Trouble with a Capitol T that Rhymes with L-O-E and is We.

[Loeln]

As most all of you present in the past couple of weeks should remember, around the twenty fifth of December DCS and I had a slight, seventeen page long disagreement on proper forum conduct. Most of you became rather unsettled at the affair, some recommended I be banned, some said STOP ARGUING!, and etc. It was not a fun time.

Well, it all should be over and done now. It was neither worth the trouble waiting for one another to stop posting and go to bed, nor worthy of the time spent not in bed, waiting to see what the other would write. For that, both I and DCS would like to apologize to all of you. Neither of us should've kept you up like that (especially you, FH) or put the forum through that, especially when there's so little of Winter break for everyone to do things in, far more important than staring at a computer screen reading words no one wanted to see.

To alleviate any lingering concerns, we both have some last words to say on the matter. Namely, "I apologize." Two threads on a good comic were turned overnight into a pathetic, flame wrought e-conflict that the very comic the thread was about had been against allowing to happen. Ill-advised statements made and remade, peated and repeated, and generally foolishly continued over the course of entirely too many posts by both sides. We shouldn't have let it happen.

So, Define Cynical, I apologize for allowing that drama.

DCS?

[The MAZZTer]

Wrong forum...? :/ It's nice to see you wanna just let it all drop, but... this has nothing to do with today's filler art. I am disappointed.

[Zaaphod]

Since this is the forum where the trouble was it makes sense for the apology to be here.

Very nice Loeln. I'm glad you posted that.

[Tavis]

It makes sense for it to be accessible here, but it still belongs in The Site. Easily remedied.

[Loeln]

Since this is the forum where the trouble was it makes sense for the apologies to be here.

Very nice Loeln. I'm glad you posted that.

Fixed.

Mind, this is as per a request.

[dcsimpson]

Pretty much that, yeah. I was having a very bad week, for reasons a bit too personal to discuss here, and one forum member, who really was just being harmlessly snarky, managed to push my buttons and I snapped at him, and then that was pretty much over but Loeln started trying to tell me all the reasons I shouldn't have reacted that way...

Here's the thing, Loeln. For future reference, being condescended to like that is really one of my hot buttons even when I'm not having an emotionally unstable week. Please don't do it anymore. But, that said, normally, I would just kind of go "whatever" and that would be the end of it, which is what ought to have happened.

I mean, you folks know me, through my work if not personally. And I hope it's clear to you that that isn't really who I am, or how I am. It was just a rotten week, and then a perfect storm of events that made me snap. And I'm sorry I did.

I'll add to that that some of the things I said, I believe, qualify as acts of verbal violence. I don't believe in violence of any kind, and even if I did this situation clearly did not justify it. So I'm sorry for that, too.

There. Is that over and done?

[Fritz]

Yay!

[Tabris_The_17th]

Very nice to see you both resolve this is such a manner We all make mistakes after all.

[Zaaphod]

I'm glad to see it's been settled.

[Angstwolf]

I'm glad I missed this (though I was here to read the second argument), and I'm glad it's over.

Thanks to both of you for being big enough to apologize.

[Tavis]

Thank you both for your apologies. I for one am glad we are able to settle things on a positive note. In the spirit of goodwill, I welcome anyone else who feels they were unreasonably harsh or offensive in the events surrounding this to speak up here as well. Again, it is strictly voluntary; I am just providing the opportunity.

I for one wish to apologize to everyone here for my actions, and for my inaction. When there was an argument, I failed to respond in a timely manner. When I did respond, all I gave was a weak admonishment on the topic and then I left everyone to fend for themselves simply because I chose to get some sleep. Although I had my reasons, that was irresponsible of me not to take the opportunity to spend a few minutes to do more. I am sorry.

After the dust cleared, I did not act quickly enough to settle things completely before losing some of you, possibly for good. Many civilized people left in disgust under the assumption that nothing would be done. I am sorry.

The fact this was even allowed to happen in the first place is also partially due to lax moderation over the past several months. I had allowed smaller degrees of admonishment to go unchecked, knowing it would not be good for the forum, but left them alone because they went away quietly and unnoticed by most of the forum. I had not been there for you when I observed those very early, very subtle signs of unrest, and I did not voice those concerns to the other members of staff so they could see it too. I am sorry.

I have a place for informing everyone here about the general policy and conduct expected of them. It is and always had been The Landing Strip. Of course, most people would see it as a welcome post, and merely glance at it or smile a little. But in those casual words lies my general policy for this forum-- be civil and respectful of each other, even if you find yourselves in disagreement, and drama will never have a chance to breed. If you cannot do it alone, seek help. We will try to provide it. For reasons beyond my understanding, that message failed to reach you when it was needed most. I am sorry.

I know there is much that can be done to improve this community. Please help me find ways to accomplish this, and I will do what I can.

[Ibun]

Everyone who disagreed with me is a big fat doo-doo head. LET THE FLAMING CONTINUE!

EDIT: TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HUMOR IMPARED THAT IS WHAT WE CALL SARCASM.

[Richard K Niner]

EDIT: TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HUMOR IMPARED THAT IS WHAT WE CALL SARCASM.

How about for thus of us who require tone of voice to identify that?

[Ibun]

Touche Mr. Niner. Touche.

[Dr. Doog]

Ibun taught me that it is not hard at all to detect sarcasm on the internet.