[reader50]

I'd like to announce our new staff members. Everyone, you can now make fun of:

Chuckit (Dev, OSX, Apps, Games, GUI, Pro Books)
Cold Warrior (Alt OS, OSX, Apps, Net, Pro Books)
seanc (Alt OS, OSX, iBook, Net)
ibook_steve (Books, Pro Books, Alt OS, iMac) <- 4th name added Jan 10

There is a 4th name coming, but we're not sure who it will be yet. An invitation has gone out, but he/she appears to be on an extended holiday vacation. If the invite is declined, another will be issued to the next candidate in line.

To those who were not chosen, do not despair and jump off the bridge yet. We're not done with the promotions. Over the past several years, we have gradually lost people, and only added 1-2 replacements at rare intervals. The staff numbers have undergone a long slow decline, while the forums grew.

It has become obvious that we need 7-9 new people to regain normal staff levels; where every forum has at least 2 active Mods, and every high-traffic forum has at least 3 active Mods. Problem posts should not have to wait 24 hours until a forum's sole Moderator checks in.

However, staff levels fell enough that we are only comfortable letting 4 new people in at once. The new people need time to learn the ropes, to ask questions, and to become experienced Moderators themselves. They'll have a tougher time of it if there are too many of them vs too few of us to set examples.

So we asked for nominations. Made nominations ourselves. Researched urgent forums for helpful & knowledgable members, and made more nominations. Then researched each of the names, and voted. The result is a sorted list, with recommended forums attached to each name.

Invites were based on the list order, as well as minimum forum coverage. We're letting four people in today as the first wave. In a few month's time, after the first wave has settled in, we'll issue a second wave of invites. There are reserve choices too, in case people decline.

We are going to keep the next wave of names confidential until their time comes. Someone else may still get an invite this time, if the one remaining invite is declined. And 3-5 more people will get their invites in a few months. You do have your forum preferences set to notify you when a PM comes in ... right?

[art_director]

just goes to show what happens when oprah endorses a candidate. congrats to all.

[Oisín]

Woo, new people to fun at!

And it seems you listened to my pleas, too, since you posted this about an hour and a half after I got back from my semi-Internet-less week

Congrats Chuckit, Cold Warrior, and seanc

[Brien]

Congrats, er, condolences.

[turtle777]

Chuckit, Cold Warrior, seanc, you are doomed !
Nah, j/k. congrats : )
-t

[Faust]

Those are very fine choices. Congratulations to the three of you!

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by Brien 

Congrats, er, condolences.

Seconded.

[Oisín]

Just noticed that Peter seems to have been demodded. Any particular reason (that can be shared with the public) for actually diminishing the staff at a point where, in your own statement, you’re still looking for more mods?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

Just noticed that Peter seems to have been demodded. Any particular reason (that can be shared with the public) for actually diminishing the staff at a point where, in your own statement, you’re still looking for more mods?

He bumped a 3 months old thread - enough to be demoted, I guess

-t

[Oisín]

And his own thread, too!

Isn’t the rule six months, though?

[reader50]

Peter's departure was what prompted our move to expand the staff. You've got them in reverse order. I'm not sure why the ber thread got locked, nothing wrong with it that I can see.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by reader50 

Peter's departure was what prompted our move to expand the staff. You've got them in reverse order. I'm not sure why the ber thread got locked, nothing wrong with it that I can see.

Aah. That makes more sense.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by reader50 

Peter's departure was what prompted our move to expand the staff. You've got them in reverse order. I'm not sure why the ber thread got locked, nothing wrong with it that I can see.

Maybe one of the new mods just wanted to prove their new superpowers

-t

[xi_hyperon]

I, for one, welcome our new forum overlords!

[ghporter]

I would like to publicly recognize reader50 for his extensive work in getting our new mods search organized and managed. He did countless hours of work collecting information, collecting feedback from the rest of the staff, presenting the results in a very useful form, and then contacting the victims luck new mods to let them know of their selection . And of course the solicitation thread and this thread. Lots of work and very well done. Thanks, reader50!

