Why is Nick so obsessed with defending Zoran's moderation without any explanation?

A quick little preface here, since my attempts to get some clarity on how lonetrucker4 handles "moderation" keep getting wiped out...
So, I’m starting this thread to formally request that we strip lonetrucker4 of his moderator privileges. From what he’s told me himself, his idea of "moderating" is really just picking and choosing which rules to enforce based on his own whims... applying them partially, or even discriminatorily, depending on who he feels like targeting at any given moment.
In a previous thread about this very issue, Amanda Diaz told me point-blank that I hadn't provided enough evidence, and then she went ahead and locked the whole thing before I could even upload my files. I tried reaching out via DM to ask her about it, and then started this new thread to pose the question properly. Her response to my message was essentially a "no," and the original thread was deleted anyway...
It makes me wonder... why exactly are we allowing a "moderator" to stay in power when they won't even follow the community guidelines themselves?

You're posting in the "Military History & Tech" sub-forum. I'm still technically a mod there, but per our deal, we've got another moderator stepping in to help out now. Should make things smoother for you.

Look, I never said moderation was just picking sides or playing favorites with the rules. Unless—and I can't quite recall right now—you asked if that was the case and I hit you with some sarcastic "Yeah, you nailed it" nonsense.

The truth is, you caught a few strikes in that thread about the future of the Air Force's supersonic tech because you were bickering, throwing insults, and trolling. Then you took a shot at the mods, which earned you a warning. You kept pushing and trolling the mods again, so you got a one-day ban. It all stemmed from those anti-vax takes that were central to the appeals you're bringing up.

lonetrucker4 said:You're posting in the "Military History & Tech" sub-forum. I'm still technically a mod there, but per our deal, we've got another moderator stepping in to help out now. Should make things smoother for you.

Look, I never said moderation was just picking sides or playing favorites with the rules. Unless—and I can't quite recall right now—you asked if that was the case and I hit you with some sarcastic "Yeah, you nailed it" nonsense.

The truth is, you caught a few strikes in that thread about the future of the Air Force's supersonic tech because you were bickering, throwing insults, and trolling. Then you took a shot at the mods, which earned you a warning. You kept pushing and trolling the mods again, so you got a one-day ban. It all stemmed from those anti-vax takes that were central to the appeals you're bringing up.

So, we’re really going to play these games now? Fine by me. If you’re looking for a fight, you’ve found one... Just give me the green light to post that private message of yours right here on the forum... then everyone in this country can see exactly what you were saying behind closed doors...

So... I mean, if we're being honest here... why hasn't anyone else been hit with sanctions for this? It's the same thing... constant, repeated violations that have been reported over and over again... it just doesn't add up...
Please... provide some actual substance. If you just drop an unargued claim like "the F-16 is better than the MiG-29, period," I’m going to have to delete it without a second thought. It's just not productive... We need depth here. Instead, try something more like, "In this specific tactical scenario, the F-16 holds the edge over the MiG-29 because this particular variant features these specific avionics suites, which allow for X type of engagement, ultimately leading to Y outcome..." That kind of reasoning... it matters. And honestly, if you include links to back up your claims and prove your point, it really goes a long way in encouraging the conversation...
If someone asks you for the source behind your claims... well, you really ought to provide it. It’s just common courtesy, isn't it? Telling people to just "go look it up on Google" or giving those dismissive "find it yourself" responses... that honestly just comes across as trolling. It's unhelpful... and frankly, a bit lazy...

And honestly, that fine for defamation... it’s just laughable, really. I mean, take a look at this post... I suppose I should have mentioned this earlier, though perhaps it’s already common knowledge for most of you... regarding the recent discussions about the energy sector and those shifts in policy we've been seeing lately. It seems like everyone is quite certain about where things are headed, yet there’s a lingering sense of uncertainty that I can't quite shake... I was reading through some reports from ExxonMobil the other day—just trying to make sense of the fluctuations—and it struck me how much our local infrastructure depends on these massive, centralized decisions. It's a bit overwhelming, really. One moment everything feels stable, and the next, the regulatory landscape shifts under your feet like sand... Dennis Campbell4 was mentioning something similar in a thread a while back, if I recall correctly. He had a point about the long-term implications for the average consumer, which I think is something we often overlook in the heat of the debate. We get so caught up in the immediate political theater that we forget the quiet, steady erosion of predictability... It makes one wonder, doesn't it? If we aren't careful with how we approach these transitions, we might find ourselves standing in the middle of a very different landscape than the one we prepared for... anyway, just some thoughts I wanted to put out there. No guarantees they're right... It’s funny how certain phrases just... they stick in your head, right? Like that old expression about running ahead of the steamroller... or being too early for the inevitable. It makes me think of those political maneuvers you see on the news sometimes... specifically back when Barack Obama was making his moves. There was this sense of him always staying one step ahead, or perhaps, being the very force that the momentum was building toward... I can't quite put my finger on it... but it feels like a variation of that same idea... being out in front of the machine before it even arrives...

