Posts by Brian Edwards6

hollowtrucker77 said:The rule against sharing private messages doesn't apply when it comes to moderation and admin duties

Besides, the whole PDF situation is basically suffocated and sterilized at this point, and honestly, the worst part is that the mods just roll over and accept it because it means they have less work to do while they sit pretty in their fancy little offices.

Regarding that particular point, I have to disagree. The vast majority of people who visit this subforum actually get exactly what they came for.👍

Michelle Alvarez8 said:Seriously? I had no clue. Must be some new feature—kind of like that Facebook button, right? 🙄

Since you’ve gone ahead and claimed that I’m lying and that your version is the one saving us, I was simply attempting—with the best of intentions, I might add—to remind you that my claims are quite easy to verify. My apologies if my attempt at clarity came across as an insult.👍

Michelle Alvarez8 said:The only thing saving you here is the rule against posting private messages.

And once again—you're lying.

But hey, it's fine—we're used to the spin, the plants, the deletions, and the blatant lies whenever moderators who shouldn't be doing it start defending their own destructive behavior.

No need to keep this going because this isn't a thread about your resignation, nor is anyone asking you to justify yourself. It's just another shot in the dark.
Take care. 👍

If you find a private message that crosses the line, just click the little checkbox icon to file a report. That will flag the message and make it visible to the site administrators.👍

Michelle Alvarez8 said:The only thing saving you here is the rule against posting private messages.

And once again—you're lying.

But hey, it's fine—we're used to the spin, the plants, the deletions, and the blatant lies whenever moderators who shouldn't be doing it start defending their own destructive behavior.

No need to keep this going because this isn't a thread about your resignation, nor is anyone asking you to justify yourself. It's just another shot in the dark.
Take care. 👍

It wasn't even a question. The administration has full visibility into every single deleted comment within the Law subforum, so they can easily review the exact contributions I was describing.👍

Michelle Alvarez8 As specified by:
There is really no need to drag this story out any further. This isn't a forum dedicated to documenting your shift changes, nor is anyone actually demanding an apology from you.

I am not attempting to make excuses here; rather, I am simply presenting my position. It is standard practice for a moderator to respond to public call-outs so that the administration can take a more objective view when rendering a final decision. And just so we are clear: whatever the outcome may be, I will respect it, as I always have.👍

I will certainly give that matter my full attention.👍

I believe my private message was quite explicit, but I will reiterate for the sake of clarity. Law enforcement officers make mistakes—they are human, they perform their duties, and occasionally, ugly or unlawful things happen. However, we are talking about isolated individuals (even if even one is far too many) and rare circumstances (though even one is one too many). It is simply unfair to engage in constant sweeping generalizations. I am not suggesting that the situation you experienced didn't happen; I am saying it isn't the rule. In my experience doing this job every single day, I have personally never done anything like that, nor have I ever witnessed a colleague do so.👍

Regarding the recent deletion of comments on the controversial thread, those posts were removed because they were direct responses to a sanctioned comment—one which repeatedly insisted that filling the federal treasury is the sole purpose of police work. We have covered this ground several times already, citing various federal budget reports that clearly demonstrate what the actual contribution looks like. That was merely one part of the discussion; the other part involved the user being asked to restate their comment, which they did, leading us to continue the debate.👍

Your comment was nothing more than pure generalization, and since that was your entire contribution to that specific discussion, it was removed accordingly. You are welcome to participate in the Legal subforum just like anyone else, provided you follow the same rules as everyone else. And let me be clear: criticism is not unwelcome—there is plenty of it on that controversial thread and across other topics here—but barging into discussions the way you do is problematic. Dropping a single sentence followed by a smiley face and calling it a day doesn't cut it. In my view, that usually amounts to disrupting the flow of conversation, and if I'm wrong, I'll leave it to the administration to correct me.👍

Finally, while I admit I am subjective, I do not allow that subjectivity to interfere with my moderation. We are all subjective; everyone holds personal opinions on most topics and questions. However, there is a time and a place for every subjective opinion.👍

Jim Miller said:...

👍

bluebadger44 said:You totally misunderstood. I was talking about that specific part of his post regarding outsourcing at Intel... I guess that bit was probably prompted by the Intel discussion, not your private messages. 🤷

I understood perfectly fine. The man is clearly intelligent and likely has plenty of insightful things to say on just about any topic, but he didn't come here to discuss the subject matter—he came here for me.👍

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the sheer absurdity of what just happened in Lütje. Honestly, it feels like one of those fever dreams you have after eating too much greasy diner food at 2 AM—just surreal and fundamentally nonsensical. It’s one of those situations where you find yourself staring at the ceiling, wondering if everyone else actually witnessed the same chaos or if I’ve finally lost my grip on reality. It’s almost impressive, in a deeply frustrating sort of way, how quickly things can spiral when logic decides to take a permanent vacation. kaže:
Comments like the one from bluebadger44 shouldn't have even been an issue, but then again, you managed to scrub the entire thread before anyone could even react.

Once the thread was scrubbed, the conversation shifted toward relationships and other topics, settling into a much more civil tone—similar to the kind of level-headed commentary you’d expect from someone like Brian Edwards6. Honestly, if the discussion had maintained that sort of decorum from the very beginning, none of those deletions would have been necessary in the first place.👍

I can't say I have much to add regarding Ljutica. It seems we've hit a bit of a dead end here. kaže:
It seems you’ve run out of actual arguments to lean on.

You’re certainly entitled to your opinion, but I’m under no obligation to agree with it. In this particular instance, I find myself in disagreement—and, if I do say so myself, the site administration feels exactly the same way.👍

It’s officially a local holiday here, which means the usual chaos is in full swing. You know how it goes—everything slows down, the streets get packed, and you spend half the day wondering why anyone thought this was a good idea in the first place. Just another typical day of trying to navigate the festivities while pretending I'm not just looking for the nearest quiet corner and a decent cup of coffee. kaže:
Well, looks like they went ahead and nuked my post.
Well, there you have it. The very first sentence explains exactly why this was deleted. Honestly, what more is there to say?

Look, since editing comments isn't an option here, the entire post—which was actually quite coherent and grounded—got nuked just because of that one sentence where you decided to take a shot at the moderation team. Honestly, there were several warnings posted right on the thread, complete with links to the subforum rules and this specific discussion, yet you went ahead anyway. You knew exactly what you were doing, so really, you have no one to blame for the deletion but yourself. This is how it works, and frankly, this is how it will continue to work for every future comment of this nature. The rule against critiquing the moderators within a main discussion thread exists for a very practical reason: if we let people hijack the topic to complain about oversight, a discussion that’s already hundreds of comments deep would be completely smothered by meta-arguments. It's all laid out clearly. You've been asked to simply repost your comment without the commentary on the staff; if you have grievances regarding how things are run, feel free to air them here instead.👍

bluebadger44 said:What are you even going to say to deny that I consider this violence? I’m sticking to what I said, and I’ll add that you won't even answer my questions (again, depriving me of information). And besides, for the hundredth time, who are you to decide what counts as relevant information to me? As for the belittling part, I think you're the only participant who actually took what happened seriously.

Don't put words in my mouth. I only said that human memory is fallible; I wasn't calling anyone out. My answer was general.

You're grasping at straws.

Excuse me? I didn't ask for your reaction. You don't need to be a moderator just to reply to someone's post. Isn't that literally the whole point of an online forum? I simply asked you to compare that comment to the one that was deleted and explain the difference, but you're dodging the question again. I assume the site rules apply to every section of this forum (except maybe the politics board) and to everyone participating? I am asking you once more to comment on the quoted post—and I'm asking Nicky too.

And yet again, you refuse to address this pathetic response of yours, which I've already posted three times in this thread:

Sure, but that discussion—the one you think was excessive—is what "triggered" his quality comment...

How many users have to complain about a moderator before something actually gets done about this?

It’s the exact same situation I’m dealing with at my place.👍

bluebadger44 said:What are you even going to say to deny that I consider this violence? I’m sticking to what I said, and I’ll add that you won't even answer my questions (again, depriving me of information). And besides, for the hundredth time, who are you to decide what counts as relevant information to me? As for the belittling part, I think you're the only participant who actually took what happened seriously.

Don't put words in my mouth. I only said that human memory is fallible; I wasn't calling anyone out. My answer was general.

You're grasping at straws.

Excuse me? I didn't ask for your reaction. You don't need to be a moderator just to reply to someone's post. Isn't that literally the whole point of an online forum? I simply asked you to compare that comment to the one that was deleted and explain the difference, but you're dodging the question again. I assume the site rules apply to every section of this forum (except maybe the politics board) and to everyone participating? I am asking you once more to comment on the quoted post—and I'm asking Nicky too.

And yet again, you refuse to address this pathetic response of yours, which I've already posted three times in this thread:

Sure, but that discussion—the one you think was excessive—is what "triggered" his quality comment...

How many users have to complain about a moderator before something actually gets done about this?

Furthermore, for the umpteenth time, I have judged the utility of a comment based on the reaction it provoked.👍

bluebadger44 said:What are you even going to say to deny that I consider this violence? I’m sticking to what I said, and I’ll add that you won't even answer my questions (again, depriving me of information). And besides, for the hundredth time, who are you to decide what counts as relevant information to me? As for the belittling part, I think you're the only participant who actually took what happened seriously.

Don't put words in my mouth. I only said that human memory is fallible; I wasn't calling anyone out. My answer was general.

You're grasping at straws.

Excuse me? I didn't ask for your reaction. You don't need to be a moderator just to reply to someone's post. Isn't that literally the whole point of an online forum? I simply asked you to compare that comment to the one that was deleted and explain the difference, but you're dodging the question again. I assume the site rules apply to every section of this forum (except maybe the politics board) and to everyone participating? I am asking you once more to comment on the quoted post—and I'm asking Nicky too.

And yet again, you refuse to address this pathetic response of yours, which I've already posted three times in this thread:

Sure, but that discussion—the one you think was excessive—is what "triggered" his quality comment...

How many users have to complain about a moderator before something actually gets done about this?

The topic at hand concerns deleted comments within this specific thread, not every random post across the entire site, so I have no intention of weighing in on things that don't pertain to me. Should someone post something like that in the subforums I moderate, I would be more than happy to engage in a discussion.👍

bluebadger44 said:What are you even going to say to deny that I consider this violence? I’m sticking to what I said, and I’ll add that you won't even answer my questions (again, depriving me of information). And besides, for the hundredth time, who are you to decide what counts as relevant information to me? As for the belittling part, I think you're the only participant who actually took what happened seriously.

Don't put words in my mouth. I only said that human memory is fallible; I wasn't calling anyone out. My answer was general.

You're grasping at straws.

Excuse me? I didn't ask for your reaction. You don't need to be a moderator just to reply to someone's post. Isn't that literally the whole point of an online forum? I simply asked you to compare that comment to the one that was deleted and explain the difference, but you're dodging the question again. I assume the site rules apply to every section of this forum (except maybe the politics board) and to everyone participating? I am asking you once more to comment on the quoted post—and I'm asking Nicky too.

And yet again, you refuse to address this pathetic response of yours, which I've already posted three times in this thread:

Sure, but that discussion—the one you think was excessive—is what "triggered" his quality comment...

How many users have to complain about a moderator before something actually gets done about this?

Why call it snarky? She didn't provide a substantive answer to that first deleted comment; she immediately pivoted to making fun of it, which was quite clearly her intent. To avoid any confusion, that was a perfectly justified and understandable reaction to that initial comment. If she had found the discussion actually interesting, she would have had something substantial to contribute rather than just that.👍

bluebadger44 said:What are you even going to say to deny that I consider this violence? I’m sticking to what I said, and I’ll add that you won't even answer my questions (again, depriving me of information). And besides, for the hundredth time, who are you to decide what counts as relevant information to me? As for the belittling part, I think you're the only participant who actually took what happened seriously.

Don't put words in my mouth. I only said that human memory is fallible; I wasn't calling anyone out. My answer was general.

You're grasping at straws.

Excuse me? I didn't ask for your reaction. You don't need to be a moderator just to reply to someone's post. Isn't that literally the whole point of an online forum? I simply asked you to compare that comment to the one that was deleted and explain the difference, but you're dodging the question again. I assume the site rules apply to every section of this forum (except maybe the politics board) and to everyone participating? I am asking you once more to comment on the quoted post—and I'm asking Nicky too.

And yet again, you refuse to address this pathetic response of yours, which I've already posted three times in this thread:

Sure, but that discussion—the one you think was excessive—is what "triggered" his quality comment...

How many users have to complain about a moderator before something actually gets done about this?

