Re: Locking the thread "Why bother trying to be helpful

[fritzi93]

I fail to see why that thread was locked, nothing in it compares with many other threads that ran their respective courses without intervention. Or was it locked in anticipation? I almost always give the Mods the benefit of the doubt, but in this case I say: How very weak.

[tgpo]

You wanna know why it was locked?

Because you touch yourself at night :P

Devanshu will pick up on this one

[fritzi93]

Yeah, when I said "almost always", I had you in mind. :P

[gmatov]

I'd also like to know why it wa locked. Hell, I'd like to know which thread it was.

If it is the one where SatStorm got anointed, definitely. And I haven't seen too many locked lately. Haven't been able to talk guns to anyone, so can't have been one of them.

And, if it the one with SatStorm in it, I'm gonna jump his ass soon as I can. Butchering the American language, and you make him a Mod. Ain't that a shame? There ain't no way. I ain't happy. He ain't gonna make it.

Sat Storm,

Did you know that the saying "Ain't aint in the dictionary" is no longer true. It IS an accepted word in the American lexicon. That means it is allowed. Some prigs, like on this board, might say no, but it IS in the American dictionary.

Just keep the hell off my back, petisch? Oh, Hell no, you're Greek.

Cheers,

George

[fritzi93]

Hey George,

Time to dust off the trap gun. Does wonders when you're cranky, besides, it's springtime. Speaking of cranky, the wife just found out my new Krieghoff cost more than her car, but she'll get over it. :P

P.S. How about that, just hijacked my own thread. Okay Mods, whatcha gunna do about it?

[FulciLives]

Maybe SatStorm can unlock it now that he is a moderator :P

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[indolikaa]

Great. No more Indolikaa Specials around here.

[teegee420]

I don't think it was a good decision to close that thread. I've seen some threads that got much nastier than that go on for several pages. Make up your minds, mods.

[Will Hay]

Personally I'm sick and tired of seeing offline lock every ******* thread he doesn't agree with, rather than lock it for a valid reason.
Like I said before and I'll say it again; by far and away the worst moderator on this site.
And why?
Every other moderator, including Satstorm, has an impartial and balanced opinion.
That's what sets offline out against the rest.
Will Hay, now prepared for this thread to be locked.

[offline]

The forum was locked because a poster introduced a political
matter. A matter that caused a flame out in a previous thread.
Baldrick has declared from day one that this and the other
non subject forums are not the place for politics and religion.

Playing strictly by the rules all posts that contained politics or religion
should have been locked and the poster carded. Up to now
I and other mods have let this slide.

In addition I felt that both Sat and others needed a forced break
from what started as the "A" Amercian business. So I anticipated things by
locking it down - weak perhaps unless you see it in context.

The Admin will remove this and the off topic forum if we do not behave.

[JohnnyCNote]

Maybe instead of locking the thread, a moderator could say something like "please refrain from making political remarks in an open discussion". The prpblem is that in a thread where a good discussion has developed, it's unfair to close it just because one or two people get sidetracked. A simple reminder to stay more on topic often does the trick.

Another suggestion is to create an "anything goes" section where people can fight all they want without interference. A thread that starts to degenerate into a flame-fest could be moved there.....

[indolikaa]

One big-ass reason why I would be against an 'Anything Goes' thread.


The arguments won't stay there. They'll spill over. Hell, it's already happening in the Off-Topic forum, and that forum is moderated.

[offline]

Before this I mentioned a idea to Admin I had about time out for
minor problems. Say two posters get overheated, they are then
asked to cool off and prevented from posting for 24hrs.
Baldrick did not say no exactly, he did mention it would require
a lot of work.

JohnnyCNote said:
A simple reminder to stay more on topic often does the trick.

It can work. A polite interjection can do wonders but , as another
mod who tried this recently discovered, people can easily slip into old habits fast. Speed is also a factor. Out of 12 active Mods here, none
caught your thread in time JohnnyC.

One big-ass reason why I would be against an 'Anything Goes' thread.
The arguments won't stay there. They'll spill over. Hell, it's already happening in the Off-Topic forum, and that forum is moderated.

I agree. Indolikaa is our in-house expert on this

You know, peer pressure is the best. If the majority turn to a minority
and say simply STFU in certain situations I'm sure it would work wonders.

[indolikaa]

One big-ass reason why I would be against an 'Anything Goes' thread. The arguments won't stay there. They'll spill over. Hell, it's already happening in the Off-Topic forum, and that forum is moderated.

