# Why are people being banned en masse? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 31, 2000, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031 "2000-10-31T02:57:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![That\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@That\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Girl)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/21 "2000-10-31T05:08:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ogre \* > \*\*Hey, Piano, > I happen to know for a fact that the thread in ATMB has nothing at all to do with “chrome-something-guy,” whoever that may be. The thread as quoted was about me. \*\* You didn’t look closely enough. Two quotes were about you, and the third was about **ChromiumGrin**. I’m guessing he was dumped for this thread \*\* [Great Debates\> Who Decided that the Dead Must be buried in dirt? \*\*](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=43891) Not a hot troll topic, but that’s the most controversial thing I saw of his. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@That\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Girl)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/22 "2000-10-31T05:14:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TVeblen \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by techchick68 \* > > \*\*In at least one case I know of. > > It walked like a duck, talked like a duck but was a statue. > > \< read into that what you will \> \*\* > > … > As a matter of record, and personal opinion, I appreciate the venue and the voices here. It doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Actually, truth to tell, the second-guessing pisses me off. > _If_ you have a valid problem and complaint, then email it to the mods. That’s the stand-up way to handle it. > Innuendo and passive-aggressive hints are cheap shots. > Veb \*\* If you want to say how fair the mods are, go to that link I posted first above. There’s a lot of dirty laundry being aired. All mods are not cheap shots and innuendos of their own! ---
**Author:** ![That\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@That\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Girl)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/23 "2000-10-31T05:16:28Z")
😕 When I typed that it said “All mods are not equally fair. Some make lots of cheap shots and innuendos of their own!” ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/24 "2000-10-31T05:22:16Z")
Doh, I see this heading to The Pit pretty quick… ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/25 "2000-10-31T05:24:32Z")
Read the emails; respect the intent… But my point stands. _The mods/admins are the ones who keep this place liveable1_ Please, please, please… **they’re** the ones empowered to sweep the carpets. I can’t, and most other posters can’t. It isn’t rule by rumor or popularity. Not busting your chops, techchick, but the mods/admins are just uber-posters doin’ a thankless job, gratis. Given the heady mix of opinion and personalities around here, weeding out the wily opportunists must be endless. ::sigh:: It’s probably election-dreck overload, so apologies all around. --\>blasts Uzi at TV screen at political ad\<– I don’t expect perfection, just reasonably ept administration. Come to think of it, I may be arguing with the wind. But somewhere along the line–and where better than here, battling Ignorance?–generous guidelines should be recognized. Don’t wanna be a troll-hunter; pitifully grateful, Veb ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/26 "2000-10-31T05:28:42Z")
Piano, upon rereading the ATMB thread, all three of the quotes in the OP came directly out of the Pit thread in which I was suspected of being a troll. The blanks in the third quote read “Ogre is NOT OgreFade, unless…” ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/27 "2000-10-31T05:31:36Z")
For clarity, [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=43748) is the link to the original thread in question. ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/28 "2000-10-31T05:33:02Z")
Veb: > [@](#): > > But my point stands. The mods/admins are the ones who keep this place liveable1 Did I say otherwise? Did I imply otherwise? Damnit, please run over to The Pit. I say one thing and I don’t get it…this is MPSIMS for God’s sake. Should I have to be serious with everything I say or do in here? ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/29 "2000-10-31T05:34:30Z")
ChromiumGrin was Mark Serlin, judging by the length and content of the post. Reminds me of [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=22732), started by one of Serlin’s sockpuppets. I’m guessing someone’s got a hold of some software that analyzes writing style to double-check this guy’s various incarnations, which are obvious enough as it is. The guy’s been banned for multiple screen names (MarkSerlin, Sentinel, Nitwatch22, NightGirl, FarTreker, Skribbler, Rainbowcsr, and a few others). Banned posters are not allowed to return, even if they don’t break other rules. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/30 "2000-10-31T05:34:38Z")
**Dropzone** - Uh uh! No way! She’ll hurt me. 🙂 Big, strong, tough Ogre I may be, but I ain’t no fool! This one’s probably heading for the Pit, and I ain’t getting dragged into the muck. I shall post by example. ::Turns snootily away:: 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/31 "2000-10-31T05:44:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by techchick68 \* > \*\*Veb: > > > [@](#): > > > > But my point stands. The mods/admins are the ones who keep this place liveable1 > > Did I say otherwise? Did I imply otherwise? > > Damnit, please run over to The Pit. > > I say one thing and I don’t get it…this is MPSIMS for God’s sake. Should I have to be serious with everything I say or do in here? > > \*\* No. No fight, because I refuse to take part in it. I stand by my words, every one. They weren’t intended to be provocative; considerable care was spent on tact. As far as I am concerned, this discussion has ended. Veb ---
**Author:** ![messiah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@messiah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/messiah)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/32 "2000-10-31T05:50:41Z")
piano, Surely there’s nothing in that thread that would warrent action?. I would imagine that the mods have a box of tricks, to root out evil-reincarnate and similar pests, that they sensibly choose to keep from prying/reverse engineering eyes. I would also image there’s a fair bit of emailship going on behind the scenes, before banishment is proclaimed. After reading the latest pit posts though, I do feel that as a low counter, a bit like a newly hatched turtle scampering down the beach to the shoreline (read approx 200 posts) before a predator deMembers me. Keeping uncontroversial ---
**Author:** ![That\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@That\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Girl)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/33 "2000-10-31T06:14:03Z")
I know all that. I wasn’t confused about it, just seemed to be something to support the OP(original post of this thread). But don’t count on being out of the woods at 200 posts, little turtle. The crocodiles keep raising the bar. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Coldfire_ > \*\*OK, we all know that post counts don’t matter. Not one bit. > But who the hell takes people with less than 100 posts seriously when it comes to matters of Board Administration, let alone well-known and respected posters? > Seriously, all you 100-minus folk. Who do you think you are convincing and/or impressing? > Of course, the 100 limit is arbitrary. In the case of this thread, however, it suits just fine. > > Addendum. Make that 250. You know who THAT includes :rolleyes:\*\* {Yes, the last person to disagree with his world view, who now is over 250, so the bar will be higher yet the next time it appears.} ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/34 "2000-10-31T06:57:24Z")
Piano is quoting Coldfire from [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=43002) thread. If you read the thread you will see that what Coldfire is saying is **not** what Piano is putting across. Funny that, she’s usually so on the ball :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031/35 "2000-10-31T17:20:23Z")
**Moderator’s Notes:** I’m closing this thread right the fuck now. It serves no purpose other than use as a vehicle for unfounded suspicion and unwarranted speculation. Neither of which fights ignorance, only advances it. I also won’t have witch hunts in this forum, which is what this thread is evolving into. CopperTears and Chromium Grin were indeed the old Mark Serlin come back to haunt us. Lloyd was concrete. As was well known by anybody caring to read their posts. Those two will not be allowed back here under any circumstances. There’s no apology they can make that we’d deem satisfactory. Period. Another point, and I’m sure most of you are aware of this but, I wanna make it perfectly clear. **No one** from the mod/admin staff of this board bans or censures anyone on a whim. There is **always** some discussion between the staff prior to one of us taking an action of that kind. In fact, we take unilateral action **only** to delete **spam** and **porn** links. These are such clear violations of your user agreement that nothing needs to be discussed. Also, please note, comments on the actions of moderators and the administration of this board belong in the _BBQ Pit_, **nowhere** else. Thank you. UncleBeer, for the SDMB. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-being-banned-en-masse/39031.md?page=1)