# Re: Closure of the Big T thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 21, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301 "2010-05-21T20:35:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Buckeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@Buckeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckeye)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/81 "2010-05-23T14:51:51Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > Which of these quotes is from your OP? šŸ˜• This is her quote asking for clarification. It was in her OP. > [@](#): > > (Just to be clear to the sensitive Big T, this is not about anything you said or your thread specifically. Itā€™s about thread closure protocol, in general, and your thread is just the example being used. Just so you understand.) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/82 "2010-05-23T14:52:24Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > You win, Iā€™m done. The OP has indicated that she is done. I will close this thread in twelve hours unless someone objects. If anyone wants the same done with thread that this thread discusses, please let me know. **Gfactor** Moderator ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/83 "2010-05-23T15:03:04Z")
On reflection, I find I do have one other thing to add. I believe you may also owe **BigT** an apology for the accusation of trying to ā€˜game the systemā€™. Thatā€™s not really fair, in my mind. He only asked, it was **Twickster** who acted. Shouldnā€™t she be getting the note? Isnā€™t it the moderators job to stop posters gaming the system? Why should **BigT** take the hit? (Of course, heā€™ll no sooner get an apology than I will.) Just thought Iā€™d point that out. Okay, Iā€™m really and truly out of here now. (And your new vanity title, lifted from my post, very mature indeed!) ---
**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:** [May 23, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/84 "2010-05-23T16:48:53Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > Here is my problem. You made that long post and then immediately (two minutes later according to the time stamps on your last post and the thread report requesting closure. That makes it look like you really were trying to game the system so that you could have the last word. Next time you want to leave a discussion, please donā€™t do it that way. Again, I want to point out that I expected you guys to decide whether it needed to be closed or not. I donā€™t see why it should be my job to decide, since Iā€™m not the one actually doing the closing. I honestly expected it to stay open for at least a few hours. I actually thought of saying something when I saw **twickster** close it, but I figured Iā€™d complained and whined enough for a while. I will in the future try not to do this. My current plan is to announce that Iā€™m going to ask for it to be closed in a little while. But I still think a general policy of giving it a few hours would be better. There will always be people who want threads closed. I see you ( **Gfactor** ) already use this method. Awesome! Iā€™m just suggesting it for other mods. As for an apology. Nah. I can understand why it looks bad, or I wouldnā€™t have went to so much trouble to explain. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/85 "2010-05-23T17:18:57Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > Iā€™d like to focus on your OP and your request for clarification. If you want to raise that issue, you may start a thread about it. Really? The OP politely asks a question about a mod action and the mod in question comes in and apparently breaks the rules by being jerkish and makes an unsubstantiated personal attack. Instead of an apology, said mod then responds in a snarky manner and itā€™s not OK for the OP to question it in the same thread it occurred? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/86 "2010-05-23T17:55:44Z")
[QUOTE=PlainJain] itā€™s not OK for the OP to question it in the same thread it occurred? [/QUOTE] You make an excellent point, most assuredly. Alas, itā€™s not going to have any more effect than asking for a cite, or an actual apology for the insult. (Hey **Oy** , look at me, I finally got it right. A quote with the ā€˜posted byā€™ thingy, thanks again for the learning!) ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/87 "2010-05-23T17:55:51Z")
I was thinking the same thing, **PlainJain**. Also the irony of mod promising to soon close this thread. Maybe twickster should have started a separate thread in which to make the questionable comment. :rolleyes: > [@BigT](#): > > Again, I want to point out that I expected you guys to decide whether it needed to be closed or not. I donā€™t see why it should be my job to decide, since Iā€™m not the one actually doing the closing. _You_ request the closure but itā€™s not your job to decide..? So youā€™re not responsible if your request is granted? What? And although you requested it, you figured it would stay open for a while? :rolleyes: Why didnā€™t you then let it stay open for a while longer before making the request? I think I should bow out of here now too, there is just too much stupid going on from so many different angles, itā€™s not worth getting involved in. I thought I was arguing for the principle of the thing but it seems there isnā€™t a trace of that here. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/88 "2010-05-23T18:14:30Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > Really? The OP politely asks a question about a mod action and the mod in question comes in and apparently breaks the rules by being jerkish and makes an unsubstantiated personal attack. Instead of an apology, said mod then responds in a snarky manner and itā€™s not OK for the OP to question it in the same thread it occurred? Why shouldnā€™t that get its own thread? What does it have to do with the OP? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/89 "2010-05-23T18:17:51Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I will in the future try not to do this. My current plan is to announce that Iā€™m going to ask for it to be closed in a little while. But I still think a general policy of giving it a few hours would be better. There will always be people who want threads closed. > > I see you ( **Gfactor** ) already use this method. Awesome! Iā€™m just suggesting it for other mods. Iā€™m working on it. > [@](#): > > I can understand why it looks bad, or I wouldnā€™t have went to so much trouble to explain. Iā€™m glad you get it. Thanks. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/90 "2010-05-23T20:50:53Z")
