I WAS BANNED FROM BOINGBOING!!!!!!

This is really unbelievable. A reader sent me to a BoingBoing video "A deep dive into the German and UK editions of The Beatles Collection BC13" by "Andrew from Parlogram Auctions". He compares in the 20 minute video, the two versions.

There were a few responses, germane to the topic, but it also attracted the usual anti-vinyl trolls like "Pheckphul" who posted "Ah vinyl. The listening joy of discovering the new crackles and pops generated as a result of the last time the record was played. Every time is an adventure". To which "cannibalpeas" responded "if your turntable crackles and pops you've either got a shitty stylus or shitty vinyl. Or both". I can quote those because they are still up at that URL.

I got myself an account and posted a comment that the UK originals beat the German originals. I also noted how these vinyl discussion sites seem to attract anti-vinyl trolls, while pro digital sites don't attract anti-digital, vinyl-loving trolls.

I cannot give you the precise wording of what I wrote because the second time I visited the site my comments had been removed and when I tried to log in I was blocked and told that my account had been canceled, which was an absurd overreaction, especially considering what remained up there (see above). I received an email saying someone in the group considered my post "spam".

I contacted a BoingBoing administrator:

"I posted a reasonable response to some misinformation and the result was that someone reported it as “spam” and the comment was blocked.

But worse, my email has been blocked and I can no longer log in.

This is absurd.

I am considered a leading authority on ths subject so to have the comment considered “spam” is ridiculous….

But to have my email address blocked so I can no longer log in, is… well I haven’t the words.

And I’m a writer.

Michael Fremer
editor analogPlanet.com
Stereophile senior contributing editor

I received this response from administrator Ken Snider (ken@boingboing.net):

Hello,

I'm not sure why you believe your professed expertise gives you the right to come in guns blazing to attack the members of our community, but you will find that your credentials do not give you a pass on respect, decorum, and civil discussion on ours.

I'm not sure how you write on your own site, or the tone you use when referring to others, but the community flagged your posts here for violating *our* guidelines about civil discourse, a level of respect countless other subject matter experts can manage to accomplish on the BBS, but you were unable to rise to the level of.

We ask that you not return.

--Ken.

Now, I wish I could post here what I wrote, which I promise you was not in any way "guns a blazing" or an attack on "members of the community". I certainly am capable of writing that way as most of you well know but in this case what I posted was in no way personal and was merely an observation about the anti-vinyl trolling you all know too well.

So I responded to Ken (ken@boingboing.net):

Ken:

People posting snide negative and false assertions about vinyl playback are fine with you. Those people by definition attacked the gentleman who produced the video by dismissing out of hand the subject. My response was hardly guns ablazing”. That’s a false characterization. I “attacked” no one.

What was “uncivil”?

I followed up with this:

BTW: you didn’t “ask” me not to return. You blocked me from returning for no just cause whatsoever but you allow snide and nasty comments from anti-vinyl commenters under a video about British versus German Beatles boxes. You need some serious self examination, Ken.

BUT KEN NEVER SAW THOSE EMAILS BECAUSE HE ALSO BLOCKED MY INCOMING EMAILS.

So I used a gmail account I have and sent all of the above along with:

P.S.: your "asking" me not to return after blocking me is called "passive aggression".

As for blocking incoming email from me, that's called cowardice.

So, if the spirit moves you, please email Ken Snider (ken@boingboing.net) and request he forward to you exactly what I posted that resulted in the comments being pulled down and my account canceled. And please don't email "guns a blazing" though in Ken's case I think he'd consider a limp noodle a "blazing gun"!

Thanking you in advance for your willingness to participate, I remain:

Michael Fremer editor, AnalogPlanet.com

COMMENTS
MrRom92's picture

What the fuck is a “boingboing”? Never heard of it. Neither has most of the developed world, I imagine. Parlogram uploads all their videos to YouTube, just watch it and comment there if you really need to, at least there your comments will have an audience.

thatguy's picture

"at least there your comments will have an audience."

