DoS Attacks Threatened by Retro Members; Admin Calls for Boycott
It did not take long for Sonic Retro administrators to craft an unprecedented response to our story asking Retro forum veterans about the ramifications of Tweaker’s hours-long resignation at the beginning of the month.
Spitting in the face of the First Amendment and other freedoms the press enjoys around the world, Sonic Retro administrator Scarred Sun, along with forum administrator Tweaker, launched an effort to deny this reporter and this site from fairly covering affairs regarding Sonic Retro by blocking access to the site’s main pages, as well as blocking access to this reporter’s forum account–not allowing further access until an apology is given for our story.
Should the ban hold, not only does it theoretically limit our ability to completely cover the community and its affairs–including fan projects such as the highly anticipated Sonic 2 HD–a dangerous precedent is set with regard to not just the forum relationship but also the webmaster-reader relationship at Sonic Retro. Simply put, if you say or write something a Sonic Retro webmaster or administrator merely disagrees with, your privileges to freely enjoy Sonic Retro and its vast amount of information are also at risk.
The initiative began when Sonic Retro webmaster Scarred Sun wrote an open letter to TSSZ News on the front page of its website. We are providing the text of it below, unedited, with additional facts and notes as needed:
Dear Tristan, Andrew, and the rest of the TSSZNews team:
Hey. What’s up. I’ve been reading TSSZNews for a long time. A long time. I remember its first incarnation on the web, then its radio program, its hiatus and now its revival on the web. However, lately I’ve been disappointed with the quality of news articles posted.
Oh, wait. I’m being a little too polite here. Let me get to the point here: cut the yellow journalism bullshit.
I wa sappalled over the fracas concerning SFGHQ’s “English-only” policy, which was completely pointless and only served to cause drama for no discernible reason. If there is some sort of problem between Tristan and Slingerland, it certainly did not need to come out in this fashion. Moreover, the issue itself was completely ignorant–I wouldn’t go to Sonic Hub and expect them to be cool with me writing in English. Contrary to your claims, I did post a reply to that story explaining Sonic Retro’s position.
Indeed, Scarred Sun did reply to our request for comment on a previous story we ran, but only after the story was published–13 days after the fact, and on a completely different story. Her words then:
God, Tristan, I really hope you don’t plan on becoming a professional journalist.
This is ridiculous. Between this and the SFGHQ story, you’re reporting non-issues and trying to make something out of them. This is embarrassing to read and ill-informed. The reason I didn’t respond to your initial e-mail was because…it’s fairly obvious that you need to speak English on an English site. There are plenty of great international sites, such as Sonic Spain, Sonic Arena, Spindash.de, Sonic Hub, Sonic Dimension, Power Sonic, and that’s just off the top of my head–if you’re really itching to write something, why not give these guys some positive press?
Continuing with Scarred Sun’s open letter:
Because we are an English-speaking site, it’d be kind of stupid to have someone who didn’t speak English to at least some degree post. That’s really simple logic, and we have in fact not let people in who wished to speak in Spanish or French; we instead directed them to Spanish and French communities. I also mentioned in that comment some of the MANY international Sonic communities who are of high-quality and not in English. In fact, a lot of these places could use the publicity of a site like TSSZNews, but you chose not to approve that comment.
Your loss.
Again, it has been affirmed that no censorship of Scarred Sun’s words ever took place on this site, and that her comments were published. Unfortunately, Scarred Sun has used the front page of her site to mislead her audience into believing such a thing. While TSSZ News has pointed this information out to her privately, we have not formally asked for clarification on this point.
Scarred Sun continued:
And if that was the only thing that happened, I would have just shrugged the incident off and gone on. However, you crossed a major line in my book with your latest “editorial” concerning the social experiment Tweaker conducted. By jumping to sensationalist conclusions and substituting bullshit for actual fact, you published not only an inaccurate story but managed to look like an ass at the same time. As I myself worked in the print journalism industry for several years, I was horrified. If you had brought me something where you substituted your own opinion and hearsay research as an article to me on MY news desk, I would have laughed you out of the building. I sincerely hope that if you plan in any way, shape, or form to become a journalist you shape the fuck up, because you will be fired if you try to pull this in a professional environment.
