To Moderators and Administrators

[Janet H]

Just for laughs, try doing a few Google searches on something out of the ordinary - like 'cast iron dutch ovens' - to see what happens.

Um.. now why is that out of the ordinary?

 

[REWahoo]

Um.. now why is that out of the ordinary?

Are you trying to tell us you're Dutch?

 

[MichaelB]

Are you trying to tell us you're Dutch?

Either that or she's cast iron.

 

[target2019]

Ad blocker will do the trick.

 

[Nords]

This morning I saw on this website a sponsor link saying "Senator Rand Paul : sign the petition Obama fears".
We are reminded by moderators not to write anything political in our posts, but sponsor links apparently are. Please can you explain why ?
Thank you,
Ob

While you're tilting at that windmill, as a dozen other posters have suggested: you really need to install an ad blocker.

I think issues with Mods & Admins are better raised via PM or Report...

Once a moderator stamps out all the issues of spam, porn, & trolls (not necessarily in that order), things get pretty quiet. At some point it can get so quiet that the mod staff is tempted to overreact to what would normally be lost in the grass among the spam, porn, & trolls.

I favor open & transparent moderation just so that the board's posters can help keep a sense of perspective. For example, public moderation and even public banning sends a very clear signal to those who keep dancing across the border of appropriate behavior.

Besides, if the mods are proud of what they're doing then they don't mind who sees it.

 

[obgyn65]

Thank you, Bestwifeever. Interesting, I did not know there were "owners" of this site. Who are they ?

Perhaps the owners of the site will respond to your comment, Obgyn. Hard to believe, I know, but the mods and admins are powerless before Google. (Right now I'm seeing ads only for "financial advisors.")

 

[obgyn65]

Very good questions, donheff. I hope we get answers. Again, I do not want to start a problem but I would like to understand a bit more about this website which I have enjoyed reading and participating in.

But back to the no filter on ads question - if there is no filter why don't we have porn ads? Or is the filter imposed at a higher level that the forum owners don't have access to?

 

[obgyn65]

I do not mind getting commercial ads for a phone or financial services. But I do mind getting political ads on a website where we are regularly told not to post anything political.

Like others have said, I think this is based on your searches...

 

[obgyn65]

Imbedded ads, on the right side of the screen.

is it the pop ups or the actual imbedded ads on the page?

 

[obgyn65]

Hello Midpack

Well I see the ads, like many others do.

I don't mind commercial ads.

I would agree with you that the Mods do a great job. Thank you Mods !

I did not PM any Mod because I think the "Rand Paul" ad matter might be best answered by the community rather than one Mod. Do we want political ads here ? My vote is "no", for reasons of fairness among all of us, participants, as well as third parties.

• I don't even "see" the ads here anymore, easy to ignore IMO.
• There's less spam and other nonsense on this site than other (high traffic) forums I participate in.
• While Mods have spanked me a few times, they were within their rights IMO in that I could see in retrospect how what could be read into my post and what I intended might be different.
• When I think of all the posts and all the gray areas were make them evaluate, I'd say they do a stellar job. I've been on other forums that were ruined by well-intended loose Mods, and I have seen other sites that are moderated with such a heavy hand it also ruins the exchange. I'd say the balance is great here all considered.
• I think issues with Mods & Admins are better raised via PM or Report...

My 2¢, no more, no less...

 

[obgyn65]

Hello Janet. I am sorry if my point was not clear in my post. I do not mind getting commercial ads for phones, pet food or even feminine hygiene products. But I do mind getting a political ad on a website where political discussions are strongly discouraged, if not banned.

Thank you for the tip re: edit options.

You may notice that if, for instance you've been recently shopping online for cookware for example that you see cooking related ads for a few days. Recently I've seen lots of ads for pet products. .. If you are viewing a discussion about healthcare you may see ads for longterm care insurance or vitamins (but I've been seeing pet heath insurance ads)

You will see many fewer ads if you log in and there is an option to disable the right column in your usercp, edit options.

 

[REWahoo]

Thank you, Bestwifeever. Interesting, I did not know there were "owners" of this site. Who are they ?

Is this question for real? Are you really unaware every site on the internet is owned by someone or some organization?

In the sad event you might actually be serious, I'll give you a hint: scroll down to the bottom of the page...

 

[obgyn65]

I will. Do you have an ad blocker in mind ? I don't know any. Thanks Nords.

While you're tilting at that windmill, as a dozen other posters have suggested: you really need to install an ad blocker.

