# TubaDiva, you've become a numbskull **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 16, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150 "2008-10-16T03:49:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/21 "2008-10-16T09:20:10Z")
Wow, what a bitch. And to throw a mod under the bus, too! **TubaDiva** , you should consider a career that doesn’t involve interacting with the public, like, say, living in crushing loneliness and never bothering the world again. I think you’d be good at that. It’s worth a try anyway, right? I mean, you can’t be any less qualified than you are for _this_ job. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/22 "2008-10-16T10:14:37Z")
**TubaDiva** obviously didn’t read the links. That would be a mistake on her part. Perhaps, if she apologized _ **publicly,** _ and explained herself, as did **Rico**. she could get a few Mod points back? ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/23 "2008-10-16T10:22:14Z")
Whoa. Hold on a second. Back up. One: I messed up by not notifying the other mods on the SuperSecretModPhone[sup]TM[/sup] about the thread being re-done. I’m not in any trouble for it, but it’s something I should have done. Two: I do not now or have I ever felt _thrown under the bus_ for something I’ve done. Management has been very fair and kind in dealing with me since I first put on my jackboots. Maybe the size 16 jackboots intimidated them, but I like to think that they are halfway decent people. Three: I still can’t sleep (as evidenced by the timestamp on my post) and I’m trying very hard not to wear Grumpy Hat. It’s hard not to do, when I see my friends called names I wouldn’t even use in a cheap dive bar. I know a lot of you have grievances and supposed slights against the management here. I know this is the fucking Pit (I said that correctly, didn’t I?). If you can’t look past this, do ME a favor and do it anyway. So fuckin’ knock it off already. Kthxbye. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/24 "2008-10-16T10:32:29Z")
> [@Rico](#): > > Whoa. Hold on a second. Back up. > > One: I messed up by not notifying the other mods on the SuperSecretModPhone[sup]TM[/sup] about the thread being re-done. I’m not in any trouble for it, but it’s something I should have done. > > Two: I do not now or have I ever felt _thrown under the bus_ for something I’ve done. Management has been very fair and kind in dealing with me since I first put on my jackboots. Maybe the size 16 jackboots intimidated them, but I like to think that they are halfway decent people. > > Three: I still can’t sleep (as evidenced by the timestamp on my post) and I’m trying very hard not to wear Grumpy Hat. It’s hard not to do, when I see my friends called names I wouldn’t even use in a cheap dive bar. > > I know a lot of you have grievances and supposed slights against the management here. I know this is the fucking Pit (I said that correctly, didn’t I?). If you can’t look past this, do ME a favor and do it anyway. > > So fuckin’ knock it off already. Kthxbye. Oh good. The mods are circling the queen bee. How refreshing. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/25 "2008-10-16T10:48:36Z")
> [@leander](#): > > Oh good. The mods are circling the queen bee. How refreshing. Fuck off. Not “the mods”. The mod. The mod in question. It’s the first thing that is posted if one of us decides to explain ourself. “Oh, they’re circling. The wagons are coming together. Gotta protect their own. The orders must have come down to protect each other.” Show me one thing I’ve ever written, that defends an admin, or a mod. You can’t find one. I wasn’t defending TubaDiva. I was saying that I screwed up, and felt distressed that in doing so, someone else was subjected to so much vitriol and hatred. You should see the conversation I had with her about closing the second thread. I’ve been fair with folks here. Yeah, I have my moments. But for you to even try to insinuate that someone “told me” to write the above, or that I might have “motives” in writing my post, impugns my integrity. And do that, and the gloves come off. And trust me, you don’t want to piss off the _second_ tallest Mod with the _second_ largest feet. Now, I’m going to try to put on SleepyHat again and maybe catch a couple hours sleep before my early morning appointment. Good night. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/26 "2008-10-16T10:49:15Z")
> [@Rico](#): > > I know a lot of you have grievances and supposed slights against the management here. I know this is the fucking Pit (I said that correctly, didn’t I?). If you can’t look past this, do ME a favor and do it anyway. > > So fuckin’ knock it off already. Kthxbye. **Rico** , you’re a classy guy, and your three points were valid. That doesn’t change the fact that I still think **TD** mistreated you and did a disservice to the board in doing so. I take umbrage at that. Umbrage I say! ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/27 "2008-10-16T10:58:59Z")
