# Yeah, another TubaDiva pitting (mild) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 10, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930 "2008-09-10T13:29:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/21 "2008-09-10T15:11:55Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > This thread makes my brain hurt. I suspect it will be a very long one in the end. I think \*\*Dances \*\*got bent too far out of shape by a quick reply from \*\*Jerry \*\*who was just being nice enough to let us know what was going on and what was next. You may have a point about \*\*Tuba \*\*being rude sometimes, but it sure as hell isn’t **Jerry** ’s job to be polite. The junior IT’ing bit got me too. Now I wonder is how far is too far. It was clearly not a warning but it was a WTF? She really should clarify that as many of us have tried to be helpful with explaining some of the problems going on and suggesting work arounds. I saw nothing negative in **elmwood** ’s post. So what will qualify as junior IT’ing? Is it only for threads where Jerry already posted or anywhere on the board? Jim ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/22 "2008-09-10T15:19:43Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The junior IT’ing bit got me too. Now I wonder is how far is too far. It was clearly not a warning but it was a WTF? She really should clarify that as many of us have tried to be helpful with explaining some of the problems going on and suggesting work arounds. I saw nothing negative in **elmwood** ’s post. Remember, office politics is all about controlling access to information. If my office manager thinks that I’m talking to managers without her acting as an intermediary, or I’ve got some information on a vendor or solution that she doesn’t, it’s time to circle the wagons. I’ve seen many an eager young rookie just try to “help” and get reamed out by an office dictator who sees it as a threat. Almost word for word, dripping with condescention: “If we need your help, I’m sure we’ll ask you.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/23 "2008-09-10T15:20:08Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Except for mods, nobody has characterized **Tuba** ’s response as “polite.” Yeah, but my experience is you wouldn’t know polite if it politely bit you on the ass. She asked him to please stop what he was doing. > [@](#): > > It is the staff who took that thread off the rails, starting with **Jerry** ’s response to **cats**. For all the bitching he’s done in recent months, I think **danceswithcats** got off pretty easy with one terse remark from Jerry (which was pretty fucking funny as far as I’m concerned) and one formal request to shut the fuck up. You proceeded to ignore the same request, of course. You left that out of your summary of the thread, by accident no doubt. Maybe it wasn’t far enough off the rails? Just needed that special **Ellis Dee** ‘wait, I have a complaint too!’ nudge? > [@elmwood](#): > > I wish what you wrote in the quote above was the response, rather than “knock it off” to a specific user. **Tuba** ’s read more of the “junior-ITing” than I have (it makes my eyes glaze over), but more to the point, people tend to interpret everything she says in the most negative way possible. This thread provides plenty of examples, but you can find it in here roughly once a week. For the junior IT stuff… just use common sense, alright? There’s a line between answering a technical question and telling someone else how to do his job, and I’m sure you can find that. If you need a hint, “A few items on the to-do list aren’t that hard to fix” can come across as backhanded. ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/24 "2008-09-10T15:24:10Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Yeah, but my experience is you wouldn’t know polite if it politely bit you on the ass. She asked him to please stop what he was doing. What, so it’s polite because she said please? I know polite. Tuba was not being polite. At all. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/25 "2008-09-10T15:30:07Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > **Tuba** ’s read more of the “junior-ITing” than I have (it makes my eyes glaze over), but more to the point, people tend to interpret everything she says in the most negative way possible. This thread provides plenty of examples, but you can find it in here roughly once a week. > For the junior IT stuff… just use common sense, alright? There’s a line between answering a technical question and telling someone else how to do his job, and I’m sure you can find that. If you need a hint, “A few items on the to-do list aren’t that hard to fix” can come across as backhanded. That might be hard to follow. As much as I think people read too much into **Tuba** ’s post and then fly of the handle. **elmwood** ’s was barely negative at all and I think \*\*Tuba \*\*overreacted. Now it looks like you are just looking for an excuse for **Tuba** in this case. In the last 10 days I have had dozens of posts where I was trying to be helpful. In at least a few, I must have been a little snarky. So can I expect only a knock it off if a mod decides I went to far or an actual warning? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/26 "2008-09-10T15:35:35Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > Q.E.D. 😛 I’ll admit the irony didn’t occur to me until after the edit window expired. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/27 "2008-09-10T15:38:49Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > more to the point, people tend to interpret everything [Tuba] says in the most negative way possible. One would think this fact would be a big red flag; maybe somebody who elicits the most negative interpretations possible isn’t the best person to be in an administrative position. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/28 "2008-09-10T15:44:02Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It’s still allowed in the Pit. Not for long, apparently: > [@Current Status of SDMB Upgrade](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/29): > > I’ve had enough of this. Consider this a general warning. From this point forward, anyone who whines about the administration of the SDMB other than in the Pit **(and eventually maybe not even there)** will be banned without further notice. Bolding mine. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/29 "2008-09-10T15:50:37Z")
While I may not agree with how… voraciously outspoken… **danceswithcats** has been regarding both technical and administrative woes, should we assume that Ed’s edict is [at least partially retroactive](http://boardstest.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10178295&postcount=64)? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/30 "2008-09-10T15:53:06Z")
> [@atomicbadgerrace](#): > > While I may not agree with how… voraciously outspoken… **danceswithcats** has been regarding both technical and administrative woes, should we assume that Ed’s edict is [at least partially retroactive](http://boardstest.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10178295&postcount=64)? I don’t see that **dw** c has been banned…? ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/31 "2008-09-10T15:53:11Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Not for long, apparently: > > Bolding mine. :rolleyes: Hopefully, we’ll know when that time comes, rather than find out by seeing someone banned with a mod announcement of the new policy after the fact. /not a complaint. I think. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/32 "2008-09-10T16:06:08Z")
I think most people who are upset about the board’s performance are bringing years of frustration to the situation, and I can’t say that I blame them. For years the admins have been starring in the off-Broadway production of _Things Are Gonna Be Great Soon!_ It includes such numbers as “Cool Things Are Coming!” and “You’re Gonna Post For Free” and the show stopping “Don’t Let the Door Hit Ya Where the Good Lord Split Ya.” Oh it sounds like a fun show, but in the end the audience feels as tired as the performers. A lot of times I feel really sorry for the staff because they’re the ones that have to dish out the excuses and assorted horseshit. I imagine it to be much like being Dubya’s press secretary. “You want me to tell them WHAT?” I can appreciate what a frustrating job that must be, and they have my sympathies. Still, their answers (especially Tuba’s) are often dripping with sarcasm, indifference, or outright disdain. This, of course, gets the mad people madder so they complain more and on and on. Part of the problem seems to be that Jerry is either unwilling or unable to to “his job” of taking care of the software and board issues. Add that to the fact that in this diverse customer base there are many people who **do** know how to do that job so they offer advice. Some of it is offered with a helpful tone, some is not. When people have complained or made suggestions, the staff have passed on these messages to Ed and/or Jerry as they say they will. Ed, up until recently (what date did that book drop?) wasn’t seen around these parts much. He shows up at the time of the switchover when people are finally starting to see some changes. Some people are giddy with the changes they’ve been waiting for years on, while others are highly suspicious based on past performance. I fully admit to rolling my eyes around my head so much I gave myself a headache at Ed’s new forum, but I do think that most people went too far with their outrage. Don’t like the forum? Don’t go there. I think Ed was pretty responsive to those complaints and made a good compromise where he didn’t **have** to. Honestly, I was impressed. Now it seems that he’s pissed off enough to ban all complaints except in the Pit, and maybe not for long here. Awww, is his widdle ickle feelings pushed to the limit? Maybe he has a taste of what his staff has had to absorb while he doesn’t show his face here. I don’t give a half a fuck if he’s had enough. That’s his fucking problem. To me this board is just someplace I visit while I’m online. For some people on the board, it’s more of a community of friends. They buy into the whole “Fighting Ignorance” and “Cecil” BS. They buy those books and promote this place. Their loyalty has often been met with an attitude that they are lucky to be here and should show some respect. It never ceases to amaze me that paying customers, fans, and participants can be treated as if they are such a pain in the ass. I’m sure there are many times we **are** pains in the ass, but without all of these people nobody would give a shit about The Straight Dope. In summary, chill the fuck out Ed and realize this is the bed you’ve made. Sweet dreams. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/33 "2008-09-10T16:09:58Z")
> [@atomicbadgerrace](#): > > What, so it’s polite because she said please? I know polite. Tuba was not being polite. At all. **Marley** , FWIW, I think \*\*atomic’s \*\*got a point here. I can’t speak for **elmwood** or anyone else in this thread … but for some people, “knock it off” is an invective. I assume that for others, “knock it off” is pretty mild, maybe even neutral. But that difference in perception may be why some see **Tuba’s** response as polite, and others don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/34 "2008-09-10T16:10:22Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > One would think this fact would be a big red flag; maybe somebody who elicits the most negative interpretations possible isn’t the best person to be in an administrative position. From you, this is rich. > [@atomicbadgerrace](#): > > While I may not agree with how… voraciously outspoken… **danceswithcats** has been regarding both technical and administrative woes, should we assume that Ed’s edict is [at least partially retroactive](http://boardstest.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10178295&postcount=64)? No, ‘we’ should not assume that. **danceswithcats** was blatantly threadshitting there, and if I’d been aware of it before Ed made his post I would have delivered the same warning. The guy made his post in ATMB, got smacked by Jerry and decided to carp about it in MPSIMS, which isn’t the place for it. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/35 "2008-09-10T16:12:54Z")
Tuba was rude to a guest. Bear, shit, woods. Nothing to see here, move along. Ed’s little outburst about summary banning for “whining” (as defined by whom?) is utter bullshit and he should be ashamed of himself for having even considered it, let alone writing and posting it. If a member of the staff is “whines” about a guest, will the staffer be summarily fired and banned? Or is this street, like so many on the boards, one-way? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/36 "2008-09-10T16:13:03Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > From you, this is rich. Yes, continue to focus on me because you seem to feel I am easily dismissed. Whatever you do, don’t read the posts by everyone else expressing similar views to mine. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/37 "2008-09-10T16:23:09Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > From you, this is rich. > > No, ‘we’ should not assume that. **danceswithcats** was blatantly threadshitting there, and if I’d been aware of it before Ed made his post I would have delivered the same warning. The guy made his post in ATMB, got smacked by Jerry and decided to carp about it in MPSIMS, which isn’t the place for it. Look, I agree on **Dances** , but in **Ellis Dee** you are talking to someone that has felt the unwarranted wrath of \*\*Tuba \*\*(or was it **Lynn** ) and actually got banned for a never before existing rule. He has experience here that you are either not aware of or ignoring. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/38 "2008-09-10T16:24:05Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Not for long, apparently: > > Bolding mine. :rolleyes: Wow. I really did not see that coming. What a clusterfuck. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/39 "2008-09-10T17:47:38Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Wow. I really did not see that coming. What a clusterfuck. Yep. “Customer Service? We don’t need no stinkin’ customer service!” ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930/40 "2008-09-10T18:03:21Z")
> [@WARNING - stop whining](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-stop-whining/462937/16): > > > [@WARNING - stop whining](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-stop-whining/462937/15): > > > > And if a member of the board staff is rude to a guest outside the Pit? Will they be summarily fired and banned? > > The above constitutes snark in my book, Otto. Goodbye. Wow. It’s like you can almost see the red-faced, frustrated teacher clenching his jaw until he finally loses it and smacks a kid across the face, hoping to scare the class into submission. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-another-tubadiva-pitting-mild/462930.md?page=3)