PHIL- - Posted - 03/07/2021:  02:30:21

I'm new.



I've already had a few weird experiences with some of the moderators. One was rattled by Mr. Pillow, in a joke post i made about an insane politically charged post, followed by a heated debate (i thought this was banjos). I was getting ridiculous emails about it.



I was wrong in publicly questioning that decision to remove the thread, but then i got emails from a different mod that opened with "YOU DONT GET IT, DO YOU?" Is that a threat? Am i being punished, or am i going to be punished? I didn't respond, i knew i broke the rules and knew my post was gonna be removed. No need to send me a message like that.



Then today, a completely different mod responded to a question in advice with a story about a troll under a bridge, which was totally unrelated to my curiosity regarding fingernails and claw hammer banjo. Was this some sort of witty jab? Others contributed and a discussion was started.



As a beginner, i am excited and i post a lot. I read a lot, i want to learn and grow. This community has already given me so much.



Being a mod shouldnt be emotional. Delete posts, clean stuff up, etc, etc. Its a crap job. Its not bingo police. I don't plan on being any less relentless in learning more about the banjo. 

Edited by - PHIL- on 03/07/2021 03:03:01

Bill Rogers - Posted - 03/07/2021:  03:09:34

At trial, attorneys will often try for a second time to get a witness to say what the attorney wants to hear. Typically the opposing attorney will interject: Objection! Asked and answered. Lately, the mods have been seeing a lot of “asked and answered” questions from new or newish members who haven’t bothered to check through the archives for previous discussions

Eric A - Posted - 03/07/2021:  04:33:54

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bill Rogers

At trial, attorneys will often try for a second time to get a witness to say what the attorney wants to hear. Typically the opposing attorney will interject: Objection! Asked and answered. Lately, the mods have been seeing a lot of “asked and answered” questions from new or newish members who haven’t bothered to check through the archives for previous discussions

---

What I think I've been seeing is posts from brand new posters (1st or 2nd post) that ask a basic question.  Someone will answer, then the OP responds with something like "I don't get it".   Someone will try to answer a different way, and the reply is "I still don't get it", and on and on we go.   I don't know if these are people who just enjoy trolling for trolling's sake, or they are actually bots, or what.  The objective seems to be the fun of watching well meaning people turn themselves inside out trying to help someone who is actually just sitting back and laughing at them.  I'm done with it.

A related thing I'm seeing is someone doing their first post, but it says they've been posting since 2014.  Really?  I don't know what kind of hack job it takes to set that up, but those don't pass the smell test for me either.

Edited by - Eric A on 03/07/2021 04:36:40

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/07/2021:  04:48:03

I don't think the age of the mods has anything to do with the way we moderate. We follow the rules and guidelines we were given to do our job. I think people who complain about the way we do our jobs are upset because they aren't getting their way and take it personally.

Don't take it personally. We are just trying to keep the Hangout a nice, friendly place for everyone to be able to come and ask questions and get answers. As long as you stay away from politics, religion and sex, you'll probably not hear from us unless you start calling names and causing problems. When you do that, we have to intervene.

Ivor - Posted - 03/07/2021:  05:00:07

I was a moderator on a Mopar Muscle Car forum for many years, it’s a tough job and you can’t please all the people, all the time. You learn to grow a thick skin and have plenty of patience.

Thank you mods!

KCJones - Posted - 03/07/2021:  05:31:32

I've taken extensive courses on organizational management and also managed large teams directly. I've found that generational differences are the most common root cause of conflict within any organization. It's not about right or wrong, it's mostly about expectations for social interactions and styles of communication.

From my perspective many of the mod/user (and user/user) conflicts on BHO stem from generational differences. Someone that is 20 will have different expectations and communication than someone who is 40, and in turn that will be different than someone who is 60. This is especially true in an online community where the norms of interaction are so wildly different with different ages.



I think the moderation team here does a really good job. I'm on a lot of forums and see the good and the bad and BHO mods are definitely near the top. That said, I do think the mod team is heavily weighted towards the older side (no disrespect) and adding a couple younger mods might help the interactions, especially as the site continues to gain young users.

