You Are Here

If you have planing to travel South Africa then three star Parliament Hotels is one of the best hotels in Cape Town, South Africa. This is very affordable accommodations hotel in South Africa, you will definitely save lots of money by visiting this hotels. I wish you happy journey.

you mean that answer... that is 100% spam

Willeke

1:07 PM

Indeed that is the one.

So, spam is spam and not appreciated, I should have known.

Dirty-flow

the flag description says: This answer is effectively an advertisement with no disclosure. It is not useful or relevant, but promotional.

Willeke

I had overlooked the 'flag' so far, now I used it I think I like the set-up of it.

I have to admit that at times commercial sites are the only answers to some questions. Not that often in travel, but I have seen it before now.

Thanks

Dirty-flow

you're welcome

Willeke

Bye

JoErNanO

1:24 PM

@Willeke You might be interested in this meta question:

9

Q: Advertising that's not spam ...

So, a new user securoseal has answered a bunch of baggage security related questions. The answers all cast doubt on normal security measures and recommend their product: Securoseal. None of the answers are really bad and they've clearly put work into it so it's not just spam. But they are heavi...

Willeke

2:13 PM

Thanks JOErNanO, that is something useful, even though all samples in the Q are gone.

Gayot Fow

2:29 PM

When is MeNoKill coming back from sabatical? I thought that was all done?

JoErNanO

2:40 PM

@Willeke I think the guidelines you should follow are those set by the SE rules.

travel.stackexchange.com/help/promotion

travel.stackexchange.com/help/behavior

Both from the TSE help centre.

Willeke

reading

JoErNanO

:)

@GayotFow I truly have no idea. It shouldn't be long though.

Willeke

Good links. I do not have a fear to become a spammer, but I am fast with report/flag fingers, due to long need. So best know where the limits are.

JoErNanO

Spammers should be stopped immediately. You can never be too fast when flagging for spam. ;)

Some posts are clearly spam, such as those promoting something that has nothing to do with the site, or with the question. Others hire the link behind some seemingly meaningful text like good answer man very useful.

Others are kinda borderline. But when a user registers with the sole intent of advertising their product, whether it is done by disclosing their affiliation or not, you can safely assume they won't be contributing to the site. Hence they too fit in the spammer category, as per the linked SE rules.

When in doubt, flag for moderation attention and specify what you think is wrong.

An example similar flag I have raised not so long ago would be:

Although this is not spam as per SE rules, the user clearly registered with the sole purpose of advertising their product.

.

Willeke

2:56 PM

Will do. I have been the mod hoping for help too often, I know that some cases need a sharp eyed user rather than a busy mod.

JoErNanO

True. When in doubt, downvote and flag for mod attention. The downvote will act as an indirect flag placing the post in the low quality post queue. From which it will be necessary to reach consensus before it gets deleted. Hence you'll be delegating to other users, rather than busy mods. ;)

Willeke

I take it that all (or almost all) mods and active users of TSE are volunteers, often combining with real life. (Not sure if there are any paid staff involved.)

Relaxed

@JoErNanO @GayotFow In two days

Valuable promotional posts are exceedingly rare

Gayot Fow

@Relaxed Thanks.

Relaxed

There are a few people who have some declared conflict of interest and know how to deal with it and once in a while you see another one

But most of the spam is just dumb

Willeke

3:02 PM

One of the answers I read, this week, mentioned working for, or having worked for, the company the A was about.

Gayot Fow

There was a flight from Dubai to Dallas last night that got diverted into Moscow!

Willeke

Which I think is a fair warning

That is quite a bit out of the way, and what a nightmare for visa.

Gayot Fow

And nobody knows what's going on

Relaxed

@Willeke There is some staff, including community managers

88

Q: Who are the Community Managers, and what do they do?

Who are the Community Managers? What do they do? What is their relationship to the "Community" user? Return to FAQ index

support faq stackexchange moderators community-managers

But not specifically for the travel website, for the whole Stackexchange universe

Willeke

It would be very expensive to have staff for each section, specially as most are not big.

