Moderator's unprofessional behavior on Sweet'N Low

stormyraven14 said:Ace, you’re honestly just so irritating and arrogant in how you carry yourself—acting like there isn't a single soul around you (which explains why nobody even knows who Paul Morales3 is)—that it’s really no wonder the mods have to read your posts with extra caution. This topic you've brought up is about as relevant as the outskirts of Topeka or Lansing... basically a zone of special government concern. It's not like any woman said anything terrible to you, so I'm assuming you're just making up complaints because you want to be nominated for moderator again.

If you could see past the end of your own nose, you'd realize that's NOT how moderators are chosen—you'd need to be a long-time contributor with thousands of posts like 🤣

Go take a nap, and maybe come back once velvettrucker52 finishes rearranging the kids' room and actually has some free time... perhaps then your little complaint will gain traction and Kate Foster12 will nominate you for mod.😬

Good grief, this is worth watching—honestly, you've been getting on my nerves for a year and a half now... finally, an opportunity.😁

Honestly, I have no idea who you even are 😁

It’s not even surprising that the mods have to read your posts with extra caution.

And yet, I'm apparently such a big deal that you're digging into how the mods operate—and am I such a big deal to them that they're just ignoring me? Or did they give you access to the staff area? Or are you some mod's clone? Interesting, either way.

So I guess you just want to be nominated for moderator again, so you're making up complaints.

If you could see past the end of your own nose, you'd realize that's NOT how moderators are chosen. Usually, it's long-time contributors with thousands of posts. 🤣

I never put my name in for a mod position (who even does that? 😕), it's not something I want, and I didn't even bring it up in my appeal. But hey, everyone's got their reasons for scratching an itch. 🤷

Good grief, this is worth a ban—you've been getting on my... nerves for what, a year and a half now? Finally, a chance. 😁

It's funny how you didn't get banned, but rustydrifter10 was right on top of this topic. This kind of blatant stalling of an actual reasoned appeal, combined with personal attacks instead of actually addressing the topic at hand, is definitely ban-worthy according to the rules. rustydrifter10 used to hand out bans left and right for much smaller trolling than this, yet this gets a pass. Interesting. I guess she finds it convenient to belittle me like this so the appeal resolution follows that same tone. 🙂

Amanda Hughes37 said:I honestly don't buy this explanation. I can only imagine what would happen over at Comparison Policy if the mods actually allowed people to go after each other personally—though even there, you catch one mod slipping up once in a blue moon.🙂

The moderators are supposed to be the ones keeping things civil and de-escalating tension—giving everyone a sense of security on the forum. If someone keeps breaking the rules, they get the cards, the points... everything stays orderly.

...and apparently we should all just wear silk nightgowns with wings and a neon sign hovering over our heads 🙂

hollowtrucker77 said:...and apparently we should all just wear silk nightgowns with wings and a neon sign hovering over our heads 🙂

Sure, it makes for a nice little mental image😍

Jose Williams said:Honestly, I have no idea who you even are 😁

It’s not even surprising that the mods have to read your posts with extra caution.

And yet, I'm apparently such a big deal that you're digging into how the mods operate—and am I such a big deal to them that they're just ignoring me? Or did they give you access to the staff area? Or are you some mod's clone? Interesting, either way.

So I guess you just want to be nominated for moderator again, so you're making up complaints.

If you could see past the end of your own nose, you'd realize that's NOT how moderators are chosen. Usually, it's long-time contributors with thousands of posts. 🤣

I never put my name in for a mod position (who even does that? 😕), it's not something I want, and I didn't even bring it up in my appeal. But hey, everyone's got their reasons for scratching an itch. 🤷

Good grief, this is worth a ban—you've been getting on my... nerves for what, a year and a half now? Finally, a chance. 😁

