Feb 25 Forum Contributions results + Newcomer of the Year notes

[Kyng]

Our February 2025 Forum Contributions poll has just closed - and, the results were:

1st place: Shiny Star (Golden Question Mark); 8 votes
2nd place: Cool Cory (Golden Paintbrush); 6 votes
3rd place: slooroo (Golden Question Mark); 5 votes
4th place: Bryn (Golden Gear); 2 votes

Shiny Star has been instrumental in helping the "Morality and Ethics" sub-forum to take off, ever since it was added last summer. Not only has she started some threads that have generated great discussions (for example, "Do you support people/companies who endorse beliefs you don't believe in?", but she also makes thoughtful posts in most of the threads that other people have started in that part of the board. She was first nominated for this award in October 2024 - but, on that occasion, she won the Golden Cross (for Health and Lifestyle contributions) instead. This time, however, her Morality and Ethics contributions have been recognised with a Golden Question Mark!

Cool Cory, on the other hand, has written a series of rather amusing stories, over in the Creative Hub. Some of these are based on his favourite reality TV shows (such as Big Brother and Hunted), in which the contestants get up to all kinds of chaos . More recently, there's been one featuring the Equestria Girls, poking fun at Stelios and his lawsuits. No matter what he writes about, I'm rather amused - and in recognition of his efforts, he has won a Golden Paintbrush!

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Before I finish, however, I'd like to say a couple of words about Newcomer of the Year 2025. Sadly, we ended up not doing this award in 2024, because we just didn't get enough eligible candidates. As a result, I've made a few revisions to the rules for future editions of this award. And I know we're not awarding it again until December 2025... but, I wanted to say something now, and not at the time, so that people don't think I'm just making up the eligibility criteria there and then .

From now on, the eligibility criteria for Newcomer of the Year will be as follows:

1. All members who made their first post on or after 1st November of the previous year, and made at least 50 posts during the current year, are eligible. (For example: in Newcomer of the Year 2023, members whose first post was on or after 1st November 2022, and who made at least 50 posts during 2023, were eligible. This allows members who joined in November or December of the previous year - and thus didn't get much time to contribute during that year - a second bite at the cherry!)
   
   
2. Returning members with a new account are eligible, if their last post on their previous account was at least 5 years before the end of the current year. (For example: for Newcomer of the Year 2025, their last post of the previous account would have to have been on or before 31st December 2020)
   
   
3. Previous winners of Newcomer of the Year are ineligible to win it a second time. (Had Newcomer of the Year 2024 taken place under these rules, slooroo would have been ineligible, even though he joined in November 2023 - because he won it in that year . Likewise, Bryn would have been ineligible as a returning member, because he won it in 2017.)

And now, a one-time-only exception for 2025:

• Anybody who would have been eligible for Newcomer of the Year 2024 had it been awarded, and made at least 50 posts during 2025, will be eligible. This makes up for the fact that the award wasn't handed out at all in 2024.

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Anyway, congratulations once again to our February 2025 Forum Contributions winners. We'll see you again in June 2025 !

[Shiny Star]

Congrats Cory!

I feel honoured to have the Golden Question Mark. I have really enjoyed having conversations in that part of the board and I will continue to do so.

[Jarkko]

DW, sloo, your day will come

In the meantime, congrats to Shiny and CC on their awards. I couldn't vote because I was on my way to Africa.

[J-Ster]

Congratulations, Cool Cory and Shiny Star!

[slooroo]

Congrats to all winners!

[Cool Cory]

A big thank you to everyone who nominated and voted me. And well done to Shiny Star on her award too.

[~ True Legend ~]

Are Kyng and Nilla excluded from such contests?

Also, in past contests I recall that staff members were excluded from these contests, however Shiny Star won an award this time. Have the rules changed?

[Kyng]

Are Kyng and Nilla excluded from such contests?

Also, in past contests I recall that staff members were excluded from these contests, however Shiny Star won an award this time. Have the rules changed?

As I explained in the Member of the Year thread, admins are excluded from these awards, because they're expected to make major contributions to the board as part of their role. (If admins were eligible, and they *didn't* win these awards consistently, it'd be a sign that we'd need new admins!)

Moderators and other staff members, on the other hand, are eligible. On balance, I think it's better to include them, since if we excluded all staff members, we'd be excluding half of the reasonable candidates .

[~ True Legend ~]

Are Kyng and Nilla excluded from such contests?

Also, in past contests I recall that staff members were excluded from these contests, however Shiny Star won an award this time. Have the rules changed?

As I explained in the Member of the Year thread, admins are excluded from these awards, because they're expected to make major contributions to the board as part of their role. (If admins were eligible, and they *didn't* win these awards consistently, it'd be a sign that we'd need new admins!)

Moderators and other staff members, on the other hand, are eligible. On balance, I think it's better to include them, since if we excluded all staff members, we'd be excluding half of the reasonable candidates .

And moderators are volunteers after all

Sorry for making you repeat yourself Kyng my friend - I posted in both threads before you replied to that one