Why I'm Campaigning

Overwhelmingly, the question I've been most often asked on the campaign trail has been a simple one:

"Arbiter, it doesn't seem like you to campaign for something like this. I mean, isn't this whole contest incredibly lame?"

Well folks, the answer is a simple one: yes, the contest is lame. If it were just for the sake of participating in a popularity contest you wouldn't see me touching this thing with a ten foot pole. Don't get me wrong - I like being popular as much as the next guy. But for me, it matters more the quality of individuals amongst who I am popular, rather than the quantity. After all, even the biggest piece of shit can attract a swarm of flies.

I am running a campaign which stands diametrically opposed to many of the values that put the "whore" in "cor whore." In doing so, I undoubtedly sabotage my chances of winning by conventional means. But personally, I would rather lose representing a set of ideas and attitudes that I can genuinely endorse than to win representing something that, in my opinion, should be regarded more as a problem than as something to be celebrated.

The theme of my campaign is "a change of direction." I would like to see the chill out room become a place where topics can require a few brain cells without being deemed "too serious for the cor," or where you can have a discussion that requires significant explanation without people asking for a "cor version" that they can read within the span of ten seconds. I think there are a lot of other people out there who would also like to see a change of direction. Enough, perhaps, that if they voted for me, I could have success in this "contest." But the obstacle is apathy. Many of the voters who share my ideals are also individuals who, quite sensibly, ask me what the hell I'm doing trying to advance in this thing - and most of them likely don't intend to vote in it for reasons I can understand. Others no longer visit the chill out room at all, and due to my refusal to spam other sections, will probably not be aware of my message.

The reason I'm campagining is this: to provide those who aren't content with the current state of the chill out room with an opportunity to express themselves in a way that will be relatively more meaningful to those who are causing the problems. Honestly, I have no idea whether or not they will be interested in taking advantage of that opportunity. The biggest challenge for me is to try to mobilize the base of individuals who will be favorable to my message but not favorable to the contest in general.

If the message is to be effectively delivered, we need to "get out the vote." Even if you think this whole contest is dumb, voting for me is an opportunity for you to express that. And trust me, if I managed to knock one of the favorites out of the contest, those who do like the contest will hear your message loud and clear. But that's not going to happen if we can't motivate the people who are discontent with the amount of nonsense in the chill out room to take this chance to make their voice heard by voting. If you find my message amicable, I suggest that you vote, even if you aren't a fan of the idea of the contest. And you don't have to stop there. Spread the message to those who don't visit the cor anymore due to the very behaviors I oppose. They too can make their voices heard, and strike back at those who made this place not worth their time. The more votes we can muster, the stronger the message. Even if this contest isn't worthwhile, I think sending that message is.

Thank you, and remember that you can make a difference.

Arbiter's "sound posting" tip of the day: Make sure you read the expiration date on that "funnay." There might be some people who will laugh at your joke no matter how horribly old it is, but they'll laugh more if you know when to quit and then bring it back once it has regained some freshness.

Chill Out Room On Notice

All of us in the chill out room have seen first hand the devastating effects of the decreasing quality of threads. And most of us, I believe, would like to see that trend reversed. Personally, I believe the first step is education. Too many of our "younger" members don't know the chill out room as anything except what it has degraded into. And that's why I've started the Education for a Better COR program, a progressive initiative to fight back against ignorance and irresponsibility in the COR. You've already seen the beginnings of this program in my educational guide, How To Use the Humor / Funny Stuff / Cool Web Sites Forum. My "sound posting" tips of the day are also a part of this initiative. But that's only the beginning, because as of this moment, the chill out room is officially on notice: the long overdue return of Thread Quality Control is coming soon. So I suggest you mind your ps and qs when creating new threads - because I'd like nothing more than for the next installation of Thread Quality Control to feature a great group of threads that can set a positive example for our newer members.

Remember, in order for these initiatives to achieve their maximum effect, it's important to vote Arbiter in the upcoming cor-whore competition. That way, our wayward members will see that it's not just a small minority that desires a better chill out room, but the community as a whole.

Also coming soon: "Why I'm Campaigning," an exclusive report on why I've chosen to campaign for the cor-whore competition.

Arbiter's "sound posting" tip of the day: "Emoticon inflation" is the phenomenon by which excessive use of emoticons tends to devalue their effect, necessitating the use of even more emoticons in order to express an idea. Don't let yourself fall into this trap - keep your use of emoticons measured.

It's official: in the first round of the 2007 cor-whore off voters will be asked to choose between myself and Moral Hazard. Personally, I think this match-up is a bit of a shame, because Moral Hazard isn't exactly one of the most egregious offenders when it comes to filling the board with... less than desirable material. Yet, for better or for worse, that's the match-up that's been selected and despite Mr. Hazard's relatively good behavior, there are numerous compelling reasons why he shouldn't be recieving your vote.

First of all, he hasn't been particularly active in the chill-out room recently. In fact, you could even say that he's been rather inactive. Although I'm not one to suggest that having better things to do than post large volumes of material in the chill out room is a bad thing, it does indicate that he may be unprepared to fully take on the responsibilities of representing the chill out room, setting a good example for other users to follow, and, when necessary, delivering the crushing verbal fist of spite to a spamming gnub.

Furthermore, while he has shown the capacity to be a responsible and dignified member of our community, I for one am not convinced he has the leadership and drive necessary to take on the problems facing today's chill out room. He certainly hasn't shown any signs of having a real vision for the future of our forum, nor has he provided much in the way of guidance for our wayward members. Mr. Hazard has the right attitude, but he's shown a distinct lack of initiative when compared to myself when it comes to addressing the problems we must collectively face.

So spread the word and get out the vote, because we need a good showing at the polls in the first round to show the real "whores" we mean business.

Arbiter's "sound posting" tip of the day: Nobody likes an attention whore. If you want to post some personal photographs of yours, then use a pre-existing thread where the photographs are on-topic. It's true that there are some situations where photographs of a unique nature might justify a new thread, but when in doubt, stick with the sticky.

Upcoming Tutorial!

One of the biggest issues facing the Chill Out Room today is the influx of posts which would be more appropriate to another forum. These posts take up valuable forum real estate and flood more substantial discussions onto later pages of the forum, where casual visitors to the forum are less likely to notice them. With this in mind, in the coming days you can expect an official tutorial titled "How To Use the Humor / Funny Stuff / Cool Web Sites Forum." For a preview, refer to today's "sound posting" tip of the day.

Arbiter's "sound posting" tip of the day: If you have a humorous web site, picture, video, or joke to share, consider posting it in the appropriate forum, rather than the general discussion forum (otherwise known as the chill out room.) This is important, for while some of these humorous items are worth seeing, they do not tend to facilitate significant discussion.

Vote Arbiter 2007 Launches!

Welcome to the official home of the Vote Arbiter 2007 Campaign! Here you will find all the news updates, articles, and promotional materials that you need to become educated about the issues surrounding the 2007 cor-whore off, and, in particular, why you should take the time, or even if necessary lay aside your contempt for this contest in general, and vote for me, Arbiter.

I'd like to thank all my supporters, and remind everyone that you can make a difference by voting Arbiter for a better tomorrow.

Arbiter's "sound posting" tip of the day: When responding to messages containing numerous images, avoid including the images themselves in your quote, or remove the image tags. This will cut down on unneccessary clutter and encourages people to pay more attention to the content of your post. Also, when responding to longer messages comprised of text, consider quoting only specific portions of the text that are most relevant to your response. Remember, good posting behavior helps keep the forum looking clean, and facilitates meaningful discussion.