Until they get deleted by the channel owner.

MrRom92's picture

I don’t see why Andrew (or any channel owner) would delete comments if they were respectful and on-topic. His videos are very informative and I’ve commented with my own opinions of different pressings across many of them.

Nathan Zeller's picture

I'd be shocked to find Andrew deleting the comments from his viewers. He's a very respectful man and allows everybody to freely speak on the topics he covers. A short while ago I had a question about the different rating system he uses for his records. His email response was super helpful, even though there was no profit involved.

Basically... he's a good guy.

jimf42's picture

Boing boing was a flash in the pan. it ceased to be relevant more than 10 years ago. I guess I did not even realize it still existed.

thatguy's picture

Where in many situations, one person holds all the power and goes mad with it. And they almost never have the fortitude to tell the person that so offended them what, exactly, the objectional thing was that they wrote.

thatguy's picture

"I also noted how these vinyl discussion sites seem to attract anti-vinyl trolls, while pro digital sites don't attract anti-digital, vinyl-loving trolls."

I've noticed that for quite some time now. The digital/measurement people aggressively try to save the world from all things analog or unmeasured. There are plenty of foods I'm not a fan of but I don't search out forums on them so that I can post "you guys are stupid, you should try Italian food"

My turntable is under $200 and my record collection is about 12 total and even I wonder what these people are listening to that pops and cracks. They need to clean their records and/or get ones that haven't been abused.

It would be a good topic for a psychological study to see just why they feel the need to actively campaign against something that doesn't interest them.

dleonard's picture

These reviews are plentiful on Youtube in case anyone wants to watch them without going through "BingoBongo", or whatever they are called.

contium's picture

boingboing?That was the best name they came up with?

Anton D's picture

I hadn't heard of BoingBoing ten minutes ago, and I'm not about to go learn, so I say "eff 'em" and move on.

Save yourself the grief

Play this clip from 'The Jerk' and forget about BoingBoing.

"And that's it and that's the only thing I need, is this. I don't need this or this. Just this ashtray. And this paddle game, the ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need. And this remote control. The ashtray, the paddle game, and the remote control, and that's all I need. And these matches. The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control and the paddle ball. And this lamp. The ashtray, this paddle game and the remote control and the lamp and that's all I need. And that's all I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one - I need this. The paddle game, and the chair, and the remote control, and the matches, for sure. And this. And that's all I need. The ashtray, the remote control, the paddle game, this magazine and the chair....AND NOT BOINGBOING!!!!"

I think he said that, but they edited it out for being too far ahead of its time.

Best wishes....don't look back, don't give it 5 more seconds of your time or personal energy.

Besides, what do you get if you "win?"

We still love you!

Glotz's picture

AH, The Jerk.

Anton! Making me laugh... Nice.

garyalex's picture

Michael,

The hell with that website. I understand the anger but life's too short for wasting time with idiots. You don't need validation from that sad-ass website. Just move on. Easier said than done, I know.

xtcfan80's picture

Unreal....The good news is that the mainstreaming of vinyl has created many forums and YouTube channels where LP collecting is discussed and debated...The bad news is that the mainstreaming of vinyl has created many forums and YouTube channels where LP collecting is discussed and debated and the web is populated with a massive amount of folks commenting on hifi and record collecting that have NO idea what the fuck they are talking about..."Yeah....let's block the leading expert on vinyl reproduction and record collecting from our forum, we don't need him"....

Robert Zohn's picture

The reflection and loss is on BOINGBOING and certainly not you.

I was banned from AVS Forum and many of their members joined forums I actively post on so like BOINGBOING the loss of not having an expert on the category they specialize in is much greater for AVS Forum and their members vs. the disrespect their poor behavior put on me.

avanti1960's picture

Shame on you for flashing your high ranking authoritarian credentials and "blazing" six shooters to try and bully your way onto our totally cool peacenik community you rude, reckless Yankee cowboy !
You will be blocked !!!!!

