This place needs more moderators.

Discussion in 'Support & Feedback' started by Lemex, Apr 12, 2012.

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  1. The Tourist

    The Tourist Banned

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    It's a euphemism for a loser living off his parents. A guy who makes a "man cave" out of his mother's laundry room and sits around all day playing video games, pleasuring himself and eating Cheese Puffs. They usually stay there until they're thirty, or their parents die.

    I like people who do things. In my teens there weren't enough hours in the day. I still get up at six and plan my day to end at 2:00AM. I just got back from the gym, I'm eating now, and if the rain holds I'll ride. Why would you want to smell dryer lint and stale cheese snacks for your entire life?
     
  2. superpsycho

    superpsycho New Member

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    If a guy is sitting in his mother's basement with a blade server and three large screens playing video games it's likely he bought the house and taking care of his mother in her golden years. Of course if he's there with an old P3 or P4 system and a 17" CRT monitor then he's a loser for sure.
     
  3. The Tourist

    The Tourist Banned

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    I'll bet they sell more Cheese Puffs in those situations rather than creature comforts for aging parents. My wife and I have noticed something when we go to the mall and see families.

    We see lean grandparents, thinner 'weekend warrior' parents and fat kids.

    Unless we finally build 'green machines' that burn lard to run, the youth are not our future.
     
  4. superpsycho

    superpsycho New Member

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    Like everything else technology is a two edged sword, along with other issues that reduce the amount of activity today's youth ends up getting. It's a sad story and I don't know the ending yet.
     
  5. The Tourist

    The Tourist Banned

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    Yes, and I believe that. In fact, I benefit from it.

    For example, we have alloys unknown about before I was born. In fact, even the manufacturing process had yet to invented.

    My bikes have CPUs that 'talk' to an EFI system, and is tuned not by a guy with a wrench, but with an electronic interface unit attached to a dynamometer, and 'adjusted' with a keyboard.

    All good stuff. As you know, my dad was an engineer. He often said that when new technology is released, mankind will first make two things.

    That is, a weapon and a toy. The 'good stuff' only comes after a space of time.
     
  6. JessWrite

    JessWrite Word Nerd & Proud! Contributor

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    Aww, don't give cheese puffs a bad name. ;)

    Anyway, I think that the moderators here do a good job, having been in their place myself. I like that the mods do their best to handle a problem before it happens. Everyone will always have their own opinions on how to handle a situation. What one person says is fine and would let linger, the other says is horrible and would delete, and vice versa. It all depends on the person and their views.

    Writing Forums to me, is a community with a free atmosphere, but still has its overseers in case something were to happen. :)
     
  7. Floatbox

    Floatbox New Member

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    I like this forum.


    (Backs out of room.)
     
  8. The Tourist

    The Tourist Banned

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    Oh, don't get me wrong, I like a number of people here. I also like Italian sports cars, but at the same time shake my head over their bizarre design and maintenance issues.

    As for moderation, when is it too much, when is it not enough?

    Heck, I have three riding jackets, all weights, and all have vents to both let in and block out cooler air.

    All parts of the spectrum, and none of the jackets work worth a hoot. Nothing is perfect.
     
  9. Banzai

    Banzai One-time Mod, but on the road to recovery Contributor

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    Did you just compare me to a jacket? Well that's...new.

    Anyway, just to drop my opinion into the mix...

    We do need new moderators. Cogito was meant to be stepping down, but the poor guy seems to have been reactivated by circumstances. I try my best to keep everything covered (and despite what some members think, keep everyone informed as much as possible) but it's a lot of work for one (even for two people).

    Weirdly, it hasn't been my politics that's gotten in the way of my moderating this last week, but the simple fact of my being away without regular internet access. Being home now, I'm steadily catching up, but that doesn't change the fact that if I or Cogito is unavailable the site is very much under-staffed.

    The thing I would like members to understand is precisely what mine and Cogito's powers and role are. We are here to keep the peace, to remove hostile elements that do not contribute positively to what this site is aiming for. That's a judgement that will inevitably be disputed, and that's fine, but let no one mistake precisely how much power we have. I frequently liken this job to being a janitor, and I reckon it's an apt comparison. I basically clean up shit. I have no control over site issues themselves, and have no administrator priviliges.

    This means that there is only one person who can fix the site, make structural changes (hell, even make changes to the nature and aims of the site), or appoint new mods. And it isn't me. Sorry.
     
