So HOUTS is back...

[Ransac]

I'm a bit confused by his recent article. He seems to be apologetic (I'm probably wrong about that) for the way that he flamed/demeaned everybody in the past, but the rest of his article doesn't speak that way to mean.

HOUTS, do you really consider the likes of us to be "Elitist?" That has to be one of the funniest quips I've read in a long, long time. Unmotivated???...in Magic AND in LIFE?!?!?!?!?! Clearly you don't know anything about the members of this site that have trod through the years.

Unmotivated in Life? UNMOTIVATED IN LIFE?!?!?! Do you realize that a fair number of the members here are out in the real world working, raising their families, and PAST? At age 31 (28-29 when you last showed your face), I HOPE that you realize this and are out doing the same.

Unmotivated in Magic? Perhaps, but realize that this site is for CASUAL players, a term you apparently refuse to acknowledge with this game. Sure, some of us had been serious in playing at time or another, but our focus of this game is purely for enjoyment. We play because it's a hobby of ours. Many of us don't spend countless hours drooling over the internet scanning every forum for new strategies and critiquing what is out in the environment. Read up on the games that happen here. We play for fun. We play in a casual setting Who CARES if Swords to Plowshares is better than Exile when one doesn't have the means nor the desire to find the better card! We play because we enjoy the game itself!! We play Chaos, Mindmaster, Build-A-Deck, Ultimate Drafting, and various other fun forms/themes of Magic that aren't touched by other players, NOT to mention the non-magic games we play, such as Beyond Balderdash, What Were You Thinking, Werewolves, and any other new game that gets discovered. AND, in case you were wondering, I do, get paid for, every comma, that, I t,y,p,e,,.


Elitist, eh? I'm assuming you believe this way because we kept trying to "censor" your comments (and eventually just censored you entirely). You called US "Elitists"? This from a man who referred to most of our members as terms like scrubs, losers, newbies, and other derogatory terms? You called US 'Elitists" when you, at every turn, made conscious efforts to prove to us why we were all beneath you? THAT is why most of us were opposed to you.

I merely found you as an annoying flamer until you made a personal stab at me. The comment that you made regarding when my grandfather has passed away were completely inappropriate. Do you realize that I consider this community of members dear to me and that the people who partcipate on this site are indeed among my friends?! I shared a painful moment of my life and you shredded it. Your action was inappropriate and hateful, the kind of thing that we have been striving to eliminate from this site.


You mention that you are working on your thesis. I wish you the best in your endeavor and hope you don't go as crazy as I did during my Master's. I do hope that you return to Magic some day, as I believe it is one of the best hobbies to enjoy. IF you wish to play in a friendly atmosphere were you are free, welcomed, and encouraged to try polished, potentially flawed, or completely horrible deck ideas, you have a place to have fun with it here. But if you wish to merely condescend and demean the fun that we have been enjoying, then pleased take your ideas elsewhere.


Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[Modus Pwnens]

Yeah!

...

What he said!

 

[Budget Player Cadet]

Wow... that is possibly the best rant I heard since that one scrub's corner thing...

 

[Spiderman]

I think the point of his article was encouraging others to keep writing, no matter what others might say.

He used himself as an example and apparently is still trying to say that his online persona is the total opposite of his real life persona, although the reasons for mixing them still are unclear to me (or reasons behind wanting to do so). None of us "got that" though.

For me, that's a secondary and poor excuse to keep a dialogue open. Whether the online persona is "false" to his true self, there's no reason to have a discussion with such a persona. HOUTS raised one good point somewhere in all of his posts, but I can't remember it due to the vast majority of "nonsense" (to put it lightly) in all of his other ones. Keep the persona true to yourself - this isn't a MMORPG after all - and if that other persona is at all reasonable (which it should be if it's the opposite), then I might have been more inclined to listen.

 

[Killer Joe]

I like his writing but I couldn't really describe WHAT I liked about it but the content (non-magic stuff) I could care less for, but that's just my opinion.

