This Board's anti-criticism policy is harmful and misguided

[DudleyGarrett]

@EddyTeddyFreddy

So, Mr. Excellent, were you going for a Keith Olbermann Special Comment pastiche? If so, well done, though somewhat light on the barely disguised vitriol and contumely.

These are new policies up with which he will not put!

[ParentalAdvisory]

In the hierarchy of evil, censorship is near the top.

[Moirai]

@Frank

The OP did, of course, I hope, notice that the thread was in MPSIMS, which is not - and has never been - a forum appropriate for criticizing the board, the admins, or the mods.

Yeah, but I thought it was more of a joke thread, which doesn’t belong in the Pit.

Or not, I guess.

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

I’m the OP of the thread in question, and I am only chiming in to say I wasn’t mocking Ed. Not that I’m above mocking Ed, but I would have chosena different forum. I was trying to be funny. Being something of a goofball, I do that. I was really thinking more of the Judd Gregg situation than anything else.

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@Jeff

Bah, that’s why there’s a ‘move thread’ button. If the thread derails, deal with it and drop it into the pit.

I’m sure Skald is a big boy who can handle the trauma of having a thread go off-topic.

Actually I can’t. I’ve been crying about it for THREE DAYS, which is interesting because I only started the thread yesterday afternoon. Nonetheless I have been weeping, weeping, weeping inconsolably since the first off-topic remark was made, and have become so dehydrated that my left eyeball has popped out of its socket. If any of you see it rolling around like a marble, I’d be grateful if you’d teleport it back to me.

Many thanks!

@ParentalAdvisory

In the hierarchy of evil, censorship is near the top.

Hmm. Rape. Murder. Genocide. Environmental devastation. Setting arson fires in Australia. Starting wars in Southeast Asia. The Holocaust. Andrew Jackson…

I’m gonna have to disagree.

[Liberal]

Note to self: points to Skald for mentioning the Indian Hater with other rapists and murderers.

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@Liberal

Note to self: points to Skald for mentioning the Indian Hater with other rapists and murderers.

I was particularly proud of that one. I’m glad SkipMagic provided me the opportunity, though he is nonetheless as wrong on thsi issue as I am on vritually every factual matter I ever discuss in General Questions.

But you could have at least groaned at the eyeball thing. Now I’m crying again.

[EddyTeddyFreddy]

I groaned, just not very long or very loud. Does that count?

[Kat]

I actually laughed at the eyeball thing. Out loud and everything.

Does that mean I’m going to Hell?

[kambuckta]

@Grumman

Using both thumbnails? Evolution gave you opposable thumbs for a reason, and that’s so you don’t have to use both hands to squash things like ants.

Fleas are different critters…you can’t squish them with just one thumbnail and a finger…they need the application of both thumbs to make sure their gizzards are well and truly mashed.

Just sayin’.

[An_Arky]

mmmmm…mashed flea gizzards…

Which of course brings me to the sad topic of the impending demise of The Chicago Reader/Creative Loafing, The Straight Dope, etc. as we know it.

It’s going under, baby. They have no money, no future, and let’s just say that when the franchise owner is minding the concession stand, they’re down to the fag ends of any semblance of whatever it was they thought they had, and the pathetic straw grasping and wildly veering policies and turnover are sure signs of a grip being lost.

Too bad, because this board is a lot of fun and interesting, but it’s really not so much about Cecil/Ed/Chicago Reader/Creative Loafing. They should just let it go.

[Marley23]

@An_Arky

Which of course brings me to the sad topic of the impending demise of The Chicago Reader/Creative Loafing, The Straight Dope, etc. as we know it.

Doomed, doomed, every day for 10 years we’ve been doomed, and now we’re more doomed than ever. Oh the shame of it all.

[aldiboronti]

@Mr.Excellent

But of course, Mr. Zotti, you cannot do that. Your policy is that there is to be no criticism of the staff, yourself included. I am willfully, intentionally violating that policy - and so I imagine you’ll have to punish me somehow, or your policy loses its teeth. So, I ask again - what will you do? Will you just close this thread? I shall start another - politely worded, as this one has been, but just as critical. Will you suspend me? I’ll criticize this policy again upon my return.

I am Spartacus!

Honestly, this might be impressive were there in fact any such anti-criticism policy in effect. As there isn’t it just sounds silly.

[Shayna]

@Skald_the_Rhymer

But you could have at least groaned at the eyeball thing. Now I’m crying again.

Yeah, but how much can you cry with just one eye, anyway? Enough for us to actually care?

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@Shayna

Yeah, but how much can you cry with just one eye, anyway? Enough for us to actually care?

I’ve cried BOTH my eyes out now. And I’m pretty sure Ed & Lynn found them, and rather than return them as per my perfectly reasonable request, they using them to play marbles with.

Ah, well. At least this gives me the opportunity to go kill a Gorgon.

[Marley23]

@Skald_the_Rhymer

I’ve cried BOTH my eyes out now. And I’m pretty sure Ed & Lynn found them, and rather than return them as per my perfectly reasonable request, they using them to play marbles with.

Glad I skipped the game this week.

…Say, how are you posting with no eyes?

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@Marley23

Glad I skipped the game this week.

…Say, how are you posting with no eyes?

Adaptive use technology. Also telekinesis.

Though you had me there, didn’t you? ::cackling ::

[Marley23]

@Skald_the_Rhymer

Adaptive use technology. Also telekinesis.

You win this round.

Anyway: while there are rule changes being discussed I did want to point out that people here have been known to get in a hurry to proclaim the board’s going downhill and The Newest Change (banning of a prominent poster, switch to pay posting, switch to free posting, rule change, perceived rule change, unclear modding decision, CLM issues) is a sign that the party’s over. Hasn’t happened yet, despite a lot of handwringing over the years. I know this is the Pit, but people might want to try waiting and seeing.

[Liberal]

You’ve lost PLDennison, Spiritus Mundi, and Sentient Meat, to name a few. Even the insufferable Dewey Cheatham and Howe was informative. Triskadecamus hasn’t posted in a coon’s age, and Polycarp seldom posts anymore. I don’t know what parties you’ve been attending, but I know the quality of parties you’ve apparently skipped over.

[Marley23]

I wish I knew how that relates to what I posted, Liberal, but it’s good to have some mystery left in the world. SentientMeat was a good poster but didn’t leave because of any rule change. I don’t think Spiritus Mundi did either. pldennison is a little before my time, having last visited the SDMB more than six years ago. Good posters have left the board over the years, which I always think is a shame, but that’s life and people’s interests change. Good people also take their place.

Meanwhile, I was saying that it’s common for someone to interpret new rules or a new ruling as sign of an imminent crackdown that’s going to cause a lot of bannings and ruin the site… and yet that never actually happens. But to hear some people tell it, it’s always just around the corner. That’s my point.