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Folks,
There's been some confusion lately about the issues of how and why posts (and people) are moderated. Let me clear some things up.
"Censorship": Yes, indeed, these discussion forums are screened for content, which the mods and I choose to approve...or not. The temptation to consider this "censorship" is, I guess, unavoidable: but these boards are not a public utility. They are privately owned and maintained, and their content is my responsibility. This is not a democracy: this is private property.
Just so you're all clear.
Mostly as a manager I have tried to be Queen Log rather than Queen Stork (check the Aesop, you'll understand), but our mushrooming membership numbers are beginning to require a more hands-on kind of management as people less familiar with the rules err out of ignorance, and people more familiar with them start to get sloppy, or self-indulgent, or hostile.
There are a lot of things I will not permit in these forums. Most of them can be derived from an understanding of the following statement (and this may sound tautological, but you'd better all take it to heart): the one thing I will not tolerate in here is intolerance. And there are several modes in which the IntolerAnt has been sticking its ugly head up lately.
(a) Politics. I'd really prefer that people stayed out of this mode of discussion, but I know they're not going to. Well, *discussion* is okay. But any time it starts to descend into abuse and namecalling, it's going to get moderated, and shut down if necessary. I completely trust Lee, Peter and kli6 to know when to act in this regard. When they speak, you may consider that they speak for me. (And to me. Don't think they're acting behind my back, or are out of control. We are in frequent touch.)
(b) Religion. This area is potentially even worse than politics for misbehavior, because those in it sometimes roll out the excuse that they're trying to do it "for the other person's good". The same rules apply as for politics, with the additional caveat: I will not have you proselytizing each other. No attempted conversions, no attacking other religions, no "I feel sorry for you because you're going to hell" stuff. From anyone. If you want to pray for each other, fine, but keep it to yourselves (I seem to remember someone stating in one well-known set of docs that you shouldn't pray publicly, like the hypocrites, but do it in private in your room: God'll hear you just fine, you don't have to shout about it...or be seen shouting). If you have trouble with these rules, feel free to excuse yourself from the Forums until some time when you can be here and act in accordance with them.
(c) Lifestyle judgments. Those docs again: "Judge not lest you yourself be judged." Those who start getting intolerant on the grounds of personal orientation will find themselves swiftly dealt with. They can go be intolerant somewhere else: specifically, anywhere that I'm not paying for the electrons.
And one additional note: language. If you joined these forums, you saw this message right up at the top, and you were required to click on a box that said you understood it:
"As a courtesy to our younger users, language stronger than the "crap" or "dammit" level is not permitted in the forums. The use of inappropriate language in either the forums or the chat area triggers moderation filters which alert the Forum administration staff. Offenders get one warning. After that, they and their computer's network address are permanently banned."
Please, everybody make sure you still understand this. (I should require everyone who comes in to re-check that box at this point, I suppose. We'll see if it's necessary.) We have many, many young users here. The language strictures are in place for their protection and their parents' peace of mind. (And mine.) But also...I expect a certain level of decorum from people visiting my property. I don't want to see chat logs full of swearing and abuse. (The moderators have already warned a few of you about this. Some of you no longer have the excuse of being newbies: you know how we do things here. Better start behaving yourselves real quick.)
...So please be warned that I am going to start having rapid sense-of-humor failures with those who violate the above policies. One has already happened in recent days -- associated with (c) above, though somewhat also with (b). Others are about to happen if persistent violators don't clean up their acts. I will moderate people's posts as necessary -- meaning that you can post until you're blue in the face, but nothing will see the light of Forum day until Lee or Kli or Peter clears it. And after the one "strike" that you're allowed, if there's another offense, out the offender will go, banned. I'll have their IP banned, too, just in case anyone is tempted to try to work around the situation that way. So be warned.
Don't mistake me: I don't much care for playing the Bad Mommy role. But even someone who was a nurse as long, long ago as I was never forgets how to effectively manage the unruly.
