Who Wants To Be A Moderator? (apologies to Regis Philbin)

[Barry_Green]

I've been notified that things are running off the rails recently. Here's the deal: I broke my back, I'm in chronic pain, lots of other 2020 stuff to deal with, and frankly I just can't be bothered right now to go chasing down every moronic post by every self-righteous douchebag who thinks that their individual moral or political imperative is more important than our nearly-two-decade established rules. (sorry, did I mention chronic pain and being overloaded?)

I nuked the two problematic threads I saw, but I imagine there's more out there.

Very few of the original moderator squad are still here or assisting.

So if you report a post, I'll nuke it, but if you don't report it, I probably won't see it.

In the meantime, is there anyone out there who wants to volunteer to be a moderator? Or, is there a member that you'd really want to vote for to be a mod? Send your request and your nominations in a PM and I'll pass them along to the admin staff, who makes the final decisions.

 

[JPNola]

“ is there anyone out there who wants to volunteer to be a moderator?”

I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. Hail, it gave the last Mod a broken back. rogar-BigGrin(DBG)

 

[Barry_Green]

Naw, the back was my fault, a motorcycle accident up in the mountains of Montana.

Prospective mods need not fear, back-breaking mountainous motorcycle accidents are not a requirement for the job.

 

[JPNola]

Get well soon.

For me in 2020 it was getting run over by a truck. Then 3 months of recovery only for COVID to hit and shut everything down just as I was able to work again. Doh!!

 

[Barry_Green]

Holy cow! That's awful! Well, I hope your 2021 goes much better and that you make a full recovery.

 

[Publimix]

This thread will derail into the dangers of riding a motorcycle. Mark my words.
Or the superior Harley, BMW or Japanese bikes vs Harley, BMW or Japanese bikes.

(former BMW 90s rider who broke bones too)

 

[filmguy123]

Or British bikes. Triumph Street Triple is clearly the most superior motorcycle produced. It is the yin of 4 cylinder and the yang of 2 cylinder rolled into one sleek, balanced, morally bullet gray package.

Sorry to hear about your accident, Barry, and glad to hear you made it out to tell the tale. Heal up. And don't ride motorcycles, they are dangerous.

(current Triumph rider who's also been down at speed, luckily with no broken bones, and who in actuality does not find any brand superior and celebrates diversity)

 

[filmguy123]

PS what happen, how did you go down?

 

[ahalpert]

I've been notified that things are running off the rails recently. Here's the deal: I broke my back, I'm in chronic pain, lots of other 2020 stuff to deal with, and frankly I just can't be bothered right now to go chasing down every moronic post by every self-righteous douchebag who thinks that their individual moral or political imperative is more important than our nearly-two-decade established rules. (sorry, did I mention chronic pain and being overloaded?)

I nuked the two problematic threads I saw, but I imagine there's more out there.

Very few of the original moderator squad are still here or assisting.

So if you report a post, I'll nuke it, but if you don't report it, I probably won't see it.

I'm genuinely sorry to make your life harder when you're already dealing with back pain.

The thing is - both sides of a political debate are equally political: the pro-status quo side and the anti-status quo side.

If you want to police all political speech, including that which you find innocuous and agreeable, then fine. But if you let a statement stand that I find offensive, I feel compelled to respond lest it go unanswered, implying consensus.

Maybe you're suggesting I should report instead of responding? I flagged a post once that called a major american political party communists but nothing happened to the post.

 

[dc4040]

Half of Montana roads ... those in the mountains ... in the shade are ice traps ... not good for 4WD vehicles ...

Glad you are recovering ...

 

[groveChuck]

I nominate Abe as new Mod.
And NorBro as his foil and counter Mod, the goal being balance between the two.

Sorry about your back, Barry!
Hope you heal well and soon!

 

[rob norton]

Barry, how much can mods expect to make after taxes?

 

[John Brawley]

I second Abe.

JB

 

[rob norton]

Haha I third Abe.

 

[Barry_Green]

Or British bikes. Triumph Street Triple is clearly the most superior motorcycle produced. It is the yin of 4 cylinder and the yang of 2 cylinder rolled into one sleek, balanced, morally bullet gray package.

I have one eye on the Rocket III GT...

 

[Barry_Green]

Barry, how much can mods expect to make after taxes?

