Keeping Our Wonderful Forum a Great Place to Be

[Shiny]

I have been a regular at a current issues political forum for about 3 years now. If ever there were a subject where posters would need a moderator, this is one right? About the only time we ever notice any of the mods is when they are taking part in a conversation/debate on a given subject. There has been only one poster who was temporarily banned and then permanently banned. His crime (both times) was making racial remarks.
Other than that, the mods rarely have to assume the role but everyone knows they are there and I think that keeps the rhetoric from becoming personal (most of the time).

A moderator can be a good thing if the moderator is a good moderator and like someone else already said, someone who has been in the community for a long time and has already unwittingly demonstrated the right personal attributes for the job.

Oh ya, hi everyone

[Sleepless_in_LM]

Call the younger members of the forum kids all you want. You're not the first.

Blarg,
Since I think I was the first to inject age into this topic, I just wanted to make sure you understood I was in no way calling you a kid or without enough experience. I was merely making an observation that people in different stages of their life view the same situation from a different perspective. Probably more a realization that I am getting to the age where I see things differently, maybe a good thing, maybe a not so good thing.

However, I think the most important point to date on this topic is that this forum does have a moderator. Johnny owns and moderates this forum. We are just his guests. I guess it is up to him how much "moderating" is appropriate, and it is hard find fault with his formula given the success of this forum.

[JeffH]

Why I'm against a moderator. Seems we already have one that got appointed by all the people who had their head in the sand and either didn't vote or acted like a scared lemming.....


HR3402
On January 5 th, 2006 President Bush signed the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, which includes a clause on 'cyber-stalking'. This amends existing telephone harassment laws and extends them to the internet, providing a maximum two-year jail sentence for anyone using use the web "without disclosing [their] identity and with intent to annoy".

Can you say 1984?


JeffH

I think it's specifically addressing "cyberstalking" which is a whole 'nother matter from what's been discussed here. Here's the actual text from that section of the bill:

Sec. 113. Preventing cyberstalking.
To strengthen stalking prosecution tools, this section amends the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
223(h)(1)) to expand the definition of a telecommunications device—in regard to the current prohibition
against anonymous communications with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass the recipient—to
include any device or software that uses the Internet and possible Internet technologies such as voice over
internet services.
This amendment will allow federal prosecutors more options in charging stalkers.

Regards,

OCO

The way they've been acting to you REALLY think they will limit themselves to that. Pull your head out of the sand.

[felineperson3]

However, I think the most important point to date on this topic is that this forum does have a moderator. Johnny owns and moderates this forum. We are just his guests. I guess it is up to him how much "moderating" is appropriate, and it is hard find fault with his formula given the success of this forum

I agree completely and if things get too out of control with users of the forum I'm sure Johnny will step in and take the appropriate action.

I wish for the continued success of this forum and and for all that need help with their therapy to be able to find some of their answers here.

God bless each of you!

[Wulfman]

I've been really busy lately. Night before last, I was just barely "compliant" with 4 hours and 8 minutes of sleep (last night was a little over 6). But I did happen to peek in on Wednesday night to see what was happening on the forum. I noticed this thread.....and that it was already three pages in length.

So, please forgive me if I'm a little grumpy from being sleep-deprived, BUT.....

This subject seems to come up from time to time. All you have to do is go to the Search function and look up "moderator" and see for yourself.

These two are a couple of good examples:

viewtopic.php?t=4879

viewtopic.php?t=7559

In one of them, you'll find Johnny's philisophy (in his post).

Get over it!
If you feel you're not an "adult" and NEED supervision/moderation......find another forum......we all know the others are OVER-moderated......to the point of decreasing their usefulness. The "altercations" that have taken place on this forum eventually wind down and people eventually get it out of their systems. If there are those who don't want to abide by the "Golden Rule"......then they will take (or not), whatever is dished out to them.

It was actually against my better judgement to make a post on this thread (like I did NOT on any of the "essential oils" threads), but this seems to be going on and on and on. Looks like the folks who are against moderation are ahead so far.

OK folks......break it up and get back to helping the new CPAP users and "sharing" information.

Best wishes,

Den (hoping to get caught up on sleep, REAL SOON)

[Hurricane]

Den,
Well put, agree with you in that most people seem to feel we don't need further supervision, or monitoring. I don't have a higher education, but I do maintain a high level of common sense, I can judge for myself, and not be side tracked if someone says or posts something I disagree with.
I would just like to put my name on the list of those that oppose increased or change of monitoring of this helpful, and well run site.