Please take note.
There's been some confusion lately about the issues of how and why posts (and people) are moderated. Let me clear some things up.
"Censorship": Yes, indeed, these discussion forums are screened for content, which the mods and I choose to approve...or not. The temptation to consider this "censorship" is, I guess, unavoidable: but these boards are not a public utility. They are privately owned and maintained, and their content is my responsibility. This is not a democracy: this is private property.
Just so you're all clear.
Mostly as a manager I have tried to be Queen Log rather than Queen Stork (check the Aesop, you'll understand), but our mushrooming membership numbers are beginning to require a more hands-on kind of management as people less familiar with the rules err out of ignorance, and people more familiar with them start to get sloppy, or self-indulgent, or hostile.
There are a lot of things I will not permit in these forums. Most of them can be derived from an understanding of the following statement (and this may sound tautological, but you'd better all take it to heart): the one thing I will not tolerate in here is intolerance. And there are several modes in which the IntolerAnt has been sticking its ugly head up lately.
(a) Politics. I'd really prefer that people stayed out of this mode of discussion, but I know they're not going to. Well, *discussion* is okay. But any time it starts to descend into abuse and namecalling, it's going to get moderated, and shut down if necessary. I completely trust Lee, Peter and kli6 to know when to act in this regard. When they speak, you may consider that they speak for me. (And to me. Don't think they're acting behind my back, or are out of control. We are in frequent touch.)
(b) Religion. This area is potentially even worse than politics for misbehavior, because those in it sometimes roll out the excuse that they're trying to do it "for the other person's good". The same rules apply as for politics, with the additional caveat: I will not have you proselytizing each other. No attempted conversions, no attacking other religions, no "I feel sorry for you because you're going to hell" stuff. From anyone. If you want to pray for each other, fine, but keep it to yourselves (I seem to remember someone stating in one well-known set of docs that you shouldn't pray publicly, like the hypocrites, but do it in private in your room: God'll hear you just fine, you don't have to shout about it...or be seen shouting). If you have trouble with these rules, feel free to excuse yourself from the Forums until some time when you can be here and act in accordance with them.
(c) Lifestyle judgments. Those docs again: "Judge not lest you yourself be judged." Those who start getting intolerant on the grounds of personal orientation will find themselves swiftly dealt with. They can go be intolerant somewhere else: specifically, anywhere that I'm not paying for the electrons.
And one additional note: language. If you joined these forums, you saw this message right up at the top, and you were required to click on a box that said you understood it:
"As a courtesy to our younger users, language stronger than the "crap" or "dammit" level is not permitted in the forums. The use of inappropriate language in either the forums or the chat area triggers moderation filters which alert the Forum administration staff. Offenders get one warning. After that, they and their computer's network address are permanently banned."
Please, everybody make sure you still understand this. (I should require everyone who comes in to re-check that box at this point, I suppose. We'll see if it's necessary.) We have many, many young users here. The language strictures are in place for their protection and their parents' peace of mind. (And mine.) But also...I expect a certain level of decorum from people visiting my property. I don't want to see chat logs full of swearing and abuse. (The moderators have already warned a few of you about this. Some of you no longer have the excuse of being newbies: you know how we do things here. Better start behaving yourselves real quick.)
...So please be warned that I am going to start having rapid sense-of-humor failures with those who violate the above policies. One has already happened in recent days -- associated with (c) above, though somewhat also with (b). Others are about to happen if persistent violators don't clean up their acts. I will moderate people's posts as necessary -- meaning that you can post until you're blue in the face, but nothing will see the light of Forum day until Lee or Kli or Peter clears it. And after the one "strike" that you're allowed, if there's another offense, out the offender will go, banned. I'll have their IP banned, too, just in case anyone is tempted to try to work around the situation that way. So be warned.
Don't mistake me: I don't much care for playing the Bad Mommy role. But even someone who was a nurse as long, long ago as I was never forgets how to effectively manage the unruly.
Please take note.