This thread might hit 200 posts a day sometimes, so I can't catch everything. If you see something sketchy, report it. Just don't expect the mods to agree with every single one of your calls.

So, look... am I actually cleared to post a PM here or what? That's really the only thing I need to hear from you. Just a simple yes or no...

Dennis Campbell4 said:So, look... am I actually cleared to post a PM here or what? That's really the only thing I need to hear from you. Just a simple yes or no...

Is this what you mean?

Regarding your comment:

There’s no moderation here. Just selective rule enforcement.

I replied:

That's moderation. Maybe bad moderation. You know how to file an appeal. Like I said, I'm gonna be stricter from now on.

So you took that as me saying moderation is just "selective rule enforcement"?

You got it wrong.

Since you’re acting exactly like a "moderator" anyway, I didn't exactly misread the situation... though I see you trying to wash your hands of it now. But it just isn't working.

I guess they aren't allowed to comment on Saturdays or Sundays...

Nice. 👍

All because of this whole anti-vax obsession. :-(

I don't care what ZO claims, he’s the one getting slammed here more than anyone else because he thinks his version of history is the only one that actually matters.

Larry Walker24 said:I don't care what ZO claims, he’s the one getting slammed here more than anyone else because he thinks his version of history is the only one that actually matters.

Look, pardon my French, but what the hell were you thinking?
It’s no secret that lonetrucker4 isn't exactly everyone's favorite mod, but that’s not even what this is about. We aren't debating whether he's a good or bad moderator.
This is just a blatant attempt by a certain group of concerned users to drag us back to the days when people could basically do whatever they wanted on this forum—troll whoever they felt like, and then report the person they provoked just so they could rack up warnings and bans.

Now that those tactics aren't working anymore, suddenly lonetrucker4 is the worst moderator in the US, and I see people trying to hide behind personal attacks to make him look like a bad guy too.

So, driftingtinker has taken over the reins now (meaning he's doing more of the heavy lifting here), and since he doesn't have much patience for bullshit, I think the concerned complainers will find themselves much more satisfied moving forward.

Look, man, History needs a total overhaul. We need way more PDFs than what we’ve got right now, and we seriously need some fresh, young mods who actually give a damn about the stuff they're supposed to be overseeing. A ton of great regulars have bailed, and honestly, it feels like the same 20 people are just circling the drain every single day. But hey, I guess it’s not exactly shocking that the guys who actually spent years studying history don't want to spend their free time grinding on a history forum. That’s the whole problem right there.

Grace Wood5 said:Look, pardon my French, but what the hell were you thinking?
It’s no secret that lonetrucker4 isn't exactly everyone's favorite mod, but that’s not even what this is about. We aren't debating whether he's a good or bad moderator.
This is just a blatant attempt by a certain group of concerned users to drag us back to the days when people could basically do whatever they wanted on this forum—troll whoever they felt like, and then report the person they provoked just so they could rack up warnings and bans.

Now that those tactics aren't working anymore, suddenly lonetrucker4 is the worst moderator in the US, and I see people trying to hide behind personal attacks to make him look like a bad guy too.

So, driftingtinker has taken over the reins now (meaning he's doing more of the heavy lifting here), and since he doesn't have much patience for bullshit, I think the concerned complainers will find themselves much more satisfied moving forward.

Obviously you're just enjoying the high because you're jumping at every little thing.

And you actually think you’ve read everything there is to read. Pure nonsense. Who even comes up with these paranoid theories? You read this stuff and realize just how naive you actually were.

