moderatorfor this forum

[Guest Randy Berger]

Albert and Craig have both expressed an opinion about our need for a

moderator. I would like to respectfully request that we continue to

moderate ourselves. Although I don't like the tone or attitude of

some threads, I believe it in OUR best interests to allow the speaker

his platform. I have seen other threads censored where there was no

apparent (IMO) need to do so. The moderator just didn't like the

phrasing or the use of a four-letter word. I would not want to see

that happen to this forum, which has been a free-wheeling open

discussion. If I don't like what is being posted, I don't have to

read it. The idea of keeping the X-ref thread at the top is a good one

though, and we can ask Peter G. if he will accomodate us in this one

minor change. Does anyone disagree with this change - I'm looking for

opinions <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />, so please speak up.

YFAM, Randy Berger

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Randy

I agree with what you said (No moderator needed) but I don't see how you can keep a thread close to top, with the forum being structured the way it is. But if there is a way to do that, then I think X-ref should be expanded to include other years. (I have a '56 but also have a '29 and '37 that are getting left out) <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

See what Happens, You Can't Please Everyone. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> LOL

[Packard8]

I'm not sure what the software used here allows, but other forums I read have a "pinned" feature. A thread that is pinned stays on top, but is not locked. That would be nice for the X-ref thread, as it can be added to and stay on top.

Re a moderator, I like things as they are. If I'm not interested in a thread I just skip it. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Tom M]

I don't post often on here except for when I need help or can give some advice. Say Anyone up for helping me out on a Engine Rebuild? <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Randy I agree with you also. It is just like watching TV turn the channel if you don't like what you see. Why should big brother control everything we do?

[Guest]

Rany, I am in agreement with you that no moderator is required. The x-ref idea is a good one also if it can be done. I hope that it will someday include cars earlier than 55-56 someday also.

[Guest Albert]

I wanted to find out what was required to have a post pinned at the top, if it takes a moderator or moderators to do this i think it would be helpful, Ie our part database #1, and when we have meets ie Hershey, Ohio, Boston, that we can keep those threads at the top as long as its important to the group, i don't think we need a policeman in here as such, as we have not seemed to have a problem with verbal diarhea and other uses being bashed. I have met some of you at the Nationals here in Toronto, and found the Packard owners almost like family, there was "NO I'am better than you" that i found. We where all helpful to one another and wanted to see EVERYONE enjoy themselves. We all here i think to enjoy ourselves as well, and Learn from one another. My Girlfriend was a member of a Ford truck group we seemed to get the Cold sholder at the meets we attended, but have gone to many cruse nights here in Toronto with other vintage cars and had a great time. And since the Nationals my girlfriend Wanted her own Packard as even the other women welcomed a "new comemer" into the family. Well my Girlfriend now has the bug as she is the one who bought the 54 Panama that was in Pittsburg and figures a year or two it will be ready.

[Twitch]

Didn't even know there WASN'T some moderator here. Obviously we don't need one. No one has hijacked threads to export off topic dogma here as they consistantly do in the general forum or the rants and raves. There are a few individuals that distort nearly every thread on any subject into some political harangue full of hate-filled rhetoric. Even tech questions has been subjegated to become a bizarre agenda for spewing forth political BS when certain people aren't agreed with. They have tantrums and launch into off the wall crapola that has nothing to do with the original subject. Add to that flaming and derogatory personal remarks and you got a couple dopes that would have already been banned in most forums anywhere.

There was a general forum topic about threads that change direction. Well they all kind of do that. You're on a topic about 352 engines and it spurs an idea someone has about some other thing associated with 55-56 Packards' torsion bars and boom you're into another direction. That ain't bad. It's they way verbal conversations go in real life.

If someone is obnoxious on the Packard forum they can be dealt with through the main AACA moderators. Bad language certainly is not a problem. On the main forum or even rants and raves you can't even use 'G' language that is on TV G-rated shows every day or they edit it. If someone is going to get evil with "you no good piece of #*$&!" he should be taken to task. But if someone says "my car insurance company is crappy" and its censored I feel that's going a little to far. I mean this is 8-year-old language level and here us 50-something men can't use it. (for all I know someone will edit my example to say "my car insurance company is 'really something'") We got enough Big Brother in our lives.

