Singapore English, the new lingua franca

[Plavt]

Try to get my name spelt right, Plavt; don't know why but it's case sensitive if you want me to regard you on equal terms, for whatever's worth.

Don't say your going to start bitching just because I abbreviated your name to the first four letters, Vaucluse did the same thing and you didn't complain then! As for being regarded 'on equal terms' there is more than one here who doesn't, evident by the remarks made by people on various other sites, not to mention the jibes by sms and Bafana.

[raden888]

He/She will be back. It must be boring to be stuck in place surrounded by HDB flats

[anneteoh]

Try to get my name spelt right, Plavt; don't know why but it's case sensitive if you want me to regard you on equal terms, for whatever's worth.

Don't say your going to start bitching just because I abbreviated your name to the first four letters, Vaucluse did the same thing and you didn't complain then! As for being regarded 'on equal terms' there is more than one here who doesn't, evident by the remarks made by people on various other sites, not to mention the jibes by sms and Bafana.

Ahh...you reduced it to 3 letters, not being petty; 1-1 is the only way to cope in the cyber jungle. Vaucluse actually was the only gentleman who spelt my name right. SMS, lucky for him, is not a fixed sign; perhaps he realised he had to shed some weight, literary speaking. lol. But I reckon he's got a bit of responsibility. Well, I had had a fresh girl's bash. Who on earth is Bafana ? You know, I don't hold grudges and can't remember names online unless- there was some degree of meaningful communication. It's ok for some...anyway, what do you call men who 'bitch'?

[anneteoh]

I'd say let a green shoot grow into a big tree. lol

The problem is, with his type, the green shoot more often than not, is a strangler fig, that when given enough time, will eventually kill it's host. Read that as our regulars getting frazzled at the garbage in all the threads, so move on the better, smoother pastures. Without the regulars, the site dies.

Is this forum run like a business or a platform for the unique opportunity for expats and S'poreans?
Accept your sound verdict. He was an offputting zealot.

[anneteoh]

He/She will be back. It must be boring to be stuck in place surrounded by HDB flats

You don't have to go down that path. Actually, I find there're a lot more I could do in Singapore than in rural France or historic London, err, without having to pay for everything - tennis, swimming but you might have to be a PR.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Primarily, it is a form of advertisement for the real estate portal who is our host. As their primary goal is the provision of upper end housing (the kinds that expats used to always go for in the days of monster packages) having a expatriate oriented site is good to draw eyeballs to the rest of the site - real estate - which all need. Unfortunately, somebody like our recently departed academic who was again deleted just an hour or so ago in a new thinly disguised nick, 'geerangisback', could well drive the primary target away to other boards here in the region.

[anneteoh]

Primarily, it is a form of advertisement for the real estate portal who is our host. As their primary goal is the provision of upper end housing (the kinds that expats used to always go for in the days of monster packages) having a expatriate oriented site is good to draw eyeballs to the rest of the site - real estate - which all need. Unfortunately, somebody like our recently departed academic who was again deleted just an hour or so ago in a new thinly disguised nick, 'geerangisback', could well drive the primary target away to other boards here in the region.

I checked into iproperty - it looks quite reasonable. I was tempted to contact them for rent; esp when my family visit SG, for myself, I have lots of relatives' homes to crash out. There's also the Telesales - is that your real estate portal ? It seems slightly more expensive than iproperty -your site perhaps? I was speculating on buying a place in SG but the current rate of exchange is a hinder and house prices are rising in SG, aren't they, at the moment?

[JR8]

Yeah, Plavt is always spoiling my fun!

You found it 'fun' reading a stark ranting driven? The poor guy might 've been on the verge of psychological collapse - or will be if his outside world's so harsh. He might be a teen freak or an aspiring student, even an old general. Now no one'll ever know.
I would have liked to find out who he is and give him a bit of friendly diagnosis. SMS, I thought you'd been a truer liberal with allowing free speech - at least for a while, a few days, to calm him down.
The upshot - can Plavt allow geerang back to see how he'll ring changes?

Anne I applaud your love thy enemy approach, but also I think you have to keep a couple of things in mind. Trolls arrive to cause trouble, insult people, leave mayhem and distraction etc. In a way it is like a teenager probing a family household's OB markers to see what he can do. You saw that clearly with Gerrang, he ratcheted it up until he repeatedly broke too many OB's.

Geerang doesn't want 'friendliness' or a chance; he got warned, or alerted to the rules several times: did he take note, no. In fact he just got got even more offensive to other posters trying to get a rise out of them. I expect he is much more surprised than you that he was able to continue in the same vein for so long.

I have no doubt he is relishing reading this follow up chat, trolls demand attention, and love the perceived celebrity of being discussed. No doubt he will be back, and he will do the same all over again. So I see little need to 'forgive' a serial offender (refer Dostoevsky, and the proposition of the criminal 'moth around the candle').

My suggestion would be: The rules are clear, if you repeatedly break them despite multiple warnings, bam you're gone.

[anneteoh]

Yeah, Plavt is always spoiling my fun!

You found it 'fun' reading a stark ranting driven? The poor guy might 've been on the verge of psychological collapse - or will be if his outside world's so harsh. He might be a teen freak or an aspiring student, even an old general. Now no one'll ever know.
I would have liked to find out who he is and give him a bit of friendly diagnosis. SMS, I thought you'd been a truer liberal with allowing free speech - at least for a while, a few days, to calm him down.
The upshot - can Plavt allow geerang back to see how he'll ring changes?

