Reviewing and Rating ..

This is not top writing material.. i think it was because people like to discuss and be heard and give their opinions of this establishment

I just read all the top writing. I gave each piece a rating of 100 because the writing was good and deserved a 100 in my opinion. I hope I did not knock anyone from their spot .. I didn't mean to if i did.
I just read a tongue-in-cheek story about knocking people from top writer by rating low.. now you would think if the writing is at the top people are not rating it low , so it must be pretty good.. so to go and deliberatley rate a good poem or stroy low for your own good or just out of spite is so wrong!
I do hope this sort of thing stops .. please, let this Cafe be a haven for all , like it was when i first joined almost a year ago.

Being hateful to others and saying ugly things about them, spreading rumors , how childish is this?
Very! Yet people do it all the time .. why? Drama is for TV .. but of course some of us have it in our lives.. but why carry it here where we come to try and get away from it? Man, my life could be a hit Soap! I am so sorry for so many of my friends on this site who have been victims of black-ball ratings, lies and rumors and spite.. I hope it ends.

I have read some reviews that say some of the people on here kiss a*s and act fake..I want you all to know I mean every word i say.. I was not accused of this , it just struck me that some may think of me as such as i do go on and on about peace and love and how great the writers are.. I MEAN EVERY WORD OF IT. IT AND I AM NOT FAKING IT .. I  do feel love for all , we all do live on the same planet, share the same air .. here there wherever we are connected... And love is easier than hate and being nice is just how i was taught to behave .. and I love you all here, there everywhere.. I said on seeing pictures of Saddam Hussein when he was imprisoned wearing only boxers and looking so awful, sad and defeated.. i said I kind of feel sorry for him and people asked me how could i feel sorry for him.. i thought and i don't  know ... it is just me .. I am glad he was taken out of power and not able to harm anyone again.. So what's wrong with me? He was a monster in so many ways .. well, enough on trying to analyse this .. I just wanted to say a few things ..

I also want everyone who has read anything I wrote that I appreciate it and you.. sometimes lately i can't get around to return the review.. I hope i can get back to each of you who read my last poem i wrote, Chasing and all the other writings you may have reviewed.

So let me say something so cliche .. in the word's of Rodney King..." Why can't we all just get along"? Or was it "Can't we all just get along"? Either or means the same.

Love and respect and peace to all who read this.
 

Author's Note

just wanted to say thanks to all who read my writing and a few other things.. like maybe people thinking my words are not the true me .. words on reviews and in groups and messages and all that and because a friend of mine here has felt the sting of people's crap too many times! and does not deserve it!
And because i am tierd of my friends telling me their rating is knocked down by jealous people or those who want their's to go to top spot .. as for this being top writing it is not worthy.. it is there i think because people want to give their opinions and be heard too .. but no, this is not top writing however
I left the rating open as people need to read this i do think ..really though it is not a
review type of writing. And thank the Lord this went off the top writing .. !!!

Reviews

[Robert Luna]

Finding myself falling victim to this more and more as of lately I am left to wonder way. I have nor would I ever attack someone else's work. I though seem to attract the personal attacks. It especially bothers me when a person speaks all nice about your work and then trashs you in the rating just to knock you down or something. It seems that there are other writers that have their friends or other people attack you to make sure you do not do it to them. I don't really care about the top spot stuff as it just seem to allure more attacks on you. But if it makes someone feel special to knock someone down go ahead. I will not do it to you but just remember Krama is a b***h and when she comes around you will know it for sure. Thanks for writing this as I was in a pissy mood after this just happened to me after you reviewed my piece someone else struck. LOL Oh well

[Albert Freeman]

Where is this drama? Is it on the forums or in groups. I'm realizing I'm the last person to know this stuff has been going on.

[Leah Simone]

read the top writers and the top writing - is worthy of it's rank? Usually not - if top means quality. I wouldn't worry about how you effect someone's score on this site - any writer worth their salt doesn't pay attention to the ratings.

