As the title says, apparently we're not allowed to talk about anything apart from trains. Can't even make a joke about Tutus.
So, Railwaygun, in your infinite wisdom, can you please delete the 'GENERAL DISCUSSION' section.
.
Ridiculous!
A bit OTT for a topic that had seemed to run it's course :goggleeyes:
Actually, I'm with @weave (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=735) .
What does it matter what's spoken about in the General Discussion thread?
We've got threads on football, cycling, baseball, formula 1, American football, Olympics, non-modelling DIY, Valentine's Day, disaster preparedness in Japan, best before dates, Amazon Prime, juke boxes, music, motoGP, horse racing, various medical ailments, the list is long and varied.
I'd also like to point out that many, and I do mean many, of these have been started by Mods. So please can we either delete the General Discussion thread and cause serious damage to the Forum moral and community or could we please avoid going back to heavy handed Mod'ing.
What we have works, let's have the light touch.
:thankyousign:
I was disgusted by that thread. I don't want my kids being exposed to golf.
Quote from: Newportnobby on February 24, 2022, 04:27:06 PM
A bit OTT for a topic that had seemed to run it's course :goggleeyes:
Sorry, maybe it had, maybe it hadn't but who is he to decide. It had only been on there for a few days and anyway that's not the point. It was like, that's enough talking, finish your railway homework and go to bed.
Have to agree with Weave, as someone who had read, but wasn't actively engaged in the thread. Yes it was rather random, and a bit of an 'old boys club' thread, but it was quite active, not sure why one person gets to decide it's run its course. Great way to kill a forum to arbitrarily stop threads. We've been here before, and things had been much better.
Just so as you all know where to fire your arrows it was me who suggested locking the thread as I thought it had run its course
With the greatest respect Newportnobby (which I mean.. not trying to be sarcastic), I know you are a mod but who are you to decide when an inoffensive thread in 'General Discussion' has run its course? If there was something there that could upset someone then fair enough I'd understand, or if it had been in one of the specific sub threads, same thing, or even if someone's legitimate question thread had been hijacked. None of these things is true. It was a stupid thread for sure, but it didn't break any forum rules as far as I can tell.
Light touch moderation keeps forums healthy and while there is no point in unlocking the thread necessarily, locking it does set a dangerous precedent for what is a very healthy forum
My two cents worth, consider an arrow (albeit with a soft foam tip) fired
I was led to believe that in the 'General Discussion' section, we could post pretty much anything unless it was about politics, religion or abusive/ offensive material.
Guess I was wrong! :confused1:
Hands up those who were prefects at school.
I was !
Quote from: joe cassidy on February 24, 2022, 08:46:14 PM
Hands up those who were prefects at school.
I was !
And the point your making is?.......
Locking a thread topic that allowed us the chance to legitimately see @Trainfish (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=262) in some of his more exquisite outfits is surely deemed harmful :hmmm: :D
But the fact that certain individuals can post absolute dire :censored: can bombard threads with pointless comments on EVERY topic and in my opinion quite frankly ruin the forum and nothing happens to prevent that certainly suggests total inconsistency
Quote from: exmouthcraig on February 24, 2022, 10:44:31 PM
But the fact that certain individuals can post absolute dire :censored: can bombard threads with pointless comments on EVERY topic and in my opinion quite frankly ruin the forum and nothing happens to prevent that certainly suggests total inconsistency
What like the comments posted on 'Ebay Madness' ?
Quote from: OffshoreAlan
I was under the impression this site was about Choo Choos, not tutus.
Oh dear, my light-hearted pun seems to have been taken as a serious complaint by an overactive Mod who closed the thread after it.
For which I apologise folks :dunce: :sorrysign:
Quote from: Newportnobby on February 24, 2022, 04:27:06 PM
A bit OTT for a topic that had seemed to run it's course :goggleeyes:
Run it's course? I had only just started. I've got LOADS more pictures :P
:laughabovepost: :laughabovepost:
I'm not a Mod and I don't know any of the Mods but I know its a difficult job that they do for free. I didn't see the thread that was closed and have no idea what it was about but so far as I am concerned the Mods on here do a good job and don't deserve criticism. Ok, one or two individuals may not be happy with one action the Mods have taken but I don't think it is fair or right to start a thread attacking the Mods. If folk are really not happy with the way this forum is run then there is nothing stopping anyone starting their own forum.
Keep up the good work Mods.
As someone who has previously moderated other (non-model rail) forums and wouldn't want to do it again...
As a whole the mods do a very good job with a very light tough compared to most other forums; however there is one Mod who appears significantly more interventionist and trigger-happy compared to his colleagues, be it moving, merging or closing threads. (2/3s of grumbles about moderation I've seen do involve that same moderator, including at least one from another Mod!)
I don't know how much the Mods consult each other before acting - it appears they did in this case but I'd suspect not always...
If you do have a complaint about the action of a moderator, I'd suggest that you use the 'report' function and request it is reviewed by the other moderators, rather than posting about it on the open forum.
Some of the qualities that make a good moderator is the a ability to remain impartial, open, and unbiased. Regarding the Topic 'Tutu Day' none of these were applied.
Probably it would therefore be for the best if categories such as 'Computer Help', 'General Discussion sub Jokes' and Ebay were all completely removed. And of course any other topic or thread that doesn't in the slightest way relate to trains as well!
That reminds me time I updated my sailing thread.
I'm beginning to suspect alcohol could be playing part in this. I have to confess I no longer drink when the keyboard is in front of me! :-[
When I first read this thread I thought someone was going OTT and it had been locked for that reason, so I went and had a look.
