Ask the Adminstrators

[Ballygrl]

Some threads from that ignored forum:

It appears that people do not feel safe to freely express themselves in the GLBT....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=437x2053

Smarmie Doofus  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-16-11 10:56 PM
Original message
It appears that people do not feel safe to freely express themselves in the GLBT....

<snipped>

Indeed, the most recent thread on this topic ( i.e. perceived bias against GLBTs on the part of mods and/or admins), ..... inspired , it seems likely, by your suggestion above........ featured a deletion and a tombstoning.

How do we have the open dialogue you've repeatedly prescribed in the absence of a "safe space" in which to have it ?

I can assure you there is "interest".

Skinner  ADMIN Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Thu Feb-17-11 10:03 AM
Response to Original message
1. If you are referring to the "DSC! DSC! DSC!" thread, nobody was tombstoned.
   
Some posts were deleted, but nobody was banned from that thread. The DU rules cover the entire site. No forum or group is exempt. Which is why those posts were deleted.

To be clear, I have not proposed an "open" dialogue, if an open dialogue consists of: People calling me or the moderators bigots, and then me having to explain that I'm not. I made clear in the other thread that I am done trying to convince people of my good faith. I have a record. A fair reading of that record -- which considers my full record -- makes clear that I am no bigot.

What I have proposed is a "good-faith" dialogue. Where everyone acts in good faith, and starts from the assumption that everyone else is acting in good faith, and wants what's best for this community and its members.

The back and forth is at the link.

CalPeg, am I going to get banned?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=437x2071

CaliforniaPeggy  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Thu Feb-17-11 08:13 PM
Original message
Is my thread on Bernie Sanders going to get me banned?
   
This outcome was suggested to me by a former DUer on another website, and I have to admit that I am at least a little concerned.

Do you see it as advocating for a third party? I hadn't meant it that way.

I have a lot of PM's that I'd like to save, and if you ban me, I won't have that opportunity.

Please advise me!

Thanks.

EarlG  ADMIN Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Tue Feb-22-11 03:13 PM
Response to Original message
1. It's always been my experience that
   
former DUers on other websites aren't usually the most reliable authority on the DU rules. I wouldn't worry if I were you.

CaliforniaPeggy  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Tue Feb-22-11 06:58 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Yes, that's what I've heard too...
   
In fact, the thread in question has already been archived.

I am no longer officially worried.

And thank you.

Can we remove the donor status necessary to post in the Bereavement Support Group?

BTW, that's totally being mean to not open that forum when people are in need.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=437x2089

auntAgonist  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Sat Feb-19-11 03:46 PM
Original message
A question about groups and donor status.
   
I would like to know if there is any chance that you would consider removing the conditon that someone be a donating member to post in the Bereavement Group.

We have a couple of members who are in real need of the support they get in the group, who have lost their donor stars. I would donate on their behalf but unfortunately I am not able to do that at this time.

thanks.

aA
kesha

EarlG  ADMIN Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Tue Feb-22-11 03:17 PM
Response to Original message
1. We don't have any plans to change the way the DU Groups work just yet
   
but there is a good chance that all the Groups will become non-exclusive when we move into DU3 (that is to say, donors and non-donors alike will have access to all the Groups). I know that doesn't help your current problem, though. Sorry about that.

Look at me Look at me now what do I win?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=437x2043

Suich  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-16-11 02:14 AM
Original message
Was I the first DU'er to donate when the current fund drive started
   
on 2-13-11?

TIA!

EarlG  ADMIN Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Thu Feb-17-11 11:18 AM
Response to Original message
1. We checked and the answer is...
   
yes! You beat the next person by two minutes.

Thanks for donating!

Please pizza me!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=437x1905

Richard Steele  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Fri Feb-04-11 07:25 PM
Original message
TOMBSTONE me. No harm, no foul, just please do it. right now.
   
Not kidding. Asking politely.

If my password still works tomorrow,
I won't ASK to be tombstoned, and
there won't be anything POLITE about
the things that you tombstone me for.

Let's be ADULTS about this, shall we?
Just close my DU account without comment.

Skinner  ADMIN Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Tue Feb-08-11 11:52 AM
Response to Original message
1. (nt)

Wait, Mexican Food is now considered politically correct?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=437x1957

Codeine  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-09-11 09:39 PM
Original message
Wait. We can't put down Mexican food now?
   
This post http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph... was pulled, and I honestly cannot see where I violated any rules, and I'm not being deliberately obtuse or anything like that. Plenty of other posts were as disparaging regarding the suit as mine, the only difference was that I agreed with the Top Gear fellows that Mexican food is nasty. That's an attack?

Skinner  ADMIN Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Thu Feb-10-11 10:56 AM
Response to Original message
1. You are certainly welcome to share your opinion of Mexican food.
   
But I think everyone needs to understand that whenever we are having discussions related to ethnicity or race or other highly-sensitive issues of personal identity, we should make an extra effort to be sensitive to other DU members. I think if you had simply shared your opinion that you dislike Mexican food that would have been fine. But the overall tone of the post (including the fact that you repeated the exact phrase about Mexican food from the Top Gear program) was not as sensitive as it could have been.

Some people felt that your post was unnecessarily provocative. To be clear, I do not think your post was bigoted or anything like that. But this is the type of thing that can quickly derail a discussion, and I think the moderators were justified in removing it in the interests of keeping the discussion on-track.

