Posts by Brian Edwards6

Gregory Cooper5 said:...I've never operated under two different usernames... I guess I was banned for some other violation...

Using your primary account on June 4, 2012, you were posting on this exact same thread under the username samokrijes, which violates our policy and is why you received a three-day suspension.👍

Gregory Cooper5 said:And on the page http://www.vbulletin.com/showthread.php?t=423512&page=169 Skylar is advertising a book... or rather, selling it... how is that not obvious!!?!? For crying out loud, give me a break!

Back on June 4, 2012, Daniel Ward87 stated that selling original books was permitted. The comment you're pointing to was actually posted on September 30, 2012, whereas mellowraven22 banned all sales of originals on October 6, 2012. Looking at the timeline, the comment wasn't deleted immediately, but we're removing it now because I believe it’s the fair thing to do for you. As of October 8, 2012, no advertising of any kind is allowed on this thread—again, strictly to ensure things remain equitable for you.👍

Let’s try not to turn this into a personal vendetta. To be perfectly clear, the rules here are quite straightforward. I didn't step in initially because nobody had raised an issue, but once the complaints started rolling in, I removed your post. Following the administrator's guidance, I actually tried to work with you by letting you repost a revised version, yet you chose to post it again despite the ongoing feedback from other users. Consequently, I had to take it down again. Moving forward, any further attempts to advertise will result in a ban, but don't feel singled out—I'll be applying that same standard to everyone else too.👍

Regarding your suspension, the issue isn't the advertising itself, but rather the fact that you were using two different accounts on a single thread, which violates our policy against multi-accounting.👍

As for those ads appearing on other subforums, if you truly believe they violate our guidelines, feel free to flag them for review. The administration will look into it.👍

Actually, since you seem primarily interested in finding loopholes to bypass the rules and regulations, any form of advertising will be strictly prohibited for you.👍

Gregory Cooper5 said:Is there any way we could get a second opinion from another admin? No offense intended, Brian Edwards6, but you’ve been digging your heels in on this point and just pointing us toward the appeals process—yet now that we’re actually here, it feels like we're still just hearing from you...

No hard feelings, truly. Don't worry about it. Standard procedure dictates that the moderator for this specific subforum handles things first, but someone from the administration will eventually weigh in.👍

The police didn't come up with this idea themselves.👍

As for the whole notion of "spreading knowledge" by pirating and selling bootleg copies of books, I think I'll pass on commenting on that one.👍

Gregory Cooper5 said:...

The first time your ad for counterfeit copies was pulled, it was because other users flagged it—right after an rather spirited debate broke out on the thread (if my memory serves me correctly). You came back here expecting a reprieve, but while the administration decided you could technically repost something similar, the community wasn't having it; they kept complaining right there in the thread. Since the friction wouldn't subside, the thread itself was removed. Following your case, several other ads for book replicas were scrubbed without any hesitation. My position remains unchanged: this is prohibited for everyone, including you.👍

Dana Reyes5 said:... as long as you have enough cash in this country, you can get away with just about anything without the police ever lifting a finger...

In this particular instance, the dollar amount is irrelevant.👍

As far as I’m concerned, given that you’re out here peddling bootleg copies of the book, it’s a hard pass from me.👎

What Blood Dim and jadetrucker43 mentioned is absolutely spot on.👍

Yeah, I'm logged in, but my profile isn't quite set up yet, so it’s acting a bit finicky and won't display properly.👍

Alexandra, I've updated your signature just like you asked. If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to let us know.👍

Did you catch that? I have absolutely no clue what happened—I was logged on too, but nothing showed up on my end.🤔

P.S.: Sorry for crashing the party unannounced, but it’s good to see you back in the fold.👍

