Anne Romney Hasn't Worked A Day in Her Life

[FBM]

Oh great idea, moderators making light hearted comments in tone and format that are indistinguishable from a formal caution delivered in seriousness. When can we expect the next cry of "Wolf!"?

Dunno. Maybe the next time you post on this topic? The topic that the real subject of the reminder, JoN, took as it was intended and laughed off?

[Ronja]

Seraph, you have not yet raised one concern that was not raised during the staff discussion. We just decided to play it safe, this time (cover our asses, if you prefer to put it that way): jokes can be and have been used as disguises for personal attacks. And the wording "your post could be taken as..." was deliberate, to show our awareness of that the post may well have been a bona fide joke. We usually use the wording "your post contains..." or something similar when the personal attack is clear.

You may also have noticed that we were content with Bella's quick and unofficial "knock it off" for another of Jesus' joke insults. Had Jesus been addressing or mentioning a veteran member instead of a newbie, none of us would probably have reacted at all, like we often haven't before: for examples check this, this and this (and no, those posts have neither been reported nor discussed by the staff, but I know at least I have seen them soon after they were posted and just made a mental note of "aha, it's Jesus again ").

The rules have not changed, neither has their interpretation.

[Hermit]

Marvellous. Another forum with moderators that fuck up and deny having done so while furiously backpedalling.

[Ronja]

If you cannot imagine/believe a group of people reasoning the way I described that we did, I can't help you.

[FBM]

Marvellous. Another forum with moderators that fuck up and deny having done so while furiously backpedalling.

My apologies for not sufficiently acknowledging my error in omitting the subject of my second sentence of my reply to JoN. Would you like me to resign, even though it was a personal post rather than a mod one? I'm willing to take full responsibility. It was my post, albeit it a personal one, not as a mod. My grammatical errors have caused problems for me in the past. This wouldn't be the first time.

[Pappa]

Seraph, while Jesus's post was obviously an attempt at a joke, there was a very good chance it wouldn't be taken that way by Seth, who could easily have regarded it as being a personal attack even if the post in general was mostly a joke. There was some disagreement among the staff over whether to post a reminder or not, several thought it was unnecessary as the joke was clear enough. I think it's fair to say the reminder was posted just to be on the safe side. We do have a clear policy that personal attacks that are clearly in jest are not against the rules, specifically ones that are or should be understood to be jest by both parties. There was just enough ambiguity to make the staff decide on a reminder just in case. It's not a bit deal, as it is simply a reminder of the rules.

[Ronja]

Anyway, there was something else I wanted to post in this thread: an acknowledgement of discomfort to a fellow rat, even though it was unintentional on my part.

Coito, I did not intend to insult you as a person. I did intend to criticize your posting behavior, and that is why I chose a wording that emphasized how I feel/react when confronted with a thread where one person's posts strongly dominate. Furthermore, my reaction is not limited to threads where you post - also others have dominated threads here, and I dislike (or get bored by) that in a thread that I expected to be a discussion.

I made a mistake when I posted while still acutely irritated/annoyed. I should have cooled off first, and double-checked my wording so it would have been much clearer and calmer. For that being hasty I do apologize.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Marvellous. Another forum with moderators that fuck up and deny having done so while furiously backpedalling.

I think they're being nicely open, myself. You should come visit the guitar forum I attend if you want to see obscurantist moderation practiced by assholes who think that their italicized screen-names give them carte-blanche to quash anything they see fit. I took a week ban for pointing out a mod's hypocrisy on this sort of thing in a PM. Objections voiced publicly as you're doing here would not have made it past the first moderator's reply.

I think the staff here have been pretty open in explaining the process. I'm glad to learn that staff discussion happens before warnings are meted out, too.

[Jesus_of_Nazareth]

Whilst I am touched by the consideration given to the words of Jesus.....Please bear in mind that is likely far more than I ever give to writing 'em. very likely .

