# Morgan **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 8, 2000, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598 "2000-08-08T18:58:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mars\_Horizon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mars_horizon/32/2804_2.png) [@Mars\_Horizon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mars_Horizon)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/1 "2000-08-08T18:58:06Z")
This question from a longtime lurker and infrequent poster… I was reading the posts over in GD as I am usually inclined to do on a slow Tuesday afternoon, and I noticed that a poster named “Morgan” had been banned. I’ve seen plenty of trolls here before, and you can usually tell from an exmaination of their recent posts _why_ they’ve been banned. So I thought I’d go find out what rudeness or mayhem Morgan had been spreading, and I did a search of his (her?) recent posts. But I found something a little odd… there was nothing offensive or stupid or baiting, etc. etc. So my question is, what did they do that got them banned? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/2 "2000-08-08T20:09:34Z")
99.99% probability that he had the same IP number as a previously banned poster. “Banned” means “banned permanently”, not “banned until you come back under another name”. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/3 "2000-08-08T20:56:03Z")
Morgan was banned because we asked him – nicely – to refrain from doing something that was a violation of forum rules, a question of etiquette more than anything else. His response was to get nasty towards the moderator of the affected forum. Wrong answer. Let me quote a couple of lines from the registration agreement: > [@](#): > > \*\*You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use this BB to post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, threatening, invasive of a person’s privacy, or otherwise violative of any law. > > You agree to abide by the wishes of the board moderators in interpreting and enforcing these rules. > > Refusal to cooperate with board moderators or to abide by these rules is grounds for revocation of your posting privileges.\*\* The first rule of the Straight Dope is “Don’t Be a Jerk.” The second (unofficial) rule is “Don’t piss off the moderators.” Morgan is batting 1.000. I removed his posting privileges. your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![Ted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ted](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ted)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/4 "2000-08-09T02:19:40Z")
**TubaDiver** - Trying to make this sound as respectfull as possible, may I ask the reasons his thread in the pit was deleted? (if this is honestly the case.) Myself, and others recieved an email from him concerning this. It included some of the conversations between Manhattan and him. (I won’t post this as Manhattan’s email was considered a private letter, and I believe it would cause more trouble than it’s worth.) Your reasons for banning him are of course your business. And I can understand why you did. (Personaly I think he was more of a hothead who felt he was being wronged than any real trouble maker, but _shrug_ it’s your board.) What I am unsure of is the reason for deleting his post in The Pit. Is this standard practice or is this just an exceptional case? I had thought that the policy was to lock such threads, not delete them. Would you explain it to me clearer so I have a better idea of it? Again, I intend no disrespect. I am merely curious as to the policies on deleting threads, and what constitutes deleting such a thread. Thank you, Ted. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/5 "2000-08-09T04:31:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ted \* > **TubaDiver…** Oh my God, the union of **TubaDiva** and **SeaDiver**! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/6 "2000-08-09T04:56:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ted \* > What I am unsure of is the reason for deleting his post in The Pit. Is this standard practice or is this just an exceptional case? > I had thought that the policy was to lock such threads, not delete them. Would you explain it to me clearer so I have a better idea of it? > > Again, I intend no disrespect. I am merely curious as to the policies on deleting threads, and what constitutes deleting such a thread. > > Thank you, > > Ted. > \*\* No harm, no foul, dear heart. Ask all the questions you like. How we handle a particular post or thread depends on the forum, the thread, and the post . . . the rules are slightly different in some areas (the use of some insults is okay in the Pit, it’s not in General Questions, to give just one example). Everything is handled on a case by case basis and the determinations can be different in every case. Sometimes we lock a thread, sometimes we delete it. It varies. In this situation, we asked this poster politely to make changes and he got up in our faces and got nasty. We don’t have to put up with that kind of bad behavior on this board; posting is a privilege and not an inalienable right. And it’s really too bad, it wasn’t necessary for him to be like this. He’s absolutely in the wrong; he started wrong and continued. Furthermore, it was wrong for Morgan to send this sort of begging email to other people; that falls under the “do not annoy or harass” section of our registration agreement. your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![Ted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ted](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ted)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/7 "2000-08-09T08:26:50Z")
TubaDiva - Ok, cool. Well, thaks for the honest answer. And sorry about the nick typo, seriously, that was an honest mistake on my part. Can’t believe I did that… it’s been a really off day. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/8 "2000-08-09T15:01:16Z")
We’re all a keystroke away from disaster. Don’t worry about it. I’ve been called worse. 🙂 your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/9 "2000-08-10T03:45:31Z")
I dunno… “TubaDiver”… sounds like an exotic Guatemalan bird… or a new Navy Seal insertion submersible. 'Sides, I can see that as your new sig… “Your Humble Tubadiver Navy Seal insertion submersible” Okay, I’m being an ass… “Tubadiva” is just wonderful 😃 ---
**Author:** ![That\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@That\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/10 "2000-08-10T05:17:23Z")
I had to look for Morgan after you asked, and it seems he was really smart. He seemed to make a lot of serious opinons about a lot of topics in General Questions and Great Debates. I hope he does come back in a new name. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/11 "2000-08-10T05:35:51Z")
By Jeez, I thought **TubaDiva** was a phonetic spelling of your job description, ayuh. Are you sure you never worked as a potato digger in Maine? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/12 "2000-08-10T06:01:11Z")