John1001's picture

First they came for Trump...

jazz's picture

by the last two presidential elections, that more or less half of the population doesn’t want to hear or read the truth. By no means. ;-)

pessoist's picture

doesn't exist.
Facts do.
Still I agree, all people ask for facts >50% don't accept them, not in the US, not in the UK and not in Germany and most of all other countries.
seems to be a human error: BugCode #S.T.U.P.I.D.88
asocial networks old or current are trash - all of them.

a good debate is only held in person, most of the times.

ivansbacon's picture

Before you know it this mentality will be in the majority, resulting in the electorate KNOWINGLY voting for a racist - misogynist with the intellectual capacity of a wet paper towel.

Progressive forward thinking people will come all over themselves expressing outrage and righteous indignation about the current state of the country but ultimately not have the fortitude to do anything about it.

Oh wait, we passed that benchmark.

Boingboing, May be the sound of the steps we are taking down on the way down the evolutionary ladder.

Rundal's picture

I have the UK pressing. I love it.

Glotz's picture

This is the kind of 'Pro' they want to hear from... lol:

https://boingboing.net/2021/03/11/how-a-pro-deep-cleans-airpods-encruste...

OMG. This 10-Gallon Asshat Ken clearly came to your site at one point or trolled your site based on hater conjecture or another whiny butt-hurt 'authority' who still hates vinyl.

Blocking your email is just childish and completely cowardly.

You do kinda look like Andy Warhol now though... Lol.

Maybe that was the reason why? Nothin but love, Michael!

vince's picture

OMG, a job nobody wants!

Anton D's picture

I decided I would go see this Boingboing of which you lament.

It's a clickbait site that allows blog comments.

Talking to them about preferred vinyl pressings is akin to you lecturing the local pasture cows about rocket building.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/99/d4/d3/99d4d3d13ba09e240c317d8bc8447b26...

The guy with the Atari avatar is an obvious idiot wanker.

You'd be better served at Hydrogen Audio. ;-D

Michael Fremer's picture
Hydrogen Audio! No thanks.... lol
Analog Scott's picture

gives real science a bad name

randomuser's picture

They used to be a very good site. Not sure about the comments over the course of the years, I hardly ever read them.

But I have been reading/interacting on their comments more recently, and their little insider club of moderators/flaggers seem to lie in wait to pounce on anything they view as one tiny fraction different from their view, and they'll start the bullying. Any response at all deemed too "uncivil" (LOL, yeah right) is deleted, nearly immediately, giving the person being bullied by this little cadre no recourse.

I would not bother with them; they seem to be more interested in doing elbow-drops from the ropes and high-fiving each other with oft-repeated memes than any true exchange of ideas. Their idea of an "civil discourse" is to lecture those with "privilege" - and allow no response to that lecture.

The owners should really look at fixing it, but it seems many founders have left already and the comment section is pure drivel, which is a real shame.

Ortofan's picture

... Harbeth users group and see how long you last by attempting to convince Alan Shaw that analog disc is superior to digital.
If you're not a Harbeth owner, they may not even let you in to the private club.

xtcfan80's picture

1. Bella Donna 2. Toto IV 3. Rumours 4. Thriller....

Anton D's picture

When I was young, I thought maybe I'd woo Stevie, but settled for a roller skating cocktail waitress who looked like Linda Ronstadt...to me.

Alas, now I am old and out of woo. ;-D
_

Thread drift: Michael's pic at the top looks like a Munch painting.

xtcfan80's picture

When I was young...Stevie Nicks ...NO Diana Rigg YES!!!! The coolest female alive when I was 14....

BewleyFilm's picture

Hi Michael, I saw this on Facebook and had to hear more. Pathetic treatment. I'm very sorry. That site is a leftover of the early 2000s that has gone downhill, like when AOL bought HuffingtonPost, or Digg.com. The site is garbage, just a content copy-cat site. They were lucky you even visited!

