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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:24 PM

For all of you who have offered your support, my hearfelt thanks.

I still have the right as anyone to express my opinion on a thread.  And if you don't like my opinions, then read them (if you chose to) and them move on.

What I do not expect, is a thread solely developed with the intention of attacking my character.

That is bad form in ANY forum.

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Posted by RRKen on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:25 PM

schlimm

The other point was a question about advertising links here, and particularly a link to a site that is very ant-railfan. 

The sig line is gone.  But, perfesser, the above quote is not.  I take exception to it, but will not be  able to go further due to time constraint.   

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:28 PM

With all this advice about how we should just go to the moderator rather than post our concerns, I think it is pretty revealing whom it is that runs to the moderator when they see something they don’t agree with. 

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Posted by zugmann on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:31 PM

Bucyrus

With all this advice about how we should just go to the moderator rather than post our concerns, I think it is pretty revealing whom it is that runs to the moderator when they see something they don’t agree with. 

 

Huh?  The point was the original question from schlimm should have gone to the moderator.  It was a purely administrative issue.  That's kind of why they are here...

The next time we randomly pick a forum member to start bashing, can we have some advanced notice?  be nice to print up T-shirts or something...

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:32 PM

Bucyrus

With all this advice about how we should just go to the moderator rather than post our concerns, I think it is pretty revealing whom it is that runs to the moderator when they see something they don’t agree with. 

Did it ever occur to you that the moderator may also have agreed not just with me...but with anyone?

Thats why they call it "moderation."

I offered an opinion..so naturally you construe this to imply that I "ran to a moderator?"

You, Schlimm, and Convicted One seem to take pleasure in beating up on my character and integrity without cause.

I'd also like to point out to you, that not everyone posting here agrees with you or Schlimm or Convicted One.

I have been on this forum for 10 years, and I have never been attacked like this so openly.

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:36 PM

Geez Murray, you complain about your character being attacked.  Wasn’t it you who came on the crossing crash thread last night and said this:  

“Kindly euthanize this thread now before this gaggle of backroom lawyers posting here go in to a complete fit of apoplexy.”

Or was that a different Murray?

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Posted by schlimm on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:39 PM

I asked two questions.  I guess some folks have thin skins and see that as an attack.  I have no problem with Murray or his forum.  I wondered if its being advertised now might have been a reason for the lock-down?  But some choose to use that to not deal with one of the questions, which was why the original thread started by Bucyrus was locked.  Amid all the outrage, that question remains unanswered.  Does anyone know or even care?

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Posted by zugmann on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:39 PM

Bucyrus

Geez Murray, you complain about your character being attacked.  Wasn’t it you who came on the crossing crash thread last night and said this:  

“Kindly euthanize this thread now before this gaggle of backroom lawyers posting here go in to a complete fit of apoplexy.”

Or was that a different Murray?

 

Oh geez.  Round 2.. DING DING. 

 

I'm going to bed.   I'll check back tonight to see if we even HAVE a forum left.  Some people's kids...

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by zugmann on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:40 PM

schlimm

I asked two questions.  I guess some folks have thin skins and see that as an attack.  I have no problem with Murray  or his forum.  I wondered if its  was being advertised now might have been a reason for the lock-down?  But some choose to use that to not deal with one of the questions, which was why the original thread started by Bucyrus was locked.  Amid all the outrage, that question remains unanswered.  Does anyone know or even care?

 

I don't care.  Threads get locked all the time.  I'm not about to get my panties in a bunch over it.

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:40 PM

Bucyrus

Geez Murray, you complain about your character being attacked.  Wasn’t it you who came on the crossing crash thread last night and said this:  

“Kindly euthanize this thread now before this gaggle of backroom lawyers posting here go in to a complete fit of apoplexy.”

Or was that a different Murray?

It called OPINION young man....What do you not get?

That was my OPINION...that was not a directed ORDER to the moderators that they would "salute and execute."

Do you honestly think I have some sort of magical powers?

Again, I have the right to my opinion.

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:46 PM

schlimm

I asked two questions.  I guess some folks have thin skins and see that as an attack.  I have no problem with Murray or his forum.  I wondered if its being advertised now might have been a reason for the lock-down?  But some choose to use that to not deal with one of the questions, which was why the original thread started by Bucyrus was locked.  Amid all the outrage, that question remains unanswered.  Does anyone know or even care?

First off Schlimm, it is not my forum.  I do not own it...I do not control it.  It is the forum of a friend.

Its removed...so let it go.

My biggest beef with you and with Bucyrus and with Convicted One is that I do not singularly cause the lockdown of a thread.  Any perception to the contrary is false.  It may come as a surprise to you, but I do not wield that sort of power. 

And I will not stand accused on a public forum by you or anyone else of having done so.

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Posted by schlimm on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:48 PM

You know it is really quite amazing that Bucyrus, Convicted One and I are now lumped together, when there are few points that the three of us ever agree on, with the sole exception of stating our preference for free expression of opinions as long as nobody engages in ad hominem attacks on discussants.

