Moderators

[Semper Fidelis]

maybe if you kept it short and sweet it wouldn't be so painful when they delete your stuff

patricknd haha you need to leave the Amsterhammer alone. Remember we know what it is like to have a moderator delete without explanation. Of course I have not really had that happen on this forum but you know where I am talking about.

Not that it matters but I thought the second edition or Rev A edition of Amsterhammer's post was not a problem. That is why I'm not a mod.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.

 

[red_flanders]

Neither do you (collectively) it would seem.

I was awarded a fine of 10 points by Susan on Tuesday for a denigrating personal reference towards another poster. I communicated with Susan about this by PM, and marveled at the little red blob in the lower right corner of the post because I had never seen this before.

Imagine my surprise when, some time later, the post in question disappeared! I wrote to Alpe, another admin, asking for an explanation, who had deleted the post, and why. Alpe reported that he did not know who had deleted the post.

I then re-posted (with some changes,) making the point about the deletion, and giving the mod in question the opportunity to either PM me, or post his reasoning. Nothing (so far).

[Old fart mode] - I have been regularly using all kinds of forums, and in every capacity, since 1999. There is simply NO excuse for any mod ever deleting posts without explanation, or at the very least informing the poster concerned. NO excuse at all, especially when the deleted post runs to many hundreds of words and the object causing offense is one word.

[/Old fart mode]

You're making the assumption we all read all the forums and the mod in question (might well have been me) came back to the thread to see this change. We don't. Nor do we feel the need to personally address every deletion or discuss it.

Mods have to have leeway in making judgement calls on such items, there is logistically no way for us to synch on all such matters, so your expectation should reflect this reality.

For important matter such as bans, we do often (but not always) consult one another for feedback and histories.

Personally, I delete offending posts liberally instead of closing threads or banning people for repeat rule violations. One way to avoid all this is to stop violating the forum rules and police yourself.

For all members, please do take some responsibility for how this forum operates and I guarantee you'll find that it's a better forum. This is your forum, and ultimately you all all creating the content. Don't be a member who liberally insults others and expect that we'll clean it up perfectly to your satisfaction.

We really do try to do the right thing here. It would be much easier if you all did as well. If you are, this doesn't apply to you. Thanks.

 

[patricknd]

patricknd haha you need to leave the Amsterhammer alone. Remember we know what it is like to have a moderator delete without explanation. Of course I have not really had that happen on this forum but you know where I am talking about.

Not that it matters but I thought the second edition or Rev A edition of Amsterhammer's post was not a problem. That is why I'm not a mod.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.

amsterhammer isn't a bad sort for a ganja smoking hippie freak, but i like yankin his chain.

unless i misssed something on the first version of his post i'm not too sure why it was deleted. i didn't see anything that wasn't in the same vein as the post he was responding to in the first place

 

[Race Radio]

I agree with what you have said, but you do realise what happens when one individual is allowed to have "fun" by continually posting mis"information". It quickly becomes un"interesting".

Just a thought.

sometimes it takes a while to figure out if they are trolling......or ***.

 

[Amsterhammer]

You're making the assumption we all read all the forums and the mod in question (might well have been me) came back to the thread to see this change. We don't. Nor do we feel the need to personally address every deletion or discuss it.

I have to say Red, this is an outrageous, laughable, and ultimately entirely unacceptable response.

You "might have" deleted my post? We're talking about the Cafe here, not the Clinic! How many posts get deleted in the Cafe? How many posts in the Cafe are dealt with by someone other than Alpe or Susan? You delete so many posts in the Cafe that you can't remember? I find that really, really hard to believe. Or, it wasn't you, but one of your colleagues who hasn't got the decency or guts to own up in public.

The point is, there was at most one word, or one phrase, in a very long post, a post that had already attracted a red mark from Susan, that might have conceivably been construed as being remotely offensive. It was, therefore, overkill of a gross and uncalled for nature to delete the entire post.

Mods have to have leeway in making judgement calls on such items, there is logistically no way for us to synch on all such matters, so your expectation should reflect this reality.