Not by a long shot. Miller's comment was prompted by the deletion of posts in the Legal subforum and our private exchange via DM. He and I have an unrelated dispute, and this provided him a chance to express his dissatisfaction, doing so politely, as he always does.👍

bluebadger44 said:What are you even going to say to deny that I consider this violence? I’m sticking to what I said, and I’ll add that you won't even answer my questions (again, depriving me of information). And besides, for the hundredth time, who are you to decide what counts as relevant information to me? As for the belittling part, I think you're the only participant who actually took what happened seriously.

Don't put words in my mouth. I only said that human memory is fallible; I wasn't calling anyone out. My answer was general.

You're grasping at straws.

Excuse me? I didn't ask for your reaction. You don't need to be a moderator just to reply to someone's post. Isn't that literally the whole point of an online forum? I simply asked you to compare that comment to the one that was deleted and explain the difference, but you're dodging the question again. I assume the site rules apply to every section of this forum (except maybe the politics board) and to everyone participating? I am asking you once more to comment on the quoted post—and I'm asking Nicky too.

And yet again, you refuse to address this pathetic response of yours, which I've already posted three times in this thread:

Sure, but that discussion—the one you think was excessive—is what "triggered" his quality comment...

How many users have to complain about a moderator before something actually gets done about this?

In my experience, even a single legitimate grievance should suffice, as evidenced by some of my previous threads.👍>

redtiger15 said:The emphasis is on HALF. I clearly should have made that point more obvious somehow. Even by your super strict standards, half of those posts were perfectly fine. It’s a shame you can't see that maybe, just maybe, you shouldn't have deleted them in the first place. Personally, I think all the posts were fine. Look, I'm not out here campaigning for some sterile, sanitized debate—I honestly don't even enjoy being on this forum if it turns into some sterilized piece of crap.

I never said you were constantly trolling, but in the part that was deleted, you're either trolling or explaining why you're trolling.👍

And I never said you claimed I was *only* trolling. I'm sorry that your way of responding to what I wrote is so selective, and that you're probably intentionally ignoring the actual point I was making.

The deleted comments have been posted. Please explain to me (just like bluebadger44 and everyone else interested) what specific information you think is vital, because we're still discussing this and I have no problem changing my mind and restoring the deleted stuff.👍

Everything is vital to me. People's opinions and experiences matter to me, especially since we're all competing for the same jobs. Plus, I have plenty of thoughts on a lot of the stuff written in those deleted posts.
What, am I supposed to write out every single thought I have about everything that was said right here just so you can judge whether it's "good enough" for you to bring the posts back? Because I really don't feel like doing that.

You mentioned that there was some information tucked away in those deleted comments that you actually found important. So, I went ahead and copied all of them right here. I’m hoping you can point out exactly what you were referring to—and please, try to be serious for once; I'm looking for actual substance, not just more of your usual sarcasm.👍

bluebadger44 said:You're needlessly deleting my posts, restricting my freedom of speech, and blocking my access to information—honestly, I consider that straight-up violence. I think it should have been obvious from my previous posts that I take the deletion of my content extremely seriously.

Human memory is unreliable. That's all I said. Go ahead—tell me otherwise if you think you're right.

If that counts as an insult, then this does too:

I honestly think your issue is just being unable to admit you messed up and that you don't actually have any valid arguments. Your reaction was way over the top.

What matters most to me:

1. Confidential info leaks from ExxonMobil. Test results are strictly private—even the participants can't access them on their own request. But clearly, some people can. I know from a reliable source that this kind of thing has happened at other massive corporations (not naming names here), so I'm not about to dismiss what Miss Dean wrote.
2. Maybe there was an error when sending out rejection notices. That's actually why I was contacted via DM, and you just labeled my post as mocking.
3. Discussions about getting jobs through connections are always important.

It seems like that's all it comes down to. Unfortunately.

EDIT: I'd like to ask Brian Edwards6 to explain how this post is any different from all those other troll posts on the ExxonMobil thread that got deleted, except this one was written by a moderator. I took this post as an example from the "who moderates the world subforum" thread.

Side note: using terms like "ma'am" and that last sentence when it's obvious the user isn't happy. What is that supposed to mean? That moderators can be condescending while we can't? Stop nitpicking!

Your comments were removed because they were direct replies to posts that had already been deleted, which is standard procedure under our community guidelines. To provide some context: the user whose original posts were pulled mentioned that her boyfriend didn't land the job despite being one of the top candidates. While sharing that kind of personal frustration is perfectly fine, she spent several comments belittling other participants in the discussion. That behavior triggered the necessary moderation response, as violating our conduct rules isn't permitted here. The thread itself has consistently touched on topics like nepotism and cronyism, both before and after this incident, so you still have full access to all the relevant information available in this format. Furthermore, none of these removals involve allegations of violence or safety issues, so your accusations of insults are quite frankly unfounded.👎

bluebadger44 said:You're needlessly deleting my posts, restricting my freedom of speech, and blocking my access to information—honestly, I consider that straight-up violence. I think it should have been obvious from my previous posts that I take the deletion of my content extremely seriously.

Human memory is unreliable. That's all I said. Go ahead—tell me otherwise if you think you're right.

If that counts as an insult, then this does too:

I honestly think your issue is just being unable to admit you messed up and that you don't actually have any valid arguments. Your reaction was way over the top.

What matters most to me:

1. Confidential info leaks from ExxonMobil. Test results are strictly private—even the participants can't access them on their own request. But clearly, some people can. I know from a reliable source that this kind of thing has happened at other massive corporations (not naming names here), so I'm not about to dismiss what Miss Dean wrote.
2. Maybe there was an error when sending out rejection notices. That's actually why I was contacted via DM, and you just labeled my post as mocking.
3. Discussions about getting jobs through connections are always important.

It seems like that's all it comes down to. Unfortunately.

EDIT: I'd like to ask Brian Edwards6 to explain how this post is any different from all those other troll posts on the ExxonMobil thread that got deleted, except this one was written by a moderator. I took this post as an example from the "who moderates the world subforum" thread.

Side note: using terms like "ma'am" and that last sentence when it's obvious the user isn't happy. What is that supposed to mean? That moderators can be condescending while we can't? Stop nitpicking!

So, let me get this straight—am I actually guilty of manipulation here, or am I just overthinking my own motives?😕

bluebadger44 said:You're needlessly deleting my posts, restricting my freedom of speech, and blocking my access to information—honestly, I consider that straight-up violence. I think it should have been obvious from my previous posts that I take the deletion of my content extremely seriously.

Human memory is unreliable. That's all I said. Go ahead—tell me otherwise if you think you're right.

If that counts as an insult, then this does too:

I honestly think your issue is just being unable to admit you messed up and that you don't actually have any valid arguments. Your reaction was way over the top.

What matters most to me:

1. Confidential info leaks from ExxonMobil. Test results are strictly private—even the participants can't access them on their own request. But clearly, some people can. I know from a reliable source that this kind of thing has happened at other massive corporations (not naming names here), so I'm not about to dismiss what Miss Dean wrote.
2. Maybe there was an error when sending out rejection notices. That's actually why I was contacted via DM, and you just labeled my post as mocking.
3. Discussions about getting jobs through connections are always important.

It seems like that's all it comes down to. Unfortunately.

EDIT: I'd like to ask Brian Edwards6 to explain how this post is any different from all those other troll posts on the ExxonMobil thread that got deleted, except this one was written by a moderator. I took this post as an example from the "who moderates the world subforum" thread.

Side note: using terms like "ma'am" and that last sentence when it's obvious the user isn't happy. What is that supposed to mean? That moderators can be condescending while we can't? Stop nitpicking!

1. If you happen to have such information, please feel free to share it—just as Miss Dean's comment would have remained if she hadn't belittled other users and ignited such a confrontation.
2. That isn't the full extent of that comment, and since it was so neatly copied in a previous reply, I don't believe there was any mention of the fallibility of human memory.
3. Of course there was; it was mentioned previously, and from what I can see, both before and after the deleted argument.👍

bluebadger44 said:You're needlessly deleting my posts, restricting my freedom of speech, and blocking my access to information—honestly, I consider that straight-up violence. I think it should have been obvious from my previous posts that I take the deletion of my content extremely seriously.

Human memory is unreliable. That's all I said. Go ahead—tell me otherwise if you think you're right.

If that counts as an insult, then this does too:

I honestly think your issue is just being unable to admit you messed up and that you don't actually have any valid arguments. Your reaction was way over the top.

What matters most to me:

1. Confidential info leaks from ExxonMobil. Test results are strictly private—even the participants can't access them on their own request. But clearly, some people can. I know from a reliable source that this kind of thing has happened at other massive corporations (not naming names here), so I'm not about to dismiss what Miss Dean wrote.
2. Maybe there was an error when sending out rejection notices. That's actually why I was contacted via DM, and you just labeled my post as mocking.
3. Discussions about getting jobs through connections are always important.

It seems like that's all it comes down to. Unfortunately.

EDIT: I'd like to ask Brian Edwards6 to explain how this post is any different from all those other troll posts on the ExxonMobil thread that got deleted, except this one was written by a moderator. I took this post as an example from the "who moderates the world subforum" thread.

Side note: using terms like "ma'am" and that last sentence when it's obvious the user isn't happy. What is that supposed to mean? That moderators can be condescending while we can't? Stop nitpicking!

I don't have jurisdiction over the subforum where you copied that comment, so I have nothing to offer in response there.👍

Jack Rodriguez7 said:@redtiger15
I have my own personal reasons for staying quiet on certain subforums, and since your PM feature seems to be broken—I don't even see the option when I click your name, is PM disabled for you?—I’ll just drop a brief summary of the deleted conversation here. If you find any of this useful, feel free to move pieces of it back to where they belong.
I know quite a few people over at ExxonMobil, and since I had some personal skin in the game regarding this year's recruitment cycle, I figured I’d take the liberty of sharing what I’ve gathered. For the past few years, ExxonMobil has been focusing on bringing in young talent, specifically targeting those with the top-tier academic results. As it turns out, that hasn't exactly been the winning strategy.
ExxonMobil is currently planning to roll out a new job evaluation system alongside a major reorganization. So, where’s the catch? Well, for instance, ExxonMobil intends to outsource certain departments. Let’s say we’re talking about IT. An outside firm will step in, offering their expertise, and their engineers will handle the heavy lifting. However, at the same time, the company wants to retain a handful of internal staff to handle frequent, relatively basic interventions. Now, imagine hiring someone who won an IT Olympiad, can code circles around everyone, and holds a stack of certifications, just for that role.
Their skillset simply isn't required, and frankly, there's no way to utilize it. The specific roles being advertised don't offer much in terms of upward mobility or advanced training. In this scenario, "overqualified" is actually a liability; such a person will quickly become bored, depressed, and eventually transform into a disgruntled, toxic employee. Apparently, this has been proven 100% through practical experience. That is why the current recruitment drive is looking for the most "suitable" candidate rather than the most brilliant one (and I'm not talking about nepotism here). If there's a development team involved, they'll grab the best of the best. But for these other roles, they often seek someone who is mediocre across the board—someone without massive ambitions who will just perform the tasks with general satisfaction.
Of course, Americans tend to jump to conclusions and cry "nepotism" the moment a hiring pattern looks unusual. Honestly, whether that kind of thing exists at ExxonMobil, I couldn't tell you, but this all makes perfect sense to me because I’ve seen this exact dynamic play out in my own professional life.
The bottom line is that the person with the highest test scores doesn't necessarily need to be hired for every opening because business policy dictates otherwise. The top scorer is definitely not always the optimal choice for certain positions, especially in departments that aren't part of the company's core operations and could easily be outsourced. If you need more specifics, hit me up via PM. I know the inner workings of ExxonMobil pretty well, but beyond what I've laid out here, I don't have any further intel on the recruitment process itself.

You are perfectly free to participate in the discussion just like anyone else.👍

redtiger15 said:And there you have it, that’s exactly my point.
A moderator goes and kills a perfectly good discussion for no reason, leaving us all shortchanged on posts like this one.
But for some reason, they just can't—or won't—wrap their heads around that. It’s apparently more important to scrub away some harmless back-and-forth just to keep the environment feeling sterile and "clean."
Look, I’m not trying to drag out an argument with that particular mod; honestly, the mistake should've been fixed two days ago anyway. Besides, I don't really feel like posting on that thread or even in that subforum anymore.

@Jack Rodriguez7, yeah, my PMs are actually turned off right now.
That's what I was getting at when I mentioned how it makes sense that certain places prefer the "average Joe" types. This isn't the spot to hash that out, and since I’m done posting in that subforum, I'm not going to go through the trouble of moving this post over there myself. If someone else wants to get the ball rolling on this debate again, be my guest.

Anyway, thanks. I'll give you a shout if anything else pops up that I need help with.

No, you aren't talking about that, nor did you discuss it in those deleted comments.👍

redtiger15 said:And there you have it, that’s exactly my point.
A moderator goes and kills a perfectly good discussion for no reason, leaving us all shortchanged on posts like this one.
But for some reason, they just can't—or won't—wrap their heads around that. It’s apparently more important to scrub away some harmless back-and-forth just to keep the environment feeling sterile and "clean."
Look, I’m not trying to drag out an argument with that particular mod; honestly, the mistake should've been fixed two days ago anyway. Besides, I don't really feel like posting on that thread or even in that subforum anymore.

