# Why was Opal's MPSIMS thread removed? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 15, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267 "2011-12-15T02:06:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/121 "2011-12-15T05:15:14Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > I vote “not.” She’s suffered no real harm from the kerfluffle. She’s gained the attention she craves. She’s marshaled her defenders. She’s been allowed to engage in behavior that others on this board are not allowed. She’s manipulated the moderators, and skirted the rules. > > She’s accomplished what she wished. Exactly. Probably a good day’s work. And so it goes. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/122 "2011-12-15T05:17:57Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > The de facto rule here has always been you live with what you post. The thrust of this thread is did Opal get special treatment. The answer is yes. It is unfortunate what happened to her, but her starting a thread here only made it worse for herself. The thread should have been locked (because of its inappropriateness) , not disappeared (to protect her). > > The claims of fear of a board war are total bullshit, imo. Exactly. Consider when Quasi had his outburst at Twixster. That was sad and worrisome, and he has way more reason to need sensitivity and concern. No one disappeared that thread. So lock it, issue a mod note to keep off board drama away from here and let it sink away. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/123 "2011-12-15T05:19:27Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > we’re going to have to live with this precedent in future: that any one mod can unilaterally change the rules we live by on this board. That precedent has long been set, my friend. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/124 "2011-12-15T05:25:25Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I really don’t know how you can honestly think this is the case, obviously people are going to know the topic did exist and (more often than not) wonder what happened to it. And so, this will usually lead to a thread that someone will start asking “What happened to blah blah blah?”. > > My removing it was to remove inter-board drama stemmed from personal information, not to pretend something didn’t happen. > > Exactly. Which is why I vanished it. Let me try to communicate with you more clearly: THERE IS NO INTER-BOARD DRAMA, PERIOD. I’m sorry to have “shouted” but really, you are not listening to anything but your own preconceived notions (perhaps abetted by **Miller’s** odd paranoia?). There was zippo, zilch, nada, no drama whatsoever until OPAL posted her whinge about meanies who don’t like her rubber ducky porn. She is not a victim here. The most appropriate mod response would have been a warning (not a Warning) to her to not bring off board shit here and then locked the thread. Instead we now have a multiple page thread about the Vanishing of the Opal Porn. She created this entire scenario and you all are playing your parts practically word perfect. Carry on. Nothing I say will stop it, but perhaps you’ll stop and think about this the next time it happens with Opal. And the next. And the one after that-the details will change, but the drama will be won’t. I’ve been on the Dope for years now and I have watched as a silent spectator again and again as she gets away with all manner of shit that others don’t. I don’t understand the attraction she has for you all; it’s not my place to know. But it’s there and it shows. You are now part of that special club: the Protect Opal for No Good Reason Except It’s Opal Club. Well done, true and faithful servant. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/125 "2011-12-15T05:42:57Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > That’s great, but I’m not saying that these people make up the majority of poster at the other boards. I’m saying that there are enough of them that it becomes a concern when fights on other boards start showing up here. Which is why we usually lock (or, in this case, vanish) such threads. WHAT fights on other boards? There is/was no fight on “the other board” (seriously, can we not just say Giraffe Boards here? Does that get me banned or something? I haven’t been paying attention to the new rules). The ONLY person who engaged in any kind of provocative behavior was… (wait for it)… OPAL. Stop making this about the Geeb. It is the farthest thing from that. This is about OPAL and her bringing off board stuff here and yet suffering no consequences. Oh, and btw, I post “there” and here–“there” more than here now–and I think I’ve heard ONE Raffer mention that they were banned. It’s not a focus of conversation. What is it with you all and Giraffe Boards? It’s just people online talking. Seriously-no cabal, no terrorist cell, no plotting to take over the Dope. Just a bunch of people. I’m not a person who gets all intense about stuff, but dayum if this hasn’t made me sit up and take notice of the complete shambles of equitable treatment here. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/126 "2011-12-15T05:57:21Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I never said it was wise and it appears that Opal has learned a lesson or two in web security. That doesn’t change the fact that several people here apparently see nothing wrong in taking and sharing other people’s stuff simply because there’s no physical barrier to doing so. I assume, then, that if you lost your wallet, and I found it, you wouldn’t object to me pocketing a 20 or 2 as your security was appalling. Whatever analogy you’re trying to draw here has absolutely nothing to with the **Opal’s** pics case. Other than the fact that they are both epic fails. In short, someone who claims to have been in “[**elegant and professina** l](http://webica.com/)[sic]” web-design since 1998 – that’s fucking 14 years working the web for a living! – should, at the very least understand the ABCs of internet security. Fact is, if we’re are to believe her story (which I’m having a hard time swallowing – no pun intended) she had “no idea” that every god damn picture in her site was in the _public domain_ with no protection whatsoever. As has been explained numerous times already in this thread, this is is not rocket surgery we speak of. In fact, most _free_ picture hosting providers will ask you what kind of security you’d like to apply to your uploads. From general views (which is how **Opal** had hers, _all_ linked to the root directory by simply shortening the URL), to ‘invitation only’ and finally, locked & passworded. So the analogy you’re looking for is linking to a picture yours in say, photobucket, and then bitching that people