  10. pet.

    pet. New Member

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    Hm. That's interesting; I had no idea that the Mods here had no admin powers. Which suggests a possible low-risk solution; I'd say that I (and many other more senior members) know fairly well what constitutes a critique, and I know that I read every post in the poetry subforum, checking for updates about twice a day though less frequently on weekends. Might it be useful, if, in an unofficial capacity, I made a point of PMing new members who post inadaquate crits and warning them that said crit will not count towards them being able to post their own work? I've done so once in the past, so as to spare someone the bother of having a thread they started locked, and they took the suggestion and edited their post. Would that save our overworked moderators some hassle and let them just glance over the two required posts?

    (I'm speaking as if I'm suggesting myself, but I guess I'm really just using myself as an example. My point is, could those of us who have been around here a while not take a slightly more active role in keeping the forum running? How might that be made more effective?)
     
  11. The Tourist

    The Tourist Banned

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    Well, okay, maybe a stretch. But you should have read what my first analogy was going to be. I figure it's too soon to be banned for cause.

    I am a bit thin-skinned on this issue. I just came from a thriving place that because of some idiot now only has one member and one power hungry mod making four posts per week. That place died over issues like this.

    Yeah, I got banned. But are you really punished by being thrown out of a ghost town?

    You should see my mail from your members here--and some have switched to e-mail. Most write things they are thinking, but then add, "Don't mention my name." One member believes you guys 'tap' PMs like RICO detectives and the mob. Not only do you mods and admin have a problem that's building, many of your loyal members don't trust your moves and are fearful to rock the boat.

    Yikes, it's a writing forum, so what if people vent about poor past performance and have concerns about the future. The problem is not them, they're not paid employees. Their job is to bring information and opinions out into the open, and if some mod raps their knuckles for being "controversial" you've got a major concern.

    Now, here's a little secret. I don't fear you. I don't fear you here, I don't fear you in a saloon, I don't fear you in a fight. What does concern me is the current 'long shadow' of passive-aggression and distrust. That chills debate, and might start a whispering campaign that dulls membership drives and participation.

    You have guys afraid to write and hesitant to speak. This is not the time to pat yourself on the back. If you use the term 'back,' it should encompass "back to work." That is, unless your real goal is a huge flock of sheep, boring discussions and an intercontinental snooze fest.

    You have rules in place for posting sections of stories. Oy. Oh, last week I went to bathroom before I raised my hand. Did I break another bi-law I know nothing about?
     
  12. shadowwalker

    shadowwalker Contributor Contributor

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    Tourist said it a little more... bluntly ;) than I would have, but I agree with his assessment. I want to repeat - I enjoy this forum. I enjoy the discussions and most of the people here. What I don't like - and have never seen before on the many other forums/groups I've been involved with - are the deleted posts and entire threads without explanation/warning. I understand (though this is hearsay only) that people have gotten 'demerits' and banishments again without explanation or warning. That is not a good way to run a forum. It doesn't lead to constructive discussions, exchanging of ideas, or recommendations for new members. Nobody likes walking on eggs. Now, I don't know who has been doing the deleting, etc - but something needs to be done to reign that kind of thing in. This is supposedly a community, and communities don't work that way. Not the ones that people want to belong to for very long.
     
  13. The Tourist

    The Tourist Banned

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    I enjoy the place myself, or at least the major elements of the forum. What troubles me is how the past and current moderation has effected people's participation. Now granted, we are an international forum, but I'm not sure some understand just how virulent this ideology is to Americans. Members afraid to speak and use their names out of fear?

    The decision I made is the choice defining the usefullness of this forum for me. If I cannot openly discuss plot points and expect members to freely exchange ideas, I might just as well read the story to my dog and see if her tail swishes.

    And if the forum is useless, than a ban is like hitting someone with dandelion fuzz. We have some tremendous creative people here--let them create! And then let them debate the postulates and the rebuttals--and sign their names!
     
  14. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Most of the people complaining the loudest about not being told why a post was deleted know exactly why - they want the opportunity to argue about it.

    There's your passive aggression.

    But this thread has turned from "We need more moderators to share the workload," to "Let's gather the villagers and gripe about the moderation." That won't be permitted. It is divisive and not productive, and only serves those who want to grind the rules in the dust.
     
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