She got flowers, while I'm still holding out for the best. Vaxioni mod is decent. Gave him the card.

Are you Buck?
Either you're just on duty, or what? Some kind of self-appointed life coach... basically just an idiot.Just to avoid any COVID conspiracies, keeping things strictly by the CDC playbook.
Reminds me of that one politician who poses for photos without a mask and then complains to the ER.
They should've just taken those Christmas cards at Minute Maid without the masks on.

What actually led to those anti-wax white mice:

Anti-vax propaganda is dead on arrival here. Don't even try to sneak it in through the back door; you'll just get banned, and probably pretty quickly. If you want to debate humanity, go find the fringe political boards.

Then you just kept trolling like nothing even happened. Purely unbothered.

It’s pretty obvious that aeromedicine is pure sci-fi to both of them—and honestly, probably to her too. Nicu
Pure idiocy, if you ask me.
Dennis Campbell4 is totally against the anti-vax crowd.
I need more content to work with. Please provide the posts you want me to rewrite. Nicu Solid breakdown and great moderation.

All we're missing is FrkaPeteski stepping in to explain how he accidentally signed some paperwork for Raphael. 😁

Grace Wood5 said:Look, pardon my French, but what the hell were you thinking?
It’s no secret that lonetrucker4 isn't exactly everyone's favorite mod, but that’s not even what this is about. We aren't debating whether he's a good or bad moderator.
This is just a blatant attempt by a certain group of concerned users to drag us back to the days when people could basically do whatever they wanted on this forum—troll whoever they felt like, and then report the person they provoked just so they could rack up warnings and bans.

Now that those tactics aren't working anymore, suddenly lonetrucker4 is the worst moderator in the US, and I see people trying to hide behind personal attacks to make him look like a bad guy too.

So, driftingtinker has taken over the reins now (meaning he's doing more of the heavy lifting here), and since he doesn't have much patience for bullshit, I think the concerned complainers will find themselves much more satisfied moving forward.

Just for the record, I left the main boards because of lonetrucker4. I never complained about it because I wasn't going to sit around whining about being blocked from posting when, after twenty years on this site, I know he’s useless anyway. I’d rather just say "screw it" and move on.

Actually, I walked away the day I told lonetrucker4 he was damn well incompetent at moderating that sub-forum, and he banned me for "insulting a user"—which was him, obviously. It makes him a shitty person, too, using his power to punish anyone who dares to give him some blunt criticism.

No, I don't care about his comment on my post, and I don't want to discuss this further or ever step foot in that sub-forum again. I'm telling you this because I respect you; even when we disagree, we can tell each other to go to hell without any hard feelings.

nimblemoose72 said:Obviously you're just enjoying the high because you're jumping at every little thing.

And you actually think you’ve read everything there is to read. Pure nonsense. Who even comes up with these paranoid theories? You read this stuff and realize just how naive you actually were.

She got flowers, while I'm still holding out for the best. Vaxioni mod is decent. Gave him the card.

Are you Buck?
Either you're just on duty, or what? Some kind of self-appointed life coach... basically just an idiot.Just to avoid any COVID conspiracies, keeping things strictly by the CDC playbook.
Reminds me of that one politician who poses for photos without a mask and then complains to the ER.
They should've just taken those Christmas cards at Minute Maid without the masks on.

What actually led to those anti-wax white mice:

Anti-vax propaganda is dead on arrival here. Don't even try to sneak it in through the back door; you'll just get banned, and probably pretty quickly. If you want to debate humanity, go find the fringe political boards.

Then you just kept trolling like nothing even happened. Purely unbothered.

It’s pretty obvious that aeromedicine is pure sci-fi to both of them—and honestly, probably to her too. Nicu
Pure idiocy, if you ask me.
Dennis Campbell4 is totally against the anti-vax crowd.
I need more content to work with. Please provide the posts you want me to rewrite. Nicu Solid breakdown and great moderation.