Nowhere in Scarred Sun’s open letter did she cite specific examples of what she felt were inaccuracies, false information, or untruths in our reporting, or similar inaccuracies from the sources who talked to TSSZ News. She only cited background information we included in our latest report and an earlier story, which she believes TSSZ News used as “justification” for the story.
In this latest paragraph, we finally do get official word as to why Tweaker conducted his “social experiment” of resigning, which was the basis of our latest story. We learn that she did have a role in the process. Scarred Sun was afforded an opportunity to comment on this before our story was published, and she elected not to return our request for comment:
OK, and for the record, since people seem to be so curious about this, Tweaker and I decided to let Tweaker step down to see what happened. We specifically DID NOT announce this move in order not to draw attention to it for fear it would cause bitching and moaning, or worse yet, smug self-righteousness. It was NOT done to bait TSSZNews. We have bigger fish to fry, and after the SFGHQ incident, I considered the matter dropped. The idea that anyone would think that would be laughable. If this was meant to be news, we would have published it ourselves. It’s not like we don’t have our own PR wing.
In addition, your mentioning of an event that happened TWO YEARS AGO as some sort of justification for this half-assed “editorial” is laughable. Had you done more readinh than the actual wiki and checked the forums at any time since the Glowing Bridge incident, you would have known that things were mended, apologies were issued (mostly in favor of S2Beta) and we maintain a positive relationship with sites such as the SSRG now. To throw that back up is ignorant and further discredits your position.
So here it is, Tristan and Co.-effective immediately, I am asking you to cease any writing in regards to this site. When you manage to piss off SFGHQ, TSS, and Retro within a month…to quote a meme, YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG. Unlike your site, I will welcome responses and actually publish them, because I don’t need to hide anything.
At approximately 11.30PM ET yesterday, this reporter commented using Retro’s WordPress comments system on the open letter, reaffirming this site’s commitment to stories such as the one published. As of this writing, that comment has not showed up.
This yellow journalism has effectively become shit-stirring for the purposes of promoting TSSZNews and its agenda, and this site wants no part of it. Moreover, I am urging my fellow webmasters in the Sonic scene to cut off ties and any affiliation with TSSZNews, ad they have proven themselves to be irresponsible in handling relations with the Sonic fan scene.
I am hightly disappointed that things have come to this, and normally I would NEVER use this front page to do something like this, but I feel things have come to this drastic juncture.
When this reporter reaffirmed this site’s commitment to our coverage of community affairs, via the WordPress comments system and in private, Scarred Sun chose to bar this reporter access to the site’s main pages, with forum privileges revoked soon thereafter, using IP information from the comment submitted not to “welcome responses,” but to use it against TSSZ News.
It didn’t stop there. TSSZ News has obtained documentation from an anonymous news tipster who sat in on the Sonic Retro IRC Chat session shortly after theban took place. Our tipster learned that Retro members were actively seeking to perform illegal Denial of Service attacks against this site in protest of our story. In this excerpt we see a very different Scarred Sun, one much less constrained and much angrier than her open letter suggests:
<~ScarredSun> You wanna watch how many people I can get to immediately drop TSSZ?
<+Sik> Don’t tempt me to ping flood him D:
<+GeneOB> do it
<~ScarredSun> YOu wanna watch me cash in all my good credits?
<+GeneOB> do eeeet
<~ScarredSun> How I haven
<+Tenniru> imagine what would be happening if this happened with a Pachuka-era Sonic CulT
<+Sik> (actually I DO have a script for it)
<~ScarredSun> haven’t been dicking around with folks?
<+Tenniru> it would have been a bloodbath
<~ScarredSun> And keep good contacts?
<&Tweaker> ScarredSun: where did he say that?
<~ScarredSun> He just e-mailed me
<~ScarredSun> I’ll copy you the whole thing
<&Tweaker> please do
<+GeneOB> I wanna read
<Twinbee> Why all the anger..over a cartoon hedgehog..
When TSSZ News showed this thread to Scarred Sun, she was quick to note that she condemned any such attempt on IRC shortly thereafter, but did send us another excerpt in which she noted, in her words, “We’re gonna handle this correctly.”
