Cracking Down

[ForumManager]

Welcome back Greg AKA voice of reason!!

[yfdgricker]

Ahh, it's good to be back from vacation. Back to the roll of babysitter again.

Sadly, whenever you start a forum or open up a place to allow free speech, you will eventually get those on the site whom make you wish you hadn't.  This is a site for intelligent discussion on topics of interest to the Youngstown, Ohio area. That is not a difficult concept to comprehend. Let's make this easy, ForumManager started mahoningvalley.info and these forums to exchange ideas and promote discussion with other like minded individuals. No we are not all created equal. I personally don't read half of what is posted on these forums because I really don't care about some of the topics of discussions here. I come here, I read topics I am interested in and I leave and go about my business. I stay away from the political sections because I know many people here don't express the same views and ideals I have. That's ok. But there is a time and a place for everything and I don't think this is the place for some of the discussions that goes on here.  If you choose to mudsling, name call and hijack posts, fine. But expect to get a warning from one of us. If you don't want to follow the one simple rule of this forum, to have intelligent discussion on topics of interest to Youngstown, then feel free to go start your own forum. Every forum and discussion board needs some type of moderation, that's just the way it is.

I've had to kick people off of my forums and yes those people have whined that the forums will no longer operate without them there. In fact, just the opposite happened. Kick off the troublemakers and name callers and the board grows stronger. You get new people signing up and participating because they are no longer afraid of what the bullies might say. Keep the discussions on topic and civilized and everything will be fine. If you want to name call and bash, find somewhere else to do that.

Also, can we please not use the Holocaust analogy? Thank you.

 

[ForumManager]

Just one more thing.
I see that in the last few minutes, you have reported posts on this thread as being abusive.
I am recusing  myself for obvious reasons. 
We have 2 additional  moderators and one is on vacation until next week. 
I feel that they can decide whether a warning is in order.

[irishbobcat]

Ms. Manager:

Fine.

Can we end this conversation now? I believe you have made your point.....

[ForumManager]

I've been on a couple of sites that delete all posts by a user when they are banned.

If Dennis gets....exterminated, it would be a shame to delete all his posts showing his true colors.

Potential voters need to know.

On this forum system. when members are banned or deleted, there is a choice to delete or maintain their posts.

[ForumManager]

I find your ranting and raving now unacceptable......so maybe I should ask you to place a watched sign on your name.....

Dennis,
Please  use the up and down arrows to indicate good and bad topic on my posts or report me to the moderators.
If a person gets enough down arrows their posts can be hidden in your profile settings.
I rarely post so no one will miss my input.
FM

[irishbobcat]

Why Town:

thanks for your two cents......

thanks for playing....next!

[irishbobcat]

Ms. Manager:

I am sorry if my analogy is unacceptable to you....but that's your opinion.....

And my intial response was my opinion......

I find your ranting and raving now unacceptable......so maybe I should ask you to place a watched sign on your name.....

If the shoe fits......

[Why?Town]

I've been on a couple of sites that delete all posts by a user when they are banned.

If Dennis gets....exterminated, it would be a shame to delete all his posts showing his true colors.

Potential voters need to know.

[ForumManager]

You just don't get it.  You don't need to explain or "educate" us about the analogy.  Elmo and I are not idiots.  Comparing your warning points to the branding and attempted genocide of an entire populous is unacceptable to me.  I feel the  flippant manner in which you conveyed the analogy showed disrespect.   I can see why so many forum exchanges with you turn into brawls.

Even if I agreed with your party's viewpoint on every Ohio issue, i would not vote for you.  My opinion  is based on your behavior on this forum. 

Stick with the sports analogies.

[irishbobcat]

 I am an educator....I have been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington and have been moved as well.....

Please spare me the melodrama.......Elmo........

Before the executions.......there was "identifying"...... pointing out the non-civilized.....with a yellow star.....

