The Pink List

[Gracie]

It's more fun when yer bad.

 

[SmedlyButler]

There is very little that is subjective and those who are perma banned truly earned it. You folks have no idea how much poo we have to wade through to keep this place operating. We also check in with each other, and even regular bans are almost always discussed before they are implemented.

Bans are our last resort.... They truly are.

(that it must be highly subjective) on Flac's comment re: "INTENSE and sometime COMBATIVE discussions about enforcement". I would've thought well defined criteria for the action wouldn't require much discussion, let alone of "INTENSE and COMBATIVE" nature. But hey, what do I know, I've been around here for about 6 mos. and I still only have a vague idea of what might get one pinked, and I've seen people post the most vile, ugly lies and not suffer any consequence.

Intense and Combative -- when it has to be. But ALWAYS with respect and the best interests of the community.. It's a serious decision to remove someone who has been a part of the party for years. And every condemned person needs an advocate. By the time
the situation arrives there, mods have often spent a bunch of time trying to counsel and reach problem posters. So there are emotions attached.

and I still only have a vague idea of what might get one pinked, and I've seen people post the most vile, ugly lies and not suffer any consequence.

What folks DON'T SEE -- is the warnings, infractions, and PMs that go out PRIOR to a ban. The LARGEST misconception about the ban process is that if you witness something awful on the board and that poster is not IMMEDIATELY pinked --- Moderation let it slide. Couldn't be further from the truth. Probably 5 to 10 of those warnings go out every day. Nobody sees them but the culprits themselves. If you get a bunch of those in a short period of time -- you can figure on a good chance of getting pinked the next time. Just don't collect a lot of them every year (or month).

Folks also falsely assume that we didn't act on reports or violations because it's still there 15 minutes later. It might take a couple hours to find and clear all the current issues. If you go back later --- you might see a clue that action was taken. Someday soon -- you'll be dealing with a self-driving, poorly socialized GoogleBot without a need to eat or sleep and not ole FlaCalTenn.. And Message Board justice will be AWESOME, VIOLENT and IMMEDIATE !!!! Might even ticket you before you press Submit Post..

We DON'T judge truth or lies, don't restrict content or language (check your local forum rules for exceptions ) .. So if you get NAILED --- it was likely for the WAY you participated or skimped on debate, -- not your opinion or your version of truth/lies.

I'm not really complaining, haven't seen a mod action to complain about. Just surmising. I can deal with the liars and racists and general scumbags (by my definition of course) without whining to a complaint department. Thx for your time.

 

[Derideo_Te]

Maybe we can get this thread hopping with suggestions on who would be good on a "panel" as Ernie suggested.

Hmmm. Someone UNbiased. Able to see both sides and come to a conclusion based on facts. Someone that knows enough history to be able to judge based on that history because lets be honest here...history is part of it. Someone fair minded with no agendas. Someone not affiliated with hong kong.

A few of my choices....for now.

Wolfsister77

Wake

Deri

Thanks for the compliment, Gracie, but having never been pinked, only having had a warning about my siggie length and still a relative noob, I am really not in a position to judge history or infractions.

That said I think that some of the other suggestions in here are good. Something as simple as "Banned until mm/dd/yy" would be helpful. And I can see why the mods don't want that either because then there would be questions as to "why so long"? So then there would have to be a corresponding rap sheet of warnings, misdemeanors and felonies.

Instead we have this thread which was a fair and open discussion by the mods describing how they go about their jobs. If it was up to me I would make some of their posts into Stickies and leave it at that. Anyone wanting to find out how the process works would only have to read those mod posts and they would soon find out. I had always assumed that there was some process of this sort in the background but that isn't the same as knowing.

As far as I am concerned it works as it is and the mods do a great job of keeping the USMB ship afloat and pointed in the right direction while pumping out the bilge water on a regular basis.

Great job!

 

[Statistikhengst]

There are other forums where there is a link that shows who is banned, for how long, until so and so date, and a short reason is given. End of story.

Not saying that it needs to be that way here. I'm just saying that it exists.

 

[Wolfsister77]

Long ago there was another forum I went to that had an area only accessible to mods and admin that would say for example, "so and so banned until............for......................."

And then the next person, etc.

No one else could comment and only staff could put the info. in but everyone could read it.

I can see pros and cons. Pros being, everyone could see why people are gone and when/if they will return. Cons being, it would bring a whole heck of a lot more complaining for staff to deal with and potentially more drama.

I'm actually happy to see they let this thread stay open. That means they are at least willing to let us all talk about it.

 

[saveliberty]

That system sort of sucks Wolfsister, I mean then you have to actually HAVE a reason to ban.

 

[Coyote]

From my perspective as a moderator, it would be difficult to list exactly the reasons for a ban because there is a lot of background that doesn't or can't really be published that leads to a ban.