We checked out the Sonic Retro Board Rules, and we found no rule we broke on the forum. All research with regard to our story was handled privately, and all individuals we contacted for the story were done so in private, out of forum jurisidiction. Rule number 6 forbids “Dramawhoring,” which several individuals have found our coverage to be tantamount to, but no such action has been cited on their forum–rendering the question as to whether Scarred Sun and Tweaker will hold all their members to this standard, not just on their forum where they officially have jurisdiction, but anywhere in their sight. If a Sonic Retro administrator asks you to stop doing something completely independent of your forum activity, and you don’t, could you be at risk?
This is the first such precedent set forth by a Sonic fan site in the face of independent coverage of its affairs. One member of the Sonic Fan Games HQ proposed such action, but Slingerland, one of the SFGHQ administrators, quickly nipped the possibility in the bud in a comment on this site two weeks ago:
Nobody was ever going to do that. Ever. Nobody can get banned for doing something outside the forum, unless it is trying to sell fangames on eBay or some shit like that (which has actually happened). If I banned you and him from SFGHQ for this trash, it would…end up on this trash site as a “controversial ban omg.”
For our part, TSSZ News, including this reporter, remains committed to covering all facets of the Sonic fan community. We still have the resources to cover affairs on Sonic Retro in spite of the action taken by its administrators without a problem. Part of those resources include the news tips we receive every day. Almost immediately after our latest Sonic Retro story was published, we received two anonymous news tips regarding the conduct of the site’s administrators. It is our intent to investigate these stories, interview relevant individuals to the extent they are willing to participate, get as many angles to the story as possible and, if warranted, publish a report based on our findings.
Further, TSSZ News takes a strong stand against any individual or site who uses elements of fear and hardship in an attempt to drive our news coverage and editorial stance. No apology will be afforded for the content of any story on our site unless there is evidence of a clear factual error.
We have placed a new poll asking whether you think, generally, it is an abuse of power for the administrator or webmaster of any site to ban reporters from covering its affairs solely on the basis of a perception of unfavorable news coverage. We also welcome your comments in the area below. Do you think Sonic Retro is crossing a line by taking this action, or do you think they’re well within their rights?
Loading ...
Ummm…what?
Jesus fucking Christ guys. The Sonic Community is not serious business. Sonic Retro needs to stop being butthurt and TSSZ needs to stop being conspiracy theorists.
I agree with the “Aqua Team” comment up there… just… WAT
I came here for news. But you guys post more and more “opinionated” bitchy articles rather than any thing that provides me with infomation. Sonic Retro can call you dicks if they want, they aren’t trying to be a news site. But when you post your responses as “news” it saddens me that this is what this site has become. If Sonic Retro banned you, get over it and rise above it, not pretend it’s news. Cos I dont care about it, I care about Sonic.
QR, I respect your opinion, but I must disagree that this move isn’t news.
Anytime a journalist or anyone trying to get information on a story is denied access that is normally public solely on the basis of the person controlling that access disagreeing with a previous story that person has written…it doesn’t matter who does it, or where it happens…it is a serious First Amendment issue and absolutely is newsworthy.
I want to give you Sonic stories, like news on Sonic 2 HD or other community projects. Sonic Retro wants to deny this site that opportunity. The ramifications of that are simply too dangerous.
-T
Well, on one hand, one could argue that they have the right to ban whomever they want, whenever they want, however they please, any time, any where, for any reason, on the grounds that it’s their own site. On the other hand, one could say that it’s a rather unfair stance to take because of a news story that was only trying to report “the truth” as the posters knew it.
To be honest, I think your poll needs a third option for those who feel the way I do, a “question cannot be answered as a yes or no” or at least an “undecided” or “neutral stance” option of some sort. I myself and may others could go either way on of this, since both are questions about one’s own freedom in how they run their own website.
In a bitter twist of irony, the very reason why Tristan thinks he should be able to post whatever he pleases is the very same reason Retro should be able to ban him, at least in my opinion anyway. It’s a real crap hole that both sides happen to be stuck in together. Have fun figuring this one out guys, just thinking about it gives me a mondo headache.
Yeah, that’s right, I used the term mondo. Wanna fight about it?
@ T – As much as I like the first amendment, you fail to recognize property rights.
