With all due respect Cooch...

Ron C · Post by **Ron C** » Thu May 12, 2005 10:27 pm

...the thread that you elected to "lock" (a term that never existed before last week) was mild in comparison to MANY of those FREQUENTLY found on the northern board. By the looks of things, the thread was just about to die anyway. I just hope that you are fair when it comes to flexing your thread locking muscle and don't just use it to pound on the southern board. But for a very few, most of us are good friends down this way and we can (usually) mind our own house without the need for censorship. Agreed occasionally Ray L or Brian L get a little rude and crude, and ACE from Pearblossom gets a little like...well...ACE from Pearblossom, but by and large we (usually) stay within the boundaries.

It just seems a bit odd to me that you felt the need to lock the thread, yet Tony or Gator (who both joined in on the thread) did not. I certainly hope this isn't a sign of things to come on the "new and improved" forums.

I appreciate that you merely locked the thread as opposed to deleting it. Sometimes a little venting can be healthy.

Said with nothing but the utmost of respect, and as a good friend.

Pete Marino · Post by **Pete Marino** » Thu May 12, 2005 10:53 pm

Brian Linehan · Post by **Brian Linehan** » Thu May 12, 2005 11:09 pm

I just like having a little fun at Ray's expense. Quite honestly, all of us here are adults and I don't know ANY kids who post...do you. If this is a childrens site, I don't belong and have no interest. We ALL bring up non fishing related topics at times (The women of Costa Rica), but that's what makes this site cool to me. We all know each other and it's the best way to network with those you don't talk to often.

You are right on the money with your views on censorship. This site will tank if people are constantly being slapped on the wrist for so called "inappropriate" behavior. Believe me, this site is pretty G rated already and I shouldn't have to worry if my post will be deleted by Cooch for using the word "crap" or "Damn." Where did he come from?

Overall, this is a great site. In fact, it's the best. Kudos to STony and whoever else is responsible. However, I wouldn't get too trigger happy with the censorship button. It will kill the mojo.

My .02

Nico · Post by **Nico** » Fri May 13, 2005 12:03 am

It was a good thread. It had some well-written points and was self-regulating in a relatively gentleman-like way. Despite all this, however, there really is no value to a thread attacking the character of someone without any facts or evidence involved. For this reason I agree with Cooch's decision to lock the thread.

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Fri May 13, 2005 4:16 am

I don't mind the banter and good natured debates, I even like the heated debates. I encourage them, have jumped in feet first, heck, even started em purposely. But if you start attaching someone's charachter malciously, that's against Forum policy, like it or not guys. This has nothing ta do with north/south Ron, you know me better than that. We have always taken it upon ourselves to delete and edit posts as we see fit, that will not change. There is solidarity among Tony and his staff on this issue, it shouldn't be strange to you at all, that's why there are 4 diverse people working here.

And the only muscle I'm flexin this week is the one ta push this dang KB away so I can git down to Russo's and meet Seig fer some river fishing this morning!

sTony · Post by **sTony** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:02 am

I think there has been one recent post that definitely pushed the thread over the edge and I agree with lock down on the thread althoughI wasn't even aware that we had the capability or I would have done so myself. It could have very well been removed entirely but will remain here.

I guess part of the problem is that much of what's been said occured offline and not all of us frequent the same places or travel in the same circles so I am still not aware of all the details but have been able to sort out most of it from this thread of posts. It's long been a part of the forum policy not to attack people presonally and that is what has happened, with name calling and potential harm to a fellow anglers reputation, and we can't allow it to continue.

As far as what goes on in the NorCal board, I don't remember anyone recently being called a liar seveal times in a post. All in all that forum has run smoothly for some time. We do debate and not always agree on topics but name calling and pot shots have really haven't been taken in some time and it was something we worked on diligently to condition folks not to do. Many of my personal thoughts about the forum are in this thread. I have a lot of respect for both parties directly involved in this encounter, as do many others, and truly hope they can find a way to talk this out offline and have a peaceful and thorough resolution that I know both men are capable of achieving.

And I would stress that we, as forum users, are not owed anything in regard to information of that encounter. It's between those parties and should remain as such.

Happy Friday the 13th guys!

sTony

Kelly Ripa · Post by **Kelly Ripa** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:10 am

Since someone has edited this post in the last hour it no longer made since so I am deleting the original and truth be known guys the reference I was talking about I had written about was about myself and not directed towards anyone else....I don't remember my thread accusing ANYONE of being heavy handed on the censorship level...... I was mearly pointing out that we now have a new friend on this site that automatically changes vernacular and I had not read about this new freebie. I don't see f-bombs dropped here but I sure see them in the reports pages.......I guess I'll just go sturgeon fishing at Cachuma this weekend and see if I can't get the South up to the Norths standards

... .That was supposed to be funny

...Lighten up folks...catch a fish or something.....

rip

Gator · Post by **Gator** » Fri May 13, 2005 6:44 am

But now I will chime in.

Yes, we have a censored words list. There are certain vulgar words that will simply not be allowed to show up in this forum.

The list was edited early on on the process and someone forgot to change the word back. My apologies for thast part of it, "The perfect baby butt" was not the way it should show up.

If anyone has a question regarding censored words, please email me directly.

Also, you must all remember that we give a great deal of latitude to all posters. There are times that we simply need to rein things in and let cooler heads prevail.

Let's go fishin!!

sTony · Post by **sTony** » Fri May 13, 2005 7:47 am

but I wanted to say one last thing before I leave.

We are not the big, mean censor and don't intend to become one. We have a only a few simple, easily read forum policies that we expect eveyone to follow. Once you start attacking on a personal level you've crossed the line. We've never tolerated or appreciated profanity. Some might get that from TV and from movies and because of the rampant use of profanity in current day culture, think that's an appropriate form of communication but it's not.

I also agree that I personally don't find the word *** to be objectionable but if you use it as part of a derogatory statement towards another person then you've crossed the line. The word *** was one that was being tested when we first opened this new software and it was intended to be deleted from the list but someone simply forgot to do so. We are after all human and sometimes make mistakes.

Andy Cuccia, aka Cooch, has be a valued part of the website since before I even knew it existed and obviously before I took it over. I know many of you don't know who he is but he is a respected pro angler and guide hailing from Northern California. Although I don't agree with the tone he uses sometimes I do agree with the underlying senitment of his post and that is we want folks to use these forums within the framework of a few rules that make for civil discussions.

We won't tolerate f-bombs being dropped in here and I really don't appreciate folks exchanging letters in a word as it still reads the same and fact is you're just not pushing yourself to use other, less offensive language to make your point.

And yes Kelly, it is a lot easier to have software the eliminates profanity then it is to turn everyone into Shakespeare, Fitzgerald, Crichton or Grisham. There isn't enough CPU power to do that and I can't remember the last time anyone was criticized for mis-spellings or bad grammar.

If this still offends people then there is simply nothing we can do about that. This is a great vehicle in which to communicate. Still the same place it was a week or so ago or a month. We are not going to be heavy handed and become a censor beyond our rules. And we hope you'll continue to use this forum and tell all the anglers you know about our web site and it's many virtues.

sTony