[Yira Simone]

I have not had my poems rated in nearly a year. I must say that it has come in handy around this place. Your piece speaks of only a part of the things wrong with the Cafe. It is pretty low and pathetic when one must sink to tactics such as rating low just to be mean to get a head. Save the drama for your momma! If only those aiming for thee top and even those at the top knew that the stay at the top is only temporary. The worth of work or us a writer CAN NOT be defined by numbers and slots that showcase you like a prize dog...no, it must come from within. People do and say mean things all the time. Like you my dear Chloe, I am sensitive to other's REAL pain and feel deeply for them. There is nothing wrong with that. I feel that this place lacks the self confidence that once overbrimmed the walls of our creativity. It lacks the trust and loyalty as well. And of course it lacks a back up plan in case it loses everybodys work by some chance. I hope that others heed your words and put an end to the madness. Get back to writing! Stop looking at what Joe Blow is doing and do your own damn thing...and maybe when you put more energy into your own work...you might become top dog of this place one day. Great words of wisdom Chloe.-Catrina

[mick weller]

When you begin to commit thoughts to the written word you set yourself up for knocks...
you can't please everybody - you have to be true to yourself

[Raef C. Boylan]

I felt sorry for Saddam too - even though the things he did to his own people and neighbouring people were terrible. Hitler was once a baby and all that...

The issue is with people who rate 100% because its their friends' writing, regardless of quality - and people who block others for NOT rating 100%. The ratings system is rendered pointless because of this.
If a person doesn't want to improve their writing or get constructive criticism, then I think they're posting in the wrong place.

However, deliberately rating - regardless of quality - low is just as wrong, and a petty tactic.

I don't rate.

This piece is in the top writing. What are your thoughts on that?
Generally, cafe-related articles by popular writers get there.

[thecoolone52]

i think its all about self esteem..... and jealousy issues... i mean sometimes i say a few things that are kinda negative but i try and say a positive thing with it.... you know what i mean??? Anyway very nice write anyone on here that does alot of reviews or writes alot of pieces can relate to what your saying...... Very nice write... and odnt worry ill make sure you rating doesnt go down :) :) hehe

[Aries]

I agree with you one hundred percent...hopefully everyone will....Thank you for writing this!

[THE BLACK SEAL]

well Jinx wrote a similar piece and i felt that hers is a bit more technical to the situation so i will go ahead and past the review i gave her in here..

LMAO!!! Yeah you will get a nasty remark, blocked and a bad rating. Then I am going to sick my troupe of juggling clowns to do everything in my power to knock you off that list and get your ratings down. all of this because I don't know nuthin' bout no grammar but it sure is purty impotent to be up thar on that list, and my juggling clowns got way more talent than you. I AM BETTER THAN YOU!! LOL!!!


Post this on the INK group and I will feature it.
This is a great write and it explains a lot.
Hell Gary Anderson and I think the ratings and points thing is bullshit.
I say get rid of it and don't even have a top list.
thx for the write, and yes you are a good writer

I really like sio's review of this one. It stands well in contrast with the feedback given by rain.
Blackbird had an excellent point as well.
I do think that if it is going to be there at all, it should be something to aspire to.
As for the opening up of the Trailer Parks. Well i am afraid that i might have been blamed for that.
You see i unwittingly invited a few people back when i was new to the cafe.
These people were not writers but were friends of mine on MySpace.
I thought they were decent and i was proud of the group i made etc.
Well now we find ourselves in the situation we are in.
I am not saying that this was entirely responsible but it definately did have a detrimental affect on the cafe.
So i apologize to everyone for that, and for the embarrassingly idiotic writing and drama that has since accrued from it.
Thank you for bringing this situation to its proper light.
I just hope everyone reads it and sees the truth all of you have presented on this subject.
Then perhaps, just perhaps we can up the par as Sio would say of the quality of writing on this site, and save ourselves from the see spot run, run spot run crap that is threatening to wash out fine literature, and of course satire...lol

I never thought your reviews were dishonest in anyway, and i will give you a good rating for having the nerve to post this piece.

