It must be a moderator-thing!!

[jordy_on_bass]

G'day fellow TB'ers,

Just recently I was looking at some of the threads in another forum I frequent. And before anybody jumps up and down, it wasn't another bass forum. I couldn't possibly think of cheating on all of you like that!!
The forum I am referring to is one that is dedicated (or supposed to be...) to gamefishing in Australian waters.
(Anyone who follows the fishing club thread will know I am an AVID gamefisherman, actually obsessive would be a better term).

A thread popped up in regards to a mass produced Aussie lure that looks relatively similar to another mass produced Aussie lure. What the ensued was 400 replies from two sides to a debate that seemed to emerge from no-where. It really got heated with a ridiculus amount of info on the history of the working relationship of the owners of the two disputing companies, with lot's of innuendo, smart*** remarks and threats of legal action for defammation and copyright infringement etc. It was going around and around in circles (as many threads can do from time to time).

Anywho, on with my point...

The moderator had seen enough and decided it was time to close the thread. He was the last person to post in the thread before he closed it and his post had a zingy one liner.

It got me thinking about other times I have seen moderators close threads and how often you see them post with a zingy one liner. Is this some kind of job description when people are assigned the job of being a moderator?
"It doesn't matter who you are, what you do or how smart you are. As long as you have the one-line close, then you have the job."

If that's the case, then sign me up!!

Cheers,
Jordy

[Relic]

pacman and John Turner have had some wonderful last posts before closing.
It's like a freaking art.
There have been times when I just knew a thread was soon to be closed and I waited anxiously just to see what would transpire.

Some favs:
"what on earth ever led all of you to think this was an appropriate thread for TB??"

Or the ever classic, so-simple-yet-elegant:

[Tituscrow]

'No nice play = no play" sticks in my mind. I now use that in school!

[EricF]

Although it may be one of the qualifications, I'm pretty sure it takes a bit more than just being able to toss out zingy one-liners to get the Mod job. If I recall, there was some mention of a rubber glove.

[FilterFunk]

My favorite: Pacman's classic "Yeah - we're done here."

[Relic]

Originally Posted by FilterFunk

My favorite: Pacman's classic "Yeah - we're done here."

lol I forgot about that one

[Howlin' Hanson]

Originally Posted by EricF

Although it may be one of the qualifications, I'm pretty sure it takes a bit more than just being able to toss out zingy one-liners to get the Mod job. If I recall, there was some mention of a rubber glove.

^
Ewwww.

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by EricF

Although it may be one of the qualifications, I'm pretty sure it takes a bit more than just being able to toss out zingy one-liners to get the Mod job. If I recall, there was some mention of a rubber glove.

I thought I heard something about a greased up pumpkin.

lowsound

[GregC]

Originally Posted by Relic

pacman and John Turner have had some wonderful last posts before closing.
It's like a freaking art.
There have been times when I just knew a thread was soon to be closed and I waited anxiously just to see what would transpire.

Ha! I've done this, too.

[jordy_on_bass]

Originally Posted by EricF

Although it may be one of the qualifications, I'm pretty sure it takes a bit more than just being able to toss out zingy one-liners to get the Mod job. If I recall, there was some mention of a rubber glove.

If it involves food preparation, I am still in. Serving up the zest in thread closures.

[hbarcat]

I always like the ones that name a few of the members who have just earned the banhammer for their part in the thread. Just an example to the rest of us.





But my personal favorite is:

"What part of 'NO POLITICS' is so hard to understand?!!"

[bassybill]

My own modest contribution that I use on occasion in Amps is:

"If you'd like to discuss in detail the reasons for why this thread is now closed, please feel free to ask anybody except me via PM."

[Bassist Jay]

I own my own forum based website so I obviously moderate it. There have been only a few times I have had to lock or close a thread due to people not getting along. I'll usually just say something like it's getting to heated or I'll say why I'm closing the thread. Every now and then I'll leave a wise guy remark but not often.

[kserg]

Where is pacman. I miss him...

[john turner]

Originally Posted by jordy_on_bass

It got me thinking about other times I have seen moderators close threads and how often you see them post with a zingy one liner. Is this some kind of job description when people are assigned the job of being a moderator?
"It doesn't matter who you are, what you do or how smart you are. As long as you have the one-line close, then you have the job."

If that's the case, then sign me up!!

Cheers,
Jordy

see, to really understand the motivation for this, you have to understand what a moderator does.

it's not like being a cop. it's not like being "in power",or being in some kind of position of renown.

a moderator's job can be best described as a volunteer forum janitor, the internet equivalent to the guy who cleans up in a large inner-city highschool.

we are the ones who have to plunge the toilets and pour the eraser dust on the barf in the halls.

as a mod, you learn about many of the members, and in the process you see a lot of folks acting the fool - usually provably so. however, you are obligated to follow the rules to an even higher standard than a mere member, and so your hands are severely tied in addressing the rampant asshattery that sometimes afflicts your fellow members.

the zingy-thread closers are one of the few ways we get the ability to express our occasional frustration at this behavior.

[cjmodulus]

'asshatery'. Don't think I've ever seen that used that way before. Sounds like a pretty crappy profession.


Okay, that was bad. Sorry.

[kserg]

Originally Posted by john turner

a moderator's job can be best described as a volunteer forum janitor, the internet equivalent to the guy who cleans up in a large inner-city highschool.

Your highschool must of had some mean mean Janitors... In my high school Janitor was drunk all the time...






<3 ?

[SoComSurfing]

Originally Posted by john turner

see, to really understand the motivation for this, you have to understand what a moderator does.

it's not like being a cop. it's not like being "in power",or being in some kind of position of renown.

a moderator's job can be best described as a volunteer forum janitor, the internet equivalent to the guy who cleans up in a large inner-city highschool.

we are the ones who have to plunge the toilets and pour the eraser dust on the barf in the halls.

as a mod, you learn about many of the members, and in the process you see a lot of folks acting the fool - usually provably so. however, you are obligated to follow the rules to an even higher standard than a mere member, and so your hands are severely tied in addressing the rampant asshattery that sometimes afflicts your fellow members.

the zingy-thread closers are one of the few ways we get the ability to express our occasional frustration at this behavior.

Mods = janitors.... so does that mean all mods are like Matt Damon in "Good Will Hunting" and if so, does that make you the crazy-ass Robin Williams that keep us all working up to our potential? Or maybe that would be Paul?

[Pacman]

I love you guys.

[kserg]

Originally Posted by Pacman

I love you guys.

HEY BUDDY!