# Please welcome our new moderator, ParallelLines **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 28, 2025, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239 "2025-03-28T06:38:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/1 "2025-03-28T06:38:20Z")
I’m pleased to announce that **ParallelLines** has agreed to help moderate Great Debates and Politics & Elections. He’s still getting used to the chain mail and accidentally banned Kazakhstan during mod practice but we’re confident he’ll get into the swing of things soon. Please give him a warm welcome and refrain from antisocial behavior for at least his first couple days. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/2 "2025-03-28T06:39:11Z")
Whoo hoo. I like that. Congrats. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/3 "2025-03-28T06:53:49Z")
How much to “accidentally” ban Idaho? Just askin’. ---
**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:** [March 28, 2025, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/4 "2025-03-28T07:04:40Z")
Wait, what? There was an opening for a new mod? Was everyone invited to apply? Don’t get me wrong, I think @ParallelLines is a fine choice. But I am curious about the transparency, or lack there of, in the mod appointment process. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/5 "2025-03-28T07:14:33Z")
I don’t think it has ever been an open process where a position is announced, and a bunch of people then run for the job. Behind the scenes, they are looking for the best person to help out in certain situations, so they look at a person’s even temperedness, their ability to separate their politics from their posting, their availability to be there consistently etc., or at least that is the way it was back in my day, and it seemed to work for the most part. ---
**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:** [March 28, 2025, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/6 "2025-03-28T07:28:04Z")
Which is fine, but transparency about the process - even if the process itself isn’t transparent - seems like a value to strive for. There might be a FAQ section in the bowels of this message board regarding “how moderators are selected” or “if you want to be a moderator, here is the application process” or something similar. Or maybe there isn’t. I confess that I don’t know, and it’s on me to be properly acquainted with the available information. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/7 "2025-03-28T07:42:13Z")
@CairoCarol , you may recall the moderator **Frank** , from years ago. I had the good fortune to meet him in person once, when he was coming through western Canada, and I asked him how he became a Mod. The answer was simple: he thought he might like to be a Mod, so he got in touch with Tuba, who sent him a note outlining the qualifications, what they were looking for in a Mod, and asking how Frank met all the requirements. So Frank responded, and he must have supplied the desired responses, because he did become a Mod. But it was just like that—Frank took the initiative. I’m sure that if no new Mods were needed, Tuba would have said so, but I guess at least one was, and Frank, who had reached out, remember, fit the parameters. And welcome to @ParallelLines ! Hope you find the job as rewarding as **Frank** did! ---
**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:** [March 28, 2025, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/8 "2025-03-28T07:55:39Z")
Thanks, @Spoons. TBH, I’m not opposed to almost any means of choosing mods. I modded a much different, but also highly contentious, board for about 10 years, and the process there was anything but democratic: basically, the existing group of mods decided they needed another person, discussed among themselves who might be a good choice, privately reached out to that person for a conversation, and if both sides were happy, voila - a new mod was born. The squabbling masses had nothing to do with who was chosen. But everyone knew that was how the process worked, and they were content to accept it. I think (?) maybe it is similar here. Just curious to confirm it, that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/9 "2025-03-28T07:58:34Z")
Welcome and congrats! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/10 "2025-03-28T09:36:23Z")
> [@Ed\_Zotti](#): > > Please give him a warm welcome and refrain from antisocial behavior for at least his first couple days. Just those two forums, right? It’s still OK to get my dick out in FQ, right? Oh, yeah, and congrats to @ParallelLines and all that jive. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/11 "2025-03-28T09:39:08Z")
There was a call for mod volunteers a while back, I think, so maybe they just kept those names on file? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/12 "2025-03-28T10:04:36Z")
Congrats and welcome, ParallelLines! Couldn’t you have banned Russia instead? It was, like, _right next door!_ ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/13 "2025-03-28T12:48:55Z")
It’s darn hard to aim that banhammer accurately wearing the neutronium underoos _and_ the jackboots for the first time. He at least hit the same continent he was aiming at. Good bet his aim will improve with practice. Congrats (and condolences) to @ParallelLines!! I’m sure you’ll be a fine addition to the crew. As I used to say to newbie Union volunteers: “Thanks for sticking your head in the blender.” Seriously, thank you. @CairoCarol: Looking at **PL** ’s avatar, and that of @Aspenglow I’m thinking maybe one of the selection criteria for new Mods for our brave new and extra unpleasant age is a fierce enough avatar. If you’re politicking for the job, you might consider updating yours. 😉 To your question about selection process, here’s one data point: At one time a few years ago an existing Mod PMed me out of the blue allegedly on behalf of **Ed** to see if I’d be interested. My late wife was just picking up speed in her final slide down to the end, so I declined for lack of reliable free time & mindspace to do a good enough job for the board. They have not raised the subject with me again. Make of that what you will. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/14 "2025-03-28T12:52:30Z")
Condolences to @ParallelLines, and since I mostly post in P&E, I just want to say, you’re my favorite moderator of all time! ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/15 "2025-03-28T12:52:34Z")
Now his evil is law! Gotta get back back to the past . . . ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/16 "2025-03-28T12:54:34Z")
I can’t believe I missed _yet another_ conclave! Congrats and anticipatory thanks to @ParallelLines . IMHO, you have the right temperament for a moderator which will stand you in good stead and put you in good company. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/17 "2025-03-28T12:57:10Z")
If there’s anyone who can keep us on the straight and narrow… ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/18 "2025-03-28T12:57:32Z")
> [@Ed\_Zotti](#): > > Please give him a warm welcome and refrain from antisocial behavior for at least his first couple days. Welcome, ParallelLines, and thank you for helping! 😀💯💓💋 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/19 "2025-03-28T13:00:06Z")
If **ParallelLines** has any perspective — ANY perspective at all, he will converge into a single point at the horizon. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239/20 "2025-03-28T13:21:20Z")
And here I thought you all were training **BannyMcBanface** to be the new mod. Congrats to **PL** on his new position. 🧑‍⚖️ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-welcome-our-new-moderator-parallellines/1016239.md?page=2)