[Shaddim]

I would offer my services for the pol/war/religion forum, but I'm not sure how it would go over.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

Just noticed that Peter seems to have been demodded. Any particular reason (that can be shared with the public) for actually diminishing the staff at a point where, in your own statement, you’re still looking for more mods?

I noticed that it happened before the new mod search started.

[Oisín]

I never claimed to be quick on the uptake!

[hyteckit]

Hm... how did Chuckit become a moderator. I just saw the moderator tag next to his name and I was like WTF? hytecKIT is always better than chucKIT.

[Mastrap]

It always worries me to see the word staff used here. Staff receives compensation for their work in my book.

Shouldn't it be volunteers?

[reader50]

Chuckit was nominated in this thread. He became a mod after survived our rigorous hazing tests.

What's the best word to include Admins + Moderators? My suggestion of "The Conspiracy" hasn't been picked up by anyone. "Staff" sounds better than "Gang" or "Clique". "The Volunteer Staff" is a bit long.

[Dakar the Fourth]

We should start a Feedback thread to discuss what the proper term to call the collective is.
No, we shouldn't, but I suspect there's decent chance someone will in this crazy place.

[turtle777]

I'd like to nominate myself as a mod in the Mod Lounge

-t

[hyteckit]

I'm just messing. I have nothing against Chuckit.

[ghporter]

The problem is that "secret society" just has the wrong ring to it, so we tend to use "staff" instead. We ARE volunteers, and "unpaid" is quite accurate. All of us are doing this because we like to help keep the dialogs going and keep them civil too. Oh, Peter's departure precipitated the search for new mods, so it's not a coincidence.

And at the moment we're not accepting applications, so don't bother yourselves with volunteering right now, folks!

[brassplayersrock²]

congrats to the new people in charge

[reader50]

We have our 4th and final name in this round, after two fine candidates declined for time reasons.

ibook_steve (Books, Pro Books, Alt OS, iMac)

[ibook_steve]

Hi, everybody! (Hi, ibook_steve!)

Happy to be here. I'll try not too abuse this awesome power and responsibility...well, not too much.

Steve

[brassplayersrock²]

oh lord, not another one

congrats steve!

[rickey939]

Congrats guys, you deserve it!

[Dakar the Fourth]

If rickey gets made a moderator, does he get blue balls?
Has this joke been made before?

[rickey939]

Proud of you.®

[Dakar the Fourth]

You know rickey, I was thinking that if something crazy occurred and you got banned, they should change you balls so they all have asterisks on them.

As you can all see, I have plenty of time to think of these things.

[rickey939]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

You know rickey, I was thinking that if something crazy occurred and you got banned, they should change you balls so they all have asterisks on them.

As you can all see, I have plenty of time to think of these things.

Only Bonds gets the branded "*" on his balls.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Well, if you get banninated, you deserve them too.

[peeb]

It seems that the ignore list no longer works for users who are admins - is there a way to fix that?

[Oisín]

^ It never did. It’s never been possible to add a mod or an admin to your ignore list, and it’s not fixable (this was asked once before, I remember).

[reader50]

A quick check reveals that I can't ignore other Mods or Admins either. Looks like all staff members have a blanket immunity to ignorance. I feel more reassured already.

[besson3c]

Peeb: you could just pretend that I'm a mod and ignore me.

[peeb]

I do that already - this is someone who was happily on my ignore list and has been taken off - I guess I'll just have to ignore manually.

[besson3c]

You pretend that I'm a mod, or you ignore me?

Please do not ignore this question.

[peeb]

No, actually, neither. I generally find your posts to be worth reading.

[besson3c]

peeb: yeah, me to. I'm glad that is settled, thanks!

You are welcome to pretend that I'm a mod though.

[peeb]

- actually, looks like someone fixed this for us! Thanks!

[peeb]

Actually, it looks like it was temporarily working, now it' broken again, I'm back to having to manually ignore.

[turtle777]

I'm still waiting for the mods to announce that Kevin wasn't really banninated, but promoted to mod and had to attend a 6 weeks 'NN mod bootcamp before he could resume duty

Guess I was wrong

-t