Relaxed

3:04 PM

The rest of the staff are developers, engineers, designers, etc. and do not routinely interact with users in their capacity I think

JoErNanO

@Willeke You can identify moderators because their nickname is followed by a rhombus. On TSE mods are @mindcorrosive @AnkurBanerjee and @RoflcoptrException You can also find them here: travel.stackexchange.com/users?tab=moderators

Some other network-wide users with a rhombus are SE employees. They usually say so in their profile description.

See Laura from TSE: travel.stackexchange.com/users/489/laura

Willeke

Thanks, that is helpful.

JoErNanO

See this help page for more info on moderators: travel.stackexchange.com/help/site-moderators

Willeke

I am getting an overload, so thanks but this is enough for now.

JoErNanO

:D:D

I have just one more page for you: blog.stackoverflow.com/2009/05/a-theory-of-moderation

A theory of moderation.

Willeke

3:10 PM

I opened it, but leave it for a later time. Might need dinner first (5 PM here, dinner is usually 6 PM for me.)

Relaxed

It's 5 pm here too but dinner is definitely not at 6 ;-)

JoErNanO

@Relaxed This is somewhat useful promotion: travel.stackexchange.com/a/42728/22140

Even though I will now flag it because the guy came here only for this.

Relaxed

Yes, seems useful

Maybe I just remember the bad apples

JoErNanO

We all do.

But that OP should mention their affiliation.

Relaxed

Confirmation bias, negativity bias…

I think there is also a tendency to better remember or process information that's congruent with your current mood but I can't remember the name of that one

ah yes, mood-congruent memory bias!

Gayot Fow

3:33 PM

this is an optimized walking tour of Manhattan...

huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/10/…

The guy used a Python program to do the calculations

I did something like this for several private clients using C#

It's not hard, but the algorithm can be tediously long

JoErNanO

@GayotFow The code is actually quite clean: nbviewer.ipython.org/github/rhiever/…

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO was that what he used for the NYC walking tour?

JoErNanO

Yup.

Same algorithm. The article says.

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO I'm sure I could do better on the NYC tour. :)

Willeke

@GayotFow do you have personal (walking) knowledge of the NYC? If so, you will always do better than a computer.

Gayot Fow

3:45 PM

@Willeke Well yes, I'm a native.

But I did a tour for a fellow who likes to run in the morning

when he is on business

Willeke

Even when you use a computer/satnav, you will give it details a program can not.

Gayot Fow

This was one for London and one for Paris and one for Seoul.

Willeke

Like including that one street/bit of path with a good view

I think being human you will always try to select what is working, but being native you will be best.

Gayot Fow

In the NYC article, the program has him doubling back on 6th Ave

Relaxed

Does it factor no-go zones in Paris?

:-D

JoErNanO

3:48 PM

Or was it Birmingham?

Relaxed

No, Birmingham is easy, it's the entire city

Gayot Fow

@Relaxed lol, since he was running... no matter

Willeke

I have been around Montmartre Paris with someone who runs there every morning in good weather. (And he lives in what might be an iffy area if I read the posts about Paris right.)

Just south of Pigalle Metro station

Gayot Fow

@Willeke Yes, I didn't appreciate what the OP did on that question

Relaxed

Is Pigalle still a thing in this day and age?

Gayot Fow

3:50 PM

She went chameleon!

Willeke

No open sex trade, but still a few iffy shops left.

Gayot Fow

Very bad manners when somebody does that.

Willeke

I was in company of two men, (being female myself)

But I am used to Amsterdam, including red light district, so not easily shocked.

Gayot Fow

Pigalle is still on people's bucket list

@Relaxed Like a must do. The Chinese swarm all over it

Relaxed

On a related note, I have been wondering if there is really any “business” going on in De Wallen, there are so many tourists there

Willeke

3:53 PM

There is. I met some of the women when on their break in a safe house, that was years ago but I now enough to recognize the signs

Funny thing was that our church brought us, group of teens, to the meeting. As part of a church related outing

Relaxed

Thinking about it, there must be, otherwise nobody would be standing there in the windows I guess

Well, that's certainly interesting for a church outing…

Gayot Fow

What year?

