# Why was the Twickster ATMB thread closed? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 10, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543 "2012-05-10T19:42:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/81 "2012-05-11T12:24:16Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Because the “insulting” part is supposed to be only in the Pit. > > Regards, > Shodan But \*\*Cicero \*\*is talking of a culture, not a post. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/82 "2012-05-11T12:34:39Z")
I stand by my original advice to the OP “Just move on. She’s not worth it.” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/83 "2012-05-11T12:40:20Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > But \*\*Cicero \*\*is talking of a culture, not a post. Yes. And an important part of the culture is that the insults are confined to the Pit, otherwise posters get Warned and eventually Banned so they can’t participate in the culture. Maybe I am not understanding you. And I probably shouldn’t get sucked into this damn trainwreck anyway. **twickster** should have apologized instead of that dumb Mod Note, **living\_in\_hell** was perfectly within her rights to start a thread asking for an apology, and ever since has been doing everything in her power to make me hope she never gets it. Coupled with the usual pile-on on **twickster**. What a fucking fiasco. Can’t _anyone_ handle a mistake with some kind of grace? Y’all are setting me a bad example for the next time I fuck up. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/84 "2012-05-11T12:51:54Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Maybe I am not understanding you. I’m not sure what there is to understand. I think this whole thing has been blown way out of proportion by a handful of posters who have a severe hate-on for **twickster**. I actually find that the board culture is far \*less \*snarky/insulting than it was when I first started posting here, and I rather miss it. **manhattan** , of course, being the classic delightfully curmudgeonly moderator, but others had some shining moments as well. But I like Lewis Black and George Carlin and Don Rickles and Cecil Adams, so when I found a message board full of folks who also like that sort of humor, and practice that sort of humor, I stayed. Not sure why anyone who doesn’t like it would stay. Of course they’re welcome to, but I have to scratch my head when they then complain about it. It’s like people who buy a house next to an airport and then complain about the noise. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/85 "2012-05-11T12:55:21Z")
Just for clarity, I have nothing against twickster and really have no comment about her actions. My concern really comes back to an underlying - as I called it “culture” - around some of the Mod staff to belittle members when it isn’t required. I enjoy witty responses as much as anyone. Manhattans well known retort was a classic- it was clever, it was a put down, it was called for and in order. (And I see WhyNot has just answered as well so I will leave this as it stands) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/86 "2012-05-11T12:55:44Z")
I thought the original complaint was valid. The insult was jarring to me when I saw it and was very disappointed by the response. Of course the actions of l\_i\_h are overshadowing it. But the history of the poster should not excuse the behavior of others. There is a nice little Pit thread for that. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/87 "2012-05-11T14:23:57Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > But I like Lewis Black and George Carlin and Don Rickles and Cecil Adams, so when I found a message board full of folks who also like that sort of humor, and practice that sort of humor, I stayed. Not sure why anyone who doesn’t like it would stay. Of course they’re welcome to, but I have to scratch my head when they then complain about it. > > It’s like people who buy a house next to an airport and then complain about the noise. I don’t really understand what’s so hard about this. The problem isn’t the snark. The problem is that the rules are different for the moderators than they are for the rank and file, such that the moderators get away with behavior that would merit a warning for any other generic long-time poster. So, it’s more like buying a house next to an airport, and then getting a noise citation on the first offence because the airport complained that you revved up your car in your driveway once. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/88 "2012-05-11T14:32:49Z")
What **Loach** and **Cicero** said. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/89 "2012-05-11T14:36:04Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > The problem isn’t the snark. The problem is that the rules are different for the moderators than they are for the rank and file, such that the moderators get away with behavior that would merit a warning for any other generic long-time poster. ANY other long term poster? No. A few long term posters say they’ve received Warnings instead of notes, but this long term poster has received notes, not warnings, for insults in the wrong forum. I’ve seen a \*lot \*of long term posters get notes, not warnings, for insults in the wrong forum. Especially if the insult is mild and, well, appropriate. She \*was \*acting like a twat in that thread. Yes, I get that twickster should have taken it to the Pit and not namecalled there, but come on, already. And, y’know, a single Warning has about as much impact as that time you got a note on your Permanent Record for sticking a pencil up your nose in third grade. If a poster is butthurt over one Warning, I don’t really know what to say about that. \*It’s not faaaaaaiiiiirrr! \*is a cry that makes me roll my eyes when it comes from children, nevermind alleged adults. Sure, it may not be fair. But it’s also not _important_. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/90 "2012-05-11T14:42:36Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > And, y’know, a single Warning has about as much impact as that time you got a note on your Permanent Record for sticking a pencil up your nose in third grade. If a poster is butthurt over one Warning, I don’t really know what to say about that. > > \*It’s not faaaaaaiiiiirrr! \*is a cry that makes me roll my eyes when it comes from children, nevermind alleged adults. Sure, it may not be fair. But it’s also not _important_. One does not have to be butthurt or whining about something to notice that it’s unfair. Also, accusations of same are approximately as eyeroll-inducing as anyone actually whining would be. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/91 "2012-05-11T15:41:36Z")
A possible solution for everyone is the Post-Note pattern, for example: I post “You are a twat” But my “signature” has me covered: [Guest Note] RaftPeople, c’mon, you know you can’t post what you just posted in this post, don’t do it again. [/Guest Note] ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/92 "2012-05-11T16:22:23Z")
**living\_in\_hell** , it would help if you got her name right. It’s **Twickster** , not **Tw_a_ckster**. Just sayin’. Also, post 21, wait, is that a huge post of you quoting **Quasimodem** , without marking or attributing it? Because it reads like you going off on a bender against **Quasimodem** for some unknown offence. That explains why it is vaguely familiar. If so, you really should learn how to post. First off, you should have marked the damn thing as a quote so we would know that. But even more so, you would have been better off just linking the post and saying “Oh, wasn’t this you?” or something. But third, you probably shouldn’t have brought it up at all. Before the prior thread was closed, I posted > [@](#): > > Because if a moderator is going to break the rules, even inadvertently, they should at least be overseen by someone besides themselves. To which Czarcasm replied > [@](#): > > Do we know that hasn’t happened behind the scenes? What I wished to reply is, How the Fuck should I know what happened behind the scenes? Here’s the thing from my ethics training at work. It’s not enough to be ethical, it’s also important that you not give the appearance of not being ethical. In this situation, if a moderator does something that requires public sanction, it should be done by someone else, not the moderator in question. I realize there may be a concern that a public sanction of a mod may inspire lack of confidence in that mod, or foster the denizens that would tally up all a mod’s past mistakes and flaunt them in their face. But the thing is, that is going to happen anyway when a moderator makes multiple mistakes. There’s no avoiding that response. But hiding all evidence of internal sanctions behind the wall of administration does not reduce friction or keep the troubles out of view, it only gives the appearance that the administration doesn’t care about moderator behavior, or that moderators are allowed to get away with breaking rules that other members cannot. If the mod breaks the rule, then let someone else make the appropriate public alert to that fact. It comes off far more ethical and fair, rather than the mod in question give herself a hand slap. “Oops, I shouldn’t have done that, shame on me” doesn’t come off nearly as convincing as an oversight from someone else. Especially when that mod has a history of bad calls, overreactions, and generally stirring things up. I’m not saying this to pile on **Twickster**. In the past, I’ve defended her. And I think whatever history she has of moderating is a separate issue from this topic. The topic in question is how the administration of this board handles sanctioning its own staff. I am okay with moderators and admins discussing this behind close doors to get the full story, to come to agreement, whatever. But if a moderator (any moderator, not just this incident) has violated a board rule, to the degree that any other poster would be sanctioned by a mod, it is appropriate that that moderator receive a similar sanction, and as publically as any other board member. Otherwise, it creates the _appearance_ of a double standard. And as I said, it doesn’t matter if the double standard is real or not if the actions of the staff create that appearance, that is the reputation they will have. I love this board. I have defended the mods far more often than not. But this is a situation where I think the administration of this board would be better served by a different policy, one of open even-handed treatment of the mods. And if that makes a recurring problem of a particular mod repeatedly getting sanctioned more visible, that suggests that the admins should then address _that_ problem as well. From this thread, > [@Czarcasm](#): > > I don’t speak on anyone’s behalf but my own, and if you have a problem with mods correcting themselves in a timely manner that’s your personal problem, not mine. Your hostility suggests that the personal problem in this thread is yours. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/93 "2012-05-11T16:32:32Z")
> [@living\_in\_hell](#): > > …Twackster…Twackster’s…Twackster…TWACKocracy! > [@living\_in\_hell](#): > > …Twackster…Twack pdq. I don’t know about the rules but it’s really not cool to purposely change someones username. > [@silenus](#): > > You really ought to contact James Randi pretty soon. It seems you’ve developed telepathy. > > Oh, you haven’t? So your post was nothing but a wild-assed guess backed up by nothing but your thought process? Thought so. Actually it was. Damn, maybe you should call James Randi. > [@](#): > > You have no clue what I was mentally inserting in the (descriptive thread deleted). But you can pontificate about it all you want. You’ll be just as accurate as you always are. You are right. I apologize for jumping to conclusions. > [@BlankSlate](#): > > Wait, so you’re offended that he was offended and posted about in a thread started by someone who was offended that a different thread, started by someone who was offended over being called a twat and who, incidentally, was the same poster that offended the poster who offended you, was closed? This post is too smart for me so let’s just assume you are correct. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/94 "2012-05-11T21:50:59Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I’m not sure what there is to understand. I think this whole thing has been blown way out of proportion by a handful of posters who have a severe hate-on for **twickster**. I find **twickster** to be an interesting and engaging poster and a terrible moderator. I don’t hate her, but I think she’s in the wrong position. Unfortunately, it’s been made very clear that the board administration isn’t going to do anything about that, and she’ll remain a mod until she decides on her own to step down. That’s just the way it is, and these endless threads aren’t going to do anything to change it. > [@](#): > > I actually find that the board culture is far \*less \*snarky/insulting than it was when I first started posting here, and I rather miss it. **manhattan** , of course, being the classic delightfully curmudgeonly moderator, but others had some shining moments as well. > > But I like Lewis Black and George Carlin and Don Rickles and Cecil Adams, so when I found a message board full of folks who also like that sort of humor, and practice that sort of humor, I stayed. Not sure why anyone who doesn’t like it would stay. Of course they’re welcome to, but I have to scratch my head when they then complain about it. I like these guys too, but they ( **Manhattan** included) aren’t (or weren’t) so thin-skinned that they can’t handle people responding to their snark in kind. The board is, in general, less snarky than it was 10 years ago, and most of the mods have gone along with that change. Not all of them have, and new rules create an imbalance of power in those exchanges. If you aren’t allowed to direct snark at somebody, it’s reasonable to expect them to extend the same courtesy to you, even when they’re not required to. If they don’t choose to extend you that courtesy, it’s natural to get a little rankled about that. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/95 "2012-05-11T22:50:45Z")
I am sorry for my harsh words. They were undeserved. They would be undeserved if addressed to anyone in my circle of friends, and I truly regret what I wrote, **Twicks** and I ask you here to forgive me if you can. Additionally, which one of you wants to step up and take on this shitty job? Quasimodem > [@living\_in\_hell](#): > > I forgot about your hostility, and you apparently forgot about the fact my enthusiasm gets me carried away sometimes. > > Your asinine reply to my pm “What about it?” And you wrote that back to me in a pm!!! > > Want me to show it??? > > This ought to carry with it some kind of censure, because you could have said in private what you said in public just now. You were just waiting to pounce, weren’t you? > > Give it up. You have no compassion and you have no soul. > > Just give it up and leave. > > I am sorry to be so strong in my words, but you were a bitch asking me that, and then taking the whole fucking thing public. > > Hang your head, because you should be goddamned ashamed of yourself. > > **I’ve tried to be your friend, but you oppose any kind of “reach-out” people try for.** > > Hang your head and just walk out of here, because you are totally useless to any of us. > > Explain to me why you would imply I may be overreacting and/or why you were in the wrong? This sounds pretty consistent with my experience…which is more concerning given that I have been expected to learn the (inconsistent) rules in less than 7 weeks and this was how many years ago? ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/96 "2012-05-11T23:03:22Z")
I was in the wrong because those were hateful words and I am not, by nature, a hateful person. It borders on emotional abuse (or whatever that’s called) and I wouldn’t even talk to anyone in real life that way. Yes, I get angry, and yes, I have meltdowns (more in real life than here), but I was way out of line in talking (writing) that way to another human being and I am sorry for it. Q ---
**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:** [May 11, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/97 "2012-05-11T23:09:50Z")
Quasi, this was long past and long resolved. You don’t need to feel bad all over again ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/98 "2012-05-11T23:18:51Z")
_Please_ don’t use my horrible words as a weapon against one of our mods. I don’t know if I can forbid it, but for now I am asking nicely and asking you to try to work things out. For the sake of our family. Please, okay? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/99 "2012-05-11T23:35:22Z")
Then why did YOU repost it again? Living\_in\_hell was taken to task by several posters here. She has given an apology for using that particular post. You could have snipped the quote in your reply. Hell, you could have just addressed her by name, but not quoted the post. Why repost it now? ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543/100 "2012-05-11T23:35:48Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Additionally, which one of you wants to step up and take on this shitty job? > > Quasimodem **Twickster** , apparently; she just doesn’t feel particularly inclined to do it adequately. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-twickster-atmb-thread-closed/621543.md?page=6)