Why lock threads?
- Thread starter roomette
- Start date
Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:
- Status
Because in this case, deleting the thread means that the member who started it can't ever see the many posts telling him that we are NOT Amtrak. Locking it allows him to see those posts, while stopping further commenting and potential insults against him.
rrdude
Engineer
DAMN, I luv those types of threads. Maybe I should re-gen as a "troll".
I "get" that they are posted to just make one's "blood boil". (I was vigorously disputing point-by-point, in my mind, while reading the linked article....)
BUT, and this is semi-important. THESE TYPE OF PEOPLE ARE REAL,
AND, AND,
THEY OFTEN HAVE AN AUDIENCE. So please prepare yourself when you run into them on FB, or at the water cooler, or at a holiday party.
I just love these debates, especially mano-to-mano.
I "get" that they are posted to just make one's "blood boil". (I was vigorously disputing point-by-point, in my mind, while reading the linked article....)
BUT, and this is semi-important. THESE TYPE OF PEOPLE ARE REAL,
AND, AND,
THEY OFTEN HAVE AN AUDIENCE. So please prepare yourself when you run into them on FB, or at the water cooler, or at a holiday party.
I just love these debates, especially mano-to-mano.
I guess my comment has to do with "appropriateness," ie, when I go to a baseball game, it's the bottom of the 7th and everyone seems to have had a beer or two too many, then I expect one type of behavior; conversely when I go to the symphony, I expect, and find a quite different behavior as the norm.
Yes "those people" do exist, but each venue has its own norms... I think the message from reading this forum is that the norm here is decorum, civility, congeniality. So: when someone comes here thinking it's the bottom of the 7th, they're simply out of place - that's all. ... and personally, I've enjoyed the congenial nature of this forum. There are other forums on other topics that I've visited, and I find that the ones that I stay as a member for, in some cases, years, are the ones where one doesn't have to wear their asbestos boxers just to survive. I may be wrong, but I suspect that some of the longer term members here would up and leave if asbestos boxers became the norm, and that would be sad in that many are the real heart and soul of this community.
climbing down off his soapbox... greg
ps. maybe if the LIES thread had been entitled as Washington Times LIES then it would have been better received
Last edited by a moderator:
the_traveler
Engineer
(AU member speaking)
I am posting this as an AU member only, not as a moderator. I agree with the different decorum for different venues comment. A movie theater, a football stadium, a music hall and a lecture hall at a university all have different "norms". I bet if you stood up and cheered on your college professor while writing on the board, you would receive more than a few funny looks. However at the game, no problem.
Even though NYC has 12+ million people, you're not likely to like each one of them as your personal friend. The same with AU. You may not have to wear asbestos boxers (and yes, I have been on many of those sites), most times you can go "camando"! Sometimes you do need flame retardant shorts, but not very often. If it was worse all the time, I doubt if I would have stayed around as long as I have.
I'm not saying this as a staff member, only as an AU member. I think AU is one of the best and most civil forums on the entire Internet!
I am posting this as an AU member only, not as a moderator. I agree with the different decorum for different venues comment. A movie theater, a football stadium, a music hall and a lecture hall at a university all have different "norms". I bet if you stood up and cheered on your college professor while writing on the board, you would receive more than a few funny looks. However at the game, no problem.
Even though NYC has 12+ million people, you're not likely to like each one of them as your personal friend. The same with AU. You may not have to wear asbestos boxers (and yes, I have been on many of those sites), most times you can go "camando"! Sometimes you do need flame retardant shorts, but not very often. If it was worse all the time, I doubt if I would have stayed around as long as I have.
I'm not saying this as a staff member, only as an AU member. I think AU is one of the best and most civil forums on the entire Internet!
S
Sunday Op-Ed
Guest
This is a good question to pose to the admins here. With Anthony's move to AGR Insider and the subsequent sale of this site, the insular group of admins/managers/moderators can and should be subject to increased scrutiny. Amtrak Unlimited is no longer Anthony's benevolent pet project; now its primary purpose for existence is to make money for its owners off of those netizens who visit it. Nothing wrong with that, but every ounce of good (and just as often bad or incorrect) advice proffered here is being trafficked for the profits of AU's new owner.