I remember when I first saw Houts on MTGnews, he was a "Maverick" and I KNEW he would light a fire here at these boards hence, that's why I invited him here. Most likely, though, he would've found this place on his own or maybe he already HAD found this place who really knows now. The same went for DUke, again, FIRE, he had it too though very unpopular here at the site they both raised lots of issues that made folks think (again, this is my opinion).

As for his 'persona', I can understand a bit of that; my 'persona' here is somewhat like myself in real life but I DO tend to be a bit more antagonistic than here in the real world. However, It still is a part of who I am and not some made up personality. Mooseman and Youngbeard could tell you what I'm like.

I never personally have been insulted by Houts though him LUMPING us all together wasn't cool, I never felt he made me his target. I could be wrong but Ignorance is BLISS!

Is he really block from posting on this site? Couldn't he just make up another name/account? Remember DUke also being "The Guy From The Other Post"? Now THAT was funny.

The 'liberal' side of me says let him post again, but I'm sure I'm in the minority.

 

[Spiderman]

Did you ever really discuss things with him here though? I don't think you did, but I could be mis-remembering...

He's not blocked from posting.

 

[Killer Joe]

Read, yes. Discuss, didn't care to.

 

[Spiderman]

That's probably why you weren't "attacked" or targeted then

 

[h0u7z]

I'm back? Well, sir, I never left.

I should shed some light on some ignorance.

I'm a bit confused by his recent article. He seems to be apologetic (I'm probably wrong about that) for the way that he flamed/demeaned everybody in the past, but the rest of his article doesn't speak that way to mean.

I did not appear to be apologetic in my recent 'article' at all, nor have I 'flamed' or 'demeaned' others as you state. I have clarified, stated, pronounced, and demanded things on this site in which was twisted into the adjectives you select. Notice the title of my article? That shall be the answer to your question.

HOUTS, do you really consider the likes of us to be "Elitist?" That has to be one of the funniest quips I've read in a long, long time. Unmotivated???...in Magic AND in LIFE?!?!?!?!?! Clearly you don't know anything about the members of this site that have trod through the years

You clearly misunderstood this paraphrasing of how children are lacking the motivation to truely look into a subject matter they are ignorant of. Or, maybe it is my commentary on the current education system (or high drop-out rate) that pushes through their doors the future hopes of doomed failure.
I'll let you decide.

For example, read this

Unmotivated in Magic? Perhaps, but realize that this site is for CASUAL players, a term you apparently refuse to acknowledge with this game. Sure, some of us had been serious in playing at time or another, but our focus of this game is purely for enjoyment. We play because it's a hobby of ours. Many of us don't spend countless hours drooling over the internet scanning every forum for new strategies and critiquing what is out in the environment. Read up on the games that happen here. We play for fun. We play in a casual setting Who CARES if Swords to Plowshares is better than Exile when one doesn't have the means nor the desire to find the better card! We play because we enjoy the game itself!! We play Chaos, Mindmaster, Build-A-Deck, Ultimate Drafting, and various other fun forms/themes of Magic that aren't touched by other players, NOT to mention the non-magic games we play, such as Beyond Balderdash, What Were You Thinking, Werewolves, and any other new game that gets discovered. AND, in case you were wondering, I do, get paid for, every comma, that, I t,y,p,e,,.

For reference

I've answered all the above in this article about 'casual status'.
Now I want you to look down below in the response section.
Yeah...
Notice all those lovely replies, or the lack of them?
That says it all to me. This clearly articulate and descriptive definition I present was never discussed. Nor did I receive a rebuttal.

Read, yes. Discuss, didn't care to.

(Killer Joe)
This was at your own fault and demise to partake in your inner-circle sanctious forum (Oprah). Not my fault-yours.

You, still, are wrong on all accounts about a 'casual' player and my article, while still unrefuted, clearly states this as such. And remember, I was on both sides of your supposed 'Pro' and 'Casual' status; my creditibily is strong on this issue.

