Please use this thread for alerting admins to moderation issues and for discussion or complaints arising from particular decisions.
The Skeptical Zone
"I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible that you may be mistaken."
Please use this thread for alerting admins to moderation issues and for discussion or complaints arising from particular decisions.
It’s nice to have an honest critic handy. When she likes something, you’ll know it’s really good.
True, though I think I’m more critical than she is.
Hahaha.
It is nice to have walto handy.
For Patrick, an honest critic is somebody who agrees with him.
I must have been a bad boy this year, my stocking is full of Guano!
First, let me apologise for my error of judgement in inadvertently creating a new rule. We now have ample evidence from phoodoo that my attempt to creat fine distinctions of parliamentary language open me up accusations of bias.
Let me also apologise for making the remark and then not being in a position to deal with the fall-out.
So, I’m going to treat my mistake as an episode from Dallas. I’m am unsaying that prefacing an otherwise rule-breaking statement by “I feel like…” gets it an automatic pass.
Sorry for the disruption and apologies to fellow admins for having to deal with it in my absence.
ETA to my ill-judged comment.
No, no Alan, don’t apologize. Its not what you meant, it was taken out of context…, Neils never saw any offending comments from any atheists…, Patrick never saw any offending comments from any atheists…, saying someone is being assholish, that’s not offensive because its an adjective, not a noun, …its Ok for DNA Jock to accuse Mung of trolling because sometimes DNA Jock doesn’t explicitly insult, ….
Its all totally cool. I just get a kick of seeing the myriad ways the moderators can come up with to rationalize their hypocrisy. ‘Well, you see, they used the indefinite article “an” not “a”…no, no, 31.2 percent of their post was not a direct insult, …but now we are changing that rule anyway…”
But look, obviously skeptics have a harder time controlling their emotions and all, so its to be expected.
By the way, has Johnnyb EVER made a moderation decision of this site? Once? Is it like finding Big Foot? There are stories that it may have happened but the camera malfunctioned?
You may not have quite grasped what I was apologising for. My comment intended to explain why I was reluctant to move a particular comment to guano. Unfortunately I gave the impression I was creating a new rule, a whole new way to avoid the rule about insulting each other. The fact I was then absent for a few days meant I couldn’t clarify my intent and caused work for the other admins.
I see you’ve had great fun at my expense. Ah well!
I wonder. What role emotions play in human behaviour is an interesting topic for me. If it interests others maybe there’s a thread subject in it.
Jon has many calls on his time. I’m sure he would make himself available to provide input if needed on a particular moderating issue.
Thanks, Alan. You saved me from rereading several days worth of comments to chase down the root of phoodoo’s complaint. I agree that prefacing a rule violation with “I feel that” doesn’t magically make the rule violation acceptable.
Yes, but you haven’t explained why you are now retreating from this stance. The only logical reason is because now I used it.
What I asked was, has he EVER made a moderators decision here? What evidence is there that he even exists?
Yes, but you haven’t explained why you are now retreating from this stance. The only logical reason is because now I used it.
What I asked was, has he EVER made a moderators decision here? What evidence is there that he even exists?
Indeed. I might say you exploited it – even abused it. Well played!
Don’t think he has. Regarding his existence, I think there are videos.
Who are you agreeing with, the Alan who said it does make it acceptable, or the Alan who says it doesn’t make it acceptable because now I did that?
I feel like you were trying to do the right thing.
As I recall it, Johnnyb was asked to be a moderator and agreed to do so, but then said he was too busy, and never altered that stance as far as I know. He’s never done any moderating here I don’t believe–in spite of the welcome.
I’ve said for over a year that I think at least one theist should be a moderator (and that at least one of the current atheist moderators should not be). But while that would help, the rules have always been the biggest problem, as phoodoo points out.
Isn’t that what the Christmas spirit is all about?
Alan Fox,
Alan, I can tell you that virtually EVERY insult I have ever pursued here is based on a previous post from others that moderators let go here, but I simply did a better job of applying it. Most of the time the aggrieved party just doesn’t seem to notice that all I have done is thrown it right back at them.
I am never an instigator of uncivil behavior-that would be in poor taste.
Its not hard to find a wealth of material to work with, because skeptics have been so unable to control their emotions when discussing viewpoints they don’t agree with. Its not unique here.
For the record, Alan is the only moderator I trust here, regardless of our disagreements.
Yeah, well, we also have pictures of men on the moon, so we know what that’s worth.