Most new users come to BHO from Reddit and Discord, for better or worse. I've seen several times when BHO is discussed on these platforms, the general feeling from outsiders is that BHO has a lot of great knowledge but the community tends towards the unwelcoming side for young people. It's common to see someone reccomend BHO, but add a disclaimer to just ignore the "grumpy old people". I don't typically see that disclaimer when other forums are discussed. I don't think it's particularly true, but I do think the style of interaction and moderation are what create that reputation. There's a certain ego about some posters (and mods) here that isn't typical of those other places. A demand for respect and seriousness that doesn't resonate with young people. Older users will read this and just say that kids need to grow up but you need to understand that it's just how culture has changed and it's not wrong, it's just different. The Boomer/Zoomer dichotomy is very real and neither side thinks they're wrong so a little diplomacy from both sides seems appropriate. 

Having some mods that are more familiar with the moderating and communication style of modern online communities seems appropriate to me.



It's also important to keep in mind that mods are not the borg. They're individual people and your interactions with them are individual. The moderation style and what is acceptable can vary widely depending on which mod you're interacting with.



All that said, I think new users here would do well to educate themselves on how traditional forums work. This isn't reddit or discord, it's an old school forum. It's a two way street. It may be useful to have a 'new user primer' post for people, that explains the key differences.



Just my 2cents from the peanut gallery.

Edited by - KCJones on 03/07/2021 05:43:51

Fretting Fingers - Posted - 03/07/2021:  05:38:46

Rules, something about them that some people just can't stand. When my children were young and they broke a rule I used the opportunity to tell them when you break a rule, there are consequences. I have been a member here since 2015, there are others that have been here much longer. I have watched the Mod's do their job and I personally appreciate what they do, this is one of the more comfortable communities I have been a member of due to their work. Do they make mistakes? Sure they do, being human we all tend to do that. But over all I say kudos to them and they need to be give more thanks than they get for the work they do, because it is one of those behind the scenes job that if didn't exist it would be chaos.

KCJones - Posted - 03/07/2021:  06:03:08

Just to add, I think this is partially a microcosm of the subject matter as well. The bluegrass community in particular can be quite unwelcoming to young people, or anyone that doesn't march to the orders of the older generation. This has been true ever since Bill Monroe dis-invited Sam Bush from Bean Blossom Fest. People here might not realize it but there's a second wave of "new grass" (barf) banjo/bluegrass scene that is being created independent of the scene represented here, specifically because young people would just assume create their own thing rather than put up with the curmudgeons. As someone that really loves so-called "traditional" bluegrass, it makes me sad because I'm watching a lot of that knowledge disappear because older folks won't tolerate the young people enough to teach them, and young people won't tolerate the older folks enough to learn from them.

Jim Yates - Posted - 03/07/2021:  06:13:51

What does this thread have to do with "Younger" mods?

EulalieBlue - Posted - 03/07/2021:  07:00:40

I think the original poster was intimating that current moderators appear to be less than sensitive to modes of communication common to younger people, and that perhaps including the participation of younger moderators may work toward diffusing conflict and facilitating greater investment on the part of younger (and perhaps less conservative) banjo players. If I got that interpretation right, I'd have to say I support the idea. Additionally, it seems a bit snarky to expect a newcomer to know he or she has to understand how to navigate the archives before asking a simple question.

banjomikey - Posted - 03/07/2021:  07:31:37

I’m the youngest moderator at 37 years old. I’m no 20 year old but I in my mind I’m still in my 20s. I don’t come on as much as I once did since I work a lot. I’ll try to do better and spend more time on the BHO.

janolov - Posted - 03/07/2021:  07:55:03

I have seen other mods that are young and are working. They don't seem to be very active on the visible pages (I know there is a moderator section that only the mods can connect, and I don't know who are active there). The older mods are retired and have time (perhaps to much time?) to spend on BHO.

