The Mods...

I was just wondering....you know with the elections going on in cetain countries now...do we actually have something similar? I mean...after so many years should we vote for new ones? Can we? Can we have an election campain for example...see who we think should make decisions...who is the right one for us members...the ones who comes on here daily while some mods don't?

Hellon I must say I love that idea of having elections but don't u think the current mods are doing really good job running the site?? for me I think they do

why brought that idea into your mind? (just curious)

Well...some don't come on here daily for a start...when the do it's random right now (didn't used to be this way) anyway....I'm just a radical I guess...no one should every feel comfortable in their position so to speak...

No reason to undermine the current mods, the site is more stable than it has ever been

Maybe the site has less shit stirrers on than it used to or the rules are more in keeping with the members needs. But whatever the case I take my hat off to our current Mods, they are all and I mean all, doing an absolutely brilliant job..

Unless you want to be a mod Hellon ???

Also I mean no disrespect to our former mods, previous times were more trying...

Yeah...It's more stable but...I'm talking lack of presence here? Used to be there was more than one mod signed in and they were participating daily on the main boards...that's just not happening any more..

Anyway...getting back to my question....should the mods have like a 4 year run like most in power and then they are up for re-election?

So why must every mod be on here everyday what's not getting done that should be ?

Why must the mods contribute to every thread everyday

The site is running as smooth as it ever has

Why change for the sake of change? What's the point of that

Do you want to be a mod?

And in answer no I don't think they should be up for re election unless they are not doing their job, and that happens internally, there have never been elections for mods and I don't think we should start now it would be a disaster....

The people with the best friends would be elected not the best people for the job

And if that happened I for one would leave... End of F:@$in story

Thanks for the vote of confidence guys. Course at my age nature has its own method of term limitation.

People get stagnent Nicko...we all do....doesn't do anyone any harm to get a bullet up the arse from time to time.....bet if there was any real elections going on this site would be jumping with the mods'contributions!

Ha, I'm with Larry on this one. Outside of Sherry, it would be at least anther two years until any other mods were "up for reelection." Although the idea of suddenly and completely handing the keys over to another group does seems amusing to me... : D

I appreciate the confidence of most people in this thread... it's nice to hear. But be sure to not make others feel bad for raising concerns. I think there's a large continuum between "so bad they need to be switched right now" and "the mods do everything right, no need to talk about it." I'm sure we're somewhere in the middle (hopefully more towards the latter than the former?), and as long as criticism is specific and constructive, I don't think any of us are going to get our hackles raised.

For my part, I haven't been here as much as I would have liked for the past couple of months. For those who don't know, I started grad school in August, and it's still kicking my butt a little bit. Actually, I should be reviewing websites in preparation for class right now, not checking pnq!

I do stop in most every day to check my club and check the forums to make sure things aren't going crazy. But I'll probably be less involved until things settle down. If a large contingent of members or mods thought I wasn't pulling my weight, I'd definitely step down and let someone more active take over.

You know I'm very disappointed you started this thread as all it will do is cause controversy...

It's bloody hard to get mods as good as the ones we currently have. If things were going wrong and bad decisions being made maybe but there aren't. The current system is transparent. And you obviously haven't read a word I wrote...

I've asked twice if you want to be a mod, obviously you do...

Nah, I think Hellon sees herself more as a gadfly on the rump of PnQ.

Yeah Nicko but thats her opinion and she must speak it nothing to be disappointed about I say
I see they have been doing really well and since I am not a member for so long Idk how it was before but now it is running really well

No I take it as shit stirring for the sake of it...

[ post answer ]
You know I'm very disappointed you started this thread as all it will do is cause controversy...

^^^

Well maybe I can also be dissapointed in you also...I was stating concerns about the lack of activity with the mods....ok...with the election thing perhaps I was stirring the spoon but...IMO some of them have become...well comfortable in their position and..I asked the question...should they be? is it time for new mods and...can we actually vote....how did these mods that we have get there for example....isn't that just a question?

While I was typing my reply to Nicko I see some answers have come in....what can I say...I could smart mouth you back I guess but...not tonight...other things on my mind guys...

Hellon is not you who is radical here.
being disappointed of the suggestion of democracy is disappointing itself.
I agree the mods are doing really fine. but if you get disappointed of suggestion of democracy, democracy is dead in you.
what you saying Nicko is, a good king is better than democracy, and that means you do not understand and believe in, the democracy!

*

Ddavidd is that you... Lol

This site is not about democracy never has been.. It says you've been here about 9 months, so if that's the case you have missed all the controversy over the last 5 years. Trust me the site has never run as smooth as it does now

And how are you going to run elections with about 30 -40 active members that visit this forum and a out 10,000 that are not active here....

