# tomndebb, get in or get out **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 25, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683 "2009-08-25T20:16:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/61 "2009-08-28T00:02:19Z")
> [@tacoloco](#): > > With the level of anal retentiveness seen on these boards, it’s a wonder anyone is willing to moderate at all. Especially when all people do is give the mods a hard time all the time. Yes, what a difficult thing to ask, to not put an argument into a moderation post that you cannot respond to. I was a moderator on an internet message board for a while, the way it was handled was that the moderator handles were specific but the people running them was a team. So you’d always get a warning from the moderator but you weren’t sure who the poster you were dealing with was. It was an interesting system prone to its own sorts of abuses, like the one guy who was deleting things that differed from his conservative political viewpoint without telling anyone. Posts would just disappear. I was asked to leave as moderator because the guy who owned the message board was writing hit pieces on Obama during the election and actually getting some national publicity for them, was one of the early people who defined the ‘Obama is an acolyte of Saul Alinsky’ style of attacks. I was very passionate in my defense of Obama so I was asked to resign. The guy who was randomly deleting posts was asked to leave too. I got banned for calling him out publically and threatening to expose his identity if he didn’t stop doing it. He no longer posts there much but I am back as a regular. The business of moderating an internet message board is interesting. My style was to stick to issues of civility completely and entirely. I didn’t mix my opinion in with my moderation. I have sympathy for mods but I wouldn’t go so far as to feel bad for the poor put upon mods with their thankless job. It is tedious, but there’s a way to do it and a way not to do it. That’s just my opinion though. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/62 "2009-08-28T00:15:37Z")
**Tom** , would you agree to follow guidelines something like these? 1. Do not respond to a thread until you’ve read the entire thing. (XKCD’s boards will ban you if you respond without reading a whole thing. They’ve got the benevolent tyrant thing down pat. It’s awesome). 2. If you do respond without reading the whole thing, call in another moderator for support. 3. Before modding in a thread you’ve been participating in, call in another mod for support. In my ~10 years here, you’re the only mod whose behavior has been in my opinion unjustly biased. I think steps like this would cut down on the actual or apparent bias. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/63 "2009-08-28T00:58:54Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Yes, what a difficult thing to ask, to not put an argument into a moderation post that you cannot respond to. Please. People jump on the asses of moderators at every even slightly perceived miscue. I think it’s time to pit your shenanigans. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/64 "2009-08-28T01:03:16Z")
> [@tacoloco](#): > > Please. > > People jump on the asses of moderators at every even slightly perceived miscue. > > I think it’s time to pit your shenanigans. Clearly there are several people who agree with me that **Tomndebb** is unique in his approach. Time to Pit my shenanigans? Sorry bub but the Pit thread is just winding down. You can probably try to revive it but I think that most of the people are sated. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/65 "2009-08-28T01:26:21Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Clearly there are several people who agree with me that **Tomndebb** is unique in his approach. > > Time to Pit my shenanigans? Sorry bub but the Pit thread is just winding down. You can probably try to revive it but I think that most of the people are sated. Yeah, yeah, “sparky”, whatever you say. I’ll pit you when I’m ready. You can return to your petulant little forum drama now. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/66 "2009-08-28T01:32:04Z")
> [@tacoloco](#): > > Yeah, yeah, “sparky”, whatever you say. > > I’ll pit you when I’m ready. > > You can return to your petulant little forum drama now. You sought me out bub, not the other way around. Feel free to Pit me. Time it properly if you want me to come in and drive traffic for you. Right now my energy for such things is at a lull due to after Pit post-coital bliss. You missed the last orgy so you’re going to need us all to not be spent when you do it. There’s a perfect balance of everyone being pissed off at me and not. As far as I am concerned the drama is over. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/67 "2009-08-28T01:44:36Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > You sought me out bub, not the other way around. Feel free to Pit me. Time it properly if you want me to come in and drive traffic for you. Right now my energy for such things is at a lull due to after Pit post-coital bliss. You missed the last orgy so you’re going to need us all to not be spent when you do it. There’s a perfect balance of everyone being pissed off at me and not. As far as I am concerned the drama is over. You still posting. I wonder what your next drama inducing post will be? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/68 "2009-08-28T02:05:52Z")
> [@tacoloco](#): > > You still posting. > > I wonder what your next drama inducing post will be? LOL I guess you’ll just have to accept that you were tardy to the party. Toodles! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/69 "2009-08-28T04:22:56Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > **Tom** , would you agree to follow guidelines something like these? > > 1. Do not respond to a thread until you’ve read the entire thing. > 2. If you do respond without reading the whole thing, call in another moderator for support. > 3. Before modding in a thread you’ve been participating in, call in another mod for support. > . Why? I do act as a Mod on another board. If I get report that s poster has- on page 6 after 250+ posts, committed a violation like a disguised profanity, then why the fuck do I need to read the other 250+ posts? These are silly requests. Tom did nothing wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/70 "2009-08-28T06:21:42Z")
