Poems at the Poetry Free-for-all

Bela

08-20-2002, 02:19 PM

art-arts-poetry-comments (Usenet), a.k.a. the AAPC

If you don't have Usenet access, the AAPC can be found at Google groups: http://groups.google.com/groups?q=alt.arts.poetry.comments

Prior to the creation of the PFFA, this was my home on the net. At the time I stumbled upon it, it was peopled by a dazzling array of highly talented, extremely amusing individuals. I, who had never read much poetry, nor considered writing any, was immediately drawn in and developed an immediate love for the medium, largely due to the enthusiasm and skill displayed there. Unfortunately, for various reasons many of the positive elements of the forum disintegrated about two and a half years ago, leading me to create the PFFA as an attempted replacement. Several of those involved in the early development of this site and at least one of the current moderators originated there, as did a number of the current PFFA regulars.

The AAPC still exists, and though I am by now a very infrequent visitor I believe a number of the personalities that made it so inspiring are still present, if primarily in lurk mode.

The down side, of course, is that as it is a Usenet forum it can be, and is frequently, overrun by flame wars and other undesirables. A brief look at the place now, whilst searching for the handy Google groups link, confirms that a concerted application of user "plonk" filters may be necessary to make your experience there enjoyable. Nonetheless, it's worth a look.

Béla

Rik Roots

08-20-2002, 02:27 PM

aapc also boast a very useful faq, concerning poetry and nettiquette in equal measure, at
http://www.aapcsite.plus.com/

Rik

Julie

08-21-2002, 09:02 PM

AAPC is still my favorite board ever (sorry Béla), but I have to reiterate the warning: there is no moderation there. No moderators. You may consider that a Good Thing, but you may no longer think so when you have your first run-in with an uncontrolled Psycho Troll.

So, be diligent and forewarned. Use a fake email address.

And most of all, have fun!

Julie

Peter J Ross

08-22-2002, 11:21 PM

In two years I made at least 2500 posts, most of them probably troll-bashing, to AAPC, but I haven't even looked at it in the past few weeks. Last time I was there it was stuffed full of triumphing trolls, including an unrepentant plagiarist who sends death threats and viruses to people who criticise him. What's worse is that some of the better regulars in AAPC have a tendency to row with each other about off-topic subjects and thus comment on each other's poems to score points instead of to help. RAP, the other Usenet poetry group, is fun in its brutish way, but AAPC can be seriously nasty.

Just my opinion.

PJR :-)

12-24-2002, 11:24 AM

if you have to use the Google Groups (as I do) it's almost impossible to read there as you have to keep tabbing right to make the text fit.

Thanks Rick for posting the link to your site. Interesting read especially the bit about writing poetry in the hope that your readers will want to have sex with you. Now that's a cool reason! I'm going to write everything from now on with a "will someone reading this agree to sleep with me" thought in my head and see if I can come up with anything half as good as the stuff you write. Thanks again and Happy Christmas.

Toby

Harry Rutherford

01-12-2003, 06:11 PM

Originally posted by Rik Roots
It's called The Long Ladle Review, published (roughly) on a weekly basis, and is posted both to the newsgroups and on my website (at www.kalieda.org ).

I've bookmarked The Long Ladle Review, and I'd like to thank Rik for putting it together.

Harry

garyg

01-12-2003, 06:37 PM

By and large, usenet is a complete and utter waste of time and bandwidth.
I've read better poems in General Poetry than some of the crap Rik has picked this time around.
I just don't understand why he does it.

But, that's just my opinion.

Except Shambhu, he's a hidden treasure.

Tony Hoffman

01-12-2003, 06:42 PM

I put in my two-odd (very odd) years at AAPC, up until sometime in 2001. I still look back once in a while (lurk), but with no regrets that I no longer post there. It's hard to block trolls who keep morphing their e-mail addresses (as some of them there do); if you go there, you'd be advised to be selective as to what threads you click on. If you don't have a strong constitution when you start there, you will if you stick with the place.

--Tony

Tony Hoffman

01-14-2003, 02:05 PM

BTW, for those who wander into AAPC or other murky waters, and insist on responding to trolls, you might consider using this handy "troll form" (which I came across at sci.astro.amateur).

--Tony

Dear Troll,

Thank you for your troll. Your troll has been evaluated by
our panel of experts. Here are the results of our tests.

We found that your troll was...
[ ] Incomprehensible
[ ] Offensive
[ ] Just plain stupid
[ ] Without merit
[ ] Grammatically incorrect
[ ] Laced with spelling and punctuation errors
[ ] Laden with circular reasoning
[ ] Somewhat too revealing of your minimal mental abilities
[ ] Too similar to other trolls submitted in the past

You could improve your troll considerably by...
[ ] Including a few actual facts
[ ] Taking remedial English lessons
[ ] Mentioning that you are a professional
[ ] Stating more falsehoods as facts than you already have
[ ] Swearing more
[ ] Including more colorful personal insults
[ ] Using the phrases "you people" or "those people" more
[ ] Modifying your insults to cover larger groups of people at once
[ ] Ranting incoherently
[ ] Using religious or racial slurs
[ ] Using the words "junk", "crap", "garbage", "toy", "flimsy" and
"Professional" more frequently
[ ] Using childish taunts
[ ] Including fake laughter such as "ha ha ha" or "har de har de har"
[ ] Focusing on just one outrageous topic will give your troll more punch
[ ] Ignoring any facts, and using more absolutes in your troll
[ ] Using all capital letters
[ ] Focusing more on those areas in which "your" view is better than "their"
view
[ ] Exaggerate more, you need not be limited by facts

Please get a...
[ ] life
[ ] grip
[ ] job
[ ] clue
[ ] note from your mom

You should...
[ ] Have someone who can read review your postings
[ ] Save your postings for later and think if you really want to send them
[ ] Take your medication
[ ] Not have "one for the road" next time
[ ] Stay in school
[ ] Think about other people's feelings before you post
[ ] Get your ego boost some other way
[ ] Realize that by trolling a group you hurt everyone, not just the people
you are mad at
[ ] Put up a web site with your name on it to show the world
[ ] Take down your web site, it's not very good

Suggested other activities besides trolling...
[ ] Posting something constructive
[ ] Helping someone else
[ ] Spending some time with your family instead of your magazines
[ ] Working off that big pot belly
[ ] Get your ego boost instead by helping out at a local hospital
[ ] Consider another hobby that does not require contact with other humans
e.g. mortuary science

Thank you for your submission.

You have...
[ ] passed
[ ] passed with honors
[ ] failed, must try harder