Elitist, eh? I'm assuming you believe this way because we kept trying to "censor" your comments (and eventually just censored you entirely). You called US "Elitists"? This from a man who referred to most of our members as terms like scrubs, losers, newbies, and other derogatory terms? You called US 'Elitists" when you, at every turn, made conscious efforts to prove to us why we were all beneath you? THAT is why most of us were opposed to you.

*giggle*
You were offended by someone with a title of "Scrubs Corner" when he called a "scrub, loser, newbie and other derogatory terms"? Let me get this right...
And for numerous reasons, all of which I have stated over and over again, for the 'elitist' mindset here. I will not back down to it. If you want more reminder of it, let me know and I will give several examples. Yet, you took all my 'insults' as truth and took them to heart.
And as for the censorship thing. It was just one of the examples of this attitude. The uppity position, without justification, of why one person is right. And that was the end of the discussion.
But these sort of high-school squabbles on an internet site makes me wonder the maturity level of several people on here. Grow up. Get over it. This community has more issues than Michael Jackson's real life family debacle.

I merely found you as an annoying flamer until you made a personal stab at me. The comment that you made regarding when my grandfather has passed away were completely inappropriate. Do you realize that I consider this community of members dear to me and that the people who partcipate on this site are indeed among my friends?! I shared a painful moment of my life and you shredded it. Your action was inappropriate and hateful, the kind of thing that we have been striving to eliminate from this site.

Honestly, I did not write that comment. I stated this several times on the forums. I lost my account for over a year due to several 'haters'. You could easily see this from the forums being flooded with those who left responses for me, or even those against me (under other names). Regardless of your positions, I would NEVER write such a thing. Now this is clarified (once again) it is upon you to take it from there. I am, as I was, sorry for your loss.

You mention that you are working on your thesis. I wish you the best in your endeavor and hope you don't go as crazy as I did during my Master's. I do hope that you return to Magic some day, as I believe it is one of the best hobbies to enjoy. IF you wish to play in a friendly atmosphere were you are free, welcomed, and encouraged to try polished, potentially flawed, or completely horrible deck ideas, you have a place to have fun with it here. But if you wish to merely condescend and demean the fun that we have been enjoying, then pleased take your ideas elsewhere

I will never return to MTG. I always was playing in a 'friendly' manner with my 'flawed' and 'horrible decks'. Do I need to point you all back to my numerous articles? Should I make you read my fun rants? How can I stress that the majority of my articles were of such? Or, do you all easily forget?
Or rather it is easier to do so and target the few articles that caused you personal grief?
For example, this comment:

I remember when I first saw Houts on MTGnews, he was a "Maverick" and I KNEW he would light a fire here at these boards hence, that's why I invited him here. Most likely, though, he would've found this place on his own or maybe he already HAD found this place who really knows now. The same went for DUke, again, FIRE, he had it too though very unpopular here at the site they both raised lots of issues that made folks think (again, this is my opinion).

A maverick, huh? Oh please...
Go back and you'll notice all the replies to my articles. Obviously there was no issue with me until I had to correct people on censorship (their ignorance of it). There were no problems until I actually interjected with a rational response and received emotionally replies.
How easily one can forget...
I wrote since 2000 on this site. Not for your pleasure as much for my own. I will continue to do so at my own accord. Not yours. I do not apologize for my opinions and how I approach my subject matter in relation to how you feel about yours. I will not back down to this (and clearly stated) liberal mentatliy that resides here. For the small fraction of individuals whom enjoy my writing-it is for them. You portray yourselves as such a tight-knit family but I question that integrity on its own foundation of elitism. If one person disagrees, or goes against the grain, you immediately crucify that individual with negative remarks of utter disgust. My memory serves very well so please spare yourselves on rebutting this issue. I have at hand years of ignorant responses for the like of the majority.

He used himself as an example and apparently is still trying to say that his online persona is the total opposite of his real life persona, although the reasons for mixing them still are unclear to me (or reasons behind wanting to do so). None of us "got that" though.

