Topic: Regarding Current Events

[Sordid]

She has an insidious way of creeping on to these forums. You know, the place she apparently detests, where the people she thinks are stupid post.

What're you talking about? I hardly see her around at all.

She really shouldn't be an admin, or mod, or even a member of these forums. She's on the show, fine. The Novella's, for whatever reason, still see some benefit to having her around. I don't see why the forums should necessarily continue to associate with her.

Um, that's probably because they're friends? And these are the SGU forums, and she's an SGU member?

[Jordan]

Perry is the one that sold me on the SGU. Since no one is asking, I think Perry was the soul of the show until he passed. The show was funny then. It was light, good natured humour. Some outright absurd moments. And if you go back, it's clear, even then, Watson didn't belong.


They kept her, I think, for cynical reasons. She brought in a built in audience of women - which doesn't translate into quality.

I dunno--I'm a woman, and I started listening before Rebecca was on the show, and I wasn't upset that there wasn't a woman. I loved Rebecca when she was first added to the show, and actually got her to come as a speaker to a small conference I was organizing (she was the only one of the rogues who was available), but I agree that these constant shitstorms have been a real change for the worse. It seems to me like the only major issues she's bringing up and getting attention for are hardline, slightly strange and out there "feminist" positions, rather than focusing on skepticism and science, which are the reasons why I like the podcast and these forums.

Also, her disparaging these forums is quite unfortunate. I think the mods and the other people involved in keeping these forums running really do a great job keeping the community together, and her dismissing the opinions here without even responding in a significant way is really disturbing. If she wants to promote science and skepticism, the way to do that is not through calling skeptical forums "dumb" because people there disagree with her. She is not promoting critical thinking, she is promoting the creation of "camps" and has decided that this forum is fully in the "camp" against her and thus should be hated upon.

/rant

I didn't really want to get involved with this, but I guess I just did.

[341gerbig]

Lol.. this place has more drama than any-place else I know.

I will just point out two things:

1, Rebecka seems to be at the center of much of said drama.
2, Most of that drama seems to be unrelated to SGU.


That said, I have no real idea what Skeptress is saying regarding Rebeckas Tweets. I usually un-follow people if I ever find them not to my liking.

I guess you have not posted on the JREF then, it is drama central.

Does Rebecca even post here anymore?

Only in the episodes. She came on briefly after she accused Brian dunning and bill prady of saying sexist things at tam 7, but when people didn't agree with her, she called us all idiots and then posted at skepchick what idiots we were so she could get her Yesmen to make her feel better.

Must be nice to have an army of yesmen lol

[David E.]

Damn, thanks Belgrath!  We all really appreciate it. 

[goodthink]

I nominate Belgrath, High Baconlord

[David E.]

I am always surprised at how many people who hang here don't actually listen to the SGU Podcast anymore. 

[Belgarath]

Sigh,

No accolades necessary,  seriously.  Beleth, Karyn, Panda, Louie, and TheLostVertex do all the hard work in this pocket of dumb.

 

[Beleth]

Stop speculating about Rebecca's mental health right now, please. You can (politely, and with evidence) express opinions about her personality, but unless you are a licensed psychologist who has actually met with her in a professional setting, you have no basis upon which to judge her mental health.

But you can continue to heap praise upon Belgarath, because he deserves it.


As far as day-to-day running of this place goes, we are fairly autonomous from the Panel, although I'd say I report to Jay. They trust me for some reason, and I try my best not to abuse that trust. I do not throw out babies with bathwater, however; just because Rebecca has moved towards the worldview she has now, and that many of us don't listen to the podcast, doesn't mean that this board has any less of a bond with the podcast than the day Mike (remember Mike?) set it up.

I came here because of my friendship with Rebecca. I am staying here because of my friendship with hundreds of you all now. I am saddened by what's become of Rebecca but I no longer think that there's anything I can do to affect it. So I concentrate on the things I can change, and the good I can do.

[goodthink]

Stop speculating about Rebecca's mental health right now, please. You can (politely, and with evidence) express opinions about her personality, but unless you are a licensed psychologist who has actually met with her in a professional setting, you have no basis upon which to judge her mental health.

Ok, I can see you having a point *if* someone attempted a diagnosis. Nobody is, I don't think. What's wrong with speculating Watson has a mental illness? Her behaviour would suggest something is wrong.


You want examples?


Lashing out at anyone with the slightest provocation.
Delusions of her own grandeur and importance (she did say she is more important than Dawkins and that she owns this forum)
A pronounced inability to accept criticism of any kind
A profound inability to consider other minds - example, if you don't get 'it' you're broken
A constant need to be the centre of attention by any means, whether it's good attention or bad




That's just off the top of my head. We could go into specific actions.


If this is still inappropriate, I won't post any more on the topic of Watson's possible mental illness.

[WC]

After the unfortunate tweets of today, this rah rah Rebecca supporter is no more.

Incredible way to go about shooting yourself in the foot.

I didn't know Belgrath was footing all of this. What an unsung and humble and thankless thing to do. Thanks man, you deserve a shout out now and again, hell, you deserve to be in the end credits on every bloody ep. Kind of bullshit that they don't even know what you do.

[WC]

That's just off the top of my head. We could go into specific actions.


If this is still inappropriate, I won't post any more on the topic of Watson's possible mental illness.

It is. Please stop.

[Belgarath]

I didn't know Belgrath was footing all of this. What an unsung and humble and thankless thing to do. Thanks man, you deserve a shout out now and again, hell, you deserve to be in the end credits on every bloody ep. Kind of bullshit that they don't even know what you do.

With all of the things those guys do for skepticism, I'm not surprised, nor am I concerned nor do I need thanks, however I do appreciate them.

[Sordid]

What's wrong with speculating Watson has a mental illness? Her behaviour would suggest something is wrong.

You want examples?

Lashing out at anyone with the slightest provocation.
Delusions of her own grandeur and importance (she did say she is more important than Dawkins and that she owns this forum)
A pronounced inability to accept criticism of any kind
A profound inability to consider other minds - example, if you don't get 'it' you're broken
A constant need to be the centre of attention by any means, whether it's good attention or bad

I don't see how any of that points to a mental illness. It points to being an asshole with an inflated ego, IMO.
Not that I'm saying that she is. Like I said, I don't follow her blog or twitter, and I don't really see any of what you mentioned in the SGU podcast itself.

[Trinoc]

Stop speculating about Rebecca's mental health right now, please.

Seconded. It's neither good skepticism nor good manners to use mental illness, real or supposed, as a put-down. It's offensive both to the person being put down and to people with real mental illnesses who need our understanding and help, not our derision.

[stonesean]

Any way a joe like me with dozens of spare dollars lying around might send them to a paypal account or something that might directly benefit the forum?