Willeke

Very enlightening, meeting the people volunteering to help the women, and not just the well paid ones that you might see interviews in the magazines but also the ones that just make enough money for survival.

I think it was late 1980's, early 90's latest

The area has been cleaned up a lot since, with a lot of bad people being forced out.

But there is enough iffy still going on, with trafficed women who can not admit the fact out of fear for the people back home.

JoErNanO

4:27 PM

It's full of brits organising stag parties in the red light district. So there must be some business. :)

chx

travel.stackexchange.com/questions/46396/… i think this should be closed but I can't find a good category

it's... "too specific" and SO has it but travel doesn't

Gayot Fow

@chx Too specific

Willeke

I agree, not many people who read this will have the same list points.

Gayot Fow

Tour d'Argent makes the world's most romantic restaurant list

latourdargent.com

Willeke

Not just Brits doing stag parties, but they are out in force most weekends.

JoErNanO

4:34 PM

@GayotFow Let's discuss the prices.

Relaxed

@chx I think it's still OK to close for that reason, we discussed it before

JoErNanO

:D

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO It's bloody expensive there

JoErNanO

@Relaxed Should then maybe be added to the close reasons list.

Relaxed

We only have a limited number of pre-filled reasons but you can write something down under “off-topic”

Not ideal but it could work

JoErNanO

4:34 PM

72EUR for snails man. Snails.

Relaxed

@JoErNanO Adding we can't do, the number of spots is limited

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO Don't do snails

they don't go with duck :)

Relaxed

This WANTA thing is our “too narrow”

JoErNanO

140EUR ducklings.

Ah did not know spaces are limited.

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO Should save up about EUR 1k and go once

JoErNanO

4:36 PM

@chx @Relaxed Done. What do you think?

Gayot Fow

Romantic to die for

Relaxed

I think its business is based entirely on name recognition and conspicuous consumption

It's not even that well rated as far as the food goes

JoErNanO

34EUR for a pear.

Relaxed

If/when I put €1k on food, it won't be there

Gayot Fow

Last time I went it was on expenses. You can try it that way

JoErNanO

4:38 PM

@chx Don't be afraid to voice your opinion with close votes. Remember you always need consensus for a question to be closed.

Willeke

Romantic depends mostly on the company you are in, not that much on the restaurant itself.

JoErNanO

@Willeke Sounds about right! :)

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO I retracted my up vote and added a close vote

Willeke

My most 'romantic' meal in Paris last time was a cheap picnic lunch on a cay of the river, not one in any of the restaurants, charming as those were

JoErNanO

@GayotFow Now that's just plain evil. :P

Gayot Fow

4:39 PM

I also recommend the Grand Vefour

chx

Hrm, I am not sure I saw this too specific before

Gayot Fow

But I'm glad to see the Tour d'Argent get some recognition.

chx

Surely I've missed it.

But I wanted to use it before.

Relaxed

That was also the reason behind the “We are not a travel agent” discussion

JoErNanO

@chx Sorry man I stole your thunder. :)

Relaxed

4:40 PM

It's one of the basic principles of SE

chx

@JoErNanO not at all

Ah so you can an other add a comment

Relaxed

At least that's how I see it

chx

and then it appears as a new reason to close?

JoErNanO

@chx Yes the last reason is other and forces you to add a comment.

Relaxed

If you choose the generic “off-topic” reason then you can write whatever you want

chx

4:42 PM

That I knew but I didn't realize others can vote on that

As a close vote.

can we do the same with travel.stackexchange.com/questions/35956/… ?

Willeke

I missed this restaurant, as we had Duck several times and only Duck on the menu did limit its appeal, but it might be more romantic than something very expensive: resto-lepetitcanard.com

chx

/me goes on a specific hunt

travel.stackexchange.com/questions/39198/… as well?

Relaxed

Doesn't La Tour d'Argent also serve a canard à la presse ?

Gayot Fow

Tour d'Argent is a romantic gift to your partner

@Relaxed yes, any kind of duck

Willeke

I hope to be back in that part of Paris next year or so, visiting the same friend we (my boyfriend and I) stayed with this time.