Think about it. A television network has the right to bleep words, cut off microphones, and even ban certain people from ever showing up on air. This is because they own the network and can thus control it’s content.
However, another network can say “fuck it, we’ll do it live” and do whatever (as long as they aren’t using FCC regulated frequencies) they please. Hell, they can do whatever they don’t please by bringing in programs they don’t like. You claim you run this kind of a website and I myself run a non-Sonic fansite with this kind of additude as well. However, others have the right to run their sites as they wish, no matter how ridiculous it can get.
The reality is that you guys, all of you, need to sit down and ask this question to yourselves: Y SO SRS?
RS–you’re right, but with that comes our right to recognize serious issues that arise stemming from exercising those property rights.
And don’t you think that for a site mostly dedicated to research and public interest, they’ve chosen to exercise that right in such a knee-jerk fashion?
-T
Sorry if I am not 100% on this topic, but i’m interested in it, so can someone please correct me on this?
So Sonic Retro messed up an “English Post” or something, and apparently the Administrator (Tweaker) isn’t doing a very good job according to, like, EVERYONE? lol
So TSSZNews reported what PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE at Sonic Retro was saying, and the Admin got mad and BANNED TSSZ?
(That can’t be right lol)
But as for whether it’s an abuse of power or not…..
I say it’s not. The Admin is allowed to do it for whatever reason, right?
@T – True, true, and that’s why it’s simply a case of both sides being wrong as opposed to “FUCK U TRISTAN FGT LOL NEWS.”
But once again, the seriousness of this all is what’s so funny. It shouldn’t be serious. The article this was a rebound to was, no offense, empty. It was speculation and quotes from guys, all of whom pretty much said “I like him but I dunno man.” Then it ends with a quote from the subject himself who pretty much said it would make for a stupid news article. Which it did–it could have been written without the pseudo-resignation ever occurring because all it did was bring up the fact that some people are at odds with somebody over the internet. This isn’t news. This is drama. If you’re running a site about drama in the Sonic community, then friend, I would applaud you. You aren’t though. Maybe you should? I’d support it.
On their end, they could have either ignored you (which, honestly, would have worked wonders), made a joke out of it (easily done), or just post a simple rebuttal to your story. Instead, they made their butthurt quite obvious. You claimed some people don’t like this Tweaker fellow and BAM you get the ban hammer. What? This only further increases drama and causes their image to turn childish. It’s odd that Scarred Sun quotes an internet meme when it’s origins is from a group who take nothing seriously except for laughs.
Now it’s up to whoever takes the higher road. It’s actually a lot easier for Sonic Retro to do this as all they would have to do is put up with free publicity that they can laugh at pretty hard. That or you can just continue coverage on fan projects. You don’t really need a forum account to do this.
Wait…so was I right on the money? lol
Scarred Sun’s a pretty cool guy eh bans TSSZ and doesn’t afraid of anything.
Amen to that, RS. That’s what I’ve been thinking all along.
And in the end, what REAL damage has any of this caused?
I, as a person with no prior affiliation to ANY people or parties in this situation, have not come out of this with less respect for Tristan, Tweaker, Slingerland, SFGHQ, Sonic Retro, or ANYBODY else mentioned. In fact, none of these articles have caused me to think that SFGHQ are racist, or anything slandering or damaging to any people or communites. So I just don’t understand why so much offense has been taken, at one person’s point of view and opinion that in comparison is pretty insignificant (not trying to belittle you here, Tristan).
Or why people have been insisting on creating MORE drama, that they are oh-so-righteously opposed to, by having flamewars. That’s what I’d call them, even if they are mostly one-sided. If they wanted to stop the drama, they could have ignored all of this.
In the end I’m still going to read news here. And visit Sonic Retro. But is this an abuse of power? No, because technically webmasters and admins can do whatever the hell they like. Is it FAIR? I don’t think I can say yes to that one either.
Too bad Retro has every right to ban you as much as you have the right to post your past trolling garbage you call “news”. I mean, what do you expect?
Well, this surely detracts from the credit crunch crisis.
