This Month In Forums: October 2010

[Timotei]

[HEADING=1]This Month In Forums

October 2010[/HEADING]​

Welcome to TIEM Magazine's September publication of This Month In Forums! Where Escapist users like you submit the best posts and users to be honored in our monthly publication.

The past month hasn't been too kind to the TMIF Council. Not only did we experience a rather bad drought with submission, we also experienced the loss of one of our councilors. It wouldn't be wrong to say this is our worst month yet, and only drove the point home to us further that we are indeed desperate for material and support.

We here of the TMIF Council would like to remind the everyone once again that this project is supported by you, the community, and you alone.

And on a side note to our readers: Please consider that I often have to rush these publication into print as fast as I can, and because I cannot find a dedicated staff member to do the job, I alone must proofread and edit these publications, and as such, mistakes will slip through. Which is why I ask of you: If you find a grammar or spelling error, please don't post it in the thread. Instead, just private message me instead with the mistake and the section which it originates from.


But enough bickering, let's get to the awards.
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[HEADING=2]Post Categories[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]-Post of the Month[/HEADING]

Lots of people who look at music from years long gone like to inquire as to whatever happened to it. Unfortunately such an inquiry is often met with more than one answer or opinion, as it's often hard to cite a change in such a massive industry.

On October 14th, a thread titled "80's music, what happened to it?" ask about such matters. Most answers were short and were, by most standards, ill informed. That is until [user]BonsaiK[/user] came about and helped to clarify the situation [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.238824-80s-music-what-happened-to-it#8576238] as one within the industry.

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[HEADING=2]Thread Categories[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]-Thread of the Month[/HEADING]

If you received our TIEM newsletter which I have posted prior to this publication, you will already know what I am going to say. If however you did not receive/read said newsletter or do not subscribe, please let me explain the reasons for the decision I have made regarding our Thread of the Month for October.

Because of the quality (or much rather, lack thereof) of our would be Thread of the Month winner, I have chosen for the first time to disallow a submission from competing for the title. Because said thread has not met the standards of quality previously exhibited by our previous title holders I cannot allow the submission to stand.

I am able to make such a decision because the submission in question did not win through a process of receiving a majority of the vote by the TMIF council, but much rather by default due to the lack of any competition. Had said thread been voted up over another I would not have just cause to deny the democratically chosen submission.

Call me right. Call me wrong. Say I'm on a power trip. Say what you will about my decision. Just know that I will not go against the principles to exhibit only quality material that this project was founded upon.

Because of this, last month's winner A Final Salute to the Halo Franchise [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.230314-A-Final-Salue-to-the-Halo-Franchise], will remain the holder of the title.

[HEADING=3]-Review of the Month[/HEADING]

[user]Marine Mike[/user] has carved himself a small, but rather nice niche in the review community with his series Games and Ammo, where Mike compares real life military hardware with the same found in video games. His reviews, if anything else, are educational to say the least.

Well on the 3rd of November Mike finally posted his long awaited review of the M4 Carbine, in his thread Marine Mike Presents Games and Ammo: M4 Carbine]Marine Mike Presents Games and Ammo: M4 Carbine [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.242767-Marine-Mike-Presents-Games-and-Ammo-M4-Carbine].

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[HEADING=2]Poster Categories[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]-Poster of the Month[/HEADING]

If you're lucky enough to know [user]NeutralDrow[/user] you probably know he has a tendency [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.240206-Should-the-mentally-challenged-be-allowed-to-procreate?page=3#8661167] for [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.239818-Wife-beating-is-now-legal-in-the-UAE?page=4#8641007] quality [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/528.238003-What-is-the-difference-between-the-religious-and-the-mentally-ill?page=2#8548429] in all aspects of his work. Whether it's in his reviews or in posts, NeutralDrow has quietly remained a standing example for what good users are like, showing consistency with well-informed material delivered in a polite and sometimes funny manner.

Fortunately his work was brought to our attention and the result was a shutout vote by the TMIF Council. With an overwhelming 100% of the vote it is needless to say we quite liked his work.

