As I'm usually Uncle Heavy, and seem to attract my fair share of complaints about how I operate, I'll just make it clear here: I publically post as a moderator in a thread to indicate that the thread is in my opinion salvageable, but that more than one poster has either come dangerously close to the line or crossed it entirely. It's up to the people in the thread to get it back on track. In general, I try to indicate where and how it's gone off the rails so that people can adjust their behavior accordingly.

When I publically chastise or ban someone, it's an easy way to say "that behavior? Don't be like that." so that everyone can see where the line is and have an object example of what crosses it.

Finally, though, as users of the board, you're just going to have to accept that you won't see the whole story. Very often, what you see is the culmination of a series of actions, starting with gentle correction and ramping up through more aggressive warnings, temp bannings, and finally the Hammer of God. Ask any of the new moderators what it was like having their eyes opened to the behind-the-scenes action that comes with being a moderator, and they can tell you: it's night-and-day. No banning happens in a vacuum, and there's always a back story. Very often, revealing that backstory would be completely counterproductive. In other words, you see a small part of the situation, and that's by choice on the moderators' parts.

That is not going to change.

I think I have about as good a perspective on the moderation here as anyone but Iago, because I was the first assistant moderator drafted back when McAnally's was a mailing list. Moderation here has never and will never be random, whimsical, or prompted by personal grudges on the parts of the moderators. We simply do not operate that way, and any perception of personal bias is, in my considered opinion, a phantom of the imagination.

Some folks might not agree with that. I admit I sounded snarky with what I got slapped for, but I didn't know how to state it better.

If you know ahead of time that what you're going to communicate is "snarky" or will irritate the board moderators, you should consider rewriting it or not writing it at all.

The boards are by definition public discussion fora.

If you want to have private, user-to-user conversations, use private messaging.

Otherwise, anything that you write is available for anyone on the boards to read, and to respond to.

Are the dates firm and complete? It doesn't look like they're sending him to Northern California, which, alas, means no Jim for me. LA and San Diego are a bit far to drive with a 2-year-old.

Hell, down the street is a bit far to drive with a 2-year-old.

Here's how I view it:

In a discussion, the intent isn't to persuade: it's to collaboratively build. The basic assumption is that everyone's viewpoint is basically valid and interesting and deserves expansion.

In a debate, the intent is to persuade the audience, through rhetoric, argumentation, or what-have-you, to a specific point of view. Usually, multiple points of view are presented by different authors, all of whom are trying either to prove their own point, disprove the other points, or both.

Maybe examples are better.

Discussion:

bobtheskull: I think X.
lightsabre: I think Y.
bobtheskull: That's interesting: that completely changes the nature of Q, though!
lightsabre: Hnh, you're right. But if Q is that way, then that means that X and Y are both really close together.
someone else: I have this theory about N: how does that fit into X, Y and Q?
bobtheskull: Weeeeeell, Y supports it, but not X, unless you also take Q into account.
lightsabre: Hold on, X also supports it even without Q, because check out this neat thing!
bobtheskull: Holy cow, I never even saw that. Did you know about R?
someone else: Wait, Q and R have to do with X? HOLY CRAP, JIM'S A GENIUS.
bobtheskull: Amen.
lightsabre: Amen.
everyone else: Amen. Hummus?
bobtheskull: Dude, awesome hummus.
lightsabre: TOTALLY awesome hummus.
someone else: Wow, what's hummus?
bobtheskull: Chickpeas.
lightsabre: Chickpeas AND olive oil.
someone else: Chickpeas, olive oil, and Angelina Jolie.
everyone else: *drool*

Debate:

bobtheskull: I think X.
lightsabre: I think Y.
bobtheskull: X is clearly right, because of A, B, C and N.
lightsabre: Y is clearly right, because of Q, R, S and T. Besides which, X is invalid on its face: C isn't canon!
bobtheskull: Anyone who's read the books knows that C is canon. X is totally valid, because of A, B and N in addition to C. Furthermore, Y is wrong because of...
someone else: I totally disagree with both of you. P is the only right answer: X is invalid because of C, Y is invalid because of S, and P incorporates the best parts of A, B, N, Q, R /and/ T!
bobtheskull: Okay, point, but, dude, B.
lightsabre: Forget B, check out Q! I still believe fervently that Y is the way to go.
bobtheskull: I disagree, but I see your point.
someone else: I disagree with bobtheskull, and kind of agree with lightsabre, but I still think my P is the best idea.
someone else: Heh, P. Geddit? Pee? HAHA. Er. Anyway, she has a point. All in favor of P?
someone else: I like P, too. I can't believe I wrote that.
someone else: No way, bob's totally sold me on X.
someone else: Eenh, I'm with lightsabre on Y.
someone else: Man, I'm hungry. I could totally go for some hummus.
bobtheskull: I'm in favor of hummus. Well argued, lightsabre.
lightsabre: I third hummus. Back at you, bob.
someone else: Awesome, hummus! Come on, GROUP HUG!
everyone else: *hug* *hummus*

Just Plain Dumb:

bobtheskull: I think X.
lightsabre: I think Y.
bobtheskull: You're an idiot.
lightsabre: Am not. YOU'RE an idiot.
bobtheskull: You're /always/ an idiot! Look at (unrelated thread)! You always do X!
lightsabre: I am not. I NEVER do X! Except that one time, but that was because YOU did X, I was just defending myself!
bobtheskull:OH YEAH, WELL I CAN TALK LOUDER.
lightsabre: YEAH, WELL, I CAN BE MORE VICTIMIZED.
someone else: You know, maybe this argument isn't a good idea.
bobtheskull: SHUT UP I'M REAMING THE IDIOT.
lightsabre: YEAH WELL I'M REAMING UR MOM.
someone else: JESUS, SHUT UP.
bobtheskull: NO, YOU SHUT UP.
lightsabre: NO, YOU.
everyone else: (stabbing selves in eye with fork)
iago, mickeyfinn, ashton: *BANHAMMER*

I've just deleted two comments, terroja's initial troll and the response to it.

Two things:

1. Keep it civil, or find a new home.

2. Don't feed the trolls. Just report them to us.

Ashton

...but Ashton and Fred... Real? Or Memorex?

Yes.