However, if Murray feels personally attacked by me in my original post, then I am sorry, Murray, although I still do not understand what in my question was an attack on him or accusation.

However, it seems that no one except the evil triumvirate care to question why the original thread was locked.

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:53 PM

schlimm

You know it is really quite amazing that Bucyrus, Convicted One and I are now lumped together, when there are few points that the three of us ever agree on, with the sole exception of stating our preference for free expression of opinions as long as nobody engages in ad hominem attacks on discussants.

However, if Murray feels personally attacked by me in my original post, then I am sorry, Murray, although I still do not understand what in my question was an attack on him or accusation.

However, it seems that no one except the evil triumvirate care to question why the original thread was locked.

The reason I'm "bent around the axle" is the implication that I caused the thread to be locked.

As I tried to explain to Bucyrus, I rendered an opinion.  He obviously does not like my opinion...OK thats fine..he is entitled to his opinion. (Gee what a novel concept).

For some reason now...I'm the resident forum leper.

And you speak of your "evil triumvirate."

 

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:55 PM

Murray

 Bucyrus:

Geez Murray, you complain about your character being attacked.  Wasn’t it you who came on the crossing crash thread last night and said this:  

“Kindly euthanize this thread now before this gaggle of backroom lawyers posting here go in to a complete fit of apoplexy.”

Or was that a different Murray?

 

It called OPINION young man....What do you not get?

That was my OPINION...that was not a directed ORDER to the moderators that they would "salute and execute."

Do you honestly think I have some sort of magical powers?

Again, I have the right to my opinion.

Murray,

It may have been your opinion, and you do have a right to your opinion.  But it was also a snotty comment.  And those are against the forum rules.  You don't have a right to make a snotty comment by calling it an opinion. 

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 1:58 PM

Bucyrus
It may have been your opinion, and you do have a right to your opinion.  But it was also a snotty comment.  And those against the forum rules.  You don't have a right to make a snotty comment by calling it an opinion.

Noted.

That was never my intent.

Nor was it directed personally to any individual poster.

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Posted by schlimm on Monday, February 21, 2011 2:05 PM

Murray, you said: "Kindly euthanize this thread now ..."   That is a command, or at the very least a request, not just stating your opinion.  So that is why I asked if that was what the moderators were responding to.  That's all I was seeking.  Answers.

I suppose the invisible hand may lock this thread as well, but I do hope we can get some sense from the members of what is OK or not OK.   And I for one am glad you care enough to register your opinion and not just defer to the moderators.

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 2:10 PM

I have been told by the moderator that the thread was locked because he had received “an observation/request" to lock it. 

Assuming that moderators do not just lock a thread just because somebody requests it, I would like to know the reason behind the request with which the moderator apparently agreed.  I have not yet been informed of the reason behind the complaint.   

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 2:10 PM

schlimm

Murray, you said: "Kindly euthanize this thread now ..."   That is a command, or at the very least a request, not just stating your opinion.  So that is why I asked if that was what the moderators were responding to.  That's all I was seeking.  Answers.

I suppose the invisible hand may lock this thread as well, but I do hope we can get some sense from the members of what is OK or not OK.   And I for one am glad you care enough to register your opinion and not just defer to the moderators.

Schlimm, you will also note that before I even made that post, one of the moderators had already posted his consideration (call it intent ...what have you) that he was going to shut the thread down.

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Posted by schlimm on Monday, February 21, 2011 2:18 PM

True. I was away most of the day and then saw this morning that the thread got locked. I noticed Crandell's comment, which was pretty vague, and then yours.  Hence my deciding to raise the question about the lock. We still don't have any real answers, except everytime there is a thread that gets huge interest and get's even a little heated (and the one in question was pretty tame), some member requests a lock and then it happens.  One recurring constant is whenever there is a question of liability.

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2011 2:19 PM

Bucyrus

I have been told by the moderator that the thread was locked because he had received “an observation/request" to lock it. 

Assuming that moderators do not just lock a thread just because somebody requests it, I would like to know the reason behind the request with which the moderator apparently agreed.  I have not yet been informed of the reason behind the complaint.   

Again, as I mentioned to Schlimm...one of the Moderators had posted even before I did, that he was considering locking the thread.

 

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Posted by samfp1943 on Monday, February 21, 2011 3:59 PM

  Guy's;

 Come, ON! Sigh   

    This thread is degenerating into something resembling a verbal  MARX Brother's Pie Fight.Crying

   LIke HSR in California; It is going nowhere really quickly.Bang Head

Everybody need to take a deep breath, and Step Back.!Huh?

 

 


 

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Posted by schlimm on Monday, February 21, 2011 4:56 PM

One more time:  Does anybody care that a very popular thread was locked down by the moderator without any reason given?

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, February 21, 2011 5:37 PM

I'd opine that the thread was shut down because it was getting circular.  Usually when that happens people get unhappy that their opinion isn't carrying the day and start sniping at people instead of ideas. 

The thread in question had, in my opinion, exhausted most of the possibilities.  Yet it refused to die on its own.

