# IvoryTowerDenizen, this was poor modding **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 3, 2019, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156 "2019-01-03T16:46:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/81 "2019-01-04T00:30:08Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > You continued in post #14 with increasing hyperbole pivoting off of the idea that we’ve somehow discarded the notion of context and history. Hyperbole? Go back and read your own nonsense in post 27. Does your language there effectively explain to anyone the Board’s PoV? Or does it just escalate the situation? > [@](#): > > This continued with others weighing in with post #16 and #17, both continuing the wrong implication that post history doesn’t matter. These responses weren’t made because moderation actions were questioned. Questioning moderator action happens all the time. These criticisms however, are of a different flavor than questioning a particular decision. They are made to call into question the entire moderation staff, the board in general, and to discard past action that the staff has taken with regard to policing misogyny. An overblown accusation such as this will get a strong rebuke. You came into this thread to escalate a situation you knew full-well was already a little simmery, and you successfully made it worse. What you did wasn’t rebuking, it was picking a damn fight. Defensive and petulant. Responding to posters who question moderators, or even the entire moderation staff and the board in general, by flying off the handle with petulance and defensiveness does not seem like a good way to represent the Straight Dope. > [@Helena330](#): > > I think very, very highly of ITD and I know how much she’s done for the board. I still don’t really understand her on this poster, but I know she has good reason for what she does and I give her the benefit of the doubt. I certainly didn’t intend to sound like I was shitting on her efforts! I appreciate her and what she does more than I can articulate. I do too, ftr. My first two posts here may have been a bit snarkier than I intended, they were simply meant to further challenge her (or other mods) to defend or reconsider that (non)action against UR. The rest of the mod posts in this thread have been disappointing, to say the least. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/82 "2019-01-04T00:34:24Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > I don’t think that’s up to you, now is it? You’re helping! ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/83 "2019-01-04T00:47:21Z")
I think that calls for banning of posters should be confined to the Pit. IMO. :shrug: ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/84 "2019-01-04T00:47:43Z")
FWIW, he had a point. [https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/06/03/for-women-with-borderline-personality-disorder-symptoms-may-worsen-with-periods/135859.html](https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/06/03/for-women-with-borderline-personality-disorder-symptoms-may-worsen-with-periods/135859.html) > [@](#): > > Urine tests for luteinizing hormone and saliva tests for progesterone were used to confirm ovulation and track the phases of the menstrual cycle. > > Researchers used the Carolina Premenstrual Assessment Scoring System, a questionnaire for evaluating clinically significant menstrual cycle effects on emotional symptoms, to evaluate whether the patients showed cyclical mood changes large enough to impact their day-to-day functioning. > > The study found that most symptoms attributable to borderline personality disorder were significantly exacerbated in the week before and during menstruation. > > “Symptoms, on average for the females in our study, worsened by at least 30 percent during the perimenstrual phase,” said Eisenlohr-Moul. “This is equivalent to going from moderate depression to extreme depression on the rating scale.” It’d be like asking if men suffering from low testosterone can make depression worse. Yes it can. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/85 "2019-01-04T00:51:20Z")
Yup. Covered. In a couple different threads. He didn’t “have a point,” because he didn’t _make_ a point. He asked a question, which in other circumstances might well have been reasonable. It was inappropriate, tactless, and unkind in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/86 "2019-01-04T00:53:20Z")
Oh FFS but probably not for the last time: his intention with that post was nothing close to this reference or any others offered. It was 100% a driveby “Hurhur women” comment. If he’d EVER offered an informative or insightful non-troglodyte post about a serious issue, maybe you’d have a point. But he hasn’t, so none of you (who for some reason are motivated to do his Googling for him) do. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/87 "2019-01-04T01:39:15Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > I don’t think that’s up to you, now is it? Obviously, it’s not or he wouldn’t be here. You wouldn’t be, either. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/88 "2019-01-04T01:40:09Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > I think that calls for banning of posters should be confined to the Pit. IMO. :shrug: I don’t think that’s up to you, now is it? ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/89 "2019-01-04T01:44:04Z")
> [@andros](#): > > He didn’t “have a point,” because he didn’t _make_ a point. He asked a question, which in other circumstances might well have been reasonable. It was inappropriate, tactless, and unkind in the thread. Yes indeed. It was **madsircool** , in this thread (post #3), who raised the possibility of a connection between menstrual cycles and violent behavior by women. Not **Urbanredneck** , who said: > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Forgive me for jumping in here but since this discussion is **all about women** , do the behaviors change with **their** monthly cycles? [Bolding mine.] Note that he didn’t specify Tibby’s older daughter, the subject of the thread. His wording at the very least refers to both of Tibby’s daughters and it’s perfectly reasonable to interpret it as applying to all women experiencing menstrual cycles. As such, it did nothing to move the discussion forward and everything to reinforce stereotypes of females as labile due to hormonal variations. Anyway, count me among the fans of **ITD**. I think she’s an awesome mod who strives for and generally achieves fairness and consistency, and it is silly to think she’s a misogynist. But in this case, she made a mistake, IMHO. She’s explained her reasoning and it doesn’t convince most of us, who remain a bit shocked at what URN can get away with. Doesn’t mean she’s not a great mod, just that a lot of us think she made the wrong call. Being a reasonable, open person, **ITD** is no doubt willing to digest the ideas people have stated, and my guess is that she’ll integrate the persuasive arguments people have made into her future modding activity, whether or not we peons get to read about her internal thought processes and whether or not her actual mod calls end up being different. The defensive commentary of some of the other moderators in this thread is a bit discouraging, though. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/90 "2019-01-04T01:48:04Z")
