Posted by 10derHeart on March 15, 2008, at 21:31:19
In reply to Re: Sorry..busy..but.... » Kath, posted by rskontos on March 15, 2008, at 14:55:31
I'm not entirely sure exactly what 'colorful language' thread you mean (there are a few these days) but - since March 3rd anyway - it has not been Dr. Bob leaving things on the boards, deleting posts, or doing anything else on the boards that I am aware of, other than this one post :
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20080204/msgs/816450.html
As best I can tell, Dr. Bob has not read this, or any other board yet, or if he's begun, he hasn't finished. I can't know that 100% for sure or swear to it in a court of law. But I can rely on his past habits, and the knowledge of the other deputies who have worked with him longer. When he returns from an absence, he may have several areas relating to Babble to go over. He may have emails from posters and deputies. He may have Notifications - both acted on and not - to go over. And then he has the boards to go over - particularly Admin, and clearly far more threads/posts when something has *happened,* like this time. There may be even more Babble-related tasks I wouldn't know anything about he has to attend to - I'm not sure. I can only speak of what I know. What I have seen, is that once he's done going over the board, he will post/respond to posts. I suppose he could change that habit, but I don't have any reason to think so.
I think, honestly, we've all been caught up in a coincidence of awful timing where Dr. Bob's personal....professional...other....all of the above ? (and I *don't* have a clue) obligations that take him completely away from Babble, exactly coincided this time with the day Dinah happened to post what she posted. It's been 12 days now, and that *is* a long time. But the last time, if my memory serves, was 17 days, give or take. And that's only since I've been a deputy (about 15 months), and only what I recall. I'm not saying that to imply that's good, bad or anything in between, only to remind (probably myself as much as anyone) that this has happened before and, based on that fact, will happen again.
In his absence, the deputies are administering the site, without any current input from Dr. Bob, as we do any time he is away. In fact, to be even more specific, I have been the person taking or not taking action on the threads/posts you are likely speaking about. No, I haven't taken over PB by force - lol - it's just that Dinah wasn't a deputy for about a week, and more recently, both Racer and Dinah needed to stay mostly focused on IRL things with limited time for Babble. And just so happens (and I feel thankful for it) I *have* had the more time to be here. That isn't unusual, has happened before, and will happen again. We try to pick up the slack for one another and it seems to work fairly well. Picking it up for Dr. Bob is far harder, as you all well know :-( I guess we do what we can to control what's within our control.
If any threads contain language that I see as uncivil *only* toward Dr. Bob, I have left them for him to deal with. He applies a different, normally more relaxed standard, to potentially uncivil posts directed at him, because - from what I remember him saying - he wants posters to have the opportunity to vent about his administration of Babble. (Guess he has his wish now, for sure) But sometimes, I suppose a post crosses a line for him, and he will PBC/block posters for uncivil posts to him. The deputies rarely get involved with these sorts of posts as we can't determine which ones cross his personal boundaries of incivility, and which don't.
But, if you are seeing posts you feel are uncivil toward *other posters* (not Dr. Bob) please report them using the Notification button. Remember, though, posts are *not* removed from the boards due to "colorful" language. Dr. Bob rarely - if ever - removes *any* posts from the board, as many of you know who strongly disagree with this policy. Last thing - any posts you've seen disappear are only from blocked posters that a deputy *knows* are blocked posters.
I haven't written this to defend Dr. Bob and certainly not to criticize posters for their feelings or opinions on his absence and what it means. No way do I wish to do either of those things. Dr. Bob can return and explain, respond and defend himself as he wishes. I just prefer to take the "blame" if you like, for administrative decisions *I* have been making as a deputy while Dr. Bob has been gone.
It's just my hope that stating what facts I know I know, or can reasonably figure out are correct, might help. Or maybe not. Maybe I just like to bloviate and be annoying. If so, I'll bet I've achieved that goal.
-- 10der
poster:10derHeart
thread:817395
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20080313/msgs/818188.html