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| The Rift : Why I Can No Longer
Support Orange Ribbon |
7.18.1998 |
If you've been following the Linko forums,
you know I'm not a real popular guy right now. I've made my opinions known regarding
the Orange Ribbon Campaign, and it's been... fun. What you may not understand is why
I'm doing this. The reasons would be clear had they not been deleted from the forum,
but unfortunately they're gone, and there isn't much I can do about it now.
"Dr" Joseph Trotsky has chosen to censor his new forum, and I think it's clear
what choices you should make in regards to it.
As of today AlterIcon has cut all ties with the Orange Ribbon Campaign. There
will be no links to the page, and I will no longer participate in his forum discussions.
Why? It has to do with honesty. Joseph has taken his hit statistics and inflated them to
make his page seem more popular than it really is. Specifically he has claimed that,
as of yesterday, 5200 sites were "wearing the Orange Ribbon." Oddly
enough, this is the exact number of hits he had recieved on his LE Fastcounter. In
fact, in the past when he has made claims like these, the numbers have always been the
same. To Joseph, 1000 hits = 1000 sites wearing his ribbon.
Furthermore, Joseph has deleted posts from his forum, claiming them to be
abusive, and then again to be routine deletions to keep the forum small.
What angers me isn't his idiotic claims. If he believes he can fool us, so be
it. What really enrages me is that he won't admit that he's wrong, even
though he's been confronted with it.
For example, this is Joseph's explanation of how 5200 hits = 5200 sites wearing the
Orange Ribbon
OK Michael, lecturing time:
Facts:
1. The wonders of stats: the average family in the US has 2.5 children (or something like
it).
2. A cancer patient is considered totaly (sic) cured of cancer if he
survives FIVE years from the date his cancer was diagnosed. Even if he dies on the first
day of the 6th year, scientifically he is still alive!
3. In cmputing. (sic) it is but obvious to say:
x=5
x=x+2 (which means, of course, x=7)
which is the most unlogical and false mathematical statement! so what is true in computers
is not always so in maths.
4. And last, (just fot (sic) fun): On one side of a note it is written:
"What is wriiten (sic) on the other sides of this note is a lie"
and on the other side of the note is written:
"What is written on the other side of this note is true"
well, go and figure it out.
So dear Michael, Computing, Medicine, Love and Stats are not exact sciences, and do have
their own rules. Which means that standarts (sic) are created and accepted
"PER DEFENITIO". So the definition of a unique visit to a site is per defenitio
is one hir (sic) per 24 hours! So as much as you may logically be right,
that you, for example, have visited the site 20 times, NEVERTHELEESS, (sic)
scientifically and statistically it WILL be
considered as 20 unuque (sic) hits! Just as x=5 and x=7 on the next
line are math FALSE it is Comp TRUE!
This IS the way that internet stats are analysed, and so let me repeat the TRUE staement: (sic)
OVER 5,300 sites are wearing the orange ribbon!
Be proud of it, Michael. It is OURS - we are all together linked to each other, we
participate in each other writting (sic) and graphics, (so I might as well
add some more percentage of hits coming from all ours other protest sites :)
And as you count and publish the number of hits on Your site, well same rules will apply
there as well.
Well, just a sample of what I have and can say on this subject,
And let me show off:
Dr. Joseph Trotsky,
Computing Consultant,
Computing Lecturer,
Kod Computing 83(c), director
Kodkod Publishing House
or simply Jo. :=))) |
First off, let me point out a few things. One, a cancer
patient is not scientifically still alive if he dies on the first day of
the sixth year. He is officially cured of cancer, but he is officially dead as
well. Thank God this guy isn't a doctor of medicine.
Second, his mathematical logic is totally without basis. He may think he's
very clever by stating 5300 hits translates into 5300 sites wearing the orange ribbon, but
it should be obvious to everyone else that he is lying. I'm not going to claim that
18,600 sites are linking to AlterIcon, because it's not true.
The worst part is we've got a bunch on people trying to be nice to this guy so the
movement doesn't become fragmented. Let it. I don't want to be associated with
guy. He's a liar, and anyone with half a brain in their head can tell that.
His analysis of something as simple as hit counts is totally off-base! If I can't
trust him to accurately report something this simple, how can I trust him at all?
And now he claims he hasn't deleted anything on his board. If we think
something has been deleted, we should just repost it, according to him. But
he intentionally deleted it. He's become just like Geo. In fact he's
worse. I honestly trust GeoMark more. Here's what one fellow
protestor had to say on the subject :
Michael
I agree with you. It appears that Joseph has a need to be in total control (and arrogant
as well). You can see by the latest posts on "his" board that others do not
support his censorship. I'm sure that he see's the light now
and will stop it.
People out there know that you are very dedicated to the cause. I truly feel that you have
contributed more to the movement than he. I'm sure others see it the same way as well.
You should swallow your pride and go back there, repost and be as tactful as you have
always been. You have many supporters, so don't run away from them because Joseph is being
a jerk.
If you allow this anti-watermark campaign to become divided (both of you),all of your hard
work will "for sure" be in vein.
Please do the right thing,
Regards,
(name withheld) |
As much as I'd like this to be a unified movement, and as much as I'd like to be an
active part of the newest board, I can't with good conscience do it. It's not that
I'm too proud to go back. It's just I'm not that dumb. Joseph's problem, much
like Geo's, isn't one mistake that he has made, rather it's his mindset in general. He
still won't admit that he lied, and he won't admit that he deleted the posts.
I told him personally what he could do to once again unify us. He won't do
it. Why should I foolishly put myself in a position where my posts will be deleted?
Why would an angry homesteader stay with Geocities when the options are abundant?
Neither should. We need to take the logic we have used to battle the
watermark, and apply it to our own campaign. Obviously something has gone terribly
wrong. Someone has let fame go to their head. You decide : Is it me,
or is it him? I don't care if I'm the only one battling on the side of
truth and integrity, at least I'll know I've done the right thing.
Michael
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