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The Rules of Pacers Digest

Hello everyone,

Whether your are a long standing forum member or whether you have just registered today, it's a good idea to read and review the rules below so that you have a very good idea of what to expect when you come to Pacers Digest.

A quick note to new members: Your posts will not immediately show up when you make them. An administrator has to approve at least your first post before the forum software will later upgrade your account to the status of a fully-registered member. This usually happens within a couple of hours or so after your post(s) is/are approved, so you may need to be a little patient at first.

Why do we do this? So that it's more difficult for spammers (be they human or robot) to post, and so users who are banned cannot immediately re-register and start dousing people with verbal flames.

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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Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

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  • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

    Originally posted by Twes View Post
    I would go ahead and see that as a red flag.

    Not a good sign.

    You know there may be some dangerous molds and stuff in that house Geezer.

    Make them have it checked out before you go back in there.

    I'm just sayin.
    Realtors have a computer generated form that shows up anytime we show a house. On it we provide feedback to the other agent and ultimately their client. I told him the house needed to be fumigated at the least. I wanted to tell him that it needed to be reported to the BOH but didn't. It was the 2nd worse I've ever been in....the worst was occupied.
    Ever notice how friendly folks are at a shootin' range??.

    Comment


    • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

      My place was that bad?

      Damn I cleaned and everything!

      Comment


      • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

        Black Mold got the Geezer

        Comment


        • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

          I watched the Mythbuster guys blow up a house with flame and bug fumigators last night.

          It was cool.

          Comment


          • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

            http://ezinearticles.com/?Health-Pro...Mold&id=421600

            Health Problems Related To Toxic Black Mold
            By Rich Fuller




            Common household mold causes a variety of health problems, but it is difficult to prove the exact cause of these symptoms. Mold spores can become airborne and contribute to a variety of respiratory and eye problems.
            Because the symptoms of mold allergy resemble those of sinusitis, common cold and asthma, it is often difficult to determine the exact cause of these symptoms.
            Most people suffer an allergic reaction if exposed to mold. The symptoms of mold allergy include:
            Stuffy and runny nose.
            You may feel suddenly congested when you walk into a certain room, basement or other part of the house. This is likely because there is mold. Areas that are humid or have had water damage are ideal places for mold to grow.
            Itchy eyes.

            These same mold spores can make your eyes red and itchy. During clean up of mold, it is important to protect your eyes, because the irritation can be severe. Itchiness or redness around the eyes may be a sign that you have mold.
            Wheezing and coughing.
            If you have no prior condition or cold, but find yourself wheezing and coughing, this may be because of mold. To test it, you can try moving around to different parts of the house and see if it clears up. If so, the area where you find yourself coughing may have mold.
            Skin rashes.

            This occurs only in pretty severe cases. If you experience skin rashes, you might have a lot of mold hiding out somewhere. You may have also come into contact directly with mold and your skin is reacting to it.
            These are common symptoms of health related mold problems. Some people are more sensitive than others to mold, but all of us experience some of the above symptoms when we come into contact with mold.
            Doctors are not sure exactly what health problems are mold related. But, it has been observed that those with asthma suffer especially bad in the presence of mold.
            Some mold is toxic and researchers believe that constant exposure to mold over time might possibly contribute to certain types of cancer. This is not proven yet, but some species of mold, like the common household aspergillis, contain toxins similar to those found in those who suffer from liver and kidney cancers.
            Have you ever heard of "sick building syndrome?" This refers to old buildings which may have some toxins in their building materials and cause those who work there to suffer various symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and respiratory problems.
            Recent research suggests that sick building syndrome may be in part caused by mold. The symptoms of those who suffer from sick building syndrome are similar to health problems related to mold, and it is known that often old buildings were not built well to protect against mold.
            Household mold has not been shown to produce any life-threatening diseases, but exposure to it can be a health problem. For this reason, it is best to keep your home and workplace as mold-free as possible.

            Learn more about removing black mold from walls on our site. You'll also find other information such as dangers of toxic black mold and toxic mold health problems. ToxicBlackMoldHelp.org is a comprehensive resource to help individuals to test and inspect, identify health symptoms and removal of toxic black mold.
            Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rich_Fuller


            Comment


            • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

              Itchy eyes and skin rashes also describe the numerous STD's Spicoli and Btown have shared over the years.