LOL! Phoodoo channeling Joe G / Frankie / IDGuy / Frisbee Kid.
phoodoo,
phoodoo, I believe your view that skeptics are less civil is nothing but bias. It’s team sports, and both teams have obno fans. Just take a look at UD with an open mind sometime. Homers suck, generally.
Exactly. It’s hard to imagine anybody more uncivil than Frankie. People do try to match him, though. It’s like an arms race, nobody wants the other guy to get the upper hand.
I agree. And I think that is the message Alan was trying to get across. But he’s French, so of course it failed. 🙂
But then there’s the other side of that coin. There are ways to try to make a comment appear like it’s not a direct insult, when it is. Having more of those sent to Guano would be nice.
walto,
No Walto, I don’t think you can even be serious. Look at some of the comments that have ended up in guano here, and tell me if you ever find ANYTHING like that at UD.
No way.
walto,
Like this for instance:
walto,
Or this :
Or:
But this is just the last page.
Show me this on UD.
Or if you prefer:
How could you know, the comments disappear completely.
Do you need a hug, Phoodoo?
It’s simple confirmation bias, IMO.
LoL! I expose Alan as a poseur, again, so he sticks me in moderation.
Life is good…
phoodoo, here are some excerpts from a single thread on UD (I just searched for TSZ). And all by one poster–the extremely pompous (and often just as confused) site tsar, Barry Arrington:
There’s a lot more there, but I got tired of cutting and pasting. The point is that, while the style may be a bit different (more pomposity, less vulgarity), it’s just as obno.
Different teams have different ways of being shitty and unfair. Some beat up opposing fans, some play with the temperature levels in the opposing locker rooms.
I need a hug. Could you wear those fake breasts that I like so much?
Yes, I’ve activated pre-moderation for your account. You’ve been reminded about the rules and you continue to ignore those reminders.
LoL! As if I am the only one ignoring the rules. You are quite the hypocrite, Alan
Of course you have. You have to do that so people don’t instantly expose you as the poseur you are.
It’s as if you think it’s OK for you to say anything but not OK for people to refute or correct you.
It is passing strange that a site set up to discuss ID/creationism, especially, would have a rule against discussing commenters’ motivations–when they’re the whole reason that IDists/creationists make the claims and arguments that they do.
I’m sure that Liddle got tired of motivation tennis (especially at UD, where BS motivations are ascribed to the evil side using nothing but bias and Holy Writ), wanting to just skip to the arguments. But the regular theists here don’t really have arguments (although one can have a meaningful discussion with the occasional theist, VJT), just rationalizations covering their biases. FMM barely even has rationalizations, and alternates between “think deeply” and “its simple.” Yes, very simple, simple-minded, simplistic, and he’s utterly incapable of understanding the real complexity of knowing.
Yes the rules are bad. The whole problem with ID/creationism is motivation, which is why the same worthless tripe is attempted to be fobbed off onto the rest of us. At least this can be said here in general without any real concern, but in particular it becomes a problem in dealing with the issues that prevent specific commenters from seriously considering the evidentiary defects of their positions.
No justice could be had in court without getting into the motivations of both defendants and of prosecutors and witnesses. ID wouldn’t have been judged as it was at Dover without consideration of motivations. Obviously motivation-mongering can turn into mere accusation, but then that’s all the more reason to actually consider the motivations driving the absurd accusations regularly hurled at anyone not properly theist. Ultimately, motivation is about all that the regular theists here have for their positions.
Glen Davidson
And presumably that’s why you have pre-moderation for comments also on your blog?
Glen, evos have motivations too. And they sure as hell don’t have any evidence to support their claims.
Wrong again, OM. I do that so that losers cannot spam my blog with theirs lies and nonsense. Here I am exposing lies and nonsense.
Why is it OK for Richie and adapa to attack people and post substance-free drivel? Why is it OK for OMagain to post ignorance-laden diatribe that just proves he is a clueless loser?
Alan Fox,
Who else have you done that for here Alan?
I think this is pretty shameful Alan. You think Frankie is the only one disregarding the rules? You don’t think Richard, Dazz, Adapa to name just a few regularly do the same thing. Frankie responded to them.
Shame shame Alan.
My respect for this site continues to plummet.
A good reason to stop wasting time here and go back to ministering to the homeless. Jesus would approve.
Richardthughes,
Now now Richard, remember the last time when you were bragging about how you were this sites troll, and how that blew up in your face.
That didn’t look so good for you.
Pedant,
Don’t worry Pedant, I will still serve you at the soup kitchen. Stay warm!
I’m looking for you! Better show up.
Pedant,
Ok, but remember the rules like last time. Brown bag bottles of hooch stay outside!