I agree. Indolikaa is our in-house expert on this

Yep. And I'd be the first to petition for a cooling-off period, except (and this is a personal opinion) I think a lot of members would be offended by the notion.

Indolikaa has a pretty good idea of 1) when flaming is appropriate, 2) how far it can be taken, and 3) in what context it should be allowed. Moderators aren't going to just stand by and let somebody get hammered. They will allow a certain amount of latitude when it comes to members responding to personal attacks, unless the attack is so henious that it must be locked immediately.

But, if I'm allowed to cook-off an Indolikaa Special that a moderator feels is both inbounds and appropriate, how will someone else feel if they try something similar and get a cooldown session? Especially if the guy has, say, less than 500 posts. I can see the retaliation thread already...

"You guys are so unfair. You let Indolikaa get away with calling that guy a dumbass because he's got 3000+ posts."

Trust me, I've been accused of getting away with things because of my post count. I think our moderators are a little more objective than that. I know our administrator is, having seen some of his handy work lately. But there are a lot of people on this forum that aren't grown-up enough to understand this.

[SatStorm]

indolikaa, can you please explain me (or someone else) why those 2 specific teenager forum members are so upset about me regarding that post? (the one who started all)
I mean, I never undestood why I was flamed in that (first) thread, neither I understood why I was labelled with so lovely names. I guess that those STFU was partly for me, and so I did actually. I mean I didn't understand what happened, but since you all pointed "STFU" I stopped doing whatever I was doing, because I was obviously wrong for you.

I mean, the only mistake I understood later that I did, was that I wrote "americans" and not "Americans". Since then, there are 2 members in specific, playing mind games with me and others about that difference.
What they expect? A reaction? Why?

On that thread we could analyse and discuss really important things, like why the advance members of our forum leave and goes to doom9 for example (none mention about that somehing ). But then, we were talking 3 pages about the word "americans" versus "Americans" (and I admt that on this I was wrong, since I didn't know that in the english language, you use capitals on those situations. I asked about that my girlfriend (she knows perfect english), not to mention that M# word correct it automatic if I type it with small letters)

Anyway, because of my position now, I can't react the same way as before (start flaming that is, Storming, etc). But I'm preparing an alternative about it. Trust me, you gonna all like it!

[indolikaa]

indolikaa, can you please explain me (or someone else) why those 2 specific teenager forum members are so upset about me regarding that post? (the one who started all)
I mean, I never undestood why I was flamed in that (first) thread, neither I understood why I was labelled with so lovely names. I guess that those STFU was partly for me, and so I did actually. I mean I didn't understand what happened, but since you all pointed "STFU" I stopped doing whatever I was doing, because I was obviously wrong for you.

I mean, the only mistake I understood later that I did, was that I wrote "americans" and not "Americans". Since then, there are 2 members in specific, playing mind games with me and others about that difference.
What they expect? A reaction? Why?

On that thread we could analyse and discuss really important things, like why the advance members of our forum leave and goes to doom9 for example (none mention about that somehing ). But then, we were talking 3 pages about the word "americans" versus "Americans" (and I admt that on this I was wrong, since I didn't know that in the english language, you use capitals on those situations. I asked about that my girlfriend (she knows perfect english), not to mention that M# word correct it automatic if I type it with small letters)

Anyway, because of my position now, I can't react the same way as before (start flaming that is, Storming, etc). But I'm preparing an alternative about it. Trust me, you gonna all like it!

I don't know.

I think a lot of the international politics of the world just bleed naturally into what happens here. We are who we are, and that often means we have preconceived opinions about life, the world, and everything else. And our responses are geared towards those opinions. For me, I have been outside the country known as the United States, so I have a first-hand knowledge of other cultures and how they don't see things through 'our' eyes.

My posts often reflect that. Some non-US members say what we Americans would consider to be 'stupid' things, but from their point of view, what they've said makes perfect sense. The war in Iraq is a perfect example of this. A majority of Americans thought we did the right thing. A majority of the non-US world thinks we didn't, and are now getting our just rewards for not getting a UN mandate. And when the subject even remotely enters the radar screen around here, you get some very passionate thoughts on the matter. It turns into an "I am better than you" thing, and spirals downhill from there.