Codeine  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Thu Feb-10-11 01:26 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Fair enough.
   
Sorry about bitching. :hi:

Why are we in the dungeon?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=437x1661

HuckleB  (1000+ posts) Thu Jan-13-11 09:09 PM
Original message
A concern...
   
I am in a serious mood, and I'm starting to wonder why DU pushes truthers and moon landing hoaxers to the dungeon, but allows anti-vaxxers and homeopaths to push their conspiracy fictions. The evidence base to support the beliefs of all four of these groups is the same: non-existent. The last two make discussion of matters of science and health almost impossible at DU, as they push the same misinformation over and over again, no matter how many times it has been shown to be false. To me, there should be some consistency in policies against conspiracy theories and faith healing. I know that I have no power or place to make such decisions, but ... I really feel that a very small percentage of DUers is causing havoc with their conspiracies, and something should be done, IMO.

Skinner  ADMIN Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Mon Jan-17-11 12:40 PM
Response to Original message
1. For the most part, the vaccine wars seem to be safely tucked away in the Health forum.
   
I'm fine with that.

HuckleB  (1000+ posts) Fri Jan-28-11 09:07 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. I read your further response to trotsky, and I appreciate it.
   
At the same time, things have only gotten worse at the health forum. Not only are those opposed to vaccines spreading conspiracy theories there, they are spamming the forum with daily repeats of the same stuff they posted the day before. I don't how to describe it as anything but spam, at this point. The health forum has no other purpose, at the moment, it seems.

HuckleB  (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-02-11 01:19 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. As time goes by, it's clear that the constant spam of anti-vaccine routines on the health forum...
   
Edited on Wed Feb-02-11 01:43 PM by HuckleB
... has made it impossible to develop discussions on any other topics. Other topics used to get responses, but they no longer do. It seems like everyone who was interested in health has left, with the exception of the anti-vaccine folks, those trying to keep vaccine reality on the board, and the alt-med crew.

Further, it seems like there should be some way to keep the board from being spammed by the same individual on the same topic with posts that dishonestly portray the studies and conclusions that the poster wants to push. This seems like an extreme abuse of the forum.

We have more activity recently because we're friendlier nowadays

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=437x1880

Paper Roses  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Tue Feb-01-11 04:49 PM
Original message
Have you noticed an uptick in membership since the TYT interview?
   
There seems to be a fair number of low post counts lately. I hope this is a good thing. All new members can add to our discussions.

BTW, Where is our 'Household' Hints group? Many of us want to know.

Skinner  ADMIN Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-02-11 09:52 AM
Response to Original message
1. I do think that DU has been more active recently.
   
I'm not sure it's because of the TYT interview. I think it might be because DU seems to be a somewhat friendlier place these days.

Here is the Household Hints and Help Group:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[DixieBelle]

My dear CalPeg - they would never tombstone you even though you're old enough to remember the stone on Jesus' tomb.

[Ballygrl]

She was totally looking for attention.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Ballygrl, it is a sad fact that Ask the Admins is an overlooked forum.  Back in the day, it wasn't.  It was a prime source of entertainment.  I used to read it as much as the General Discussion forum, until $kimmer closed it down.  It is only now a shell of its former self since it is so heavily moderated.

[Karin]

They actually require you to donate dollars in order to post at the Bereavement forum?  This is unbelievably callous and greedy.  I note the officious response, such as you might get from a government bureaucrat.  "No plans to change.  Thank you for your letter." 

And you can't even say you dislike the food from a certain ethnicity?  It's insensitive and could be construed as bigotry.  Oh I have the vapors. 

I'm so glad we can swim in the free, invigorating waters of the Cave. 

[FreeBorn]

Wow. That whole mud puddle was hard to read. It gave me an ice cream headache and likely sapped my I.Q. a good thirty points. Ouch.

[Ballygrl]

Ballygrl, it is a sad fact that Ask the Admins is an overlooked forum.  Back in the day, it wasn't.  It was a prime source of entertainment.  I used to read it as much as the General Discussion forum, until $kimmer closed it down.  It is only now a shell of its former self since it is so heavily moderated.

I was shocked at the number of Look at me Look at me I donated threads in there, I just posted 1 but I think there were like 5 there.

[Ballygrl]

They actually require you to donate dollars in order to post at the Bereavement forum?  This is unbelievably callous and greedy.  I note the officious response, such as you might get from a government bureaucrat.  "No plans to change.  Thank you for your letter." 

And you can't even say you dislike the food from a certain ethnicity?  It's insensitive and could be construed as bigotry.  Oh I have the vapors. 

I'm so glad we can swim in the free, invigorating waters of the Cave. 

I was furious that you have to donate to join the Bereavement Forum, they have no compassion to do that at all.

As for the food, you have to be sensitive in how you say you dislike certain ethnic foods so as not to offend.

[AllosaursRus]

Holy smokes! What a "look at me, or I've been discriminated against" bunch of whiners!

Anyone bring up the First Amendment in that Cluster ****? It's amazing to me they portray themselves as free speech advocates, yet destroy it every time they get a chance!

Ya know Skins, if ya allowed a difference of opinion, ya might just get rich! Can ya imagine the debate with your followers of socialist bull shit? Mayhem would ensue, and all would donate to your next cruise!