Moderating Mapleafweb's Moderation

[cybercoma]

The software doesn't allow us to modify that message as far as I know.

You could always just pm people instead of using the formal warning system. Communication goes a long way.

[eyeball]

It has always been part of my personality to want to improve things.

Hmmmm. I thought one of the things conservatives hate about lefties the most is their desire to always improve things.

[Guest]

Hmmmm. I thought one of the things conservatives hate about lefties the most is their desire to always improve things.

Actually, it's that they screw things up while they think they are trying to improve things. Hearts usually in the right place though.

Edited December 14, 2015 by bcsapper

[eyeball]

Actually, it's that they screw things up while they think they are trying to improve things. Hearts usually in the right place though.

And that's the single most important reason the world has such a left-wing bias. Mistakes will happen, but overall it's the appropriate direction to follow.

Most people know that in their head too.

[Argus]

Hmmmm. I thought one of the things conservatives hate about lefties the most is their desire to always improve things.

Anyone sane wants to improve things. The difference between the Right and Left is the Right needs to be convinced the 'improvement' actually is one, and doesn't cause worse issues. The Left doesn't want to bother over details and is much faster to embrace change.

[eyeball]

Anyone sane wants to improve things. The difference between the Right and Left is the Right needs to be convinced the 'improvement' actually is one, and doesn't cause worse issues. The Left doesn't want to bother over details and is much faster to embrace change.

Anyone sane wants to improve things. The difference between the Left and Right is the Left needs to be convinced the 'improvement' actually is one, and doesn't cause worse issues. The Right doesn't want to bother over details and is much faster to embrace change.

This is as two way a street as there ever was. See the GWOT for example.

[Big Guy]

When one decides to try to make things "better" or to "improve things" - I suggest that they are trying to make things better for themselves and improving things for themselves.

Big Guy, and every poster here, is quite capable of stating their own opinions and making their own suggestions. The challenge I see lately is where I read "Well why don't you tell us that ....." and "What are we supposed to gain from ...".

To be arrogant to a point where you portent to speak for others is faulty and a mistake.

There is also a tendency to feel entitlement after long participation on a board. I see here (and on other boards) that some individuals who appear to spend a long time on an anonymous public access board start to think themselves as part of the organization of the process. That too is a mistake. You would be surprised how soon you will be forgotten after leaving a board:

The Indispensable Man

(by Saxon White Kessinger )

Sometime when you're feeling important;
Sometime when your ego 's in bloom;
Sometime when you take it for granted,
You're the best qualified in the room:
Sometime when you feel that your going,
Would leave an unfillable hole,
Just follow these simple instructions,
And see how they humble your soul.

Take a bucket and fill it with water,
Put your hand in it up to the wrist,
Pull it out and the hole that's remaining,
Is a measure of how much you'll be missed.
You can splash all you wish when you enter,
You may stir up the water galore,
But stop, and you'll find that in no time,
It looks quite the same as before.

​

[Argus]

When one decides to try to make things "better" or to "improve things" - I suggest that they are trying to make things better for themselves and improving things for themselves.

I find that to be a very selfish and narrow-minded view.

[Big Guy]

I find that to be a very selfish and narrow-minded view.

I find that unfortunate. Perhaps I should explain. If you are making things "better" or "improving things" for others you would have to understand what others think would be better and what others would view as improving things.

There has been nothing that I have seen in your postings that you understand what others here would want.

Before I could accept that you are doing something for others I would have to be convinced that you hold some affinity and/or respect for others. There has been no indication. On the contrary, you have decided to insult, demean and try to intimidate those who disagreed with you.

I have no trust that you are trying to do anything for others and are speaking on behalf of no one but yourself.

I an sorry you find my post to be very selfish and narrow-minded but I am only speaking for me.

[Charles Anthony]

I don't see any racism or bigotry on this forum. People will make up whatever they want to make up. It's becoming to easy to cry racism every time one disagrees. It's simple laziness.

I disagree. I see lots of racism and bigotry on the forum. Some of it is suble. Some of it is not so subtle. Some of it is interesting. Some of it is tiring.

