Unofficial TSP Forum Watch 10

Former founder of the TSP Forums and watcher of the watchers, I return this week to help you through the changes at the new (not necessarily improved) The Star Press Forums. New TSP Features

First off, a look at the new features at the TSP forums:

• New Topics - More topics!? I thought we didn't have enough moderators for the ones we had. Which brings us to our next point
• New Moderators - They're working for free, I imagine, which I'm sure The Star Press loves. (Not that I wouldn't love it - it's just that they're making money hand over fist and can afford to pay a staff to tend their online community. It doesn't seem to be too important to them, though. Sure, there were a couple mods installed over the weekend, but ...
• RSS - Little orange RSS buttons now appear on the bottom of most pages. It looks like there's one main feed, with separate (SP) feeds for each topic and thread. Nice idea, but I wonder how many people even noticed. There's no explanation of why it's there or how it works, sadly.
• Members Viewing - This is just icing, I guess.

So, a few new things, but let's see if it's the same old TSP forums with the newspaper (for the most part) ignoring the audience, leaving them in their own little world.

Local Politics

• The Mayor is now a registered voter! - The infamous 'The Mayor' registers to vote. While this wouldn't be big news for most people, it might be for The Mayor. Then again, it could just be another publicity stunt. He is a drama queen wanting attention.
• State of the City - Muncienews (most likely the newsroom incarnation of the username) drops a question and high tails it out of Forum Country ... again. People still respond, though. BTW, we had the audio here at MFP. Anyone listen?
• Let's Bash Mayor Canan! - Talk about the new company opening up shop in Muncie for around 700 jobs. As the topic implies, it's a pretty political thread.
• Muncie Gras - Ahh, good old Muncie Gras. This thread is inhabited (or is that inhibited) by those polar extremes that like such memes. Not much new here. Move along.

National Politics

This week it seems to be all Leon all the time. He's started the most threads ... evar! I think. Anyway, not much new here.

• Logical FAllacies mentor wanted - Speaking of 'evar' - this has to be the oddest poll on the TSP forums in a long, long time. I think it may have something to do with an argument somewhere else, but it's pretty odd. Leon dutifully drops a link, though.
• Liberal Liars, INC? - 911 is mentioned, so this old thread should finally be shut down. It probably won't be, though. Leon drops a lot of links.

Local Events

Ah, the lovely 'local events' - what madness shall prevail this week?

• Mardi Gras '06 - To be fair, this thread was started before The Mayor's and (by default) is better. Again, though, not much new to say. MFP will be there this year taking pics and talking to people. If ya see me, be sure to say hello so I know for certain I'm not talking to myself when doing this every week. ;)
• Sallie Mae in Muncie - Yes, the TSP got this story before MFP, but they have a large staff. (Heh.) Anyway, Muncienews (newsroom variety most likely) drops a question and ... you guessed it, walked away, refusing to face the public head-on in the Forums instead of editorializing in print. Never start an argument with a person who buys ink by the barrel they say. ;)
• PARTY TIME IN MUNCIE...IF YOU PAY YOU CAN PLAY....IT'S OK - You know what, I think the forums need just one more thread about Muncie Gras. Ah, leave it to Vetman to live up to his reputation. There should be a poll attached to this one - "Worst title for forum thread ever? Yes. No."
• What's up with G&M Pet these days? - Heh. Someone really should build a business directory with these. What are 'these'? Well, by that I mean yet another public throwdown about a local business. I wonder if it's as effective as those people that drive around with signs on their trucks (one raced by me today, while I was doing 40 on Kilgore...) Anyway... you know what to expect here, I guess.
• Is the new parking system working? - This may be the 'citizen journalism' post of the week. Not perfect by any means, but it highlights the type of stuff I want to do at MFP. A citizen asks a question and the 'MFP community' helps them get to the bottom of it. Someone go invite JessieAnn on over. She seems like the type we want here.

Take it Outside!

This has to be my favorite 'topic' over at the TSP forums. Why? Well, the fact I started it so many moons ago and also that it's evolved from it's original use. It's like a pot-luck dinner where you never know what you're gonna get. For example...

• becoming scared of women - ...a TIO veteran, 'Scooter Head' posts thusly - sexual harassment causes men to turn gay unless they hang signs on their cubicles like treehouse forts of days gone by. Nah, i'm not gonna touch this one. The Mayor shows up to bash the 'G-Workers' though.
• Logical Fallacies - Ah, the mystery of the logical fallacies continues. Cookie Parker is involved, though. We know that much. Leon - drop the lady a link, would ya? (Oh wait, you did. ;)

The Remainder

Yes, traversing the ever expanding universe of TSP Forum topics. There may be one all about the color Blue next week. Be assured MFP will scurry through the rubbish heads looking for the occasional gems.

• BSU on VH1 - The 'first post' in the new 'BSU Zone' (does that sound ominous to anyone else? like the 'twilight zone'? anyway...) JessieAnn (see above) mentions ... um, BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE! A discussion on the BSU t-comm department ensues. Also, for the record, I've tried to email the student involved, but so far have received no response.
• SENIOR ILLNESS -CHANGE LIFESTYLE TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE - This is in the new 'Seniors' topic on the TSP forums. I don't mean this as a put down at all, but kahdang seems like she would make a great mod for that topic. Or, I'll take this moment to once again publicly beg her to come on over to MFP to post her wisdom on a regular basis. :)

And remember, all your TSP forums are belong to us. ;)

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