All we're missing is FrkaPeteski stepping in to explain how he accidentally signed some paperwork for Raphael. 😁

Look, sorry, but responding to your concerned post was just a reaction—it wasn't provocation.
And as you’ve so graciously observed, this was one of the rare times your concern was actually correctly identified and assessed.
But like I said, driftingtinker is taking over that role. The moderator setup is different now, and there's less tolerance for nonsense. Consequently, I (likely the biggest troll and spammer on this entire board) will be getting banned way more often, leaving you all free to keep posting exactly how you always have. 🙂

Grace Wood5 said:Look, pardon my French, but what the hell were you thinking?
It’s no secret that lonetrucker4 isn't exactly everyone's favorite mod, but that’s not even what this is about. We aren't debating whether he's a good or bad moderator.
This is just a blatant attempt by a certain group of concerned users to drag us back to the days when people could basically do whatever they wanted on this forum—troll whoever they felt like, and then report the person they provoked just so they could rack up warnings and bans.

Now that those tactics aren't working anymore, suddenly lonetrucker4 is the worst moderator in the US, and I see people trying to hide behind personal attacks to make him look like a bad guy too.

So, driftingtinker has taken over the reins now (meaning he's doing more of the heavy lifting here), and since he doesn't have much patience for bullshit, I think the concerned complainers will find themselves much more satisfied moving forward.

Please... take a moment to read through this entire thread from the very beginning... then, if you wouldn't mind, go ahead and review the general forum guidelines... and after that... it would be best to look over the specific supplemental rules for the VPiT section as well...

Amanda Diaz said:Just for the record, I left the main boards because of lonetrucker4. I never complained about it because I wasn't going to sit around whining about being blocked from posting when, after twenty years on this site, I know he’s useless anyway. I’d rather just say "screw it" and move on.

Actually, I walked away the day I told lonetrucker4 he was damn well incompetent at moderating that sub-forum, and he banned me for "insulting a user"—which was him, obviously. It makes him a shitty person, too, using his power to punish anyone who dares to give him some blunt criticism.

No, I don't care about his comment on my post, and I don't want to discuss this further or ever step foot in that sub-forum again. I'm telling you this because I respect you; even when we disagree, we can tell each other to go to hell without any hard feelings.

We agree on some things regarding him, and we don't on others.
But this isn't about whether lonetrucker4 is a "good" or "bad" moderator. This is about the fact that concerned members finally feel heard. They've realized that they can't just spout toxic nonsense, jump down people's throats, label anyone who disagrees with them, or try to push the same tired arguments over and over again without getting shut down.
It wouldn't matter if any other moderator had stepped in and said "enough is enough."

Grace Wood5 said:Look, sorry, but responding to your concerned post was just a reaction—it wasn't provocation.
And as you’ve so graciously observed, this was one of the rare times your concern was actually correctly identified and assessed.
But like I said, driftingtinker is taking over that role. The moderator setup is different now, and there's less tolerance for nonsense. Consequently, I (likely the biggest troll and spammer on this entire board) will be getting banned way more often, leaving you all free to keep posting exactly how you always have. 🙂

Nobody is out here collecting bans like trading cards, and nobody is just gonna run wild doing whatever they feel like.

As long as people aren't jumping down throats, throwing personal insults, or intentionally derailing threads, we shouldn't have any issues. Everything else is fine by me... I mean, it's hard to imagine criteria being any more chill than this.

Banning isn't the move; just deleting the messy posts is a much better tool to use.

Though, if I had to take a quick look at the situation, I’d say maybe 90% of the drama on this forum comes from the fact that most people would rather pick a fight with lonetrucker4 than actually have a conversation.

The real issue here is that the "moderator" was actually permitting the exact kind of behavior that the first two subforum rules were designed to prevent. And naturally, people started clashing over it... some were just joking around, while others got a bit more heated. But then, instead of simply removing those posts and issuing bans to the actual offenders, the "moderator" went and handed out warnings to everyone else...

Exactly ☕

driftingtinker said:Nobody is out here collecting bans like trading cards, and nobody is just gonna run wild doing whatever they feel like.

As long as people aren't jumping down throats, throwing personal insults, or intentionally derailing threads, we shouldn't have any issues. Everything else is fine by me... I mean, it's hard to imagine criteria being any more chill than this.

Banning isn't the move; just deleting the messy posts is a much better tool to use.

Though, if I had to take a quick look at the situation, I’d say maybe 90% of the drama on this forum comes from the fact that most people would rather pick a fight with lonetrucker4 than actually have a conversation.

Fair enough!

If that's the case, then why Budweiser never had those kinds of issues with us?
(back when he was still around)