So congratulations Mr. Drow. You can expect your award to be on your doorstep by Wednesday. If not, the milkman has it.[footnote]Internets for reference.[/footnote]

[hr]

Spoiler: Honorable mentions

Post Categories
-None available

Thread Categories

Thread of the Month
-None available

Review of the Month
-None available

Poster Categories
[user]ravensheart18[/user]
Post 1 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/528.240919-Arguments-against-Christianity?page=2#8712466]
Post 2 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/528.239508-Conservatives-complaining-about-Campbells-Soup-now?page=2#8622902]
Post 3 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/528.237945-Is-this-Obamacare?page=2#8559208]

[HEADING=1]A solemn goodbye to a fellow user[/HEADING]

In closing, we of the TMIF Council would like to express our deepest regret that our fellow user, councilor, and long standing member of the Escapist and "Old Guard", [user]Pimppeter2[/user] is no longer with us [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.242629-What-do-you-hate?page=6#8835251].

A member since December 31st of 2008, Pimppeter2 carved himself a legacy in the Escapist for being the only user to every be banned twice. During his time here he helped to make the Escapist a more cheerful place with a sense of humor few could emulate. To those who have known him long it may be painful to see such an iconic user leave, even of his own volition. He was banned for a third time at his own request.

May this brief mention stand as TIEM's own vigil to Pimppeter. The Escapist forum is most certainly less without him.​

[hr]

Thank you for making this publication possible. If you wish to submit a post, thread or user for one of our awards, feel free to stop by the TIEM Magazine User Group [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/TIEM-Magazine] to make a submission and stay updated on interviews and other TIEM sponsored pieces. Remember, we cannot continue doing this without your support and submissions.

Keep an eye out for our November publication. Be sure to stay up to date with TIEM Magazine about new categories, series, and sections.

~Timotei

[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/TIEM-Magazine]
[small][sub]

[color=red]TIEM[/color]

Magazine 2010[/sub][/small]​

Spoiler: Previous Publications

2010
[small]April [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.193279-This-Month-In-Forums-April-2010] - May [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.200607-This-Month-In-Forums-May-2010] - June [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.209431-This-Month-In-Forums-June-2010] - July [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.224323-This-Month-In-Forums-July-2010] - August [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.230994-This-Month-In-Forums-August-2010] - September [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.237325-This-Month-In-Forums-September-2010#8483341] - October[/small]

 

[BonsaiK]

Actually, that car alarm noise on Night Of The Living Baseheads is almost certainly a snippet of a saxophone solo taken out of context and looped, and the album probably predates the common use of car alarms anyway. Still sounds just like a freakin' car alarm though.

Oh, you got a broken link with "Games and Ammo" by the way.

 

[GrimTuesday]

It's sad to see Pimppeter go, he was a great guy or at least that is what his posts portrayed him as. It seems as though the older generation is going away leaving us with fewer people who are iconic in our little corner of the internet. One day more will rise but I will always remember the old guys who blazed a path brightly across the sky that is The Escapist.

 

[Grayjack]

The review comes up as a 404 error. Also, it's sad to see Pimpetter go. He seemed like a cool guy.

 

[Marter]

Wait a sec...the only review deserving of the "Review of the Month" award was one posted in November?

This makes me kind of sad.

 

[Irridium]

Wait a sec...the only review deserving of the "Review of the Month" award was one posted in November?

This makes me kind of sad.

That was the only one submitted yes. There were plenty of good reviews, but no one seemed to care enough to send them in :/

Hmmm... I think I'll start looking out for submissions. don't want this to die D:

And I'm sad to see Pimp go. Actually, chances are he's reading this post now, so *internet brofist*.

Yes! Send in posts, lots of posts!

And it is sad to see Pimp go, but it was his time, and he left like a champ. Saying goodbye to a few friends and going. The right way to go.

 

[Gilhelmi]

I wonder why Pimppeter2 left us.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Pray tell, what qualifies someone to make Poster of the Month?

I wonder why Pimppeter2 left us.

He's not the first excellent poster to depart, I can tell you that.

 

[Timotei]

Wait a sec...the only review deserving of the "Review of the Month" award was one posted in November?

This makes me kind of sad.

The time by which we can accept submission is from the when these publications are posted to when the ballots are handed out to the council on the 7th, so in essence it really is a whole month, just it doesn't stick to the calender like one would expect.

 

[Timotei]

Pray tell, what qualifies someone to make Poster of the Month?

*shakes fist at Escapist*

Damn you for eating up this section of my last post and forcing me to make a double post!

*ahem* Anywho, the way a person is nominated is that first their name is submitted to us along with at least 3 samples of their work. The TMIF Council then looks over all submissions (granted there is competition among submissions in the same category) and votes on what we find to be the best.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Pray tell, what qualifies someone to make Poster of the Month?

