I work as a moderator for another site here on the mighty Internets, and I have watched the recent shitstorm with dismay. I haven't contributed because a) I'm rather new around here myself and I don't know personal history between posters; b) it was a rather stunning thing to watch (I don't mean that I enjoyed it, but I saw a lot of cross-messages and it took a while to figure out what was going on); c) it's not my forum to moderate.

Anyone who thinks herding cats is uniquely aphoristic has never tried to herd smartasses. This site attracts smartasses because smartasses make the best comics. Oh, the honeypot Brad has built here! It takes a special kind of dain bramage to separate smartassery from reality in order to enjoy the sheer brilliance of the words, and most people have that around here. That is what, I believe, the forums here intend to cultivate. Or at least the regulars.

For example, when I reflect that we should call couldawoulda's dad's ass Rock City, because every redneck for seven states has been there on vacation, I am not actually saying anything about couldawoulda's dad. I think that's a funny statement. Most people I have said it to, or aimed it at, have thought it was funny. It's not about anybody's dad. It's the dozens.

Lucky has mentioned rules in the same breath as an expression of despair that rules could ever apply here. I think differently. There need be only one.

Don't make anyone the butt of your joke that doesn't want to be.

If you say something that someone else finds hurtful, they say, Quit it, and you quit. You don't quit, you get banned. Further smartassery between the two of you can be worked out at a later date.

This only applies to people who are actually here, or who were here, like Kaufman. Fuck a buncha George Bush.

I think this is clear how the rule would work in the various sitches that sparked this recent shitfest.

We have given ourselves a peculiar license in our humor here. Almost no taboos are off-limits. Teh funny rules. And teh funny speaks to us all differently, and we mostly respect that. The few boundaries we should hold sacrosanct are the ones we determine ourselves.

With that in mind, I reference a favorite comic of mine here at SC.

A chapter torn from the savage pages of evolution by boorite 10-14-03

I take offense, sir! I propose to fling poo at you immediately! Hold that thought. Carry on.

PS: I don't even know couldawoulda or his dad. Actually I do. I am couldawoulda. I used my second SC moniker because I want to use someone who could not possibly be upset about being called out.

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You can take the heart out of the hooker but you can't take the hooker out of the heart. -- Frankenhooker

Sounds good. It covers lash and backlash of both coherent and incoherent subphilums. And I guess it's pretty obvious when somebody isn't really trying to attack a person't character. I'll take three.

I was directly referenced more times than any other time on SC today. It brings a single salty tear to my eye, Oh, the joy :')

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the kid's getting old, the kid's getting old

For the most part, boloboffin, I agree with you, except for two minor points:

Although, this site is a microchosm -- not society as a whole -- I think that people in general get offended too easily. And offending someone these days is treated as bad as chopping someone's legs off. Everyone who rears their head in public or on this site is intrinsically agreeing to the be the butt of jokes, remarks, or attacks. Too bad.

That being said, there are times when someone can give another person so much shit it's just not fun anymore. People have been banned for it in the past (boinky33 and CHUBBY, for two). However, that went on for weeks, if not months, in every thread imagineable, until everyone was sick of it. The current "shitstorm" isn't close to that. It's a big deal made out of nothing.

Since the current shitstorm is pretty much confined to two threads, I didn't feel any banning or sensorship was necessary. People who enjoy reading that kind of bullshit posted their little hearts out. Every schmuck who likes the sound of his own typing got to weigh in his opinion as if his opinion or indeed the whole situation matters in the least. No one gets hurt; everyone gets to feel righteous -- even the offended.

I suppose I should let you know that Brad doesn't necessarily agree with my opinion, though.

And yes, I'm aware I don't know how to spell "microchasm."

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"Old" is the old new.

I found that remark very hurtful and would appreciate it if you would ban yourself immediately.

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Legend, oh legend, the third wheel legend...always in the way.

But the best part is when shit goes on for months and no one fucking gives a damn and says basically "boys will be boys" despite the number of times someone told the asshole perpetrator to cut it out.

So even if that rule was implemented, I have absolutely no faith at all it would be followed. If I did, I'd still be here instead of cleaning house.

But the best part is when shit goes on for months and no one fucking gives a damn and says basically "boys will be boys" despite the number of times someone told the asshole perpetrator to cut it out.

So even if that rule was implemented, I have absolutely no faith at all it would be followed. If I did, I'd still be here instead of cleaning house.

I know, huh? I guess it's just wishful thinking.

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the kid's getting old, the kid's getting old

I know, but I'm proposing that it would be followed, or at least enforced. That's all it is right now, a proposal. And probably it would get abused by people with thinner skins than, for example, me. But I am in essense proposing a "safe word" rule for the verbal S&M games we regularly indulge in around here. A simple statement that is not trifled with. Everything is in bounds until that statement is used by the offended one. It should be an easy thing to verify:

quote:

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bolo: Hey, moderator. I asked electricboots not to mock my retarded brother. (Link) He's still doing it. (Link) Make him stop.

Moderator: electricboots - stop mocking bolo's retarded brother.

electricboots: okay.

bolo: electricboots did it again!!!!!!1 (Link)

Moderator: electricboots has been banned.

