OT: Repeating Pattern of Bullying & Locked Threads

[chunkyfrog]

I support Pugsy.
READERS: PLEASE SKIP TO THE LAST PAGE.

[Julie]

It's not creating chaos to respond a little harshly to someone, especially when that someone has not thought out their question or comment very carefully. Certainly there's room for more 'niceness' and understanding, but don't call it chaos... this is not Washington (today) and comparing that person you don't approve of to someone (or an out of control administration) who really has caused chaos through appalling ignorance and greed, is insulting.

[katestyles]

I support Pugsy.

And me

[Goofproof]

This is an OT Thread: For those who don't know what that means, this is a thread that has nothing at all to do with CPAP or Sleep Apnea issues. - - Sometimes OT threads topics become a bit more heated than normal threads and may be somewhat offensive to some. - Please be aware of this difference between OT Threads and regular threads.


I have only been a member of this forum a short time, but I have noticed a repeating occurrence here in the short-time I have been a member. One particular member who deems it acceptable to be rude to others turns a thread into chaos... and then, our moderator, Pugsy, closes its up tighter than a drum!!! - There have probably been at least 3 or 4 instances of threads being locked for this reason in the last 6 weeks alone!!! - - And this "repeating pattern of locked threads" goes way back more than five years!!!

I have heard from people here who have been members of this forum for many years, and they have told me that although they are vehemently opposed to such practices, that's the way this forum is run. - - And they said it will never change because the person who "causes the anguish" does not get paid for the time he spends here. So he's a "freebee of sorts for the owner"... Now admittedly this person gives good CPAP advice to many people...but at the same time, he often lets his rudeness run abound!!!

My question: Is this the way a Sleep Apnea Health forum should be run?

Now I realize that the "regular groupies" will chime in and say something like, "If this is too tough for you or your sensibilities...go somewhere else!" - - I'm more interested in hearing from people who are new members or older members who don't post very often. - - Am I "one of the few" who thinks this repeated pattern of "creating chaos and then locking threads" is a little strange???


Btw, I have been very careful not to mention the person's name in this thread...I'm sure it would be best if we try to keep it that way as this is not an affront to one person, but to a way of handling those who are abusive in violation of CPAPTalks Terms of Service.

CPAP Talk - Terms of Service (TOS) user-agreement.php

Start your own forum, them you can become the GOD of your forum. All you will need is a few blind followers. I'm sure a few blind mice will come along. Best of Luck! Jim

[Pugsy]

To be clear folks...today was the first thread I have locked down in months.

So the one a couple of weeks ago....wasn't me who did it.

It's fairly rare to see a thread get locked but when it no longer serves a useful purpose or has educational value and is nothing but a pissing contest of petty fighting and name calling which is a negative force within this community....it can be locked or even simply removed...even if it has OT in the subject.
The last one was clearly marked OT and Carolyn still locked it. So while some of you think that this forum has no limits and anything goes in OT threads....that's not entirely the case. Just saying....it's not the free for all some of you think it is. People besides me do watch this forum.

Carry on...I don't see what OP said since he is on my Foe list and I choose to not bother reading his comments whatever or where they might be...didn't surprise me one bit that he came up with it.

My God folks...don't you have people to help instead of bitching about people being bitches or assholes???
Seems like that is all I have done lately...try to referee fights and all I get is a black eye in the process.

[raisedfist]

Everyone knows who you are talking about. I liken it to the fact that people don't like being told the blunt truth and naturally rebel by getting defensive and throwing a fit. I have no sympathy for such people. If they don't like it, they are free to leave and post somewhere else. If you think someone is rude, why would you engage in further reply and conversation with them? There is no chance that it will end amicably, so just ignore the post if you are that offended, or leave.

[Barbee]

Snip:
Am I "one of the few" who thinks this repeated pattern of "creating chaos and then locking threads" is a little strange???

Yes. You are “one of the few”

This might even be seen by some as harrassing and being rude to the moderator. Who politely asked you to knock it off.

[jimbud]

delete

[zonker]

ohnoes.gif

[babydinosnoreless]

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[jnk...]

Seeming "chaos" almost always has a recurring pattern.

This forum is not "run." It is provided as a service.

An occasional locked thread is more reasonable to many of us than having a roaming band of heavy-handed armed bouncers who randomly deploy nuclear options to maintain what passes for decorum at the more expensive bars uptown.

[Pugsy]

You know I was curious about just how many threads have been locked so I just spent a little while looking over the moderator logs which tells me every time I do something or Carolyn does something or even when you guys delete your own stuff.
Since the first of the year there have been 5 instances of topics being locked.

This one today...
the one Carolyn did a couple of weeks ago...
one I locked first of March because it had become a cesspool of disgusting name calling and went way off topic...and people were warned to stop but they just couldn't keep their mouths shut
and 2 others in Feb that you all wouldn't have known about or noticed.
Both were topics written by a spammer and people responded so rather than just delete the spam I locked the thread and removed the spam links.
So really 3 locks for threads going way off topic or becoming nothing but cesspools...since the first of the year.
Quite a pattern....
I am fairly certain that on that other forum it would happen 3 times a day ....if it was that active and people could actually speak their mind over at the other forum.

No one is every totally happy with how discussions go. Some will bitch because of not enough censorship is done and others will bitch because they think that any censorship is too much censorship.
Johnny leans towards any censorship is too much censorship....that's where he goes and how he thinks. If you don't agree or don't like it then I don't know what else to say but go somewhere else that suits you better. He's not going to change just to make you happy or me happy or anyone happy but himself. It is his sandbox after all. We play in it at his leisure...if we don't like it then we have the choice to either learn to accept it or move on to someone else's sandbox.

My own personal feelings really don't matter....I do the forum owner's bidding as best as I can given the tools I am given and the guidelines I was given to follow.

Remember the alphabet boy.....that sort of discord won't ever happen again and if it takes me locking 10 threads a day to prevent it then I will do it. So far we haven't even remotely come close to that sort of disruption and I plan to do everything in my power to not let it happen again. If it means that the entire class gets punished for what one rowdy class member might do...then so be it.
We won't be having a repeat of what was happening with the alphabet boy....not on my watch.

So I try to throw water on the fire in an attempt to put it out by locking threads that have become infernos or on the edge of blowing up in hopes that with a little break cooler heads will prevail (and my cooling off gets a chance to happen as well because I know full well I need to cool off too) ....it's either that or I start deleting and editing you guys comments and removing the nastiness you spew.....and we know exactly how Johnny would feel if I did that.

[jnk...]

alphabet boy.....that sort of discord won't ever happen again and if it takes me locking 10 threads a day to prevent it then I will do it.

Thanks. I appreciate your saying that. I left for a while during that time.

[Dog Slobber]

I_support.jpg

[zonker]

Remember the alphabet boy.....

it's hard for me to say which is worse, alphabet boy or this current situation. alphabet boy was generally reviled because he was a disgusting pile of shit that just wouldn't be told.

but at least he didn't hide behind the cover of being "a nice guy" and all about freedom of speech. nor did he try to incite some some sort of division nor pretend to know what is "best" for the forum.

to me, it's a toss up.