I had a good chuckle, something I wouldn't have had if this thread hadn't been started.
Had it run it's course? I suspect it still has some laughs in it. So far as I can see, no-one has been offended pre locking so yes, I'm struggling to see why it was locked or indeed, even why it was under consideration.
Unfortunately, if it was now unlocked I worry it could take a darker direction so I'd suggest moving on and ask the mods to consider the wider picture in future.
The problem in the first place was the thread title Tutu Day, now if it had been TUTU TRAIN DAY all would have been fine. :no:
Ok I'm off now, got my coat
for what it is worth, and as one who has been on the naughty step a few times while 'on report' :-[ I must say that I feel the majority of the mods do a great job, I may not always agree with their decisions, but that is up to me.
if you can't do the time, don't do the crime.
however, I do sometimes wonder if some members should really show a little more sense, as in if you get upset easily, then don't read the angry thread.
a bit of self censorship of the threads you read might be an idea, or is it that some people look for these posts specifically to be able to complain, maybe even posting as well to raise the temperature before complaining. :hmmm:
I must admit that there are one or two members who I have learnt never to read their posts, which appear to be on just about every subject, which make even me get :veryangry:
Quote from: Nbodger on February 25, 2022, 09:43:32 AM
The problem in the first place was the thread title Tutu Day, now if it had been TUTU TRAIN DAY all would have been fine. :no:
Ok I'm off now, got my coat
Surely it would have then needed to be moved to the real railway section :D
Not sure if this counts as a real railway tutu
(https://4.imimg.com/data4/YU/DL/MY-18262222/tutu-train-jr--500x500.jpg)
Quote from: Mr Sprue on February 24, 2022, 10:42:35 PM
Quote from: joe cassidy on February 24, 2022, 08:46:14 PM
Hands up those who were prefects at school.
I was !
And the point your making is?.......
That the rôle of the moderators reminds me of the rôle of prefects in school.
Hi all,
I have unlocked the thread and will talk to the team later on as a whole. I can't see why it was locked, so I'll investigate.
I appreciate the positive comments from some members on here. We are human, mistakes happen. I'm happy to listen and act on that.
I love you Tank. Will you have my babies? Or is that just a tiny step too far? :hmmm:
;D I appreciate the offer. I'm afraid that I'm not a qualified babysitter. ;)
the one thing I have never got my head around about being 'on moderation' is why are posts moderated in such a haphazard way.
as an example, I posted on different subjects at
21:39 yesterday - still awaiting moderation / approval
09:50 today - approved
09:59 today - still awaiting moderation / approval.
I would have thought that posts were moderated in order, I assume there is a 'naughty list' that mods can see need to be approved.
it appears that it may be more a case of pot luck as to when your post gets approved, or not.
I can't see any that need approving, so I guess that they were all done? A list comes up with all of those that need approving, and we go through them when we can. When members make more work for us, we're not overly excited in doing that first. ;)
ahh, that explains it, it's part of the punishment :D
Oh yes, about the other part, has the tutu arrived yet?
Quote from: Tank on February 25, 2022, 01:43:49 PM
I can't see any that need approving, so I guess that they were all done? A list comes up with all of those that need approving, and we go through them when we can. When members make more work for us, we're not overly excited in doing that first. ;)
I copied my post to a mod for who I have the utmost respect, and obviously he moderated my posts before you checked.
one was approved, and one not. I can live with that.
we do seem, though, to have developed on this forum a disciplinary procedure where you post, are charged or a complaint made, are tried and sentenced and then get told your sentence.
right to appeal - forget it
right to know why you have been charged - forget that as well.
some seem to be able to post whatever they want, no action taken, others have to obey the rules, without even knowing what they are.
from talking to other members, I get the feeling that I am not the only one feeling this way.
I thoroughly enjoy checking this forum every day, I read some posts with the greatest delight, some which give me info I never had, but some which make me hit the 'back' button because they get right up my nose.
then there is the totally unpolitically correct daily groaner and daily cartoon, which always make me laugh and improve my take on the day.
so, how about people actually using some common sense ... or is that no longer possible.
I don't like the posts in the angry thread -- don't read them then, if you cannot tell the difference between tongue in cheek and reality, then don't bother.
this forum has so much going for it, but I regret to say that I have noticed an increasingly dominant 'political correctness' creeping in.
it's a fun forum, read what you want, and if you find some threads are not to your liking, then don't read them any more.
Quote from: railsquid on February 25, 2022, 02:00:32 PM
Oh yes, about the other part, has the tutu arrived yet?
would that be the tutu, or the T u TU :hmmm:
When have I said that you can't appeal? I've always been open with everyone on the forum that they can message me and talk about how they feel, about improvements, and about anything confidential regarding NGF staff - if that arises. I haven't had any for a long time.
Regarding others being OK to post what they want.....use the report button and state what is wrong with the post in your view. We can't read every single post, or perhaps you have a different take on a post that we haven't seen. If you feel that it's still not right, send me a PM with the post in it.
I'm glad that overall you enjoy the forum. Remember that there are LOTS of different characters here, a handful clash, some get on our nerves. Myself and the moderators have to keep a fine balance of this, but ultimately, we'll never please everyone. This is a community, mainly about model railways, with other topics coming up in between about ourselves. Some things are just best to be kept off of the forum and left in our heads.
Quote from: Tank on February 25, 2022, 03:42:34 PM
Some things are just best to be kept off of the forum and left in our heads.
Like an image of Alan @class37025 (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=311) in a tutu you mean? I agree but I don't want the image in my head either :thumbsup:
not unless you had re-dressed me when I was dead >:D
I just don't have the legs for it :D