@Jack Rodriguez7, yeah, my PMs are actually turned off right now.
That's what I was getting at when I mentioned how it makes sense that certain places prefer the "average Joe" types. This isn't the spot to hash that out, and since I’m done posting in that subforum, I'm not going to go through the trouble of moving this post over there myself. If someone else wants to get the ball rolling on this debate again, be my guest.

Anyway, thanks. I'll give you a shout if anything else pops up that I need help with.

Jack Rodriguez7 didn't participate in the deleted discussion, and there wasn't a single comment in that thread even remotely as high-quality as this one of his.👍

redtiger15 said:And there you have it, that’s exactly my point.
A moderator goes and kills a perfectly good discussion for no reason, leaving us all shortchanged on posts like this one.
But for some reason, they just can't—or won't—wrap their heads around that. It’s apparently more important to scrub away some harmless back-and-forth just to keep the environment feeling sterile and "clean."
Look, I’m not trying to drag out an argument with that particular mod; honestly, the mistake should've been fixed two days ago anyway. Besides, I don't really feel like posting on that thread or even in that subforum anymore.

@Jack Rodriguez7, yeah, my PMs are actually turned off right now.
That's what I was getting at when I mentioned how it makes sense that certain places prefer the "average Joe" types. This isn't the spot to hash that out, and since I’m done posting in that subforum, I'm not going to go through the trouble of moving this post over there myself. If someone else wants to get the ball rolling on this debate again, be my guest.

Anyway, thanks. I'll give you a shout if anything else pops up that I need help with.

To be perfectly honest, I find that quite regrettable.

Jose Hayes4 said:With all due respect to the mod, there’s more collateral damage happening here than actual arguing. 🙄

Unfortunately, that’s the reality. Comments were removed because they were direct responses to deleted posts that consisted of nothing but bickering and mockery; it simply wouldn't make sense to leave them standing alone when it's glaringly obvious they were meant as follow-ups or rebuttals to something else.👍

bluebadger44 said:I didn't ask that. I asked something else.

I am telling you again: the importance of information is judged by the actual contest participants—the people this thread is actually for—not by you, since you aren't a participant. You still haven't answered my question.

If you're referring to my comment about posts being deleted too quickly, I don't even know how to respond to that; you wiped out 15 comments at once, so I think it's pretty obvious.

Go ahead and put them back in the thread; I'm not going to get angry.

I think it would. I believe deleting posts should be the absolute last resort.

Look, I'm sorry, but I actually did answer your question in my last post and explained why I didn't think it was worth responding to. What else? I've gone back and reread everything you wrote, and I honestly can't find any other points. And where exactly am I insulting you?

I suppose I am, though since we clearly aren't seeing eye to eye on this, it's obvious my response isn't exactly what you were looking for.👍

bluebadger44 said:I didn't ask that. I asked something else.

I am telling you again: the importance of information is judged by the actual contest participants—the people this thread is actually for—not by you, since you aren't a participant. You still haven't answered my question.

If you're referring to my comment about posts being deleted too quickly, I don't even know how to respond to that; you wiped out 15 comments at once, so I think it's pretty obvious.

Go ahead and put them back in the thread; I'm not going to get angry.

I think it would. I believe deleting posts should be the absolute last resort.

Look, I'm sorry, but I actually did answer your question in my last post and explained why I didn't think it was worth responding to. What else? I've gone back and reread everything you wrote, and I honestly can't find any other points. And where exactly am I insulting you?

Since you mentioned earlier:

bluebadger44 said:I also think I should ask the administrators to step in here. This whole thing with Brian Edwards6 has just devolved into petty bickering, and frankly, it isn't helping anyone. I believe I was pretty clear: those deleted posts contained info that actually matters to those of us participating in the contest—which is exactly what this forum is for—so please, just restore them. I don't get how Brian Edwards6 can lecture us on why certain posts are important when he isn't even part of the competition himself. Also, I feel like posts on the Career and Jobs subforum are being wiped out way too easily, which just isn't fair to the users who actually take the time to word things carefully. Thanks.

I was under the impression you had some additional examples to offer beyond that one controversial topic—especially since you're making such sweeping claims about the entire subforum.👍

Do you have any examples like that?😕

bluebadger44 said:I didn't ask that. I asked something else.

I am telling you again: the importance of information is judged by the actual contest participants—the people this thread is actually for—not by you, since you aren't a participant. You still haven't answered my question.

If you're referring to my comment about posts being deleted too quickly, I don't even know how to respond to that; you wiped out 15 comments at once, so I think it's pretty obvious.

Go ahead and put them back in the thread; I'm not going to get angry.

I think it would. I believe deleting posts should be the absolute last resort.

Look, I'm sorry, but I actually did answer your question in my last post and explained why I didn't think it was worth responding to. What else? I've gone back and reread everything you wrote, and I honestly can't find any other points. And where exactly am I insulting you?

As I’ve mentioned before, my approach is pretty straightforward: if a comment violates the rules, it gets deleted. Period. However, if there happens to be a nugget of actual useful information buried within that rule-breaking post, I don't just toss it in the trash. Since editing isn't an option here, I'll send a copy of that specific part to the user and politely ask them to repost just the helpful bits. So far, this process hasn't caused any friction—neither with the rules nor with the users whose posts I've had to clear away.👍

bluebadger44 said:I didn't ask that. I asked something else.

I am telling you again: the importance of information is judged by the actual contest participants—the people this thread is actually for—not by you, since you aren't a participant. You still haven't answered my question.

If you're referring to my comment about posts being deleted too quickly, I don't even know how to respond to that; you wiped out 15 comments at once, so I think it's pretty obvious.

Go ahead and put them back in the thread; I'm not going to get angry.

I think it would. I believe deleting posts should be the absolute last resort.

Look, I'm sorry, but I actually did answer your question in my last post and explained why I didn't think it was worth responding to. What else? I've gone back and reread everything you wrote, and I honestly can't find any other points. And where exactly am I insulting you?

Here is what I consider an insult:

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

Why are you even replying to a post that wasn't meant for you? Are you people all just interchangeable or something? And since you're clearly so eager to chime in, why didn't you answer my actual question: How on earth do you think you know what matters to me and what doesn't?

What kind of terms did you agree to when you took that moderator gig? Honestly, I don't even care. If you actually think being appointed as a moderator gives you some kind of inherent authority, you're dead wrong. If I see someone stepping on me—which is exactly what you're doing right now—of course I'm going to speak up. You don't have to physically assault someone or throw them in a holding cell just to be a bully.

Who exactly is this "nobody"? Show me my post where I actually said I didn't believe her. I suggested she contact ExxonMobil to make sure there wasn't some kind of mistake.

Since we’re still debating this a day later, it’s clear we can't just move on or pretend there's some alternative explanation. Why would anyone try to spin the story or act like nothing even happened? What happened, happened. Deleting posts just opens the door for manipulation, whereas keeping them would have let us see everything clearly in black and white.

We could have actually had a real discussion without all this constant bickering if you’d just stepped in and told us to dial it back. Instead, you let things escalate, and now most people have just checked out entirely. And then there are some folks who can't even weigh in because they haven't even seen what's been going on.

Yeah, even a kid could see you take this job way too seriously.

You’re labeling me a bully, but frankly, I don't see myself that way. I certainly have my share of flaws, but no one who actually knows me could reasonably make that accusation (for purely objective reasons).👎

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

Why are you even replying to a post that wasn't meant for you? Are you people all just interchangeable or something? And since you're clearly so eager to chime in, why didn't you answer my actual question: How on earth do you think you know what matters to me and what doesn't?

What kind of terms did you agree to when you took that moderator gig? Honestly, I don't even care. If you actually think being appointed as a moderator gives you some kind of inherent authority, you're dead wrong. If I see someone stepping on me—which is exactly what you're doing right now—of course I'm going to speak up. You don't have to physically assault someone or throw them in a holding cell just to be a bully.

Who exactly is this "nobody"? Show me my post where I actually said I didn't believe her. I suggested she contact ExxonMobil to make sure there wasn't some kind of mistake.

Since we’re still debating this a day later, it’s clear we can't just move on or pretend there's some alternative explanation. Why would anyone try to spin the story or act like nothing even happened? What happened, happened. Deleting posts just opens the door for manipulation, whereas keeping them would have let us see everything clearly in black and white.

We could have actually had a real discussion without all this constant bickering if you’d just stepped in and told us to dial it back. Instead, you let things escalate, and now most people have just checked out entirely. And then there are some folks who can't even weigh in because they haven't even seen what's been going on.

Yeah, even a kid could see you take this job way too seriously.

By insinuating that there is manipulation happening, you are also insulting me.👎

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

Why are you even replying to a post that wasn't meant for you? Are you people all just interchangeable or something? And since you're clearly so eager to chime in, why didn't you answer my actual question: How on earth do you think you know what matters to me and what doesn't?

What kind of terms did you agree to when you took that moderator gig? Honestly, I don't even care. If you actually think being appointed as a moderator gives you some kind of inherent authority, you're dead wrong. If I see someone stepping on me—which is exactly what you're doing right now—of course I'm going to speak up. You don't have to physically assault someone or throw them in a holding cell just to be a bully.

Who exactly is this "nobody"? Show me my post where I actually said I didn't believe her. I suggested she contact ExxonMobil to make sure there wasn't some kind of mistake.

Since we’re still debating this a day later, it’s clear we can't just move on or pretend there's some alternative explanation. Why would anyone try to spin the story or act like nothing even happened? What happened, happened. Deleting posts just opens the door for manipulation, whereas keeping them would have let us see everything clearly in black and white.

We could have actually had a real discussion without all this constant bickering if you’d just stepped in and told us to dial it back. Instead, you let things escalate, and now most people have just checked out entirely. And then there are some folks who can't even weigh in because they haven't even seen what's been going on.

Yeah, even a kid could see you take this job way too seriously.

Regardless of your intention, I find that offensive.👎

redtiger15 said:Look, half the posts are just collateral damage according to your logic. According to rustydrifter10, two-thirds of the thread is nothing but people bickering. Personally, I don't see what the big deal is with those posts—people are just sharing their takes. My first post was clearly a joke, which is why I added the :toothless: emoji to make it obvious. In my second post, I wasn't even joking; I was actually explaining the reasoning behind the sarcasm in the first one. I wasn't being malicious or worked up at all, because if I actually were, my posts would have looked way different than they did. So, while I find it kind of funny that Miss Dean reacted the way she did, I totally get it. She was just reacting emotionally to the situation, and I honestly don't hold it against her or feel insulted by what she said.

Secondly, there is no way I'm sticking around a place where everything has to be this sterile, sanitized discussion where posts like mine get nuked. Especially since I've put a ton of constructive stuff into that thread where I'm actually explaining things and helping people out—it's not like I'm just trolling for the hell of it.

Just put all the posts back.

Yes, casualties of useless arguments. There are no direct quotes here, but most of these are responses to comments that were deleted; without context, they would simply be left "hanging in mid-air."👍

redtiger15 said:Look, half the posts are just collateral damage according to your logic. According to rustydrifter10, two-thirds of the thread is nothing but people bickering. Personally, I don't see what the big deal is with those posts—people are just sharing their takes. My first post was clearly a joke, which is why I added the :toothless: emoji to make it obvious. In my second post, I wasn't even joking; I was actually explaining the reasoning behind the sarcasm in the first one. I wasn't being malicious or worked up at all, because if I actually were, my posts would have looked way different than they did. So, while I find it kind of funny that Miss Dean reacted the way she did, I totally get it. She was just reacting emotionally to the situation, and I honestly don't hold it against her or feel insulted by what she said.

Secondly, there is no way I'm sticking around a place where everything has to be this sterile, sanitized discussion where posts like mine get nuked. Especially since I've put a ton of constructive stuff into that thread where I'm actually explaining things and helping people out—it's not like I'm just trolling for the hell of it.

Just put all the posts back.

I never actually claimed you were constantly trolling, but in the section that was deleted, you were either making jokes or explaining why you were making them.👍

redtiger15 said:Look, half the posts are just collateral damage according to your logic. According to rustydrifter10, two-thirds of the thread is nothing but people bickering. Personally, I don't see what the big deal is with those posts—people are just sharing their takes. My first post was clearly a joke, which is why I added the :toothless: emoji to make it obvious. In my second post, I wasn't even joking; I was actually explaining the reasoning behind the sarcasm in the first one. I wasn't being malicious or worked up at all, because if I actually were, my posts would have looked way different than they did. So, while I find it kind of funny that Miss Dean reacted the way she did, I totally get it. She was just reacting emotionally to the situation, and I honestly don't hold it against her or feel insulted by what she said.