You are almost comprehending the true nature of this article. I should really say it isn't an article but rather a commentary.
An online persona is nothing more than an author's persona. So this should not confuse as for 'mixing' them. And I am glad none of you 'got' that. I am sure you never 'got' the Jamie Wakefield or Rizzo's persona.
Nor do I think you ever will.

For me, that's a secondary and poor excuse to keep a dialogue open. Whether the online persona is "false" to his true self, there's no reason to have a discussion with such a persona. HOUTS raised one good point somewhere in all of his posts, but I can't remember it due to the vast majority of "nonsense" (to put it lightly) in all of his other ones. Keep the persona true to yourself - this isn't a MMORPG after all - and if that other persona is at all reasonable (which it should be if it's the opposite), then I might have been more inclined to listen.

Your opinion: "that's a seconardy and poor excuse to keep a dialogue open"

First, let me laugh at your use of the word "dialogue" here.
Secondly, it is your opinion to why a person would do so.
Thirdly, you confuse the motivation with reason. Or, maybe you don't understand the difference. What motivates a person to write? Is there a 'reason' behind it? There lies your answer. Any basic writing class would have discussed this.
Lastly, your constant use of ad hominen has to be pointed out. Hence my reason for disregarding anything you have to say.

I think the point of his article was encouraging others to keep writing, no matter what others might say

At least you did get one point correct. Or, I should have underlined, hightlighted, and bolded a statement of: "Keep writing no matter why people can't understand your reason for writing, but lack the understanding for your motivation."

How about: "Keep writing no matter if ONE person (Spidey) dislikes your writing"

Eh, either way, I am sure you would have been unclear on both.

I never personally have been insulted by Houts though him LUMPING us all together wasn't cool, I never felt he made me his target. I could be wrong but Ignorance is BLISS!

If you were never personally attacked then why would you be upset at conception that I "lumped" you into this supposed group?
Silly bear...

He's not blocked from posting

Infactual statement. Dispute among yourself (spidey).

I am rather amused at all the remarks in the forums, and none on the bottom of the article. No behind-the-back talk here. Nope, not at all.
*smirk*
All this hate and yet you can't stop yourselves from writing in your own two cents. Interesting to note....


Houts
The One and Only

 

[h0u7z]

<yawns>

That is what I thought...I'd yawn too if my stance was weak.


HOUTS

The One and Only

 

[Spiderman]

<covers mouth while yawning>

 

[Mooseman]

<covers mouth while yawning>

Why?

 

[Killer Joe]

Because HOUTS must've posted a reply in "Classic" HOUTS-style. I bet he called all of elitist-liberals or something like that. Or maybe he called Spidey Peter Parker or maybe he announced DUke was getting married. Or......*this could go on forever....*

 

[h0u7z]

Because HOUTS must've posted a reply in "Classic" HOUTS-style. I bet he called all of elitist-liberals or something like that. Or maybe he called Spidey Peter Parker or maybe he announced DUke was getting married. Or......*this could go on forever....*

Can you deny, or least argue against, that there is a [form] of elitism or liberal mindset occuring?
I would suspect not....

 

[Ransac]

I noticed that HOUTS is still posting on here, so might I point out a specific post that describes the crap that he would do.

This Link

Since his posts are hidden, you can't see his actual post. However, sageridder quoted one of his absolutely disgusting comments.

Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[h0u7z]

Listen, I won't dare apologize for anything else I've said on here, but I have stated this before: I did not post this.

Honestly. I would NEVER dare stoop this low. And if you think so, then you've let a few articles, forum ball busting, and ever-lasting hate fool you into thinking so.

Notice the last time I've actually posted an article. This is due to my loss of my account. I am NOT able to sign into it. This was either taken from my by the MODS, or a rather idiot on Casual player, or just someone found out my 'clevel' sign-in name and password.

And if you don't believe me, go check the IP Log on it. You'll notice it wasn't anyone in the area in which I live. I am not using this new account because of it.

Now, if you NEED a reason to further hate me, then go ahead and believe this nonsense. But I figure even those haters will see that is not in my nature.

