[stating the obvious]
I certainly hope that TubaDiva doesn’t feel personally attacked by the honest criticism here-- it’s important to remember that, while we don’t start threads to compliment her quotidian mod-actions, that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate the hell out of them. While we may think “Yes! Thank you,Tuba,” we generally just go onto the next thread without saying anything “out loud” about it. Because the hamster would die if we did.
The reason that we have four pages of “What the hell was that about?” is that this action was so contrary to what we have come to expect from the Tuba that we love so well.
[/stating the obvious]
That being said, I’m wondering how the volume of complaints originally received about the thread compares with the expression of shock and confusion at its closure, and what, if anything, that says about the community standards of the SDMB community, by definition some of the “smartest, hippest people on the planet, plus a few total dipsticks.”
Same here. I keep checking this thread hoping to see a mod or admin posting with some clarification. It’s like we’re all upset, but no one will listen. I have a simple rule for threads that I don’t find interesting or that might be too graphic: I don’t read them. I haven’t read the thread about noses and cunnilingus and I probably wouldn’t have read Scylla’s thread either. But I like the fact that threads like that can exist alongside threads about family tragedies, poor customer service, what bark is made of, and talks about new puppies, kittens and babies.
TubaDiva’s parting shot in that thread was cold, and her reason for closing it because of fear of what a prospective employer might think of her is self-centered.
I appreciate the often thankless work the admins and mods do, but because the job is volunteer, I don’t expect them to do it forever. If the work here is presenting a hardship, everyone understands if you need to quit. That being said, I’m not suggesting that TubaDivashould quit.
I doubt, that thr–, err, DeadyAccurate– I think that policy is being hashed out in camera, and no-one is speaking up until there’s a consensus, which is pretty sensible.
Would the swarming masses who’re always telling dazed and bewildered newcomers that if they don’t like it here they should go somewhere else please go somewhere else? If you’re a web developer, do you just have people write letters and then ask prospective employers not to look at the sites? Why shouldn’t Tuba want to showcase her work to prospective employers?
A pile on calling for Tuba’s resignation is ample evidence that she’s right. You’ve got it backwards, people. Tuba shouldn’t quit. You should quit. Go open your own message board.
I see no one saying “Quit, Tuba, quit!” I do see people saying that if she’s administering the board based on the potential perception of a potential employer that she rethink her priorities.
And since you’re the only person who seems to hold that point of view, perhaps it would be easier for you to “go open your own message board.”
The content of the threads on this message board aren’t examples of her work. OTOH, the tone and tenor of her postings as she’s performing her duties as Administrator, which is what she wants to showcase, do reflect on her – and not so favorably in this case. Her parting insult of Scylla’s intelligence – blatantly against the rules she’s supposed to be upholding in the performance of her “job” – would be just the kind of thing some mysterious prospective employer just might find a not-so-great trait in a potential employee.
But instead of taking responsibility for her own behaviour and actions, she blames us for her failure to land a job to date. We’re crass, so we’ve prevented her from earning a living. It’s utterly outrageous, insulting and offensive.
And I like Jenny (which I believe she knows very well), so none of that is said with any malice. It’s just an observation of fact and an expression of how this whole thing makes me feel.
I think it was more like, Tuba, if it’s getting too much, why don’t you take a break, or quit? We don’t want to see you make yourself miserable!
I love Tuba-I think she kicks ass. But if this is stressing her out that bad, or endangering her employment opportunities, I think she should maybe consider stepping down-perhaps only temporarily?
No reason at all. Despite my relatively low poost count, I consider SD and the SDMB to be important to me. I have a badge on my humble web site and I mention it quite often IRL. I’m happy to show off my MB to people. But wouldn’t it be a bit ridiculous if I have a thread in MPSIMS-
“Hey, while I consider this place important enough to share with my future Mother-in-law/ prospective employer/ whatever, I’m kinda worried about how they might look upon me after reading certain threads. Could y’all keep it tame for a bit? Thanks.” Methinks I shoulda not invited the MIL in the first place, mmm?
Having said all that, I too, would also like to voice my appreciation for the mods and admins. Too easy we forget that they do exponentially more good than bad around here, and those good deeds go unrewarded. But I think Tuba has touched a collective nerve here, and we’re all fearing for the sanctity and openness of what is likely the only place many of us can discuss certain, worthy topics.
Yeah, I agree. The kids won’t behave when company comes over. They’re as outrageous, insulting, and offensive as all get out.
What the heck about HER behavior is a problem? Because she was snippy with someone? If you’ve escaped mod snippiness then you’re a lucky person. Just look how snippy all of you are being with me. Are y’all setting the example for her?