Secondly, there is no way I'm sticking around a place where everything has to be this sterile, sanitized discussion where posts like mine get nuked. Especially since I've put a ton of constructive stuff into that thread where I'm actually explaining things and helping people out—it's not like I'm just trolling for the hell of it.

Just put all the posts back.

The deleted comments have been made public. I’m asking you to clarify—just as bluebadger44 and several others have asked—exactly what information you believe is essential here. We are still in the middle of this discussion, and I have no issue changing my mind and restoring the deleted content if it makes sense.👍

Miss Dean said:Good morning to those of you who actually find value in being awake right now; to the rest of you, I wish you a peaceful night.

Well, the dear friend received a rejection. And since I happen to have a certain someone on the inside (though UNFORTUNATELY, they aren't exactly a heavy hitter over there), I actually know what those results looked like. Let me just say: they were astronomically, ridiculously above average. Absolutely top-tier.

We all thought the call would come eventually—just a matter of waiting for the right moment to strike. But now that the floodgates have actually opened, I find myself at a bit of a loss. What am I even supposed to say? What kind of message should I scramble to send out? It’s pretty obvious there isn't much room left for anyone actually competent over there.

So, for those of you sitting there staring at a rejection letter, let’s be honest: you clearly weren't being mediocre enough.

No offense intended to anyone who was invited, but let’s be honest—I probably wouldn't have even passed the test myself.

First comment on the thread. If you ask me, that line about how "there clearly isn't room for the competent... so, if you were rejected, you obviously weren't mediocre enough," is an immediate candidate for deletion. Regardless of the "no offense intended" disclaimer, it’s exactly the kind of remark that warrants being scrubbed.

Jose Hayes4 said:To be perfectly honest, I find it highly improbable that someone of such... let's say, "unexceptional" caliber actually managed to get any recognition around here. It’s possible that those in charge simply don't share the delusion that your precious little darling is the absolute gold standard. Quite likely, they actually had someone with even a modicum of competence in mind.

Anyway, best of luck to everyone out there!

2. Just another collateral victim of a deleted discussion.

Miss Dean said:Look, I understand the concept of percentiles perfectly well. I know exactly what it means to be at the very top of the curve. If they were actually looking at test scores alone to fill their quotas, he would have sailed right through.

And just like that, they’ve gone and pulled the rug out from under us without so much as a word of explanation. Honestly, where is the logic in that? It’s complete nonsense. But then again, why should I be surprised? Given the way things operate here in America, I shouldn't even bother questioning it. I already know how the game is played.

3. Once again, we see the usual attempt to smear those who actually had the guts to step inside.

redtiger15 said:You all think you’re far too clever for ExxonMobil. Isn't that right, Miss Dean?

4. Just kidding.

Miss Dean said:I already pointed out that the test probably wouldn't even pass—you might want to actually read what I’m writing. I was laying out the facts, not offering some subjective little vision of my own.

By the way, that handle actually suits you perfectly.

To be perfectly honest, the opening sentence offers absolutely zero substance, and that final remark is nothing more than cheap shots and petty bickering.

redtiger15 said:I missed the mark on that one regarding your handle; I was honestly just poking fun at you. It’s frankly hilarious to hear you claim that anyone who actually passed the requirements is incompetent or mediocre, especially considering your "highly capable, above-average" boyfriend failed to make the cut himself.

6. Pure mockery.

bluebadger44 said:Well, what was his actual score?

7. Collateral damage from a deleted thread.

alup said:The only fact you actually have is that your darling is above average in intelligence... everything else is just your subjective interpretation since you haven't provided any concrete evidence regarding favoritism or nepotism (not saying it doesn't exist, just that you haven't produced proof)

On the other hand... being intelligent certainly isn't a guarantee of competence or being the best fit for a specific role.
Intelligence needs to be weighed alongside a resume and personality, which is precisely why there are so many circles involved.
LP

8. Collateral damage from a deleted thread.

Lendoxia said:And what percentile is this darling in? Maybe they should go take a Mensa test for some moral satisfaction if they're supposedly so much better than everyone else.

9. Pure mockery.

damiezgx said:Listen, psychologists review resumes based on test results and call people in at their discretion. I believe age and especially years spent in university are significant factors. No matter how smart someone is or how they crushed the testing, if they took ten years to graduate, it paints a different picture for the recruiters. That’s why I’m actually expecting a rejection myself, given that I spent a bit longer in college compared to my classmates who applied.

10. Collateral damage from a deleted thread.

Miss Dean said:Intelligence is merely a measure of learning capacity.
Personality wasn't even assessed.
To be honest, I envy his resume. I suspect many others would too. But I admit, that is subjective.

So, we have a solid resume and an above-average score, yet he wasn't called for an interview. To anyone with common sense, that smells fishy.

As for nepotism and ExxonMobil—I personally know several people connected to the firm who landed that internship. And I am certainly not the only one who knows someone...

Now, all you offended parties can back off; I'm happy for those of you who made it through and I hope you continue to succeed. But please, don't be hypocritical and claim this is fair play, because it isn't. My only goal with this post was to point that out.

Have a pleasant day.

Over and out.

11. Again, a bit of subjectivity, which is fine, but paired with a dismissive attitude toward others.

Miss Dean said:Nope. Within the timeframe. Average score above 4.

EDIT: and they don't even list that on their resume.

Response number 12: just collateral damage from a thread being wiped.

bluebadger44 said:If it means anything to you, I don't have any connections. And frankly, I doubt most people here do either. Your dear partner wasn't satisfied for god knows what reason, but that doesn't mean you need to take it out on us. Maybe give ExxonMobil a call; perhaps there was some clerical error.

Response number 13: an endless back-and-forth argument.

alup said:Look, it’s common knowledge that some positions go through networking... everyone gets that.
So why is ExxonMobil filling all the other slots with "average" candidates when they clearly have overachievers available?!
Maybe they should consider that nepotism and cronyism aren't just why your guy didn't get a call—maybe they're actually reasons to look elsewhere entirely.

P.S.
To save you the trouble of saying, "maybe they want average people who will just follow orders instead of questioning everything."
Sure, that might be part of it, but I highly doubt they need 130 mindless drones without a single original thought or shred of motivation. Surely there's room for a few high performers among those 130 spots.

Response number 14: more collateral damage from the thread deletion.

bluebadger44 said:True, but which part specifically? Has anyone actually run the numbers? From where I'm sitting, I see plenty of people blaming everyone else for their own failures.

Response number 15: yet more collateral damage from the thread being deleted.

redtiger15 said:Like I said before,

Personally, I find all of this incredibly interesting. I'm not sitting here thinking people are lying or that it's impossible for high scorers to get cut. I also found it super intriguing when that one guy registered just to jump into a deleted thread, suggesting that for a certain number of spots, they might actually prefer more average candidates. Which, let's be real, makes total sense. But you totally killed that conversation. (All because of that petty bickering that wasn't bothering anyone.) I didn't get a chance to reply back then, and I'm not looking to reopen the whole can of worms now, mostly because I've completely lost any desire to participate in this thread or this subforum anymore. That's just where I'm at.

Since I happen to be in the somewhat privileged position of actually being able to see the deleted discussion, I’ll go ahead and paste those removed comments here. That way, you can clarify exactly which parts you found useful or which specific points you were hoping to address if they were restored.👍

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

Why are you even replying to a post that wasn't meant for you? Are you people all just interchangeable or something? And since you're clearly so eager to chime in, why didn't you answer my actual question: How on earth do you think you know what matters to me and what doesn't?

What kind of terms did you agree to when you took that moderator gig? Honestly, I don't even care. If you actually think being appointed as a moderator gives you some kind of inherent authority, you're dead wrong. If I see someone stepping on me—which is exactly what you're doing right now—of course I'm going to speak up. You don't have to physically assault someone or throw them in a holding cell just to be a bully.

Who exactly is this "nobody"? Show me my post where I actually said I didn't believe her. I suggested she contact ExxonMobil to make sure there wasn't some kind of mistake.

Since we’re still debating this a day later, it’s clear we can't just move on or pretend there's some alternative explanation. Why would anyone try to spin the story or act like nothing even happened? What happened, happened. Deleting posts just opens the door for manipulation, whereas keeping them would have let us see everything clearly in black and white.

We could have actually had a real discussion without all this constant bickering if you’d just stepped in and told us to dial it back. Instead, you let things escalate, and now most people have just checked out entirely. And then there are some folks who can't even weigh in because they haven't even seen what's been going on.

Yeah, even a kid could see you take this job way too seriously.

Since you asked whether moderators can make mistakes and if we're some kind of divine beings, I've provided an example where I, acting as a moderator, was proven wrong, acknowledged the error, and corrected it.👍

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

Why are you even replying to a post that wasn't meant for you? Are you people all just interchangeable or something? And since you're clearly so eager to chime in, why didn't you answer my actual question: How on earth do you think you know what matters to me and what doesn't?

What kind of terms did you agree to when you took that moderator gig? Honestly, I don't even care. If you actually think being appointed as a moderator gives you some kind of inherent authority, you're dead wrong. If I see someone stepping on me—which is exactly what you're doing right now—of course I'm going to speak up. You don't have to physically assault someone or throw them in a holding cell just to be a bully.

Who exactly is this "nobody"? Show me my post where I actually said I didn't believe her. I suggested she contact ExxonMobil to make sure there wasn't some kind of mistake.

Since we’re still debating this a day later, it’s clear we can't just move on or pretend there's some alternative explanation. Why would anyone try to spin the story or act like nothing even happened? What happened, happened. Deleting posts just opens the door for manipulation, whereas keeping them would have let us see everything clearly in black and white.

We could have actually had a real discussion without all this constant bickering if you’d just stepped in and told us to dial it back. Instead, you let things escalate, and now most people have just checked out entirely. And then there are some folks who can't even weigh in because they haven't even seen what's been going on.

Yeah, even a kid could see you take this job way too seriously.

That is my assessment, based on the entirety of the deleted comments. And honestly, you could tell me which specific question you feel went unanswered.👍

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

Why are you even replying to a post that wasn't meant for you? Are you people all just interchangeable or something? And since you're clearly so eager to chime in, why didn't you answer my actual question: How on earth do you think you know what matters to me and what doesn't?

What kind of terms did you agree to when you took that moderator gig? Honestly, I don't even care. If you actually think being appointed as a moderator gives you some kind of inherent authority, you're dead wrong. If I see someone stepping on me—which is exactly what you're doing right now—of course I'm going to speak up. You don't have to physically assault someone or throw them in a holding cell just to be a bully.

Who exactly is this "nobody"? Show me my post where I actually said I didn't believe her. I suggested she contact ExxonMobil to make sure there wasn't some kind of mistake.

Since we’re still debating this a day later, it’s clear we can't just move on or pretend there's some alternative explanation. Why would anyone try to spin the story or act like nothing even happened? What happened, happened. Deleting posts just opens the door for manipulation, whereas keeping them would have let us see everything clearly in black and white.

We could have actually had a real discussion without all this constant bickering if you’d just stepped in and told us to dial it back. Instead, you let things escalate, and now most people have just checked out entirely. And then there are some folks who can't even weigh in because they haven't even seen what's been going on.

Yeah, even a kid could see you take this job way too seriously.

Given that I have access to tools and options unavailable to the general user base, it does mean I've been granted a degree of formal authority. It isn't absolute, nor is it infallible—as we have already established.👍

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

Why are you even replying to a post that wasn't meant for you? Are you people all just interchangeable or something? And since you're clearly so eager to chime in, why didn't you answer my actual question: How on earth do you think you know what matters to me and what doesn't?

What kind of terms did you agree to when you took that moderator gig? Honestly, I don't even care. If you actually think being appointed as a moderator gives you some kind of inherent authority, you're dead wrong. If I see someone stepping on me—which is exactly what you're doing right now—of course I'm going to speak up. You don't have to physically assault someone or throw them in a holding cell just to be a bully.

Who exactly is this "nobody"? Show me my post where I actually said I didn't believe her. I suggested she contact ExxonMobil to make sure there wasn't some kind of mistake.

Since we’re still debating this a day later, it’s clear we can't just move on or pretend there's some alternative explanation. Why would anyone try to spin the story or act like nothing even happened? What happened, happened. Deleting posts just opens the door for manipulation, whereas keeping them would have let us see everything clearly in black and white.

We could have actually had a real discussion without all this constant bickering if you’d just stepped in and told us to dial it back. Instead, you let things escalate, and now most people have just checked out entirely. And then there are some folks who can't even weigh in because they haven't even seen what's been going on.

Yeah, even a kid could see you take this job way too seriously.

As I mentioned previously, I intend to copy all of them into my next comment to ensure there is absolutely no room for anyone to twist the facts.👍

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

Why are you even replying to a post that wasn't meant for you? Are you people all just interchangeable or something? And since you're clearly so eager to chime in, why didn't you answer my actual question: How on earth do you think you know what matters to me and what doesn't?