Send me a private message, and I’ll take care of making those changes for you. As it stands, this link isn't working properly, and other users won't be able to see what you're trying to show them anyway.🙂

coastallynx13 said:Brian Edwards6, just like the old saying goes, when the pieces finally fall into place... there you have it! Exactly! Bravo! *Clap, clap!*
Since you’ve clearly grasped the underlying point, I suspect you’ll find it quite easy—with the graceful leap of a gazelle, no less—to see how your recent post, in which you’ve gone out of your way to smear my reputation here on Reddit, actually serves as a direct counterargument to the very topic at hand regarding your own lack of professionalism as a moderator. You see, when faced with accusations about your competence, your go-to defense is simply to attack my character as a user. 👍
There isn't actually any breakdown in communication between us, because we seem to be understanding each other perfectly well in that regard. We aren't exactly lovebirds, but we certainly aren't acting like aggressive rams, either. The issue at hand pertains strictly to your methodology and technical approach to moderation, though I do hold onto the faint hope that, eventually, some progress will be made in that department too.
That’s all from me for today; I really ought to get ready, as I’m taking some friends out for a rather grand, intimate evening. Enjoy yourselves—I certainly intend to!

If that was the sole source of friction, then we have nothing to worry about. From this point forward, I shall address you exactly as you have requested.👍

coastallynx13 said:Brian Edwards6, just like the old saying goes, when the pieces finally fall into place... there you have it! Exactly! Bravo! *Clap, clap!*
Since you’ve clearly grasped the underlying point, I suspect you’ll find it quite easy—with the graceful leap of a gazelle, no less—to see how your recent post, in which you’ve gone out of your way to smear my reputation here on Reddit, actually serves as a direct counterargument to the very topic at hand regarding your own lack of professionalism as a moderator. You see, when faced with accusations about your competence, your go-to defense is simply to attack my character as a user. 👍
There isn't actually any breakdown in communication between us, because we seem to be understanding each other perfectly well in that regard. We aren't exactly lovebirds, but we certainly aren't acting like aggressive rams, either. The issue at hand pertains strictly to your methodology and technical approach to moderation, though I do hold onto the faint hope that, eventually, some progress will be made in that department too.
That’s all from me for today; I really ought to get ready, as I’m taking some friends out for a rather grand, intimate evening. Enjoy yourselves—I certainly intend to!

My intention was to address potential communication issues between you and the rest of the community, though I clearly misjudged the specific nature of your grievance. It was never my aim to malign your character; rather, I mistakenly assumed the issue lay with the cardboard packaging you received and merely intended to walk through the logistics of how that happened. Having now realized what you were actually referring to, everything is perfectly clear. Consequently, our future interactions will strictly adhere to this newly established tone. Please accept my apologies for the misunderstanding.👍

Since I haven't encountered such grievances with other users, my rapport with them will remain at its current level—unless, of course, someone else decides to file a formal complaint.👍

P.S.: Lorde, while I am in complete agreement with you (and thank you for the kind words), user satisfaction remains a high priority for me. I have no interest in provoking svfr or being condescending toward him. Since he has explicitly requested this particular style of interaction, the least I can do is oblige.👍

The only thing I can gather from this is that you're somehow offended by my lack of formality—the fact that I’m not addressing you with a "Sir" or using more deferential language. It strikes me as rather absurd that, after all the communication breakdowns I pointed out in my initial comment, you’ve decided that my choice of pronouns is the primary issue here.😕

If that truly is your grievance, then I would appreciate it if you’d just be direct and say so.👍

Furthermore, you still haven't actually pointed out where exactly I employed an "ad hominem" argument.😕

I haven't had much chance to dive into the deep end of this discussion yet, but I've been lurking and observing the general flow of things. It seems like we're all just trying to make sense of the chaos, isn't that right? I'll try to contribute something of substance once I've gathered my thoughts properly. Bear with me while I find my footing. kaže:
Given how clearly and precisely I laid out that example, I honestly expected my observation to bear some kind of fruit.