In effect, you're admitting that the right hand has no idea what the left hand is doing behind the scenes. Once a post has been 'marked' or 'punished' by one mod, it surely should not be the business of another mod to then decide to delete the entire post - without comment, feedback, or informing the poster. This is a disgracefully sloppy state of affairs, and you should truly be ashamed to use this as any kind of excuse.

For important matter such as bans, we do often (but not always) consult one another for feedback and histories.

I mod on a large forum that has existed since 1999. Like here, the mods/admins are all volunteers. No one has ever been banned there without prior consultation and some consensus of opinion amongst mods/admins. If CN intends for this forum to still exist in 2022, I would seriously suggest that you all start acting a little more 'professionally' so as to avoid situations where none of you claim to know who deleted a certain post, or why, and where the mod in question doesn't have the guts to justify his actions. It is no great shame to make a mistake, we're all human and mistakes can and do occur. Have the balls to admit to a mistake, or ****-up, instead of maintaining a mask of 'we're so busy' and 'we usually get it right'. Again, we're not talking about the Clinic!!!

Personally, I delete offending posts liberally instead of closing threads or banning people for repeat rule violations. One way to avoid all this is to stop violating the forum rules and police yourself.

This comment in no way addresses my specific issue. As you know perfectly well, I'm talking about the Cafe in general, and the US politics topic in particular. I'm sure that not even you would claim that is a hotbed of unacceptable activity, one that requires more policing than Alpe gives it. Nor do I believe that you have ever had cause to "liberally" delete posts from the US topic. Ergo, IF you deleted my post, you know perfectly well that you did so - don't come with this "I might have" bs to suggest that there were so many deletions that you just can't remember.

We really do try to do the right thing here. It would be much easier if you all did as well. If you are, this doesn't apply to you. Thanks.

Part of doing the right thing should be that you inform and explain about the occasional deletion that may take place in the usually laid back and trouble free Cafe. I can understand that you may not feel the need to explain a mass troll deletion in the Clinic, but this case is very different. I still want to see one of you stand up, take responsibility, admit to deleting my post, and explain why that was felt to be the right thing to do after it was clear that the post had already been 'punished' by a colleague.

Part of doing the right thing is also being honest, and not hiding behind 'it might have been me but I delete so much that I'm not sure'. Which, as I'm sure you must realize, sounds like utter bull when talking about the Cafe.

 

[ebandit]

seeing Red

I have to say Red, this is outrageous,

chill! 'tis only a forum..............write another post........................

besides................the world ends tomorrow................................

do you really expect that alien life will be able to extract your post from

tiny pieces of hard drive travelling through the cosmos?

 

[Amsterhammer]

chill! 'tis only a forum..............write another post........................

besides................the world ends tomorrow................................

do you really expect that alien life will be able to extract your post from

tiny pieces of hard drive travelling through the cosmos?

I am heartened by the news that New Zealand is still there.

Chill? Almost like ice, me. I have re-posted, but that's not the point, is it?

I just feel that when I (or anyone else who asks politely for that matter,) as a long-time poster, and one who is not exactly known for being a troll or 'trouble-maker', ask for clarification and explanation for something that (imo) should not have happened, I deserve a more honest reply than 'it could have been me but I delete so much that I can't remember'. To put it in British parliamentary terms, I feel that the honourable adminstrator is being economical with the truth.

But if it wasn't Red with his failing memory, and it wasn't Susan, and it wasn't Alpe, we've still got an 'unknown' mod going around deleting posts without having the common decency to explain, or own up to, his actions.

It would have taken the person concerned maybe three minutes to leave a post in the relevant topic, or to send me a short PM of explanation. Is that really asking or expecting too much?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Today this conversation took place in the Alberto Contador Discussion thread.

Parrulo posts this:

indeed it's hilarious how irrational some1 can become when blindly supporting some1. if it didn't came from Laflorecita i would even think it was a trolling.

