[quote]Dustin wrote:
<<< I’m convinced that man had to be drunk at least 50 percent of the time he was posting here.[/quote]
I got to know him pretty good, even some away from this site. There was no indication I could discern anyway that he did any excessive drinking. I think I’m gonna drop him a line and see if I can talk him in to coming back. I doubt it though. He is every bit as mule headed as Professor X.[/quote]
Yea, me and him were mutually respectful of each other. Politics aside we got along excellent. [/quote]
Fair enough. Some of his outbursts and tirades seemed to come out of nowhere at times. Just a hunch that alcohol consumption could have caused it.
[quote]Dustin wrote:
<<< I was notified by the mod that they (he) wanted to keep the thread on topic. >>>[/quote]
I am obviously in no position of authority here, but we just cannot have this. On topic, are you kidding me? Practically every thread goes off topic, especially in PWI, that’s just the nature of those kinds of discussions. Please somebody tell me we’re not gonna have on and off topic police now.
I sent him an email, but like I say he is one stubborn dude. It’s no secret he and Shugart were not exactly falling into each others arms. I just realized it’s been 2 years since he left already.[/quote]
It’s been two years since Rainjack left?? Wow.
As for me, I generally believe in the light touch of moderators and I think we do a pretty good job of self-policing. After all, when certain posters say certain things beyond the pale, they get a stigma they can’t shake and that tends to work to good effect in marginalizing them and making them go away.
Also, I’ve always liked robust “free speech” - it lets you figure out who the sleaze and the clowns are pretty fast.
That said, I don’t fault the mods or T-Nation from exercising some control. They have a brand to protect. They need people to visit and stay to make money, and if they think that mission is getting compromised by anonymous commentary that makes people want to spend their free time on a different website, they certainly have every right to protect against that.
Just like a restaurant with a “no shoes, no shirt, no service” policy, T-Nation has to have a baseline to protect its investment. The mods have a tough job and they handle it well - and any formal declaration of “do’s” and “don’ts” invites impossible standards and constant sniping. I say leave the forum as is.
Although, as an aside, I do find that one of our local “anarchists” (Dustin) is pleading for some top-down rules ironic and humorous. Not picking on you, Dustin - just noting the irony.
To add of point of clarification about a recent instance of moderation that prompted the creation of this thread:
A member posted in the “US Armed Forces Tribute Thread” with comments that were entirely opposite from the topic of that thread.
The post was deleted and the member was advised to start a new thread expressing their opinion (which they have not yet done). This situation is no different than, say, a thread praising off-season bodybuilders being hijacked by members saying how “unfunctional” bodybuilders are.
There is a difference between a thread being hijacked off-topic and a thread following a natural course of discussion into a new-but-related topic from the OP. One is discouraged and moderated when possible, the other is more acceptable and, in PWI, somewhat common.
As far as other posts which may have been deleted in the past, PMs are generally sent to explain.
Is there really a solution for this? Isn’t it always going to come down to the subjective judgment of the moderator?
There is no way to come up with a comprehensive, all inclusive list of dos and donts. The best you can hope for are very general guidelines…but that leads you right back to the individual judgment of mods.
And to what end? So that you don’t post something that gets removed? How about we just post whatever we want to and if it gets removed, it gets removed.
[quote]Mod Jump’N Jack wrote:
<<< There is a difference between a thread being hijacked off-topic and a thread following a natural course of discussion into a new-but-related topic from the OP. One is discouraged and moderated when possible, the other is more acceptable and, in PWI, somewhat common. >>>[/quote]
Ok, everybody realizes you’re not here all the time and have no control over what happens when somebody else is at the helm, but this is just not how it goes very much of the time which is what’s bringing the confusion.
There have been dozens of threads that went either off topic or on and off right from page one with no hint of this “stay on topic” enforcement. I’m admittedly terrible for taking threads off topic sometimes and I’ve never once been modded for it.
Like I say I’m not trying to give you a bad time, but this is new from the looks of it, in practice anyway, Unless nobody’s been saying anything all this time.
Since I’m neither TC nor a Mod…I can’t be 100% sure…
But I would imagine that “PWI” most likely gets a little more “freedom” and leeway as it is.
After all…discussing Politics and Religion is not the same as discussing the best Protein Powder. Over-moderation would blunt “PWI’s” appeal and impact.