RS, I don’t know who the hell you are or where you came from or where you get off saying what you’re saying…
But you’re a million percent correct. I’ve pretty much agreed with every single thing that’s come out of your keyboard in your commentary on this news story. At least someone here has some god damn sense. It’s obvious that this is getting way, way out of hand and everyone is taking this way, way, too seriously. Seriously, everyone, that means retro, SFGHQ and TSSZ, need to have a few drinks or smoke up or do whatever it is they feel like doing and quit acting like grade school children arguing about whether Kid #1 touched the soccer ball with his hands or not.
Can’t we just leave things as they are and end it already? This is getting to be like Iraq you guys. War’s over, it’s time to go home guys. There’s nothing left here for anyone to gain except a very large and very pissed off general public.
That said… crackers any one? Chips? Perhaps a spot of tea and crumpets?
I commented the Retro project HD Sonic 2 on my blog, I follow the project, but I don’t post up intentiannally bashable content about them. Sorry dude, but that isn’t news. You run a news site, not an opinion or discussion site, ditch this news site and create a forum if you want discussions or flame wars started. I was under the impression this site was news driven, but reading these two articles, I guess not.
You aren’t a journalist, your a wanabee. Quit dreaming, let the guys get the projects done and run their community as they see fit (hey the community is ran pretty damn well so it doesn’t need shit like this posted up) and go post some REAL news.
My 2 cents,
Rich.
It’s still not news, it’s tssznews.com
Yes, this is a double post, but I have to respond to the “First Amendment” issue. The First Amendment only applies to the government. Private organizations do not need to respect your right to free speech.
It’s never news… it’s just plain old TSSZ News.
To be fair, Tweaker and co. have stated that Retro is a democracy and that people better than you can do whatever they damn want. It’s perfectly fine if Tweaker does bad stuff…
Err
I meant “Isn’t a democracy”. WAY far from a democracy.
GerbilSoft: Still a 1st Amendment Issue as we’ve been accused of things such as slander and libel in our coverage…with no one pointing out specifically what constitutes such a charge of unprotected speech.
Rox: Retro may not be a democracy within the confines of its site, but when it tries to extend the reach of what now appears to be a dictatorship beyond its jurisdiction and can’t simply handle a few of its own members speaking out–willingly, at that–such attempts at suppression of stories and speech should be of grave concern.
-T
“Do you think Sonic Retro is crossing a line by taking this action, or do you think they’re well within their rights?”
Can do what they like with something they own, no rules to follow.
Why don’t you just BAWW more?
Grave concern? LOL
We told you why you were banned. You were banned because, after numerous respectful requests to stop coverage of our website, you continued to do so simply “because you can.” And now you can’t. Funny, that!
If “anonymous tips” become a problem, then we have full intentions to rid ourselves of any people who intentionally wish to start drama amongst this site and Sonic Retro. Indeed, any person would would willingly do such a thing are not the kind of people we want around, and we never will. I said it once, and I’ll say it again–we do not exist to be your news scapegoat.
Tristan, you continue to violate all facets of decency and your support is twindling rapidly. What are you trying to accomplish? Sending me emails trying to act like it’s “a good thing” that you won’t cover me “coming out as a bisexual”–what the fuck is that? I think it’s interesting that somehow you consider all this forum drama newsworthy and not my sexual orientation; they’re both equally non-news-worthy, so why do you choose to cover one and not the other? It’s completely and utterly beyond me.
I think you fear stepping over the line, but you’ve already crossed it. When it comes to Sonic Retro, we have the right to choose who and who does not have access to our board. I think it’s very clear that people who wish to stir up drama in this community as yourself are absolutely not welcome, and we will give the same treatment to anyone ELSE who wishes to stir drama. That’s not what Sonic Retro is about, and it won’t be. Expect our public letter to you the only courtesy you can expect to get from us, because you don’t even deserve that.
As for whether or not it’s fair… I don’t know, do you think it’s fair to be covered by a news site that, despite your wishes, continues to slander you and boasts that? I wouldn’t say it is… so I’d say it’s perfectly fair to do what we can to see to it that our wishes are honored. You can say it’s “not fair” all you want, but it doesn’t make us any less justified.
Our previous offer still stands, of course–cut the bullshit, and we’ll be happy to re-establish positive ties with this website.
Tweak: Please point out where I’ve either slandered or libeled you.