It's funny how you didn't get banned, but rustydrifter10 was right on top of this topic. This kind of blatant stalling of an actual reasoned appeal, combined with personal attacks instead of actually addressing the topic at hand, is definitely ban-worthy according to the rules. rustydrifter10 used to hand out bans left and right for much smaller trolling than this, yet this gets a pass. Interesting. I guess she finds it convenient to belittle me like this so the appeal resolution follows that same tone. 🙂

all of the above☕

Amanda Hughes37 said:Sure, it makes for a nice little mental image😍

Yeah, that’s pretty much exactly how you end up with a total mess—when someone tries way too hard to force their little mental blueprint onto the actual world.
Honestly, let’s call it what it is: someone called out the blatant hypocrisy here, and now they’re desperately trying to scrub that comment away just because they happen to hold a moderator badge. It’s the oldest trick in the book.
It’s kind of like that old urban legend floating around about how a cop can't actually touch you if he isn't wearing his hat. It was this pervasive bit of nonsense that led to every second guy getting absolutely leveled by the police after getting caught shoplifting, simply because they thought they were being clever by tossing their cap on the ground before the cuffs went on.
😉

Oh, I just realized we’re waiting on a statement from the sub-moderators too, I guess.

Jose Williams, look, regardless of whether I personally dig the drama or not, I don't see an actual complaint against the RAD moderator. To put it bluntly, if this wasn't about a moderator, this little spat would have slid right under the radar like it has for years in that corner of the forum. If the complaint was about constant targeting, unequal treatment, abuse of power, or some actual misconduct, I'd take it seriously. But as it stands, this is just a matter of personal likes and dislikes, and we don't step in for that. I'm not interested in playing referee for either of you. I get that you might be feeling uneasy after this, but trust me, nobody is out to get you or kick you off the PDF. ZK is crawling with users who love each other so much they spend every opportunity tripping each other up; the only difference here is that this scrap happened with a user with a black username.

slywolf45 said:Yeah, it’s classic ZK and Comparison Policy. (well, except for that one 🤣 instance)

The moderation criteria over at ZK are so incredibly vague that I honestly tip my hat to anyone who can actually stomach their mods. It’s all very "trolling is fine, just don't go overboard" or "insults are okay, but stay within reason." Where exactly is the line? Is it a nudge, a shove, or a punch to the gut? Nobody knows. 😕

As for this specific situation, both parties were being equally shady, which is pretty much par for the course at ZK—regardless of the fact that one of them holds a moderator title. I don't get why everyone is making such a massive fuss over this, acting like we're dealing with some high-stakes drama over at Reddit. 🙄

Exactly. ^^

I’m asking the rest of the ZK residents to please leave the fanboy/fangirl energy out of the Complaints section. You can have your little brawls over at our place. 😬

feralpilot0 said:

Kate Foster12 Asks:
Because of this kind of communication—and frankly, this behavior—we recently had a total meltdown over at the PŽK. Is anyone actually surprised?

No—it’s because of the unequal treatment.
This kind of back-and-forth is perfectly normal—until the moderators decide to step in and ruin everything.

It’s nice to see you stepped up as a moderator—though, to be honest, I haven't really caught sight of you over on the ZK lately.

🤣

Precisely.

We’ve made this point several times now: we aren't here to micromanage you, so please don't try to micromanage us.
The moderators before us handled things just fine using this approach, and I fully expect those who follow us to do the same. As long as we aren't reaching for the "red card" to shut down the debate, I don't see the issue.

Bradley Sanders4 said:Oh, I just realized we’re waiting on a statement from the sub-moderators too, I guess.

Jose Williams, look, regardless of whether I personally dig the drama or not, I don't see an actual complaint against the RAD moderator. To put it bluntly, if this wasn't about a moderator, this little spat would have slid right under the radar like it has for years in that corner of the forum. If the complaint was about constant targeting, unequal treatment, abuse of power, or some actual misconduct, I'd take it seriously. But as it stands, this is just a matter of personal likes and dislikes, and we don't step in for that. I'm not interested in playing referee for either of you. I get that you might be feeling uneasy after this, but trust me, nobody is out to get you or kick you off the PDF. ZK is crawling with users who love each other so much they spend every opportunity tripping each other up; the only difference here is that this scrap happened with a user with a black username.

