# yet again: Mods who can't moderate ... **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 6, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177 "2010-12-06T19:00:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/1 "2010-12-06T19:00:24Z")
…or at least who feel the need to get in personal, highly opinionated digs, while criticizing other posters for their views. [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=587778&page=2), **Tom** chimes in on what he has deemed to be a hijack (and I agree, which was why I opened a separate thread on that sub-topic) but in posts 67 and 79, insists on interjecting his own opinion ON THE VERY TOPIC HE IS CALLING INAPPROPRIATE entirely gratuitously, labeling it in pejorative language. Now, the subject (whether McCain lusted after Palin in any sense of the word) may well be as stupid as **Tom** claims it is, but it seems to me more seemly for **Tom** to have encouraged posters not to hijack the main topic any longer, and perhaps to inform them that there was a separate thread (my poll) addressing that subject, without attacking the notion behind the sub-topic while posting as a Moderator. It may have been stupid, but if so there are about a third of the posters in my poll who seem to give it some shred of credence, and Tom is certainly welcome to post his views as a poster in my poll. This is another example of Mods who cannot stick to the job of modding without getting in a final shot on a topic they are closing to discussion (i.e., posting their personal opinions) and then justifying their actions on a technicality: I accused **Tom** of “censuring” those posters who disagreed with him–I think he’s claiming (in post #79) that "censure’ is not exactly what he did there–perhaps he’s claiming that he “criticized” or “dismissed” those posters but in no way did he ever “censure” anyone. This is really a call for better manners by Mods when performing their duties. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/2 "2010-12-06T19:20:21Z")
I just read through that thread, and two things stand out: 1. He wasn’t warning people about their differences of opinion with him-it seemed to me that he was concerned about the Pit-like direction it was going. 2. He is right in that you seem to have a bad habit of complaining about moderating in the wrong forums. IMHO, of course. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/3 "2010-12-06T19:32:46Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > He wasn’t warning people about their differences of opinion with him-it seemed to me that he was concerned about the Pit-like direction it was going. Seems to me he could have expressed that thought in exactly those words, but editorializing (calling the stuff he wanted in the Pit “all the truly dumb speculation”) just seemed unnecessary to me–wanting to have his cake (“You people who feel differently from me about this subject are truly dumb”) and eat it too (calling the subject a hijack). If you want to chime in, do so, and if you want to shut the topic down, do so, but both at once? Just seemed gratuitous, Mod-getting-a-parting-shot-in, to me. As to my raising a ruckus, and getting Tom to go all warny on my ass, it seemed to me a mild suggestion, to wit: > [@](#): > > A suggestion, Tom: instead of gratuitiously editorializing (and thereby casting a personal opinion in the precise way you’re censuring others for doing), why not simply vote in my poll on the subject, created precisely to avoid hijacking this thread, and simply moderate when you claim you’re moderating? > > It would give you the cover of objectivity. If I’da known I was getting myself in trouble by complaining about **Tom** ’s moderation, believe me, I could get a lot more contentious than that for the same money. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/4 "2010-12-06T19:38:49Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > If I’da known I was getting myself in trouble by complaining about **Tom** ’s moderation, believe me, I could get a lot more contentious than that for the same money. If _only_ there was a forum where one might complain about moderation. If only. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/5 "2010-12-06T19:48:32Z")
Looks to me like **Tomndebb** was only reinforcing what **Marley** had attempted to do earlier…ie, get people to dial it back a notch. I find no fault with any of the moderation on the second page of that thread. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/6 "2010-12-06T19:57:24Z")
As I recall, **tom** wasn’t particularly fond of the Sarah-Trig-Bristol conspiracy theorizing either, back during that magical week when it was going on. Some guys crush _hard_. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/7 "2010-12-06T19:57:29Z")
I think that **tom** ’s moderation was totally appropriate in the referenced posts. He should probably give that lame _ **TWEEEET** _ shit a rest but that’s just my personal preference. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/8 "2010-12-06T20:03:19Z")
The hijack _was_ dumb. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/9 "2010-12-06T20:12:51Z")