I understand the quandary you must be in. A while ago, I started a thread attempting to get posters opinions of what makes a view left wing, middle or right wing.

I would not expect otherwise because there is no universally objective definition of any of those concepts.

I do not understand the stage upon which the Right/Left imagery sticks. Maybe it is a hypnotic distraction to keep folks looking Down instead of looking Up.... I am not sure.

Keep trying. If I may use the analogy of a professional hockey game - The referees spend very little time watching those with the good skills. They watch the poorer players and goons who lack the skills and consequently push the parameters of the rules. They are the ones who need the supervision and also the ones who do most of the whining.

Speaking only for myself as a reader, I am constantly pleasantly surprized by every single 1 of you.

If someone suggested that the Catholic religion teaches death and violence then it is obviously a bigoted statement - by definition.

I don't see how such a statement would be inherently "bigoted".

Can you see how such a statement would be inherently off-topic or distracting to the focus of a thread?

We intervene when we judge a comment to be off-topic, distracting, thread drift or otherwise a waste of space. Rarely do we care who or why or how anybody is offended when we deem a post to be disruptive.

This is where that grey, jello like area comes into moderation play. If a person is referred to as a "Harperite" or Trudeauite" or "Ambrosite" it is obvious that you are referring to someone who shares the views of that individual.

What difference, at this point, does it make?

From a moderator's perspective, the labels are not universally defined to the level at which discussions are conducted here. So, once somebody takes offense and responds in kind, the discussion begins to derail. The same could be said if the terms were accolades and the target of the accolades kept blathering on thanking for the accolades.

Being called a Catholic or Anglican or Muslim can also be interpreted in two different extremes.

It does not have to be that complicated.

Being called a Catholic or an Anglican or a Muslim can also be an invasion of privacy.

Why don't you simply reply that if a poster is incapable of discussing issues on any kind of mature level and is desperate to find a way to actively insult other posters they might feel happier at another site?

--- because they always come back here anyways.

Charles and Michael - You are doing a superb job in which you cannot please everybody. The whiners have one of two options:

1. Accept the type of moderation on this board and continue under their rules.

2. Leave this board.

Why is that such a difficult concept?

Lots of reasons come to mind but perhaps your frame of reference is limited.

Maybe, just maybe, some folks are not as free to leave as most folks might think.

We are raising the bar.

You know what? I don't even mind that. I"m fine with it. It'd just be nice to have a bit of notice ahead of time.

Great! How about you let us know ahead of time when you are going to post something that needs moderator intervention BEFORE you post it. Deal?

I've also begun to suspect that Charles' statement here that it seems to be Right wingers who are causing more trouble than Left wingers is due to the fact Right wingers are less likely to report stuff than the oh-so-sensitive member of the politically correct progressives, which has inspired me to report more. God knows I get reported by certain people here for the slightest imagined transgression so I might as well return the favour.

I suspect that Charles is ROTFLHAO at this.

He should be in some cases.

The comedic value is starting to wear off. Here is the post from which Argus flung his interpretation:

Sorry.

Clearly you moderate those of us on the right.

Those on the left? Not so much.

Sorry.

Clearly it never occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, people on your left are cordial.

Those on your right? Not so much.

I never wrote "it seems to be Right wingers who are causing more trouble than Left yadda yadda yadda." and I am not going to explain how to properly read the English language to anybody. As demonstrated by his immediate Status Updates to that effect, the member to which I replied understood EXACTLY the difference between what I wrote and what Argus just wrote now.

You could always just pm people instead of using the formal warning system. Communication goes a long way.

TRANSLATION: "You could always just do more work than...."

Let x = the amount of effort exerted by an asshat in posting a submission to the Hall Of AssHattery Fame with a stop-over at the MLW forums

Let y = the amount of effort Mod staff need to exert to moderate asshattery in the forum

If x < y , Then you can forget about it.

Big Guy, and every poster here, is quite capable of stating their own opinions and making their own suggestions. The challenge I see lately is where I read "Well why don't you tell us that ....." and "What are we supposed to gain from ...".

To be arrogant to a point where you portent to speak for others is faulty and a mistake.