Go on. I’d love to see it.
-T
Repost
>>Did Tristan want to report on the goings-on of some mostly-insignificant site about a fast blue hedgehog, or did he want to get hit hard by the banhammer?
YOU DECIDE!
If Tristan didn’t make this compilation of excrement, things would be different, instead he is just trying to spy. Nobody gives a fuck about stories like the English Only policy, it’s just drama either way & Tristan is continuing to add fuel to the fire.
It’s funny how someone pretends to be me. Fuck TSSZ. Long live retro.
…
For fuck’s sake. This is just getting silly.
9_9
The slander, Tristan, is based on the fact that these stories are published to intentionally stir bad feelings against myself, against Sonic Retro, against Slingerland, against SFGHQ–against anyone you have negative views about. It’s like you have lustful desires to beat around the bush when it comes to these things; after all, you’re not reeeeeeally directly slandering them, you’re just expressing your views via proxy of other people. That way, since you’re not directly saying it, you can’t be blamed for it!
I know all about social engineering, Tristan. I know this game because I’ve played it many times before, and I’ve won. It’s pretty easy to win if nobody knows your secrets. The problem is, I know them. I know what you’re trying to do, and it’s brilliant, honestly–you found the perfect method and the perfect medium to express yourself in any way you can without it seeming to have bad reflections on yourself. But we’re not going to stand for that. In short, you messed with the wrong motherfucking people here.
We will not play your piddlyshit games and allow you to continue slandering other websites in the community under the guise of “bringing the news to everyone,” because they have made it quite clear that they don’t give two shits about this information. If you wish to cover the “positive aspects” of Sonic Retro, such as Sonic 2 HD, new upcoming hacks, promising projects, et al, then you’re free to do so–it would be unfair for us to say you couldn’t.
But when it comes to our forum affairs, you need to stay out of them. Way the fuck out of them. And really, this applies to basically every site you go to; stop slandering SFGHQ, stop slandering us, and while you’re at it, stop slandering yourself. You like like a gigantic douchebag to pretty much every person who reads your site, bar a few (like Blaze). You can no longer justify your actions. You’re boned.
So please, Tristan. Just stop. For the sake of the community you claim to be trying to do good for, just stop. Please.
Even with the presumption that anyone cares about Sonic community “news”, Retro is under no more obligation to facilitate your coverage than any company is required to indulge investigative reporters. Abuse of power? Grow up and learn something about real reporting.
Ugh, I’m so glad my site’s not involved in this shit anymore. Because this is what happens. Why can’t we all just get along?
As I’ve said countless times before, if you’re going to apply ‘real world journalism’ values to an Internet community (one that thrives on sharing and discussing from one website to another) then this is what you’re going to get. TSSZ can’t really complain about this outcome when it was inferred a million times that this was the road they were going to be driving down.
The consequences for agitating a private organisation/website/forum are yours to bear, and you should have weighed up the outcome and approached the original story with some tact.
Personally, I think the issue is not what is being posted, but how it’s being written. This story for example, I see nothing but propaganda in TSSZ’ favour that is akin to something FOX News would do. Because Retro blacklisted you due to a very specific string of events, you can’t then assume that Retro are going to ban everyone who ‘disagrees with the forum elite’. That’s an unbiased retaliation in itself, and given TSSZ’s stance shouldn’t be part of its agenda.
Just present the facts. But only if it’s worthwhile. You’re going to get blacklisted if you cross the line sometimes. You have to make that choice of whether reporting it is worth it, instead of whining about legalities that can’t be applied to a forum.
@Svend:
Personally, I don’t think he should have approached the story at all, because it’s absolutely none of his business, and not something I think should be covered by his website, let alone be covered at all. What the administration do on Sonic Retro is our business, plain and simple, and not affairs for him to meddle in.
Oh don’t get me wrong Tweaker, I don’t think this was necessary at all. I was just speaking generally about the whole ‘facts’ thing. I’ve been here before with TSSZ, and completely agree with you on the ‘none of his business’ thing.
