Posting grievances publicly

[almaty 19]

It's ok. Ewok still loves you. Don't you, Ewok?

stfu, you persian douche bag...sister len is loved by illegals and communists everywhere

[mox 298]

To be fair, I don't think you can chalk up all or even maybe most of the problems to moderators. Problems exist now that existed even when we had a solid moderation team in place. For example (and apologies in advance to my very large group of OT friends, you know who you are Len), OT has needed some boundaries for a long LONG time. The idea that the TOS is more loosely interpreted in OT has been a failure. Posters see that they are able to post the most awful ####### in OT with impunity, and then it spills over into the main forums. If we're not going to enforce the TOS to the letter in OT, then at the very least OT needs its own TOS, so that an effective moderation team will know where to draw the line. And along with its own TOS, it should have its own "my little moderator," if for no other reason than it would be fun to see a moderator break down into screaming maniacal tears every couple weeks or so.

And no, this isn't a rant against OT. I think it's a good thing to have a place for people to go to whinge and say afterbirther jokes about Czar Obama or whatever. I just wanted to give an example of something that's purely Ewok's fault and has nothing to do with the mods.

Another not-the-fault-of-the-mods thing: the membership needs to step up too. Spreading stupid or wrong information just to up your post count is stupid and wrong. (Ewok: GET RID OF THE GODDAM HEART SYSTEM IT IS ENCOURAGING THE WRONG BEHAVIOR) Yanking threads completely off-topic because you hate another poster SO MUCH is wrong. (and yeah, I've been guilty of this, but I got better thank you Phenobarbital.) And seriously, for the love of all that is good and holy, would you stop putting pictures of your kids in your sig?!?!?! I mean, you DO know this is the intarnets, right? Somewhere out there, in a very sick person's mother's basement, is a picture of your kid's body photoshopped onto Levi Johnston's head. Gross. (in the DO column, however, PLEASE keep up with the animated sparkly pics of you and your fiancee half-nakedly "afterglowing" in a hotel room, because...well I like to collect them all in my own mother's basement do not judge me.

Anyway, to summarize: not all is the mods fault, so please i can haz lurvz now?

Edited November 13, 2009 by mox

[Welshcookie 17]

Mox...I'm losing track of all the things you want changed and all your dislikes, you're making me dizzy

[mox 298]

Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

BAD:

- Moderators who do not moderate.

- "Loose interpretation" of the TOS.

- [NEW!] Pics of your kids in your signature.

- [NEW!] Piercings on women old enough to be my grandmother. (seriously Walgreens, how can you hire this woman to be a cashier?!?!)

- [NEW!] Piercings on my grandmother. (congrats on the new job grammy!!)

- The UK postal system. (Special Delivery or you will be den13d!!!!)

- The (goddam) VJ heart system, which encourages stupid unhelpful posts.

GOOD:

- Moderators who moderate.

- Clearly defined TOS for every part of the site.

- Moderators who take the time to understand your concern and don't blow you off with pseudo-corporate speak. (you don't have to agree with me, you just need to be fair.)

- Moderators who always agree with me and are basically a puppet I can run from the shadows.

- [NEW!] Afterglow/sparkly pics of you (general you) and your fiancee.

- [NEW!] The title "my little moderator." If you comb its hair with water, it turns purple! (the hair, not the whole thing)

- Phenobarbital

- [NEW!] Chimpanzee riding on a Segway

- Boogy shadows in the moonlight

- Socialized health care/Murder Panels

Ewok please print and pop-rivet to your monitor kktyvm.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Another not-the-fault-of-the-mods thing: the membership needs to step up too. Spreading stupid or wrong information just to up your post count is stupid and wrong. (Ewok: GET RID OF THE GODDAM HEART SYSTEM IT IS ENCOURAGING THE WRONG BEHAVIOR) Yanking threads completely off-topic because you hate another poster SO MUCH is wrong. (and yeah, I've been guilty of this, but I got better thank you Phenobarbital.) And seriously, for the love of all that is good and holy, would you stop putting pictures of your kids in your sig?!?!?! I mean, you DO know this is the intarnets, right? Somewhere out there, in a very sick person's mother's basement, is a picture of your kid's body photoshopped onto Levi Johnston's head. Gross. (in the DO column, however, PLEASE keep up with the animated sparkly pics of you and your fiancee half-nakedly "afterglowing" in a hotel room, because...well I like to collect them all in my own mother's basement do not judge me.

Anyway, to summarize: not all is the mods fault, so please i can haz lurvz now?

WORD. and triple WORD for the "unique" pictures.