Exactly. ^^

I’m asking the rest of the ZK residents to please leave the fanboy/fangirl energy out of the Complaints section. You can have your little brawls over at our place. 😬

But the complaint is specifically about the moderator's conduct—the way she constantly jumps down my throat, her obvious hostility toward me, her arrogance, and how she's abusing her position. I made that very clear in my complaint.

In other words, if it isn't about the moderator herself.

But it is. Ever since she stepped into the moderator role, she's been targeting me. Before that, she never bothered me. If you think I'm making this up, feel free to dig up the last time she actually spoke to me before she became a mod. 🤷

Otherwise, it just falls under personal likes and dislikes, and we don't intervene in that.

Can you explain how a moderator's statement on a PDF claiming everyone's posts are "ad hominem" or "nitpicking" can be brushed off as mere personal bias rather than a direct reflection of how a moderator treats a user?

Actually, you could just answer these three questions:

How am I supposed to expect any objectivity from this moderator when she’s already decided all my posts are just nitpicking and ad hominem attacks?

How can I feel comfortable just chatting about a topic on ZK without being harassed, especially after she basically mocked me by saying I can't even put her on ignore?

Am I asking too much by expecting a baseline of decency and professionalism from a moderator? Because in this case, there isn't even a hint of it; Paul Morales3 has shown the exact opposite.

Or, you're welcome to try and prove me wrong with a few screenshots from ZK where moderators openly tell users they'll be ignored or conclude their posts are stupid, trolling, nitpicking, or ad hominem. If you do that, I'll gladly admit it was my mistake for not realizing that rude and unprofessional behavior from moderators is just accepted as standard practice here at ZK, and that this isn't some special case that deserves an apology.

And yeah, this complaint is strictly about Paul Morales3's behavior. I don't have an agenda here, and I'm not complaining about you or velvettrucker52, regardless of how much you guys gossip about me with people like stormyraven14 outside the forum. On the PDF, you've been perfectly fine. I don't think Paul Morales3's behavior is part of some grand conspiracy to get me kicked off ZK, so there's no need to go off on tangents about things that aren't part of the issue. I asked specific questions and I'd like coherent, relevant answers.

velvettrucker52 said:Precisely.

We’ve made this point several times now: we aren't here to micromanage you, so please don't try to micromanage us.
The moderators before us handled things just fine using this approach, and I fully expect those who follow us to do the same. As long as we aren't reaching for the "red card" to shut down the debate, I don't see the issue.

That’s just not true. I won't dig into the ancient history of this place, but in all the time I've been posting here, I haven't seen a single female moderator act this arrogant toward anyone.

Paul Morales3, besides looking totally clueless, she’s being super arrogant too. Instead of just owning up to what she misunderstood—since she wasn't even on topic to begin with—she’s basically huddling up with the moderator squad to lecture us "newbies" on what the spirit of ZK is all about. God only knows what that "spirit" actually is. And don't get me started on velvettrucker52.
So we'll end up with a massive thread instead of just a few posts, and then a ban.
Btw, this whole policy of blindly defending moderators no matter what is pretty lame.

Bradley Sanders4 said:Oh, I just realized we’re waiting on a statement from the sub-moderators too, I guess.

Jose Williams, look, regardless of whether I personally dig the drama or not, I don't see an actual complaint against the RAD moderator. To put it bluntly, if this wasn't about a moderator, this little spat would have slid right under the radar like it has for years in that corner of the forum. If the complaint was about constant targeting, unequal treatment, abuse of power, or some actual misconduct, I'd take it seriously. But as it stands, this is just a matter of personal likes and dislikes, and we don't step in for that. I'm not interested in playing referee for either of you. I get that you might be feeling uneasy after this, but trust me, nobody is out to get you or kick you off the PDF. ZK is crawling with users who love each other so much they spend every opportunity tripping each other up; the only difference here is that this scrap happened with a user with a black username.

