It doesn’t make much difference, of course, but I actually started posting to the ULRP board about the same time as I did the SDMB–three years ago. The other board has undergone so many different incarnations that my current post count there is listed as “2” instead of maybe a hundred-odd.
I find it a little weird that Snopes is now comparing my behavior and/or DocJ’s as analogous to suspicions of marital infidelity:
Ho-leee crap! :eek:
Well, you probably didn’t deserve to be banned (and I agree that Snope does come of as a grade - A prick), but you did deserve to be spanked a little. You jumped in with the snark in your second post without bothering to ask for clarification first. We get pretty pissed off when some brand – newbie lands here and starts criticizing our moderators right out of the gate. As for ** Doc J **, what likely got him in trouble was this:
That was a fucking assholish thing to say. No, it wouldn’t have caused much more than a raised eyebrow over here. However, every board does not function like the SDMB (much to the woe of every man, woman, and child). And I think it’s distasteful to bring this grievance here, especially given the high crossover between our two boards. But that’s just my opinion, flame away if you must.
But this:
Bitch! What did Barbara do to you?
This was addressed in your post above, which was submitted while I was composing mine, so I withdraw that point.
You have my sympathy, DR. The punishment was way out of line.
BTW I’m a big Raymond Chandler fan; I always appreciate seeing your name.
What other choice did I have? Snopes is letting the impression linger over there that there was some kind of “behind the scenes” flaming or e-mail harassment when nothing of the kind took place, and since I have been preemptorily banned, how else can I make my side of the story known except to bring it here? Since there is high crossover between the boards, I don’t want folks over here to think that I’m a behind-the-scenes troll. I’m an up-front troll, thankyouverymuch. 
You’re right–that’s a terrible thing to ask her to do. I would apologize for it, if I were still able to post over there.
(Seriously, I was angry at the time but I shouldn’t have been disrespectful to Barbara, and I am sorry for it–though I agree with Melandry that she’s being a bit arbitrary in this case. I did mean a hearty helping of disrespect and contempt for Snopes, though. It’s clear that apologies are wasted on him even when sincere, as DocJ can attest.)
Thanks! As for me, I’ve always liked the winter months.
I wonder about the sanity of someone that expects the same level of respect from posters on his message board as he does from his wife.
Well, all right. While I get the impression that it is generally frowned upon by the moderators here (with good reason, most of the time) to complain about the administration of another board, I can’t say I don’t understand your motivation.
Interesting discussion of the penelty box idea in this thread at Snopes. I’ve never actually visited Snopes until I read this thread.
The moderator does defend his actions. While I don’t agree with all his reasoning, here’s his argument.
There’s an implied level of trust and respect between a husband and wife that simply doesn’t necessarily exist between a moderator and a poster. Were you being a tad rude? Yes, but then your rudeness were only from the same words that Snopes used. Were you new (I didn’t notice, not checking postcounts as I do)? Yes. Grounds for banning? Hardly. Do you think you would have been banned if it wasn’t Snopes you were criticizing, but rather somebody else? I think the answer is pretty obvious.
I’m disappointed with Snopes’ handling of this situation. While I can certainly see his concern over your post, I tend to view situations where a post that is critical of a moderator leading directly to the person’s banishment with considerable disquiet.
Wow, I can’t believe someone pissed off snopes enough to actually get banned. I’ve been there for as long as I’ve been here, and it seems more bannings happen here in a day than do there in a month.
BTW, you should know that unless snopes explicitily says otherwise, when he starts a thread, it’s usually with info a reader sent him. (As he posted.) He wasn’t being snarky, he posted a picture that someone asked him about. That’s what he does. Or do you think every stupid question, story, and UL he posts he writes himself?
And, I think it takes a special type of asshole to be banned from one MB and immediately find another MB to bitch about it on.
He created the penalty box, as was stated in one of the threads linked here, so people will know if they have been banned. You can’t email them, because many people don’t keep valid email addresses, or necessarily check them.
Was your banning constituted?
In your first post, you assumed the worst intention of the moderator and mocked him, then later you called him a hypocrite. Frankly, I’m not sure if your other posts would have been better.
-schemmy
I don’t think you read the thread very carefully there, schemmy. It was DocJ who called him a hypocrite. I merely thought it.