You can haz luvz if I can haz zandwich and moderate OT

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I agree with Tracy 100%

I also agree with Mox, except for the part about boogy shadows in the moonlight

[mox 298]

Not the song, Trompe. Literally shadows that actually boogy when the moon is reflecting light from the sun. It is way creepy.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I am sure something very wrong is going on here, but I am not sure exactly what that thing is.

[*julez* 124]

I am sure something very wrong is going on here, but I am not sure exactly what that thing is.

I believe mox illustrated what is wrong in his points A - H, above.

Thanks for giving me the chance to post boost! I am DYING for another heart.

[Mags 112]

- [NEW!] Chimpanzee riding on a Segway

I remain unconvinced that this is a good thing.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Could people please just use this thread to add useful comments instead of trying to show how clever they are? I am sure there will be people reading this later on will be looking for useful information rather than attempts of witty banter. Thank you!

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Sister Len pointed me at this thread.

I've skimmed it, haven't read the whole thing.

I used to be much more active on VJ. I will still go into paroxysms of posting, especially late-nite with Spooky. But I've pretty much abandoned it.

Mostly because of the moderation.

I know, I know, before everyone jumps up to tell me. I know all about how it's a private site and I agreed to the TOS, and Ewok can have it moderated as he sees fit, blah blah blah.

With the standard advice being that if I don't like it, I'm welcome to leave. Well, I've pretty much done just that. I.e., leave.

If that's the intended reason for the heavy handed and arbitrary moderation policy on VJ - to shoo out those of us who aren't afraid of having our ideas challenged or our feelings insulted, but ARE unwilling to be treated like schoolchildren -- well, it's worked.

Congrats mods. Keep up the good (?) work.

Here here! I'm not nearly as active around here as I used to be, and for much the same reasons as scandal. I got tired of hearing 'It's Ewok's board and he can do what he wants' - usually from sycophants or others who hadn't been around long enough to know what they're talking about...or even those who just don't really care and think those of us who do should shut up and go away. Head/brick wall.

It is Ewok's board, but I think (hope) even he would admit this board wouldn't be much if it weren't for those of us who have contributed a lot to it.

Threads like this are almost ALWAYS closed, and rather rapidly, I might add. Sorry, Ewok (et al), but you guys just do not like to talk about problems or admit that there might be any. Never have, probably never will. I guess the status quo is just easier and you figure at some point, the restless natives will get tired and go away.

The fact that this thread is still open must surely be a sign of the apocalypse.

This is a HUGE message board, a large part of which parlays information that is VERY important and, in many instances, life altering. Given this fact, I've never understood why moderators were not sought out who were 'experts' in a particular immigration area and thus assigned to moderate those areas. You have got to start separating the wheat from the chaff if you want VJ to stop becoming the hodge podge of dodgy immi information that it seems to have become (until a more knowledgeable member passes through). Heck, in the real 'busy' forums (AOS and K1 come to mind), it may help to even have 2 knowledgeable mods.

That doesn't mean we do away with Global Mods, but maybe some of the grief the global mods get would be diminished if they didn't feel they had to be everywhere at once.

I'm sure all this will be for naught, but I had to put it out there.

I agree in part with many of the comments you made. There is a list with moderators and I are already discussing of Deputy Mods that meet what you defined as "good things to have". Other than if names on this list are in your social circle or not, I would have a hard time believing anyone will dispute that they are all excellent candidates.

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

As a note (and to entail trust that this list does exist and we are going to be adding upper mod deputies) the list has been reduced to 5 people and we are currently shrinking it a bit and identifying people and their skills. We are rating internally on:

rated 1 to 5, 5 being the best:

immigration knowledge:

people skills (how they talk to people):

"thickness of skin" (can they take some heat and not lose people skills:

regularity on VJ:

The results of this will formulate invites and also where people are placed. As a note, on a trial basis we will add the first person to a specific test upper forums on a "two week" lets see how it goes basis. This will be a temporary role only but obviously if things work well it will grow into other forums and they may be moved as the need/fit entails. The person we select shoudl expect this to last only two weeks and can retire at the end if the new system does not work or may have the chance to continue in the same or different forum (or group of).

[Nagishkaw 510]

the restless natives will get tired and go away

But I like it here.

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

I should note, the original list was formed using the feedback of many people including members. I am getting feedback from mods and members on the board as well. I also used the member rating tool to disqualify and qualify members that have received lots of poor feedback and good feedback. I have many tools I am using to hope and make a smart decision. I will keep everyone updated but please note that the initial list is "in" and for now there are enough people on it (although they would have to accept).