Moderation Issues (3)

Please use this thread for alerting admins to moderation issues and for discussion or complaints arising from particular decisions.

4,124 thoughts on “Moderation Issues (3)

  1. Alan Fox,

    Alan,

    I just submitted my #7. I worked hard to make sure it is innovative as you will see…
    Harshman has a tendency to object to free expression if some ideas do not sit well with his…If he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t have to read or comment on the theme…If he doesn’t like my #6 why is he commenting on the recycled ideas?

  2. Dear moderators,

    One of my comments seems to have been lost in limbo. Does it happen to be in moderation for some reason?

  3. Corneel: Why did it get routed to moderation BTW?

    As I said, it went into the spam filter. We use Akismet but I don’t know what triggered spamming your comment.

  4. phoodoo: Reminder to readers: Alan doesn’t follow the rules.

    I can deal with moderators adding to the rules, or changing the rules. In fact I advocate for it. It’s the unfairness in enforcing them that bothers me. That and the failure to publish new rules on the rules page. WTF is up with that?

    Publish the freaking rules!

  5. Mung: I can deal with moderators adding to the rules, or changing the rules. In fact I advocate for it. It’s the unfairness in enforcing them that bothers me. That and the failure to publish new rules on the rules page.

    I agree the rules ought to be edited and in one place for easy reference. While that would be Lizzie’s job to do or delegate, admins could confer and add something temporary in the meantime to the existing rules page. The rule regarding racist comments, at least, ought to be there.

    Regarding patchy enforcement, the site is now as busy as it has ever been and two admins with real lives are not enough to monitor everything. Again, it’s up to Lizzie to appoint any additional admins. In the meantime, any member is able to flag a perceived issue by PM or a comment in this thread.

  6. Alan Fox: I agree the rules ought to be edited and in one place for easy reference. While that would be Lizzie’s job to do or delegate, admins could confer and add something temporary in the meantime to the existing rules page. The rule regarding racist comments, at least, ought to be there.

    Regarding patchy enforcement, the site is now as busy as it has ever been and two admins with real lives are not enough to monitor everything. Again, it’s up to Lizzie to appoint any additional admins.In the meantime, any member is able to flag a perceived issue by PM or a comment in this thread.

    If people were civilized to each other, no rules would be needed…

  7. Alan Fox: Regarding patchy enforcement

    “…Let me introduce myself, My name is Alan Fox, I am the head Patchy Enforcer. Lizzie actually has awarded me a badge for this in a touching ceremony at her palace. I was humbled. ”

    Alan Fox P.E.

  8. phoodoo: “…Let me introduce myself, My name is Alan Fox, I am the head Patchy Enforcer. Lizzie actually has awarded me a badge for this in a touching ceremony at her palace. I was humbled. ”

    Alan Fox P.E.

    Are you this much a baby about things in real life?

  9. There are plenty of blogs and forums where people with like priors can hang out and scoff at those who do not share them.

    Like The Skeptical Zone! Thank you, Elizabeth, for making yet another such blog.

  10. Alan Fox: I shouldn’t need to remind long-standing members that accusations of dishonesty are against the rules of this site.

    You would think. Isn’t it past time that this particular member be placed into the moderation queue to have his posts reviewed before they appear?

  11. Alan Fox: Please discuss moderation decisions in the appropriate thread.

    keiths is the worlds greatest whiner. Why can’t he just follow the rules, then he’d have nothing to whine about.

  12. Alan,

    The rules apply to everyone.

    No, they don’t. You apply them extremely selectively, heavily influenced by your personal affinities and grudges.

    Don’t bother denying it. It’s obvious.

  13. keiths:
    Alan,

    No, they don’t.You apply them extremely selectively, heavily influenced by your personal affinities and grudges.

    Don’t bother denying it. It’s obvious.

    Sure more of your comments move to guano than other members. That is because you routinely ignore the not-very-onerous rules. You know accusations of dishonesty are against the rules, as are insults and questioning the intelligence of fellow members. Avoid making such remarks and I won’t be required to move them to guano. Seems simple to me.

  14. keiths:
    Alan,

    Even phoodoo — phoodoo! — can see right through you:

    That’s how obvious your bias is.

    Is your complaint that whilst you regularly post rule-breaking comments that get sent to guano, other members also regularly post rule-breaking comments that don’t? Who are these other members that regularly post rule-breaking comments?

  15. @ Keiths

    Or are you seriously agreeing with phoodoo that moving rule-breaking comments to guano is censorship?

  16. Alan Fox: Avoid making such remarks and I won’t be required to move them to guano. Seems simple to me.

    Simple enough for a slow fourth-grader?

  17. Alan,

    To be a good moderator requires objectivity, and objectivity requires discipline and intelligence. It’s simply beyond you. You’re not moderator material.

    This was a beautiful example. You got things completely backwards, all because you couldn’t separate your personal grudge from the facts of the matter.

  18. keiths,
    I repeat, avoid personal insults and accusations of dishonesty and you will not have the problem of your comments being moved to guano.

    Of course you have options. Take your complaint to the blog owner. You have her address. Alternatively, set up your own blog and make your own decisions as to how it functions.

    You could also make good on your offer to produce some software that would substitute for human intervention. I think something along the lines of the Amazon comment system might work, though I also think blogs are being superseded by newer systems of communication. Maybe you should be attacking Trump on Twitter.

  19. Keiths writes

    And as I keep reminding you, you are not obligated to guano rule-violating posts. Nor are you obligated to “remind” people of the rules, particularly when they are speaking the truth, as Woodbine was.