I have to admit, I’m struggling to find a single concrete example here. In my previous comment, I took the liberty of quoting our entire exchange verbatim, so I would appreciate it if you could point out exactly which of my words or phrases you find objectionable. I’m certainly not playing dumb; I genuinely just don't see where the issue lies.👍

I find myself once again staring at my screen, contemplating whether I should actually contribute to this discussion or simply observe from the sidelines like a polite ghost. There is a certain quiet dignity in silence, after all, though I suppose it doesn't exactly make me the life of the party on Reddit. I’ve been following the thread for a while now, and while some of the arguments being thrown around are certainly spirited, I can't help but feel they lack a certain level of nuance. It’s easy to be loud when you aren't being precise, isn't it? I tend to prefer a more measured approach—taking the time to weigh the variables before jumping to a conclusion. It may be a slower way to live, and it certainly doesn't win many points for spontaneity, but it keeps the mental clutter to a minimum. Anyway, I’ll try to keep my thoughts organized. I promise not to ramble too extensively, though I make no guarantees regarding my ability to be brief. kaže:
Furthermore, your most recent post drifted quite far from the actual subject matter. It seems you felt compelled to resort to those rather uninspired ad hominem attacks, attempting to discredit my persona here on Reddit without any provocation whatsoever.

Upon re-reading my own comment, I fail to find any trace of an ad hominem attack. If you truly believe I’ve resorted to attacking the person rather than the point, I would appreciate it if you could be specific about which part of my argument you are referring to.👍

I suppose I should start by acknowledging that my previous attempts at navigating this particular corner of the Internet have been, to put it mildly, less than stellar. It seems I have a recurring tendency to overthink the simplest interactions, much like an amateur strategist trying to play chess against a grandmaster while tripping over their own feet. There’s a certain peculiar rhythm to these discussions on Reddit, isn't there? One moment you think you've grasped the underlying logic of the conversation, and the next, you find yourself staring blankfully at a wall of conflicting opinions, wondering if you perhaps misread the entire room. It’s a humbling experience, though one I seem to undergo with alarming regularity. I’m attempting to be more deliberate with my contributions moving forward—less reactionary, more measured. I can't promise I won't stumble, of course, but I will aim for a bit more grace in my inevitable errors. kaže:
I would kindly ask that you all refrain from taking this correspondence personally...

I don't quite see it, and I’ll go a step further: please, do me the favor of pointing out exactly where you encountered that. I’m all for a bit of clarity here, provided we can actually clear up any lingering ambiguities.👍

First of all, you were deleted. One comment.:

I suppose I know enough about this subject to recognize when someone is talking absolute nonsense—much like your friend does, actually.username of the discussion participant, op.m.You know the type—the guy who shows up to the office carrying a tube of lubricant just so he can slide into his boss's good graces a little more smoothly.

You weren't exactly the only one turning this discussion into a series of personal insults and dragging everything down to a low level. It’s a bit curious that you haven't faced any sanctions for it—nor has anyone else who has behaved in much the same way. DeletedAnd then, what followed was... Consider this my formal warning. na temi:

I would kindly ask everyone to refrain from resorting to personal insults. It’s truly unnecessary, and frankly, it doesn't serve any of us here. Thank you for understanding.

Then you just keep on poking the bear, constantly pushing that whole nepotism angle even after everyone else has moved on to more productive topics. To be clear, your comments weren't removed because they shouldn't be discussed—this is a conversation that needs to happen. However, since you’ve clearly failed to get any rise out of anyone here, you're once again attempting to pivot the discussion down to... On a personal level.:

I find myself somewhat perplexed by...The username of the participant in the discussion, once again the same one, oops.It seems that after grinding through such a grueling degree, one’s grasp on the subject matter remains as fragile as glass—only, it’s that cloudy, frosted kind of glass that makes it nearly impossible to actually see anything clearly. Looking at your comments, I gather that radar technology wasn't exactly a staple of your university curriculum. If there is any consolation to be found, it's that it’s never too late to learn, and since you're still young, you have plenty of time to catch up.

Your previous comment has been removed. Additionally, you have been issued a collective penalty of 30 points due to your overall contributions to this thread, accompanied by the following message:

You’ve already been warned once. If you actually have something substantial to contribute, then please, just say it. Let's skip the endless circling around the point and the constant baiting. I appreciate your understanding.