As others have said…probably best to leave things “as is”…post…take your chances…and suck it up and grow a pair if your post gets deleted/moderated.
I think it is poor form to have a “US Armed Services Tribute” thread and not allow those who don’t think they should be glorified or supported to state their opinion.
This is PWI…not circle jerk land. I don’t like people insulting our service men and women either. But that doesn’t mean we should delete their posts.
It is the equivalent of somebody creating a “Outstanding US Muslims Tribute” thread to all the hardworking Muslims in America and then having the mods delete IrishSteel and Push’s posts when they remark that Islam is a growing problem. Propaganda at its finest. Yes they can create other threads but then it becomes a question of time invested rather than strength of argument.
Again…let me remind everyone that this Forum is part of an overall business.
That business…whether its “bricks-and-mortar” or on-line has to weigh the “pluses and minuses” of what it will tolerate on its “premises” (whether or not its on-line or not).
Making those kinds of decisions ain’t gonna’ make everybody happy.
I honestly do not remember ever having one of my PWI posts deleted.
Maybe it’s because some of the mods are women and we all know I’m better looking than the rest of you put together…just a thought…[/quote]
Very interesting theory, Push.
I have had, on several occasions, a post or two held by a mod and PMd as to whether or not I really wanted it to go through.
Given the good nature that particular mod, I had to consider that they were doing me a favor by keeping me from looking like an ass, and agreed that it should not go through.
I guess my patented wifebeater and sandals look can be charming in a “sling blade” kind of way.
As far as other posts which may have been deleted in the past, PMs are generally sent to explain.[/quote]
Yes, PMs are sent.
However, it matters who gets sent one a and who doesnt.
If my pictures are pulled and I get a PM explaining why, fine, but if other, far worse pictures are fine with the same Mod and those people never get a PM because their posts are not pulled the Mod in question is still biased.
The pictures in question where not the truly outrageous ones I posted, though they were likely caused by strapping young “heroes”, but the rather peaceful looking dead children, most definitely caused by the same “heroes”.
Two days later another poster posts pictures of deaths caused by “terrorists”, including blood, gore and severed limps and these pictures got through without any fuzz.
So, while what you posted is technically true, it is also neatly sidestepping the issue.
Think about what you just wrote and how non-analogous it is. You COULD rewrite it and possibly come up with something better but as it stands…it doesn’t stand.[/quote]
Could you point out the problem? I do realize it was not the best analogy but I think the core point still holds.
It is difficult to make an apt analogy because I don’t know what the deleted posts said. So I am guessing a little.
From my understanding however it went like this:
IrishSteel creates a thread praising and honoring US service men/women.
Other posters come in and say that people serving in the US military are not worthy of praise nor are they honorable.
Mods deem other posters posts unacceptable and delete them.
Now for my analogy (in a slightly more general, and more apt, form).
Person X creates a thread praising Muslims.
Other posters come in and say that Muslims (in general) are not worthy of praise nor are they honorable.
Mods deem other posters posts unacceptable and delete them.
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
ANd I like being vulgar and offensive. That’s why I miss Rainjack. He was the only one that could come up with swears quicker than I could. His drunk posts were exquisite. [/quote]
I’m convinced that man had to be drunk at least 50 percent of the time he was posting here.[/quote]
Truly a modern day Hemingway. I miss him.
I have used the ‘report post’ function on occasion. It’s there for legitimate complaints, and appropriate when stuff gets posted that would bring T-Nation into disrepute. I have seen mods react to that slowly but fairly, and never overzealously. I would keep it that way.
Makkun[/quote]
Yep what he said,
Rules, fuck me this place will be become what Australia is now which is a nanny state, let it roll the way it is.
I’ve been moderated a few times over the years. I don’t recall ever receiving a PM or explanation as to why. I don’t really care though. Most times PWI is like a car wreck that I can’t look away from. I do think the moderators have done a good job. There were just a few times I thought about leaving PWI and, as I recall, the moderators took appropriate action.
As I recall, the only rules I know so far are: don’t be too harsh w/ [Religious group X] and don’t talk about Push’s family…these are the only things I’ve been moderated for. eh…
[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:
<<< There were just a few times I thought about leaving PWI and, as I recall, the moderators took appropriate action. >>>[/quote]
What appropriate action did the moderators take when you were thinking about leaving? I honestly don’t understand what you mean by this.