SeagoatLeo's picture

There is a high end audio site The Audiophile Group, with a coterie of high end experts as administrators and 16,100 members. Mat Weisfeld apparently is the chief moderator. There are two questions asked of prospective members, who they are (I am a part time classical and ethnic music recording engineer with 100s of orchestra, chamber and choir recordings) and friends of well known LP remastering engineers. The second question asks if I can behave in a gentlemanly manner and not attack other members. My history of postings are much tamer than yours. I was denied membership on my first attempt and am pending on a subsequent attempt. Maybe it's because I mentioned that I do not stream music, I have 25,000 LPs, 7,000 78s and 7,000 CDs. I mentioned that I own to VPI tables. How many of their present members are as knowledgeable and enthusiastic as I am? If they refuse me as a member, they would probably do the same to Robert Pincus, Kevin Gray and Bob Donnelly (or yourself).

Ivan Lietaert's picture

It's quite obvious why you were denied. There is at least one typo in your text here, and it should be VIP tables, not VPI, right? ;-)
Anyhow, this is a new trend on the internet: being very strict about letting people in, see the success of the Clubhouse, the new invitation-only social network app...

Jay's picture

Earlier on this week Piers Morgan of all people posted a quote from Winston Churchill

Quote: "Some people's idea of free speech is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone says anything back, that is an outrage".

Not only has that truth become self-evident lately, it also feels very strange that Piers Morgan is now the voice of reason and common sense. The world has become a very odd place.

King Of Dirk's picture

That fellow often causes me to consider throwing something heavy at my television, but I must admit I share his bewilderment that there are (apparently) more than seven people in the world who give a rat's ass about a D-list actress/yacht girl and her dopey husband.

dconsmack's picture

You are the Trump of boingboing. How’s it feel?

PeterPani's picture

Analogplanet and Stereophile. Mainly for distraction during office work :-)
I am an analog guy, because I hate to become a digital bit in a perfectly binarized world with sharp edges and no interference. So form me - to be honest - my analog addiction is some sort of religion.
And so, I would not argue about truth with other members.

We are all liars.

dial's picture

Usually it's with political statements concerning our common future (hello fb & tweeter !) but you've encountered ban from AoNa (Audiophiles of North America) too so subject doesn't matter. Where's democracy now ?

BobBobby's picture

My vote is for Chrissie Hynde.

Zardoz's picture

Grace Slick was my fantasy.
Loved her in the sixties and early seventies.

MhtLion's picture

A small fish once saw the whale. His jaw dropped by the awesomeness of this magnificent creature. So, he took all his courage and wrote the trolling comments. Alas, his comments were ignored. No one cared what this small fish had to say. He was deeply hurt.

Once day, the whale sent him an email. Small fish knew this was the day, or never will be another. He wrote the nastiest email he could ever write. Took him three days, but he was proud. After all, it was the greatest achievement of his lifetime.

Enough satirical stuff. The medical truth is that some men are born with a small di*k and exhibit a lifelong SD syndrome.

dial's picture

I'm for Sam Fox (well 40 years ago uh).

figaro's picture

cancel culture....
we all must deal with it

anomaly7's picture

The world is a fucking nuttier place than you could ever make up on your own. It’s taken billions of people and millions of years to get us to this level of crazy.
So yeah, let it go.

anomaly7's picture

But keep writing about your adventures. We are being entertained!

hiwattnick's picture

Michael, that story is so ridiculous, I could easily believe it’s fictional, which I of course know it’s not. Boingboing is almost the equivalent of Wayne giving his erection the sound of, “Shwing”. If I were politically correct in the least, walked on egg shells at all times, and gained the monicker of a “snowflake”, I’d like to dish it right bsck, but I digress. A lot...
I watch Andrew’s Parlogram Auctions videos all the time, and in fact, just watched that exact one you’re referring to on YouTube a few days ago. I’ve spoken with him in the comments section many a time, and find him to be a fine English gentleman who’s willing to have actual conversations about a subject he’s obviously passionate about. In fact, we’ve spoken and had a few laughs about the anti-vinyl people who watch and comment on the videos.
The thing that really shocks me, is that you’re the world's utmost authority on the subject of vinyl and vinyl playback. Anyone who’s even semi-serious about collecting vinyl knows who the hell Mr. Michael Fremer is. I can’t believe this asshole, Ken, had the gall to speak about you in such an off putting manner. I think the mood may eventually strike me to email ken@boingboing.net, which sounds like a masturbatory term.