I had no idea there was an 'ignore' feature. Great. I have basically done that manually on the general and R&R forums to ignore obxonious radicals.

If nothing else one can keep a topic alive by posting anything in the thread even "do not delete" when it slides down the page a bit. I just don't have any more info on 22-23 series cross references to keep it going. I didn't do it with the idea of it being ongoing.

We don't need no stinkin' moderators <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Guest AlK]

In the FWIW dept, my .02. Its fine just the way it is. As to keeping a thread to the top, take a look at a couple of the other forums, buick etc. They have some posts that stay up top. I posted Peter on that and he indicated that he would have to do that, but by request. So it looks to me Peter that it is being requested. However guys I think you have to go to the technical forum that handles non-auto related topics to do that.

[Guest Rojo22]

I also agree that we can police ourselves. If I do not like what I am seeing, I can close my eyes, or go to another thread. Other than a few strong opinions expressed, I really have not seen any abuse that I would think a moderator was needed for.

[Twitch]

Interesting retro-thread! I know this site's R&R has guidelines of the parent organization. But most on most sites' R&R forums people can go in and discuss, debate or just plain argue any topic as long as they are civil. It is inappropriate to get off on some jag about "power to the people" and whatnot in the tech questions or general forum. This is a universal rule in any web site's forums whatever their site theme is. In the R&R here is see quite a bit of subtle and often not so subtle degratory personal comments.

Being that I have written a large amount of PC game reviews and visited many forums to see feedback of fans on a particular game genre I have noticed a lot of forum commentary. All I'll say is that the flaming and borderline flaming that some of the people perpetrate in the R&R here would be dealt with even in a juvenile game website forum since the behavior doesn't even belong there.

Debating the attributes of a 289 engine over that of a 283 or whatnot is a worthwhile topic of a forum as long as everyone presents reasonable facts other than, "some people must be dumb @$%#&! if they don't know Fords are better." I rather enjoy the former of kicking ideas and points of view around. The latter is just childish and hateful.

I love to joke around probably more than the next guy. But kidding someone and veiled alluding to their canine parentage or sanity is another thing entirely.

Wayne is very fair fellow whom I respect and he holds the moderation line very strictly black and white. I don't think that only auto topics should be in the R&R. Tasteful jokes have been posted and enjoyed. But today with political correctness running rampant one can't have a lighthearted conversation without fear of someones nose getting out of joint.

As someone said, they quit reading a thread that doesn't interest them. Simple. That works.

[Guest Albert]

Again BH if we had our own Moderator for this forum, we could have a currents events calander, that could delete past posts for meets that have past, just to help keep this site easier to manage. Maybe take a poll among us as to the what we would like as a pinned topics, Up comming events, Parts Cross reference maybe Pre war & postwar? I dont know how much flexablity the system operator has in assigning rights, if it could be just to the pinned topics, who knows..

[Guest imported_PackardV8]

i think the current AACA moderators are doing a fine job (despite Peter G's refusal to let me use a different screen name that i want).

If we have a Packard specific moderator then we run the risk of some vendor or tea parlour clubby getting the position and then all we will be able to discuss is NOS parts in original condition as is the rule in other web sites????.

There has been many newcommers over the last year and i'm happiest to see everyone of them. Everyone has contributed valuable info. BUT, it mite well be that this sudden flux of newcommers would vote for the tea-parlour moderator thereby inhibiting the independent thinking and ramblings of this forum.

OR,to put it another way - "...if we can't shut'em down then giv'em a leader..." ?? (annon)

OR, "just because one is NOT paranoid does NOT mean that the world is NOT out to get them".(annon)

Lets stay with the current anarchic structure as is. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

One thing is for sure, noone will want me as a moderator, THAT would be the same as NO moderator at all.

[Twitch]

Albert, you have a good point for a moderator. If it's just to handle the things you mention that's fine. Makes sense. If it's one of the other site moderators cruising in they'll probably be as PackardV8 says- some clubby mofo wanting to read the rules and discuss auto topics only. It actually SHOULD be someone like Brian says- almost no moderator at all. Someone to do forum board and calendar maintainence and little else. Less is more in this case.