Good TeaDay everyone and welcome to a TeaRoom TeaDay. Please come in and share what is in your cup today.
Yesterday most responders indicated they were expecting tea or teaware this coming week. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.
Today's TeaRoom poll and discussion topic. I am sure members have noticed an increase in TeaChat "infomercial" posts (ie Chai Baby, Fu Dao). At the very least I think everyone has an opinion about them. Are they a boom or a bust for the forum? What is your opinion? Please share.
I am looking forward to sharing TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up.
Jun 7th, '09, 00:53
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
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Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Jun 7th, '09, 05:49
Posts: 1777
Joined: Jun 4th, '08, 19:41
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Location: Stockport, England
Contact:
Herb_Master
I find it difficult to vote on this one, because amongst all the dross, you may occasionally get a nugget.
I find the one dimensional offer of information, which frequently seems pointlessly out of the blue mildly interesting and mildly frustrating. Then when I click the www link and find out what their game is I am more than mildly annoyed. Should I immediately post a loud SPAM warning, which may point others in the direction of this free advertising (which may itself be doing the Spammers job for them), or should I settle for a quiet PM to Chip?
Then in advance of the Artisans sub forum, one or 2 posters caught my eye that may be falling into the Spammers camp, well now they are happily esconced in our new sub forum and I have done business with 2 of the forum members
I suppose given Adagios raison d'etre, it would be outrageous to hope for a tea maker's forum
But it would be nice to get access to the full detail of how a tea was made.
I think I will continue my present approach and leave all the difficult decision making to Chip!
BUT
I really love it, when a fellow poster points out ERRORS in the info-mercial!
I find the one dimensional offer of information, which frequently seems pointlessly out of the blue mildly interesting and mildly frustrating. Then when I click the www link and find out what their game is I am more than mildly annoyed. Should I immediately post a loud SPAM warning, which may point others in the direction of this free advertising (which may itself be doing the Spammers job for them), or should I settle for a quiet PM to Chip?
Then in advance of the Artisans sub forum, one or 2 posters caught my eye that may be falling into the Spammers camp, well now they are happily esconced in our new sub forum and I have done business with 2 of the forum members
I suppose given Adagios raison d'etre, it would be outrageous to hope for a tea maker's forum
But it would be nice to get access to the full detail of how a tea was made.I think I will continue my present approach and leave all the difficult decision making to Chip!
BUT
I really love it, when a fellow poster points out ERRORS in the info-mercial!
Oooh, tea on an open fire... well, not open fire. but fire nonetheless!
As for the infomercials, they definitely strike me as one dimensional. There's never any interaction, the information is given as though authoritative, and as people have already noted, there's often issues with some of the veracity.
But I don't go to those posters' sites. So... whatever.
I'm picking up with the 1970s oolong I started yesterday from Nadacha. Wow, this stuff is pretty amazing. I think it's the oldest aged oolong I've ever had, and somehow it seems to combine the carmely goodness of roasted oolong flavor with the camphor-wow factor of aged pu'erh. Wow!
As for the infomercials, they definitely strike me as one dimensional. There's never any interaction, the information is given as though authoritative, and as people have already noted, there's often issues with some of the veracity.
But I don't go to those posters' sites. So... whatever.
I'm picking up with the 1970s oolong I started yesterday from Nadacha. Wow, this stuff is pretty amazing. I think it's the oldest aged oolong I've ever had, and somehow it seems to combine the carmely goodness of roasted oolong flavor with the camphor-wow factor of aged pu'erh. Wow!
I generally ignore the posts, but for a different reason--
--most of the adverts are for Asian teaware, green teas, etc.
I'm not a fan, generally speaking, of either, so I just skim over them without comment. Most people on the board ARE Asian teaware/green tea fans, and I assume they may find the occasional "nugget," as the Herb_Master says.
Now, an advert for black teas, tea books, silver, western-styled teaware, tea rooms, etc, might just get my attention.
No tea yet in my mug...it's very sad. Must head to the kitchen.
--most of the adverts are for Asian teaware, green teas, etc.
I'm not a fan, generally speaking, of either, so I just skim over them without comment. Most people on the board ARE Asian teaware/green tea fans, and I assume they may find the occasional "nugget," as the Herb_Master says.
Now, an advert for black teas, tea books, silver, western-styled teaware, tea rooms, etc, might just get my attention.
No tea yet in my mug...it's very sad. Must head to the kitchen.
Although my neighbors are all barbarians,
And you, you are a thousand miles away,
There are always two cups on my table.
--Tang Dynasty
And you, you are a thousand miles away,
There are always two cups on my table.
