Thread Disappeard

[tstage]

LB,

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.

Personally, I like to converse with people here on the forum and address them by their name. When answering a question to an inquiry from someone I don't know, I usually will click on their profile to see if they have a "real" name and use that start out my response to them. Some people choose to display who they actually are; other's chose to be more anonymus. I try not to judge either way, although I find that the folks who I know on a first name basis are the ones that I enjoy talking to the most.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that since all we have to go by is "LB" (no info, no e-mail - that's your perogative) then it's kinda hard to get to know who you really are. There is something to a name.

Tom

[loathar]

I don't care about your name. What was your question? I'll try and help.
(I'm kind of surprised nobody thought Loathar was some dark, evil nick name)

[csmith9474]

What I see is that this is the first time that I remember that somebody's username stirred up contraversy. There is something to be said for that.

[Anonymous]

Well, LB, I'm the first one to say you didn't get a warm reception here, and that's regrettable. There are tons of friendly folks with lots of great info to share.

On the other hand, I'll also be blunt and say you have helped keep the pot stirred with confrontational and aggressive responses that pay no respect to other folks' viewpoints. You're so busy being shocked and insulted, you never stopped to consider that other folks might have a valid outlook that simply isn't yours.

I didn't really notice your handle and don't give a *** (pun intended) about it myself.

I'd like to see you coming here and being a regular contributor. But you're new to the party: if you don't have some respect for the cultural 'rules' of the party, and if you keep posting things in a tone like "get a life!" then you'll probably find yourself alone and bored in a corner, shortly to leave the party.

That would be a shame. But I think you've now had plenty of folks recognizing the initial 'we got off on the wrong foot' situation and trying to reverse it. I don't see you reciprocating and trying to become a particpant here.

I think the ball's in your court. You can clearly indicate where you want to go with your next post. You can keep throwing stones and you'll probably end up ignored. Or, you can play the petulant toddler game and say "Your party sucks anyway you losers. Get a life!" etc. etc.

Or you can start reciprocating the several folks here who are trying to move this to a positive note and shortly the whole initial awkwardness will likely fade away. I hope you choose to do that.

One good first step would be to recognize that your username is "charged" and that it's probably not the best choice in the context of the forum. it's not a matter of right or wrong. It's not a matter of making your case. It's not a matter of your intent (or lack thereof) or whether it fits the "rules."

It's more like you've come to a barbeque wearing a tuxedo and everyone else is in jeans and t-shirts. You can insist on your right to wear the tux, which will not make it any more appropriate than it was before... or you can go change and enjoy the party.

[MisterBeasley]

I was listening to the car radio this morning, and someone cited a study which said that January 23rd and 24th are the most "depressing" days of the year. Being pop-rock radio, I didn't expect much of an intellectual discussion of what that meant, but I guess this is a bad week for a lot of people.

In retrospect, I suppose the LB handle offends some people, but I was kind of surprised at the vehement response. Is this any worse than the Jersey Devils hockey team? How about the Duke Blue Devils? I've got an original LP (yes, LP) of the Rolling Stones "Their Satanic Majesties Request" at home, with the weird double-image thing on the front. I don't recall any outcry about that, either.

So, maybe you need to change your handle to "Apple Pie" or "Motherhood," and hopefully it won't offend anyone. A few people have noticed that the forum has been less train-oriented and more crabby than usual lately. Maybe it's sunlight deprivation, or Post-Holiday-Stress-Disorder. Hopefully, we'll get back to normal shortly.

But please stick around. From your earlier posts, it's clear that you've done some homework on stuff like DCC, so we'd like to tag along as you build your railroad. That's really why we're all here.

[jfugate]

Yes, I'm eager to help answer LB's or anyone else's questions on here, so let's get back to talking trains!

MR provides this space free for us all to enjoy, and they make the rules. I'm happy to do whatever they ask of us, since they own the place.

Let's talk TRAINS!

[selector]

Ask yourselves, if a name is not a label, just like a visible tatoo, or a hat worn backwards with a hood jacket, if you would ever consider naming one of your children Beelzebub? I wouldn't name one of mine Selector, either, but the name is innocuous or relevant, but Satan, Beelzebub, Hobb, Allah, God, and other names of a generally proscribed provenance (as we have argued ad infinitum on numerous threads recently) are going to invite question or ridicule, or will at least be considered inflammatory.

I have the right to judge a person based on their overt behaviour. If a person registers here with the name of S**tface, should I take him seriously, for an interloper (troll), or what?

Sorry, but a name IS a label, and if self-selected tells me to be wary of the person who chooses unwisely.

Just my [2c]

[SMassey]

Both sides of this debate have metrits. I am not going to take sides here. IDC if your name is changed or not nor do I take any offence to it. If you want to leave I dont blame you as well. If you would like some help then this is the place for it. I offer when I can, My strong points is in the electrical side of stuff here, but I am not bad in other places. LB if you want feel free to E-mail me questions you may have I just ask that you dont send me FWDs of every joke you get. That offer is extended to any of you here. Questions or comments about my website or layout. You can get the E-mail from the website (link in my sig) or from my profile.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tstage

LB,

I trust that this is a reasonable thing to ask you and to open up conversation: Why did you choose the user name that you did?