If that's what you want go for it, bring it on

I think elections for mods is a bad idea. Maybe a vote to say who they would like to be considered, but the popular vote, the most active person, isn't always a good choice for a mod.

The boards are pretty slow as is, were going into the time where school picks back up, and that'll change in a few weeks I'm sure. We don't have any issues the mods CAN handle.. that's a Janis thing.. so its not like we need them ASAP and no one is around to edit/warn/penalize etc.

Less is more sometimes :)

Come on peeps, lets not jump on hellon for asking a question, even if it might be a bit loaded.

I reckon the current Mod team are the best we've ever had and I see no reason to change them up, nor do i really see a need for more mods.

The website is pretty quiet and we don't really have any big drama's like we used too. I also don't think Mods are responsible for keeping the website active, in fact no one is except maybe Janis.

So yeah, elections would be fun I suppose but there just isn't a need, except perhaps to get a new member involved so they can see behind the curtain.

:)

My objection was not to the moderation, it is to the radicalism in which dismisses the ideas that the very you yourself used to be an advocate of. Now that the situation has changed to your advantage, you circle around those name who have different ideas, like in the movie " viva Zapata"
if you think the mods are fine in this site, you have your right to dismiss Hellon's ideas according to the very democracy that you dismiss, but at least let others to have their say without burning with your outrages.
And what difference dose it make who I am if what I say is right?? It is not about the singer, it is about the song my good old friend!!

My question was not meant to be loaded Kevin..it was meant just as a straight forward question.. How did these mods get there and...if we want rid of them..how do we go about it...is that plain enough and no longer loaded?

Well yes old friend which disguise is this...? There's much more to this than meets the eye as we both well know. It has nothing to do with democracy as you also well know, so to sing that song is out of key

But sleep awaits... Another day

"Get rid of them" now that's a nice turn of phrase...

"as you also well know"
believe me I don't know. I am not in the politic of this site and also am not a member of any club. I just talk for the sake of sheer meaning. I did not want to get in the middle of something that I know nothing about. . Being off key is right if you prove it otherwise is just talk.

also : The inability to call old friends good is for we do not see, or find goodness in them no matter how hard we dig inside, for we have lost it somewhere along the road, because a friend, merely, is a mirror (in our own belly) !!

Nicko..if this last part was aimed at me...

Get rid of them" now that's a nice turn of phrase...

Come on...everyone is talking about how to get rid of Julia....I was just generalising here....thought you'd understand the craic???

Julia is the worst PM in Australia's history, so excuse me for not picking up on your Craic

Unless you are intimating......????

I think if there is a mod that the general consensus is unhappy with, it should be voiced and the mods can take it into consideration, especially if its due to issues in maintaining fairness, being objective and/or failing to report big issues. The last one to me is the big issue, but I have no knowledge if that has happened.

I agree with Britt. If there are actions (or lack of actions) by a specific mod that are concerning, it would be more helpful to be as open and clear as you can. Which mod/s, and in which way? If anyone ever has concerns, there are a few ways of going about it:

1. Send a PM to the mod account.
2. Send a PM to whoever you think is the least threatening mod. ;)
3. Send a PM to the mod in question.
4. Ask someone else to voice the opinion on your behalf, if you don't want to be the one to bring it up. (Not to put this responsibility on Britt, but she's done this a ton in the past, and we really appreciate it, because we can get unadulterated opinions. Of course, we'd rather just have the concerned parties contact us directly.)
5. I can't speak for the other mods, but I (and I think others) would be fine with clearly directing things to us in a thread like this. I wouldn't want people doing that to other members, but we mods open ourselves up for public critique when we accept the responsibilities of the position. (If other mods disagree, I'll amend this.)

All said, something like "Sibyllene has only been here 4 out of the last 6 days," or "I don't like how Sibyllene handled this situation because..." is MUCH more helpful than "some people don't like how some mods are doing some things." There's really not much we can do with that. Specificity is good, and we're open to suggestions.

As far as how we got here: It was a position created by Janis... what... maybe 7 years ago, or thereabouts? He picked some active people, and let them at it. Since them, people have cycled in and out. I know we've covered this several times before in the forums, but there is a lot that goes into picking a new mod. First we consider whether and why we need one. Then we look for people who are active, and (perhaps most importantly) who have proven their commitment to the site through years of active membership, or quality activity. We want someone who will be in it for the long haul. We also look for people who seem fair-minded and open to discussion. We want a well-rounded team - people who won't all approach every situation the same way. Ideally, we want a range of ages, genders, and locations, but those things are secondary. We try to get people from different clubs. We look for people who deal with others politely in discussion. Ultimately, though, we need someone who we feel we could work well with as a team. Disagreement is fine and healthy, but if we're constantly warring with each other in the mod room, it leaks over into the rest of the site. I'm happy to say that I think our current team has dealt with every internal disagreement with thoughtfulness and maturity, to a point where I don't think any of us feel afraid to voice controversial opinions.