Which I found insulting especially because he is a mod. I am used to getting insulted quite a lot and I don't really care. But as a moderator there are certain things you can't do. One is insulting forum members, even if it wasn't meant that way.

To me this is pretty insulting especially since it's coming from a mod. You should know better.

Instead of apologizing or just ignoring me he thinks it is a good idea to **** me off even more

/care, just a couple of posts ago you admit to have been pretty much trolling last night so you should feel lucky you don't get a warning/ban for it.

i do warn you that from now on i will consider your little "jokes" trolling and not that thoughts of a fangirl like i used to think, it only seems fair.

Just fyi I didn't admit to trolling, I just said my posts weren't entirely serious.

Now I can no longer be myself on this forum because it will be seen as trolling and will get me banned. This bothers me.

What bothers me even more is that Parrulo apparently believes I am not really a fangirl but a troll.

I hope this won't be ignored.

 

[red_flanders]

I have to say Red, this is an outrageous, laughable, and ultimately entirely unacceptable response.

You "might have" deleted my post? We're talking about the Cafe here, not the Clinic! How many posts get deleted in the Cafe? How many posts in the Cafe are dealt with by someone other than Alpe or Susan? You delete so many posts in the Cafe that you can't remember? I find that really, really hard to believe. Or, it wasn't you, but one of your colleagues who hasn't got the decency or guts to own up in public.

I went back and looked after reading your post here and I did in fact delete your post.

It was filled with insults to other members in every paragraph, and also contained an ethnic slur against another member. After it was carded, there were of course a series of follow on posts which of course quoted your insulting, offensive rant and rebuked it...of course. Those were deleted as well. My opinion upon seeing all that was to remove the insulting, offensive commentary or remove it and give you a ban for it. I chose not to ban you.

You're welcome to launch your long, morally outraged diatribe here about it, but don't expect any satisfaction–you're completely out of line.

You can't grossly violate the forum rules and expect that we'll handle your content with kid gloves. It doesn't work that way.

 

[Parrulo]

you should look up the definition of trolling. your "not serious" posts were getting serious responses and instead of just say "hey i wasn't being serious" you continued posting the same stuff which makes it seem like you wanted to get that reaction from other posters.

that's trolling.

also you seem to be pretty fast at getting your offended face on, but when cineteq and airstream did similar things you(and other posters) were fast on saying they were trolling and should be banned. they eventually dropped it and airstream only got a small ban for his continued dopping related posts on the road racing forum.

so why should different rules be applied to you? intended or not what you did was a bit trollish so just take it as a lesson and be careful in future.

 

[LaFlorecita]

you should look up the definition of trolling. your "not serious" posts were getting serious responses and instead of just say "hey i wasn't being serious" you continued posting the same stuff which makes it seem like you wanted to get that reaction from other posters.

that's trolling.

I apologize because that was not my intention.

 

[Parrulo]

I apologize because that was not my intention.

see, wasn't that hard.

now be careful in future.

also glad to see i made it into your signature, but remember, "context is everything"

 

[LaFlorecita]

Barrus still wants his account and all his posts deleted.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Barrus still wants his account and all his posts deleted.

Barrus must make that request personally.

Susan

 

[LaFlorecita]

Barrus must make that request personally.

Susan

How does he have to do this? Can he send you an email?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Or can he PM you on the other forum?

 

[Amsterhammer]

I went back and looked after reading your post here and I did in fact delete your post.

It was filled with insults to other members in every paragraph, and also contained an ethnic slur against another member. After it was carded, there were of course a series of follow on posts which of course quoted your insulting, offensive rant and rebuked it...of course. Those were deleted as well. My opinion upon seeing all that was to remove the insulting, offensive commentary or remove it and give you a ban for it. I chose not to ban you.

You're welcome to launch your long, morally outraged diatribe here about it, but don't expect any satisfaction–you're completely out of line.

You can't grossly violate the forum rules and expect that we'll handle your content with kid gloves. It doesn't work that way.

I think you're mistaking me for someone else. Do you still have access to my original post? Show me the "insults to other members in every paragraph". I honestly think you're hallucinating, and I have no idea what you're talking about.