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Posted by schlimm on Monday, February 21, 2011 5:46 PM

That was true, for awhile, although it seemed on track again.  But even so, how is that a good reason to lock?  Nobody was sniping and those who were bored could stay away.

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Posted by dakotafred on Monday, February 21, 2011 6:09 PM

schlimm

One more time:  Does anybody care that a very popular thread was locked down by the moderator without any reason given?

You bet. Lockdowns have happened too often, although more often on fatuous pretexts than "without any reason given."

On the other hand: Given the occasional fastidiousness of our monitors, how has this thread gone on so long?

Don't get me wrong; it's been fun. But value? 

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, February 21, 2011 6:32 PM

Surprising this one hasn't been locked as it is also going nowhere.

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Posted by schlimm on Monday, February 21, 2011 6:35 PM

It isn't going anywhere because the moderators have so far not been willing to give an answer about shutting down the actual discussion thread.  Why would not going anywhere be a good reason to lock?  Who is getting hurt?

Nevertheless, here you have a thread about nothing that has gotten 56 responses in one day.  Seinfeld revisited.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, February 21, 2011 7:38 PM

     I once worked with a guy we called Crazy Joe.  He had half a dozen wild, loud kids, that he hauled around in this monster 1950's era ambulance that he was restoring.  When the kids got too loud, he just turned on the siren for a while.  At times,  I wish I had a siren.

     If you wonder why a moderator did something, send him a PM to ask him.  Don't call him out on the main forum.  That just makes you look like someone seeking attention.  The moderators are volunteers, who have lives beyond babysitting a forum.  Imagine that!

     If you decide to start a thread to raise a stir,  don't expect the moderators to find any sympathy for you.  Worse yet, if you feel you need to target another member, just to make sure you're getting your fair share of attention.  Pretty juvenile behavior, if you ask me.

     If you see a problem with something on the forum, hit the report abuse button and let the moderators know.  We may agree there's a problem and take care of it.  We may not agree with you, and do nothing.  Generally, when we disagree, we are accused of doing nothing.  Hey, we're human.

     A big issue I have with (all) forums, is that some folks belong to forums just for the sport of it.  If we're here because we share a common interest in trains,  why can't we discuss trains?  Instead, we have folks playing mind games, little name-calling games, and throwing little hissy fits for attention.  Is it too much to ask that we all act our age?

     I'm not 100% sure why Selector locked the thread.  I do know that anyone who is truely interested has the capability to PM him and ask why.  Anything beyond that appears to be grandstanding for attention. 

     The reason I came close to locking it, is that I had simply grown sick of it- sick of having to delete post and send PM's to people who should know better, sick of reading abuse reports from several members who thought we should take action immediately,  sick of having to babysit a thread whose posters couldn't act civil, etc.

       I imagine I have a couple hours of my life invested in keeping that one thread from going over the cliff.  I also imagine there are other things I could be doing with that time.  Perhaps,  it would be more expedient if I simply zapped every post that I didn't like, and sent a generic note that said :  "I zapped your thread, because I didn't like it.  Nanner! Nanner!".  That attitude wouldn't be too much farther *out there*,  than some of the other attitudes that fly around here at times.

     I'd be remiss, if I didn't address Zugmann's suggestion that the moderators might be human...Laugh where are you getting your information?

     -Norris   moderator who wishes he had a 1950's era restored ambulance.

    

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by CNW 6000 on Monday, February 21, 2011 8:11 PM

schlimm

It isn't going anywhere because the moderators have so far not been willing to give an answer about shutting down the actual discussion thread.  Why would not going anywhere be a good reason to lock?  Who is getting hurt?

Nevertheless, here you have a thread about nothing that has gotten 56 responses in one day.  Seinfeld revisited.

Yesterday the sun came up, it got cloudy, then it snowed...lots...and snowed some more.  "The thread" was posted to...over and again...it got dark...the sun came down...the thread got locked.  This morning the sun came up again, it was Monday so many of us went to work.  Life goes on. 

Why is this causing you to lose sleep schlimm?

Dan

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Posted by schlimm on Monday, February 21, 2011 8:20 PM

Murphy: I'm going to respond, although it is probably pointless.  The issue of threads getting locked seemed to have reached a peak when the thread on the southside rail crossing accident was locked with no reason given except that it seemed to have said all there was to say, in the opinion of the moderator.  No mention of offense, and this on a thread that was one of the most popular in months - 3000 views in less than one week.  This has occurred before.  Consequently I decided to raise the issue of why.  As another poster's complaint about the thread had followed immediately after Crandell's, I asked if there were a connection and also about his advertising other forum links.  What was so offensive about that?  Why would that need to be handled privately?  Why not a little more transparency?  And contrary to your presumptuous comment, I am not seeking attention.  Or is it now your policy to respond with anger when members question the moderators' judgments?  You say you were sick of the thread and tired of deletions.  OK, that's fair.  But how were the rest of us to know that? 

Perhaps it would be better for all if you simply communicated that to all of us closer to the occurrence of the offense on the thread, so we could all learn what is not acceptable.  Otherwise, we are in the dark.   Forums work better when there is open communication.

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