Idols and Twisted Gnostic Secrets

[aggienaut]

   Most recent LJ Idol poll is up. With 28 people remaining, its easy to read them all. I encourage doing so. And voting! (=

[Poll #1348977]

   I stared deep into the dark coils of lj, to understand its arcane inner magic, and lo, I was rewarded with gnostic secrets. Anyone can post any poll. I'm not a hacker, there is no secret. I simply questioned what I couldn't do and was rewarded.
   And I found this pleasing -- that specifically the kind of behaviour I thought most commendable (questioning your surroundings) yielded a reward of some usefulness. Personally I think the advantage gained by being able to post the poll in your entry was more deserved to those who found it and more proportional to the merits of earning it than nearly all the random "rewards" and "Special powers" that have been purposefully bandied about in this competition. In short, it made me feel like at least something was right in the world.
   However, all good things must come to an end. All too often good technology is eventually twisted, and this has happened.
   Gary became concerned and asked how it is done, and the knowledge was passed on to him. I hoped he would have the good sense to keep it under wraps, or at least would tell everyone about it all at once. Unfortunately however, he simply told two idolists, spydielives and kittenboo.
   It is no longer a slight advantage to those who have thought to question and investigate their surroundings on their own, it is now an advantage to those who asked Gary how to get advantages. That literally makes me feel sick, and I'll feel filthy until I rectify it.
   From here I'm quite clear that it will continue to spread, and until someone posts about it publicly the people who have gained the knowledge by asking others will do it under the table. Already today I'm seeing strange vote spikes NOT accompanied by a visible entry, that ARE accompanied by "last post: four hours ago," a spot I can't see an entry anywhere near.

   And so, I am levelling the playing field. I am telling each and every one of you that yes, you can post the poll. The method is shockingly, mind-blowingly simple, all you have to do is try. That or ask Gary.


PS: I thought I'd brighten your days with a visual representation of the poll standings. Please stand by, hopefully I'll have some charts converted to a postable size and form within an hour or two.

Comments

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Oh I just thought you guys were tired of hearing me say it and not about to believe me. It was a I think everyone should know this post.

[spydielives.livejournal.com]

So you will add an EDIT to the top stating outright that you are not actually accusing anyone of anything?

Because the important part is that people can embed the poll, right?

I think you won't... because you like the wiggle room of saying "I knew this and as long as no one knew I knew, it was cool... but then suddenly other people knew and now oh shit I should probably beat Gary to the punch"

You Probably Think This Entry is About You

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

What? No I'm not going to add a glaring edit to the top of my post because that would distract from the post. 99% of the people who are going to read it don't give a rats ass about that and honestly I think it reads pretty clearly that I'm not accusing anyone of anything. Your only part in it is that Gary told you. This is true. I didn't even say you asked specifically, make any assumptions about your motives, or anything. I say he told person X and person Y, because my point is that he told some people. In fact, I'm not gonna say you're immaculately innocent for exactly the same reason I didn't accuse you of anything -- I don't say things I don't know. I don't know shit about your motives and I don't really care about your motives. All that matters to me is that some people knew and some people didn't. Gary was told I don't know some time mid-week and I didn't give a rats ass about "beating him to the punch" until I learned he had told other people, which is NOT what I assumed he would do. In conclusion, it is not about you. Not at all. Its not even about you enough for me to make it about you by printing something about you at your request.

Re: You Probably Think This Entry is About You

[spydielives.livejournal.com]

He didn't tell me. He already clarified that.

I told him I had heard it discussed on someone's journal. I told him I thought LJ had closed that loophole. He told me he had heard it was possible. I tested a bunch of things on my own journal and came back with... wow... didn't know that worked again.

I only think the entry is about me because you put my name in it. You didn't have to. You could have mentioned the person who TOLD you I asked Gary about it. You are protecting them, which is cool.

This was great fun, but really... I am tired now. Old person and all that.

Night.

Re: You Probably Think This Entry is About You

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

So yeah. I tried to only state the bare facts.

Re: You Probably Think This Entry is About You

[boxsofrain.livejournal.com]

Personally, I didn't read the paragraphs you wrote on the bottom. I was way too eager to dig into the comments here.