thisoldman - Posted - 03/07/2021:  08:35:46

I'm one of those curmudgeons that came to banjo in retirement after hearing Mary Z. Cox play Snowdrop. This lead to me playing clawhammer (about 4 months), then 2ftl (for quite awhile). 2ftl led me to learning more about the history of old time music, which I was not familiar with. Next was learning Scruggs style, which lead me to learning more about BG, it's history and notable banjo players. My current interest is Tony Ellis tunes and fiddle tunes. So I've had a journey with the banjo, fueled by my interests and the things I've learned here on the HO. I'm retired so I connect with the HO forums a couple times a day and answer posts if I feel I can contribute something meaningul. I think the moderators do a good job, given their task. I especially appreciate when they shut down threads when things start to get snarky and personal. If you want to talk about politics, religion or sex, there are other forums for that. I haven't been on the HO long enough to see that too many people are shut down because of numerous violations of the rules/standards ( I think only once since I've been a member), but I respect the decisions of the mods. It does bother me that at least one well -respected member of the HO chose not to be part of the HO community because of the comments of others. Since my interest in music is diverse, I try to keep in mind that playing style is just that - it's more about playing banjo than the genre of music you choose to play. Whether they want to play current contemporary music (from bands/groups that I've never heard of, but maybe my grandkids know them), rock and roll from the 60's, blues, old time, BG, jazz, music from the 20's, Dixieland, or whatever, it's not important to me. I don't mind answering questions for the newbies (if the question is in my wheelhouse). You can tell their eagerness to learn in the language they use and, while they may not have the patience to read past posts or do a search, I believe that my role is to guide them along in their banjo journey. If I can, I will share a past thread, point them to other areas of the HO (tabs, reviews, the search function with some key words, for example).   Hopefully their interest in the banjo will continue and grow. When I respond to a post I hope it is informative and respectful.

Edited by - thisoldman on 03/07/2021 08:41:49

PHIL- - Posted - 03/07/2021:  09:27:25

Life is about continuing to adapt, and to change with the times. If not, you become obsolete.



I'm not going backwards, and learning how to conduct myself in a forum that's feeling antiquated.



I get that a lot of things i post are previous threads for 15 years ago and i have done some searches for information. Like mr. oldwoodchuck, for example. I wanted to see where he was, no one knows, its sad. His method has been helpful.



Going through old threads, you don't get the same interaction. This isn't dial up, and if you are using dial up may i remind you that it is 2021, we are already into March.



I'm 31 and the mods are 50 years old than me and outdated, then think i should revert back.



I'm in engineering school, should i be learning how to run a 1 pipe, natural circulation hydronic system from the 1920's? Is that even necessary? I wonder if the guys who run those systems and never changed still have jobs

Edited by - PHIL- on 03/07/2021 09:29:39

PHIL- - Posted - 03/07/2021:  09:51:09

Also, i see a comment about "less conservative" youngies. That's false, younger people are diverse. In my experience, i don't know many people at all who didn't vote for the incumbent president (45). Young and old. Just a slight off point, remark since you went there. If anyone wants to debate that, don't. 

My point is, its bad to say people from this group are generally this. Again, an outdated way of thinking.

Edited by - PHIL- on 03/07/2021 09:53:45

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/07/2021:  10:44:38

Okay, let's leave political statements out of this thread as it's against the rules. This from the old lady moderator that you dislike so much, PHIL (Matthew)

Edited by - Texasbanjo on 03/07/2021 10:45:45

mbanza - Posted - 03/07/2021:  14:44:58

PHIL, I'm curious why you haven't volunteered to be a moderator. Also consider the inescapable fact that in 30 years or so the situation will be reversed, and if you haven't managed to learn how to conduct yourself in the current forum, you will have have, in essence, gone backward and be ill prepared to interact with future young folks.

Lynne - Posted - 03/07/2021:  14:51:46

Office party here at the BHO for the mods

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/07/2021:  15:05:23

Sorry, Lynne, not a one of them looks young enough and healthy enough for me to bother with (G)

Eric A - Posted - 03/07/2021:  15:22:31

The incumbent President is #46. Nothing political about that. Just a fact.

banjomikey - Posted - 03/07/2021:  15:22:47

quote:

---

Originally posted by PHIL-

Life is about continuing to adapt, and to change with the times. If not, you become obsolete.



I'm not going backwards, and learning how to conduct myself in a forum that's feeling antiquated.



I get that a lot of things i post are previous threads for 15 years ago and i have done some searches for information. Like mr. oldwoodchuck, for example. I wanted to see where he was, no one knows, its sad. His method has been helpful.



Going through old threads, you don't get the same interaction. This isn't dial up, and if you are using dial up may i remind you that it is 2021, we are already into March.



I'm 31 and the mods are 50 years old than me and outdated, then think i should revert back.



I'm in engineering school, should i be learning how to run a 1 pipe, natural circulation hydronic system from the 1920's? Is that even necessary? I wonder if the guys who run those systems and never changed still have jobs

---

The issue is that you seem to think that everyone should adapt to your standards and thoughts. That's not how the world works and that's not how it works here. If you want to be a part of this community, welcome, and indulge yourself in the wealth of knowledge contained here. That being said, there are rules and guidelines to be followed. Take your own advice, "adapt."