Exactly. ^^

I’m asking the rest of the ZK residents to please leave the fanboy/fangirl energy out of the Complaints section. You can have your little brawls over at our place. 😬

But they didn't even "spat"—that’s actually the crux of the issue right there. Personally, I’m totally fine with mods and users clashing occasionally when they hit a wall on certain topics—it's part of life—but it feels ridiculous for moderators to act like emotionless robots without any actual opinions just to avoid getting dragged over at the PŽK.
The thing is, this wasn't some deep debate; it was just straight-up jumping on someone for no reason out of nowhere. In that moment, I honestly thought there was some underlying beef or bad blood between them. If regular users can't do that kind of baseless sniping, I don't think it's asking too much to expect the mods to hold themselves to the same standard.

For what it's worth, I don't have a bone to pick with Paul Morales3. Both she and Ace are cool in my book, even if they bring totally different vibes to the table. 😁

rustydrifter10 said:😳

But seriously, guys. First off, I need a supermod to weigh in here—I’m definitely not ignoring you! Plus, I had to work through the weekend, so I was totally out of the loop. Just from what I can see at first glance, it doesn't look like the moderator wrote anything that actually violates our ZK guidelines. There aren't any specific, extra-strict rules on how one becomes a mod, but we’ll dive deeper into exactly what happened once we look into the details. 🙂

Bradley Sanders4 said:Oh, I just realized we’re waiting on a statement from the sub-moderators too, I guess.

Jose Williams, look, regardless of whether I personally dig the drama or not, I don't see an actual complaint against the RAD moderator. To put it bluntly, if this wasn't about a moderator, this little spat would have slid right under the radar like it has for years in that corner of the forum. If the complaint was about constant targeting, unequal treatment, abuse of power, or some actual misconduct, I'd take it seriously. But as it stands, this is just a matter of personal likes and dislikes, and we don't step in for that. I'm not interested in playing referee for either of you. I get that you might be feeling uneasy after this, but trust me, nobody is out to get you or kick you off the PDF. ZK is crawling with users who love each other so much they spend every opportunity tripping each other up; the only difference here is that this scrap happened with a user with a black username.

Exactly. ^^

I’m asking the rest of the ZK residents to please leave the fanboy/fangirl energy out of the Complaints section. You can have your little brawls over at our place. 😬

velvettrucker52 said:Precisely.

We’ve made this point several times now: we aren't here to micromanage you, so please don't try to micromanage us.
The moderators before us handled things just fine using this approach, and I fully expect those who follow us to do the same. As long as we aren't reaching for the "red card" to shut down the debate, I don't see the issue.

You people have absolutely no shame. 🤣
It’s not like this is anything new, though... 😁

Karen Rodriguez3 said:Paul Morales3, besides looking totally clueless, she’s being super arrogant too. Instead of just owning up to what she misunderstood—since she wasn't even on topic to begin with—she’s basically huddling up with the moderator squad to lecture us "newbies" on what the spirit of ZK is all about. God only knows what that "spirit" actually is. And don't get me started on velvettrucker52.
So we'll end up with a massive thread instead of just a few posts, and then a ban.
Btw, this whole policy of blindly defending moderators no matter what is pretty lame.

😍

This isn't about cheering or being a fan—it’s just pure, heartfelt support. 😳

If you guys are going to be dropping support here and throwing in your own personal stories, then I guess I can step up and back a smart woman too. ☕

Ethan Lee33 said:But they didn't even "spat"—that’s actually the crux of the issue right there. Personally, I’m totally fine with mods and users clashing occasionally when they hit a wall on certain topics—it's part of life—but it feels ridiculous for moderators to act like emotionless robots without any actual opinions just to avoid getting dragged over at the PŽK.
The thing is, this wasn't some deep debate; it was just straight-up jumping on someone for no reason out of nowhere. In that moment, I honestly thought there was some underlying beef or bad blood between them. If regular users can't do that kind of baseless sniping, I don't think it's asking too much to expect the mods to hold themselves to the same standard.

