BadJoe/JimRob Dispute Ended - Free Republic Train Wreck Derailed

Free Republic | August 26, 2002 | Jim Robinson

[Jim Robinson]

Most of you know that a battle has been raging over the last several weeks between me and BadJoe regarding some of our moderating policies. Looked pretty bad there for awhile. Joe was going to resign from Free Republic and there was even a dust up regarding the monthly donors and how the records would be turned over to a new credit card service.

I am happy to report that today that battle has officially ended and Free Republic may have avoided being fatally damaged in a disastrous train wreck. As it is, the only losses suffered were a few black eyes and a lost ear or two. Fractures and abrasions were suffered, but no major bones broken or organs punctured. Hurt feelings, bruised egos, dampened spirits, damaged bodies are now all on the mend. A satisfactory agreement has been reached between all warring parties as to how we will continue forward in our fight for Freedom.

Summary of today's agreement between BadJoe and JimRob:

1. Jim to reinstate the observer program with between 2-4 members of his choosing. Joe may suggest nominees.

2. Jim to put up a post to this effect, including his boilerplate guideline to the mods.

3. Jim will work with John on writing a subroutine or program that lists the banned comments, banned threads and names of banishees, that Joe will have access to.

4. Joe will process the Sept fundraiser cc's, and work with Jim and whomever is taking over the program to effect a smooth transition. Joe will continue to work on the fundraisers as a volunteer but will not run the program.

We will be working on a moderator policy manual (the boilerplate guidelines) and will post it as soon as completed. For now, I will say that we do not want racist material, anti-Semitism, religion bashing, tin-foil hat material, leftist propaganda (used to smear or bash conservatives), profanity, vulgarity, pornography, excessive flaming, insults or feuds, liberals, leftists, marxists, etc., are generally not welcome as are multiple screen names, disruptors, anti-FReepers or returning bannees.

Said material may be deleted as discovered or reported and posters may be warned, suspended or banned depending on severity.

But the standing moderator policy is to go as easy as possible on the posters. Many flame wars and insults and even some minor violations of other rules may sometimes be ignored. It depends entirely on the situation and the posters involved. Posters with unclean hands might as well avoid using the abuse button. We do not want to wade through hundreds of posts looking for who is at fault. We do not have time for it and do not want to act as nannies anyway. The general rule of thumb for a moderator is to always give the poster the benefit of the doubt. If there is any doubt, then we do not delete and do not ban. I'd rather bend the rules than stifle the debate. And now that we have a smokeybackroom forum, we'll suggest that people take their feuds and flame wars there and unless it gets too nasty the moderators will look the other way.

Believe it or not we do not like deleting or banning. We want to attract as many new people as we possibly can, but we also want to run a clean board. And we want to advance our conservative causes while not assisting the leftists propaganda artists in their dirty work.

I know this does not cover everything, but we'll be posting more as we can.

Also, we are in the process of contracting with one of the major nationwide credit card processing companies. Joe has been processing these for us for the last several years, but the job has gotten to be a huge task and a burden on him. Joe will assist us in making as smooth a transition as possible to the new service.

As always, I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart and we are all very appreciative of your support and understanding. I'm sorry for this recent turmoil and hope it is all behind us and we can get on with our FReeping!

God bless you all and God bless America!

Jim

[ValerieUSA]

Are you the solicitor general now? Is that why you have four stars on your forehead?

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Chadsworth - you've been gone from Texas too long......Cob is nothing like a rattlesnake......... rattlesnakes at least warn you before striking.........Cob just comes at you from the dark........I will, once again, refer to the "big butt" comment.........There I was, just minding my own business,when out of the blue came that comment........... lol

[Lancey Howard]

The forum somehow is moving along without the insights of Buckaroo, Harry Callahan and t-shirt. If I get tossed from here, it'll be because I deserved it.

Buckaroo?
Buckaroo was just odd and baffling.....

[LadyX]

And of course you found the most flattering picture of lady - even found one in red!
LOL

Chadsey is his usual debonair self ~ ~ ~

[Joe Hadenuf]

Good for you Jim! I for one, am glad to hear it.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Sorry man, that was uncalled for.