PHIL- - Posted - 03/07/2021:  16:02:29

quote:

---

Originally posted by banjomikey

quote:

---

Originally posted by PHIL-

Life is about continuing to adapt, and to change with the times. If not, you become obsolete.



I'm not going backwards, and learning how to conduct myself in a forum that's feeling antiquated.



I get that a lot of things i post are previous threads for 15 years ago and i have done some searches for information. Like mr. oldwoodchuck, for example. I wanted to see where he was, no one knows, its sad. His method has been helpful.



Going through old threads, you don't get the same interaction. This isn't dial up, and if you are using dial up may i remind you that it is 2021, we are already into March.



I'm 31 and the mods are 50 years old than me and outdated, then think i should revert back.



I'm in engineering school, should i be learning how to run a 1 pipe, natural circulation hydronic system from the 1920's? Is that even necessary? I wonder if the guys who run those systems and never changed still have jobs

---

The issue is that you seem to think that everyone should adapt to your standards and thoughts. That's not how the world works and that's not how it works here. If you want to be a part of this community, welcome, and indulge yourself in the wealth of knowledge contained here. That being said, there are rules and guidelines to be followed. Take your own advice, "adapt."

---

I apprieciate that, im gonna try. I understand that the system here is old fashioned and im just gonna roll with it and behave. Most importantly, focus on learning.

Sherry i dont dislike you, no way. I read your bio and have tons of respect for your experience. I dont have your wisdom, or musical experience. Moderation skills, ahh maybe a bit behind the times. Thats ok though.

And Bill, do you speak in anything but riddles? First an old folk tale and now this remark about a trial. If you are socially awkward thats fine, but id prefer to be talked to like a normal human being and not with riddles and folk tales. Have you lost a step? I just imagine you snikering to yourself about how clever you thought you were, like beavis.

KCJones - Posted - 03/07/2021:  16:02:30

I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding here. It's not that anyone is "too old". The older users here are the lifeblood of the website. But there's a parity issue on the moderation team. It's not like you have to get rid of older mods to add young ones. Adding a few 20-something college kids that have extensive community management experience on other websites would be a good thing. Some of the older folks might not know this, but online community management is actually a real career now, with pay and benefits and the whole 9 yards. Usually those people also manage other communities, like this one, for fun and for free. There's a win-win solution here, it's not a zero sum game. 

Honestly though... I wouldn't bother trying too hard, Mr. Phil Matthew. Just try to glean what information you can from the site, and ignore the rest. Sometimes it seems like the "power users" (mods and non-mods) on this site would rather see the music die than change. And they'd rather the website die than allow young people to have an active role in shaping the community. For better or worse, that's what I see. I don't know if it's entirely true, but it certainly appears that way sometimes. Just look at the response in this thread. You've identified a legitimate issue and provided a potential solution, and you've been met with snide mockery from the main moderation team.



It is what it is.



The truth is, and you might not realize this... Is that BHO is a business and the primary driver of that business is the marketplace with ad revenue being the other driver. The only reason the forums even exist is to increase traffic for ad revenue and cultivate a customer base for the classifieds. Nonetheless I think even from that standpoint, keeping up with the times would be appropriate. But the thing is, a stagnant community is only really a problem if it hurts profitability. And I doubt it does.

It seems to me that certain users have a bit of an issue with you in particular. I'm not sure why but it some of the responses is this thread and your other posts just seem like trolling. Trolling from mods, too, which is surprising but not unheard of in online communities. Everyone has bad days though, I do and I'm sure you do as well. So I wouldn't let a few posts or one person turn you off from the whole site. I have made the suggestion before to allow moderators to toggle their moderator badge. That way it's clear when they're speaking officially as a moderator. I think that would be a minor change with a big impact. 



One thing I think is evidence of an unaddressed rot on this website is the permanent departure of quite a few kind and knowledgeable people, due to unaddressed trolling and general harrassment/rudeness. And the people that drove them away remain on the site, driving other people away as well. For some reason there is a strong hesitance to actually deal with known trolls. Then you've got the issue of the obvious sock puppet accounts that just get ignored, but that's a whole nother issue.



As usual I'll say, that the mods do a decent job here. I really hope nobody takes this the wrong way. I've thought of making a similar suggestion about younger mods here before. I am disappointed in the response. Maybe I'm just tired from a long day of work on a Sunday.

I would be a moderator if they'd let me.  I ran the /r/banjo and /r/bluegrass communities, and a few others, for several years before I left reddit. But I don't know what that process is like and I don't know if Eric or the current moderators would want me to do that, and I don't want to seem to ambitious. It is what it is. 