Not quite as much as other volunteers, but the good news is that all mod compensation is 100% tax free.

 

[Barry_Green]

PS what happen, how did you go down?

I took on the Continental Divide Trail, and it won. It's a largely offroad adventure trail that follows the mountain divide between the west and the east, border to border from Mexico up to Canada. I actually made it from the border of Mexico up through New Mexico, through Colorado, through Wyoming, up through Idaho, and dang near to Butte Montana before I was felled by the awful gigantic slippery hill known as Fleecer Ridge. Super-steep hill, got in over my head, hit a tree, shattered one vertebrae and broke two others and a rib, collapsed both lungs. Hats off to the Butte Montana Search & Rescue guys, truly epic volunteer effort and made me awfully proud of my fellow Americans. Seeing them in action, what they sacrificed and contributed of their own time and their own vehicles to come help some stranger out of a mess he never should have gotten into, it reaffirmed my faith that humans are fundamentally good.

 

[Barry_Green]

If you want to police all political speech, including that which you find innocuous and agreeable, then fine.

Thing is, I don't want to police ANY. I wish people would just be mature and respect the rules of the house they're in. But if they won't, then nuke it all, no matter how well-intentioned or innocent or innocuous it may seem.

But if you let a statement stand that I find offensive, I feel compelled to respond lest it go unanswered, implying consensus.

Well, with that I disagree. It's not anybody's right or obligation here to be the truth equalizer. Piling offense on top of offense is not the way to go. Zero tolerance is the much preferred way, which has worked remarkably well here for 17+ years, and the offenders seem to learn real quick (generally) after a few post zaps and some infractions.

Maybe you're suggesting I should report instead of responding?

I am definitely saying to report the post using the triangle-shaped "!" button. That sends a note to the moderators about a post that you find violates the rules. If you comment to it, you're just perpetuating it. Reporting it so it can be noticed and dealt with is the highly preferred way.

I flagged a post once that called a major american political party communists but nothing happened to the post.

And that's exactly the kind of horse**** that we don't need here. We don't need namecalling, mudslinging, personal attacks, or political commentary of any type. That's (apparently) what Twitter is for, so all that hogwash should be taken directly there, or, heck, anywhere else.

As far as nothing happening to that post -- it should have been immediately zapped, and the poster at least infracted if not banned. Dropping a political statement or position in a discussion has the same effect as dropping a turd in the punch bowl, and each side's turds are equally repulsive and we really, really don't want to see any turds at all, not even little tiny nuggets, not even a used corn nut, here in our punch bowl.

 

[Barry_Green]

Half of Montana roads ... those in the mountains ... in the shade are ice traps ... not good for 4WD vehicles ...

And I was on a 1WD vehicle... but it was in August, I saw very little ice, and there weren't many roads at all, it was a mostly off-road adventure. It was gorgeous and quite fun, right up until it all went straight to hell. But yeah, Montana was epic. It was pretty much all epic, I fell in love with northern New Mexico, all of Colorado was glorious, and the only somewhat disappointing region was southern Wyoming; once I hit the Tetons it was magnificent from there on.

Glad you are recovering ...

Thanks. It's coming along. Bones are healed, I'm just plagued with perpetual chronic pain that keeps me from doing pretty much anything, so ... looking into surgical repair to sort it out.

 

[rob norton]

I took on the Continental Divide Trail, and it won. It's a largely offroad adventure trail that follows the mountain divide between the west and the east, border to border from Mexico up to Canada. I actually made it from the border of Mexico up through New Mexico, through Colorado, through Wyoming, up through Idaho, and dang near to Butte Montana before I was felled by the awful gigantic slippery hill known as Fleecer Ridge. Super-steep hill, got in over my head, hit a tree, shattered one vertebrae and broke two others and a rib, collapsed both lungs. Hats off to the Butte Montana Search & Rescue guys, truly epic volunteer effort and made me awfully proud of my fellow Americans. Seeing them in action, what they sacrificed and contributed of their own time and their own vehicles to come help some stranger out of a mess he never should have gotten into, it reaffirmed my faith that humans are fundamentally good.

Thanks for sharing your story, what an amazing ride. Hopefully you can lessen/manage your pain, I’m sure the whole forum is glad it wasn’t any worse!