I was replying specifically and only to BD, whom I quoted extensively, and to whom I replied in a similar vein to the one in which he had addressed me. I did not use swear words, iirc. The only people I openly 'insulted', if that's even the right term, were 'wingnuts' and gun nuts' and maybe 'gun retards', all of which are terms that have been widely used in the right/left and gun-related exchanges both here and on the web at large.

I made one specific passing reference to one other poster, whom I identified by nationality only to make clear to whom I was referring. I would not have thought that calling someone a "lapdog" would be considered any kind of major "slur". People have been called far, far, worse things with impunity on CN.

Nevertheless, I accepted and regretted that that one comment was indeed inappropriate, accepted Susan's reasons for my infraction, and certainly did not repeat it in my re-post, which is almost entirely the same as the original. On reflection, I can understand that this one poster could have felt insulted by one line of a long post, and for that I am sorry.

But where is the insulting, offensive rant you speak of? I can't imagine that BD would have complained, doesn't sound like his style. No one else was addressed or even mentioned apart from the one poster already referred to, so how could 'others' have felt insulted? How could you have thought 'others' were being insulted when I was quite clearly speaking specifically and only to BD?

Where are the "insults to other members in every paragraph"? This is pure fabrication.

"Grossly violate the forum rules"? C'mon, man, you've got to be kidding!

If my post was as entirely, outrageously, offensive as you are claiming it to have been, don't you think that Susan would have deleted it instead of giving me a warning?

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

How does he have to do this? Can he send you an email?

I imagine Barrus can figure various ways to contact me.

I also think it should be clear why we would only take such a request from the individual involved, and not through another person.

Susan

 

[LaFlorecita]

I imagine Barrus can figure various ways to contact me.

I also think it should be clear why we would only take such a request from the individual involved, and not through another person.

Susan

It is clear. But when I told Barrus that he should contact you he said "but I can't "

 

[red_flanders]

I think you're mistaking me for someone else. Do you still have access to my original post?

I do, and I'm not mistaking you for anyone one else. Feel free to continue the conversation offline as I'm not re-posting it here.

 

[TheGame]

Someone started a thread about Bradley Wiggins getting a knighthood.

Parullo closes it with this remark

this is pure spam and could even be considered trolling, consider yourself warned.

/thread closed

Seriously. Attitude Problem?

 

[Mellow Velo]

Someone started a thread about Bradley Wiggins getting a knighthood.

Parullo closes it with this remark



Seriously. Attitude Problem?

You know how this works, has to start in the appropriate sub forum, i.e. the road racing section.
Then, along comes a Clinic "heavyweight" or two.
They make a few posts about a reward for doping.
Rather than warn them about an attitude problem and remove offending posts, the thread then gets moved to the Clinic and, as MartinV said, becomes fair game.
See? It's easy.

 

[pedaling squares]

It shouldn't have been opened in The Clinic, but Wiggins receiving a knighthood deserved a thread. When a thread like that is closed after a pretty benign opening post, with a snotty remark from the moderator, the forum is really gasping for air. Ryder Hesjedal received an award this week, the thought of that thread must terrify the controllers. And now Lance Armstrong is nominated for Texan of the Year; our spastic mod better have his finger on the trigger and be ready to shoot all comers.

 

[Afrank]

It shouldn't have been opened in The Clinic, but Wiggins receiving a knighthood deserved a thread. When a thread like that is closed after a pretty benign opening post, with a snotty remark from the moderator, the forum is really gasping for air. Ryder Hesjedal received an award this week, the thought of that thread must terrify the controllers. And now Lance Armstrong is nominated for Texan of the Year; our spastic mod better have his finger on the trigger and be ready to shoot all comers.

There already is a thread for it http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=15097

 

[Ruby United]

Does Lienders get one as well? Or will the Dutch Royal Family give him one for services to the medical industry?

I have been reading the Sky clinic thread for a while and this posters trolling is just getting a bit ridiculous.