For example - we could say so and so was banned for trolling, which sounds trivial unless you realize that they've repeatedly engaged in it, over a long period of time, with many warnings and interventions. As flacaltenn pointed out - by the time a ban is imposed, most folks know why.

I think posting the reasons or details would lead to discussions of whether or not it was merited, arguments pro and against, and in some cases create a lot more work for us as moderators sifting through the drama.

There's also an aspect of confidentiality involved - what goes on between a member and moderators should really be between those people - not open to the board.

I was once on a board where all this could be openly discussed and it was very destructive to the board as a whole over time. Just not sure it would be good

 

[Coyote]

I wouldn't last long in a place like that. WTF?

You should have seen it here in 2010.

This place is like so much better now.

This is the main forum I frequent. Not only because of lack of time to post elsewhere but because it is better as far as what is allowed to be said here than just about any place I can think of. And I've lasted two years so far and never had one warning from any mod on anything.

But there's always a first time. I just wonder what the heck I'd have to do.

It's a complicated process and you have to fill out a lot of paperwork.

 

[Wolfsister77]

Well, I'll start with the list Ropey is going to give me, get some advice from Gracie, and take it from there.

 

[saveliberty]

Just make it simple. Ban everyone for 6 days on a rotating basis...

 

[AVG-JOE]

Wait... what?

Do you mean here, or Congress?

 

[Ropey]

Well, I'll start with the list Ropey is going to give me, get some advice from Gracie, and take it from there.

If I gave you that list, then you'd have to e-kill a moderator.

 

[Derideo_Te]

You should have seen it here in 2010.

This place is like so much better now.

This is the main forum I frequent. Not only because of lack of time to post elsewhere but because it is better as far as what is allowed to be said here than just about any place I can think of. And I've lasted two years so far and never had one warning from any mod on anything.

But there's always a first time. I just wonder what the heck I'd have to do.

It's a complicated process and you have to fill out a lot of paperwork.

Just to issue a pink slip?

 

[Coyote]

This is the main forum I frequent. Not only because of lack of time to post elsewhere but because it is better as far as what is allowed to be said here than just about any place I can think of. And I've lasted two years so far and never had one warning from any mod on anything.

But there's always a first time. I just wonder what the heck I'd have to do.

It's a complicated process and you have to fill out a lot of paperwork.

Just to issue a pink slip?

 

[saveliberty]

Wait... what?

Do you mean here, or Congress?

I'm good with it either way.

 

[Valerie]

 

[IlarMeilyr]

There are some folks who have been PINK slipped here who I was shocked to see in pink.

There are others who are not presently in pink who probably deserve to be frozen forever in a block of pink ice.

MY OP was NOT intended to discuss any particular banned member or banned members. Instead, what I was thinking was: if I knew what the person did, I might avoid the same kind of fuck-up and the same fate. Or, alternatively, in a very no "drama" way, I might take up the mods in seeking to discuss the issue via a PM.

There is also a rule that we are not to taunt -- or even mention -- a person who has been banned. If the list was made public, I might know that some pal (or even some minor league nemesis) had eaten a ban. Thus, I could comply with the rule not to mention that member's name.

And, finally, I am perfectly ok with the change of the title of this thread. See, the thing is: I admit it. I violated a rule, but in my defense. I didn't know it WAS a rule. I must have skimmed over it last time i perused "da rulez."

 

[saveliberty]

I have not read the rules in the last two years. Act like a normal person, who occasionally gets ticked at management and let the bans fall where they may. Gotta be me.

 

[AVG-JOE]

There are some folks who have been PINK slipped here who I was shocked to see in pink.

There are others who are not presently in pink who probably deserve to be frozen forever in a block of pink ice.

MY OP was NOT intended to discuss any particular banned member or banned members. Instead, what I was thinking was: if I knew what the person did, I might avoid the same kind of fuck-up and the same fate. Or, alternatively, in a very no "drama" way, I might take up the mods in seeking to discuss the issue via a PM.

There is also a rule that we are not to taunt -- or even mention -- a person who has been banned. If the list was made public, I might know that some pal (or even some minor league nemesis) had eaten a ban. Thus, I could comply with the rule not to mention that member's name.

And, finally, I am perfectly ok with the change of the title of this thread. See, the thing is: I admit it. I violated a rule, but in my defense. I didn't know it WAS a rule. I must have skimmed over it last time i perused "da rulez."

Like I mentioned on the first page... Two things

> Remember that it's a message board and, no matter what happens, nobody is really going to die.

> Stop when a Moderator says to stop.

(I actually said to stop when the person being taunted asks for mercy, but reality dictates a need for Moderation.)

WYGD? ​

If avoiding PINK is the goal, the key is to follow police instructions when things heat up.

`​

 

[AVG-JOE]

And remember that there is an appeal process.