With the change in ownership at AU should probably come a housecleaning of the moderation staff. Long past due to break up its clubbiness and insularity. Best practices are frequently lost on them, while years-long-unfunny missives about Penthouses are allowed to perpetuate at the expense of real, useful information about traveling on Amtrak. And whenever a moderator, especially its most outspoken ones, gets painted into a corner, they abuse their deletion privileges to excise all posts that might otherwise embarrass or humiliate them. The net result becomes moderation without accountability. A race to the bottom in other words.
Welcome to the current Amtrak Unlimited.
With the change in ownership at AU should probably come a housecleaning of the moderation staff. Long past due to break up its clubbiness and insularity. Best practices are frequently lost on them, while years-long-unfunny missives about Penthouses are allowed to perpetuate at the expense of real, useful information about traveling on Amtrak. And whenever a moderator, especially its most outspoken ones, gets painted into a corner, they abuse their deletion privileges to excise all posts that might otherwise embarrass or humiliate them. The net result becomes moderation without accountability. A race to the bottom in other words.
Welcome to the current Amtrak Unlimited.
Everyone has an opinion but in the case of AU Admin/Moderators you are misinformed and wrong! Several new members were elevated to positions as Volunteers (ie without pay!) They do a great job overall most members feel! If interested why not PM Alan or the Forum Managers and perhaps offer your services! Of course youre always free to Post your opinions, no one is right 100% of the time including AUers! Happy New Year, keep on Posting!
June the Coach Rider
OBS Chief
I might take what you have to say as something worth believing if you were not a coward and signed in as a guest. If you are only a guest, then maybe hang around awhile and see the true work that these fine mods do. There is nothing wrong with the
Last edited by a moderator:
Agreed.(AU member speaking)
I am posting this as an AU member only, not as a moderator. I agree with the different decorum for different venues comment. A movie theater, a football stadium, a music hall and a lecture hall at a university all have different "norms". I bet if you stood up and cheered on your college professor while writing on the board, you would receive more than a few funny looks. However at the game, no problem.
Even though NYC has 12+ million people, you're not likely to like each one of them as your personal friend. The same with AU. You may not have to wear asbestos boxers (and yes, I have been on many of those sites), most times you can go "camando"! Sometimes you do need flame retardant shorts, but not very often. If it was worse all the time, I doubt if I would have stayed around as long as I have.
I'm not saying this as a staff member, only as an AU member. I think AU is one of the best and most civil forums on the entire Internet!
This site wasn't sold to anyone. No money changed hands. All that changed is Anthony stepped down as an Administrator and the site was moved to a new host.
No, it's now my pet project; along with the rest of the staff. And the primary purpose of this site isn't to make money for the owners. Yes, unlike Anthony who footed part of the hosting bill out of his own pocket, they don't. And therefore the ads have increased in an attempt to cover those costs. But if I thought for a moment that this site existed solely to make money, I'd pull the plug on it. And I do have that power!
The most false statement you've made in your long and unfounded missive. There is plenty of accountability. More than once I've reversed the decisions of the moderators here and restored posts that they hid and in the process letting them know that it was wrong. Maybe you should just try paying attention to what goes on here instead of creating these useless posts!
No, welcome to the Amtrak Unlimited created by Anthony and still operating with his blessing and under my leadership which he cultivated for many years! And even though he's removed himself from the leadership here, we still speak frequently and I know that he would let me know if he thought I was doing a bad job.
Count me in as one who considers this one of the last bastions of civility on the internet. Perfect? Certainly not, but how boring it would be if it were. Sometimes things go overboard but the mods generally step in at an appropriate time. Kudos :hi:
Ryan
Court Jester
Perfectly stated, Alan. Keep up the great work.
DITTO
roomette
Lead Service Attendant
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2010
- Messages
- 492
The Ad Blocker Plus add on for Firefox really does it's job well. I have never seen one advertisement here. I didn't even know there were any ads at all. So, I learned something! What kind of products and services are being hawked here? Cheap airfare?
NE933
Conductor
Listen, Alan, you totally ROCK!! So, keep ROCKIN' this beloved 'Amtrak Unlimited' websit into 2014! And Ryan S. too! ( I think he's an assistant administrator, right?).
My only thing I ask is that you/we plan on more train trips this year. No one likely has gotten emotional of seeing a bunch of people he never met before like me did, what was that , four years ago?
My only thing I ask is that you/we plan on more train trips this year. No one likely has gotten emotional of seeing a bunch of people he never met before like me did, what was that , four years ago?