What kind of terms did you agree to when you took that moderator gig? Honestly, I don't even care. If you actually think being appointed as a moderator gives you some kind of inherent authority, you're dead wrong. If I see someone stepping on me—which is exactly what you're doing right now—of course I'm going to speak up. You don't have to physically assault someone or throw them in a holding cell just to be a bully.

Who exactly is this "nobody"? Show me my post where I actually said I didn't believe her. I suggested she contact ExxonMobil to make sure there wasn't some kind of mistake.

Since we’re still debating this a day later, it’s clear we can't just move on or pretend there's some alternative explanation. Why would anyone try to spin the story or act like nothing even happened? What happened, happened. Deleting posts just opens the door for manipulation, whereas keeping them would have let us see everything clearly in black and white.

We could have actually had a real discussion without all this constant bickering if you’d just stepped in and told us to dial it back. Instead, you let things escalate, and now most people have just checked out entirely. And then there are some folks who can't even weigh in because they haven't even seen what's been going on.

Yeah, even a kid could see you take this job way too seriously.

Fair enough, that’s a suggestion I can certainly take to heart. But in your view, would it really have been sufficient to simply issue warnings or hand out suspensions to those refusing to cooperate, rather than deleting comments entirely? Do you truly believe that would have prevented complaints and kept everything running smoothly?😕

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

Why are you even replying to a post that wasn't meant for you? Are you people all just interchangeable or something? And since you're clearly so eager to chime in, why didn't you answer my actual question: How on earth do you think you know what matters to me and what doesn't?

What kind of terms did you agree to when you took that moderator gig? Honestly, I don't even care. If you actually think being appointed as a moderator gives you some kind of inherent authority, you're dead wrong. If I see someone stepping on me—which is exactly what you're doing right now—of course I'm going to speak up. You don't have to physically assault someone or throw them in a holding cell just to be a bully.

Who exactly is this "nobody"? Show me my post where I actually said I didn't believe her. I suggested she contact ExxonMobil to make sure there wasn't some kind of mistake.

Since we’re still debating this a day later, it’s clear we can't just move on or pretend there's some alternative explanation. Why would anyone try to spin the story or act like nothing even happened? What happened, happened. Deleting posts just opens the door for manipulation, whereas keeping them would have let us see everything clearly in black and white.

We could have actually had a real discussion without all this constant bickering if you’d just stepped in and told us to dial it back. Instead, you let things escalate, and now most people have just checked out entirely. And then there are some folks who can't even weigh in because they haven't even seen what's been going on.

Yeah, even a kid could see you take this job way too seriously.

If I didn't take it seriously, I wouldn't be putting this much effort into explaining my position, nor would I be paying attention to the fact that you aren't answering my questions and are instead resorting to insults.👍

redtiger15 said:

I don't even know where to start with this one, honestly. It feels like we're just spinning our wheels at this point, chasing these tiny little crumbs of information while everyone else seems to be miles ahead of us. I mean, look, I’m probably overthinking it—classic me, right?—but there’s just something about the way things are moving that feels... off. It's like we're all staring at the same blurry map, hoping someone finally points out where the actual road is, but instead, we just get more noise. It’s exhausting, really. I'll probably still be sitting here, over-analyzing every single detail while the rest of the world moves on, because apparently, that's my special talent. kaže:
Look, I didn't say anything like that, and honestly, that wasn't even my intention. You asked me, and I was just trying to break things down for you with the best of intentions, really. If I stepped on any toes or offended you, I’m truly sorry.👍

Nah, I wasn't actually asking a question. I was just stating a fact, you know? Because if I had actually wanted to start a whole new thread about this, believe me, I would've just gone ahead and opened it myself.

Look, I get that this would’ve been huge news if it actually mattered, but that’s kind of the whole point here—you acted like it wasn't even worth noting and just spent the whole time making fun of the person who posted it.👍

Look, I’ve already said my piece, but if my little joke is really such a massive thorn in everyone's side—and if we’re all suddenly required to be so damn sterile and perfect in here—then fine, whatever. If it makes you feel better, go ahead and leave my two deleted posts gone, but for the love of God, give me back the rest of them. I actually managed to dig up some genuinely useful and interesting stuff in those deleted threads, stuff I probably would've kept finding if you hadn't gone and nuked the entire discussion.

Anyway, I totally messed up how I handled the way she phrased that whole thing. I mean, I’ve already made my position pretty clear on that before, haven't I? Just because I was making fun of her delivery doesn't mean I'm dismissing the actual info she dropped in her post—there's still some meat on those bones, even if her approach was a total disaster.

Look, at the end of the day, what the users think matters way more than whatever some moderator has to say, but honestly? That doesn't mean your take on this specific situation is actually right or that you've totally nailed it.👍

Just because you hold a moderator badge doesn't mean your opinion is automatically gospel, you know? It’s funny how you always act like you're 100% right, yet you only ever flip-flop on your decisions when the admins step in and tell you to. Honestly, I don't even see the point in sitting here all night trying to go toe-to-toe with you—it's just a waste of energy since everything that needs to be said has already been laid out right here. I'm just calling on the admins to step up and actually deal with this situation now.

My apologies once again.👍

redtiger15 said:

I don't even know where to start with this one, honestly. It feels like we're just spinning our wheels at this point, chasing these tiny little crumbs of information while everyone else seems to be miles ahead of us. I mean, look, I’m probably overthinking it—classic me, right?—but there’s just something about the way things are moving that feels... off. It's like we're all staring at the same blurry map, hoping someone finally points out where the actual road is, but instead, we just get more noise. It’s exhausting, really. I'll probably still be sitting here, over-analyzing every single detail while the rest of the world moves on, because apparently, that's my special talent. kaže:
Look, I didn't say anything like that, and honestly, that wasn't even my intention. You asked me, and I was just trying to break things down for you with the best of intentions, really. If I stepped on any toes or offended you, I’m truly sorry.👍

Nah, I wasn't actually asking a question. I was just stating a fact, you know? Because if I had actually wanted to start a whole new thread about this, believe me, I would've just gone ahead and opened it myself.

Look, I get that this would’ve been huge news if it actually mattered, but that’s kind of the whole point here—you acted like it wasn't even worth noting and just spent the whole time making fun of the person who posted it.👍

Look, I’ve already said my piece, but if my little joke is really such a massive thorn in everyone's side—and if we’re all suddenly required to be so damn sterile and perfect in here—then fine, whatever. If it makes you feel better, go ahead and leave my two deleted posts gone, but for the love of God, give me back the rest of them. I actually managed to dig up some genuinely useful and interesting stuff in those deleted threads, stuff I probably would've kept finding if you hadn't gone and nuked the entire discussion.

Anyway, I totally messed up how I handled the way she phrased that whole thing. I mean, I’ve already made my position pretty clear on that before, haven't I? Just because I was making fun of her delivery doesn't mean I'm dismissing the actual info she dropped in her post—there's still some meat on those bones, even if her approach was a total disaster.

Look, at the end of the day, what the users think matters way more than whatever some moderator has to say, but honestly? That doesn't mean your take on this specific situation is actually right or that you've totally nailed it.👍

Just because you hold a moderator badge doesn't mean your opinion is automatically gospel, you know? It’s funny how you always act like you're 100% right, yet you only ever flip-flop on your decisions when the admins step in and tell you to. Honestly, I don't even see the point in sitting here all night trying to go toe-to-toe with you—it's just a waste of energy since everything that needs to be said has already been laid out right here. I'm just calling on the admins to step up and actually deal with this situation now.

Of course.👍

redtiger15 said:

I don't even know where to start with this one, honestly. It feels like we're just spinning our wheels at this point, chasing these tiny little crumbs of information while everyone else seems to be miles ahead of us. I mean, look, I’m probably overthinking it—classic me, right?—but there’s just something about the way things are moving that feels... off. It's like we're all staring at the same blurry map, hoping someone finally points out where the actual road is, but instead, we just get more noise. It’s exhausting, really. I'll probably still be sitting here, over-analyzing every single detail while the rest of the world moves on, because apparently, that's my special talent. kaže:
Look, I didn't say anything like that, and honestly, that wasn't even my intention. You asked me, and I was just trying to break things down for you with the best of intentions, really. If I stepped on any toes or offended you, I’m truly sorry.👍

Nah, I wasn't actually asking a question. I was just stating a fact, you know? Because if I had actually wanted to start a whole new thread about this, believe me, I would've just gone ahead and opened it myself.

Look, I get that this would’ve been huge news if it actually mattered, but that’s kind of the whole point here—you acted like it wasn't even worth noting and just spent the whole time making fun of the person who posted it.👍

Look, I’ve already said my piece, but if my little joke is really such a massive thorn in everyone's side—and if we’re all suddenly required to be so damn sterile and perfect in here—then fine, whatever. If it makes you feel better, go ahead and leave my two deleted posts gone, but for the love of God, give me back the rest of them. I actually managed to dig up some genuinely useful and interesting stuff in those deleted threads, stuff I probably would've kept finding if you hadn't gone and nuked the entire discussion.

Anyway, I totally messed up how I handled the way she phrased that whole thing. I mean, I’ve already made my position pretty clear on that before, haven't I? Just because I was making fun of her delivery doesn't mean I'm dismissing the actual info she dropped in her post—there's still some meat on those bones, even if her approach was a total disaster.

Look, at the end of the day, what the users think matters way more than whatever some moderator has to say, but honestly? That doesn't mean your take on this specific situation is actually right or that you've totally nailed it.👍

Just because you hold a moderator badge doesn't mean your opinion is automatically gospel, you know? It’s funny how you always act like you're 100% right, yet you only ever flip-flop on your decisions when the admins step in and tell you to. Honestly, I don't even see the point in sitting here all night trying to go toe-to-toe with you—it's just a waste of energy since everything that needs to be said has already been laid out right here. I'm just calling on the admins to step up and actually deal with this situation now.

It isn't that I'm indecisive, nor is it that I have any doubts about being in the right here. I simply don't operate that way.👍

When it comes to reversing decisions, the logic is actually quite straightforward. If I want to approach a dispute between two users with more objectivity than they could possibly muster themselves, then it stands to reason that someone else could look at a disagreement between me and another user and provide an even more impartial perspective. It’s all about layers of objectivity. At the end of the day, everyone is free to decide whether or not they want to take a suggestion from that more objective third party. Personally, I’ve decided to embrace those suggestions whenever it serves the greater good. I certainly don't have any inherent issues with authority—whether it involves exercising it or simply following it.👍

bluebadger44 said:I also think I should ask the administrators to step in here. This whole thing with Brian Edwards6 has just devolved into petty bickering, and frankly, it isn't helping anyone. I believe I was pretty clear: those deleted posts contained info that actually matters to those of us participating in the contest—which is exactly what this forum is for—so please, just restore them. I don't get how Brian Edwards6 can lecture us on why certain posts are important when he isn't even part of the competition himself. Also, I feel like posts on the Career and Jobs subforum are being wiped out way too easily, which just isn't fair to the users who actually take the time to word things carefully. Thanks.

She isn’t coming back. Some user posted something that absolutely nobody believes—not because people think she’s making up connections, but because she claims her boyfriend failed despite being one of the top performers. Naturally, everyone else is just tearing her apart for it, and she refuses to take it lying down; she immediately resorts to condescension in her very first reply and hasn't stopped since. You argued that this kind of debate is sterile, and I suppose I can see your point. However, we aren't having a face-to-face argument where you can say something, realize it sounded wrong, clarify yourself, and move on within minutes. This is digital; the text sits there forever. The idea that we can just act "as if nothing happened" is an impossibility when the record is permanent. Besides, the main thread continues to function perfectly fine without all that petty back-and-forth cluttering it up.👍

bluebadger44 said:I also think I should ask the administrators to step in here. This whole thing with Brian Edwards6 has just devolved into petty bickering, and frankly, it isn't helping anyone. I believe I was pretty clear: those deleted posts contained info that actually matters to those of us participating in the contest—which is exactly what this forum is for—so please, just restore them. I don't get how Brian Edwards6 can lecture us on why certain posts are important when he isn't even part of the competition himself. Also, I feel like posts on the Career and Jobs subforum are being wiped out way too easily, which just isn't fair to the users who actually take the time to word things carefully. Thanks.

My intention is to improve, so I would genuinely appreciate it if you could provide a specific example. Generally speaking, if a comment is actually useful, I make it a point to send a copy to the user whose post was removed, explaining exactly what went wrong and asking them to repost the valuable information. Usually, this leads to a mutually satisfactory outcome.👍

Regarding this matter, perhaps we could rename this thread to a general discussion about moderation on that subforum, just so I can pinpoint exactly where my logic is failing.👍

bluebadger44 said:And can a moderator make a mistake? Or are you all just perfect, divinely inspired beings? You have four active users in that thread claiming the decision was wrong and that those posts shouldn't have been nuked—people are still arguing about it right now—and you're telling me nothing important was said. How on earth do you know what matters to me or not? That was the whole point of the post you clearly didn't get.