And then there's differences in cultures. If you don't understand another culture, or you haven't experienced another's way of life, well, I think people assume their way is the only way, and when they hear something that doesn't make sense, they write it off as, "those dumb Europeans [or your nationality of choice] don't know shit from steak."

Greeks, for example, are passionate debaters. Greeks can argue at the top of their lungs for ten minutes about anything and everything, and if you didn't know any better you'd think there'd be a fistfight. But then, all of the sudden, they sit down and have a beer and a nice dinner like they were the best of friends. I know this, because I spent the better part of 10 years in my childhood growing up with a Greek family across the street.

Greeks are not afraid to speak their minds and put forth their opinions on the matter at hand. And do so in a direct manner. Some people can't deal with that, so they just assume the person is an *******, when in reality, the person is just doing what comes naturally to them. It's not a personal attack, it's just that person's way of communicating.

In other words, they can't differentiate between being debated and being flamed. So they respond accordingly.


That's just my 2¢.

[JohnnyCNote]

. . . can you please explain me (or someone else) why those 2 specific teenager forum members are so upset about me regarding that post? (the one who started all) . . .

The answer lies in your own sentence: teenager forum members

That certainly does not mean all teenagers are immature, nor does it mean that all adults are mature, however, in this case, what was witnessed was a classic example of "adolescent" behavior....

[stiltman]

Maybe SatStorm can unlock it now that he is a moderator :P

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

Now that made me laugh

[SatStorm]

I just returned from my first summer bath...
The sea was wonderfull, and there was some Nordic girls (tourists) naked in the beach.
There was one problem: My girlfriend was with me.
Later, she was a happy girl (viva la Grecia!)

Anyway...
Thanks for the explanation. On that I was concluted too. Communication problem, probably based on the differences we may have at expression....


There is a fun story here in Greece we are telling, which maybe shows better the difference between attitude, understanding, reactions and stuff ..

Once, on an American univercity, volentiers from all around Europe appeared to do the following test: Married couples, would be isolated in a lux room and they have to Eat, clean the place and have sex. The researchers, would count the overall time and at the exit, the volentiers would have to say how much time each task took them to do and the order they follow. Then, at a later date, they would repeate the test, but this time they would have only one hour to do the same!
The point of the research, was to compare the results and see how different European couples could handle together the same task, without or under time presure.

At the first round, the couples follow various orders to complete the task and took the things the slowest possible.
On the second round, things were more interest:
The German couple for example: there were having sex for 20 min, they were eating for 20min and they cleaned the place in 20 min!
The British couple, had sex for 25 min, they were eating for 28 min and they clean the place in 7 min
The French couple, had sex for 20 min, they were eating for 30 min and clean the place in 10 min
And so on with other Europeans (Italians, Spanish, Portugues, Swedish, etc). All the couples manage one way or the other, to complete excellent all the tasks in that one hour
But when the Greek couple repeat the experiment, they finish all the tasks in 30 min! But this wasn't the only paradox: They testified that they were having sex for a total of 30 min! Of course that was impossible, and the researchers couldn't believe it! So, the Greek couple decided to demonstrate to the American researchers, how something like this is possible.
The agreed. What they saw?
The woman suck the man for 15 min, while he was cooking and preparing the food . Then the Greek, eating a sadwitch was ******* his wife for the rest 15 min. At the same time, his wife was eating for 7 min and the rest was washing the the dishes (all this time during sex)...

I don't know how this story sounds to you, but for us here is a really funny story. Shows how different we approach things the others asking us to do, from them!

About the Greeks: I believe that we are keeping mediterenian characteristics longer than the rest mediterenians, because of the circustances.
Italians was like us (expecially at the south), but after WW2, they was westernized a lot (the 30% of the current Italian language for example, is a product of the last 50 years!). There was also the catholics, but that had only one side effect: They couldn't devorce easy (we can, orthodox can devorce 3 times!)
The southern French became more Central European-likes the last years, maybe because of the E.U. influence, which we have to admit it has a NW Europe lifestyle direction. Count and the imigration problem also.
The Spanish had "modernised" a lot the last 2 decades. Turism affect them a lot I believe, so the sudden freedom and the early 90s Olympics they organise.
Turks and Israelis are keeping the same attitude with us Greeks, but we can't hear from them a lot (various reasons). And because of the various problems they have, it seems that they turn more to their own traditions than the mediterenian part they have inside them. Different circustances for them if you ask me, turn them more Turks and Israelis than mediterenians.
Egypt lost many of the mediterenian characteristics it use to have, after force all the non Egyptians to leave the country the last 50 years. Now they are more close to arabs than the mediterenians
The east Arabs are more middle easters than mediterenians today by choice. Unfortunatelly, Americans have their part for that choice....
The west Arabs on the other hand (those west to N. Africa) are 100% mediterenias, but with an arab flavor. So it is different compare to the European ones.
The west Balkan countries were so much isolated and so much bad influanced by USSR, that today they are much more different than 100 years ago. My grandmother told me that those nations use to be exactly like us back then. But 50 years under USSR influance was enough to make them "Balkans" and not "Mediterenians". Sad, but true.
So, in praxis, only we, the Greeks, are the "untouched" South European Mediterenian types that 70 years ago use to be so usual. And since it happens and we are the only ones with access to the premium west world, we probably look wierd or even exotic to you. But this is a vice versa thing!
The result is fun for both of us, since interesting things pop up at times because of those differences.