For what it's worth, I don't have a bone to pick with Paul Morales3. Both she and Ace are cool in my book, even if they bring totally different vibes to the table. 😁

I agree, it's pretty pathetic. This whole situation sucks too, but I really don't think it's enough reason to give Paul Morales3 a warning or a strike. If that were my standard, I wouldn't even bother showing up to ZK where people jump down each other's throats for no damn reason every single day.

Yeah, she could have apologized, but she didn't. So what am I supposed to do here as her co-moderator? Should I tell her to watch her mouth? I could, sure, but if I'm not handing out warnings to regular users, I'm not going to start policing my colleagues either. I'm not their nanny; they're grown women and they own whatever they post. Our job is to issue strikes when things cross a line, and in my book, this hasn't crossed it. A complaint from me would actually carry weight if we were talking about unfair moderator conduct—like if she actually threatened someone, handed out an illegal strike, or tried to force us to back her up. I get why Ace feels awkward since we're talking about a fellow moderator, but as long as she isn't abusing her power or getting special treatment compared to everyone else, I'm staying out of it. To be honest, watching them bicker like two teenagers fighting over who gets to jump on a trampoline is beneath me; I don't care who started it or why. The only reason I'm even addressing this appeal is because I was asked to. I know my take won't please everyone and people will probably claim I'm being biased, but if I'm called on to give my input, I'm going to give it. I'm not taking sides here. Paul Morales3's insult was annoying, but Ace's complaint is even more annoying. Sorry, Ace. 😁

Look, we use the forum to troll, chat, and argue, and we can all catch a strike just like anyone else. And if we abuse our power? We can be kicked off the mod team. Period. End of story. Honestly, none of this is worth my energy.

I realize the supermods and admins might see this differently, so you'll have to wait for their final call.

Just seeing this report from Jose Williams now, and honestly, I totally get where he's coming from. It’s not exactly breaking news for the world, but I need to weigh in.
I was right there when this was going down—just a conversation between Jose Williams and myself. Out of nowhere, Paul Morales3 swoops in with one of those classic, confusing questions about something Jose Williams didn't even write or intend to say. Not even a hint of an apology after BlackQ actually had to step in and explain what Jose Williams meant (!!!). Instead, we got the whole "I can ignore you but you can't ignore me" attitude, complete with the perfect little condescending emojis.

Paul Morales3, your communication style is just 👎

And another thing...

stormyraven14 said:Ace, you’re honestly just so irritating and arrogant in how you carry yourself—acting like there isn't a single soul around you (which explains why nobody even knows who Paul Morales3 is)—that it’s really no wonder the mods have to read your posts with extra caution. This topic you've brought up is about as relevant as the outskirts of Topeka or Lansing... basically a zone of special government concern. It's not like any woman said anything terrible to you, so I'm assuming you're just making up complaints because you want to be nominated for moderator again.

If you could see past the end of your own nose, you'd realize that's NOT how moderators are chosen—you'd need to be a long-time contributor with thousands of posts like 🤣

Go take a nap, and maybe come back once velvettrucker52 finishes rearranging the kids' room and actually has some free time... perhaps then your little complaint will gain traction and Kate Foster12 will nominate you for mod.😬

Good grief, this is worth watching—honestly, you've been getting on my nerves for a year and a half now... finally, an opportunity.😁

I truly have no idea what the point of this is.🤷

Jose Williams said:That’s just not true. I won't dig into the ancient history of this place, but in all the time I've been posting here, I haven't seen a single female moderator act this arrogant toward anyone.

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=135

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=1...&postcount=123

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=116

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=120

It took me less than three minutes of superficial searching to pull this together.🤷

And that's just looking at Erpov.

If I actually started digging into Till, 🤣

I honestly don't know what else to tell you. If Paul Morales3 had slapped you with a ban just because you talked back, I would have called her a terrible moderator, and frankly, I might have suggested she was about as bright as a broken flashlight. But she didn't issue a ban.
You both had a little spat, and that was it.
The same thing happened recently with her and her, and nothing came of it. No bans, no warnings, no emails, nothing.

velvettrucker52 said:http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=135

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=1...&postcount=123

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=116

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=120

It took me less than three minutes of superficial searching to pull this together.🤷

And that's just looking at Erpov.