comment on all the other stuff that YOU’VE left open for all to see. Finally, the amount of web security software out there is staggering and lots of it easy enough for a five year old to use/apply. “Professinal” my ass. As for disappearing the thread, I can understand doing it to protect her (and, I think, more importantly, the presumed innocent parties involved who could suffer RL harm from this) from further embarrassment – again, all of her doing – but to claim it has anything to do with “board wars” is quite frankly, absurd. Believe me when I tell you, I am not going to fight myself. In closing, here’s hoping she both learns something from this incident and finally does something about whatever mental issues that have been troubling her for so many years. She’s not the only one being harmed by this behavior. And I _do_ feel bad for her family. ---
**Author:** ![ShermanAter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ShermanAter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShermanAter)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/127 "2011-12-15T06:00:19Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > The de facto rule here has always been you live with what you post. The thrust of this thread is did Opal get special treatment. The answer is yes. It is unfortunate what happened to her, but her starting a thread here only made it worse for herself. The thread should have been locked (because of its inappropriateness) , not disappeared (to protect her). > > The claims of fear of a board war are total bullshit, imo. Quoted for truth. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/128 "2011-12-15T06:02:20Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > I vote “not.” She’s suffered no real harm from the kerfluffle. She’s gained the attention she craves. She’s marshaled her defenders. She’s been allowed to engage in behavior that others on this board are not allowed. She’s manipulated the moderators, and skirted the rules. > > She’s accomplished what she wished. This is exactly what I am afraid of. ---
**Author:** ![ajb867](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@ajb867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajb867)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/129 "2011-12-15T06:07:01Z")
Just saw the picture… Bye, Opal! ---
**Author:** ![ajb867](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@ajb867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajb867)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/130 "2011-12-15T06:19:10Z")
Missed the edit window, had the other thread just been locked I would not of been privy to this whole fiasco. Good intentions and all that. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/131 "2011-12-15T06:20:41Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > is why we usually lock (or, in this case, vanish) such threads. Moderators, Can you at least recognize that: a) clearly not all moderators would have made the same choice b) the different choices elicit different responses from the rest of the board’s members and c) the different choices make it confusing to know what would happen in certain circumstances, and creates an appearance of inconsistency and - as evidenced in this case - an appearance of favouritism/bias towards certain posters. I’m going to assume that you recognize that these sorts of things are happening, and that perhaps you should 1. discuss various examples of rules violations amongst yourselves 2. determine a consensus on what action would be appropriate in various situations 3. PUBLISH EXAMPLES of rules violations and the type of action that would result, so that people have some idea of what to expect 4. In the event of disagreements between staff and board members, recognize that a case may have been ambiguous, decide through discussion amongst yourselves that “from now on, in cases like this, the action will be X”, and update the Examples list. I think it would really help these boards if you did that. It’s pretty straightforward and your refusal to do this thus far makes you look silly. If you want to be in charge of something, then _take charge of it_. I mean, seriously, in this thread you have someone asking Mod A “why did you do that?” and Mod A giving a reason, then Mod B saying “I wouldn’t have done that” and giving his reasons. It’s ambiguous and confusing and unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/132 "2011-12-15T07:37:21Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > WHAT fights on other boards? There is/was no fight on “the other board” (seriously, can we not just say Giraffe Boards here? Does that get me banned or something? I haven’t been paying attention to the new rules). The ONLY person who engaged in any kind of provocative behavior was… (wait for it)… OPAL. > Stop making this about the Geeb. It is the farthest thing from that. This is about OPAL and her bringing off board stuff here and yet suffering no consequences. > > Oh, and btw, I post “there” and here–“there” more than here now–and I think I’ve heard ONE Raffer mention that they were banned. It’s not a focus of conversation. What is it with you all and Giraffe Boards? It’s just people online talking. Seriously-no cabal, no terrorist cell, no plotting to take over the Dope. Just a bunch of people. > > I’m not a person who gets all intense about stuff, but dayum if this hasn’t made me sit up and take notice of the complete shambles of equitable treatment here. This. A thousand times this. I’ve been registered a few years, a member for one, with re- up coming up quick. This shifting of rules, obvious favoritism and blatant " oh, but 'we’re special here", bullshit is driving me away. The sanctimonious attitude of moderators, the " we will protect some from their own mental problems (but not all), is driving some of your most devoted readers/posters away. Opal brings traffic here, she also drives it away. Moderation should never be based on that. Rules are rules and should be applied regardless of the poster or personal situation. Period. If this purports to be a tightly moderated board, then do it based on published rules and not special considerations. