This week Bill Buchanan on Davisville Radio, a show that airs on local access station KDRT, focused on the Vanguard 10. Recently our analysis shows it’s more like 14 regular commenters, but another segment of commenters posts.
Bill Buchanan writes, “The ‘comments’ section on the Davis Vanguard has evolved into a pretty good online discussion zone on various big issues affecting Davis. The opinions often go way beyond the couched language that sometimes passes for official discourse in town. Lately, the term “Vanguard 10” has emerged as a shorthand description of the most frequent commenters on the site … raising the question of whether they’re just a random handful of people who enjoy using the site, or instead represent the busiest end of what’s emerging as one of the best online civic forums in town. Today we talk with two of the 10, Tia Will and Jeff Boone.”
Click here to listen to the show.
Hmmmm, frankly speaking, I doubt there’s any “Jeff Boone” in the Vanguard 10.
BP
That depends on what your definition of “is” is.
Note: I am #11.
That’s why you didn’t get asked to do the interview. Work harder in the coming year and you too can make the TOP 10.
In order to stay off the 3rd floor of Woodland Memorial, I am aiming for #15 for 2016.
LOL, I’m fairly certain I’m a top 10’er, though I’ve never been officially notified. My wife often tells me I’m crazy to post on the V so much.
Who in the hell is “Jeff Boone” ?
I just listened; nice interview by Bill, and good job by Tia and Jeff.
By the way, when does this show air? We must know so we can all tune in, because we can’t wait to hear more from Tia and Jeff, because Davis just can’t get enough of their opinions.
Here you go, it already aired and is up for an award.
Click here to listen to the show.
It was very cordial and so unlike the true “V”. I would’ve preferred cage match to the death.
People just aren’t mean enough in person.
I would prefer that they just be frank all the time.
It would’ve been much more interesting if Tia had tried to strangle Jeff with a plastic bag or Jeff had tried to run her over with an MRAP.
I noted in my original post when I coined the term “Vanguard 10” that it was aimed at those who do not post under their own name. Posting under one’s own name brings one a step closer to engaging in civilized discourse as evidenced by the tone of face to face or in-person discussion. I’m waiting to up the amount of my annual donation to the Vanguard for the day when anonymity is only allowed on a case-by-case basis to protect the truly innocent.
Remember, next time you see an anonymous person give them a hug.
Anonymous people have feelings too.
On this, DH, we fully agree.
I know at least one poster that used to use his real name and was just as caustic and direct as he is posting with a fake name. I think his name was Rusty. But I bet if you met him face to face he would give you a big bear hug.
I also think some people mistakenly identify incivility as simply making strong points in disagreement with their strongly held views.
Seriously though, let’s move you to Texas (except Austin) and see how you feel about blogging your standard more left-leaning views with your proper name. And also, as Jeff Boone pointed out in this interview, there is business risk and risk to family that can come into play.
It is fine with me if you want to feel superior using your full name, but it would certainly be a stronger point if your opinions tended to run counter to the ideological bent of the local population. They don’t from what I remember.
Speaking for myself, I do. You anonymous people are inferior to me as human beings.
As I have stated before, when one is responsible for what they say, the discussion is more civilized. Rusty may have been an ass (I say this only from Frank Lee’s post), but he took responsibility for his being-an-ass-ed-ness. Many who post here anonymously would not be such assholes if they posted under their own names, because they would have to face the world and they don’t have the courage. I don’t speak of all the anonymous who post here in that light and I won’t name names, because I can’t, because they are anonymous, but I speak of several.
Just watch, some of the anonymous-coward-assholes will now attack me for saying this about them.
Who???!!!
I remember that guy, what a complete f’ing ahole.
BP, I’m going to send you the cleaning bill for the soup that I just splashed all over my couch.
Thank you for my daily chuckle.
Matt, if I have to pay your cleaning bill please be practical in your choice of cleaning service.
AM – Maybe this guy or this guy?
A) Too much hair; B) Too dead
And, Alan Miller, I’ll take at your word as seeing yourself as a ‘superior being’… you don’t want me to die, but you’ll love to have me fade away… will consider… as an “anonymous/coward/asshole”…
Have a good evening, and best wishes to you and yours in 2016…
AM: Jeff Boone is a faculty researcher in mass media. Hence his interest blog commenting and interviewing on community radio.
Ha!
BP
“It would’ve been much more interesting if Tia had tried to strangle Jeff with a plastic bag or Jeff had tried to run her over with an MRAP.”
I hate to see you disappointed so I do want to point out the Jeff did attempt to sabotage my water supply !
One take away from the interview was that it is hard for citizens of Davis to engage in the government of its community due to various constraints like time.
A technology based voting system could help to engage all its citizens where elected representatives only vote on each issue based on how their voters tell them to vote on each issue, with all votes coming in from citizens on each issue via text messages etc.
Pia Mancin as developed an open source system for doing this and has trialed it in Argentina. Through their open-source, mobile platform they want to bring citizens inside the legislative process, and run candidates who will listen to what they say.
https://www.ted.com/talks/pia_mancini_how_to_upgrade_democracy_for_the_internet_era?language=en (Start at minute 7 if you are short of time)
https://www.countable.us is sort of a US, web based attempt at something similar.
Maybe this kind of system could work for Davis…I would be curious to get the community’s thoughts on this?
Cool! I like this. Technology has solved a lot of problems. I remain convinced that it can at least help with our problems of governance.
Yeah… perhaps we should eliminate all legislators, their staffs, etc. and only consider the “technology based voting system” … would exclude those without technology (idiots/poor) and save a whole lot of money at all levels… damn good idea
Frankly… see why you support it!
I thought Obama got all the poor a free cell phone? They can use that to vote.
As for the idiots, I would prefer that they do not vote.
Frankly: I thought Obama got all the poor a free cell phone? They can use that to vote.
That’s garbage that un-discerning partisan conservatives believe. The lower income families that I interact with in Davis didn’t get any free cell phone from Obama.
Frankly
A question. In your view only the poor and “idiots” would not have ready access to this voting system ?
And how about the very sharp 90 year old I saw in my office yesterday who does not use a smart phone or the computer ? No vote for her either ?