But they were talking about a train wreck, and it made me think about you.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Flattery will get you know where bait boy...

[Joe Hadenuf]

No where too.....

[BluesDuke]

Now, surely you are not accusing moi of solicitation...







(are you?)



(p.s. it was only two stars, but I'm not a major general, either...)

[Joe Hadenuf]

But as others suggested, even though you can't help yourself from baiting, try and save it for another thread. Force yourself louie.....

[chadsworth]

rattlesnakes at least warn you before striking

That is why I made the comment about the cut-off rattlers - you are exactly - He gives no warning - just strikes.

I know cobbie was actually referring with the word BUTT- meaning Bumb Up Top Twice

. He knew this was a serious thread and was just trying to help out. Him being such helpful fellow and all.

[ValerieUSA]

Are you a mere Duke soliciting stars?

[Syncro]

How could your butt look big?

I remember you telling us in Dallas last summer that you jog 2 hrs every morning...before getting out of bed...LOL...keep that up and you will not have any problems.

[Syncro]

Raiders won too..beat the 49 er's Sat nite....

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Oh Chadsworth.....I am so embarrassed! Here I have been accusing Cob of saying such a mean thing and all he meant was to bump up top twice to keep this thread current!

Thank you for pointing out my error........Cob should thank you, I was ready to kick his @ss............

[Publius6961]

That is such good news.
I have never used the abuse button for being called a name, any name (even by A+) and can't abide those crybabies who run to mommy or the button pacifier because they can dish it out but can't take it.

On the other hand the coordinated twits who come in with pre-rehearsed Muslim propaganda and multiple names ready to yell racism at any suggestion that they might be Arabs or useful idiots...

In any case things should be interesting for the next few weeks.

As for the moderators with the power trips, hope most of them retire.

[ValerieUSA]

You should know about this:

Train Crash at Crush, Texas

Crush, Texas was a town for only a day in the late summer of 1896. Locate about 3 miles south of the town of West it was the site for the biggest publicity stunt of the time. W.G. Crush, general passenger agent of the Missouri/Kansas/Texas (Katy) Railroad, came up with the idea of crashing a couple of trains together to attract public attention to the railroad company. The site was selected and a date was set for September 15, 1896. For months the event was promoted by the railroad company with posters and ads in newspapers along the railroad towns for thousands of miles.

A separate set of tracks were laid along side the railroad. Two trains that were being retired were selected for the event. Test runs were performed to get the speed right. The railroad company was sure it had made appropriate modifications to the engines to prevent any kind of explosion. After all, the attraction was publicized as a safe event.

People swarmed in for the event. Many walked or came by buggy so no accurate number of spectators could ever be determined. Estimates range between 30,000 and 50,000 people attended the attraction. Although there was no charge to attend the crash the railroad sold lots of tickets to bring passengers to the new town named in honor or Mr. Crush. Two-hundred constables were hired to control the crowd and a jail was built to hold the law-breakers.

The trains were freshly painted. One was painted green with red trim and the other red with green trim. Each pulled several cars behind with advertising space. The two engines rolled up to each other for a cheer from the crowd. Each rolled back a distance of one mile. When Mr. Crush gave the signal the engines roared toward each other at full speed, the engineers jumping off to avoid the collision. The locomotives hit with a crash which was followed by a roar as one of the boilers exploded sending debris in all directions. Two people were killed and more were injured from the flying pieces. Others were burned as they rumbled through the wreck for souvenirs.

Mr. Crush was fired from the railroad but was later rehired when the publicity of the stunt in the end turned out to be positive for the railroad.

source:
http://www.west-tx.com/w-hist.html

pictures:
http://www.lsjunction.com/facts/crush.htm

[Syncro]

Chadsey was the one with the "big butt" cracks!!

Now you are disparaging plumbers???

LOL

[nopardons]

No it most certainly was NOT a good suggestion. There are more than enough various groups here, who would ask for " flags " fo their pals, and ask to have them taken from their enemies ... for their own nefarious agendas.

[Jim Robinson]

Heh, heh. In my dreams. Grate seeing you again in Vegas. Can't wait for the next big FReep
Jim