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/133 "2011-12-15T07:44:01Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Moderators, > > Can you at least recognize that: > > a) clearly not all moderators would have made the same choice It’s never been a secret that the moderators are given fairly wide latitude to use their own discretion in handling infractions. > [@](#): > > b) the different choices elicit different responses from the rest of the board’s members Agreed. > [@](#): > > c) the different choices make it confusing to know what would happen in certain circumstances, and creates an appearance of inconsistency and - as evidenced in this case - an appearance of favouritism/bias towards certain posters. Yes, I can see how that can happen. > [@](#): > > I’m going to assume that you recognize that these sorts of things are happening, and that perhaps you should > > 1. discuss various examples of rules violations amongst yourselves > 2. determine a consensus on what action would be appropriate in various situations > 3. PUBLISH EXAMPLES of rules violations and the type of action that would result, so that people have some idea of what to expect > 4. In the event of disagreements between staff and board members, recognize that a case may have been ambiguous, decide through discussion amongst yourselves that “from now on, in cases like this, the action will be X”, and update the Examples list. That seems like quite a bit of overkill, really. I mean, what exactly does this help with in this situation? It’s a pretty unprecedented scenario. So we’d still be having the same argument about an “ambiguous” ruling, and then we write it down somewhere, and never look at it again, because what are the odds of this happening again? > [@](#): > > I think it would really help these boards if you did that. It’s pretty straightforward and your refusal to do this thus far makes you look silly. If you want to be in charge of something, then _take charge of it_. Really? To me, it sounds like a fantastically complex, tedious, and completely unwieldy system that doesn’t actually fix anything. > [@](#): > > I mean, seriously, in this thread you have someone asking Mod A “why did you do that?” and Mod A giving a reason, then Mod B saying “I wouldn’t have done that” and giving his reasons. It’s ambiguous and confusing and unnecessary. What’s ambiguous or confusing here? Don’t post stuff that invites interboard fighting. Period. Does it really matter if we respond to that sort of thing by locking the thread, or moving it? The only reason moving the thread is an issue is because some people are convinced (for reasons I can’t begin to fathom\*) that we did it to protect **Opal**. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/134 "2011-12-15T07:58:04Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > What’s ambiguous or confusing here? Don’t post stuff that invites interboard fighting. Period. Does it really matter if we respond to that sort of thing by locking the thread, or moving it? Because it seems, in my experience, that most of those threads don’t get “disappeared.” Instead, they get locked. That seems to reflect a bit of a differential response. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/135 "2011-12-15T08:19:27Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Because it seems, in my experience, that most of those threads don’t get “disappeared.” Instead, they get locked. That seems to reflect a bit of a differential response. Because this thread also had personal information in it. Threads that were about personal information have been moved before. Threads about other board drama have been locked before. This one had both. Me, earlier: > [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Mentioning personal information is fine. > Mentioning other boards is fine. > But when one topic is about one causing the other, those threads don’t tend to last long. > I fully admit that that thread could have either been locked or vanished. Either way, it puts an end to the discussion. > > I stand by my decision to vanish it. There has been many instances of threads being disappeared instead of just being locked for many different reasons. I have given my reasons for moving it instead of locking it. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/136 "2011-12-15T08:29:49Z")
Of course you’ve given your reasons. However, there are those of us who seem to recall an inconsistent application of those reasons. And other moderators in this thread have commented that they may or may not move or disappear threads for a variety of reasons. It’s no secret that the reasons for moving, locking, or disappearing threads are inconsistent. We’re discussing that inconsistency. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2011, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/137 "2011-12-15T08:46:17Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Because it seems, in my experience, that most of those threads don’t get “disappeared.” Instead, they get locked. That seems to reflect a bit of a differential response. That doesn’t really explain why it matters. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/138 "2011-12-15T08:51:39Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Of course you’ve given your reasons. However, there are those of us who seem to recall an inconsistent application of those reasons. And other moderators in this thread have commented that they may or may not move or disappear threads for a variety of reasons. > > It’s no secret that the reasons for moving, locking, or disappearing threads are inconsistent. We’re discussing that inconsistency. I guess we disagree there, then. I don’t see any inconsistency. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/139 "2011-12-15T10:28:51Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > … (This is why you get a porn buddy whose job it is to clean out all the embarrassing shit off your computer and out of your drawers before the grieving loved ones have to deal with your stuff.) Oh my Og! :eek: I was beginning to think that wading thru this thread was a complete and utter waste of brain cells. 😉 **Ferret Herder** has made it all worthwhile IMHO. For me at least, seeing as how I’ve not contemplated, _ **that** _ particular scenario. ☹ Seriously. 😛 Damn, now I’ve got to decide _ **who** _ to (inform/ask) _ **be** _ my “porn buddy”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267/140 "2011-12-15T10:36:48Z")
> [@the lone cashew](#): > > Understandably upset about her personal photos being hacked, posted a thread to ventilate; no more extreme of a personal nature than many other personal type threads that others post regularly in IMHO and MPSIMS forums. > > The thread was basically a ventilation/complaint along the lines of “I am upset right now, this is what happened to me on the internet”. Then Opal should stop using these two fucking forums as her personal form of BBQ Pit. She already hijacks a majority of threads in these two forums. If she cant muster the energy or the “courage” to step into the Pit, she needs to shut the fuck up about it. She using this very site’s audience for blog-worthy posts. On and on. It’s getting fucking tiresome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-opals-mpsims-thread-removed/606267.md?page=8)