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Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.

Rule #1

Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:

"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"

"People with intelligence will agree with me when I say that __________"

"Only stupid people think / believe / do ___________"

"I can't wait to hear something from PosterX when he/she sees that **insert a given incident or current event that will have probably upset or disappointed PosterX here**"

"He/she is just delusional"

"This thread is stupid / worthless / embarrassing"

"I'm going to take a moment to point and / laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"

"Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good? "

In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.

We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.

Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.

That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.

A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.

There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.

Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.

In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.

Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.

If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!

All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.

Rule #2

If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.

The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.

The right places to do so are:

A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.

B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.

If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.

Rule #3

If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.

When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:

A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.

B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.

To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!

Rule #4

Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.

Rule #5

When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.

An example:

If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:

http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star

Rule #6

We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.

The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.

Rule #7

Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.

It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).

We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).

However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.

Rule #8

We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.

Rule #9

Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.

Rule #10

We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.

Rule #11

Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
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Who could be the running mates

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  • Who could be the running mates

    Who do you think the top 2 or 3 candidates in each party should select as a running mate?

  • #2
    Re: Who could be the running mates

    Right now, Huckabee would be a slam dunk for the Republicans. It's just a question of if anything comes out of his closet in the next 9 months.

    As for the Dems, I'm terrified it'll be Bayh. People here still love him, and they don't pay attention to his record at all.
    Come to the Dark Side -- There's cookies!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Who could be the running mates

      Originally posted by Kegboy View Post
      Right now, Huckabee would be a slam dunk for the Republicans. It's just a question of if anything comes out of his closet in the next 9 months.

      As for the Dems, I'm terrified it'll be Bayh. People here still love him, and they don't pay attention to his record at all.
      At the rate Huckabee is gaining momentum they might be lining up to be HIS running mate...

      And Evan Bayh sharing the White House isn't even cloe to the worst thing that could happen.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Who could be the running mates

        Originally posted by Kegboy View Post
        Right now, Huckabee would be a slam dunk for the Republicans. It's just a question of if anything comes out of his closet in the next 9 months.

        As for the Dems, I'm terrified it'll be Bayh. People here still love him, and they don't pay attention to his record at all.
        i'm not following the campaign but i did run into this earlier today....


        Mike Huckabee:
        Supports the War in Iraq, the troop surge and the continued operation of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.
        http://senate.ontheissues.org/Mike_Huckabee.htm

        Supports and will continue TORTURE of detainees. He claims, "we have received good solid information from individuals from doing things of the nature you're describing"
        http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295883,00.html

        Says he is for lower taxes, but INCREASED state spending 65.3 percent (1996-2004) and supported five tax increases. Taxes were raised twenty-one times for an increase of $883 million dollars. Arkansas' general debt shot up by almost $1 billion.
        http://www.nwanews.com/adg/national/203850/

        Opposes the medical use of marijuana, and said he would continue to RAID, ARREST, PROSECUTE, and IMPRISON patients who are using marijuana as a medicine.
        http://granitestaters.com/candidates/mike_huckabee ...

        Vowed to Sign a Nationwide SMOKING BAN in public places.
        http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2007/08/hucka ...

        Wants to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens.
        http://arkjournal.com/2007/11/newsflash-mike-hucka ...

        Grabbed national headlines with a governor's intervention that year to block the state from paying $419 for a retarded 15-year-old girl's abortion, her pregnancy stemming from being raped by her stepfather on a camping trip.
        http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5244/is_19 ...

        Huckabee secured the realease of a convicted rapist name Dumond who then raped and killed again. - http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.asp ...

        Believes in Creationism.
        http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/rncse_content/vol ...

        Ordered the destruction of tapes and hard drives containing embarassing information. Early in Huckabee's term as governor, documents, e-mails and memos stored on hard drives just like the ones that were destroyed formed the basis of embarrassing stories about Huckabee, including a 1998 story in the Arkansas Times detailing how Huckabee and his family were using the $60,000-a-year Governor's Mansion fund as their personal piggy bank.
        http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.asp ...

        It's not suprising that he opposes Campaign Finance Reform:
        http://www.q-and-a.org/Transcript/?ProgramID=1010& ...

        Huckabee is against same-sex marriage and civil unions. He outlawed same-sex marriage in Arkansas.
        http://www.ontheissues.org/Mike_Huckabee.htm

        Huckabee seems to love loot and has a dismissive attitude toward ethics, campaign finance rules and propriety in general:

        In the 1992 contest, Huckabee used campaign funds to pay himself as his own media consultant. Other payments went to the family babysitter.

        In his successful 1994 run for lieutenant governor, he set up a nonprofit curtain known as Action America so he could give speeches for money without having to disclose the names of his benefactors. He failed to report that campaign travel payments were for the use of his own personal plane.