> [@](#): > > I hope he does come back in a new name. And if we notice it, he gets banned again. Anyone who’s banned needs to contact an administrator to see about getting unbanned. Some folks are banned for life, most aren’t. But just coming back with a new handle is NOT the way to do it. Lynn Administrator For the Straight Dope ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/13 "2000-08-10T06:03:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Piano \* > \*\*I had to look for Morgan after you asked, and it seems he was really smart. > > He seemed to make a lot of serious opinons about a lot of topics in General Questions and Great Debates. > > I hope he does come back in a new name. \*\* You do? So our forum rules are unimportant and meaningless to you? This is not really smart on your part, let me tell you that. You’re not trying to make friends or influence board personnel, are you? your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![That\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@That\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/14 "2000-08-11T05:16:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lynn Bodoni \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > I hope he does come back in a new name. > > And if we notice it, he gets banned again. Anyone who’s banned needs to contact an administrator to see about getting unbanned. Some folks are banned for life, most aren’t. But just coming back with a new handle is NOT the way to do it. > > Lynn > Administrator > For the Straight Dope \*\* OK, you say he’s “banned for life”. But, he obviously CAN come back or you couldn’t “ban him again”. Isn’t that the most obvious contradiction? Or am I missing something? And TubaDiva, you are putting words into my mouth. I never said that rules are breakable. I just said I hope he comes back and gets a new name, i.e, that you let him back in and give him a new name. He can’t keep the current one after this thread, because people will always be throwing it in his face. It seems he was really smart, and an asset to the board. You seem to be hesitant to say what the dispute was about, so I assumed it was one of the kind you can get past and get on with the main topics instead of the banning topic all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Poirot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@Poirot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poirot)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/15 "2000-08-11T06:20:23Z")
The Banned for Life thing is more of a motto than a fact, so it can’t really be dissected. It’s more of a label than anything they do. I’m sure they can’t ban an IP, or all the users of one ISP would drop out at once, willy nilly. But it still hurts the _Banned One._ Words hurt, especally when you have to come back in disguise and continue posting in fear of _Outing._ (Although, I do think they Out some people that aren’t due for it at all, but that’s another discussion.) BTW, nice picture on the People Pages. Can’t see your face, but can tell you never lit up a cigarette before. ---
**Author:** ![BOrsam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@BOrsam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOrsam)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/16 "2000-08-11T14:26:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TubaDiva \* > \*\*Morgan was banned because we asked him – nicely – to refrain from doing something that was a violation of forum rules, a question of etiquette more than anything else. \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TubaDiva \* > \*\*In this situation, we asked this poster politely to make changes /B] Are you sure you were really that sweet? Sure doesn’t sound like you guys. Then you trash Piano for saying he was a good poster; That’s more your style. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TubaDiva \* > \*\*The first rule of the Straight Dope is “Don’t Be a Jerk.” > The second (unofficial) rule is “Don’t piss off the moderators.” \*\* It seems the first rule should read “Don’t be a jerk, just because you see us do it”. You always try to look so innocent, then edit the other guy’s arguments out and declare yourself the true victim. Then when proven to be a bully you fall back on “Well it’s my sandbox, so my mommy says I can throw sand in anyone’s eyes I want to.” Whenever you do that you lose all credibility. You can always con the Duck Duck Geese of the world, but like Lincoln said, you can’t fool all the people all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/17 "2000-08-11T16:05:33Z")
I’m quoting and answering more than one person here: > [@](#): > > OK, you say he’s “banned for life”. Nope. I said that some people get banned for life. Morgan isn’t one of them. Getting banned for life generally involves making threats against the MB, like spamming it, or suing the Reader and assorted people connected with it. > [@](#): > > But, he obviously CAN come back or you couldn’t “ban him again”. > Isn’t that the most obvious contradiction? Or am I missing something? Some idiots come back with a new email and handle after being banned. However, their STYLE doesn’t change. So, when we find an old pain in the butt who’s been banned but who has resurfaced with a new name, we ban him again. The PERSON gets banned, not the handle. If someone we’ve never seen before pops in and starts up with an old argument, we start looking real hard at that person. Maybe it’s a lurker, but more likely it’s someone who’s been banned. > [@](#): > > Are you sure you were really that sweet? Morgan was warned of inappropriate behavior, and chose to ignore it. What’s more, Morgan then started using a nasty sig directed against a mod, and blocked email from a mod. After that, Morgan mass emailed all the mods and apparently quite a few posters. Let me clear something up. When you check the box about allowing email from the administration, you are NOT opting out of email warnings and such. You’re opting out of mass email (though it’s not commercial email). For instance, we had a hacker break into the database a while back. We mass mailed all who accepted email from the administration, warning people to change their passwords. That’s the ONLY time we’ve used that feature. We don’t sell or rent or otherwise make available our email database, even though it would net us some money. > [@](#): > > Then you trash Piano for saying he was a good poster; That’s more your style. Nobody said ANYTHING bad about Piano giving his opinion about Morgan. Piano’s rebuke was for suggesting that someone defy the rules. Apparently, Piano meant that Morgan should apologize and be allowed back on. That IS within the rules. > [@](#): > > You always try to look so innocent, then edit the other guy’s arguments out and declare yourself the true victim. > Then when proven to be a bully you fall back on “Well it’s my sandbox, so my mommy says I can throw sand in anyone’s eyes I want to.” Generally, we don’t edit out the other guy’s arguments, we leave them in. We might close off a thread, but that’s not editing stuff out. If you are not happy here, then there are plenty of other playgrounds. If you want to start up your own, go right ahead, we won’t even try to stop you. However, if you don’t moderate a message board, it will become overrun with spam and flame wars. Lynn Administrator For the Straight Dope ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morgan/28598/18 "2000-08-11T16:09:36Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s more of a label than anything they do. I’m sure they can’t ban an IP, or all the users of one ISP would drop out at once, willy nilly. Actually, we do have that option, but it’s got a bug in it. Plus, of course, it WOULD punish all users of one ISP for the offenses of one person. Lynn