2011 Staff members (Or, what did a mod do for you?)

Dear Staff, I have no idea which forum this belongs in so I picked Board Business and Questions. If that is wrong, please move to wherever is appropriate.

The year comes to an end and tens of thousands (guessing here) of posts have been added to this most wonderful site in the course of that year. I doubt my post is new or original (I've only been a member for 4 months or so) but I would like to take this time of renewal and reflection to ask a simple question to all the staff here.

What does your day look like on ATS? By that, I mean, how bad is it being a moderator? Do you sometimes want to scream, shout or punch your fist through your monitor at some of the rudeness, ignorance and off-topicness here? Do you wake up in the morning with an urge to ban-hammer everyone or do you look forward to reading (I would guess) thousands of mindless posts by the world and his wife?

I personally would like to thank all staff for making quite possibly the most cerebral and varied site I have ever had the good fortune to take part in possible. I would also request that no one star or flag my thread but instead star the mod's who (hopefully) reply with their gracious answers, revelations and (possibly) confessions. May the gods look favourably on all ATS staff, past and present. From the bottom of the black, cold stone that is my excuse for a heart I salute you and wish you all the best in the festive season and the coming year of 2012, the possible end of days.

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver

Well yes it certainly has been a very interesting year.

What does your day look like on ATS? By that, I mean, how bad is it being a moderator? Do you sometimes want to scream, shout or punch your fist through your monitor at some of the rudeness, ignorance and off-topicness here? Do you wake up in the morning with an urge to ban-hammer everyone or do you look forward to reading (I would guess) thousands of mindless posts by the world and his wife?

I suppose I could tell you about the blood rituals, ancient prayer circles, meetings with guys in suits who sport mirrored sunglasses with the mirrors on the inside. But we'd have to make you disappear.

No in all honesty my day is like any other member of ATS. I browse the forums, I reply to the topics I find interesting and I often engage in intelligent, thought provoking debate.

As for the mod stuff, the vast majority of posts on ATS never have to be looked at. Only a very small percentage of posts are alerted to and require attention by staff. Is it sometimes frustrating? Sure is.

But it's no more frustrating than when a regular member interacts with a another who is unwilling to follow the Terms & Conditions. We are simply here to deal with it when it happens.

Besides why would I be upset? We've only got 365 more days till it's all over .

~Keeper

reply to post by tothetenthpower

I realise my mistake now, placing this in a forum where stars cannot be given but I do like your reply nonetheless. Indeed, just another 365 days to go.... Your honesty is brutal and I do like that but enough of the blood already! Why I never thought of mirrored sunglasses with the mirror part on the inside is beyond me. Very cool! Thank you!

ETA Is it possible/desirable to move my thread to a place where stars can be given (not to me). TIA and understanding if you guys don't want the spotlight.


ETA2 Personal disclosure: I've had contact with several moderators in my short time here. Their response has been nothing but honest, fair and frank. (Don't call me Shirley!) and they have helped me too. This is not a slime-fest thread but an opportunity for people to express appreciation for the site creators and maintainers. Feel free to ignore.

I would also like to thank all people on ATS.

I have been sent emails about being rude and abusive - but when something pisses me off, I state it bluntly.

Anyway - Merry Xmas to all - or whatever you believe in.

I love this site.

Also, I have to say this to the site owners and mods - sometimes this site has saved me.

reply to post by catwhoknowsplusone

Yes yes! The mods are here for us. Thanks for your response This is what Willis was talking about...

reply to post by LightSpeedDriver


Well,

I am pleased about that, Light.

But I don't know what you are talking about.

reply to post by catwhoknowsplusone

It's from a little known TV show called Diff'rent Strokes.
"What you talkin bout Willis?"

It was long before The Fresh Prince of Bell Air.

Originally posted by LightSpeedDriver
reply to post by catwhoknowsplusone

 

It's from a little known TV show called Diff'rent Strokes.
"What you talkin bout Willis?"

It was long before The Fresh Prince of Bell Air.

edit on 21/12/11 by LightSpeedDriver because: Typo

lol @ " The Fresh Prince of Bell Air " , that show is so...um...mac user...im kinda old school rofllmfaoomgwtfftw

Ok,

I hate both those shows.

But we are all different.

Originally posted by catwhoknowsplusone
Ok,

I hate both those shows.

But we are all different.

Was that pun intended?

reply to post by LightSpeedDriver


This could turn into a very interesting thread if more moderators decide to give their opinions. I would star and flag you but I'll just stick to flagging cause well...you know...yeah...

I know the staff here is under appreciated for a job that they do well. Very well actually. I have been here a little over a year and a half and never, ever had a problem with a moderator or admin. To the contrary. The little interaction I've had with them here and there has always been polite, courteous and professional.

I have been thanked more than once for giving them a compliment. That says a lot. It would seem that they don't get appreciated notes that often and/or enough. Not an easy volunteer job...that's for sure.

They have been following through every time I did alert, when I see an obvious breach of the T&C or when seeing a thread being in the wrong forum for example...

So, being a few days away from Xmas, a few weeks away from New Years and a few months away from all dying, I wish them a Happy Christmas (always liked John Lennon) and a Happy New Year !!!

Keep up the good work! A whole lot of us do appreciate !!

Good idea LightSpeedDriver...

My day on ATS?