Anne I applaud your love thy enemy approach, but also I think you have to keep a couple of things in mind. Trolls arrive to cause trouble, insult people, leave mayhem and distraction etc. In a way it is like a teenager probing a family household's OB markers to see what he can do. You saw that clearly with Gerrang, he ratcheted it up until he repeatedly broke too many OB's.

Geerang doesn't want 'friendliness' or a chance; he got warned, or alerted to the rules several times: did he take note, no. In fact he just got got even more offensive to other posters trying to get a rise out of them. I expect he is much more surprised than you that he was able to continue in the same vein for so long.

I have no doubt he is relishing reading this follow up chat, trolls demand attention, and love the perceived celebrity of being discussed. No doubt he will be back, and he will do the same all over again. So I see little need to 'forgive' a serial offender (refer Dostoevsky, and the proposition of the criminal 'moth around the candle').

My suggestion would be: The rules are clear, if you repeatedly break them despite multiple warnings, bam you're gone.

JRB thanks for coming in here. I have no expereince of trolls -and I have no perception how a forum like this functions but SMS had just explained. I know though, that there's a healthy and creative exchange of thinking and discussions.
Basically, I don't like to stereotype others. This reminds me, when I returned to this forum just a month or so ago , you were thought to be a troll. I remember sticking up for you. I read through the threads and found that you were just standing up for the locals and throwing your gauntlet to SMS ( he'd been a sport though I had to battle it out with him as a newbie ). You're always lovely and thoughtful.
I'd experienced a case in the Malaysian Forum where a moderator was overbearingly egocentric and could not tolerate others' differences of opinions. He banned them after using his power to insult them! Many members protested and he had to go. Another moderator there who banned the same troll , as he was called, committted worse offence some time later. He stayed on but that forum's lost all its sparks. You do need high calibre members to keep the platform dynamic. So hats off to the regulars here. For me, it's nice to be able to get back and chat after staying away for a while.
Back to geerang - it's a mysterious name. He might have interlingual problems. He didn't understand some of the points I made, though you're right he didn't apologise either. He seemed like a one dimensional man - and a few members identified the syndrme - but I feel sorry for him; afterall, we're most of us, products of the society and institutions that mould us. I view the forum as a mirror for him to see his real self, eventually, so he will change.
We have a good moral in schools here and there where "Every child matters." I suppose, when I last worked for the SG govt., I felt so grateful for the wonderful things the country's done for everyone, I just wanted to help in every way. But I'd encoutered a few weirdos too - and really, one feels sorry for them. The world, if it were mine, would be one where people can have all the chances they need. Some just need much more than others. But, I don't know how geerang affects the economy of cyber chats here!

[JR8]

Hi Anne,

Kind words, and interesting views. Alas we are packing up our home today so I have no time to write a considered reply.

You are right, when I turned up here I did rub SMS up the wrong way. A difficulty is that I have been on forums for years (over 15), and feel right at home where ever I visit. Newbies are sort of expected to be shy and diminuative at least for a while after they sign-up to a new forum. I can see how my 'confidence' sent up a troll-watch flag or two

[sundaymorningstaple]

But. If you remember, I also told you that had I really believed you were a troll you wouldn't have gotten that far! I am discerning enough to be able to "feel" the difference.

[raden888]

Alas we are packing up our home today so I have no time to write a considered reply.

Packing up our home? Arrgghhh...How I hate moving..Good Luck ,don't forget the importance stuffs like wifey.


A difficulty is that I have been on forums for years (over 15), and feel right at home where ever I visit.

Wow..I wonder if I can last that long on forums or would I fizzle out...Time will tell

[anneteoh]

Hi Anne,

Kind words, and interesting views. Alas we are packing up our home today so I have no time to write a considered reply.

You are right, when I turned up here I did rub SMS up the wrong way. A difficulty is that I have been on forums for years (over 15), and feel right at home where ever I visit. Newbies are sort of expected to be shy and diminuative at least for a while after they sign-up to a new forum. I can see how my 'confidence' sent up a troll-watch flag or two

Hi JRB

Thanks for human speak. Where 're you off to? Not leaving Sg I hope. It's pretty dismal back here - all kinds of tax increases looming; esp the Capital Gains Tax which doesn't seem like a wise move as people would start cashing out their shares and the stock market will crash, surely!

Likewise, but better to enter with aplomb than sneakiness.

Stay confident JRB, you need that today - the world, at least out here, is spinning topsy turvy. But the main point is, you're a good guy and every country needs good guys.

Moving's such a hassle - best to live Zenlike, minimalist's lifestyle. You can in Sg - no pots and pans, kitchen ware etc., just a futon, two mugs and a teapot.

[JR8]

But. If you remember, I also told you that had I really believed you were a troll you wouldn't have gotten that far! I am discerning enough to be able to "feel" the difference.

... yes, I do remember

[JR8]

Alas we are packing up our home today so I have no time to write a considered reply.

Packing up our home? Arrgghhh...How I hate moving..Good Luck ,don't forget the importance stuffs like wifey.


A difficulty is that I have been on forums for years (over 15), and feel right at home where ever I visit.

Wow..I wonder if I can last that long on forums or would I fizzle out...Time will tell

I'm sure, as the net and forums are evolving all the time. If things were the same as when I started out on Usenet (a sort of global forum, with countless thousands of individual sub-boards which was 100% text based (no colour, HTML, graphics)), I think I'd have lost interest too!

A recent phenomenon that keeps my attention right now is blogs. Esp. news/geo-politics ones. They are increasingly the outlets publishing the breaking news stories these days it seems...