Now, I have to sleep. Tommorow, it's going to be a busy day: I have to clean the database of our forum!

[Faustus]

Now, I have to sleep. Tommorow, it's going to be a busy day: I have to clean the database of our forum!

See all a mod is is a glorfied jantor, so don't any go getting jealous.

[JohnnyCNote]

Gia sou, Sat. Speaking of Greece, do they still have siestas there? That was one aspect of Greek culture I found particularly appealing.....

[bottle-necked]

Nice story, but 'Greek' to me.

[gmatov]

Fritzi,

Not to hijack, but I hope you can pick up more than a couple birds with that thing.

Everybody I shot with just KNEW they could run a 100 with a decent gun, one a little better that the ine they just got and still broke maybe 80 with.

Only upgrade I ever made that worked was from the first time I shot with a Browning Auto 5 field model, to an 870 Rem Trap, a TB. 7 rounds with that damn thing, near pulverized my shoulder. Came back the next weekend.

Got as good as I was gonna get with that, 1100, same, Browning Superposed, same thing. Have broke 95 to 100 with all 3, so, happy, I am.

Think I am gonna dust it off, see if I can still smoke 'em, rather than powder them.

Good shootin'

George

[SatStorm]

@ JohnnyCNote: Siestas Still hold, but not neccessary in the noon / afternoon. On the countryside it is a rule. In the big cities like Athens, it is difficult to keep it. I stop doing it after the army, because my job don't allow it. But I'll find a way later in my life, to keep the "tradition".
All the mediterenians countries have "siestas": Before air conditioning, the only way to fight the afternoon heat at the summer, was sleeping...

[fritzi93]

Good one, George,

Hijack away. Yeah, the main cause of missing is always the nut behind the butt, operator error. :P Might as well use what you like, though. The weather's been beautiful for it, you should go out and shoot some. I saved a couple coasters to launch off the hand trap, the bastards are surprisingly hard to break. Be well.

[Will Hay]

Before this I mentioned a idea to Admin I had about time out for
minor problems. Say two posters get overheated, they are then
asked to cool off and prevented from posting for 24hrs.
Baldrick did not say no exactly, he did mention it would require
a lot of work.

A good idea, and perhaps a "...you have been allocated a cooling off period of 24hrs and are forbidden to post. If you do post, you will be issued with an official warning".

The moderator who identified the problem would give the cooling off period, and the same moderator would also issue a warning if the cooling off period was violated.
Can't imagine it would create any work for Baldrick, but may I go on to suggest the maximum is only a 24 hr period, and not at the discrection of the moderator?
Like I say, a good idea.
Will Hay

[Cobra]

The moderator who identified the problem would give the cooling off period, and the same moderator would also issue a warning if the cooling off period was violated.

Would it be easy enough to make some sort of alert system so that if that person posts during the 24h period the next mod to come online is warned?

Just thinking of two things: a mod can't stay online for 24 hours straight and also time zones - that mod may go to sleep and so it would have to be another mod who enforces the warning.

It could be an idea but it might make a lot more work for the mods.

Just thinking aloud...

Cobra

[BJ_M]

Just thinking of two things: a mod can't stay online for 24 hours straight ............

why not?

[Supreme2k]

Well, there's a mod who's offline 24/7

[Cobra]

Are you AI like tgpo, BJ_M?

Well, I wouldn't be able to stay on these forums for 24h straight anyway. I'm not as hardcore as some of you guys!

Cobra