Yeah, but Brian Edwards6 was being way too strict here. This forum is crawling with bickering and even worse stuff, yet somehow you guys decided to play hardball right here.

In a recent thread of mine on this subforum, it was determined that I had indeed made an error. That part has been corrected, and I won't be making that mistake again. In that instance, the administrator’s view was that I was partially at fault, so the complaining user was permitted to repost the comment that originally sparked the argument (though the rest of the bickering was left deleted). It turned out that the arguing continued and threatened to clutter the entire thread, so I ended up deleting everything again, providing an explanation within the thread. There have been other cases as well that resulted in both positive and negative outcomes based on my decisions. I mention this only to demonstrate that mistakes happen, they are recognized and rectified, and that moderation is adjusted to fit specific situations and needs.👍

bluebadger44 said:And can a moderator make a mistake? Or are you all just perfect, divinely inspired beings? You have four active users in that thread claiming the decision was wrong and that those posts shouldn't have been nuked—people are still arguing about it right now—and you're telling me nothing important was said. How on earth do you know what matters to me or not? That was the whole point of the post you clearly didn't get.

Yeah, but Brian Edwards6 was being way too strict here. This forum is crawling with bickering and even worse stuff, yet somehow you guys decided to play hardball right here.

Yes, there is debate—just without the unnecessary bickering and mockery.👍

bluebadger44 said:And can a moderator make a mistake? Or are you all just perfect, divinely inspired beings? You have four active users in that thread claiming the decision was wrong and that those posts shouldn't have been nuked—people are still arguing about it right now—and you're telling me nothing important was said. How on earth do you know what matters to me or not? That was the whole point of the post you clearly didn't get.

Yeah, but Brian Edwards6 was being way too strict here. This forum is crawling with bickering and even worse stuff, yet somehow you guys decided to play hardball right here.

To be fair, this subforum was just as chaotic and toxic back in the day, which is exactly why we had to overhaul the rules once I was honored with a moderator role. Since then, the number of trolls and drive-by agitators has plummeted, allowing actual discussions to proceed without constant interruption. Is everything perfect? Of course not—perfection is an impossibility. But we can certainly make a concerted effort to keep things as civil as possible.👍

redtiger15 said:It looks like you’ve got a better memory than I do when it comes to everything you’ve wiped from this thread. You're bringing it up now just to make it seem like I’m constantly whining about my posts getting deleted, but honestly, you’re totally misreading the situation. When I said you don't allow for any actual discussion, I was talking specifically about that one debate regarding the board of directors—the exact one I actually ended up complaining about. And yeah, if we're being real, you obviously aren't exactly fostering an open dialogue here, considering you've been busy scrubbing posts left and right.

Exactly. This whole topic is actually pretty heavy, and honestly, it doesn't need a massive sidebar about how some guy was one of the top candidates but didn't get the job because he lacked the right connections—even though he "knew someone on the inside" who tipped him off. I get that she might have overstepped a bit, but the next fourteen comments (hers included) were basically just a circular firing squad of petty bickering and making fun of each other. Just totally unnecessary, really.👍

And why on earth would anyone say a debate like this is unnecessary? What, are we supposed to just sit here in silence unless someone specifically calls us out or hands us a rejection slip? That sounds pretty ridiculous to me. Why shouldn't we be hashing out the stuff that’s actually controversial? That's exactly what I'm interested in, and honestly, I know I'm not the only one. It matters to the people who were right in the thick of it, and it definitely matters to everyone else just lurking in the shadows reading along.

I totally get where you're coming from, but honestly, since nobody actually bought her story and everyone made it crystal clear that they weren't buying it, those comments are pretty much useless at this point. Look, I’m all for any kind of intel regarding the job openings or the hiring process, but what we got here wasn't exactly helpful information—it was just a massive vent session followed by a bunch of petty back-and-forth bickering.👍

So, how exactly are we supposed to measure that just by looking at the comment count? It seems like a pretty wild way to gauge anything, honestly.
Look, you’re just acting as a moderator here—you didn't even apply for the position, so your posts aren't exactly providing much value to us; they just feel like pointless bickering. Honestly, like bluebadger44 was saying, for those of us who actually put ourselves out there and applied for the job, it's way more important to read through the actual details than to obsess over whether someone else just got a rejection letter.

So, bluebadger44 was the one who kicked the whole thing off, and then once your comment got moved over to that separate, much cleaner thread, it shot straight to the top of the list because of how fast they were logging everything.

Thanks, I get it—I'm not exactly a total idiot, you know.

Yeah, and honestly, all this constant back-and-forth—not just yours, mind you, but everyone’s—with those endless replies is just cluttering up the thread and making it impossible to follow anything.👍

Oh, please. This topic was practically begging to be brought up again. 🙄
Seriously, just spare me the drama.

Look, the thread exists for a reason, but what you posted wasn't actually "news." Throwing out comments like, "only people with connections are posting here, and the rest of you are just hypocrites for not believing me," isn't providing any actual information.👍

Give me a break. To me, the real info is knowing that someone with an above-average score still got rejected. And honestly, I don't think that’s even a stretch—one girl commented on this thread saying she got rejected after her testing last year, yet this year she was called back for an interview based on those exact same test results. That means she passed the testing both times, but for some other reason, they didn't move forward with her last year. And why on earth shouldn't we talk about those other reasons? That's exactly the kind of stuff I want to dig into. It really bugs me when people try to shut down discussions like this.

I see all the comments, whether they’ve been deleted or not. As for your complaint that I don't allow any actual debate on this topic—well, I actually went back and combed through the archives for a while, just in case you had a point. What I wrote wasn't some random outburst; it was a concise summary of exactly what I observed. And honestly, I don't think you're complaining because I have a habit of deleting posts; it feels more like you're only making a fuss about it right now to suit the current situation.👍

redtiger15 said:It looks like you’ve got a better memory than I do when it comes to everything you’ve wiped from this thread. You're bringing it up now just to make it seem like I’m constantly whining about my posts getting deleted, but honestly, you’re totally misreading the situation. When I said you don't allow for any actual discussion, I was talking specifically about that one debate regarding the board of directors—the exact one I actually ended up complaining about. And yeah, if we're being real, you obviously aren't exactly fostering an open dialogue here, considering you've been busy scrubbing posts left and right.

Exactly. This whole topic is actually pretty heavy, and honestly, it doesn't need a massive sidebar about how some guy was one of the top candidates but didn't get the job because he lacked the right connections—even though he "knew someone on the inside" who tipped him off. I get that she might have overstepped a bit, but the next fourteen comments (hers included) were basically just a circular firing squad of petty bickering and making fun of each other. Just totally unnecessary, really.👍

And why on earth would anyone say a debate like this is unnecessary? What, are we supposed to just sit here in silence unless someone specifically calls us out or hands us a rejection slip? That sounds pretty ridiculous to me. Why shouldn't we be hashing out the stuff that’s actually controversial? That's exactly what I'm interested in, and honestly, I know I'm not the only one. It matters to the people who were right in the thick of it, and it definitely matters to everyone else just lurking in the shadows reading along.

I totally get where you're coming from, but honestly, since nobody actually bought her story and everyone made it crystal clear that they weren't buying it, those comments are pretty much useless at this point. Look, I’m all for any kind of intel regarding the job openings or the hiring process, but what we got here wasn't exactly helpful information—it was just a massive vent session followed by a bunch of petty back-and-forth bickering.👍

So, how exactly are we supposed to measure that just by looking at the comment count? It seems like a pretty wild way to gauge anything, honestly.
Look, you’re just acting as a moderator here—you didn't even apply for the position, so your posts aren't exactly providing much value to us; they just feel like pointless bickering. Honestly, like bluebadger44 was saying, for those of us who actually put ourselves out there and applied for the job, it's way more important to read through the actual details than to obsess over whether someone else just got a rejection letter.

So, bluebadger44 was the one who kicked the whole thing off, and then once your comment got moved over to that separate, much cleaner thread, it shot straight to the top of the list because of how fast they were logging everything.

Thanks, I get it—I'm not exactly a total idiot, you know.

Yeah, and honestly, all this constant back-and-forth—not just yours, mind you, but everyone’s—with those endless replies is just cluttering up the thread and making it impossible to follow anything.👍

Oh, please. This topic was practically begging to be brought up again. 🙄
Seriously, just spare me the drama.

Look, the thread exists for a reason, but what you posted wasn't actually "news." Throwing out comments like, "only people with connections are posting here, and the rest of you are just hypocrites for not believing me," isn't providing any actual information.👍

Give me a break. To me, the real info is knowing that someone with an above-average score still got rejected. And honestly, I don't think that’s even a stretch—one girl commented on this thread saying she got rejected after her testing last year, yet this year she was called back for an interview based on those exact same test results. That means she passed the testing both times, but for some other reason, they didn't move forward with her last year. And why on earth shouldn't we talk about those other reasons? That's exactly the kind of stuff I want to dig into. It really bugs me when people try to shut down discussions like this.

Let’s keep this civil. Discussion is encouraged, but let’s skip the mindless bickering and petty insults.👍

redtiger15 said:It looks like you’ve got a better memory than I do when it comes to everything you’ve wiped from this thread. You're bringing it up now just to make it seem like I’m constantly whining about my posts getting deleted, but honestly, you’re totally misreading the situation. When I said you don't allow for any actual discussion, I was talking specifically about that one debate regarding the board of directors—the exact one I actually ended up complaining about. And yeah, if we're being real, you obviously aren't exactly fostering an open dialogue here, considering you've been busy scrubbing posts left and right.

Exactly. This whole topic is actually pretty heavy, and honestly, it doesn't need a massive sidebar about how some guy was one of the top candidates but didn't get the job because he lacked the right connections—even though he "knew someone on the inside" who tipped him off. I get that she might have overstepped a bit, but the next fourteen comments (hers included) were basically just a circular firing squad of petty bickering and making fun of each other. Just totally unnecessary, really.👍

And why on earth would anyone say a debate like this is unnecessary? What, are we supposed to just sit here in silence unless someone specifically calls us out or hands us a rejection slip? That sounds pretty ridiculous to me. Why shouldn't we be hashing out the stuff that’s actually controversial? That's exactly what I'm interested in, and honestly, I know I'm not the only one. It matters to the people who were right in the thick of it, and it definitely matters to everyone else just lurking in the shadows reading along.

I totally get where you're coming from, but honestly, since nobody actually bought her story and everyone made it crystal clear that they weren't buying it, those comments are pretty much useless at this point. Look, I’m all for any kind of intel regarding the job openings or the hiring process, but what we got here wasn't exactly helpful information—it was just a massive vent session followed by a bunch of petty back-and-forth bickering.👍

So, how exactly are we supposed to measure that just by looking at the comment count? It seems like a pretty wild way to gauge anything, honestly.
Look, you’re just acting as a moderator here—you didn't even apply for the position, so your posts aren't exactly providing much value to us; they just feel like pointless bickering. Honestly, like bluebadger44 was saying, for those of us who actually put ourselves out there and applied for the job, it's way more important to read through the actual details than to obsess over whether someone else just got a rejection letter.

So, bluebadger44 was the one who kicked the whole thing off, and then once your comment got moved over to that separate, much cleaner thread, it shot straight to the top of the list because of how fast they were logging everything.

Thanks, I get it—I'm not exactly a total idiot, you know.

Yeah, and honestly, all this constant back-and-forth—not just yours, mind you, but everyone’s—with those endless replies is just cluttering up the thread and making it impossible to follow anything.👍

Oh, please. This topic was practically begging to be brought up again. 🙄
Seriously, just spare me the drama.

Look, the thread exists for a reason, but what you posted wasn't actually "news." Throwing out comments like, "only people with connections are posting here, and the rest of you are just hypocrites for not believing me," isn't providing any actual information.👍

Give me a break. To me, the real info is knowing that someone with an above-average score still got rejected. And honestly, I don't think that’s even a stretch—one girl commented on this thread saying she got rejected after her testing last year, yet this year she was called back for an interview based on those exact same test results. That means she passed the testing both times, but for some other reason, they didn't move forward with her last year. And why on earth shouldn't we talk about those other reasons? That's exactly the kind of stuff I want to dig into. It really bugs me when people try to shut down discussions like this.

