19 Comments
User's avatar
Ray Horvath, "The Source" :)'s avatar

Sorry to hear about your personal troubles. Well, they would be there even if I didn't hear about them, so language is sometimes deceptive.

5 out of 1,300 is certainly low. The usual is anywhere between 1 and 3 percent (in my case, out of 4,900 readers, about 38 is paid, so it's below 1%, but not as drastically as in your case).

It would be a miracle, if an outsider got elected for the council, but the biggest miracle would be if you could make any difference and still survive in the job (making meetings public by inviting all kinds of recording media might be a good start).

At this point, I have blocked a number of trolls "forever," because they were wrecking the comment sections. Found out about that the hard way a couple of years ago, when two took over the comments and started cursing me. I didn't mind the cursing, but they deterred a lot of readers, and the comment sections are the lifeblood of stacks.

Also tried to issue amnesty a couple of times in the last 3 years and 3 months; it never worked, and I'm tired of dealing with bots and trolls, so I just ban them once and for all. Before that, I usually warn them and direct them to my detailed article on the subject:

https://rayhorvaththesource.substack.com/p/how-can-you-id-trolls-and-ai

Stephen Simac's avatar

sorry to hear about your marriage. Bummer Christmas and New Year. Good luck with your goals. Not able to help meet them.

Richard Seager's avatar

Not a problem Stephen, that wasn't really a request for everyone to contribute more a critique of this platform. And thanks, I am working to get my marriage back still. Very important to me.

Stephen Simac's avatar

Best of luck.

wisewoman's avatar

What is your stance on Palestine?

Richard Seager's avatar

This is not a post about Palestine and I am not going to allow it to be diverted so.

Richard Seager's avatar

These guys are all arseholes though. You seem to follow them. Chloe King is a fake activist and Farrier and co are jerks, real big jerks and Farrier is only in it for the dosh.

https://substack.com/@webworm/note/p-43657800

And I cannot stand Paul Wilson. Absolute moron. Substack has been a haven from these Twitter monsters and I intend to keep my part of it free from them. So blocks will be handed back out liberally again if you attempt to continue to try and divert my Substack away the topics I cover. And I do not, as a general guideline, cover Israel or Palestine. Or the TQ, which is an oppressive ideology, in LGBTQ. LGB itself is fine, I support it to the hilt. You do you, I'll do me.

Amaterasu Solar's avatar

I truly wish I had a thing to offer in support beyond words and restacks. But, as I have said many a place... I am a targeted, elderly, disabled, denied assistance, lost everything, destitute, and homeless lady, sheltering on a friend's floor and using His web on My 15+ year old laptop.

Not much for Me to live, let alone helping Others.

Richard Seager's avatar

I'm not asking for anything other than for Substack to perform.

Amaterasu Solar's avatar

Love always! [hugs!]

Richard Seager's avatar

Their algorithms should not favour such accounts as Steve Kirsch or Robert Malone who mostly output drivel, especially Malone.

mary-lou's avatar

the world wobbles on and so do we. try to be there for your daughter ('losing' one parent sucks, been there and still feeling guilty). thanks for all you share, be well

Richard Seager's avatar

I am trying to do that.

Fay's avatar

Good to see you back.

Richard Seager's avatar

And thanks for the sub. Was not really asking for it, as I said elsewhere it was more a critique of this platform, but appreciated.

Truth Seeker's avatar

So honest and forth right. Blessings going forward. Take as much time as you need, and tolerate no fools...