Edited by - KCJones on 03/07/2021 16:19:54

PHIL- - Posted - 03/07/2021:  16:15:19

Thanks KC, I did the best i could.



This is a toxic environment. I've left every other social networking platform for that reason and its made me a better musician.



I will try not to get in the way of what the mods got going on in here. And will be sure to make sure i sift through the 15 year old threads if i am ever curious, before bothering anyone with a question.

Edited by - PHIL- on 03/07/2021 16:15:36

Lynne - Posted - 03/07/2021:  16:47:04

quote:

---

Originally posted by PHIL-

Thanks KC, I did the best i could.



This is a toxic environment. I've left every other social networking platform for that reason and its made me a better musician.



I will try not to get in the way of what the mods got going on in here. And will be sure to make sure i sift through the 15 year old threads if i am ever curious, before bothering anyone with a question.

---

I knew an alcoholic one time who said he moved all over the country to get away from problems caused by everyone else.

Turns out when he sobered up he found the other people weren’t the problem, he was.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 03/07/2021:  16:47:19

Phil- said: 

"And Bill, do you speak in anything but riddles? First an old folk tale and now this remark about a trial. If you are socially awkward thats fine, but id prefer to be talked to like a normal human being and not with riddles and folk tales. Have you lost a step? I just imagine you snikering to yourself about how clever you thought you were, like beavis. "

I'll do you the courtesy of not replying to your personal attack either here or off-list. But you're over the line and now locked out.

Eric A - Posted - 03/07/2021:  17:35:56

quote:

---

Originally posted by PHIL-

 I've left every other social networking platform...

---

You don't say...

KCJones - Posted - 03/07/2021:  18:31:56

And another one bites the dust. That's two this week that I've seen. Two good, young, interested banjo players. I wonder who the next will be.

I truly don't see how anyone can read through this thread and think that the actions of the moderation team are reasonable and right. Mods are Gods on forums, I get that. It's nothing new. But this is just absurd. 

Edited by - KCJones on 03/07/2021 18:34:38

Owen - Posted - 03/07/2021:  18:43:31

... 27ish posts and it ALL boils down to: "It depends."

Edited by - Owen on 03/07/2021 18:46:40

Lynne - Posted - 03/07/2021:  18:55:22

quote:

---

Originally posted by KCJones

And another one bites the dust. That's two this week that I've seen. Two good, young, interested banjo players. I wonder who the next will be.

I truly don't see how anyone can read through this thread and think that the actions of the moderation team are reasonable and right. Mods are Gods on forums, I get that. It's nothing new. But this is just absurd. 

---

I sometimes wish the members here could read some of the emails we receive from people like Phil-.

Where you see a young interested new banjo person we often may see a person hiding behind the anonymity of the internet.

These people feel free to say anything they want to say.  They lie, cajole, threaten, and stalk.

There were several reports on Phil- it wasn't all mods.  He wasn't a member here long because of some of his postings but mostly

because he did not heed the warnings.  Calling Sherry stupid and  insinuating that Bill possibly was a little "off" did not make it easier to forgive

and assume he learned a lesson and will be bettter next time.

KCJones - Posted - 03/07/2021:  19:05:04

I doubt there will be a next time. I'd be very surprised if they ever return.

And if people are being nasty off-board that's another issue. I've seen some nasty PMs when I was a moderator so I get that. 

But the completely dismissive attitude from the moderation team in this thread isn't a good look. I mean some of the responses were basically mocking the poster. Regardless of the source, it is a legitimate issue on the board and it's not going to get better any time soon unless people are willing to admit that it exists. 

Edited by - KCJones on 03/07/2021 19:11:46

szbassoon - Posted - 03/08/2021:  12:06:15

I know some of the posts here can get me down and I know I’ve posted a few that looking back have been less than respectful, but it has been a great source of information for a beginner.

talljoey - Posted - 03/13/2021:  22:09:37

I am so sad to see all the arguments in many of the threads lately. I can understand discussions between folks who have differing opinions, but the rude snarky comments are making me feel a bit ill.



I have enjoyed this forum for years, and learned a lot about music, maintenance and styles of banjo playing. I have purchased more banjos on this site than my husband realizes, while I struggled to determine what type of music that I wanted to play.



I have asked questions on a variety of subjects, and was never belittled by other members just because the same questions were answered in previous threads.