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Hmm, if only there was a single forum where flaming were allowed so that it could be contained...

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Dinosaurs had eggs bro, the chicken came way later.

Hell of a thing, bannin' a man. You take away everything he has...and everything he's ever gonna have.

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Legend, oh legend, the third wheel legend...always in the way.

Yeah, that would be great. And if only the flames would actually stay there and not spread to other forums or get sent through PMs and chat.

I also want a pony and world peace.

I found that child pornography to be extremely offensive and would like you to explain to us all how you find something like that appropriate.

quote:

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Yeah, that would be great. And if only the flames would actually stay there and not spread to other forums or get sent through PMs and chat.

I also want a pony and world peace.

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quote:

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I'm not referring specifically to the crap that's gone on recently (I'm staying well away from this one), I just can't stand when people call for more censorship. If anything changes I'd like the emphasis being on where things take place is all.

Or if anyone is going to get banned, it should be a temporary thing for a set period of time.

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If someone goes around all over the forum posting about how they hate a person, then they should be banned for spamming, not being mean. Words put on the Internet only have as much influence as people are willing to give them. Just because someone says I eat babies or club seals doesn't mean I have to let it upset me (in fact, I'd probably laugh).

One feature that might be nice: an ignore list. If a forum member is being annoying, addign them to your ignore list means their posts will no longer appear when you browse the forum. Chat rooms use this to great effect. Having it on a forum would be nice, as well.

An ignore list would be freakin' sweet. And bans for spamming are a different thing, I'm all for those.

Banning doesn't equal censorship. But restricting what people can say does. The reason I don't want anything to change is because SC is one of the most tolerant sites around regarding conduct, and still attracts a very intelligent, talented user-base. Sure there's the occassional flame war, but I've seen a lot worse elsewhere than anything here. That's not to say I have a problem with Brad banning who he likes, it's inevitable, and in my opinion he's doing things the right way. Just don't make this stuff a "rule", let Brad sort it out however he likes.

As for permanent vs temporary banning, nothing makes any real difference. A new account and maybe a proxy ip is all it takes to get around either. What I've seen on practically every other forum is that bans tend to start more shit than they finish. That being said a 3, 6 or even 12 month ban for a repeat offender wouldn't bother me.

I just don't want to see anyone lose their work (or access to the account where they showcase it) because of a dumbass flame war. If Brad can set up a way to ban people from the forums only then it'd be different.

I wish I knew how to code, then I could finish this bloody thing. Three people have taken a crack at it so far, and none of them followed through.

Anyways, my shift is done and I'm going home to enjoy 3 days of couch time ^_^

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Dinosaurs had eggs bro, the chicken came way later.

You bloody people post in a lot of threads for people who aren't here.

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peddling the funny around since 09/24/2002

You bloody people post in a lot of threads for people who aren't here.

I'm sorry my pseudo presence offended you. I'll respect your wishes and not post in the future about stuff I thought I should get to say my piece.

show us your tits.

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Batman created by Bob Kane

You first.

She already did. It was the highlight of my day when I came in from the sandstorm outside my tent, logged on to stripcreator, and saw them in all their glory.

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It was such a waste of everyone’s time and money that even the Tokyo stadium’s rape robots apologized– something they were programmed specifically never to do.

ya o k

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Batman created by Bob Kane

Just to let everyone know: I've been keeping up on the drama around here and will be doing something about it shortly.

Mainly I'll be looking to decrease the amount of nonsense posting around here and hopefully increase the intelligent (though still funny) discussion. Tough job.

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www.bradsucks.net

Gack! My goose is cooked!

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"Jelly-belly gigglin, dancin and a-wigglin, honey that's the way I am!" Janice the Muppet

I'm sorry for all the trouble, Brad. I know you like to keep it free and easy here and I respect and agree with that and always have.

I started the fight purposely because I thought these forums had gotten a little too free and easy, crossing the border of elitist and cruel. I thought this place needed a little more policing to promote growth. I thought these forums had become stagnant and, more often than not, mean. And more importantly, much less funny.

I know I went about it poorly, but from past experience I knew just saying, "Hey guys, let's be more interesting and stop being such jerks", accomplishes nothing. I thought I needed to make a grand, suicidal gesture to ever hope to make anything better for the new users and the community in general, as I was pretty much done with these forums anyway and was deeply unhappy about the place it had become since I started posting here.

I honestly never thought anyone would leave because of my kamikaze run. I mean, besides me. I figured I'd be chased out of here with pitchforks and torches and maybe some attitudes would change a little.

As of right now, I promise to stop antagonizing people and to stay in the background, silently observing. I hope something good will come from my actions, because I shook up this nest of hornets with good intentions.
Well, mostly good intentions. I cracked a few eggs making this omelette and I had my own selfish reasons for choosing those particular eggs. I really didn't want or expect them to leave, though. That messed up the whole plan. Collateral damage is a bitch.

Oh, P.S., if I'm going to be banned, please don't delete my comics. I'm kind of proud of some of them and I know a few people who like to read them. So if anyone's thinking ban, I totally understand but I don't want to lose those. They're my mutant babies.