*shakes fist at Escapist*

Damn you for eating up this section of my last post and forcing me to make a double post!

*ahem* Anywho, the way a person is nominated is that first their name is submitted to us along with at least 3 samples of their work. The TMIF Council then looks over all submissions (granted there is competition among submissions in the same category) and votes on what we find to be the best.

Do people nominate themselves?

 

[Timotei]

Do people nominate themselves?

It used to be that someone else would have to be nominated, but since we've been dry for a while we've decided to lift that poilcy and all other related to it.

So an announcement to all:
[HEADING=2]Self-Promotional submissions are now allowed.[/HEADING]​

 

[Anarchemitis]

Back in mah day the community was so tight knit that exterior nomination would've been more than enough.

 

[Dorian]

And so one of the Old Ones falls yet again. It is truly a sad day, as the elders here are decreasing in numbers. The Pimp was a good member. As good as member that had been banned twice before could be.

I shall keep a candle lit in the window at all times, awaiting the day that he will come back from the Land of the Banned yet a third time. Then I will listen eagerly of his tales of fish food carl, MaxtheReaper, NoMoreSanity, and the Darths and their epic adventures against the myriad of trolls and flamers there as well.

Thou shalt not be forgotten, most noble of pimps.

Back in mah day the community was so tight knit that exterior nomination would've been more than enough.

Sadly, those days are long past.

 

[Wardnath]

Pray tell, what qualifies someone to make Poster of the Month?

I wonder why Pimppeter2 left us.

He's not the first excellent poster to depart, I can tell you that.

Seems that Teddy's banning was something of a catalyst, eh?

 

[Atmos Duality]

I'm wondering if the invasion of 4chan fads and topics has anything to do with this slow desertion of long-time users.

Now, I'm not one to pass judgment on anyone here, seeing how I've been a member only since earlier this year, but it's always bizarre seeing these users with high post counts (and generally great posts) requesting bans/suspensions.

I came to the Escapist forums primarily to get away from the drudgery and bullshit of other forums, but it appears the like-minded individuals are leaving as the site becomes more popular.
Perhaps its a life-cycle of forums and the like.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

Pray tell, what qualifies someone to make Poster of the Month?

I wonder why Pimppeter2 left us.

He's not the first excellent poster to depart, I can tell you that.

Seems that Teddy's banning was something of a catalyst, eh?

Not really. Yes, a great and well known user left us, but the beauty of this site is that there is always another person waiting around the corner to be discovered. Heck, if this was posted last year, I could tell ya that No More Sanity's or Frisky Dingo's banned was a catalyst that led to SEVERAL people being banned. Demented Teddy's ban is nothing, we've had popular people get banned before. The difference being is that a lot of people seem to just be leaving on their own accord where as last year, they all got themselves banned. Give it 3-5 months and everyone will have moved on and we'll have new popular forum regulars.

OT: Not a bad article. I do believe that the nomination system may help if you elect people to scour the forums and look for things they like over nominations, otherwise you get what happened to the RP digest.

 

[manaman]

Back in mah day the community was so tight knit that exterior nomination would've been more than enough.

Sadly, those days are long past.

Well then men, we should usher in a new era! One that not only accepts but encourages quality in all things.

 

[Timotei]

Back in mah day the community was so tight knit that exterior nomination would've been more than enough.

Sadly, those days are long past.

Hold fast brother. The flame of the Old shall not be extinguished. So long as we have Tenders to the Mausoleum and Librarians to the Hall of Tomes, the time of prosperity shall not be forgotten.

OT: Not a bad article. I do believe that the nomination system may help if you elect people to scour the forums and look for things they like over nominations, otherwise you get what happened to the RP digest.

Our plan is to enact such an idea by February of '11, in the meantime, this will have to do.

 

[BonsaiK]

I don't miss any banned users. I figure they were all banned for a good reason. I think it's frankly incredibly rude to discuss specific banned users on these forums, as they didn't leave the community by choice and now they have no way to reply to the things that are publicly said about them and Google-searchable.

The exception I guess is those people who "ask" for a ban, and I can never work out why those people just don't stop logging on of their own volition. I'd like to think that if I ever wanted to stop posting here I could just do that without any fuss or moderator hand-holding. Is this place really that addictive?

I think the community is fine, it's just bigger now, and with bigness comes more of every type of poster. If all the people who whine about the supposed decline of the forums put that same amount of energy into making one constructive post per day they'd go a long way toward solving the problem all on their own.