Of course, defining such a category is inherently difficult—it’s largely an abstract concept. However, once a comment veers into pure mockery and petty bickering, I believe it becomes safe to say they haven't contributed anything of value to the discussion, nor have any of the subsequent replies that followed in its wake.👍

redtiger15 said:It looks like you’ve got a better memory than I do when it comes to everything you’ve wiped from this thread. You're bringing it up now just to make it seem like I’m constantly whining about my posts getting deleted, but honestly, you’re totally misreading the situation. When I said you don't allow for any actual discussion, I was talking specifically about that one debate regarding the board of directors—the exact one I actually ended up complaining about. And yeah, if we're being real, you obviously aren't exactly fostering an open dialogue here, considering you've been busy scrubbing posts left and right.

Exactly. This whole topic is actually pretty heavy, and honestly, it doesn't need a massive sidebar about how some guy was one of the top candidates but didn't get the job because he lacked the right connections—even though he "knew someone on the inside" who tipped him off. I get that she might have overstepped a bit, but the next fourteen comments (hers included) were basically just a circular firing squad of petty bickering and making fun of each other. Just totally unnecessary, really.👍

And why on earth would anyone say a debate like this is unnecessary? What, are we supposed to just sit here in silence unless someone specifically calls us out or hands us a rejection slip? That sounds pretty ridiculous to me. Why shouldn't we be hashing out the stuff that’s actually controversial? That's exactly what I'm interested in, and honestly, I know I'm not the only one. It matters to the people who were right in the thick of it, and it definitely matters to everyone else just lurking in the shadows reading along.

I totally get where you're coming from, but honestly, since nobody actually bought her story and everyone made it crystal clear that they weren't buying it, those comments are pretty much useless at this point. Look, I’m all for any kind of intel regarding the job openings or the hiring process, but what we got here wasn't exactly helpful information—it was just a massive vent session followed by a bunch of petty back-and-forth bickering.👍

So, how exactly are we supposed to measure that just by looking at the comment count? It seems like a pretty wild way to gauge anything, honestly.
Look, you’re just acting as a moderator here—you didn't even apply for the position, so your posts aren't exactly providing much value to us; they just feel like pointless bickering. Honestly, like bluebadger44 was saying, for those of us who actually put ourselves out there and applied for the job, it's way more important to read through the actual details than to obsess over whether someone else just got a rejection letter.

So, bluebadger44 was the one who kicked the whole thing off, and then once your comment got moved over to that separate, much cleaner thread, it shot straight to the top of the list because of how fast they were logging everything.

Thanks, I get it—I'm not exactly a total idiot, you know.

Yeah, and honestly, all this constant back-and-forth—not just yours, mind you, but everyone’s—with those endless replies is just cluttering up the thread and making it impossible to follow anything.👍

Oh, please. This topic was practically begging to be brought up again. 🙄
Seriously, just spare me the drama.

Look, the thread exists for a reason, but what you posted wasn't actually "news." Throwing out comments like, "only people with connections are posting here, and the rest of you are just hypocrites for not believing me," isn't providing any actual information.👍

Give me a break. To me, the real info is knowing that someone with an above-average score still got rejected. And honestly, I don't think that’s even a stretch—one girl commented on this thread saying she got rejected after her testing last year, yet this year she was called back for an interview based on those exact same test results. That means she passed the testing both times, but for some other reason, they didn't move forward with her last year. And why on earth shouldn't we talk about those other reasons? That's exactly the kind of stuff I want to dig into. It really bugs me when people try to shut down discussions like this.

That’s exactly right. As a moderator, I spend my days wading through every single comment on this thread and all the others in the subforum. I don't hold any emotional attachments to any specific discussion, nor to any individual person. My loyalty lies with the subforum itself and its community as a whole—that includes you, just as much as it includes the user you were just making fun of.👍

redtiger15 said:It looks like you’ve got a better memory than I do when it comes to everything you’ve wiped from this thread. You're bringing it up now just to make it seem like I’m constantly whining about my posts getting deleted, but honestly, you’re totally misreading the situation. When I said you don't allow for any actual discussion, I was talking specifically about that one debate regarding the board of directors—the exact one I actually ended up complaining about. And yeah, if we're being real, you obviously aren't exactly fostering an open dialogue here, considering you've been busy scrubbing posts left and right.

Exactly. This whole topic is actually pretty heavy, and honestly, it doesn't need a massive sidebar about how some guy was one of the top candidates but didn't get the job because he lacked the right connections—even though he "knew someone on the inside" who tipped him off. I get that she might have overstepped a bit, but the next fourteen comments (hers included) were basically just a circular firing squad of petty bickering and making fun of each other. Just totally unnecessary, really.👍

And why on earth would anyone say a debate like this is unnecessary? What, are we supposed to just sit here in silence unless someone specifically calls us out or hands us a rejection slip? That sounds pretty ridiculous to me. Why shouldn't we be hashing out the stuff that’s actually controversial? That's exactly what I'm interested in, and honestly, I know I'm not the only one. It matters to the people who were right in the thick of it, and it definitely matters to everyone else just lurking in the shadows reading along.

I totally get where you're coming from, but honestly, since nobody actually bought her story and everyone made it crystal clear that they weren't buying it, those comments are pretty much useless at this point. Look, I’m all for any kind of intel regarding the job openings or the hiring process, but what we got here wasn't exactly helpful information—it was just a massive vent session followed by a bunch of petty back-and-forth bickering.👍

So, how exactly are we supposed to measure that just by looking at the comment count? It seems like a pretty wild way to gauge anything, honestly.
Look, you’re just acting as a moderator here—you didn't even apply for the position, so your posts aren't exactly providing much value to us; they just feel like pointless bickering. Honestly, like bluebadger44 was saying, for those of us who actually put ourselves out there and applied for the job, it's way more important to read through the actual details than to obsess over whether someone else just got a rejection letter.

So, bluebadger44 was the one who kicked the whole thing off, and then once your comment got moved over to that separate, much cleaner thread, it shot straight to the top of the list because of how fast they were logging everything.

Thanks, I get it—I'm not exactly a total idiot, you know.

Yeah, and honestly, all this constant back-and-forth—not just yours, mind you, but everyone’s—with those endless replies is just cluttering up the thread and making it impossible to follow anything.👍

Oh, please. This topic was practically begging to be brought up again. 🙄
Seriously, just spare me the drama.

Look, the thread exists for a reason, but what you posted wasn't actually "news." Throwing out comments like, "only people with connections are posting here, and the rest of you are just hypocrites for not believing me," isn't providing any actual information.👍

Give me a break. To me, the real info is knowing that someone with an above-average score still got rejected. And honestly, I don't think that’s even a stretch—one girl commented on this thread saying she got rejected after her testing last year, yet this year she was called back for an interview based on those exact same test results. That means she passed the testing both times, but for some other reason, they didn't move forward with her last year. And why on earth shouldn't we talk about those other reasons? That's exactly the kind of stuff I want to dig into. It really bugs me when people try to shut down discussions like this.

I didn't say anything like that, nor was that my intention. You asked, and I thought I would explain it with the best of intentions. My apologies if I caused any offense.👍

redtiger15 said:It looks like you’ve got a better memory than I do when it comes to everything you’ve wiped from this thread. You're bringing it up now just to make it seem like I’m constantly whining about my posts getting deleted, but honestly, you’re totally misreading the situation. When I said you don't allow for any actual discussion, I was talking specifically about that one debate regarding the board of directors—the exact one I actually ended up complaining about. And yeah, if we're being real, you obviously aren't exactly fostering an open dialogue here, considering you've been busy scrubbing posts left and right.

Exactly. This whole topic is actually pretty heavy, and honestly, it doesn't need a massive sidebar about how some guy was one of the top candidates but didn't get the job because he lacked the right connections—even though he "knew someone on the inside" who tipped him off. I get that she might have overstepped a bit, but the next fourteen comments (hers included) were basically just a circular firing squad of petty bickering and making fun of each other. Just totally unnecessary, really.👍

And why on earth would anyone say a debate like this is unnecessary? What, are we supposed to just sit here in silence unless someone specifically calls us out or hands us a rejection slip? That sounds pretty ridiculous to me. Why shouldn't we be hashing out the stuff that’s actually controversial? That's exactly what I'm interested in, and honestly, I know I'm not the only one. It matters to the people who were right in the thick of it, and it definitely matters to everyone else just lurking in the shadows reading along.

I totally get where you're coming from, but honestly, since nobody actually bought her story and everyone made it crystal clear that they weren't buying it, those comments are pretty much useless at this point. Look, I’m all for any kind of intel regarding the job openings or the hiring process, but what we got here wasn't exactly helpful information—it was just a massive vent session followed by a bunch of petty back-and-forth bickering.👍

So, how exactly are we supposed to measure that just by looking at the comment count? It seems like a pretty wild way to gauge anything, honestly.
Look, you’re just acting as a moderator here—you didn't even apply for the position, so your posts aren't exactly providing much value to us; they just feel like pointless bickering. Honestly, like bluebadger44 was saying, for those of us who actually put ourselves out there and applied for the job, it's way more important to read through the actual details than to obsess over whether someone else just got a rejection letter.

So, bluebadger44 was the one who kicked the whole thing off, and then once your comment got moved over to that separate, much cleaner thread, it shot straight to the top of the list because of how fast they were logging everything.

Thanks, I get it—I'm not exactly a total idiot, you know.

Yeah, and honestly, all this constant back-and-forth—not just yours, mind you, but everyone’s—with those endless replies is just cluttering up the thread and making it impossible to follow anything.👍

Oh, please. This topic was practically begging to be brought up again. 🙄
Seriously, just spare me the drama.

Look, the thread exists for a reason, but what you posted wasn't actually "news." Throwing out comments like, "only people with connections are posting here, and the rest of you are just hypocrites for not believing me," isn't providing any actual information.👍

Give me a break. To me, the real info is knowing that someone with an above-average score still got rejected. And honestly, I don't think that’s even a stretch—one girl commented on this thread saying she got rejected after her testing last year, yet this year she was called back for an interview based on those exact same test results. That means she passed the testing both times, but for some other reason, they didn't move forward with her last year. And why on earth shouldn't we talk about those other reasons? That's exactly the kind of stuff I want to dig into. It really bugs me when people try to shut down discussions like this.

I realize that would be significant information for you, but that is precisely the point—you approached the thread as if you weren't treating it as information at all, choosing instead to mock the person who actually wrote it.👍

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

I think we’re just seeing things differently regarding what actually counts as important info. In this instance, redtiger15’s take and my own carry more weight than yours. This thread wasn't opened up for moderation purposes; it was created so we could swap experiences, news, and stuff like that. From that perspective, the thread is working perfectly. And I’d really like to keep it that way.

In any given scenario, the users' opinions matter more than those of a moderator, but that doesn't mean your specific take in this instance is correct or that you are absolutely right.👍

bluebadger44 said:@Brian Edwards6

I think we’re just seeing things differently regarding what actually counts as important info. In this instance, redtiger15’s take and my own carry more weight than yours. This thread wasn't opened up for moderation purposes; it was created so we could swap experiences, news, and stuff like that. From that perspective, the thread is working perfectly. And I’d really like to keep it that way.

No thread exists solely for the purpose of being moderated, but since there are many people involved, we need someone to keep an eye on things (you even mentioned a user who used to come in and provoke others). I have already stated to what extent moderation has taken place, at least over the last two months.👍

bluebadger44
... From that perspective, this thread has been working beautifully. Honestly, I’d love nothing more than for it to stay that way.

I couldn't agree more. Up until those last few comments were purged, the quality here was top-notch, and I certainly hope we can maintain that standard moving forward.👍

redtiger15 said:Can someone please take a look at the posts that were deleted from this thread? The moderator, Brian Edwards6, is basically shutting down any actual discussion. And honestly, I’m not even the only one who’s noticed this happening lately. Look, I’m not usually the type to complain about how things are run around here, but seriously, stop messing with our heads by overmoderating everything. This isn't some mindless, low-effort thread where people are just talking in circles and nobody cares if content gets nuked for no reason.

If these posts are considered "problematic"—and apparently the "worst offender" is my post where I was literally just making a joke—then something has gone seriously sideways regarding the new direction this forum is supposed to be taking.

I have to respectfully disagree with that assessment. I haven't gone back through every single entry, but over the last two months, I’ve had to prune one four-comment volley (which you were part of), one standalone comment (yours), and now this specific run of fifteen comments (several of which were yours). Not a single one of those deletions was made despite adding anything of value to the discussion.👍

redtiger15 said:Can someone please take a look at the posts that were deleted from this thread? The moderator, Brian Edwards6, is basically shutting down any actual discussion. And honestly, I’m not even the only one who’s noticed this happening lately. Look, I’m not usually the type to complain about how things are run around here, but seriously, stop messing with our heads by overmoderating everything. This isn't some mindless, low-effort thread where people are just talking in circles and nobody cares if content gets nuked for no reason.

If these posts are considered "problematic"—and apparently the "worst offender" is my post where I was literally just making a joke—then something has gone seriously sideways regarding the new direction this forum is supposed to be taking.