        After he became governor in 1996, he raked in tens of thousands of dollars in gifts, including gifts from people he later appointed to prestigious state commissions.

        He converted a governor's mansion operating account into a personal expense account, claiming public money for a doghouse, dry-cleaning bills, panty hose and meals at Taco Bell. He tried to claim $70,000 in furnishings provided by a wealthy cotton grower for the private part of the residence as his own, until he learned ethics rules prevented it. When a disgruntled former employee disclosed memos revealing all this, the Huckabee camp shut her up by repeatedly suggesting she might be vulnerable to prosecution for theft because she'd shared documents generated by the state's highest official.

        Inauguration funds were used to buy clothing for his wife. He once took control of the state Republican Party's campaign account -- then swore the account had been somebody else's responsibility when it ran afoul of federal election laws.

        He sped final action on a bill to allow video poker at the state's racetracks, an act followed not long afterward by a $10,000 campaign contribution from the owner of the state's biggest race track,.
        http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/11/13/hu ...


        Read More:
        Political Positions - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politic..._Mike_Huckabee
        The dark side of Mike Huckabee - http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/11/13/huckabee/


        http://digg.com/politics/Five_Things...Know_About_Him

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Who could be the running mates

          Bellisimo - thanks. That provides me a better understanding of Huckabee...and sheds light on a few issues that concern me.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Who could be the running mates

            Originally posted by travmil View Post
            And Evan Bayh sharing the White House isn't even cloe to the worst thing that could happen.
            Even though Kegboy is the only one who will get this I'm going to say it anyway. "But he kills fishes!"

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Who could be the running mates

              Bayh might be a good pick for Clinton, didn't he endorse her early?

              Edwards - Bayh, maybe, but I think Edwards could pick someone to better balance the ticket.

              Obama - Bayh just doesn't seem to work at all.

              As for the Republicans..... Rudy & Huckabee? I don't think so.

              Romney - Huckabee? I guess, I'm not voting GOP, but it still doesn't seem like their best ticket.

              What pairing works best for each party?

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Who could be the running mates

                A lot of the vice president choices will depend who ends up with the nomination. For the Dems Richardson would be a strong choice being Latino and from the West both of which could be swing votes for Republicans.

                I think Bayh only makes sense for Clinton. I don't think Bayh adds much too an Obama ticket and he isn't progressive enough for Edwards.

                If Biden didn't call Obama articulate I think he would go well with Obama.
                "They could turn out to be only innocent mathematicians, I suppose," muttered Woevre's section officer, de Decker.

                "'Only.'" Woevre was amused. "Someday you'll explain to me how that's possible. Seeing that, on the face of it, all mathematics leads, doesn't it, sooner or later, to some kind of human suffering."

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Who could be the running mates

                  Mitt and Rudy need older, established, true red Republicans from the midwest or South. Names like Lott or Frist names that would reassure the base. Huck could be more creative in the choice. He could go in several directions.

                  I don't like Huck for VP. He doesn't give a needed state/ demographic or experience to a ticket.
                  "They could turn out to be only innocent mathematicians, I suppose," muttered Woevre's section officer, de Decker.

                  "'Only.'" Woevre was amused. "Someday you'll explain to me how that's possible. Seeing that, on the face of it, all mathematics leads, doesn't it, sooner or later, to some kind of human suffering."

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Who could be the running mates

                    Maybe I'm naive but I have never waivered from a Clinton-Obama ticket. I think they would steamroll whoever the Republicans threw at them. That matter was decided the past 8 years. And for the record, this is not an endorsement.
                    The best exercise of the human heart is reaching down and picking someone else up.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Who could be the running mates

                      ABA

                      With your service to our country, you & I could give any GOP ticket a scare.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Who could be the running mates

                        I'm hoping Biden or Richardson are the most heavily considered on the Democratic side.

                        Huckabee would be perfect for the Republicans - he doesn't have enough mainstream appeal to be President, but he's a true conservative and is definitely experienced and qualified for office.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Who could be the running mates

                          Originally posted by Jose Slaughter View Post
                          ABA

                          With your service to our country, you & I could give any GOP ticket a scare.
                          The best exercise of the human heart is reaching down and picking someone else up.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Who could be the running mates

                            Republicans have a problem with the VP. Generally you choose a person who has experience on a national level, however, this time around candidates don't want to be associated with the national level.

                            As I think about it should Mitt or Rudi win, good choices would be Trent Lott, who wasn't a Bush favorite, or Dick Armey (sp), who left before things started going down hill.
                            "They could turn out to be only innocent mathematicians, I suppose," muttered Woevre's section officer, de Decker.

                            "'Only.'" Woevre was amused. "Someday you'll explain to me how that's possible. Seeing that, on the face of it, all mathematics leads, doesn't it, sooner or later, to some kind of human suffering."

                            Comment

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