Tom

I chose the user name cause I have I have a pc game called Battlefield 2, maybe some of you have heard of it. That is my user name for that game, just something off the wall I chose for myself. I chose that for here cause that's the first thing that came to mind. Something I doubt no other forum would even think twice about. My username does not imply I'm trying to be what it is in real life. That's you all's assumtion and YOUR the ones that are wrong for passing judgement against me assuming so.

So since you all are so easily offended, bust out a pole telling me what my user name should be, make sure everyone agrees cause heaven forbid anyone be offended in anyway shape or form. Every one of you all's user names offend me, I expect you all to change them now.

[cwclark]

lord b,
I think we all got off on the wrong foot here..i personally want to welcome you to the forum..there is a lot of knowledge here on the forum and great and new things can be learned if you hang out here enough..me...i personally like to keep my opinions to myself ..i'm here because I love this hobby and really do like to learn stuff new all the time and try to keep my topics on this hobby..(i've been doing this since 1977)...my apologies if you feel you were treated in a way that wasn't satisfactory and i believe that you will enjoy it once you get some of the basics down and meet some of the fantastic modelers this site has to offer...please feel free to ask anything you like and we'll try to answer it...yes we are all human and prone to err but know that our hearts are into this hobby and the bottom line after the smoke clears is that it's really a great site to visit...chuck

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: People need to grow up.

Yes, you do.

Mike Tennent

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jfugate

QUOTE: Originally posted by Lord_Beelzebub

Are you serious?? They removed my thread because of my user name?? Well I want some kind of comfirmation of that from a moderator before I change it.

Bergie is the moderator ... [8)]

And if you don't use some form of your real name as your handle, then your username becomes somewhat of a personal advertisement, and in the online world where what we first see of you is the text you use to identify yourself, then yes, your user name matters.

I wouldn't get all wrapped around the axle about your user name, but your name choice is in poor taste and it would be nice to see you advertise something a bit less irreverant.

On another list, there's a guy who calls himself "Mr. Railroad" as if he is *the* source of all knowledge in the hobby. Similar issue. Back it off a notch and you'll be fine. [swg]

If you all are serious looking at other peoples user names and reading that much into it, you all need to get a life. No insult to you personally for saying that, but I belong to many forums and people take anothers user name for face value, it's just a freakin user name. Something nifty or catchy they want to be known by, their not advertising anything...oh brother. I don't see anything wrong with "Mr. Railroad", that's your personal perception of what his username could imply, but that does not make it inappropriate by any means. You people seem to, too easlily get offending over nothing and pass judgement on people too easily.

I could raise a fuss over everyones username out here and that it offends me in one way or another, does that give me the right to make you have to change it??? If I change my username to something else and someone gets offended by it, am I going to have to change it yet again??? Where does it end?? People need to grow up.

[Anonymous]

You chose a screen name that you had to know was going to offend at least some people on a forum like this. Your bad.

Kalmbach sets the rules and they prefer non-controversial names. Choose a new screen name and get over it.

Mike Tennent

[jfugate]

LB:

Pick some variation of your actual name or pick a railroady persona like "BoxcarWilly".

Your name is *you* and how we know you on a text-based forum like this, so pick something that tells us who you are in a way that's less irreverant.

Our culture makes a lot out of not offending other's sensibilities, and that applies online as well. We all tend to start out life with tender skin and a hard heart -- I've found you get a lot farther in life if you learn to turn yourself inside out -- develop a tough skin and a tender heart -- care about what other people think, but don't let their offenses get to you. Just let it bounce off and don't allow it to ruin your fun.

Back to talking trains! [swg]

[bcammack]

Just another aspect of taking responsibility for your actions. You chose your own moniker here and I cannot believe for an instant that you did not consider that some folks in this world just might find it a wee bit offensive. If you conciously elect to flaunt your disregard for other people's sensibilities in a public forum then you really ought not to complain about the end result.

Go into a Hell's Angels bar and yell, "All you p****y bikers s**k!!!" and see how that goes. Same principle, just a little more overt example.

[CP5415]

LB

There could have been a mis-understanding here in the forum.
There is one person in particular that has shown some ingenuity in his user name & people may have thought your ID may have been him.
Because of this, a lot of us are edgy about user names.

I don't recall seeing your origional question so I'm not familiar with it & will not comment on it.
Stick around! Give us another shot. Maybe we can be friends afterall.

Gordon

[simon1966]

There are some 200,000 registered users on the forums. There are several hundred that regulary contribute to the MRR forum. There is a wealth of knowledge and a willingness to help within this group that I have not found anywhere else. You have had a few somewhat testy, mildly rude responses to a user name that you must surely have chosen with the expectation of a reaction from some quarters? If you are serious about MRR then I would not reject out of hand the help and suggestions from the group as a whole based on a few responses to an unquestionably devisive user name.

