking about... I joined in 2006, according to what it says under my avatar area, and never really posted until late 2009. I came here and realized I had already made an account three years prior. Figured I might as well use it. I still don't post very often, I'm more of a reader than a poster.

reply to post by crazydaisy


maybe... maybe not?

its based on my analysis, I dont think its disinformation what I just posted

if I did an analysis and based on my understanding and my perspective I got to that conclusion, whats the problem?

people can say they talk to aliens, talk to god, but I cant say that I believe xxxx is a paid poster?

I am not saying I am sure, but based on my understanding of life ... I believe he is ...

I've been visiting this site since before it had forums and was just a black background with yellow text.

I forgot about it for many years, then I stumbled across it again and decided to join.

I'm mainly a lurker, so although I've been a member since 2006 it's understandable that nobody knows who I am.

...or maybe I'm a disinfo agent.

Originally posted by Blazer
Being an admin on several forums currently and over the years, I can tell you that the forum userbases are usually rife with "smurf accounts" - multiple accounts that people use for things as innocent as just to be able to log in and post without their usual enemies jumping in on them, to nefarious things like posting in agreement with their other account(s) in order to sway peoples opinion to their side. I've even seen a user use a smurf account to post arguments with themselves, I guess so that their main or other account can look like the good guy. Sometimes these smurf accounts lay dormant for months and even years, until the owner decides he needs to use it for extra support or to hide his identify for whatever reason.

Not saying that's what's happening here, but I would be surprised if there were not a single ATS member that had more than one account, so it is a possible explanation for these things you have noticed.

[edit on 22-8-2010 by Blazer]

thats amazing ... I know its possible but, man ... these guys dont have life then

one thing is gangs .... people want to have friends backing up ... and flagging them up all the time

reply to post by CHA0S


and thats always a good strategy

me personally, I always look into the register date of a poster to know whats up ... normally, if the guy is older, you can tell that the probably of being a hoaxer or something like that is much smaller

but my theory around people getting a lot of flags is that

1- they have many accounts flagging themselves
2- gangs ... friends flagging themselves ...

there are a lot of posts without any meaning u can see getting flagged ... its just absurd

I've been here since 2004, but I wouldn't call my posting habits extensive by any stretch of the imagination. I tend to read much more than I post because frankly I'm not that knowledgeable and my contributions to discussions are limited by that in my opinion. If I feel very strongly about something, or have a particular appreciation for something someone posts, I try to comment at least.

I also have no avatar or other details that might attract attention to anything other than the words I type, and I also try to avoid arguments and confrontation, which I've noticed tends more often than not to result in not receiving a reply. So when people don't reply, I assume there's nothing else of worth I can contribute, and I leave the thread.

Hopefully at least some of what you're observing could be explained by people who follow a similar posting pattern.

[edit on 8/22/2010 by AceWombat04]

Originally posted by antar
I have taken note that in the past year and a half or about the time Skeptic went to washington, a HUGE group of members began showing up that had older membership dates, but that I had never seen before.

BOOOO!
Here I am. Haven't been here in a year. Had a concussion back in September with concussion symptoms lasting until spring and then in April I caught a virus at a Flyers/Rangers game that triggered an AI disease (sjogrens) that was hiding in my body. I've been (and still am) freak'n sick. But I got invited to write something so I did for BTS.

Feel free to think I don't really exist or that this is a disinfo account or whatever. I have cancer surgery coming up sometime in the next few weeks and I'm sure my reappearance/disappearance will REALLY bake your noodle.

reply to post by FlyersFan


Ouch. I apologize for going off-topic briefly, but I just wanted to say I hope you feel better soon and get adequete treatment so that you feel at least decent most of the time. Sorry to hear you had to go through all of that.

Back on topic: you're a good example of how peope can come and go for all sorts of reasons!

Ive been here long enough to see the shady activity, I have never been able to put my finger on exactly what is shady, but I think there are people with multiple accounts.... Just my opinion.

Nothing is perfect, though, so I am always going to be a fan of this websight. I love me some conspiracy.

reply to post by Faiol

but my theory around people getting a lot of flags is that

1- they have many accounts flagging themselves

2- gangs ... friends flagging themselves ... there are a lot of posts without any meaning u can see getting flagged ... its just absurd

Or....

3- there are people who enjoy/appreciate/agree with their threads or posts

According to your profile, you've written 23 threads and got nearly 200 flags! 2489 stars from 2728 posts! By your own criteria, you must have multiple accounts and a gang of friends *fixing* the results.

Or by my criteria (3), you have people who enjoy/appreciate/agree with your threads or posts.

Originally posted by antar
Now at first I figured it was just that often members will go away for a period of time and then later come back and become regular contributors once again.

Seems pretty accurate and not all that strange.
Good to back on the boards: Cluck Cluck Cluck

reply to post by antar


I'm the conspiracy you speak of. I have been a lurker and still am a lurker. I just love to read this stuff and learn.

Originally posted by Stormdancer777

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
reply to post by Stormdancer777

 

Just to add another "Bingo" to your "Bingo".

The multiple account folks are alive and well.

and to make matters worse, like another poster pointed out, they argue with themselves, lol

They do?

Did you hear that badw0lf?

Yes we dids... We dids!!!!

Oh but since we don't exist at all badw0lf, we best be away before we confuse ourselves.

Yesss my preciousis...



Antar needs their brad pitt avatar back, I don't know who's who anymore.. 8D

Originally posted by antar
Is there a conspiracy afoot? If so why?

I must make a confession. I am apart of a secret organization attached to Starfleet Command.

You can find out more here: Section 31. Yes, we have infiltrated "Above Top Secret", so we can lay down plans for world domination.

Please feel free to apply at your local Starfleet Headquarters.

[edit on 22-8-2010 by Section31]