I usually visit my favorite forums, mostly political or at least associated with politics. Then I'll take a look at the business end of it, complaints and what have you... But usually I just do a lot of reading, new threads and I'll even take a look at older threads that may have relevance to issues being discussed today.

Just like most other members.

I don't generally partake of the blood rituals... Blood makes me queasy.

Thanks for the replies (and comments too!) so far. It's easy to get the wrong impression I guess. I'd more expected something along these lines:

1 Make coffee and run to the PC to start checking for Elenin, Niburu and "I have a message of great importance to the world" posts.
2 Drink coffee while reading the second 1000 set of posts
3 Shake head, repeat
4 Shake fist, repeat
5 Wave ban-hammer wildly
6 Make some lunch, meditate a little and relax.
7 Go back to 1

Glad to see I got it wrong. I like being wrong.

Standard Day for Alien on ATS:

I work fulltime managing a Mental Health Service...but I do tend to skive off on ATS whenever/wherever possible...I've usually got a browser open and logged in to ATS throughout the working day.
I have a huge love for ATS, all its Members (yes, even the ones who may well pee me off on occasion) and what I believe it stands for...hence still being here since it began over 11 years ago...

Usual Day on ATS goes something like:

- Log in and check messages. Respond to messages, action anything from them

- Check in to Staff Forums, see whats happening on the boards and what I/we may need to take care of

- Check in on the Complaints/Alerts Forum and toss in my 2c worth on any discussion - and believe me we do discuss Complaints/Alerts and otherwise...I do appreciate that occasionally it might seem like we don't, but we do...and quite regularly at length as we Staff don't all hold the same perspectives and opinions...we come from many different countries, cultures, ages, upbringings...which hopefully results in less *default responses* and more consideration taken prior to action.

- Cruise the Boards for a bit and have a read of whats new, whats hot, various threads etc

- Pretty much cycle through the above again and again throughout the day




Some regrets: Having a decently busy work and home life does unfortunately mean much of my ATS Time is spent in *Staff Mode*.
Time I do spend here can be limited, so I tend to devote whatever time I have to the role of a SuperMod and taking care of what needs taking care of...before I spend any time actually enjoying and engaging with the many fantastic discussions that happen here every moment of every day.
Will strive to change that though...and thus get a bit more *connected* with the very grassroots of what initially bought me to ATS all those years ago.


One other thing:
A HUGE sincere thanks to you all - the MEMBERS of ATS.
This would be a lonely place without the presence and passions you all bring to it.
It might sound so cliche, but it doesn't negate the fundamental truth that its YOU who make ATS what it *is* each and every day.
YOU are the reason I'm still here 11+ years on. Not the role, not the Staff Title, not any of that other meaningless 'dressing'...YOU.
So...thank you for 11+ years of sheer awesomeness!

Apologies for the times I/we have slipped up, tripped up, messed up and not perhaps confessed up...we do make mistakes...we do make wrong calls...we strive not to do so, but they still DO happen - for we are human just as you are.
We're NEVER going to be perfect and 100% correct 100% of the time...neither are you...the major thing will always be not the failures, but how we fix them.





Best of the Season to each and every one of you.
Stay safe, stay blessed.

reply to post by LightSpeedDriver


There's no need to move the forum to where staff can get 'stars'. We don't do this for the stars or flags, we give up our free time because we love this place, it's membership and what this board stands for.



I certainly do appreciate the sentiment however.

To add to what Alien posted, yes we do make mistakes, we are all human. But we are members first and abide by the T&C as much as the next member.

Happy Holidays to all of ATS.

reply to post by LightSpeedDriver


Thank you.

Don't know what else to say really? I really appreciate all the members that thank us for what we do, and I really appreciate all of the intelligent posts and well-researched threads. I joined this site in 2009 because of the level of intelligence and vastness of the information!

Becoming a Mod was a huge surprise and honor. I have to say that I never get upset with what the members do here. The spammers and trolls are pretty entertaining, and the honest mistakes are a pleasure to correct and educate. Occasionally some member spins out of control, but watching the other Mods work is a pleasure as well, and they always handle those situations with professionalism and tact.

Thanks again for noticing, and I'd like to return the favor by also thanking you, and all other members for your contributions. I've learned more on ATS than 4 years in college and decades of experience. I refer everyone I know to ATS, and I'd put it up against any news network or research site in existence. You guys ROCK!!

I work in Corrections so you can imagine the whiny, petulant, subhuman knucledraggers I'm around all day. Then there's the inmates. My ATS weekday(after work) starts with PM's. Gotta keep communication key. Then the staff forums to see what's been going on. Input if needed then off to the board. I post.... a LOT. On the weekend it's my first stop after a paper and a coffee. The routine remains the same. Unless there an NFL game on. Sorry ATS, football comes first.

reply to post by intrepid


Quit your lyin, you know you keep ATS open in the background

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by intrepid

 

Quit your lyin, you know you keep ATS open in the background

Not the background, I am on the couch watching football, and ATS is on my smart phone. For all of you that get random warnings from GetReadyAlready on Sundays, that is my not-so-Smart Phone trying to give you stars or applauses! Sorry about that. I've learned to not "Mod" from my phone. I stick to just reading now.

Before i do anythiing i have to gear up in my posting outfit!



Then i take on the boards