    I agree with Lizzie’s aims and how the rules are intended to support those aims. You disagree as you are entitled to do. You are welcome to suggest alternatives to Lizzie, offer to take over the blog, set up your own venue and so on.

    (And if you had any sense, you would guano much less often, and much more fairly, than you do. TSZ runs more smoothly when you are occupied elsewhere and are unable to guano. Ponder that.)

    How do you arrive at that assessment?

  20. Alan,

    I agree with Lizzie’s aims and how the rules are intended to support those aims.

    Stop hiding behind Lizzie’s skirt. You don’t agree with her aims and her rules.

    In fact, you’ve even argued that you aren’t bound by Lizzie’s rules because you “gave no specific undertakings” when you accepted the moderator job.

    So you accepted the job and then, much later, decided to mention that “oh, by the way, I never agreed to be bound by the rules.” All as an excuse for your behavior. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Lizzie’s aims and rules, is it?

    That alone should disqualify you from being a moderator. The rest — and there’s plenty — makes it an open and shut case.

  21. keiths: Stop hiding behind Lizzie’s skirt.

    You want to have it both ways: Hiding behind Lizzie’s skirt while making up my own rules?

    You don’t agree with her aims and her rules.

    I do agree with her aims. There may be improvements to be made on achieving them.

    In fact, you’ve even argued that you aren’t bound by Lizzie’s rules because you “gave no specific undertakings” when you accepted the moderator job.

    It’s true Lizzie just asked me to be a fellow admin without asking for any specific undertakings. It’s also a fact that Lizzie later made it clear she expects her fellow admins to take decisions in her absence.

    So you accepted the job and then, much later, decided to mention that “oh, by the way, I never agreed to be bound by the rules.” All as an excuse for your behavior. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Lizzie’s aims and rules, is it?

    Nonsense

    That alone should disqualify you from being a moderator. The rest — and there’s plenty — makes it an open and shut case.

    If you feel so strongly, then make your case to the blog owner. Why keep complaining here when conscience demands you take effective action?

  22. Alan,

    You want to have it both ways: Hiding behind Lizzie’s skirt while making up my own rules?

    Both are true. You continually make up your own rules, and when you get called on it, you run and hide behind Lizzie’s skirt, sanctimoniously declaring that you’re simply upholding her “prime directive.” That’s bullshit, of course.

    I do agree with her aims.

    No, you don’t.

    1) Lizzie never said that she wanted her moderators to be liars. You have a chronic lying problem and have admitted as much.

    2) Lizzie never said that she wanted her moderators to abuse their moderator privileges. You do it repeatedly.

    3) Lizzie never said that she wanted her moderators to ignore the rules, making up excuses for why the rules shouldn’t apply to them. Or to take the job, but then argue “Oh, I never agreed to actually follow the rules. I gave no specific undertakings.” That’s pathetic, and you should be ashamed.

    4) Lizzie never said that she wanted her moderators to invent new rules for situations that did not require them and for which the existing rules were perfectly adequate.

    5) Lizzie never asked for a moderator who would guano a comment that violated no rules and then, when challenged on why he guanoed it, would respond “Because I can”, and refuse to move the comment back.

    “Because I can”, you said. You’re an ass, Alan, and unfit to be a moderator.

    If you feel so strongly, then make your case to the blog owner.

    I’m prepared to make my case. I also hope that Lizzie will read through this thread to see the kind of crap you’ve pulled in her absence. But remember, you promised to resign as moderator when she returns. Don’t renege on that promise! It’s very good news for TSZ.

  23. Alan Fox: It’s also a fact that Lizzie later made it clear she expects her fellow admins to take decisions in her absence.

    Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

    Stuff it keiths, you whiny little twit. Try leading by example to make this a better place for people to visit. Unless that’s not really what you want.

  24. Woodbine: Yes that’s how the scam works you fucking moron.

    Guano!

    Why do these people keep shitting on the people they disagree with? That really isn’t what Elizabeth wanted for this blog.

  25. Mung: Guano!

    Why do these people keep shitting on the people they disagree with? That really isn’t what Elizabeth wanted for this blog.

    It’s frustrating to see the same glaring misunderstandings of evolutionary theory repeated over and over despite all the energy and time invested in trying to correct these misunderstandings. But that’s no excuse for losing one’s temper and getting insulting, and I know I’m guilty of that myself. The fact is that some folks just can’t be taught. As the old saying goes, “never try to teach a pig to sing. It’s a waste of time and it annoys the pig.”

  26. keiths: But remember, you promised to resign as moderator when she returns. Don’t renege on that promise! It’s very good news for TSZ.

    This is false. I made no such promise!

    However, I have already asked Lizzie to find someone else to take on my admin duties and she has promised to deal with it on her return. I fully expect her to stand by her promise! 🙂

  27. Alan,

    I’ll leave it to you to word-lawyer over whether this constitutes a promise:

    phoodoo:

    Your judgement can no longer be trusted…

    Alan:

    You wound me!

    phoodoo:

    …time for you to retire.

    Alan:

    Agreed. As soon as Lizzie returns.

    The important thing is that you’re resigning. That’s very good news for TSZ. Don’t disappoint us!

  28. Kantian Naturalist: It’s frustrating to see the same glaring misunderstandings of evolutionary theory repeated over and over despite all the energy and time invested in trying to correct these misunderstandings

    Its frustrating to see evolutionists constantly repeating that they are correcting some misunderstanding of evolution, despite all the time and energy spent explaining that their explanations are incorrect, and that there is no misunderstanding.

    I guess some folks can’t be taught that derision is not misunderstanding.

  29. phoodoo: I guess some folks can’t be taught that derision is not misunderstanding.

    They are hopeless optimists who believe logic can be persuasive.

Comments are closed.