              Comment


              • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

                Originally posted by Twes View Post
                http://ezinearticles.com/?Health-Pro...Mold&id=421600

                Health Problems Related To Toxic Black Mold
                By Rich Fuller




                Common household mold causes a variety of health problems, but it is difficult to prove the exact cause of these symptoms. Mold spores can become airborne and contribute to a variety of respiratory and eye problems.
                Because the symptoms of mold allergy resemble those of sinusitis, common cold and asthma, it is often difficult to determine the exact cause of these symptoms.
                Most people suffer an allergic reaction if exposed to mold. The symptoms of mold allergy include:
                Stuffy and runny nose.
                You may feel suddenly congested when you walk into a certain room, basement or other part of the house. This is likely because there is mold. Areas that are humid or have had water damage are ideal places for mold to grow.
                Itchy eyes.

                These same mold spores can make your eyes red and itchy. During clean up of mold, it is important to protect your eyes, because the irritation can be severe. Itchiness or redness around the eyes may be a sign that you have mold.
                Wheezing and coughing.
                If you have no prior condition or cold, but find yourself wheezing and coughing, this may be because of mold. To test it, you can try moving around to different parts of the house and see if it clears up. If so, the area where you find yourself coughing may have mold.
                Skin rashes.

                This occurs only in pretty severe cases. If you experience skin rashes, you might have a lot of mold hiding out somewhere. You may have also come into contact directly with mold and your skin is reacting to it.
                These are common symptoms of health related mold problems. Some people are more sensitive than others to mold, but all of us experience some of the above symptoms when we come into contact with mold.
                Doctors are not sure exactly what health problems are mold related. But, it has been observed that those with asthma suffer especially bad in the presence of mold.
                Some mold is toxic and researchers believe that constant exposure to mold over time might possibly contribute to certain types of cancer. This is not proven yet, but some species of mold, like the common household aspergillis, contain toxins similar to those found in those who suffer from liver and kidney cancers.
                Have you ever heard of "sick building syndrome?" This refers to old buildings which may have some toxins in their building materials and cause those who work there to suffer various symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and respiratory problems.
                Recent research suggests that sick building syndrome may be in part caused by mold. The symptoms of those who suffer from sick building syndrome are similar to health problems related to mold, and it is known that often old buildings were not built well to protect against mold.
                Household mold has not been shown to produce any life-threatening diseases, but exposure to it can be a health problem. For this reason, it is best to keep your home and workplace as mold-free as possible.

                Learn more about removing black mold from walls on our site. You'll also find other information such as dangers of toxic black mold and toxic mold health problems. ToxicBlackMoldHelp.org is a comprehensive resource to help individuals to test and inspect, identify health symptoms and removal of toxic black mold.
                Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rich_Fuller


                I suspect the carpet. I've never had trouble with mold but an allergy can develop suddenly where none existed before. I need to check with clients to see if they have any problem....and if she needs any lotion...meh, prolly not.
                Ever notice how friendly folks are at a shootin' range??.

                Comment


                • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

                  Is this your "toy box" clients?

                  Comment


                  • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

                    Originally posted by Twes View Post
                    I know Larry Cszonka had a show out of Alaska. Not sure.

                    Haven't seen that one.

                    So I guess clubbing some baby seals this weekend is out of the question?
                    The best is still Wild Kingdom. Didn't hunt except with trank guns but it was awesome. I especially loved Marlin Perkins hanging Jim's *** out on the line every episode. My favorite was The White Rhino episode.

                    Marlin's up in a chopper and Jim's out in the middle of the savannah - nothing there but grass and one tree. Marlin's dialogue:

                    "Jim is tracking the White Rhino" camera pans to Jim creeping through the grass, trank rifle in hand.

                    "Jim is approaching the White Rhino" camera pans to Jim creeping through the grass, moving toward a White Rhino with its head down, munching

                    "Jim will now subdue the White Rhino" camera pans to Jim who stands up, maybe a hundred yards from the Rhino, raises his rifle to his shoulder, sights & fires

                    "Jim appears to be having some trouble subduing the White Rhino" camera pans to the White Rhino which is suddenly alert, head up, snorting. The Rhino's head turns and it stares at something which the camera pans to - it's Jim

                    "Jim seems to have encountered some difficulty with the White Rhino" camera pans to the Rhino which has just put its head down and started to charge. Camera pans back to Jim who's dropped his rifle and is at a dead-*** run toward the lone tree.