JoErNanO

4:44 PM

@Willeke I'll try that restaurant and I'll come back to you with comments. :)

@chx Vote and see what the community thinks.

Willeke

Maybe I should ask Antoine, the friend there, but more opinions are always good. He has been to most restaurants within walking distance and this one is almost nearest his flat.

Relaxed

@GayotFow Actually, La Tour d'Argent used to have a much bigger recognition, I think

Gayot Fow

@Relaxed Yeah, it was starred for decades.

Relaxed

I need to do my taxes and I do not feel like it :-(

Willeke

Mmmm, starred, that means so expensive that you do not want to eat there.

Relaxed

4:48 PM

Well, that's the thing, they are even more expensive than a 3-star restaurant now

Willeke

@Relaxed do you want a kick from us, or do you want us to keep distracting you?

Relaxed

Well, I think I will go cook dinner instead

Willeke

Good escape

Relaxed

So you can keep distracting me, I won't listen ;-)

Gayot Fow

If you want an overpriced Paris restaurant,

it would be Maxims

near Place Concorde

Relaxed

4:50 PM

ah, a new strike in Germany

and they make fun of France…

JoErNanO

@Relaxed Everybody makes fun of France. :P

You guys are simply on the wrong side of the Alps. It's not even your fault.

:)

Gayot Fow

I like France

Willeke

My boyfriend has been in France twice this year, about 9 days total, was hit by two strikes. Pretty high results. (I was there as often and long, only one strike.)

I still like France.

Relaxed

I did not realise a strike is something that can hit you!

Willeke

If you are expecting to enter a port and your ferry has to move to a next one, farther from where you need to drive to, I would say you are hit by one.

Same as the museum you want to visit is not open

But that was less of a loss. I do not like the Louvre.

But it did mean I did not get to Versailles, again. So, yes, it was a hit.

Gayot Fow

4:58 PM

There's some wonderful restaurants in the Ardeche. Bloody hard to get to though

The most romantic list also has Locanda Cipriani.

I bet Americans will be swarming it and Tour d'Argent for their appearances on the list

Willeke

I have been to meetings, one a year, on the French coast. All the way from Dunkirk to Collioure, never had a bad dinner yet.

Maybe a bad dinner, but never a bad restaurant.

Gayot Fow

which coast

Willeke

I guess it is 10 years now.

Mostly west coast, Dunkirk to Rochefort, but once on the south coast.

French coasts

Gayot Fow

but not through Sangatte I hope

Willeke

No, not Sangatte, (I guess that is the location people wait to go to the UK)

I mostly have to travel through Paris, but keep finding different ways to avoiding that. (Or stop longer, as 2 days between trains are better than 2 hours.)

Gayot Fow

5:11 PM

did you try stopping at Arques?

Willeke

No, I approached Collioure from Barcelona, with my BF in a rented car. He drives, I do not.

And I do not remember it from my InterRail days, so I guess I did not visit it then either.

Mostly I travel by train or with a Dutch friend in his car, but I never exclude travel options.

Can I post accounts here for keeping an eye on (spam wise) or should I not, (calling out and such things)?

One guy posted three posts, travel products in each, but no clear spam links (yet)

Gayot Fow

Post a link to the question or answer

Willeke

0

A: Do hostels provide toiletries?

Rarely but you cant typically rent them for a fee but most often they are pretty gross. I bought this microfiber travel towel from TravelMore and have used it for hte last few years and it is amazing. Can even dry when it is in my backpack and never smells like normal towels. Highly recommend it...

Gayot Fow

yes

flag all of them

Willeke

thanks

I see you already flagged them. Is it useful for me to do it as well?

Gayot Fow

5:23 PM

yes, of course

don't rely upon others --- flag and vote :)

Willeke

You can see I am new here, trying to learn how the site actually works

Voting, no problem, flagging is different here to what I am used ot.

JoErNanO

@Willeke the more the flags the faster the post will enter the low quality queue and be up for deletion. So don't be afraid to reiterate flags and votes. ;)

Gayot Fow

flag it up, down vote, and then tell the sod about it :)

JoErNanO

@Willeke You'll also notice that flagging as spam automatically adds a downvote. However you can add another one on top (I think this is the only case in which you're allowed to vote twice on a post).