> [@Rico](#): > > And trust me, you don’t want to piss off the _second_ tallest Mod with the _second_ largest feet. I honestly don’t give a shit. I’ve broken no rules, so for you to threaten me is pretty stupid and cowardly. But you go ahead and make silly statements. I’m sure you’ll win over lots of fans. At the end of the day it’s clear that Tuba acted poorly – and you are defending her behaviour. What I find really sad is that Tuba has been a huge reason why this business model has failed – her total ineptitude as a “customer service rep” has driven away so many paying customers that it’s incredible to me that you and others would still defend her actions. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/28 "2008-10-16T11:39:53Z")
I’ve flung the dunny brush at **TubaDiva** as much as anyone in the past, but I think this is a total over-reaction. Yes, she might have read the links and probably should have even she were expecting a heads up from **Rico** if a reopening were permitted. But she closed the thread in a straightforward and businesslike way. Then, having realised what had gone wrong she gave the appropriate explanation (that I called for in the [Rico pitting](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10312962&postcount=6)). And the fact that she _didn’t_ circle the wagons, but pointed out that she wouldn’t have made the mistake had the usual mod information sharing practices been followed is IMHO a _good_ thing. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/29 "2008-10-16T12:29:03Z")
I’m less concerned with **Rico** being slighted (no offense) than I am with this potentially being a breaking of the mod criticism rule, should it still be in force. Not because I want **Tuba** banned (not that that should be expected anyway), but hopefully because it might be impetus for it to be retracted. Of course, it’s all moot if that rule’s already been mothballed. Might I ask for a mod answer to whether it has? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/30 "2008-10-16T12:50:49Z")
> [@hawthorne](#): > > But she closed the thread in a straightforward and businesslike way. This > [@TubaDiva](#): > > Didn’t we play this already? > > Thought so. is “businesslike”? > [@](#): > > Then, having realised what had gone wrong she gave the appropriate explanation (that I called for in the [Rico pitting](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10312962&postcount=6)). And the fact that she _didn’t_ circle the wagons, but pointed out that she wouldn’t have made the mistake had the usual mod information sharing practices been followed is IMHO a _good_ thing. This is where the difference between classy and not-classy comes in. Classy is to apologize for the abrupt closing, give the relevant information, and remind Rico in private to give the heads up. Not-classy is to ignore the fact that you were dismissive to someone in closing the thread prematurely, and call out Rico in public for a minor mistake he made. I think a lot of people are sick of the fact that TubaDiva, in administrating the board, never seems to show the slightest bit of class or respect for others. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/31 "2008-10-16T12:56:36Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > This is where the difference between classy and not-classy comes in. Sometimes I picture **Tuba** doing all of her moderating wearing nothing but dirty underwear with holes in it and the elastic all worn out, and frequently pausing to belch and scratch her crotch. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/32 "2008-10-16T13:20:41Z")
Actually, whenever I have needed to contact a mod/admin/honcho at the SDMB, I have defaulted to emailing **TubaDiva**. Over the years, I have found her to be unfailingly friendly, kind, prompt to reply with a personal touch with no “high and mighty” nonsense, and just straight out decent. YMMV, of course, but it would take an awful lot to rattle my opinion of her. And this isn’t an arse-kissing attempt - I think some of the folks in charge over the years have been utter shitheads. But **Tuba** ain’t one of 'em. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/33 "2008-10-16T13:28:26Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > Actually, whenever I have needed to contact a mod/admin/honcho at the SDMB, I have defaulted to emailing **TubaDiva**. Over the years, I have found her to be unfailingly friendly, kind, prompt to reply with a personal touch with no “high and mighty” nonsense, and just straight out decent. > > YMMV, of course, but it would take an awful lot to rattle my opinion of her. > > And this isn’t an arse-kissing attempt - I think some of the folks in charge over the years have been utter shitheads. But **Tuba** ain’t one of 'em. Seconded. I have emailed her more than once and her replies without fail had been courteous and kind. As well as personal, that actually reflected greatly on her, she didn’t just shoot off a canned response to my questions/comments she actually wrote an email explaining or answering mine. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/34 "2008-10-16T13:35:21Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > Actually, whenever I have needed to contact a mod/admin/honcho at the SDMB, I have defaulted to emailing **TubaDiva**. Over the years, I have found her to be unfailingly friendly, kind, prompt to reply with a personal touch with no “high and mighty” nonsense, and just straight out decent. You know, I’m one of the names that people frequently associate with these sorts of threads (_waves_ it’s ok, you can put down another tally mark, I’m here!), but I’ll say that I concur with this. I don’t think I’ve ever emailed her directly, but I report bad threads whenever I come across them, and I’ve gotten one or two very polite, nice, classy notes back from her. Why she chooses to project the public persona she does, I’ll never know. Gotta be the “tough guy” so people won’t take advantage of you? No clue. I suppose I may be sort of the same – I deal just fine with people in a one-on-one situation, but group dynamics I do not get. Of course, I’m not in an administrative or customer service role either, and I try to not PUT myself in those roles, because I recognize my (well, at least those particular) shortcomings. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/35 "2008-10-16T13:35:43Z")
> [@neutron\_star](#): > > Sometimes I picture **Tuba** doing all of her moderating wearing nothing but dirty underwear with holes in it and the elastic all worn out, and frequently pausing to belch and scratch her crotch. Funny, that is the impression I get from the majority of the posters. I’ll let each poster individually decide whether my mind’s eye pictures him or her this way. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/36 "2008-10-16T13:36:17Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > This is “businesslike”? Yeah. Curt, perhaps - remember she hadn’t read the links. But not brusque. > [@](#): > > This is where the difference between classy and not-classy comes in. […] > I think a lot of people are sick of the fact that TubaDiva, in administrating the board, never seems to show the slightest bit of class or respect for others. A lot of people have made up their minds about **TubaDiva**. I have. But some who’ve come to a bad opinion of her are inclined to look hard for offense in every post she makes. If this were another moderator or admin, I don’t think this would be anything. So it shouldn’t be anything for her. And **Revenant Threshold** - 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/37 "2008-10-16T13:41:47Z")
All I know, from adminning other (smaller) boards, is that when you try to be a diplomat, you become the object of loathing and scorn, and when you apply an iron fist (however gently) people LIKE yer. I’m not entirely comfortable with this, and I don’t pretend to know why it’s so, but it is. **Tuba** might possibly be being too nice for her own good. The very, very scratchy **manhattan** (for the old timers) was authoritarian, and was generally left alone for it. Just by way of example. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2008, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/38 "2008-10-16T13:57:20Z")
I must say that I consistently see more sociopathic behavior played out on these boards by the teeming millions than I see at work. IMHO, **Tuba** does an endless, thankless job more graciously than I ever could. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/39 "2008-10-16T13:58:28Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I must say that I consistently see more sociopathic behavior played out on these boards by the teeming millions than I see at work. > > IMHO, **Tuba** does an endless, thankless job more graciously than I ever could. That speaks volumes. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150/40 "2008-10-16T14:00:58Z")
> [@Tubadiva](#): > > We are not currently using polls on this site. We may reconsider the option when Jerry has finished fixing our current problems. We do not wish to add to his burdens by opening up new potential problems while he’s still fixing other ones. > > So hold on and let Jerry do his thing. And we’ll get back to you. What the fuck is taking Jerry so goddamn long to fix the “current problems”? If he keeps getting pulled off onto other projects, why has nobody been hired to help him out? Is there anyone on Ed’s staff that has even the slightest grip of modern technology, or at least knows how to read the resources on the web about how to fix this stuff without having to hack the code? And why must you be so condescending, **Tubadiva**? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tubadiva-youve-become-a-numbskull/468150.md?page=3)