> [@](#): > > **Tomndebb** : I find it intersting, and a bit amusing, that several posters saying I should just slap “offenders” and leave the thread alone have been reported in this or similar instances in other threads. Being “a bit amused” at suggestions that you follow a traditional route seems a little strange. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/71 "2009-08-28T07:23:15Z")
No one is saying Tom didn’t read the whole thread:rolleyes:, clearly he did. [/quote] I thought in context reading the whole thread pretty obviously meant reading the whole thread before posting. Sorry that wasn’t clear to you. > [@](#): > > However, some of us read a bit, think of a good reply to a post that stands out, post- then finish reading- and maybe even post again. Well, no. You have no way of knowing if it’s a good reply until you read other replies to the same post. That’s why so many threads are cluttered with redundant information, people repeatedly asking the same questions, and jokes that have already been made. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/72 "2009-08-28T09:44:21Z")
> [@Gary\_Kumquat](#): > > Much axe to grind? > > A storm/teacup OP, with some damned silly ideas proposed. Nonsense. Over the years \*\*tomndebb \*\*has consistently hand-waved away any and all criticism of his modding. He only seems to respond to Ed’s directions; everything (and everyone) else is ignored. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/73 "2009-08-28T10:53:34Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Why? I do act as a Mod on another board. If I get report that s poster has- on page 6 after 250+ posts, committed a violation like a disguised profanity, then why the fuck do I need to read the other 250+ posts? You don’t. The required action is to handle the offending post. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/74 "2009-08-28T12:56:35Z")
> [@leander](#): > > Over the years \*\*tomndebb \*\*has consistently hand-waved away any and all criticism of his modding. Think you left a word out there, sport. Let me fix that for you. “Over the years \*\*tomndebb \*\*has consistently hand-waved away any and all _unfounded_ criticism of his modding.” God knows that modding is a thankless task, especially in GD, but \*\*tomndebb \*\* has performed that task well over the years. In such a passionate forum if you’re not getting complaints then you’re not doing your job properly. I don’t envy him that job. In fact, \*When the enterprising troll is not a-trolling When the jerk has stopped being jerkish for a time He loves to hear the merry bells a-tolling And listen to the distant village chime. When the members have done jumping on each other, They love to lie a-basking in the sun Ah take one consideration with another The poor mod’s lot is not a happy one, … happy one. (Chorus of admins and mods) When there’s moderating duty to be done, to be done The poor mod’s lot is not a happy one … happy one.\* (With apologies to G&S). ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/75 "2009-08-28T16:37:14Z")
> [@leander](#): > > Nonsense. Over the years \*\*tomndebb \*\*has consistently hand-waved away any and all criticism of his modding. He only seems to respond to Ed’s directions; everything (and everyone) else is ignored. Prove that. Or else back off. Many of us believe you are wrong, and that your accusations are wild and reckless. Frankly, I wish they would promote Tom to admin and bring back DavidB to mod GD. Then you would get a fair amount of scolding, belittling, and snark to go with your alleged hand-waving. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/76 "2009-08-28T22:11:31Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Think you left a word out there, sport. Let me fix that for you. > > “Over the years \*\*tomndebb \*\*has consistently hand-waved away any and all _unfounded_ criticism of his modding.” > > God knows that modding is a thankless task, especially in GD, but \*\*tomndebb \*\* has performed that task well over the years. In such a passionate forum if you’re not getting complaints then you’re not doing your job properly. I don’t envy him that job. > > In fact, > > \*When the enterprising troll is not a-trolling > When the jerk has stopped being jerkish for a time > He loves to hear the merry bells a-tolling > And listen to the distant village chime. > > When the members have done jumping on each other, > They love to lie a-basking in the sun > Ah take one consideration with another > The poor mod’s lot is not a happy one, … happy one. > > (Chorus of admins and mods) > > When there’s moderating duty to be done, to be done > The poor mod’s lot is not a happy one … happy one.\* > > (With apologies to G&S). You have way too much time on your hands, sporto. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/77 "2009-08-28T22:13:58Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Prove that. Or else back off. Many of us believe you are wrong, and that your accusations are wild and reckless. Frankly, I wish they would promote Tom to admin and bring back DavidB to mod GD. Then you would get a fair amount of scolding, belittling, and snark to go with your alleged hand-waving. Look at the past several threads (and there are many to review) that have been critical of tomndebb. EVERY SINGLE ONE HE HAS HAND WAVED AWAY. All you have to do is search past threads in ATMB that are about tomndebb to find my “proof”. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/78 "2009-08-28T22:43:02Z")
> [@leander](#): > > Look at the past several threads (and there are many to review) that have been critical of tomndebb. EVERY SINGLE ONE HE HAS HAND WAVED AWAY. > > All you have to do is search past threads in ATMB that are about tomndebb to find my “proof”. Opinions without anything offered in support are not fact. Your opinion is noted, and all the merit it is worth is given to it. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/79 "2009-08-28T22:47:13Z")
> [@leander](#): > > Look at the past several threads (and there are many to review) that have been critical of tomndebb. EVERY SINGLE ONE HE HAS HAND WAVED AWAY. > > All you have to do is search past threads in ATMB that are about tomndebb to find my “proof”. So what. You should feel lucky that the board policies allow you to even express criticism of a moderator. Lots of other boards and you be whacked with the ban hammer. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683/80 "2009-08-28T22:55:19Z")
Well, we all know your opinion of the mods here DS. 😉 -That was of course for DSYoungEsq - tacoloco squeezed in (a good point) inbetween posts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-get-in-or-get-out/507683.md?page=5)