By the way, I forgot to mention that even as Anthony was stepping down, he was well aware of all of the changes to the staff that were made at the same time. He knew who was going to be promoted; he knew who was going to be asked to join the staff for the first time; and of course he had approved all of the older staff members. Everyone serving on the staff currently is here with Anthony's approval and blessing!
We are Anthony's staff!
Ryan
Court Jester
The site costs money to operate, web servers and internet access isn't free.
If you enjoy the site, you should whitelist it. This is the only site in my whitelist.
Nope, I'm just a regular dude.
Acela150
Super Buff
And I'm glad to be a member of AU with any staff!! While I miss Anthony I'm very grateful that Alan has stayed aboard! I find Alan's postings very informative!
oldtimer
OBS Chief
Alan B and all of the moderators on this site have done a fantastic job IMHO. If a member or a guest comes to AU with a question it will be answered and answered correctly as the AU community is a great resource with vast knowledge of almost all aspects of Amtrak and its services, locations and equipment.
Yes, there are discussions that can get heated but it's usually about a statement of opinion about Amtrak, but as long as the tone remains civil I personally enjoy these topics. I also think that humor adds to my enjoyment of this discussion forum.
It is when the discussion is not civil or a personal attack is made I think that part should be deleted. If the topic stays in attack mode it should be locked. Also there are some people (remember that anyone with a computer and an internet connection can post) that simply cannot understand even when a very precise explanation is given to them. (Sometime the facts interfere with what they believe)
Keep up the good the good work Alan B and all other moderators.
Oldtimer (the other Alan B)
Yes, there are discussions that can get heated but it's usually about a statement of opinion about Amtrak, but as long as the tone remains civil I personally enjoy these topics. I also think that humor adds to my enjoyment of this discussion forum.
It is when the discussion is not civil or a personal attack is made I think that part should be deleted. If the topic stays in attack mode it should be locked. Also there are some people (remember that anyone with a computer and an internet connection can post) that simply cannot understand even when a very precise explanation is given to them. (Sometime the facts interfere with what they believe)
Keep up the good the good work Alan B and all other moderators.
Oldtimer (the other Alan B)
rrdude
Engineer
Whilst I have had a few, "very minor" disagreements with locked threads, and content, I generally agree with 98% of what the other AU posters have said RE: the current board of moderators.
Guess what I am free to do if I don't?
1) ***** n complain about it, and share my misery with everyone else. (That' productive.......)
2) not read the thread(s)
3) go elsewhere
I would be dumbfounded if ever current moderator DIDN'T agree that ".....accountability is important....."
I agree, moderators do a great job. They get an "A" in my book. Responsive, polite, and fair.
'Nuff said.
Might I ask that we create a new position? I nominate Ryan as a "Junior Moderator" (sounds better than assistant, and then we can all call him "Junior")
Guess what I am free to do if I don't?
1) ***** n complain about it, and share my misery with everyone else. (That' productive.......)
2) not read the thread(s)
3) go elsewhere
I would be dumbfounded if ever current moderator DIDN'T agree that ".....accountability is important....."
I agree, moderators do a great job. They get an "A" in my book. Responsive, polite, and fair.
'Nuff said.
Might I ask that we create a new position? I nominate Ryan as a "Junior Moderator" (sounds better than assistant, and then we can all call him "Junior")
The Davy Crockett
Engineer
NOTHING against Ryan, but Shirley you jest...
And oh, I 98% agree with the rest of your post Shirley.
Ryan
Court Jester
You can call me Junior even without an official proclamation.
Actually, you can call me pretty much anything (except late for dinner, that ain't going to happen! ).
Actually, you can call me pretty much anything (except late for dinner, that ain't going to happen!
).
Add my name to those who think the current cast of moderators is doing a great job. I have no idea what our esteemed guest is talking about; they must be talking about another AU forum. Seriously, one is free to leave the forum if they don't like it. I'm always amazed at how many know-it-alls claim to know which moderator has deleted or hidden which threads. Seems to me that only the moderators themselves have that info.
Ispolkom
Engineer
I've got to agree with you. I don't agree with everything I see here, and if I were moderating the board, I'm sure I'd make different decisions, but so what? It's not my sandbox, and I don't get to decide.
If I don't like it, I'll leave.
The ads are tailored to your browsing history. I see lots of ads for the insurance company I work for, cars, airfare, hotels, and various vacation destinations (Disney, Vegas, etc). There's some random junk in there, but I still keep it White Listed since the ads don't bother me.
- Status