Just to be clear, I did not ask for this thread to be closed. And when I said, ā€œIā€™m done, you win.ā€ I was referring to trying to reasonably discuss this with\*\* Gfactor\*\*. I do _ **not** _ want it closed and am willing to discuss this further with, and continue to read comments from, other posters, as Iā€™d be very interested in their views on what went down here. And I would also like an explanation why mods canā€™t discuss the personal attack on me in this, the very thread it was in, or the lame non apology that followed. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/91 "2010-05-23T22:05:43Z")
And the silliness multiplies, exponentially. First **Gfactor** complains that my tone was not polite at all. When it was pretty clear it was. When I point out her tone could easily be interpreted as disingenuously combative and hostile, she lifts the phrase and makes it her vanity title for a time. :eek: When I point out thatā€™s not terribly mature, she undoes it. Next she says she canā€™t even parse what it is Iā€™m saying. Then she goes ahead and chastises **BigT** for the very thing I was talking about. Which, of course, she couldnā€™t work out at all. :dubious: How itā€™s Big Tā€™s fault I canā€™t see. Then she says there is no ā€˜protocolā€™ for thread closure. And a few posts later, posts exactly that, she herself composed and posted over a year ago. :rolleyes: Which, in fact, specifically mentions what I am talking about in this thread. When I ask her to address the unfounded characterization of my posting history, another mod made, in this thread, Iā€™m told to start another thread. A personal attack followed by a non apology canā€™t be discussed in the thread it occurred in? Huh?:eek: And now, sheā€™s reopened the thread that this was all in reference to. Maybe itā€™s just silly Sunday, but all of this leaves me completely baffled. Wouldnā€™t it have just been easier to say, ā€œHmmm, you have a point, weā€™ll reopen it for a few hours, and give people a chance to respond.ā€ How is it better to roundly abuse a long time paying poster, including a personal attack, for daring to question a mod decision, only to end up doing what was being implied, in the end? No acknowledgment of error, of course. Anyone else left baffled by all this nonsense? ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/92 "2010-05-23T22:18:10Z")
Yes, baffled. How is the OP not polite? And when is an apology not an apology? I only see one or two people being impolite in this thread, and neither of them is **elbows.** ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/93 "2010-05-23T22:24:44Z")
I **still** think that your original beef should have been with **BigT** but I canā€™t really stand behind the mod behavior in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/94 "2010-05-23T22:49:19Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > First **Gfactor** complains that my tone was not polite at all. When it was pretty clear it was. When I point out her tone could easily be interpreted as disingenuously combative and hostile, she lifts the phrase and makes it her vanity title for a time. :eek: When I point out thatā€™s not terribly mature, she undoes it. I want to apologize to you for all of this. I was out of line. I actually still donā€™t think the OP was polite, but I recognize that Iā€™m probably mistaken in my view. Moreover, those activies took us far off track for no good reasonā€“whether the OP was polite or not wasnā€™t relevant. Iā€™m sorry. Iā€™ll try to avoid this sort of thing in the future. > [@](#): > > And now, sheā€™s reopened the thread that this was all in reference to. Itā€™s he. Iā€™ll respond to the rest of your post when I get a chance. Iā€™m going to be watching the Lost finale tonight, so it will probably be sometime tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/95 "2010-05-23T23:11:16Z")
I want you to know I greatly appreciate your apology **Gfactor**. I mean that sincerely. Any chance you feel like explaining to us whatā€™s so hard about just saying, ā€œMmm, maybe you have a point there, weā€™ll reopen it for a few hours in case the cited posters do want to respond.ā€? Sorry about the ā€˜sheā€™, I was unaware, I wonā€™t make that mistake again. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/96 "2010-05-23T23:19:22Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I want you to know I greatly appreciate your apology **Gfactor**. I mean that sincerely. > > Any chance you feel like explaining to us whatā€™s so hard about just saying, ā€œMmm, maybe you have a point there, weā€™ll reopen it for a few hours in case the cited posters do want to respond.ā€? Actually, I shouldnā€™t have posted anything. I took my daughter to Cedar Point, weā€™d stayed until closing and then I had to drop her off at her momā€™s, and then drive home. I was exhausted. I was punchy. Those are good reasons not to post. Iā€™m sorry to have made things worse. It really was a silly Sunday.:o Now Iā€™m off to watch lost. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/97 "2010-05-23T23:38:51Z")
Donā€™t sweat it, everyone has bad days, everyone misspeaks, weā€™re all just human after all. I understand completely and sincerely and gratefully accept your apology. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/98 "2010-05-24T00:35:48Z")
Going back to twicksterā€™s delighful post, I wanted to bring something up: [QUOTE=twickster] Sorry, yā€™all, he asked for it to be closed and I saw ā€“ and see ā€“ no useful purpose in leaving it open. [/QUOTE] \*\*twickster \*\*- do you see, after a lengthy discussion as well as action from a different mod to open it back up, a useful purpose for keeping the thread open now? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/99 "2010-05-24T00:52:15Z")
Iā€™d just really love to understand whatā€™s so hard about saying, "ā€œHmmm, you have a point, weā€™ll reopen it for a few hours, and give people a chance to respond.ā€ Seriously, how hard is that? Whoā€™s hurt by it? Other than the ego of the mod who has their authority questioned. It couldnā€™t really be that simple, could it? Instead we got lots of drama, almost a hundred posts, and exactly the same result. Oh, and a gratuitous insult, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301/100 "2010-05-24T00:56:27Z")
Donā€™t forget the half-assed insincere apology. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-closure-of-the-big-t-thread/540301.md?page=6)