Getting a visit from me

[Mtnman]

I visited when you weren't around a lot... to see if you had logged in lately.

I missed you.

Careful what you wish for..... Im back now!

. And missed you too buddy

[kayger12]

For the most part, this is a heck of a great site with top-notch members. It's so rare for me to hear about some skirmish or member who is causing trouble.

This morning, when I got the note about a member, it caught me off guard. It was about 6:15 AM. I read every post from the user. By and large, the member hasn't had any trouble on the site. I noticed some judgmental comments that probably don't have a place here at the site but I didn't get in a twist over it. I'll continue to monitor to see if it continues or escalates.

Oh, and before I forget, no need to thank me. You can really thank my moderators, Dane and Keith, for how this site is handled on a day-to-day basis. I'm rarely part of the moderation process. I'm only brought in if things get entirely out of hand.

Yep.

It's funny because the three of us have completely different trip wires:

I'm like early-warning radar. I'm usually the first to be tweaked by a comment and am usually the first to say something behind the scenes. I'm quick to judge people which, while a side effect of 20 years in my chosen profession (where it is mostly helpful) , isn't my best or proudest personality trait in normal human interaction (as I'm sometimes wrong about people).

Dane is like Defcon 2. He's got a ton of grace, is uber forgiving, and isn't bothered by the stuff that irks me. So when we both have someone on our radar, it's usually a sign that somebody is straying from the family rules.

Boss is like Defcon 1. If he has to step in it means that there is something that needs to be addressed. He is undoubtedly the best communicator among the three of us and has an uncanny ability to constructively critique someone in an incredibly effective yet inoffensive manner.

What I've always loved about being involved with both of them is that their personalities, while different than mine and each other's, perfectly compensate for the weaknesses in mine.

It just works.

[kayger12]

I missed you to cupcake

[Hermes]

New ZHP Rolex watches. Watch your mailboxes.

I'll PM you my address so you can send OG spec watch to my house. Thanks Boss!

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Yep.

It's funny because the three of us have completely different trip wires:

I'm like early-warning radar. I'm usually the first to be tweaked by a comment and am usually the first to say something behind the scenes. I'm quick to judge people which, while a side effect of 20 years in my chosen profession (where it is mostly helpful) , isn't my best or proudest personality trait in normal human interaction (as I'm sometimes wrong about people).

Dane is like Defcon 2. He's got a ton of grace, is uber forgiving, and isn't bothered by the stuff that irks me. So when we both have someone on our radar, it's usually a sign that somebody is straying from the family rules.

Boss is like Defcon 1. If he has to step in it means that there is something that needs to be addressed. He is undoubtedly the best communicator among the three of us and has an uncanny ability to constructively critique someone in an incredibly effective yet inoffensive manner.

What I've always loved about being involved with both of them is that their personalities, while different than mine and each other's, perfectly compensate for the weaknesses in mine.

It just works.

The beauty of all this, of course, is that it's so infrequent that we have to reach out to someone.

I agree that we set the tone early on in the site's existence (on what's acceptable) but members have done an outstanding job of buying into what we were and are selling here.

I'm convinced that self selection has worked wonders on our site. People who may have joined our site decided not to because their brand of behavior wouldn't be tolerated here. While they could have misbehaved for a moment, they would have been tossed almost immediately. I figure they just didn't want to waste their time here.

Others still are probably inactive members at ZHPMafia.com. These are the people who joined but never posted, realizing that they couldn't behave in an adult-like manner. I don't confuse those people with lurkers who signed up and who would otherwise be a joy to consort with if they did post.

Again, running this site is pretty easy compared to most forums. Our members enjoy one another. Our members discuss issues -- rather than attack each other (that's a phrase that I drove home HARD when I first started this forum). Our members conduct themselves in a way that is very similar, if not exactly, to the way they conduct themselves at their physical offices or homes.

I've got to think that 99.9% of the e-thugs on other forums do not behave that way outside of their online community of choice. One, they'd get their asses kicked in the real world. Two, they'd be shunned by the community. And, three, they couldn't say the stuff they say with impunity.

There should be consequences for the way people behave -- both online and offline. Alas, many sites have taken a hands off approach to moderating behavior. The thinking may be that members can regulate the bad behavior on their own. Owners and moderators shouldn't have to regulate every issue (no matter how large it is). ZHPMafia.com management is different.

We want our members to enjoy the freedom to disagree. We don't want our members to feel stifled. But its our belief that you can have disagreement without the need to get in the mud, where expletives and other elementary tactics rule the day.

I do not suffer those who cannot discuss issues without resorting to ad hominem attacks. If someone must engage in that logical fallacy, they're better off simply not discussing the issues. Just move along to a different thread. Indeed, nothing gets my attention faster than a member who makes irrational arguments and can't figure out how to disagree in a professional manner.

As civilized, educated, and fully evolved adults we should be able to coexist at the forum. In fact, given the framework that's been laid out at ZHPMafia.com, our rule of law so to speak, we should be able to thrive here. The beauty of having rules is that it gives one a ton of freedom with which to work (assuming, of course, that the rules are not oppressive).

Finally, management must remain consistent. We can't condone certain behavior today and crush it tomorrow. That's precisely why management has remained steadfast in its response to bad behavior at the site. If we allow bad behavior to flourish, then others (so inclined) may indulge the behavior as well. Eventually, this drives out the good citizens (who comprise a HUGE majority) and leaves the unsavory residue behind (a tiny minority) that eventually transitions into a majority. So, we are not the Party Elite from Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four but we're not going to let it become Prince's Party Like It's 1999 in here either.

Rest assured that ZHPMafia.com will never, ever be that forum. Because would-be bad actors know this, we've been blessed with the group that participates here on a regular basis.

The management team has made a promise to each other that no tiny minority will ever be allowed to gain a foothold here. We take seriously our commitment to not let you down in that regard.

[WOLFN8TR]

I guess I'm OK beings I haven't been on here all that much the last 4 weeks. Been stopping by here and there but not posting anything to warrant a visit from the Boss.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

We miss you, Gary.

[WOLFN8TR]

We miss you, Gary.

Thanks!

Life's been a bit challenging lately. I was really starting to have Mafia withdrawals.

[johnrando]

Well, glad to have you back. Hope things are working out ok.

[Mike V]

Yikes, I have visits from admin and moderators. I hope I didn't misbehave.