The Forum manager's desire to let all who post here know who is being watched is the same as being identified.....

and then we are removed from the forum......exterminated....

can't take the analogy??

boy, you folks are wound too tightly......

[ForumManager]

oh...I feel like I've been issued a yellow card in soccer........

What! Am I calling you a bias blind world cup soccer ref???   ABUSIVE!!!!  HA HA

Pushing for a red card.
Your soccer referee analogy is quite tame and cutsey compared to making light of one of the most horrible periods in modern man's history.  I have shed tears in both Auschwitz and in the Holocaust Museum in DC for the victims and their misguided and cruel captors. The fact that you can diminish that tragedy with trite sarcasm has permanently affected my opinion of you.

[AllanY2525]

Forum Manager,

Your forum provides a VALUABLE SERVICE to the community.  Please do not shut down
the forum.

As for mis-behaving people here on the boards, you hit the nail right on the head.  Folks
posting messages here need to either AGREE TO AND ABIDE BY the terms of service,
or MOVE ON.

If they do not agree to, or wish to abide by, the terms of service - then they need to be
banned from the forum and not allowed to come back.  PERIOD.

This is NOT acting like "Big Brother" - users' right to free speech only extends to the point
where it VIOLATES YOUR RIGHTS as the forum owner to have an intelligent, peaceful,
POLITE venue for the exchange of ideas, news and info, and FRIENDLY DEBATE of the
issues.

[irishbobcat]

oh...I feel like I've been issued a yellow card in soccer........

What! Am I calling you a bias blind world cup soccer ref???   ABUSIVE!!!!  HA HA

[ForumManager]

BobCat,

You have been warned due to complaints about your abusive language - name calling.

I will be happy to remove your warning if you can go a week without attacking someone or using abusive language.
Is that possible?

And, yes members can see your warning  so they can ignore posts from those with warnings.

The members  of this forum have received  many reminders to behave in a civil manner.

If you feel someone else is in need of a warning for abuse, please report the posts.

I have provided an ignore feature but apparently folks WANT to see the stuff that angers them.

Please take the time to get your point across without abuse.

This is not a government project... I support freedom of speech but not abuse. READ THE TERMS OF USE. I don't care if you don't like them.
If you want your own forum there are plenty of places online for you to set one up as well as blogging sites where you can rant and insult anyone.
They are user friendly and you don't need a CS degree to get them up and running. I know you have your own website, Dennis  so it shouldn't be a problem to get your own forum up and running.  Then you call anyone, anything you like. They probably won't stick around.  WHAT EVER

Here's a link to get you started on you very own, brand spanking new forum where you can tell anyone where to go and vice versa.  I can't wait.  I'll be the first one in line to join and say whatever nasty thing I care to about you.
http://www.smfforfree.com/

How's that for antagonistic?

I am weary of the ungrateful attitudes expressed here by some members.  To compare me to a Nazi  is, as far as I'm concerned,  abusive.  You are way out of line here,  Dennis.   I have received emails  just this week asking me to remove a member  that has posted "antagonistic" posts.  I have received messages asking me to reveal a person's identity so they can be prosecuted for slander.  I basically said  get a warrant  and I will give the authorities an IP.   I  have been criticized  for letting abusive posts slide.  Well, you know what?? You can all go on your merry ways and attack each other elsewhere. I can shut this forum down in a second and I'm on the verge of tossing it to the wind.

Nazi? Big Brother?  Sorry to say  I've lost any respect I had for you. While you are running for governor, people will probably do some online searching  to find out who you are and what you represent. What will they think when they find this and other abusive posts?  Does your running mate even  know how you behave here?

The forum can be set to decrement warnings over time. I chose not to do it.
I will ask users in a poll. Or better yet- why don't you ask users what they think of the warnings and decrementing the warning points over time.
Please feel free to make any poll you like.

Here's an example -
Is the Forum Manager a Nazi?
Yes
No
Maybe
Is this for real?

Sieg Heil !!!
FM