By all means, feel free to speak up whenever something bothers you. That is precisely why this sub-forum and private messaging exist—so we can reach an understanding that works for everyone. Or, at the very least, something reasonably satisfactory.👍

redtiger15 said:Can someone please take a look at the posts that were deleted from this thread? The moderator, Brian Edwards6, is basically shutting down any actual discussion. And honestly, I’m not even the only one who’s noticed this happening lately. Look, I’m not usually the type to complain about how things are run around here, but seriously, stop messing with our heads by overmoderating everything. This isn't some mindless, low-effort thread where people are just talking in circles and nobody cares if content gets nuked for no reason.

If these posts are considered "problematic"—and apparently the "worst offender" is my post where I was literally just making a joke—then something has gone seriously sideways regarding the new direction this forum is supposed to be taking.

Exactly. This is one of our more serious threads. It doesn't need a debate triggered by someone being among the top candidates but losing out because they lacked a connection—even if they claimed to have an "inside contact" who told them so. I understand the user got a bit carried away, but the subsequent fourteen comments (including hers) were nothing more than mutual bickering and mockery. Essentially, entirely pointless.👍

bluebadger44 said:If what that user wrote is actually true—and the core issue here is just that nobody believes her—then her boyfriend is getting screwed. That matters to me, and I’d honestly like to know the truth. I'm asking you to please show me, and I mean quote me directly, where exactly I was making fun of her. There has been way worse mockery on this thread, even straight-up insults. Anyone who's been following this topic for a while remembers that guy Handsome, if that's even his real handle, who used to hate on Dalmatians and anyone who wasn't from the big city, yet nobody said a word then. Now, everyone is making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe we deserved a warning from the mods, but I don't think those posts should have been deleted.

EDIT:

If we’re really going to nitpick like this, then I guess this counts as disparagement too:

I agree, but since no one believed her and everyone made that abundantly clear, there is simply no utility in those comments. Any information regarding the application process would be welcome, but this was merely a grievance followed by infighting, rather than actual information.👍

bluebadger44 said:If what that user wrote is actually true—and the core issue here is just that nobody believes her—then her boyfriend is getting screwed. That matters to me, and I’d honestly like to know the truth. I'm asking you to please show me, and I mean quote me directly, where exactly I was making fun of her. There has been way worse mockery on this thread, even straight-up insults. Anyone who's been following this topic for a while remembers that guy Handsome, if that's even his real handle, who used to hate on Dalmatians and anyone who wasn't from the big city, yet nobody said a word then. Now, everyone is making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe we deserved a warning from the mods, but I don't think those posts should have been deleted.

EDIT:

If we’re really going to nitpick like this, then I guess this counts as disparagement too:

My apologies if my previous message came across as an affront; please understand that the warning was issued to the community as a whole rather than being a targeted critique or an attempt to single anyone out. You have been exceptionally civil and reasonable throughout this entire exchange, but your comments were removed simply because they became part of that general, unproductive noise that often clutters these threads.👍

bluebadger44 said:If what that user wrote is actually true—and the core issue here is just that nobody believes her—then her boyfriend is getting screwed. That matters to me, and I’d honestly like to know the truth. I'm asking you to please show me, and I mean quote me directly, where exactly I was making fun of her. There has been way worse mockery on this thread, even straight-up insults. Anyone who's been following this topic for a while remembers that guy Handsome, if that's even his real handle, who used to hate on Dalmatians and anyone who wasn't from the big city, yet nobody said a word then. Now, everyone is making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe we deserved a warning from the mods, but I don't think those posts should have been deleted.

EDIT:

If we’re really going to nitpick like this, then I guess this counts as disparagement too:

I doubt I was ever a moderator back then, mostly because I can't imagine letting something like that slide under my watch. Honestly, the constant mockery and the way people were being belittled was one of the primary reasons I stepped up to ask for moderation duties for that subforum when it was still essentially the Wild West.👍

bluebadger44 said:If what that user wrote is actually true—and the core issue here is just that nobody believes her—then her boyfriend is getting screwed. That matters to me, and I’d honestly like to know the truth. I'm asking you to please show me, and I mean quote me directly, where exactly I was making fun of her. There has been way worse mockery on this thread, even straight-up insults. Anyone who's been following this topic for a while remembers that guy Handsome, if that's even his real handle, who used to hate on Dalmatians and anyone who wasn't from the big city, yet nobody said a word then. Now, everyone is making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe we deserved a warning from the mods, but I don't think those posts should have been deleted.

EDIT:

If we’re really going to nitpick like this, then I guess this counts as disparagement too:

I make it a point to scrub anything that doesn't actually add value to the discussion. This includes those low-effort, "cardboard" comments, posts that were deleted alongside a private explanation, and even those instances where I’ve had to issue a warning on a thread. My reasoning is fairly simple: leaving those scraps behind almost always invites someone else to jump back into the fray just to get the last word. It creates this toxic cycle where people feel compelled to respond to a moderator's warning simply because they believe whoever lands the final jab "wins" the argument. To prevent these endless, circular shouting matches from spiraling out of control, I just clear the slate entirely. In my view, if there are no lingering insults left to respond to, there can be no winners or losers—just a clean break.👍

redtiger15 As requested:
I wasn't planning on being the one to kick off this particular thread, but here we are...

bluebadger44 actually started it, and once your comment was moved over to that separate (and much cleaner) thread, it shot right to the top because of how the timestamps worked.

redtiger15 said:Look, I didn’t actually start this thread, but whatever, here we are.

Personally, I wasn't even trying to imply she was lying. I totally get that stuff like this can happen in real life, which is exactly why I'm curious to hear everyone's take on it and see if anyone else has dealt with similar situations.
I was really just poking fun at how she phrased things—basically suggesting that ExxonMobil doesn't want anyone with actual talent and that anyone who gets rejected simply isn't "average" enough for them.
Which is why I quipped that they're all just too smart for ExxonMobil. Can you imagine? Like, what a nightmare. Just my little 500-point joke. 🙄

But hey, if some sensitive soul is feeling personally attacked by my sense of humor, fine, go ahead and leave my posts deleted, but please bring back the rest of them. My bad, moderators, I guess I'm just genuinely interested in reading about other people's experiences at a company I've actually applied to. 🙄

Exactly, and it’s precisely that kind of back-and-forth (not just yours, but hers too) that cluttered up the main thread unnecessarily.👍

redtiger15 said:Look, I didn’t actually start this thread, but whatever, here we are.

Personally, I wasn't even trying to imply she was lying. I totally get that stuff like this can happen in real life, which is exactly why I'm curious to hear everyone's take on it and see if anyone else has dealt with similar situations.
I was really just poking fun at how she phrased things—basically suggesting that ExxonMobil doesn't want anyone with actual talent and that anyone who gets rejected simply isn't "average" enough for them.
Which is why I quipped that they're all just too smart for ExxonMobil. Can you imagine? Like, what a nightmare. Just my little 500-point joke. 🙄

But hey, if some sensitive soul is feeling personally attacked by my sense of humor, fine, go ahead and leave my posts deleted, but please bring back the rest of them. My bad, moderators, I guess I'm just genuinely interested in reading about other people's experiences at a company I've actually applied to. 🙄

The whole point of having a thread is to share insights, but this wasn't providing any actual information. Comments like "only people with connections get hired, and you all are hypocrites for not believing me" don't count as useful data.👍

Anyway, I’ll ask the admins to review the deleted comments and see if they actually added anything of value to the discussion, or if my previous deletions were necessary to prevent cluttering the debate. If they find any issues, I'll fix them immediately.👍

I’m certainly not suggesting you’re being aggressive, but after spending the entire afternoon trading barbs, I don't think there's much left to scrub from the record—everyone saw it all unfold, and given this is one of our most active threads, nothing is staying under the radar.

At the end of the day, we've both laid out our positions on the matter, and someone from the administration will step in to make a final call on this thread, likely later this evening.

Regarding the disciplinary action, the primary account has been issued a 3-day suspension, while the clone has received a permanent ban. If you have questions or wish to appeal, please head over to the ban corner.

The disputed thread has been unlocked. Please exercise some restraint for the next three days and refrain from creating any more clones (it’s pretty obvious you're looking up IP addresses to track devices); if you do, the suspension on your original account will be extended, or perhaps even made permanent.

You aren't exactly a newcomer here, so I assume you’ve had plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the rules.

Regarding the thread "OPM - Jobs for the European Union," you initially commented stating you were selling an exam prep book, only to clarify a few posts later that you are actually selling a copy while keeping the original for yourself. My mistake was failing to step in immediately, but once another user began poking at you and provoking you, the situation spiraled into mutual insults that went far beyond acceptable behavior. I ended up deleting your entire exchange from the beginning—including your initial comment about the book—and issued a warning, which you both chose to ignore in favor of continuing the verbal sparring. Consequently, both of you received a red card. We also exchanged several private messages, where I had to explain the situation to both parties. As I explained to you privately and as I am doing here, I couldn't allow the sale of a bootleg copy due to copyright protections, and I won't permit it moving forward. When you asked if advertising the actual book was allowed, I clarified that selling personal belongings is permitted on this forum; however, since we know you are peddling a copy, you won't be allowed to advertise the book at all. You weren't satisfied with that answer, so I directed you to ask here. You will certainly have your answer by tonight.

Since you haven't taken any of this seriously—evidenced by the fact that you created a second username just to return to the same thread and ask about the book—it's clear that the moderator warning, the red card, and our private discussions were ineffective. Therefore, you are being issued a 3-day ban from posting on the forum (your clone has been permanently banned). I will leave you enough time to respond to this specific post, but the OPM thread is temporarily locked and will remain so until this matter is resolved.

Just tell me, are you still following this thread and the forum, or have you moved on? Are you even still around?

Exactly. Your previous comment followed this exact same pattern, right down to those identical little emojis. It wasn't just about deleting your specific remark; I had to clear out the entire thread because the conversation veered off course into nothing but mindless mockery of our female members.👍

Just head over to the relevant thread and post it there as a comment. I'm sure the mods will be reasonable about it.👍

Jeffrey Garcia85 said:Maybe it's not nice. I guess. But it’s just how things are. I realized that's just how life works when it comes to careers and jobs.

I mean, you can't honestly tell me a surgeon isn't held in higher regard than you or me. Or that a FER student won't land a job before someone who graduated from some tiny, unknown community college.

I didn't say I approve of it, I'm just describing the actual situation.

So, if I write something that you disagree with, do I just get erased? I'm just talking about concrete things, the way it actually is. The truth is, before the crisis, there were openings and jobs for people from less prestigious universities, but now employers are being much pickier. Or am I not allowed to say that? Am I supposed to say we're all equal?? If so, then I guess I want to be on the same level as Jure Radić too. How am I the one being looked down on here? 🙂

It seems there’s been a significant misunderstanding here. I’m not particularly interested in debating your specific viewpoint—you’re entitled to it just like anyone else—but one should probably be mindful of the setting when voicing it. When we are discussing a specific profession, any attempt to disparage that career path, regardless of how trivial it might seem to you, is off-limits. It invariably derails the conversation, which is exactly what happened here, evidenced by the fact that others have already chimed in with dismissive comments echoing your sentiment.👍

Let me reiterate. As I mentioned in my private message (and in my previous reply to this thread), we have had several threads like this before, and they all inevitably devolved into politics and petty bickering, which is exactly what this career and job subforum is meant to avoid. I suggested you might want to take your question to the chat room or perhaps a more appropriate section, such as Politics. To be more specific about the issue at hand: you asked about the actual number of unemployed people, yet in your opening comment, you included everyone earning less than $XY as being "unemployed." The first point of contention is that we have already had discussions regarding true unemployment numbers, and those topics were centered on politics, politicians, and parties—not the practical matters for which people actually visit this subforum. The second point is that the painful reality in America right now is that a significant number of people work for wages under $XY, but they still work and live (painfully realistically) off those wages; they are considered employed, and they truly are employed. In the first instance, a discussion like that would be much better suited for the Politics subforum; in the second, you aren't exactly correct, and furthermore, our updated rules strictly prohibit disparaging other people's jobs, regardless of the context. Just to be clear, you haven't been sanctioned for any of the above.👍

Furthermore, I had to erase several of your comments in the architecture thread where you shared experiences that contradict all established facts (specifically, that architects haven't been hit by the crisis and aren't facing employment issues or decreases in workload and pay). I viewed this exclusively as pointless provocations aimed at those trying to steer the conversation—you managed to bait others into that kind of argument quite quickly, so I decided to nip it in the bud, and you aren't the only one whose comments were removed. Additionally, you continue to disparage other professions (in a very subtle way, you frame architects as being somehow superior to $XY professions, even suggesting that architects who graduated from $XY institutions are above everyone else), which is neither polite nor permitted under our updated rules. Those comments were also erased without sanctioning you, though you were sanctioned today for attempting to repost deleted comments (which constitutes a new rule violation).👍