# Tomndebb steps down **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 24, 2020, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362 "2020-09-24T00:09:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/1 "2020-09-24T00:09:37Z")
After 15 3/4 years as a Moderator, I am stepping down or out. Keep the cheering down: I am not leaving, just getting out of the “keeping order” business. It has been fun and educational, going all the way back to the AOL board in 1998, but with new blood coming in, I figured I’d give you folks a break. Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/2 "2020-09-24T00:13:05Z")
“Oh he’s a jolly good mod’rator…” ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/3 "2020-09-24T00:14:09Z")
Wow. You’ve been a part of this since I first started reading and posting. I know you’ve had some controversy, but I thank you for your long service to a board that has been an enjoyable source of entertainment and education for me for well over two decades. Fare-thee-well! ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/4 "2020-09-24T01:08:48Z")
15¾ yrs is a long time in message board years! Thanks for doing it! ☮ ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/5 "2020-09-24T01:10:26Z")
Thank you for your long service! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/6 "2020-09-24T02:34:27Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > 15¾ yrs is a long time in message board years! > Thanks for doing it! > > ☮ That’s like 110 in dog years. 🐩 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/7 "2020-09-24T02:37:01Z")
Thank you Tom for all the work. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/8 "2020-09-24T04:04:39Z")
Thank you for your long service. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/9 "2020-09-24T04:12:59Z")
Thanks for all the fish! ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/10 "2020-09-24T04:23:20Z")
Well done. I remember when you got your mug. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/11 "2020-09-24T10:10:35Z")
Well done, thou good and faithful servant. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/12 "2020-09-24T10:13:01Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Thank you Tom for all the work. Wait, what about Debb? 🙂 I’m glad you’re not leaving us and thank you for your service. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/13 "2020-09-24T10:14:15Z")
Wow. The one person I consistently agreed with. What will become of me? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/14 "2020-09-24T10:42:37Z")
Thank you, Tom. You are the calm voice of Reason. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/15 "2020-09-24T13:20:03Z")
Thank you for all your work over the years, it was greatly appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/16 "2020-09-24T13:50:41Z")
Thank you for all of your service. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/17 "2020-09-24T14:01:41Z")
One o’the good’uns. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/18 "2020-09-24T14:26:32Z")
Congrats on your distinguished career in moderation AND your decision to lay down that duty. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/19 "2020-09-24T15:01:11Z")
First off, and I’ve been here 20 years, is to acknowledge what an unusual place the SDMB is. Because it still feels like what the Internet was meant to be - the one full of promise and education; information for entertainment as well as to improve stuff. Go to any newspaper (in Canada anyway) and see how long it takes the discussion to devolve into crass insults and crude trolling. Probably within ten posts. Every time. That happens here far less. And the main reason is the skilled and reasonable moderation. Not every board acknowledges, for example, women may be discomfited by bullshit humour. All the moderators deserve kudos for doing the dirty and keeping rare traditions alive. **Tomndebb** especially so for doing it so long. Probably half a saint. 😉 ---
**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:** [September 24, 2020, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362/20 "2020-09-24T16:50:39Z")
Congratulations on a job done well for a decade longer than any of us had a right to expect anyone to put up with doing it. And welcome back to the land of us ordinary schlubs! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-steps-down/921362.md?page=2)