Some people, huh? Pfff...

stargeezer's picture

This has nothing to do with vinyl critique. They know where you stand politically, which is spot on BTW, that's why you were banned.

Anton D's picture

Imagine the power of a cult leader whose followers can’t help but transplant their idiocy into a vinyl website.

Analog Scott's picture

Slow news day? Seems like getting banned from an audio forum rates with firemen saving a cat stuck in a tree.

wozzabear's picture

for what its worth, my experience of this vinyl denier/hater business suggests that if the objector in question was once a vinyl head but got rid of their collection when CD hit, its like the ex-wife who becomes the bee-atch from hell - "vinyl/she never existed maaan and even if she did was nuthin' - my new lady/format is the real deal - never mention that name in my presence." Very few of these dudes are "comme ci - comme ca" folks. It can all get bit "ein volk, ein format, ein reich". Now there are some vinyl folks out there who are equally tedious. I have 3000 albums but for me its about music - I'll listen to any format even MP3 if thats all that is available. If the music bites, I'll buy the vinyl - if I can afford it. What ever happened to pluralism ? (Oh yeah it expired from a bad case of the DT's)

Telekom's picture
randomuser's picture

I 100% agree. I tried to engage in some discourse recently, and the response was UNBELIEVABLE. I sometimes wonder if what they are doing over there is not some kind of grand prank just to make the left look bad. It's about 4-5 posters/moderators, and they are just out of control. No dissent of any kind is tolerated. If your rational response makes them look bad....it will be gone within minutes. Virtually any response that is allowed to stay is reframed in the worst possible interpretation, making themselves the victim in the process.

Oh, and every single logical fallacy seems to be in play and thoroughly endorsed, most especially ad hominems. If anyone deemed to have privilege (flexibly defined per scenario, of course), they will be dismissed and so on...so I'm not surprised to see someone getting banned over...vinyl.

RandomGuy's picture

So I went on BoingBoing the other day. I've been going there off and on since sometime in the mid 2000s and never really thought much of it and I finally signed up a few years ago in an effort to get away from megasites like Reddit. Ironically largely in an effort to get away from right wing shills and trolls and because I wanted to do my part to keep some life in the old internet.

So the other I post that most of the Jan6 people had no idea what they were doing. Sure there were guys with zip ties and punisher masks but like 99% of these people are just lost idiots with no idea what they're actually supporting.

For the record: I always say this about the people that follow Trump and largely believe it to be true. It's only ever controversial with Trump voters and I never in my fucking life thought it would be an issue on a left leaning forume. Also hoever is getting prosecuted was probably planning something or behaved in some egregious manner I'm sure they have a good case and I hope those people go to prison for a long time. So that said:

Some people disagree with this, it's a popular right wing talking point but just because something is a popular piece of propaganda doesn't make it untrue. That's the best kind.

So I start explaining and then I start getting responses faster and faster like they're having some discussion on a discord somewhere, I never get this sort of turnaround on boing boing. and people start taking the things I said out of context. Names are starting to get thrown around and I'm having a bit of a chuckle thinking I must have found a few nutballs. Then I notice these are like senior members.

Like then it got nuts and then they started calling me a Nazi and moved my comments into a thread with some title implying I said we should just tolerate what happened on Jan6.

I was pretty calm the whole time until I saw the Nazi comment and then it's like wow fuck this place bro.

Anyhow it surprised me enough that I did a little digging to see if other people had similar experiences. Yeah a few. Anyhow I blocked them from my email and my router I'm never going back there again.

arcman67's picture

Very informative videos. I had many German Apple post 70's represses of the Beatles catalog and they were, by far, my favorite over the UK and US pressings that were available in the 70's. Now, almost 35 years later, I may think differently if I still had those LPs to compare.