If Mods want to zap me posts or even smack me bum (wahoo!) then I don't take stuff like that personally and I certainly won't be one of those (no names ) who will be banging on about the slightest thing (real and imagined) for 27 posts. So please feel free to do whatever is easiest - I respect the lazy . I have no complaints about the Mods here, a shitty job.

Having said that, probably wise for the Mods to cover there arses in the presence of JoN, but that is for different reasons

[charlou]

Having said that, probably wise for the Mods to cover there arses in the presence of JoN, but that is for different reasons

Spoon sex?

[Svartalf]

Jesus, this is a reminder that this post contains comments that could be taken as a personal attack. Please keep the play nice rule in mind. Gracias.

C'mon, we all know the 50 years from now we'll be praying to St Ronja of the Strap-on Carrot.

[Seabass]

Marvellous. Another forum with moderators that fuck up and deny having done so while furiously backpedalling.

I think they're being nicely open, myself. You should come visit the guitar forum I attend if you want to see obscurantist moderation practiced by assholes who think that their italicized screen-names give them carte-blanche to quash anything they see fit. I took a week ban for pointing out a mod's hypocrisy on this sort of thing in a PM. Objections voiced publicly as you're doing here would not have made it past the first moderator's reply.

I think the staff here have been pretty open in explaining the process. I'm glad to learn that staff discussion happens before warnings are meted out, too.

I agree. The moderation here may not be perfect, but it is far more lenient, transparent, and even-handed than most.

[Seabass]

Anyway, there was something else I wanted to post in this thread: an acknowledgement of discomfort to a fellow rat, even though it was unintentional on my part.

Coito, I did not intend to insult you as a person. I did intend to criticize your posting behavior, and that is why I chose a wording that emphasized how I feel/react when confronted with a thread where one person's posts strongly dominate. Furthermore, my reaction is not limited to threads where you post - also others have dominated threads here, and I dislike (or get bored by) that in a thread that I expected to be a discussion.

I made a mistake when I posted while still acutely irritated/annoyed. I should have cooled off first, and double-checked my wording so it would have been much clearer and calmer. For that being hasty I do apologize.

I don't understand why you have a problem with someone "dominating" a thread, particularly if it's a thread he started. It seems perfectly normal and non-creepy to me.

If 'Zilla were to start a thread comparing the relative strength of WWII naval powers, would you not expect him to make the most posts? Or would you find it "creepy"?

[Ronja]

Good question, Seabass. ATM I don't know for sure. I guess it is more than just the number or percentage of posts, then. I think it must have to do with that the threads where this disturbs me are those "that I expected to be a discussion." Possibly such an expectation would be based on the OP, but I would need to dig a bit to get a better grip on this.

It's getting late here, so I don't have the brain to analyze the threads that I remember as frustrating in this regard. But I think I'll get back to your question sooner or later, 'cause it is a very valid one.

While I am sleeping and if you are so inclined, feel free to take a look at the first thread where I had a major disagreement with Coito and a second where I think I managed to behave in a much more constructive manner yet which interestingly enough frustrated me far more than the first:
1) http://rationalia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=19351
2) http://rationalia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=29426

Thanks for making me think!

[Robert_S]

Jesus, this is a reminder that this post contains comments that could be taken as a personal attack. Please keep the play nice rule in mind. Gracias.

Could? Of course someone could, but I would like to think that all the members of this forum see Jesus_of_Nazareth's post for what it is: a joke.

As for those who may not view it that way, let me say this: Somebody with that view is stupid.

Moderators, please stop following the path taken by RDF and RDF Mark II.

Some time ago there was a guy made a personal attack on another member to test out whether or not he would get called on it. At the time, the mods were dealing with a lot of other stuff so nobody bothered or maybe nobody besides me noticed. That person no longer posts here at all.

But if you want to know what makes long lists of rules happen on fora where the staff and 99% of the membership don't want it to happen, ask a troll how s/he/it makes it happen.

That said, maybe we should allow for moderator notes to take the form of something besides a Reminder or Warning.