Reasons for banning individuals

Thanks, Pollux. :) I do plan to stick around. I still value this forum and the energy, ideas, knowledge, wisdom and wit everybody brings to it, including yourself.

Yes, it's a pity that David no longer has somebody to take some of the burden off him. Maybe somebody in line with the dinner-party-host principle of moderation will step up to the plate. The moderation debate is basically about whether that principle or a more minimalist/liberal principle should rule moderation (to boil it down to its very, very bare essence, necessarily oversimplifying).

I can't really comment on Alex's moderation, except that it seems that he only steps in where he sees a need - but yes, he does seem to focus on the podcast threads.
Ah OK, I see. Well, I hope that no more posters decide to leave the forum, as I've seen some already have.
 
Just a brief note to let folks know that the moderation team and I have (amicably) parted ways due to a difference of opinion on moderation principles and policy. To be sure, my post (#328) in the "Global Warming: Are Sea Levels Rising?" thread wasn't helpful to unity, and I justify it only as a (possibly rash) last-ditch attempt to elicit public support for, and encourage the rest of the moderation team to get behind, a cause for which private barracking with the rest of the moderation team had been fruitless. I continue to believe in this forum, and will stick around. I continue to respect both David and Alex, we just differ on how to moderate. Thanks, guys.

Wow, just.. wow. I hadn't been reading the GW: Sea Levels thread. Very eye-opening. I am very sorry to see you leave as a moderator, Laird. I thought you would be a good balance with David, whom I like as a poster, but not as a moderator.

Alex's casual but also defensive dismissal of moderation concerns and then temp banning posters, like chuck and malf, is the last straw for me. I had already said in some PMs that I was considering leaving, or at least taking a break, but I think I am done here for now. It's been a lot of fun since I discovered the podcast and forum (and the old forum) in 2013. I learned a lot, especially from "heated" arguments over research papers and so on!

I will probably check in here and there, to see if there is anything interesting or if the forum is doing better, though.

Take care!

PS And Laird, I've always appreciated your kindness to people on here, even with people you don't agree with, including me! :)
 
I very much appreciate your generous words, Doppelgänger, and don't want to see you go. I understand that this issue is a "final straw" for you, but I sense from some of your posts a little while back that it's on the back of a general feeling that you're not valued on the forum or that you somehow don't have a right to speak your piece (especially during times of debate), both of which are totally not true! You bring your unique perspective to the forum, as do we all, and there's no need to hide your light under a bushel. I hope you'll reconsider: stay with us and shine on. :-)
 
Wow, just.. wow. I hadn't been reading the GW: Sea Levels thread. Very eye-opening. I am very sorry to see you leave as a moderator, Laird. I thought you would be a good balance with David, whom I like as a poster, but not as a moderator.

Alex's casual but also defensive dismissal of moderation concerns and then temp banning posters, like chuck and malf, is the last straw for me. I had already said in some PMs that I was considering leaving, or at least taking a break, but I think I am done here for now. It's been a lot of fun since I discovered the podcast and forum (and the old forum) in 2013. I learned a lot, especially from "heated" arguments over research papers and so on!

I will probably check in here and there, to see if there is anything interesting or if the forum is doing better, though.

Take care!

PS And Laird, I've always appreciated your kindness to people on here, even with people you don't agree with, including me! :)
I don't want you to go, but honestly I am getting tired of defending myself. What I think gets lost, is that I can go weeks without moderating anyone - to me this is a storm whipped up out of nothing. People mix up my role as moderator with my role as a member of the forum.

Max_B, Malf and Chuck weren't banned, they were suspended pending a private discussion between them and Alex. If they are too vain to comply with that request from the guy who runs (and pays for) this site, what can be done? All three of them had chosen to be pretty rude to me, also without even once voicing their views in a PM to me. Imagine for a moment if you had been insulted on the forum in a similar vein - moderators have feelings too!

Possibly you also don't realise that I have a life outside moderating this forum - I can't just dither and discuss for ever. You also obviously don't realise that when something is going wrong, I often start by PMing the person concerned, trying to point out what it is that I want to change. Some respond brilliantly and that is the end of that, others seem to feel offended that I have even contacted them!

If you felt so badly about my moderation, why didn't you PM me about it?

The problem with heated arguments is that while they may be briefly amusing, people aren't always playing fair. For example, sometimes a poster will try to get his way by posting vast numbers of links to sites that support his views - simply trying to shut up real debate. We can all see how easy that would be to do in support of materialism - 50 links to sites claiming there is no evidence for paranormal phenomena, but what use would that be? People have to want to discuss the issues involved.

Perhaps you would still like to PM me to discuss your problems, rather than leaving the forum?

David
 
I don't want you to go, but honestly I am getting tired of defending myself. What I think gets lost, is that I can go weeks without moderating anyone - to me this is a storm whipped up out of nothing. People mix up my role as moderator with my role as a member of the forum.

Max_B, Malf and Chuck weren't banned, they were suspended pending a private discussion between them and Alex. If they are too vain to comply with that request from the guy who runs (and pays for) this site, what can be done? All three of them had chosen to be pretty rude to me, also without even once voicing their views in a PM to me. Imagine for a moment if you had been insulted on the forum in a similar vein - moderators have feelings too!

Possibly you also don't realise that I have a life outside moderating this forum - I can't just dither and discuss for ever. You also obviously don't realise that when something is going wrong, I often start by PMing the person concerned, trying to point out what it is that I want to change. Some respond brilliantly and that is the end of that, others seem to feel offended that I have even contacted them!

If you felt so badly about my moderation, why didn't you PM me about it?

The problem with heated arguments is that while they may be briefly amusing, people aren't always playing fair. For example, sometimes a poster will try to get his way by posting vast numbers of links to sites that support his views - simply trying to shut up real debate. We can all see how easy that would be to do in support of materialism - 50 links to sites claiming there is no evidence for paranormal phenomena, but what use would that be? People have to want to discuss the issues involved.

Perhaps you would still like to PM me to discuss your problems, rather than leaving the forum?

David
Fake news? :)
 
I think this kerfufle was qualified, by the great early twentieth century American philosopher O. Hardy .
When he said " Now look what you've made me do"
 
Can't even see the posts i made in the two threads that disappeared.
Since the skeptics on this forum were restricted to posting in these two threads for a long time, their contribution has been largely erased.
As a famous statesman would say, sad!
 
Not only the sceptics, I posted mainly in the Other forum. Surely it's a mistake or the forum has been hacked.

Vortex, you're the only Russian here! Why ? ;)

My other comrades are nearby, you just cannot notice them yet. But we are gathering our strength, and this is just a start. Your numerous insults against our beloved ally and follower, the Donald, will not remain unpunished. Under the order of the Russian government, your forum is scheduled for extermination.

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