We also keep a running list of people who might make good mods, or who volunteer themselves. If we think we need another mod, we use that list as a tool. Once there is consensus about a person, we approach them privately, give them some information, and see if they would be interested. I was approached out of the blue, and had to think about it for a week or two before I accepted. Then there is a sort of training period (we have certain threads of good information that we've constructed for new mods to read). Newbies usually start out small, until they learn the ropes. New mods also aren't given full "supermod" powers right away (like banning people). I think we all have them now, though.

That's all I can think of for the moment! I know Jane wrote a good list of mod qualities in an earlier thread - maybe someone can find it. I wish the search function of this site was better.

I guess Hellon just wants more participation on here, more movement, more fun. But that is not going to happen by changing the mods.

I myself really like to be a mod, just to discover everything there in the Mods Room. Dammit, every time I click on that button, I get kicked.
However, I know I'm such a controversial, short-tempered, young, too young blondie, and I will probably ruin this site with my crap if I become a mod. And for that, I don't nag or complain about being a mod.

So yup, if you were elected to be a mod, I wouldn't vote for you in any way, Hellon. You are active, that's true, too active, actually and maybe that's why you stir drama most of the time. You can't handle criticism, difficult situations or even a disagreement. Just can't see you a mod.

Speaking honestly as sibs asked, I guess Sher isn't qualified to stay a mod. She hasn't logged in since... I can't tell. And never participates here. I love the woman and her poetry but truth be told, she's not qualified.
But the rest are just amazing, can't tell how much I appreciate their effort and presence.

Technically, Sher has logged on today, but I know she has had a lot of stuff happening in her life lately. She was upfront with us about her inability to be around for a while. So far, we feel like we have had enough people to get by until things change, and it made more sense for her to be on a loose hiatus than to demote her, only to bring her back in a bit. She does check in when she can, and gives her opinion on modly decisions. She's also our resident expert on dealing with outside-the-site agencies, when we've had to reach out to them occasionally in the past. Plus she's the mod who has been around the longest, and as such has a good store of "mod history" that really comes in handy.

(I haven't heard from other mods on this thread, so I don't know if I should have volunteered ALL of us for public examination... welp. We shall see.)

I'm a little quieter than usual at the moment. The mods know it's exam time for me so I've had to spend less time on the site and focus on university. I know I may not always make an appearance on the main boards; I rarely did even when I wasn't a mod. It's not that I'm not reading or enjoying what you all have to say, I just stand by if you don't have anything interesting to say then why say anything. When it comes down to the crunch I'd like to think I'm here and answering questions/dealing with things the best I can. Sometimes with time difference the other mods get to things on the big boards before I get around to it, if the issue has already been covered I try not to repeat the same things discussed before me. That being said, after November 15th I will be done with University until February so you'll see me around a lot more.

As for the public examination I have no issue with it. If anyone has opinions on how I am doing anything and would like to see me make changes, please feel free to voice your concerns/opinions here. We like hearing what you all have to say and your critique can only make us better at the job we were given.

Thanks to all those who have confidence in the team we have at the moment!

Sherry will be here as she is able. The contributions she makes more than make up for her need to focus elsewhere for awhile.

Well, if we're just after some more activity, I think it would be great fun to have a mock election for Mods. I would like to see new threads opening up everywhere from self-nominated candidates, detailing new PnQ policies and bills and claims and lies. Door to door, PM to PM campaigning. Review threads from other members. Polls. Losing speeches. First dances. The works.

^^^^

At last!!! Someone can see the humour and yes, a little bit of devilment in my original post. Just trying to keep the mainboards active anyway I can :)

Nicko....I did read your posts but the idea of me even thinking about being a mod myself was just so funny I assumed you were joking.

Poetess....I have been nominated for mod position before and have made it clear on several ocassions that I would never consider myself for modship. I have much more freedom on here as a member so....your vote would be wasted on me anyway.

Omg. I'm so damn sick of the election going on that if pnq had an election I would delete my account.

Okay I'm being dramatic. Lol

I'm for it as well. Actually, I'm for whatever majority wants... as usual. Same tune, do do do.

I guess I've been quiet lately. I check in regularly, just not up to posting much these days. Sorry guys. If you don't want me as a mod anymore or have any complaints, I'm open to your thoughts. No hard feelings.

I think it would be a fun thing to do....but strictly for fun!!! There is no where in any of my posts that I said I'm unhappy with any of you guys. You were just all sooooo quite I thought I give your asses a kick to waken you up....think it may have worked too haha!!!!

Oh, Hellon. :p

Well Britt....it almost turned around and bit me in the ass but....I was willing to take the risk....no harm done :)