Some of the other reviewers on here pay lip service to peaceful ideals and notions and yet have no qualms when it comes to firing their cannons first.
this is a fake way to exist.
I personally am going to turn all of my ratings off because it is silly and i have no interest in it.
I would much rather just read and review what i want too.

I am glad all of the childish drama is over with on this site but we do need to remember the faction of the cafe that made this into some huge embarrassingly goofy charade.
remember and do not allow such individuals to stir up the problems in the future.
we are all here to write and be friends but part of living in peace is being on the lookout for trouble and avoiding it.
one way to avoid it woud be to do away with the whole thing altogether and have perhaps charlie just abitrarily choose a weekly list of top twelve writers.
The same writers could not be on the list more than once in an annual time and all of the would get an award for being selected.
This would do away with all of the childish squabbaling and no favoritism should be shown.
that is what i do in my group.
I like to feature a writer of the week and a writing of the week.
I get asked all the time about how to get featured.
Well i just arbitrarily choose someone and i choose some writing i recently read and liked.
I do it impartially as it should be done.
This combined with doing away with ratings and points would cut down on any squabbaling over the top list and it would do away with the influx of non helpful oh you are wonderful reviews.
If we want to give someone oh wonderful reviews perhaps we should elaborate as to exactly what we thought was so wonderful about it. that would make it genuine.
We should be here to learn and grow, and learning the proper use of language in writing is the way to do that.
We should not get all offended if we get a review suggesting improvements.
Such writers will never be able to take the inevitable criticism from professional editors.
I always give a 100% if i like a piece of writing. I even do so if i point out errors and feel it could be done better but otherwise like it. Who the hell is to say that we have to give a 100% anyway though.
I mean literally the rating scale is there for a reason and to just give a 100% all the time as i myself have done in the past is the same as lying. I know we are all friends here but i am under no obligation to give anyone a 100% unless i want to, and the same for everyone else. I mean how do you expect to improve and grow if you lie to one another over silly meaningless ratings?

anyway great write and thank you for posting this.
I recommend that everyone read Jinx's take on this in her top writer writing.

[Forest Green]

Many, such as myself, that put thought and effort into their writing, to whatever degree of quality it might turn out to be, feel some connection to it once we send it out into the reviewing world. I've heard it said that once it leaves the nest a story or poem becomes a child seeking its way through life and that it must find its way sometimes on its own. That might be a little sugary for some but the connection of a writer to their work is not unlike that of a parent to a child. If it finds success we are glad for that...and we ought to be. If someone determines to be an antagonist to the success of that work, then let the games begin. I personally have no misgivings about defending my own work, and I'll damn sure defend the work of someone else, friend or stranger.

There isn't much use denying the emotional bond we have with works of literature...how many books have we all read written by authors long gone...and kept them on the shelf as rare treasures. How much more are those we have created kept safe from the contrariness of agitation.

Thank you for this, a wonderful format to discuss events and issues of late.

Daniel

[Rain]

I will be slammed for this, but I don't know if anyone has noticed our whole world is based on ratings..everything. The school district we picked to raise our kids, rated most diverse, with the newest technology. My lawn mower, rated number one for least consumer complaints (Toro).. We are hypocrites. People who were here ranting against the machine, are now writing music. Let anyone in here get recognized, and be offered a six figure contract, based on market ratings for what's hot. Our number one songs..number one books, number one planes...all chose by people's ratings. Our President..elected by ratings. Yet, we pretend we are above it all. Just live your life. Don't trash people. Accept that ratings are a part of life. If you use them as a weapon, you're sick. As far as feeling sorry for Saddam in his underwear..that picture needed to be placed beside the mother clutching her baby in her arms as the nerve gas sent them into a violent and excruciatingly painful death. I don't have the answer, but I know a hundred things it ain't. Rain..