But lately I see rude comments instead of patience being slung around. I read threads where just a few folks post their opinions ad infinitum, while dissing others who disagree with them.



I appreciate all the hard work the moderators do. I feel like the people who argue with them should step up and offer to volunteer for that thankless task instead.



Let’s remember why we are all here; the love of our banjos, and banjo music of all types.

Edited by - talljoey on 03/13/2021 22:09:57

Bill Rogers - Posted - 03/14/2021:  00:39:09

Thank you for the kind words. Most of the snark and rule-breaking posts occur here, in the off-topic forum. Too many people take the non-banjo subject matter as carte blanche to break posting rules and attack others.

janolov - Posted - 03/14/2021:  01:52:13

Some months ago I made a little research about number of posts in different sections. Close to 25% of all posts were made in the Off Topic section (and about 15% in the Game section). That means that 40% of all posts are non-banjo-related (more than it is banjo players, I hope, that have posted). It is those 25% in the Off Topic section that cause most of the problems for the mods. Perhaps it is time to look over the rules, to make the life easier for the mods. 

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/14/2021:  08:16:21

quote:

---

Originally posted by janolov

Some months ago I made a little research about number of posts in different sections. Close to 25% of all posts were made in the Off Topic section (and about 15% in the Game section). That means that 40% of all posts are non-banjo-related (more than it is banjo players, I hope, that have posted). It is those 25% in the Off Topic section that cause most of the problems for the mods. Perhaps it is time to look over the rules, to make the life easier for the mods. 

---

Perhaps it's time for members to read and adhere to the rules and guidelines rather than bashing moderators and making snarky comments to other members when they disagree with them?

Bill Rogers - Posted - 03/14/2021:  13:10:50

One of the high wires Eric has to walk as the site owner and honcho is that this is a profit-making venture, at least in intent. So, clicks being the measurement of success to promote your site, the Off-Topic and Games forums serve a very important purpose—keeping the site economically viable so we can continue to enjoy it.

okbluegrassbanjopicker - Posted - 03/14/2021:  14:08:33

This site is MUCH more civil than Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, and most other social media sites out there. 

 Just about the coldest thing I’ve heard here, was when one member thought he had the right to deride persons on the basis of his being overly obsessed with a certain brand of banjo (starts with Bacon), and had the audacity to call someone an “old fossil.”

 This certain member clearly abused the rules of politeness here, and made it miserable for anyone he interacted with.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/14/2021:  15:43:21

I'm on a couple of other sites that allow more topics to be discussed and it usually turns into a free for all with name calling, sometimes cursing members and back and forth with nasty words flying. I see no good in that kind of interaction. People should be civil and polite and I think that's what Eric wants here on the Hangout. Until he tells us different, that's how we'll moderate.

Helix - Posted - 04/02/2021:  05:15:24

The moderators are a little bit defensive.

Notice how many moderators responded.

The issue is that you seem to think that everyone should adapt to your standards and thoughts. That's not how the world works and that's not how it works here

That's nice, but it sounds a little intimidating.

So who is representing the hangout this way?  "You just don't get it." OK but that has a direct negative impact on the whole hangout and the profitability of the goodness benefit of such discourse and intelligent conversation.  Ask Helix1, he gets it real good

"You just don't get it" could modify their behavior to become a better person, player and participant.

Younger moderators could be worse.  

I've spoken privately off forum with various moderators about banjo stuff, not behavior problems, so I feel they as a group and volunteers do a pretty good job so far of keeping us off the rocks.

I've sat for hours discussing Banjo Mikey's performance style when he plays out on stage.  We have discussed at length the direction his own personal music is taking.  Smokey bars are not the best laboratory for personal growth, but progress has been made. not.  

I mentor "younger, newer cuisinarts and newbies all the time.

This is my first and only forum, I came forward as a professional from another field.  I may write in mysterious form for those who have ears.

I would love it if you had a good 9 yr. old moderator, that would be younger?

We don't want moderators with good taste, we want those who taste good, good banjo. good attitudes.  Bullying or cyber bullying or implied threats or authority is just enough to make my banjo laugh, and I feed my banjo really well, she keeps me warm and safe.  My wife is not jealous.

I help sponsor a non-profit performance venue.  It's my fault, I started booking bluegrass there in '96.  Moderator(s) have been invited to join us on our weekly open stage, no implied support, just music.  We are getting people live from all over the country in the same time zone here in Phoenix. we will just see how that goes.