Your Mods CAN control your Hobby. We saw that in Austin in 2008/2009 and when the transition to ECCIE occurred the owners of this board took notice. ECCIE started with MANY former ASPD Mods who were rapidly replaced in Austin and the city charted a new course.
Mods are human beings and make mistakes. They should, however, stand up and accept responsibility when they do. The longer they are in the position the more people they interact with and it is natural that they develop friendships along the way.
How they manage those friendships at times in connection to the boards can lead them down paths they do not belong.
Yet.... It is Human Nature....
In San Antonio..... Those that post don't see a problem..... Those that do not post... well they tend to complain and grumble behind the scenes....
One thing that stands out in San Antonio that reminds me of Austin ASPD days is....
Where are your Whispers and Still Looking's? Where is the troublemakers that challenge the authority?
It's highly unusual that you don't have a few. EVERY Major city has troublemakers that, like us, feel we are just contributing..... I look at San Antonio Forums and think "Stepford Children"
Why is it such a Hobby related concern? well.... When you have censorship and people afraid to speak out you have an unfair advantage for ladies that have Mods on speed dial willing to do a favor..... you don't get information you mike need...... the ladies have friends that they can call to bully newbies into changing or removing information in the ads and those guys tend to get more rope from Mods because they are all on the same page.
I am going to stimulate you to think...... I want to provoke thoughts in regards to your hobby and how it may or may not be affected by how these forums are moderated. A couple of basics in regards to what I see a Mod serving us needs to understand.
Mods should not look for reasons to close a thread. They should ask themselves why it deserves to be open
Mods should not look for reasons to move a thread. They should ask themselves why it should remain where it is,
If Providers are given laxity to advertise in CoEd which is not an ad section shouldn't hobbyists be shown a little laxity in where they are allowed to place their topics?
As a couple of us have posted to your forums over the last few weeks we have received a number of PMs from some of you supporting our actions, praising our wit, showing appreciation for our humor and encouraging us.
When we withdrew we received even more.
There is a common sentiment in those PMs and Emails that San Antonio Forums are oppressive and controlled and that information is manipulated.
I see a lot in San Antonio Forums that I saw when I moved to Austin in 2007 and ASPD was in place.
I can see that you have MODs that are exercising far more personal opinion here than in other areas of the country.
The guidelines allow for it.
The community though can effect it. You do NOT have to accept it.
Mods can "tighten up" or "loosen up" and cause a big change in a community. But the only way they will get that message is if you speak up?
How much they get away with tends to change them over time.Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely! I am writing a thread on this subject at the moment that will find it's way here in time. I've been given several examples and am collecting more.
I have 13 years of experiences on these boards. You folks have too many people that WANT to have a say and post an opinion that are afraid of what happens when they do.
A lot of you are wondering WHAT THE FUCK! HOW THE HELL CAN WHISPERS AND STILL LOOKING GET AWAY WITH IT? WHY ARE THEY NOT BANNED?
Well.... WE understand what the board is all about and how to have our say. We state our opinions within the guidelines and we provide entertainment. People read what we have to say because there is consistency.
I really want to take the time to address some things here in San Antonio. I have a lot of friends down there that have asked for some help. Some of us go back years on the boards and others go back 25 years in hobby related activities.
What I want to hear right now, in this thread, via PM or via email are examples of what YOU feel is oppressive. What you feel are mistakes being made. Maybe you see something and don't recognize it for what it is but with enough input there may be a pattern
If you are afraid to post it to this thread than you have to admit you have a problem that needs dealing with because NO ONE should fear the anonymity of the internet. But at least PM me or email me. I assure you that your concerns will get a public airing if they are valid. What validates them? Well, enough people sharing the same views.
So tell me....
1) Do you ever get a PM or Email asking , telling or suggesting you modify something you posted? from who? Who are your Board Bullies?
2) Do you see certain Providers allowed to post a threAD and find yours met with more resistance or moved while Mods tend to moderate theirs more favorably?
3) Is information in your reviews ever edited/changed without explanation?
4) Do you see threads moved from one place to another and wonder why?
5) Do you have questions that you ask and get no answers to?
6) Do you see members disappear and reappear with a new handle and get smacked down for trying to say something about it?
San Antonio was home for one of the wackiest providers in board history that enjoyed the protection of staff on ASPD and here at first and burned through reputations and handles like no one else I have ever seen on the boards. I think the one really good thing Mokoa did was stand up to her.
A lot of you seem to think that you have no voice and I can understand why. Well, Soon you will have a group of voices that will help you make your issue known. That will help you get an even footing and say in what goes on in San Antonio.
Soon it will be much more entertaining than ever before.
Post to this thread. If you get reprimanded or censured for it please tell me. I will honestly assess it and if I think you were wrong I will take it up first with the Mods. If I get no where with them I will take it to the Admins. If I get no where with them I will take it to the owners.
A few Years ago Whispers was claimed to have an "Attack Pack". What we were was a group of like minded individuals that shared opinions and agreed on many. Not all, but on most things hobby related. We all had the ability to express ourselves in a manner that would generate interest and get threads viewed. If one of us had an issue we could call on the others for support....
San Antonio NEEDS it's own version of Whispers and Still Looking...... I know there are funny, witty guys and gals here that want something to say, Maybe we can help develop a couple or bring them out of their shell.
Phone Lines are open and Operators are standing by!