Don't be afraid to pound on the spammers.

Willeke

That is good to knoe

JoErNanO

5:32 PM

@GayotFow if I had 1k spare I'd go travelling.

:)

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO Lots of people would

JoErNanO

@Willeke final note about downvoting: once the posts are deleted you get the reputation back.

Willeke

I noticed that

JoErNanO

You've noticed you lose 1 point of reputation for each down vote right?

Ok good I'm done then. :)

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO sometimes you have to give yourself or your partner a treat

Willeke

5:38 PM

Yes, makes you think about down voting when you are new and points are important. But once I got the 100 bonus points stopped being that important

Gayot Fow

and slumming it just won't do.

Don't down vote if it's a well intended question or answer

Willeke

Sometimes a day out that costs nothing can be more valuable than a dinner in an expensive restaurant, time and attention being the right things

@GayotFow I try to do that, or should I say not do that. But I do have a few down votes against me where I was asked to put the comment into an answer.

JoErNanO

@GayotFow I get you of course.

Gayot Fow

Sometimes we go to Southend-on-Sea for fish and chips :)

JoErNanO

@Willeke No point in attempting to reverse engineer people's down voting patterns. Pick a method and stick to it. :)

Willeke

5:42 PM

I am free with up-votes, but will down vote more easily than you, I guess

Gayot Fow

I have been trying to max out my votes for about a week now

JoErNanO

@GayotFow is of the positive kind. Me I don't spare down votes if the post is crap.

Willeke

I try to go for/against lack of quality rather than not agreeing, but at times it is hard to keep opinion out.

JoErNanO

That's the right approach IMHO.

Willeke

And if you get a vote up and one down, you are still 8 rep up, so down do not hurt as hard

JoErNanO

5:44 PM

Note you can actually see how many votes people have casted on their profile. Just to check if @GayotFow is lying about maxing out his votes on a daily basis. :P

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO It's the problem that I cannot max out

Not enough stuff to vote on

Willeke

How many can you cast per day, you personally I mean

(it might go up with more rep)

Gayot Fow

50

so 40 yesterday and 10 today

with 30 more to go for today

Willeke

Not that much, but there are not that many Q and A here either. Not what I am used for at Y!A

I used to answer 10 questions about the Netherlands alone in the good old times.

Now I am happy to answer 10 over all travel categories there, fewer here still.

JoErNanO

You can always dig up old questions and answers.

Like our world famous squat toilet one.

Gayot Fow

5:47 PM

@JoErNanO booooring

JoErNanO

:D

Willeke

I do not feel the need to give more answers if there is already a good answer.

Squat toilets, I miss them these days. Not always clean but better than dirty sit down ones.

JoErNanO

@GayotFow Go look on people's profiles to check for interesting valid contributions.

Willeke

(Used to travel France back in the 80's)

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO where???

JoErNanO

5:49 PM

Pick a user at random and look at their questions/answers.

Willeke

I would go to one big Q, pick a good answer there and try follow that user

We (group of friends in Y!A) used to call that the thumb up fairy.

Might edge that user across a threshold, like the first silver badge or first gold badge

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO you mean serial upvote somebody?

Relaxed

There are still some I think (squat toilets)

Willeke

I found that famous Q, love it.

Last one I found was in a road stop, a small one. France that is. Japan they were common

Relaxed

Basically on the stops without a shop, because they don't clean them often

JoErNanO

6:00 PM

@GayotFow no just use high voted questions as a starting point.

Relaxed

Is there a British equivalent for the US “super” (in the sense of the French “concierge”)?

Willeke

If not now, there used to be, should still be for some very expensive London apartment blocks

Gayot Fow

@Relaxed In apartment buildings they call the 'super' the 'porter'

JoErNanO

porter is the word

Relaxed

Thanks

Gayot Fow

6:08 PM

For UK only. In the US, it's definitely 'super'

Willeke

6:20 PM

I am on an other chat with some people in the UK and they would use Concierge as porter and doorman (other option) are different.