 

[MichaelB]

Ob, for ad blockers see posts 9, 19, 25

For forum ownership see post 10

 

[obgyn65]

OK, so I clicked on Social Knowledge | Online Community Network
Is this a business ? A non for profit ? This is interesting. I have been participating on this website for a year or two but never knew that it was "owned" by this organization... Thanks for the info, REWahoo.

Is this question for real? Are you really unaware every site on the internet is owned by someone or some organization?

In the sad event you might actually be serious, I'll give you a hint: scroll down to the bottom of the page...

 

[donheff]

Originally Posted by donheff
But back to the no filter on ads question - if there is no filter why don't we have porn ads? Or is the filter imposed at a higher level that the forum owners don't have access to?

Very good questions, donheff. I hope we get answers. Again, I do not want to start a problem but I would like to understand a bit more about this website which I have enjoyed reading and participating in.

Of course I don't actually see any ads since I am signed in and use Firefox with ad blocking enabled. I was just guessing that no one sees any porn ads. I think that the answer was is in the posts that say we are using Google Adsense. Google imposes the filters at a high level and the forum admins have no involvement.

 

[REWahoo]

I think that the answer was is in the posts that say we are using Google Adsense. Google imposes the filters at a high level and the forum admins have no involvement.

+1

As I understand it, Google's Adsense TOS do not permit porn or gambling ads. Other than those exclusions, whatever ads you see (including political ads) are based on the factors explained above.

 

[M Paquette]

Maybe if you stopped all of your posts that contained political content you'd stop getting politically sensitive ads. Just a thought.

Heh. EVERYTHING is political content these days. You should see some unmoderated boards. Several years ago, I posted a comment on our weather (cold, miserable, wet...) on the Mötley Fool Retire Early Campfire board ;-) and the resulting firestorm of political pointless and counter-pointless diatribes didn't die down for weeks. (That's when I dropped that board from my bookmarks.)

I like it better here. Oh, and I don't see any adds on this iPad app.

 

[veremchuka]

I use Firefox and flash block. I never see any ads, I did not know there are ads! I see some blocked flash and clicked the play arrow and now I see there are ads! I read the stuff on the left side (posts) and ignore everything on the far right and bottom of each page. I thought this site was owned/run by Nords! I just don't pay a lot of attention to things other than the posts. I try not to sweat the small stuff, there's way too much BIG stuff to worry about!

 

[BigMoneyJim]

Several years ago, I posted a comment on our weather (cold, miserable, wet...) on the Mötley Fool Retire Early Campfire board ;-) and the resulting firestorm of political pointless and counter-pointless diatribes didn't die down for weeks.

RE CampFIRE is arguably an ancestor of this forum. Originally it was TMF's Retire Early Homepage board. Sometime after TMF boards went for-pay-only that particular board was renamed RE CampFIRE. Political rants were common before that, and although I never paid I understand it became more and more of a political rant board. Some people enjoy that kind of thing, and that was (is?) a place for it. (TMF boards in recent times are free again after they finally realized nobody will pay to post and read peer items on the internet.)

 

[obgyn65]

Thank you REWahoo. My question has been answered.

+1

As I understand it, Google's Adsense TOS do not permit porn or gambling ads. Other than those exclusions, whatever ads you see (including political ads) are based on the factors explained above.

 

[Janet H]

... I thought this site was owned/run by Nords! ...

In that case, the site team would like to discuss some improvements to the breakroom

There is an awesome history of the board posted here - highly recommended reading. Wandering through the links in that history is excellent fun (and beats the heck out of opening the TurboTax box sitting on the top of my 'to do" heap)

 

[brewer12345]

RE CampFIRE is arguably an ancestor of this forum. Originally it was TMF's Retire Early Homepage board. Sometime after TMF boards went for-pay-only that particular board was renamed RE CampFIRE. Political rants were common before that, and although I never paid I understand it became more and more of a political rant board. Some people enjoy that kind of thing, and that was (is?) a place for it. (TMF boards in recent times are free again after they finally realized nobody will pay to post and read peer items on the internet.)

Some time in 2002 or so the politically oriented wingnuts took over the REHP board at TMF. I bailed shortly thereafter. A year or two ago TMF decided to rename that board and solicited suggestions. My suggestion of "Right Wing Circle [-]Jerk[/-]" was the most highly recommended one by other posters, but they mysteriously did not take my suggestion...

 

[Nords]

I thought this site was owned/run by Nords!

In that case, the site team would like to discuss some improvements to the breakroom

All reasonable offers will be considered, but BMJ's gonna need some advance notice to ramp up his server...