                    "The White Rhino does not appear to be easily subdued" camera pans to the Rhino, full-on charge, then to Jim, booking with everything he has toward the tree. It doesn't look like he'll make it

                    "The White Rhino can be a dangerous animal when irritated" camera pans to show Jim, just before the Rhino's about to make him a double-sphincter man, jump up and grab a tree branch. He swings his legs up as the Rhino runs underneath him.

                    "The diffulty Jim has had subduing the White Rhino exhibits just how dangerous it can be for those of us working in the wild" Jim has managed to get himself up in the tree and the White Rhino's now circling it, pawing at the ground, now and then giving the tree a sideways smash with its head

                    Gotta love nature shows - and especially Marlin "the Fearless" Perkins.
                    The poster formerly known as Rimfire

                    Comment


                    • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

                      Originally posted by DisplacedKnick View Post
                      The best is still Wild Kingdom. Didn't hunt except with trank guns but it was awesome. I especially loved Marlin Perkins hanging Jim's *** out on the line every episode. My favorite was The White Rhino episode.

                      Marlin's up in a chopper and Jim's out in the middle of the savannah - nothing there but grass and one tree. Marlin's dialogue:

                      "Jim is tracking the White Rhino" camera pans to Jim creeping through the grass, trank rifle in hand.

                      "Jim is approaching the White Rhino" camera pans to Jim creeping through the grass, moving toward a White Rhino with its head down, munching

                      "Jim will now subdue the White Rhino" camera pans to Jim who stands up, maybe a hundred yards from the Rhino, raises his rifle to his shoulder, sights & fires

                      "Jim appears to be having some trouble subduing the White Rhino" camera pans to the White Rhino which is suddenly alert, head up, snorting. The Rhino's head turns and it stares at something which the camera pans to - it's Jim

                      "Jim seems to have encountered some difficulty with the White Rhino" camera pans to the Rhino which has just put its head down and started to charge. Camera pans back to Jim who's dropped his rifle and is at a dead-*** run toward the lone tree.

                      "The White Rhino does not appear to be easily subdued" camera pans to the Rhino, full-on charge, then to Jim, booking with everything he has toward the tree. It doesn't look like he'll make it

                      "The White Rhino can be a dangerous animal when irritated" camera pans to show Jim, just before the Rhino's about to make him a double-sphincter man, jump up and grab a tree branch. He swings his legs up as the Rhino runs underneath him.

                      "The diffulty Jim has had subduing the White Rhino exhibits just how dangerous it can be for those of us working in the wild" Jim has managed to get himself up in the tree and the White Rhino's now circling it, pawing at the ground, now and then giving the tree a sideways smash with its head

                      Gotta love nature shows - and especially Marlin "the Fearless" Perkins.
                      I think I found it.

                      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDoT8yHi4-A

                      Comment


                      • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

                        Originally posted by Twes View Post

                        All sponsored by Mutual of Omaha of course.

                        Poor Jim was always Marlin's Tonto. "Tonto, I want you to go into town and see if you can learn anything (like why it is dumb indians keep getting their *** whipped in town.)
                        "Here Jim, you take this Boy Scout knife and go wrestle this 30 foot anaconda."
                        Ever notice how friendly folks are at a shootin' range??.

                        Comment


                        • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

                          Jim was a bad@$$.

                          But he couldn't come close to unleashing the fury that was... Mr. Green Jeans.

                          Comment


                          • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

                            Spicoli,

                            Did you get a new bow yet?

                            Comment


                            • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

                              just got back from my first summer vacation since 2004...needless to say it was one of the best ones to date...

                              word to the wise...be aware of all inclusive packages...i stayed in one for 5 nights...left with 10lbs extra weight...
                              those buffets were too sweet to pass up on...

                              now i'm back at home...the diet and work out is in immediate effect...

                              Comment


                              • Re: Random, Scattered Disturbed Thoughts

                                Originally posted by bellisimo View Post
                                just got back from my first summer vacation since 2004...needless to say it was one of the best ones to date...

                                word to the wise...be aware of all inclusive packages...i stayed in one for 5 nights...left with 10lbs extra weight...
                                those buffets were too sweet to pass up on...

                                now i'm back at home...the diet and work out is in immediate effect...
                                Welcome back!

                                Glad you had a good time.

                                Comment

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