For a block of flats, Caretaker is the word (they say.)

Unless it is a very expensive block, in which case Concierge is the word (again)

Relaxed

Yeah, concierge has different connotations in English

That part I was aware of

caretaker sounds right as well

Willeke

6:38 PM

I guess the difference is that Caretaker is mostly behind the screens, concierge is sitting at a desk in the hall when not actually working.

Gayot Fow

6:49 PM

@Willeke Depends upon what your definition of 'super' is in US English

Willeke

@GayotFow I only posted what my English friends said, neither of whom are familiar with America, the Americans on the same chat, who did not chime in, are not familiar with the English way of life, happens with people who are not rich enough to life on two continents.

Willeke

7:19 PM

I could not resist, I had to add to the famous squat question

JoErNanO

@Willeke Good job.

Willeke

thanks

I am getting a warning for the number of votes still left, ;)

JoErNanO

7:42 PM

I means you're doing the right thing. And that you're beating @GayotFow.

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO I'm out of votes

Willeke

I am going for getting out of votes before going to bed, and as I have an other huge Q, it will not be hard.

JoErNanO

@GayotFow you win then. :)

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO I get another few in 4 hours

Plus I d/v one that I won't get back

Willeke

Daily limit reached

I just saw activity by IKeelYou.

Gayot Fow

7:56 PM

@JoErNanO Add a picture of pasta and win the prize for today!

Willeke

Just saw a good answer, the up vote will have to wait till tomorrow :D

JoErNanO

@GayotFow Is this one OK: google.fr/… ?

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO includes the cutlery

JoErNanO

I'm hungry now.

@GayotFow Here just for you.

1

Q: How am I supposed to combine items from Italian restaurant menus?

I'm from the Netherlands, where we would typically have an appetizer (soup or something else) and a main dish (usually some kind of meat, served with fries and vegetables), and when that is finished, optionally a dessert. Now in Italy, menus have antipasti, primi, secondi, contorni, ... I know t...

italy local-customs restaurants local-cuisine

Gayot Fow

8:13 PM

@JoErNanO It's a winner! Wait 4 hours for my votes.

JoErNanO

I told you to write those rules down. :)

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO so many crap questions, yours is the first opportunity to win

@JoErNanO What are the rules?

JoErNanO

The rules for the competition, man.

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO Either public domain or fair use

Must be thematic!

Willeke

Bedtime for me. (Work starts at 7, which is too soon) I might drop in soon as I did really enjoy the conversation today.

Gayot Fow

8:19 PM

Must capture the essence

Willeke

In the past I have used my own photos on a website, after first posting it online with a public domain label.

Good night all

JoErNanO

@Willeke Good night!

Gayot Fow

So you showed pasta course and main course

captured the essence

thematic quality

it gives me great cheer

Bernhard

8:56 PM

@JoErNanO This was in Delft, acoustics department of the university. I think it is about twice as large as the one you showed. I did a project in my first year in the same department, in a different, smaller "silent room". It is pretty awesome, more than you expect actually

JoErNanO

9:17 PM

@Bernhard Cool. Do you have any reports of your experience?

@GayotFow Always a pleasure to cheer you up, my man. :)

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO Can you write up the rules?

JoErNanO

10:00 PM

@GayotFow I don't know the rules. You know the rules. :)

Or we could let @MarkMayo write them since he's the competition guy. :)

I'll give it a shot this week.

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO Excellent, give it your best shot!

You must know what they are if you won one

Relaxed

10:17 PM

@Bernhard I actually had an opportunity to visit the one in Delft but I did not do it :-(

chx

@MarkMayo I think you are about to win the April answerathon...

I need to leave. Sigh.

Ankur Banerjee

11:02 PM

@Willeke Ping me the suspected spam post or flag it, and one of the mods will take a look.

@Relaxed You are absolutely right, that your answer on the flight question doesn't make sense when merged. In hindsight I shouldn't have, and gone through the mod queue slower - I just looked at the question and the flagged dupe for merge. I'd also undo the merge if I could (yes I saw the flag), but there's no system to unmerge at the moment. So, my apologies. :(

Transcript for