Something happened today that has gotten me extremely disgusted and pissed off. A former member of this community has accused me of abuse of power and to paraphrase, in a nut shell has said I am being a bully here on the site. At this exact moment in time I am so angry that I am considering walking away and quitting my position as a moderator and blogger for Heromachine.
Now I know after I cool off and allow more rational thought to settle in I will realize just how foolish that line of thought is, especially considering the source of this accusation. Quitting will just be allowing him to win! But this does lead me to the point of this post. I want some honest feedback without any fear of reprisal on my part for what you have to say here. I need to know if any one else in the HeroMachine community feels I am abusing my power here?
I know I am not as friendly as JR or Linea24 I have not been known to go out of my way to greet new member like they do and I only tend to put up to handle technical issues or deal with rules violations, heck even I think Jr is the Current "Face" of Heromachine. My role has always been more in the background keeping the wheels turning, even when it was just me and HammerKnight running things. Sure I am strict when it comes to enforcing our rules here on the site but I don't think I am unfriendly or that I abuse my power, but maybe I'm wrong. SO I want your opinion on my performance here. I am not looking for a pity party or a pat on the back to cheer me up. I want to know what you honestly think good or bad, so please leave a comment below
Thank You!
I dont think you have been mean. I’ve not seen you do anything mean. Plus I feel if you were doing something wrong Jeff would pull you to the side & tell you or fire you.
To quote the great musical Chicago…”He had it coming!”
I was told many years ago ‘when you’re a lead dog your gonna have some of the other dogs taking a bite outta your a$$ from time to time’. In other words, haters are gonna hate. Don’t fret it Kaldath. You’re doing a fine job, keep up the good work!
“Non Illegitimatum Corburundum Sund!” {Faux Latin for “Don’t let the B*st*rds grind you down!”} I’ve not seen any indication of tyranny in HeroMachine forums since my days as Absolute Tyrant and Despicable Evil Overlord at the UGO Forums… 😉
Kaldath, you and the others are doing a wonderful job running the site. Don’t let it bother you. I have been on this site many times and it has helped me through tough times. I have never seen you write mean things to anyone.
Ignore them and keep up the good work.
I mean you guys are all doing this with your free time for no other compensation than to maintain the community we all enjoy so I don’t see where anybody has any reason to complain.
Personally you’ve had to remind me of the forum rules once or twice and you were incredibly respectful. You warned me I was in violation of the rules and even found a way for me to keep my posts while still being compliant. You didn’t have to do that, you could’ve just deleted everything, but you were actually very nice about it and came up with a solution.
So whoever is talking in your ear, just forget that noise. Some people just can’t be reasoned with.
Lange nicht gesprochen (geschreiben?)!
I have been lurking the blog page for almost a year and a half while in recovery. It feels like an eternity! Even MadJack wrote me off for dead on this year’s Creators Club poster. =/
To Jeff, JR, djuby, Kaldath, Linea24, headlessgeneral, and any Mods that I forgot to mention, thank you for keeping HeroMachine alive. This is still my favorite web community. And you guys inform and entertain us.
To all active, inactive, and even lurking HeroMachiners: Thanks for your creativity, your insights, and most of all for sharing. Whether commenting on the blog, entering in contests, or participating in the forums. It’s nice to hear from people with similar interests and diverse opinions on and approaches to said interests.
To Kaldath, I enjoy your blogs. The Caption Contests are fun. While I enjoy your anime blog and interest in Asian pop culture, you did kind of lose me on the “white-washing” of the upcoming GITS live-action movie. Granted, anyone but Scarlett Johansson! Heck, Vin Diesel or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would make a better Motoko Kusanagi. Just saying.
Kaldath, I say keep on blogging. Yours is the role of HeroMachine’s anime-sensei. Offer critiques and suggestions of film, comics, and music like you have been. Maybe mix it up a little by delving into Korean, Chinese, and other Asian pop culture. Show us what you find. Teach us what you learn.
Hoping to be more active in the HeroMachine community soon. Tschüss und bis bald!
I’m just gonna go with: Keep up the good work. If someone’s bitching or whining too much, send them my way and I’ll give them a proper Klingon ass-kicking. 😉
Qapla’
Kaldath, whatever idiot thinks you’re abusing your power doesn’t deserve your time and doesn’t belong in this community. You’re doing a fantastic job! I’ve been known to bend/break the rules and you dealt with me fairly.
I’ve been lurking much like AP, and I have to say, dude, you’re doing a great job. Pay no attention to the haters, you’re good, son.
I think you , and the entire team at Heromachine is doing a great job.
Don’t let this schlub get you down. I don’t know hoe many visitors the site gets a day, but he’s probably less than 1% of that population, and if that’s the only schmuck you get, then you are doing pretty good.
In my whole time in and/or around HeroMachine, I’ve never seen any “abuse”. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen ANY of the moderators be anything other than respectful & polite (maybe a little blunt at times) in the way they deal with issues on the site, even when they’re being railed against, called names, or just straight-up cussed out. Overall, I think the mods do a very good job.
Not to kiss ass or anything…
And after seeing what caused this, I can safely say later for that arrogant douche…
I’ve been part of the community since the UGO forums and the only problems I’ve seen have been hurt feelings a couple of times, and a disagreement a time or two. The same is as true now as it was then: I’ve found the community, including the mods to be welcoming, helpful, and respectful.
