Rules/Terms of Service.

[Tropico]

Alright, since I’m getting tired of being the literal whipping post each time I do my job, (I mean, c’mon, y’all don’t PAY us to do our jobs, and the admins never put down a list saying “Okay, all boys and girls who are moderators need to do this and this and this, but not that.” And a lot of us moderators have better things to do with our time than be chewed out for doing our job how we think it should be done.) and since we have no rules that people can look upon and remark “Oh! I can’t do that.”

I give you, landmines and germs. The freakin’ T.O.S. (with handy little side quips for the would be aspiring moderator to look upon to see how he or she would deal with large untamed crowds.)

Do NOT: Talk about politics on the forum; I don’t give a damn if it’s discussed every where else, it doesn’t need to be here. If you want to talk your head off till the cows come home about it, put it in PRIVATE MESSAGES or INSTANT MESSENGER.
-{Moderators will deal with politics run amok by giving a firm tap of : “The content is against the rules, please take it down”, worded in however way you wish, but politely is the better way. (if persistence ensues, moderator may delete any new posts involving politics past his post.)

Do NOT: Speak about Religion, you’re Buddhist, I’m Christian, she’s Jew, big deal, it doesn’t need to be talked about.
-{Moderators will deal with Religion run amok by giving a firm tap of : “The content is against the rules, please take it down”, worded in however way you wish, but politely is the better way. (if persistence ensues, moderator may delete any new posts involving Religion past his post.)

Do NOT: Godmode, NO, NEIN, NEVER... unless you have a “godmode” ticket from Darfix or Shani. In which case Anyone who has a “Godmode” ticket must, MUST say they have one, in the post they use it in.
-{Moderators may take a more violent action against the breaker of this law and delete their post AND have them suspended and skipped in RP order.

Do NOT: Abuse other people’s characters. GMs may be “ALL POWERFUL”, but if someone says “I don’t want him, him and her in this RP” or anything by those lines, the characters must be removed (With, or without the party’s story as to WHY). Removal in a violent fashion or persistence to continue having them in the RP even after request of removal will immediately equate the offender as a godmoder and similar disciplinary action will be enforced.
-{See above.

Do NOT: Abuse other people. “dear”, “dearie”, “honey”, “sugar”, “sweety”, are all terms of endearment and shouldn’t be taken offensively, but yelling at, threatening and other things of simular nature are not good, thrice so if you’re threatening/yelling at/belittling/harassing the moderator or administrators. ...I mean, C’mon people, that’s like talking smack to the King and Queen and their special police. It’s just NOT done!
-{Moderators can have abusers suspended if the harassment does not stop.

Do NOT: Post Sexual content. I don’t care about “tasteful nudity” in pictures, put some damn boxers on.
-{Moderators need only put it up in a link and state “Warning, may contain offensive material” on the offending image and let the crowd then put the blame on themselves for clicking the link.

Do Not: Bugger the moderators. You may be against a Moderator's action, but do not post it in the forums, and take it to PMs. To post on the forum the issue would become an open call for multiple badgerings and thus turn into harrassment of the person who "wronged" the forum.

Do Not: Do drugs.... I mean it kids, it’s unhealthy and isn’t Hip or Cool or the IN thing. In fact, it makes you drop levels in cool... don’t drink until you’re the appropriate drinking age... and uh... uh... don’t get pregnant before 20?

Neutral: Moderators may resort to either Admin for assistance.

Neutral: “Topic moderator” means who made the idea for it, There’s a difference between the idea maker and the Police of the forum as a whole its-self. (Universal Moderator means just that, UNIVERSAL, as in EVERYTHING.)

You MUST: follow all the rules, if you don’t want to play by the rules, then you don’t need to play here at all.

That is all.

&Tropico

[Tropico]

Chelle, from what I see, only Shani and myself say the terms of endearment, But since you've previously stated that you don't want to be called any of them we're refraining from saying them. And otherwise, I haven't seen anyone who says they didn't like it. but if they don't want to be called these, they may want to speak up.

You can have a problem with the moderator all you wish, but you can't speak out on it because that unto itself is it's own harrassment. If a mod does something wrong, the Admin will take care of it. taking care of the mod yourself isn't your job, having fun is.

...Again, the forum isn't paying us to do our job in a way that everyone shall agree with, thus I set down the guidelines that the moderators should take action in.

and lastly, I have no earthly clue, but I wanted to set that straight because Shani and myself are getting tired with a few of the members thinking that the Uni. Mods are only allowed to moderate the board we're "listed as moderating".

And also, if a person wants something specific done with their thread, they can ask a Moderator or Administrator. :3 Simple as that.

[Elliot]

I just wanted to add, DO NOT go over a moderator's head to the admins about a decision that you didn't like. The admins (at the very least Shani) will find it on their own, and they'll change a ruling if it isn't fair. The only exception to this is if the "evidence" is removed. Moderators are supposed to stop problems, not remove them. Leaving examples is a good way for people to learn what is and isn't acceptable. Going over the moderator's head for every small thing defeats the purpose of moderators existing in the first place. We can and will have you suspended for varying periods of time, depending on the nature of the incident involved.

[Benny the Bear]

Quote:“dear”, “dearie”, “honey”, “sugar”, “sweety”, are all terms of endearment and shouldn’t be taken offensively,


So does that mean that even if the person being called such finds it offensive, they just have to suck it up and deal with it because YOU don't think it's offensive? That's hardly fair. It can be legally termed harassment if the person being called such finds it offensive.

I find that being offended by an endearment is akin to being offended by siblings kissing as it may "provoke incest" which isn't always the case.
If you feel that the person using the endearment is also intentionally being offensive, then you can call a mod/admin to attention.

Technically any word can be used in an offensive manner, such as calling someone "woman" with a sexist undertone, so pay respect to the person's intentions, not just to what he is saying. And as far as I know the people on this forum, they're friendly and tend to speak in good intention as this is primarily a place to have fun.

[Tropico]

Buggering means in Public, Chelle, if all the parties get involved it turns into a harrassment, which is unneccissary and uncalled for. Discussion with the moderator in PMs or on MSN about his or her actions is allowed. But still, in the end it's the Admin who passes the real judgement.

[azureneon]

...You seem rather confrontational, Chelle. I'm sorry if those words offend you... and about the harassment thing... just because someone takes offense to something, doesn't make it harassment, unless they refuse to stop... or something. Maybe if we post the definition of harassment, that will clear things up.

Harass:
1. To irritate or torment persistently.
2. To wear out; exhaust.
3. To impede and exhaust (an enemy) by repeated attacks or raids.

Hm, doesn't seem to fit what you said. o.o

So... according to your logic.. no one should use any of those terms of endearment (or anything you seem to find offensive), because it's harassment? Have I got that right? Because, I wouldn't want to offend you. [ Really. I'm trying to be serious and sincere here. I don't understand why it sounds condescending. < ] Hm.. maybe that's what you mean.. those words aren't offensive... just condescending to you. Right?

(( I just know I'm going to regret saying anything. -_-; ))

[azureneon]

Yup.. big regret here for opening my mouth. -_-;