[GAPPLEG]

1. I'm not anal
2. I really was not offended by your name.
3. It did make me step back and wonder, why one would call himself that.
4. Common sense rules, that's why I just use a short version of my real name.
5. We really don't dislike you personally. Your most likely a very nice person.

[tstage]

LB,

I trust that this is a reasonable thing to ask you and to open up conversation: Why did you choose the user name that you did?

Tom

[SpaceMouse]

I'm sorry. I do not believe that your choice of username was not intended to push some buttons, especially those people of the Christian denominations. The fact that you are incensed that you in fact succeeded, is not therfore a reason to become a victim of a plot against you. Everyone plays nice here.

[Anonymous]

Well all I can say is you all have left a bad taste with me already of the kind of people that belong to this forum that feel the need to totally go off, going at it with each other just because of what my username happens to be. My subject of my thread was ligit, I was sincere with the thread I started, the whole and sole reason why I started it. I am about to start my own model railroad, I did want everyones help, but like children you all have to turn it into something totally ignorant.

The moderator e-mailed me about my user name, I replied with my displeasure in what happen and how anal people are. He asked me what I liked my username to be changed to so you all aren't offended. My reply was for him to ask you all what it should be. Since it doesn't take much for this community to go over the edge and get upset over something innocent, you all then need to deicide what pleases you.

The sad thing is, if that's the outcome of my thread asking for you alls help, I'm not even sure I want the help and suggestions of you people anymore. Rediculess !!!

[SMassey]

Frankly I could care less about some one's user name no matter what other texts may say it is. LB joined our forums for help and was polite in asking what he wanted. I offered him some assistance with the questions he asked and will continue to do so as well. I will help any one here whenever I can until the point that they are rude to me or take personal shots at me for no good reason. We should all offer the same coutrsey until the user proves himself a troll.

Just my [2c]

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Lord_Beelzebub

Are you serious?? They removed my thread because of my user name?? Well I want some kind of comfirmation of that from a moderator before I change it.

Bergie is the moderator ... [8)]

And if you don't use some form of your real name as your handle, then your username becomes somewhat of a personal advertisement, and in the online world where what we first see of you is the text you use to identify yourself, then yes, your user name matters.

I wouldn't get all wrapped around the axle about your user name, but your name choice is in poor taste and it would be nice to see you advertise something a bit less irreverant.

On another list, there's a guy who calls himself "Mr. Railroad" as if he is *the* source of all knowledge in the hobby. Similar issue. Back it off a notch and you'll be fine. [swg]

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Lord_Beelzebub

Well I want some kind of comfirmation of that from a moderator before I change it.

Bergie is the Moderator. He just told you why he did it.

[jwar]

Thank you bergie for a fantastic forum and the manner its ran, THANKS...John

[Anonymous]

Are you serious?? They removed my thread because of my user name?? Well I want some kind of comfirmation of that from a moderator before I change it. Take my user name for face value, it's JUST a user name. If members of this community are getting in a tizzy over something like that....that's pretty sad. When you sign-up for these forums you have to put an e-mail address, the LEAST the moderator that deleted it coulf have done was send me a message stating that it was deleted and the reason why.

I have no problem changing my user name to something else cause heaven forbid anyone not like something or be offended in the world today, but I don't remember all what I said in my first thread to retype it.

Needless to say I'm pissed and upset how petty and anal people can be and that I was not given a reason and was not notified why my thread was deleted/removed.

If my username is considered inappropriate then there should be filters in the setup process where it wouldn't have been accepted !!!

[Bergie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

YOu mean this one?

Perhaps you didn't look hard enough.

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=55764

No, that's not the right thread. I deleted his first thread because everyone was up in arms about his username and the thread was going down hill, fast!

Erik

[Bergie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dingoix

There is a forum search at the top of each page. Kinda obvious isn't it?

And another thing, don't insult people. You were new here once too. What would your first impression of this place had been if someone responded to you like this?

Please, everyone, remember your manners.

Thanks,
Erik

[Bergie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by alco_fan

DNFTTF

Guys, keep in mind that just because someone is new and has a username (or a point of view, for that matter) that you don't agree with doesn't automatically make them a troll.

Yes, we've had trolls. But sometimes you guys throw that term around a little too loosely. Give newcomers a chance.

I've contacted him regarding his username.

Thanks,
Erik

[cwclark]

Bergie may have taken it from the forum..I read it and everyone was kind'a upset about your handle...beelzebub can rub people the wrong way and if bergie sees any gray area strings in here he usually nixes them...maybe you might want to change your handle so the left wing and the right wing don't go at each other...you have to understand that MRR has an integrity to uphold..they are in business to sell a wholesome family oriented magazine and anything off color can cause debates, arguments, ect...there are children that come here and it's best if we keep it clean and on the up and up...chuck