I still don’t think th SFGG story was negative…that was incredibly overblown. No offense to the site’s owners, but from a neutral perspective I saw it as a conversation starter not an opinion piece. Kind of a “What do you think? Let us know in the comments!”. And then all of a sudden, people get mad and start insulting the writer for even bringing it UP. I could see why Tristan would stick to his guns there. He thought it was an interesting story…partially because it has ramifacations on the entire Sonic community. And this site DOES cover the community. It’s in the mission statement.
I bring that up again to point out that the Retro situation is different. We’re talking inner workings as opposed to public stances. We’re talking “inside sources” and innuendo as opposed to a statement made by the owners. And we’re talking about feelings and criticisms as opposed to a stance that could be interesting to other webmasters.
If Tweaker, Scarred Sun and the rest of Retro’s private business is worth reporting…I’d like to know why. That was lacking in the story. Why should people not involved in the forums care or need to know? Regardless of whether it’s moral, it’s not really an interesting story because the only people it affects are Retro members. Even if Tweaker resigned to attempt to prove he’s all powerful, it wouldn’t really be that interesting. And it’s more of an editorial than a news story anyway.
Retro could handle this better by just laughing it off…but as a reader I just seem to think this involves a lot of people who think they’re more important than they are. If I started a news site, I would not be automatically allowed the priveleges of the press. You have to have a press pass. The laws to protect the press don’t neccasarily protect people that are internet startups….those of us who post online are more akin to internet startups than real journalists(as much as we may dream otherwise). This site is not owed the rights the media has…if it was, then anyone could call themselves a journalist and do anything.
But as far as sonic fan community sites…I think their rantings imply a sense of self-importance too. I like Retro…and Tweaker’s one talented dude. But they would be better represented by just shrugging it off and taking the high road. As it is, I’ve seen threads on that forum that disscuss the goings on of others and inconsequential decisions they make. If you can’t take criticism, it looks bad for you. They may be right, but it doesn’t help them to protest so much.
I just wasted my life typing this though, so I’m the biggest loser. lol Oh well, neutral responses pwn.
We DID shrug it off at first. We even laughed it off–hell, I thought Tristan was just fucking around. But it gradually shifted from general conversation starters to outright, blunt attacks on our character. That is not tolerable any way you slice it.
The way you suggest “being the better man” or whatever the hell involves letting somebody smear our name in the dirt, and smear others’ names in the dirt, simply because he can; because he has that influence. If you see a burglar stealing a purse from someone because he has the physical ability too, would you stand for that? Would you not reason that such a thing is unfair? Should you not reason that such actions should cease immediately for the good of the collective human race?
If you’d shrug it off because it’s not your business, then, well… I don’t know what to say, I guess. But I see this purse being stolen and I’m not going to stand for it. This needs to stop.
As far as Svend’s reply…aside from the Fox news jab, I dig your response. People have a freedom of the press and freedom of speech, but that freedom protects a response as well. Tristan is free to report what he wishes and private sites have the freedom to ban him. Heck, this freedom exists in the real world press as well. If a member of, say, the ACLU was a journalist. Let’s say he did a story about that group without the consent of the group, with a lot of focuc on internal manners within the organization. His story is legal, he has the right to report anything he wants. But the organization is privately owned, so they have to right to evict him from the orginization because he divulged information that was not for the general public.
This all makes things still sound too serious lol…but it was a great point. Journalists are only guarenteed access to public people and their public stances, not their private stances. And never to private orginizations. They ARE free to investigate and report, but they aren’t GUARENTEED ACCESS.
lol Maybe I should just stay out of this, but I like talking. So sue me.
@Tweaker:
I hear you. To be honest, I don’t know the whole situation here. I’m just a reader, not somebody involved in the situation. I was really only suggesting that making sly digs and kind of laughing at tssz like Sonic Stadium does. Heck, that’s what I do with the REAL press. Journalism is dead nowadays, real world or not. I don’t know you or Tristan from adam.
I think you have every right to ban Tristan.I’m just saying…now that you’ve made your statement, nothing is gained by arguing about it on here now. Nobody’s mind will be changed, nobody is changing their stance.
The real loser is still me, though. lol Is there any new SU news? Anyone? Screw it, I’m going back to playing Final Fantasy IV.
