# Time out, everybody **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 11, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050 "2008-09-11T01:47:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/61 "2008-09-11T12:14:51Z")
And very balanced. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/62 "2008-09-11T12:38:35Z")
This is a nice way to start my morning! Thank you, Ed, for being big enough to apologize. Both “sides” were over the top (with some just being completely unreasonable and needing to be spanked, IMO). Good to see the board is still here. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/63 "2008-09-11T13:14:21Z")
A good post and welcome info, Ed. Thanks for keeping everyone informed and for your thoughtful personal introspection. Please remember that none of us have the personal contact with Jerry you do; we can judge him only by what he writes here, which is infrequent, and the performance of the boards. And while I can sympathize with technical problems and staff shortages, many of us observe long-standing problems that never appear to be fixed, or get fixed only after a lot of bitching, or only get partially fixed. It’s frustrating for everyone. On the plus side, things do seem to be better on balance. Yay! ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/64 "2008-09-11T13:19:39Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > This is a nice way to start my morning! Thank you, Ed, for being big enough to apologize. Both “sides” were over the top (with some just being completely unreasonable and needing to be spanked, IMO). Good to see the board is still here. Now then, about this spanking? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/65 "2008-09-11T13:27:18Z")
Seems to me that if anyone has any to spare (and knows Ed’s, Jerry’s, et. al. addresses) they really, \*\*really \*\*need some of [these](http://www.goohf.com/). I don’t really feel the need to order $10 worth myself or I’d try to find their addresses and send them some! :D:D ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/66 "2008-09-11T13:34:16Z")
Nothing to say here that hasn’t been said 50 or so times already – but let me add my voice to the chorus of thanks to you, Jerry, and all the mods. I think your decision to turn those bannings into suspensions is a good one, and hope it serves as a model for all of us to calm down and take a deep breath – or two, or three – while we get through this transition. I love this place, and am delighted to find a little sanity happening here this morning. There wasn’t an iota in evidence anywhere yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/67 "2008-09-11T14:50:12Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Nothing to say here that hasn’t been said 50 or so times already – but let me add my voice to the chorus of thanks to you, Jerry, and all the mods. I think your decision to turn those bannings into suspensions is a good one, and hope it serves as a model for all of us to calm down and take a deep breath – or two, or three – while we get through this transition. > > I love this place, and am delighted to find a little sanity happening here this morning. There wasn’t an iota in evidence anywhere yesterday. +1 - nicely stated, **twicks**. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/68 "2008-09-11T15:16:20Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Be nice if some of the pilers on could do the same thing. Takes two sides for a train wreck, usually. :eek: Not to mention a one or two fights on the side between long-time members, in the general turbulence of yesterday. Probably the tension had been stewing for years, but I’d never seen anything like it, even in the Pit. Definitely there was more than enough anger to go around. > [@](#): > > And I wish someone had let us all know the extent of the situation at the Reader with the IT staff, etc. There you presumably get into company confidences and employee rights. Your jurisdiction may vary, but I know in California there’s very little an employer can say about a departing employee, even whether or not he or she was fired. > [@](#): > > Maybe someone did and I missed the post, but I certainly had no idea that Jerry’s staff was dismissed, etc. Makes it seem to me more amazing that Jerry is willing to do this Board crap that obviously isn’t just a matter of tossing a few CD’s in a slot and sitting back while the machine whines and hums. IT is so much more than that :D. That’s why most of us still have jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/69 "2008-09-11T15:17:25Z")
Thanks, Ed. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/70 "2008-09-11T15:18:21Z")
Thanks, **Ed** , for the clarification, and reconsideration. And massive thanks to **Jerry** for the dedication and effort during the upgrade. I agree with **Ed** that anybody taking shots at **Jerry** is (my paraphrase) a self-centered douchebag with delusions of entitlement. I work in IT and I know personally what **Jerry** ’s wrestling with. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/71 "2008-09-11T15:22:00Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Nothing to say here that hasn’t been said 50 or so times already – but let me add my voice to the chorus of thanks to you, Jerry, and all the mods. I think your decision to turn those bannings into suspensions is a good one, and hope it serves as a model for all of us to calm down and take a deep breath – or two, or three – while we get through this transition. > > I love this place, and am delighted to find a little sanity happening here this morning. There wasn’t an iota in evidence anywhere yesterday. Double ditto. I’ve never had a serious complaint about this place. I’ve raised my eyebrows a few times, silently mouthed a WTF? but my standard for complaining is that I keep my mouth shut unless I’m able, or willing to do a better job. You guys are what makes this place, this place. And thank you for that. ---
**Author:** ![akira5822](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@akira5822](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akira5822)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/72 "2008-09-11T15:34:26Z")
Good show Ed ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/73 "2008-09-11T15:35:03Z")
Thanks Ed. Good call. Do we still get our unicorn? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/74 "2008-09-11T15:56:30Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Does that mean, “Wait until next week’s episode!!” :eek: Jerry’s initials aren’t J. R., are they? :eek::eek::eek: Oh, and by the way - from one sysadmin to another, Ed and Jerry, you guys rock. Thanks for your efforts. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/75 "2008-09-11T16:11:28Z")
Thanks, Ed, for the explanation and the unbanning. You did the right thing. Thanks also to Jerry for all his work. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/76 "2008-09-11T16:51:53Z")
I’m sorry I missed this tempest in a teapot yesterday! While I fully understand your fit of pique yesterday, but I think it was a good idea to reconsider your decision. P.S. I appreciate the recent board upgrade and look forward to the change that will be brought about by the recent decisions (e.g. reinstate free posting.) ---
**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:** [September 11, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/77 "2008-09-11T17:12:28Z")
Very glad to read this. Good show on the banning reconsideration, and big thanks to Jerry for all his hardwork. ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/78 "2008-09-11T18:15:27Z")
Glad to see it was just a mistake and not indicative of any general trend. Fair enough. ---
**Author:** ![Wygtya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f08c70/32.png) [@Wygtya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wygtya)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/79 "2008-09-11T18:22:24Z")
Thank you! As a new member after years of lurking (thanks, also for free posting) I was feeling like an orphan who was adopted by the family of her dreams only to have my first family get-together erupt into a free for all where Mommy and Daddy decided to get a divorce. Hyperbole, maybe, but not by much. I appreciate this place and see it as a haven in the sea of dreck that is the interwebs. So please, don’t let the bastards get you down. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050/80 "2008-09-11T19:18:34Z")
Everyone can get testy from time to time. Unfortunately on a message board A. our testiness continues to be out there for all to see, long after cooler heads prevail. B. In a written medium, tone is not always as easy to spot. So, good deal now. And I, too, in general, thank staff for their efforts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-out-everybody/463050.md?page=5)