A little more on topic I’d say **tomndebb** ’s tone was warranted since he made the third (and then fourth) moderating posts on a single page in that thread. If people want to talk about ludicrous stuff, that’s fine. When that stuff hijacks another thread _and_ lowers the tone, that’s grounds for moderating. **tomndebb** was not joining in the discussion in a way that was inappropriate and encourage the hijack, he was ending the hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/10 "2010-12-06T21:06:27Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I think that **tom** ’s moderation was totally appropriate in the referenced posts. > > **He should probably give that lame _TWEEEET !_ shit a rest but that’s just my personal preference.** Perhaps haven’t been here long enough for it to become bothersome but for me all that tweeeeting is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/11 "2010-12-06T21:41:08Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I think that **tom** ’s moderation was totally appropriate in the referenced posts. > > He should probably give that lame _ **TWEEEET** _ shit a rest but that’s just my personal preference. I have to agree. _Tweet_ needs to be replaced by something more appropriate for a locker room. Preferably a verb with an anatomical reference adverb. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/12 "2010-12-06T21:46:24Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The hijack _was_ dumb. Even if it was, which I dispute, it was sufficient to note that it was a hijack and to take that that line of discussion elsewhere. All I’m objecting to here is **Tom** ’s characterization of it as “truly dumb,” which wasn’t called-for in a post where he was acting as a Mod. This is a pattern–Mods getting a personal opinion in, just before closing off an area of discussion. Also pattern-like is all the defenders of said Mod, coming in and ignoring the point being made to address a point not being made. If \*\*Tom \*\*wants to express his own opinion, fine. Do it as a poster and I have no problem with that. At last count, there were eighty-odd votes in my poll thread expressing the same view, and I haven’t objected or argued with a one of them, other than to express my own contrary opinion. My own opinion is that this board seems more dispassionately moderated when there is an attempt to distinguish between the two roles. That is all I’m trying (and failing) to express here. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/13 "2010-12-06T23:23:46Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > All I’m objecting to here is **Tom** ’s characterization of it as “truly dumb,” which wasn’t called-for in a post where he was acting as a Mod. So what? It is so trivial, I can only surmise you have some other motive for making such a big stink out of it. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/14 "2010-12-07T00:20:20Z")
So nothing. It was a trivial point, a suggestion I made in the thread, and expected no response at all to, until **Tom** barreled in and started yammering on about the misdeed I committed by suggesting his Mod/Poster post was inappropriate and threatening me with sanctions because I didn’t take up in a separate thread in ATMB. So I took it here. End of subject. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/15 "2010-12-07T01:32:08Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > So what? It is so trivial, I can only surmise you have some other motive for making such a big stink out of it. This is bad judgement, IMHO. What if a cop gives you only a 20 dollar ticket? Are you just gonna pay it, and say 'So what?" Look, if you want trivial, look at the SDMB, which I love. It’s basically, well, having read the preface to the first SD book, I can’t say trivial, but, let’s be real… Also, I noted on another thread **tom** did the ‘it’s dumb’ thing. Some other mod did that to me about 5 years ago, too. That kind of pontificating is rude, and insulting, and ill comports with ‘moderation’. Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/16 "2010-12-07T01:34:35Z")
\*\*prr \*\*- you do realize that your oversensitivity to this issue is going to get you banned, right? Because in the last month, all you’ve done is bitch about pretty minor reprimands and non-reprimands by the moderators to the point of being told to specifically knock it off, be aware of the proper place to complain, etc. Doesn’t it get tiresome to not only have such amazingly thin skin, but to constantly aggravate it by chronically picking at it? Just let it go. Edit: Yeah - tom’s oversensitivity and personal crusade to “set the tone” throughout this Board is irksome to the nth degree. But that particular windmill has a “ban” button. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/17 "2010-12-07T01:47:47Z")
So you agree, but you don’t want to hear it from me? Tough. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/18 "2010-12-07T02:04:22Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > What if a cop gives you only a 20 dollar ticket? Are you just gonna pay it, and say 'So what?" This isn’t a 20 ticket. It is a .10 ticket that should be filed under D for ‘dontgiveacrap.’ ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/19 "2010-12-07T02:13:30Z")
Why don’t you not give a crap about the stuff you want, and I’ll do the same, okay? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177/20 "2010-12-07T02:26:08Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Why don’t you not give a crap about the stuff you want, and I’ll do the same, okay? Oh, for Pete’s sake. Other posters are allowed to give a crap about you constantly whining about perfectly fine moderating. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-mods-who-cant-moderate/563177.md?page=2)