Ed

[kavanaugh1950]

just want to say I no longer participate in the other forums with moderators because I feel they stifle information and are so controlled and rigid its like being in north korea. pat

[sleeep]

Life has no moderator nor is one needed.
its easy to ignore a few bad posts and read thousands of good posts.

there are a lot of good people helping other people on this site, why pay any attention to a few bad apples. the overwelming majority of people here are helping other people or are looking for help themselves, which is what makes this site great.

I would have gave up on cpap if i didn't get the help i received from this site and the people i met on it.

Look for the good in people and you will find it.

[blarg]

Life has no moderator nor is one needed.

Actually, we tend to call those "governments."

But anyway, Sleepless_in_LM, I had no problem whatsoever with your comment and I didn't feel attacked by it.

[leaveye]

I completely agree with the last seven pages worth of posts. Truer words have never been spoken. The only thing I'd like to add is: "Amen".

-Levi

[CollegeGirl]

Great, an old thread. Will, you can believe what you want to. It was obvious to many others that I said what I did out of genuine concern for you - and I did. You don't have to worry - after your recent posts, it's obvious that you do not wish me to be concerned about your wellbeing one way or the other, so I no longer am. Have a nice life.

By the way, you are just as accurate on your second comment as you were on your first. Blarg (I'm assuming that's who you're talking about) is not from Australia - at least not yet. He and I are both in a serious relationship - but not with each other. We are good friends (not that it's any of your business, much less your place to comment on it, but since you did...), but we have more in common than you'd imagine. We both happen to be attracted to men.

If you're going to insult me, at least check your facts first. Though I'll admit, you gave me a great laugh.

[leaveye]

Talk about a delayed reaction... That's got to be a joke right? Replying to a dead thread (of nearly two months) with that kind of passion is surely done for the sake of humor--isn't it?

[Jere]

What's new - the 'sky is falling' on our forum - is a common theme over my nearly 2 years on this board. Who cares? Not me. I am just here for the good stuff.

[CollegeGirl]

Talk about checking facts! Congratulations on your usual skill at running off at the mouth before checking your facts.
I was NOT referring to Blarg at all. I made no comment about him at all. Assumptions, assumptions, assumptions... you should go by Sherlock rather than CollegeGirl.

Once again, back to school with you CollegeGirl. You have even MORE learning to do.

By the way, I'm so happy to see you back; enlightenment for the masses has returned.

Oh, you weren't referring to Blarg? Forgive me for giving you credit where it wasn't due. I assumed you might actually have said something comprehensible - you're right, I shouldn't make assumptions. Since he and I are the only two who people joke about having a relationship, we would be the only two that would make sense in the context of "deserving each other."

Your little school joke has never been funny, nor as scathing as you intend it. I have learned all I need to know about you, Will : you're full of nothing but hate and condescension. And incidentally, if you'd have bothered to check, I never left. I've been posting off and on. I've been busy finishing my degree, and now that that's done with, I'm applying for jobs. I have a life outside of this forum. I have more to do than dredge up month-old threads to restart old feuds. Seriously - I've moved on. I'm done with you. You can say whatever you want about me now - you don't deserve my acknowledgement, and you will never receive it again. Your personal grudge against me and need to personally attack me is obvious to everyone else, so there's no need for me to try to "defend" myself against your moronic attacks after this. I suggest you do some introspection. It's time for you to get over this as well and move on. This forum does not need to watch us bicker back and forth. I'm going to be the bigger person and end it here.

[StillAnotherGuest]

Rooster had an interesting observation over there in the locked thread:

Some of you have too high expectations for sleep-deprived people. Get over it.

There is no excuse why courtesy, respect and civility would not be the minimum behavior expected from anybody, regardless. My "real" job includes work in Intensive Care Units and Hospice, and people who are DYING aren't this mean. No, you can't justify this nastiness using any kind of smokescreen claiming you are "sleep-deprived", or have "rights to freedom of speech" or are making a statement against "censorship". These comments are just angry, pointless rantings.

The thing about many sleep disorders that people often overlook (or maybe they don't) is that besides being sleep-deprived (yeah, it's about THEM, remember?), they can also be depressed and scared, and the atmosphere generated by the hatred discourages these people from posting, yea, even coming to visit and read posts. This has already been demonstrated on numerous occasions.

I maintain that if you want to have a "Sleep Help Forum", then great. If you want to have something that has nothing whatsoever to do with that, call Dr. Laura.

CollegeGirl is more than capable of defending herself and doesn't need me in the least. However, dredging up an old thread, particularly this one, to launch personal attacks has nothing to do with "Freedom of Speech", it is now simply an act of terrorism designed to destroy the integrity of the board. The venom has been expunged.
SAG