# What's this? The first rule of ATMB is now do not talk about ATMB stuff outside of ATMB? At all? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 1, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599 "2014-08-01T19:52:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599/1 "2014-08-01T19:52:13Z")
> [@The only answer possible for a GQ question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-answer-possible-for-a-gq-question/694269/95): > > [Moderating] > This is not being careful enough. Leave the ATMB stuff in ATMB. > [/Moderating] I’d have posted this in [the original thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=729685) but didn’t want to risk a warning. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599/2 "2014-08-01T20:07:17Z")
Shhhhhhhhhhhh…They are watching. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599/3 "2014-08-01T20:08:23Z")
Always has been. We just didn’t talk about it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599/4 "2014-08-01T20:51:24Z")
This is not something new. From the front page > [@](#): > > About This Message Board > For all questions, comments, and complaints about the SDMB. I’ve issued warnings for complaints about moderation in GQ. I note that you didn’t link to the [actual post that received the warning:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17597796&postcount=88) > [@PlainJain](#): > > For those wondering why Czcasm is oft accused of getting preferential treatment, here’s a good case in point. Try2B Comprehensive opens a thread in ATMB asking about the new rolleye smiley. After several posters weigh in Czarcasm drops this lovely jewel: > > > [@](#): > > > > Quote: > > Originally Posted by Czarcasm > > Instead of telling Jerry how to do his job or getting up in his face(both great ways to handle situations), might I suggest we just accept the answer we’ve been given several times now and just move on, like adults? > > I reported it as insulting (Remember Dex’s new vision of a kinder, gentler ATMB?) and I know of another poster who reported it as JR modding (if that isn’t, what is?) and what happens… we get this from Tuba: > > > [@](#): > > > > Quote: > > Originally Posted by TubaDiva > > Moderator Note:Hey, let’s not get personal here. People can have different points of view without slapping at one another. If you have a problem with someone take it to The Pit. If you’re going to post in this forum, be polite. Shouldn’t have to tell this to any of you. > > (bolding mine) > Can’t even bring herself to call him out by name. Sad. This was not just casually mentioning ATMB issues in the Pit, this was a blatant complaint about moderation there. **PlainJain** is well aware of the rules. Regardless of the complaint, it clearly belonged in ATMB and not the Pit. **Moderator Instructions** This is not a thread to re-argue the original issues, or to further debate the policy of confining discussion of moderation to ATMB (of which we have several recent threads). If it veers too far in that direction it may be closed. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599/5 "2014-08-01T20:55:31Z")
Discussion of moderator actions in the Pit have not been allowed for as long as I’ve been a moderator there. **PlainJain** continued to discuss a moderator action, despite having just been warned about doing it, so I gave her a further mod note making it clear that she needed to drop the subject entirely. What part of this is confusing you, **Skywatcher**? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599/6 "2014-08-02T00:49:46Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I note that you didn’t link to the [actual post that received the warning:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17597796&postcount=88) That’s because I’m not questioning the warning. I’m questioning that specific response to an ATMB link. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599/7 "2014-08-02T01:15:23Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Discussion of moderator actions in the Pit have not been allowed for as long as I’ve been a moderator there. **PlainJain** continued to discuss a moderator action, despite having just been warned about doing it, so I gave her a further mod note making it clear that she needed to drop the subject entirely. > > What part of this is confusing you, **Skywatcher**? All I saw after the warning was contrition and a link to ATMB in response to someone’s question, not any attempt to continue discussing something where it didn’t belong. It’s like this **Czarcasm** business has spread the “assume the worst” mentality that has been increasing in the general population to the staff. That is not a good direction to be heading, unless you guys are trying to encourage activity on snarkboards. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599/8 "2014-08-02T02:12:52Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > All I saw after the warning was contrition and a link to ATMB in response to someone’s question, not any attempt to continue discussing something where it didn’t belong. **Miller** gave **PlainJain** a note, that is, a reminder, not to continue to talk about ATMB issues in the Pit. He didn’t give her an additional warning. The warning was for the post I quoted, which was clearly a complaint about moderation. I seriously fail to see why you think a reminder (not a warning) not to talk about ATMB in the Pit was out of place as a response to a link to an ATMB thread, especially after the poster in question had knowingly violated the rules in a previous post. [QUOTE=Skywatcher] It’s like this Czarcasm business has spread the “assume the worst” mentality that has been increasing in the general population to the staff. [/QUOTE] I could equally well say that your complaint appears to be assuming the worst about the moderation staff. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599/9 "2014-08-02T06:16:37Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > This was not just casually mentioning ATMB issues in the Pit, this was a blatant complaint about moderation there. **PlainJain** is well aware of the rules. Regardless of the complaint, it clearly belonged in ATMB and not the Pit. > [@Miller](#): > > Discussion of moderator actions in the Pit have not been allowed for as long as I’ve been a moderator there. **PlainJain** continued to discuss a moderator action, despite having just been warned about doing it, so I gave her a further mod note making it clear that she needed to drop the subject entirely. > > What part of this is confusing you, **Skywatcher**? You don’t see what’s confusing? **Colibri** says “This was not just casually mentioning ATMB issues in the Pit, this was a blatant complaint about moderation there.” Comes now **Miller** saying “Discussion of moderator actions in the Pit have not been allowed for as long as I’ve been a moderator there. **PlainJain** continued to discuss a moderator action, . . .” Her second post about that made her displeasure clear, but didn’t actually _state_ a complaint, other than to link to a recent past thread in ATMB. So we’re not even allowed to do _that_ any more? Casual mention of moderation issues? _Okay or not okay?_ Are we no longer even allowed to _mention_ the existence of a problem with moderation in ATMB, even if it involves little more than a link to an ATMB thread? Where’s my warning for [Post #104](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17602625&postcount=104)? I mentioned something about moderation (and **Czarcasm** too). I’m feeling neglected. Yeah, me am confuzd. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2014, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-the-first-rule-of-atmb-is-now-do-not-talk-about-atmb-stuff-outside-of-atmb-at-all/694599/10 "2014-08-02T07:12:17Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > You don’t see what’s confusing? **Colibri** says “This was not just casually mentioning ATMB issues in the Pit, this was a blatant complaint about moderation there.” > > Comes now **Miller** saying “Discussion of moderator actions in the Pit have not been allowed for as long as I’ve been a moderator there. **PlainJain** continued to discuss a moderator action, . . .” Her second post about that made her displeasure clear, but didn’t actually _state_ a complaint, other than to link to a recent past thread in ATMB. Yes, and the link was only posted to further explain the nature of her complaint. I wanted to make sure that her original complaint did not become a topic of conversation in that thread, so I told her to drop the subject. This is not a blanket ban on any mention of ATMB in the Pit. Does that clear things up at all?