Crazee: You are correct. Public officials and public places are guaranteed access and the government cannot deny that access. Private areas and privately owned entities aren’t guaranteed and as such it takes a little deeper digging to get any information, let alone anyone within said organizations to comment on the findings when given the opportunity *ahem*
Retro may be a “private” site, but one of its primary purposes is Sonic research in general, of benefit to the Sonic community at large. If Retro administrators attempt to lock me out in the midst of a story, as a reporter I have tremendous incentive to try and knock the doors down, and see what’s being hidden…what they don’t want me to know.
What could that be? If the two news tips I received last night are legitimate and lead somewhere…it could be pretty huge, and could make all this look very pale in comparison.
-T
See, you have a right to knock doors down as a reporter.
Problem is that you aren’t a reporter.
Anyway, everybody, if you want to voice your opinion on this bullshit, SEGASonic Radio over at TSS has a talk show in about 90 minutes (3 PM EST). It’s hosted by yours truly and we will discuss actual Sonic news and this douchebag above me.
Erm? You’ll have to elaborate on that a bit. I don’t think I’m hiding anything, but I guess I could just be totally detached with myself so much that I don’t know the things I do anymore.
This comment? I didn’t just make it. But I did! And I didn’t know I did! What the hell, man. What the hell.
Why are you refusing to cooperate for the sake of peace, by the way?
.. Tristan, are deliberately trying to look like a complete and total dick? Because seriously, you could be a dick for your country with the way you’re acting right now.
For fuck’s sake, IT’S AN INTERNETS COMMUNITY ABOUT AN ANTHROPOMORPHIC NON-EXISTENT BLUE HEDGEHOG. SERIOUS BUSINESS.
Online communities have always been of the stance “don’t like what the administration want? deal with it.” It’s always been that way, and quite frankly it’s always worked. Why fix what’s not broken in the first place?
I’m all for the media getting into places and revealing the true story, but I agree with Tweaker on this one. You’re using it to get across your own personal views without actually admitting to them in writing. How very mature and big of you, hide behind people.
I’m not from the US, but even I know of Fox News. They’d just love to have you on their team at this rate.
http://tristanisadouche.webs.com/blog.htm
G3t your TSSZ “N3ws” N3ws Cov3rag3 and brows3 th3 growing archiv3 of “stori3s”
- It’s all h3r3!
I THINK TRISTAN IS DOIN THE RIGHT THING. HE HAS A RIGHT TO REPORT ON TWEAKER’S SHIT. SOCIAL EXPERIMENTS WERE RETARDED AND IM SURE MOST PEOPLE AGREE WITH ME. THE TRUTH SHALL BE KNOWN. TRISTAN WILL NEVER GIVE US UP OR LET US DOWN WITH NEWS COVERAGE!
DDOS ATTACKS ARE ILLEGAL SCARRED SUN. EXPLAIN THOSE THREATS
Headline: TSSZ Retaliates to Denied Access to Sonic Retro
In a huge twist in this important line of news, TSSZ decided to retaliate to Sonic Retro in the form of what could be called a journalistic argument.
In this article I’m going to claim that Tristan is wrong so that I can read the response tomorrow.
@Cinossu: Tristan works for a FOX affiliate.
@Tristan:
“What could that be? If the two news tips I received last night are legitimate and lead somewhere…it could be pretty huge, and could make all this look very pale in comparison.”
So you’re saying Retro are blocking you because they have something to hide? You still don’t get it do you? Cause and effect is the reason you were blocked. You did something douchey, you got blocked. Any notion of shenanigans on their part is just embarassing yourself.
I really can’t follow your train of thought. So a few guys don’t like Tweaker – that’s probably about the worst you’ll be able to dig up if you followed that road. Not everyone likes everyone else. The fact those tips reached you in the first place says a lot about how you’re willing to just bite at any petty drama that occurs.
What do you expect to find anyway? Retro admins doing crack cocaine on a donkey’s back or something?
http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/101608/im-a-journalist.gif appropriate? :U
You’re angry you got banned from a site? First off you do not have any right to demand access to a server, your access is a privilege, not a right. Secondly, since when did the US Constitution have any governing power on the Internet? You were obviously trying to start something and the appropriate actions were taken to prevent that something from flaring up.
Why doesn’t everyone just shut-up, admit wrong doings where done, get over it, and get on with life?