OT: Repeating Pattern of Bullying & Locked Threads

[jnk...]

Maybe I'm odd, but I don't think in terms of "supporting Pugsy." She's a big girl. She can handle herself. I think of what she does for the forum as supporting the forum's existence.

It cracks me up when people try to hold her responsible for the words of other posters. She isn't that kind of "moderator." She has a specific role that she performs as amazingly well as any mortal possibly could, from where I sit. It makes me comfortable being here.

So for anyone particularly irritated by my posts, feel free to hold her responsible for my being here, too.

[Goofproof]

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.

If no one is totally happy, things must be fair. You have a hard job! Don't burn out. Jim

You could stand us in different corners, but it may require changing the shape of the room.

[Miss Emerita]

I’m a relative newcomer and am grateful to the forum and its contributors for information, advice, and encouragement. I am always especially glad when other newcomers are treated kindly, not least because so many are already at the end of their ropes, as I was earlier: deeply exhausted and depressed, with memory and cognition shot.

[Jas_williams]

The problem is not the locked threads it’s how the errant threads deflect and effect the original posters thread. Chalkie came looking for help and his questions were lost in the noise, that is not helpful or useful

[babydinosnoreless]

Ok so let me see if I understand this correctly. This forum is owned by a guy and he lives here in America. This guy has invited us all over for a wonderful party at his expense. Pugsy is the hostess. She is busy greeting people and showing them where the food is and where the bathrooms are located. Johnny has lots of friends at his party and many know each other because they have been at the party for a long time, newer folks get invited in and welcomed.

Sometimes new folks are overwhelmed by the noise at the party. The way I understand it is you want to turn off the music and change the whole tone of the party because some of the people who come in don't like it.

The thing is this is Johnny's house and Johnny doesn't mind the music up loud. He has not asked his hostess to turn down the music. Since Johnny is paying for the party and its in his house it seems to me that it is his choice and it is quite RUDE of the guests to keep harping at his poor hostess to turn down the music. She has plenty of other duties. It is not helpful or useful to keep bugging her about it.

If you want a party that is quiet and boring then find one. Don't be the boorish party pooper.

[Steve of Cornubia]

Wow. I think the pile-on here is disgraceful. It's starting to look like bullying, and no dissent will be tolerated.

Bye.

[Thumper68]

I like this forum for the way it is. If I didn't like it, I wouldn't stay. Life is full of choices. Choose wisely.

[jnk...]

Wow. I think the pile-on here is disgraceful. It's starting to look like bullying, and no dissent will be tolerated.

Bye.

Don't worry; Pugsy has a solid record doing a fine job of tolerating the pile-on of the dissent of the people trying their best to bully her into controlling others' actions.

[Dog Slobber]

Wow. I think the pile-on here is disgraceful. It's starting to look like bullying, and no dissent will be tolerated.

Are you kidding?

The OP started a thread, the absolute majority of people do not agree with the OP and are expressing their disagreement. Cripes, a lot of people aren't even necessarily posting about their disagreement with the OP. They're showing their support for Pugsy, who the OP took a shot at.

The disagreement is not being conveyed disrespectfully.

For you to suggest the responses are piling-on, disgraceful and bullying is disingenuous.

Bye.

Have a good day.

[bombayone]

Agree that it is the owner's forum. He sets the rules and is generous in providing this service to the community. The moderators are volunteers doing a good job. Thanks to them. Some of us do need to do a better job of controlling our defensiveness and sarcasm, while being more tolerant and welcoming. Thanks to all.

[jnk...]

Agree that it is the owner's forum. He sets the rules and is generous in providing this service to the community. The moderators are volunteers doing a good job. Thanks to them. Some of us do need to do a better job of controlling our defensiveness and sarcasm, while being more tolerant and welcoming. Thanks to all.

Well said.

Oops. Wait. I mean: "How dare you say something like that! I'm PMing Pugsy to tell her that your post just hurt my feelings."



And in the spirit of "moderation in all things," does anyone have the authority to lock the threads picking on Pugsy?

[djont57]

I'm new, don't post much & I like it here. Good information; current thread being the exception. I don't like "piling on" but..., if you don't like it here...leave?

[Sheriff Buford]

As an "ole timer", I agree with the way this forum is being run.

Sheriff

[katestyles]

The problem is not the locked threads it’s how the errant threads deflect and effect the original posters thread. Chalkie came looking for help and his questions were lost in the noise, that is not helpful or useful

I agree with this - and I have seen Pugsy gently rebuke and remind folks to get back to the OP's concern.

[Pugsy]

Chalkie and I are good for now. I sent him a PM and he responded. He will start a new thread about his new setting results once he gets some solid data to report. Right now he is having some extra leak issues that are muddying up the validity of the data.
Leaks are a battle he has fought before...so not entirely a new problem for him.

And fair warning....any new thread he starts will not be going off topic with crap talk. I will watch it like a hawk waiting for dinner.