Since you clearly weren't taking this seriously—choosing instead to poke at the thread and nitpick the moderators—that post has been scrubbed as well. I’m not entirely sure what you’re looking for here, but if you were hoping for a profound philosophical treatise or a cutting critique of modern society, I’m afraid you might be disappointed. It seems we've hit a bit of a standstill. If there was a specific thought you wanted me to expand upon or a particular topic you wanted my take on, do let me know. I'm happy to provide a more substantial response once I have something actual to work with.So, I managed to pull a red card worth 35 points, accompanied by this message:

If you have grievances regarding the moderation team, there is a specific designated area for those discussions. Venting within general threads is strictly prohibited, regardless of how you frame it. To prevent any further misunderstanding: your comments weren't removed because you were pointing out alleged favoritism or anything of the sort; they were removed because you were attempting to incite other users without providing a single shred of concrete evidence. Thanks for understanding.

A few more comments were scrubbed from the thread after that, and if I’m not mistaken, you lucked out because Vince managed to jump into the discussion just before I could. Just as a quick refresher—for everyone reading this, not just you specifically—I think it’s worth reminding us all about one thing... Rule:

...
- In addition to prohibiting the disclosure of other users' data, it is also forbidden to publish information (or circumstances from which one could identify) third parties who are not participating in the discussion (unless they are public figures)...

This rule will be prominently displayed at the top of the thread to prevent any confusion.

That was the chronology of events; now, let’s address the issue of being "confrontational." I initially posted a very polite warning within the thread, intended for all users. Since that warning failed to achieve its purpose—given that only one user (you) chose to ignore it—I moved toward more formal sanctions: an official warning and a private message accompanying it. Furthermore, since a softer tone didn't seem to work, I transitioned to a sharper tone; one might even call it a directive. While "directive" feels a bit heavy-handed in this setting, since you are the one pushing for a debate on assertiveness and formal discourse, I believe it is appropriate here. To be clear, the escalation from a warning to a directive is a standard progression well-documented in academic literature. Without getting bogged down in the minutiae of proportionality and such, I would suggest consulting this and this literature, where these concepts are formally articulated (and just to clarify, this isn't "law" applied to Reddit, merely a way to explain the terminology I am using).

If my actions have caused any offense, please accept my apologies; however, I believe the sequence of events leading here is quite transparent, and I ask that you refrain from continuing down this path. Thank you for understanding.👍

I actually approach my users with the exact opposite intention, so if I’ve given off a different impression, please let me know specifically where I missed the mark. I’m more than happy to correct it.👍

Brian Edwards78 said:True, almost never. In those rare instances where they actually did, there was plenty of reason for me to never use it again and avoid essentially biting my own tail...

I see where you're coming from, but saying "never" feels a bit too definitive to be entirely accurate.🤷

Brian Edwards78 said:... I honestly don't get why you insist on equating users insulting moderators with the fact that user insults are regularly sanctioned while moderator outbursts seem to go unchecked...

Both types of behavior get penalized selectively (as does just about everything else, depending on a dozen different factors), and I only brought it up to offer a different perspective.
👍

Brian Edwards78 said:... Drawing parallels between these two kinds of insults is tacky, foolish, and frankly, a little offensive.

Well, everyone has their own standards, and personally, I find most of the posts on the FBI subreddit to be exactly like that.👍

Brian Edwards78 said:You've missed the point again. Moderators almost never receive warnings, nor can users actually see them. I'm talking about the moderators getting flagged, not the moderation itself. 👍

"Almost never"? So, we're in agreement then—that this particular argument can be twisted by either side to suit their own agenda or to screw someone else over, and that there's plenty of nonsense being thrown around on both sides?😕

No, I simply took into account the fact that certain users on the FBI subreddit have a habit of getting into heated arguments with the moderators.👍

From what I've observed, people seem to jump in and start making accusations regardless of the circumstances or which side they're on.👍