I’ve had my dealings with yourself and HK concerning the posting of my stories, them being of a more mature nature, the two of you respectfully asked me not to post them and I have no problem with that. As such that was that, but If I had of went ahead and posted, then you would have been in the right to deal with it.
So as you already stated in the op don’t worry about this, you’ve chosen to be a part of this community and a welcomed one at that.
o_O
Can’t talk about the forums, but here at least, in all the years I’ve been there, I have never seen anything but patience and understanding from you or the other mods.
Without you, this community would have died long ago.
Thanks.
I don’t know what idiot is telling you you’re in the wrong, but they are the one that is in the wrong. I can’t confess to know all the ins and outs of what you do, but what I have never seen you do is anything less than is neccessary, and when you do it is always civil and respectful. Without the moderators this wonderful site would not be the same. I say keep at it Kaldath you’re doing a great job.
And to all those idiots who say the site is better of without the moderators, without the moderators Heromachine would just be the machine and none of the amazing community that really makes it Heromachine, because without moderators there would be no forums and no support.
I’ve been around this community from the old ugo days so I’ve known you for a very long time. And in that time, Kaldath, I have never once seen you be anything other than friendly and respectful.
SEIZE ALL THE POWER! >:D
Um? I think it’s pretty clear that as long as you’re the enforcer (the stick,) you’re going to be blunt once in a while–see what I did there?
And yes, Jeff wouldn’t let you KEEP ruining his baby. If you abused power twice, I’m guessing you’d be blocked before there was a third time, and that’s assuming he was slow on the draw.
I’m not sure you’ve even had cause to talk to me–can’t remember. If I do break a rule, I expect to be dealt with–chaos and ruination of egos, things like that have no place on a site made to encourage creation of art and artists’ egos.
All positive comments so far, eh?
To all Moderators! YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB! Don’t let one flash in the pan, shallow person cause this much crap in our community. The douche already removed his commentary from his page and is probably loving the negative vibe he has caused. He already has received to much of our time. The only way to rid ourselves of trolls like this is to not give them a voice!
Now back to regularly scheduled ‘machining……!
Cheers!
All I can say is the was that one time in Band camp, but that is a whole other story. Keep up the good work, you are doing a great job. Don’t let someone get you down for doing a good job.
The Atomic Punk!?!? Good to see you alive and kicking! (and presumably well?) I hope. I been missing your creative freshness around here.
To Kaldath: Yeah, you’re a hard @$$… but I like it rough. 😉
Keep on doing what you’re doing, and let it go.
Kaldath, I think you rock. Rock on.
So… I’m still a newbie, compared to all the rest of you guys. But from where I stand, I’ve never seen anything that looks even remotely like abusing power coming from you. I don’t know how much that is worth, considering I’m not as active in the community as some people (especially as, up until recently, I was recovering and absent completely), but there it is anyway.
It’s always hard to be the one enforcing the rules. Because no matter how “nicely” you do it, you still might have to tell someone off. I’m not entirely sure what has provoked this (I feel like I’ve been missing something), but I’m in full support of anyone who has to wield the “punishment stick”. So long as you’re trying to be fair, I don’t think you can be doing anything wrong.
But that’s just my 1.5 cents. (The government taxed the other half cent)
Well everyone has said it and I agree. I’ve been here of and on since UGO and I think you and the other moderators are doing a great job. Keep up the good work and try to not to worry about this particular aberration. It will fade away and soon be forgotten.
@Atomic Punk and Sabrina
I am glad you are both recovering.
Sorry you have had to recover from anything, but I know how it goes all too well.
Hope to see you around more.
You’re a cool guy and you do your job well here so ignore that guy that’s giving you trouble
I think you’re doing a great job, honestly I haven’t interacted with you that much but i often flick through what is posted and i have never seen anything i would describe as an abuse of power.
The heromachine is one of the friendliest community on the internet, i have no bad experiences here, unlike in some communities for instance, some warhammer 40k forums out there.
Overall don’t worry and keep up the good work.
@FastestFalcon I thank you for your feed back however I deleted your message for one reason. This topic is about MY performance here on the site and your comment had to do with the CDC’s which are ran entirely by JR. I understand you have an issue with the contest but for that you need to email JR and talk to him in private about that. You are not in any trouble for your post here but please understand that this particular topic is for people to express any issue that they have with me and ONLY with me. Thank you!
I want to thank everyone for your kind words and your feedback. It has been rough a day and a half since I wrote this, and so far I haven’t gotten any negative feedback about my own performance on the site which does gladden me. I will leave this topic open to comment for another day or two in the event someone just hasn’t had the chance to express their dissatisfaction with me as of yet and then I will close it to new comments and drop the matter. Thank you all once again for your feedback.
If I were in your situation, I probably would have said:
Contests are odds are based on many factors -Number of entrants, how well your enter fits the category, how well your entry stands out, and the opinion of the judge and/or the voters. That said AS I DON’T judge the CDC’s, please talk to JR@…
And that is all that you would have needed to say
@Kaldath, Oh, okay, got it. I can’t think of anything you personally are doing wrong, so just keep up the good work!:)
Thanks, Nug. It’s been a rough year and a half. Atrophy has a funny way of killing creativity. Just getting around to re-focusing.
@Cliff: Thank you, as well.
Theres always gotta be someone that “Looks” bad because they have to be the ones to enforce the rules. Without you I honesty think people would be running all over the place. Its because people dont like being told that they cant “use” copyrighted characters or use other peoples ideas. Dont like it get to you, your doing a great job and if people dont like it they dont need to be on the forum posting ideas.