[Mod Hat: ON]
Just for clarification:
We have no problem with people in the BBQ Pit bitching about what goes on at other boards- just as we assume people at other boards bitch about us. “Ooh, look at their long, hard, membership!” we assume they say. “What assholes they must be!”
Likewise, we have no problem with people saying, “I go to this other messageboard, and it’s neat!” We expect that we have a superior product- bribery- and therefore will retain membership. Besides, it’s not like anyone really settles down with just one message board anymore- it’s the twenty-first century, and monogamy is so 1950’s- though we do hope you always wear a condom while posting.
The only point at which we object- and I am not in no how no way actually suggesting that anyone here has suggested, intimated, or even thought this- is when someone says “Let’s all go to this messageboard and straighten them out!” We’ve never seen that go particularly well, and would prefer to avoid such a situation.
So, to recap:
“I hate Snopes!” - tolerated.
“I love Snopes and visit there more than this POS messageboard!” - tolerated.
“Let’s go to Snopes and mock them!” - not at all tolerated.
Thank you.
[Mod Hat: OFF]
[Arg. Preview is my friend. Typing is my enemy. -JMCJ]
pepperlandgirl:
What’s so holy about message boards? I’ve been posting on both SDMB and ULRP longer than you have, though my post count doesn’t reflect it in the latter board. If I encounter a twerp like Snopes in real life I can talk about it here, but if I encounter him on a message board it’s suddenly verboten? Have to disagree with you there, I’m afraid. And the fact that I’m still here might tell you something about the nature of this board versus the other. Much more freedom of thought around here, as I believe this incident illustrates.
And as for the number of bannings on the two respective message boards: I think the discussion that SuperNova linked to makes it clear that Snopes has banned people all along, but just hasn’t made it public. The “penalty box” seems to be a halfhearted attempt to provide some transparency, but there’s still the problem of arbitrariness.
Simulpost with John Corrado–his view on cross-board posting is more authoritative than mine, obviously.
:eek: This may be the pit, but asshole is a bit over the top, I’d say.
Apologies, I’ll concede to that.
However, you weren’t exactly painting yourself friendly by mocking him and assuming the worse.
-schemmy
You were behaving badly in the company of strangers, what did you expect? Calling a board mod out on your second post is hardly wise behavior, no matter where you are or how mellow the mods are. If you’d been around as long as you claim to have been, you’d have recognized calling snopes out publicly on his own turf wasn’t the brightest idea. You’d also have recognized that what is ok at the SDMB is not par for the course at the ULMB. While his analogy about marriage was a bit left of center, did you actually expect a snotty in-your-face comment to “stop” what you viewed as hypocritical behavior? I can’t imagine it’d do anything but antagonize the recipient, as it seems you were going for public embarrassment rather than pointing out an inconsistency.
That said, so what if the boards are arbitrarily moderated? He’s pointed out time and time again that it’s not a democracy -it’s his board and he’ll do whatever he sees fit. IIRC, he’s paying for the damned thing, if he wants to do a John Cleese and parade about the place in platforms and a feather adorned tiara, so be it. If the man feels like scratching his nuts and farting in “the pool,” so be it. It’s his board, his rules, take it or leave it.
I also didn’t get the impression he was letting the idea that there was a “behind the scenes” flame fest that went on… I don’t think anyone familiar with the board took the suggestion seriously, nor did he, and therefore he didn’t bother to address it.
You claim “old timer” status at the ULMB, but seem to be regretfully naive as to the way the board operates, so I apologize, but I don’t buy it. You have every 1st amendment right in the world to bitch to your heart’s content on your “home turf” but, quite frankly, a public display of sour grapes here doesn’t save face here or there. You did a dumb thing… own it, move on. Doc J’s punishment may have been a bit of a knee-jerk response to the word “hypocrisy” and over the top, but it appears he’s taken it with a grain of salt and moved on. I respect that, I hope he sticks around.
Meg
I previewed and still booboo’d.
this:
"I also didn’t get the impression he was letting the idea that there was a “behind the scenes” flame fest that went on… "
was supposed to be:
"I also didn’t get the impression that he was letting the idea linger that there was a “behind the scenes flame fest that went on…”