# Uncle Cecil and bannings **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 4, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808 "2003-08-04T02:03:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/1 "2003-08-04T02:03:04Z")
This question is directed to the mods and Admins (and, of course, to the Perfect Master himself, should he elect to answer Himself): Is Cecil ever consulted when it comes time to decide to ban a poster? I’m fairly sure of the answer but…who knows? ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/2 "2003-08-04T02:12:48Z")
Oh, I’m sure he is. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/3 "2003-08-04T02:14:40Z")
I’ll bet he isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/4 "2003-08-04T02:27:31Z")
Call me naive. I like to think that Cecil has a hand on the pulse of this board and its inhabitants at all times. In a way, we _are_ his nephews and nieces. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/5 "2003-08-04T02:35:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\*I’ll bet he isn’t. \*\* So you think he’s NEVER consulted when a poster is banned? Not even when a very popular poster or a former moderator is banned? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/6 "2003-08-04T02:38:25Z")
> [@](#): > > In a way, we are his nephews and nieces. I rather like to think that we are _pissants and uncles_ to the mighty Cecil. Why would he busy himself with mundane things like who gets banned? He has a life, _unlike most of us_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/7 "2003-08-04T02:46:07Z")
That’s true… I imagine he sits in his penthouse suite atop the mighty Chicago Reader corporate office building, shooing off all the people who dare approach him for advice on running that pitiful message board downstairs. What was I thinking. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/8 "2003-08-04T02:54:41Z")
> [@](#): > > So you think he’s NEVER consulted when a poster is banned? Not even when a very popular poster or a former moderator is banned? If you ever bothered to buy any of Cecil’s books and _read_ them, you’d remember that he is ONE MERCENARY SUMBITCH! He constantly reminds us that he’s underpaid. He constantly mentions that a bribe won’t be turned down. So WHY would he bother to work overtime when he ain’t getting paid to fret over who gets booted? They may reclassify him and say that he’s administration. Then they can work his ass of without extra pay. This wouldn’t be a good idea. He’s mean enough already. Don’t push it. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/9 "2003-08-04T02:58:26Z")
Hmmmm… Maybe I could pay him to boot someone. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/10 "2003-08-04T03:05:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Hmmmm… Maybe I could pay him to boot someone Be careful what you pray for,… ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/11 "2003-08-04T03:32:06Z")
Cecil doesn’t pay lots of attention to these boards or to the website. We’re lucky if Cecil posts every couple of weeks. Ed Zotti is the one who deals with the boards, and all activities related thereto. The decision-making process for bannings varies. I mean, we get some jerk making his first ten posts, all identical, trying to sell hair tonic… we don’t need to bother Ed with that one. We don’t even need to consult with each other. Whichever moderator finds it, bans it. No big deal. As the decision becomes less clear, we often debate and discuss amongst ourselves. Ed does sometimes get involved in some of the more controversial bannings. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/12 "2003-08-04T05:09:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by omni-not \* > \*\*Call me naive. I like to think that Cecil has a hand on the pulse of this board and its inhabitants at all times. In a way, we _are_ his nephews and nieces. \*\* [Cecil himself](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=202020) answered a simple prayer earlier today. He actually took time out of his vacation to let us know that **HE** is listening. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/13 "2003-08-04T12:38:47Z")
“Cecil doesn’t pay lots of attention to these boards or to the website. We’re lucky if Cecil posts every couple of weeks.” _Every couple of weeks_?!? The guy registered on March 10th 1999 and has a grand total of 124 posts under his belt. Why, he’s practically a Newbie. Am I missing something here?😃 “Cecil himself answered a simple prayer earlier today.” You little @_%^)_!&. Barely a year old and he/she gets a post from the Perfect Master. How long do you intend to flaunt this to our collective faces, huh? :mad: ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/14 "2003-08-04T12:44:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \* > \*\*The decision-making process for bannings varies. I mean, we get some jerk making his first ten posts, all identical, trying to sell hair tonic… we don’t need to bother Ed with that one. We don’t even need to consult with each other. Whichever moderator finds it, bans it. No big deal. > > \*\* I was under the impression that moderators cannot ban; only administrators can. Is this true? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/15 "2003-08-04T19:20:13Z")
> [@](#): > > I was under the impression that moderators cannot ban; only administrators can. Is this true? Well, a goodly number of moderators are admins ( **TubaDiva** , **Lynn Bodoni** , **C K Dexter Haven** , **Noodles** , and **Gaudere** ), and they can all ban. And there’s usually one of them online at any given time, so if another mod sees something egregious, it just takes a quick note to an admin to get things taken care of. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/16 "2003-08-04T19:36:02Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by omni-not \* > \*\* > You little @_%^)\*!&. Barely a year old and he/she gets a post from the Perfect Master. How long do you intend to flaunt this to our collective faces, huh? :mad: \*\* **AND** just who the hell are you calling a he-she? I’ve been one gender (male) all of my life and I don’t wear womens clothes either. not that there’s anything wrong with that 😃 Sounds like someone’s a little bit jealous doesn’t it. I doubt if the **Master** would approve of such ignorance. Beware lest he smite you down as well. I don’t think spreading Cecil’s word among his followers is flaunting, is it? Besides it’s only been a day! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/17 "2003-08-04T20:03:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*I was under the impression that moderators cannot ban; only administrators can. Is this true? \*\* I was also under that impression too. But a few days ago, **MEBuckner** seems to have done just that (to me at least…) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=201894](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=201894) But there might have been an Admin hanging around nearby. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/18 "2003-08-04T20:15:41Z")
Um . . . who’s **Noodles**? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/19 "2003-08-04T20:17:19Z")
Ah, I see the discrepancy. I always thought of moderators as moderators and administrators as administrators, not administrators as moderator/administrators. If that makes sense. **omni-not** , his post there doesn’t state he banned anyone; if I had to guess, I say you’re right on the mark when you suggest that an admin was right around. Most likely the admin was asked by MEB what to do, and the response was to close the thread and advise the OP accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808/20 "2003-08-04T20:18:35Z")
[Noodles is Arnold.] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-cecil-and-bannings/192808.md?page=2)