--Tang Dynasty
I admit I have been a bit irritated by them (sans anything in the Artisans forum as it it expected to be at least mildly commercially). It is rather nice to think of this chat as a huge group of folks sitting around having tea and friendly discussions. So, I expect there to be questions and answers, folks sharing experiences, giving opinions. But, the infomercial-style post is like someone standing up and having a monologue at the ceiling about nothing anyone was talking about.
So, if you are autistic and doing this - fine, I understand that this is how you communicate. If you are NOT autistic, please take it elsewhere and try actually joining in and engaging with this fabulous group!
In my cup (at my parents' house): Ceylon Sonata
So, if you are autistic and doing this - fine, I understand that this is how you communicate. If you are NOT autistic, please take it elsewhere and try actually joining in and engaging with this fabulous group!
In my cup (at my parents' house): Ceylon Sonata
My knee-jerk reaction is always annoyance. I don't mind so much to learn about new vendors and what they have to offer, and if this forum weren't already sponsored by Adagio, I'd love to see a subforum for tea vendors where useful and informative announcements on harvests, new products, sales, etc. could be posted... but that might be more generosity than Adagio is willing to sponsor, and I don't blame them.
What I do mind is a forum newbie arriving and proceeding to enlighten our members with ridiculous, error-filled knowledge and slimy marketing tactics. Our experienced members will be annoyed and probably ignore most of it, but our members who are new to tea can be more easily confused or led astray by such things. And for that reason, I appreciate when these spam posts receive some kind of public, official response (and removal of links)... as an alert to those who may not have realized it was an advert.
Balasun SFTGFOP1 2009 in my cup, mmmmmmmm. Magically delicious.
Sarah
What I do mind is a forum newbie arriving and proceeding to enlighten our members with ridiculous, error-filled knowledge and slimy marketing tactics. Our experienced members will be annoyed and probably ignore most of it, but our members who are new to tea can be more easily confused or led astray by such things. And for that reason, I appreciate when these spam posts receive some kind of public, official response (and removal of links)... as an alert to those who may not have realized it was an advert.
Balasun SFTGFOP1 2009 in my cup, mmmmmmmm. Magically delicious.
Sarah
***This organic blend is earthy & spicy, with a fragrant aroma & smooth flavor to captivate the senses. Naturally sweetened in the Kentucky sunshine & infused with natural energy. Equally delicious when served piping hot or crisply chilled.***
Jun 7th, '09, 09:39
Posts: 1483
Joined: Mar 19th, '06, 12:42
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Location: On the couch
Contact:
Proinsias
My mum has just picked up my daughter to take her out to the swimming and is dropping her at the in-laws afterwards to stay the night. I'm free today, with a long lie token for monday morning!
Some kiri-no-mori to start the day
Oh and if you want to enlighten us with your wisdom but aren't too keen on discussion then go get a blog and don't hang around a discussion board.
Some kiri-no-mori to start the day
Oh and if you want to enlighten us with your wisdom but aren't too keen on discussion then go get a blog and don't hang around a discussion board.
Last edited by Proinsias on Jun 7th, '09, 09:40, edited 1 time in total.
The spam posts make me laugh. It is clearly obvious and self-promoting. I do like their casual effort at disguising their intent. But if their product stands so be it, but it usually doesn't. ( I am not condoning it, but as long as they follow the rules...)
"You want the taste of dried leaves in boiled water?"
"Er, yes. With milk."
"Squirted out of a cow?"
"Well, in a manner of speaking I suppose ..."
"Er, yes. With milk."
"Squirted out of a cow?"
"Well, in a manner of speaking I suppose ..."
Jun 7th, '09, 10:16
Posts: 342
Joined: Jul 30th, '08, 02:24
Location: Cambridge, MA
Contact:
xuancheng
I can't wait! could you take more pictures of the fire containment apparatus please?brandon wrote:...
Drank a "1980s Xiaguan Baoyan Shu mushroom tuo" I thought they didn't bring back the Baoyan brand again until the 90s. It was very nice, though.
Also tried an 04 brick and 05 mushroom tuo, sheng, also Xiaguan Baoyan (holyflame/tibetan flame) that I just bought.
Can the Spam.
Pretty easy to tell the spammers from the rest. They have no right peddling their wares here. Business folk with legit interest in discussion forums end up posting their 'sales' and product info in a special section of the forum; they are encouraged to interact without hawking their wares in other portions of the forum to show respect for management, mutual topical interest, share knowledge and build trust for their intent as contributors - in other words, they are here first as members and second as business people.
This separation of posting intent has become SOP in most online discussion forums where there are retail products intrinsic to hobby interests.
Estate Ceylon in my cup. Unseasonably cool and wet weather here.
This separation of posting intent has become SOP in most online discussion forums where there are retail products intrinsic to hobby interests.
Estate Ceylon in my cup. Unseasonably cool and wet weather here.