This isn't the first time I've been attached on the internet in some fashion. Nor will it be the last.

Sincerely,
HOUTS
The One and Only

I noticed that HOUTS is still posting on here, so might I point out a specific post that describes the crap that he would do.

This Link

Since his posts are hidden, you can't see his actual post. However, sageridder quoted one of his absolutely disgusting comments.

Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[Modus Pwnens]

Listen, I won't dare apologize for anything else I've said on here, but I have stated this before: I did not post this.

Honestly. I would NEVER dare stoop this low. And if you think so, then you've let a few articles, forum ball busting, and ever-lasting hate fool you into thinking so.

Notice the last time I've actually posted an article. This is due to my loss of my account. I am NOT able to sign into it. This was either taken from my by the MODS, or a rather idiot on Casual player, or just someone found out my 'clevel' sign-in name and password.

And if you don't believe me, go check the IP Log on it. You'll notice it wasn't anyone in the area in which I live. I am not using this new account because of it.

Now, if you NEED a reason to further hate me, then go ahead and believe this nonsense. But I figure even those haters will see that is not in my nature.

This isn't the first time I've been attached on the internet in some fashion. Nor will it be the last.

Sincerely,
HOUTS
The One and Only

You should ask Spidey to look into it..

 

[Ransac]

Spidey, would you please look into this?


Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[TomB]

He's using the old "It wasn't me - my account got hacked!" excuse? That might have worked, but due to his history up to that point I'd have to say that I don't believe him. That is, I believe he was perfectly capable of crossing that line and posting something that really was that bad because, for one thing, IIRC he replied to another post about a death to someone one of us knew with a similarly cold comment, to the effect of "Who cares?". I don't remember the thread (this all went on 2-3 years ago) but it was in keeping with his general approach to the rest of us at that time.

And you don't need an account to submit an article - They go directly into a moderation queue through the link on the front page and ANYONE can submit. He could have been making submissions all this time, but the trouble with that is articles get reviewed prior to posting and receive an editing job to try and fix the errors, and we weed out submissions that have no real substantive content.

Maybe he was afraid he wouldn't be able to make the grade...

Listen, I am as big a proponent of free-speech as you'll find on this site...Back during the 9/11 crisis I insisted that people were entitled to their opinions, and that it was wrong of us to profess a love for the US and what it stands for and yet want to silence people who were stating the unpopular opinion that we somehow deserved our fate that day...I even argued with the other mods about HOUTS the first time around with the guy, and watched at least one leave because we defended the guy's right to his opinion, but he made fools out of his defenders when he continually crossed the line, and that part where he was so cold about Orgg and Ransac's friend was the absolute last straw.

Look, this guy is just an attention whore...He just seems to get off when someone decides to argue with him and reply to his drivel, and then he replies back with more inflammatory rhetoric that has no real substance - it's meant only to provoke a reaction. And when it does he keeps it going by being even more outrageously inflammatory in response...lather, rinse, repeat, ad infinitum...

He's the only member to EVER earn a ban, and he will stay banned as long as I have an opinion about it. It's too bad, really...With a little editing (well, MORE than a little...lol) his articles aren't too bad, and I know several of our members enjoyed reading his stuff. If there was a way to convince him to stick to Magic talk, and not to continuously descend into cutting down A) the site, B) the other members, or C) everyone else in creation except of course him in his perfect imperfectiveness, then we could talk about a reinstatement, but frankly, I seriously doubt I'd EVER buy into his sincerity again, and I'm not the only mod or member that feels that way.

 

[Spiderman]

As far as I know, we (the mods) have just placed HOUTS in purgatory, we haven't done anything else to his account such as changed passwords or altered data or whatever.

It's possible someone hacked into his account, trying to get even for something - there's still that odd issue from eBay that never was resolved (that we've heard).

But honestly, are we losing anything? I don't really remember him offering opinions on real Magic stuff or decks or whatever; it was always about the state/views of the members and the site. And apparently he's not playing Magic now anyway. So does it really matter?