That was not a call for resignation, that was suggesting that perhaps if her concerns for her job affected her performance as an admin, then she should quit.
Okay, I have read this thread and please correct me if I am wrong, but here is the gist of it, as far as I see it.
Many people think TubaDiva made an incorrect decision in closing Scylla’s thread. Many people thought she made a snotty comment.
Many people called for an ** honest** explanation from TubaDiva.
TubaDiva gave an honest explanation of her action. she was HONEST, nowhere did she say that it was going to be a policy of the board to disallow future threads that she personally thinks are not in good taste, just that THAT one, at THAT time, struck her as too tasteless to exist. Perhaps she had just read 20 others she thought were tasteless too, and on the 21st she had had it and closed it. She explained that the fact that she is looking for a job influenced her decision. Perhaps it would influence YOUR decision too, if you were running the place and had just read 21 posts that you felt were tasteless.
Many people jumped all over her for her honest explanation.
I conclude from all of this that:
A) A Moderator is not allowed to make a mistake.
B) An Administrator is not only not allowed to make a MISTAKE,
she/he is not even allowed to be HUMAN!!!
Is that a fair assessment of this thread?
Oh, and Tristan?
I truly don’t think this message board would survive if not for TubaDiva. That is my belief, based on conversations I have had with various mods involved with this site. Since she didn’t ask me to keep what she said in confidence, Lynn Bodoni was one of them.
So if you think she “makes this whole board seem like it’s her personal domain, and it’s not”, then perhaps you should think again.
Just a thought.
I think that the fact that the threads you have mentioned are alive and well speaks for the probablility that the staff is not going to close every thread they find in questionable taste. It is unfortunate that Scylla was the unfortunate author of that proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back,” it could easily have been any of us. But the fact that Tuba felt the need to close that thread is an indication that we all need to think a bit harder before we start a thread. Or POST to a thread, for that matter. No, this is not a children’s message board. But it is open and available to be read by children. I don’t know exactly what the answer is, but I think we should all be trying to think of solutions, not raking Tuba over the coals.
I see just as jarbabyj and Sauron are doing their best to convince Lib that no-one really wants TubaDiva to quit the SDMB, Shayna comes and requests exactly that:
:rolleyes:
However, I do think Shayna and the others before her have a point. I think it utterly ridiculous that censorship of the board should be stepped up to such an extent as to close Scylla’s thread, which as it has been pointed out was no worse in terms of explicitness than others that are currently open at the present moment, (this IMHO one comes to mind), in one woman’s own, somewhat misguided as I see it, self-interest.
As for arguments along the lines of ultress’s ‘think of the children’, I’m pretty sure a teenager seeking titillation wouldn’t seek out a wordy message board with a few unsupervised hours on the net!
BTW Sorry L&C if I’ve caused your thread to be closed.
IJGreive, it’s really more my goal here to convince Libertarian that he’s coming across as a hysterical Gibson girl with a case of the vapors…and the more he wails for everyone to hug and get along, the more I want to throw my friggin monitor out the window.
THE MAJORITY of posters in this thread have said they appreciate Tuba’s hard work. A great deal of us have expressed a concern at rules that we didn’t know existed. A HANDFUL may have requested that if Tuba can’t be more clear about her criteria for closing threads she should consider resigning.
BottledBlondJeanie, I started the eek face in the labia thread and never thought it would blossom into a ‘post a smiley’ thread. I admit, it made me smile and giggle a little, but truly, as the first poster, I certainly didn’t mean to start a trend in the thread. My apologies if I cut the thread off.
I have never posted about the mods before but there is a first for everything.
I was shocked when I read TubaDiva’s reasoning. I kept thinking, “She’s saying that?? Her attorney should have told her to cop the 5th.”
God forbid a potential employer pick up a StraightDope BOOK where s/he finds a discussion of the calorie content of ejaculate. I am just truly shocked that Tuba used a standard (“what wouldn’t I be ashamed for a potential employer to see”) as a standard for this message board. I never would have expected it. If I were to form an opinion of TubaDiva as a potential employee, I am sorry to say that the cut down of Scylla would have resonated far more with me than TMI threads, etc.
I really do wish you the best in your job search, TubaDiva. If you weren’t searching for a job, I can’t help wondering if Scylla’s post would have been okay with you. There is no way that your employment status should determine what is posted on this board.
The beauty of this board it the open honesty. And I think an employer is just as likely to open the very threads that so many of us are compelled to open - hearing about the loss of one’s brother, about a 6 year old who makes medical history, - and read all the great comfort, support, and encouragement that the board provides its members.
Enough from me for now. I wish you the best in your job hunt; it is never a fun process but you will find that job you love.