Eskisi's picture

Now, with Trump gone, where otherwise will I find my daily dose of lies, science denial, fingerpointing, anyone-who-disagrees-with-me-is-my-enemy? Now we have a Twitter — sorry, BoingBoing — ban, how delicious!

King Of Dirk's picture

"Now, with Trump gone, where otherwise will I find my daily dose of lies, science denial, fingerpointing, anyone-who-disagrees-with-me-is-my-enemy?"

What did you do before Trump?

SeagoatLeo's picture

I've been waiting for a week on two submissions to this group. I noted on 3/11 here that they should admit me as a non-aggressive, knowledgeable music lover/audiophile.

Anton D's picture

I went into the Determinist Club and told they I had chosen to join them of my own free will. They wouldn’t have me! So, I went over to the Free Will Society and told them that since the determinists wouldn’t have me, I had no choice but to join their club, and they wouldn’t have me, either!

Screw the dumb ass secret societies, it’s playing music on audio toys, not rocket surgery.

BobBobby's picture

Its history unfolding as the Audio-Royals go to war.

Trevor_Bartram's picture

Here's how it went. Mikey posted and the website team looked up your credentials on YT etc, took a severe dislike to your kilobuck system and record collection and cancelled you. How childish.

boingboomtschak's picture

I just created an account to tell you I like you more than BoingBoing. Besides, they stole their name from Kraftwerk.

KG_Jag's picture

Welcome to cancel culture--the era of don't discuss & debate; just delete.

SeagoatLeo's picture

Well, I assume that the site moderators refuse to answer me. I think I will have to contact Matt at VPI and ask him why I am denied membership, owner of 2 VPI turntables, cleaning machine and best friends with VPI tables.

dial's picture

I was banned from stereophile too.

randomuser's picture

The moderation at BB has gone through a lot of twists and turns, but where they are at right about now? It's a real blankshow: you are hardly the only one. There is a little cadre of insiders/moderators, and if you don't agree 100% with them, they'll come down on you like a ton of bricks with insults, memes, lectures about how awful you are, etc....all usually taken wildly out of context and using every logical fallacy in the book. If you try to respond in any way that might look them look like fools (and they are) they'll just delete your post. Or ban people in some cases.

If they think they are promoting "civil discourse", they are kidding themselves. It's an echo chamber that's little better than a kids' clubhouse, and if you ain't in it, you'll be bullied like you would not believe (all while pretending THEY are the victims). I've seen lots of this. I try not to read the comment section any more...those people don't want ANY discourse, they want an audience that is unable to respond to their most egregious outbursts.

RandomGuy's picture

It was fucking insane. I've never in my life been called a right wing anything and they were straight up calling me a Nazi.

>if you don't agree 100% with them, they'll come down on you like a ton of bricks with insults, memes, lectures about how awful you are, etc....all usually taken wildly out of context and using every logical fallacy in the book.

This is exactly accurate. My position was: Your average Trump follower is an idiot who is easily lead and many of the people at the jan6th thing actually thought what they were doing was fine. Because this happens to be the narrative they're spinning for the jan6 defendants I'm obviously some kind of Nazi spy. Well anyhow I said over and over whoever the prosecution has selected has no doubt done something and I hope they go to prison. But that's not enough, I suspect my sin was triggering a senior user or mod and they all relentlessly dogpiled me.

Never in my fucking life dude. If I had ever gotten that reaction deliberately trying to get someone's goat I would have thought it was a fucking masterpiece but I was expressing a view with an ever so slight whiff of right wing sympathy and suddenly I'm a fascist apologist.

colossalhop's picture

Whenever he's on, he makes me want to hurl something at the TV, but I have to say that I share his confusion at the fact that (supposedly) more than seven people in the world care a rat's ass about a B-list actress/yacht redactle girl and her dummy spouse.

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