If I actually started digging into Till, 🤣

I honestly don't know what else to tell you. If Paul Morales3 had slapped you with a ban just because you talked back, I would have called her a terrible moderator, and frankly, I might have suggested she was about as bright as a broken flashlight. But she didn't issue a ban.
You both had a little spat, and that was it.
The same thing happened recently with her and her, and nothing came of it. No bans, no warnings, no emails, nothing.

Look, this is a completely different ballgame. Neither of those two are moderators, and their beef started because they just didn't see eye to eye on a topic—specifically that one, but generally too. It wasn't some unprovoked intrusion like what we're looking at here.

I’m not out here saying Paul Morales3 needs to be punished, slapped with a warning, heaven forbid banned, or stripped of her mod status. Not at all. It's just common sense—people are naturally going to feel uneasy when someone holding a position of authority (even if it's just being a moderator on some online forum) acts incredibly condescending toward them for zero reason. You have to take that into account, because that kind of behavior does absolutely nothing to help the laid-back vibe of this site—if anything, it kills it.

velvettrucker52 said:http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=135

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=1...&postcount=123

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=116

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=120

It took me less than three minutes of superficial searching to pull this together.🤷

And that's just looking at Erpov.

If I actually started digging into Till, 🤣

I honestly don't know what else to tell you. If Paul Morales3 had slapped you with a ban just because you talked back, I would have called her a terrible moderator, and frankly, I might have suggested she was about as bright as a broken flashlight. But she didn't issue a ban.
You both had a little spat, and that was it.
The same thing happened recently with her and her, and nothing came of it. No bans, no warnings, no emails, nothing.

There's a real difference here: Herp actually has a sense of humor, whereas you guys don't. But the bigger issue is that you've both gotten so lost in the drama that you don't even realize it yourselves.

velvettrucker52 said:http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=135

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=1...&postcount=123

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=116

http://www.forum.com/showpost.php?p=2...&postcount=120

It took me less than three minutes of superficial searching to pull this together.🤷

And that's just looking at Erpov.

If I actually started digging into Till, 🤣

I honestly don't know what else to tell you. If Paul Morales3 had slapped you with a ban just because you talked back, I would have called her a terrible moderator, and frankly, I might have suggested she was about as bright as a broken flashlight. But she didn't issue a ban.
You both had a little spat, and that was it.
The same thing happened recently with her and her, and nothing came of it. No bans, no warnings, no emails, nothing.

If Paul Morales3 had actually banned Ace (and looking at how people are treating this like a real possibility 🙄—which, honestly, I find hard to believe), I would have been absolutely certain this entire forum had gone completely off the rails.
Maybe there's still a glimmer of hope left.

Ethan Lee33 said:Look, this is a completely different ballgame. Neither of those two are moderators, and their beef started because they just didn't see eye to eye on a topic—specifically that one, but generally too. It wasn't some unprovoked intrusion like what we're looking at here.

I’m not out here saying Paul Morales3 needs to be punished, slapped with a warning, heaven forbid banned, or stripped of her mod status. Not at all. It's just common sense—people are naturally going to feel uneasy when someone holding a position of authority (even if it's just being a moderator on some online forum) acts incredibly condescending toward them for zero reason. You have to take that into account, because that kind of behavior does absolutely nothing to help the laid-back vibe of this site—if anything, it kills it.

Yeah, obviously, but people just snap sometimes. From what I can see, this isn't some ongoing pattern; it's just an isolated clash. There's really no point in me making a huge scene over it. Honestly, stuff like this just makes our jobs harder because getting dragged into these arguments on the PŽK is a total waste of time and energy.😁

brightcrane56 said:There's a real difference here: Herp actually has a sense of humor, whereas you guys don't. But the bigger issue is that you've both gotten so lost in the drama that you don't even realize it yourselves.

Well, I suppose that's true.
Paul Morales3 wasn't exactly cracking any jokes, to be fair.

You just can't win against Herp. Ever.