**ITD** handled that very well. It was right on the edge of warning and note and I would have been ok with either one. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/91 "2019-01-04T01:59:22Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > Obviously, it’s not or he wouldn’t be here. You wouldn’t be, either. Who [del]asked[/del] are you? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/92 "2019-01-04T02:05:29Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I don’t think that’s up to you, now is it? Of course not. But I’m not going to whine in ATMB about posters I disagree with. I thought that was what the Pit was for. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/93 "2019-01-04T02:09:28Z")
That’s enough. One more shot at another poster in ANY form and it’s warning time and the thread will be closed. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/94 "2019-01-04T02:12:22Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Who [del]asked[/del] are you? Enough. Discussing moderation is entirely appropriate to this forum. Unless you have something substantive to add to the actual topic, don’t post in this thread. Who asked who, who someone is, and tangential commentary about the appropriateness of general topics like what should be allowed in ATMB are off topic. [/moderating] ninjas. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/95 "2019-01-04T02:25:06Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > …except it’s the expectation\* you guys set\*, when you said you were going to get serious about moderating misogyny. That’s not “arbitrary”, that’s “living up to your own promises” You do realize ITD is a woman, right? And she was a rather an important part of the shift in attitude in the moderation recently? She might not need your help recognizing misogyny and how to deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/96 "2019-01-04T04:41:17Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Ok, person with nine warnings. **Snark is not a substitute for an argument.** Yes, I have 9 Warnings. So what? Many of them are not repeated behaviors, so they are irrelevant. The ones that are repeated behaviors, I’ve been explicitly told that the reason I got a Warning instead of a Note was due to past behavior. What’s more, you left out the part of my post where I specifically say that there are times when past behavior should be considered, and times when it shouldn’t. The situation I described was one where a poster has constantly gotten mod notes to stop a behavior, and the notes clearly aren’t working. I have been nothing but civil in explaining my position. I have simply made an argument that a particular poster has not gotten the message from his many Notes about a particular behavior, and that you should consider giving him an actual Warning instead of a Note. I actually commended ITC for her moderation, but simply said that I think she erred this time. I do not understand your need to be uncivil, using snark to imply hypocrisy on my part. If you disagree with my arguments, that’s fine. I welcome people proving me wrong. I don’t welcome the impugning of my character. And I do note that you chose me out of the others who were making similar arguments. Do all of them have Warnings that you think somehow negate their argument? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/97 "2019-01-04T05:31:48Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Gotta agree with Bone. ITD made her call and she stands by it. Dibble’s thread here is another attempt to game the refs to deal with people he disfavors. > > Tough. We’re the staff and we discuss and handle things as we see fit. This makes no sense. There is no system that can be gamed. **MrDibble** posted his opinion about the moderation in the appropriate forum, and several other posters agreed with him. A few disagreed. **There is no system to be gamed**. Someone posting in ATMB does not in any way obligate you to do anything. What’s more, **MrDibble** , whether you agree with him or not, is a poster of integrity. You impugn his character by asserting he is trying to pull a fast one. His past statements on bigotry in general and misogyny in particular are entirely consistent with him believing (as several other posters do) that **Urbanredneck** ’s post is misogynistic and thus deserves a Warning. Furthermore, if **MrDibble** is trying to game the system, then how do you explain all the other posters who agree with him? Are all of us just trying to get rid of a poster we don’t like? Why do you discard the simplest explanation that all of us actually believe that **Urbanredneck** deserves a Warning? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/98 "2019-01-04T05:35:13Z")
Point of order: “game the refs” =/= “game the system.” Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/99 "2019-01-04T05:42:02Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > … Are all of us just trying to get rid of a poster we don’t like? … I don’t find this difficult to believe. Earlier **Bone** said this: > [@Bone](#): > > … Second, it’s clear that many people have a problem with UR, and wait with bated breath for his posts so they can report them - might as well change his avatar to a giant scarlet A. … I don’t have any reason to doubt **Bone** ’s statement. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156/100 "2019-01-04T06:34:25Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I don’t find this difficult to believe… People are trying to get rid of _behavior_ they don’t like - because they feel that trollish misogyny has no place here, and should be moderated more strictly. Whether that would result in getting rid of a _person_ would be entirely in that poster’s own hands, based on what followed if the mods ultimately agreed and issued warnings. Ascribing more sinister motivations to Mr Dibble (that raising the issue for debate is based on a personal beef) seems a little ironic, given the generosity with which Urbanredneck was given the benefit of the doubt in the incident in question. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivorytowerdenizen-this-was-poor-modding/827156.md?page=6)