You are reading too much into that phraseology.

To be arrogant to a point where I portent to speak for you is what I am doing right now.

[Argus]

I find that unfortunate. Perhaps I should explain.

Why, given your expressed opinion of me, would you think I was interested in your explanation? And why do you insist on replying to so many of my posts anyway given your rather triumphant announcement some months ago that you would henceforth ignore my posts as being unworthy of your attention?

[bush_cheney2004]

Michael Hardner, on 18 Dec 2015 - 5:37 PM, said:

socialist is a rare example of a poster who switch hit right and left and he was no smarter on either side of home plate.

Great...now we have a moderator posting off topic personal attacks. Marvelous.

[Michael Hardner]

not an insult at all. he was no dumber either. how could you miss such an easy point ? are you ... oh nevermind

[Michael Hardner]

Anyway, I heard Charles' voice echoing in my head and realized that my comment and responses were at the very least off topic, so I hid them.

[bush_cheney2004]

not an insult at all. he was no dumber either. how could you miss such an easy point ? are you ... oh nevermind

Anyway, I heard Charles' voice echoing in my head and realized that my comment and responses were at the very least off topic, so I hid them.

How convenient....when busted....hide the evidence !

[Michael Hardner]

You quoted it here ! I admit the quote - mea culpa. I even hit report for a 2nd opinion.

[BubberMiley]

You quoted it here ! I admit the quote - mea culpa. I even hit report for a 2nd opinion.

You're falling for the old fake indignation trick.

[Charles Anthony]

MH drew moderator (his own) attention. A swift intervention was warranted and executed --- by himself. He is enduring a self-imposed suspension.

How convenient....when busted....hide the evidence !

Indeed it is! Being judge, jury and executioner comes with its benefits! Blame Canada!!!

Is the trial over yet? Can we all go home? Are we all free to leave?

Alas, I missed the show! The real convenience is that he did it all himself. I did not have to do anything. Before I logged in, the mess was all gone.

You're falling for the old fake indignation trick.

Motives do not matter.

[bush_cheney2004]

...Alas, I missed the show! The real convenience is that he did it all himself. I did not have to do anything. Before I logged in, the mess was all gone.

You're welcome.

[Charles Anthony]

You're welcome.

Next time, please report it and ignore it.

[bush_cheney2004]

Next time, please report it and ignore it.

Let's hope there is no next time.

[Charles Anthony]

Let's hope there is no next time.

Amen.

[drummindiver]

Next time, please report it and ignore it.

Reporting anything about anybody on the left is an excersize in futility, as I'm sure you are well aware.

[Argus]

Reporting anything about anybody on the left is an excersize in futility, as I'm sure you are well aware.

That attitude, though, is self-defeating. I now report everything I see which transgresses the apparent new standard (as based on the last few message I have gotten from moderators).

[drummindiver]

That attitude, though, is self-defeating. I now report everything I see which transgresses the apparent new standard (as based on the last few message I have gotten from moderators).

After some dubious points, I was also of that mindset, though I find it difficult to report even anonymous people.

The results were less than dismal.

If you or I had said the following, it would have been a vacation from MLW.

"And yet you are entirely oblivious to just how much your own rabid poisonous bile contributes to their aims."

I reported this, and was told thanks. The post remained, the poster keeps on posting.

How about this little tidbit?

cybercoma, on 10 Dec 2015 - 11:16 PM, said:

" Mostly just busy but also a little bit of not wanting to be covered in filth by rolling with pigs"

CC calling board member pigs. I reported, nothing done, still posting.

Or how about board member Waldo using the racial slur

"Whitey"

I don't take offense personally to that, but racial slurs of any stripe should not be allowed. Again, post still there, member still posting.

Kimmy thinks taking offense to this is a "microagression". I disagree. Constantly allowing racial slurs against Anglo saxons while taking offense to slurs against others ethnicities has contributed to the us vs them mentality. In the end, any racial slur should not be allowed, yet the mods here allow this.

So, eff reporting. Does nothing but give the two lefties something to laugh at righties about .

Edited December 20, 2015 by drummindiver