The passing of a great man

[aj81spider]

I don't know why, but this rubbed me the wrong way. One of the things I like about this forum is that we are generally civil and people try to help and not offend each other. But like much in life, that's a two way street.

I followed the last thread - and was on the side of thinking that the Miata Man was a funny rather than bad thing. However when I saw this post I gave Jay a lot of credit for being considerate and retiring the Miata Man as some clearly didn't like him.

Then, after years of posting that picture (so it clearly violates no forum policies, and you can easily still find it in a forum search) in an "Off Topic" post announcing it's retirement - so it will never be seen again - it has to get deleted?

Really?....

After years of it being OK we couldn't just let it slide for one last (Off Topic) post?

[4uall]

Thanks A.J. exactly my point

[spiderdan]

Go to a funeral and someone has removed the casket
Either way, I will remember the good times and the sad times we had with MM.

[So Cal Mark]

if a post has the potential to offend, use some discretion. Most of the members here are interested in matters relating to their car, and that's the point of this forum

[TX82FIAT]

I found the MM pick top be both funny and a little disturbing. Offensive never came to mind. However, I can see where one might not like it. For the record, I think the photos of Fiat owners over the hood are hilarious. It is also a creative way to bring an end to MM with light humor.

[4uall]

if a post has the potential to offend, use some discretion. Most of the members here are interested in matters relating to their car, and that's the point of this forum

WOW, I don't even know what to say but here goes

anyone at anytime, anywhere can find a post offensive I have seen posts on religious views, political views, guns, racism, women, terminal illness, solicitaions etc etc etc. that I may not have always agreed with however, as a non ignorant adult I understand that people around the world have different views and opinions and express themselves uniquely. So please help me (and I am sure others) to understand the process Like I said previously, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. There has been only ONE person that EVER posted a direct objection to me on the pic prior to you today. Interestingly enough, their thread no longer exists and it was clear that forum members voiced their opinions freely. I really don't even care anymore This has been beaten to death (see title of post).

I love this forum and have benefited greatly from it. If you'll have me, I'll stay. Anyone reading this feel free to express yourself at anytime if you disagree or are offended by my actions at anytime or pm me if you want to stay off the forum radar(monitored).

Jay
Effective communication is the cornerstone of a free society

[garion]

I'm probably on the younger side of the members here (early 40's), but I've been doing this 'internet' thing for nearly 30 years.. (yes there was an internet before 95).. There's a few observations I've made about bulletin boards and forums over the years..

Some forums have no moderation, and even though they start out fine, they all eventually devolve in chaos.. Every.. single.. one.. The trolls discover it, and it only needs one to ruin the entire thing for everyone... The people who made the forum interesting leave, and the trolls rule... The forum dies..

I've seen forums with Nazi moderators... Again.. Things start out fine, but then the overzealous moderators suppress topics to the point that no one posts anything anymore.. The forum dies..

I've seen several types of moderation... Some, like here, have a few moderators... Other places, like Slashdot (geek/nerd forum) make all members moderators, and all posts are 'voted' on... Then you have places like reddit, which is a combination of two...

Moderators need to strike a balance, and when they are 'alone', it can be difficult... I feel that Mark has has a light touch here, but maybe I don't see of the posts he deletes.. I personally wasn't offended by the post, but when I started seeing repeatedly, it got old quick.. I found it funnier when people would mention miata's and preemptively yelled at Jay before he posted it. Jay is now a meme!

I understand Mark's issue with MM... He may not even be offended by it.. If some trolls start coming in, and see MM, they might think its ok to post that type of stuff on a regular basis.. The board devolve into those posts, and posts like this, arguing over what is offensive or not.. So there should be some for of moderation...

In the end, Mark is the moderator.. If you don't like his moderation, you don't have to come back. If he over does it, drives enough people away, the forum dies.. Not only does the forum serve as a way for us to get information about our cars, it serves as an advertising medium for Mark.. He has incentive to keep people here, but he also needs to keep the trolls away..

[AriK]

Ok, Miata man is gone, he was funny while he lasted but we don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable. Mark is just doing his job and although he removed the prior thread, we can say that he made it official for the first time by voicing his thoughts on this thread today. Mark is not acting like a Nazi, at this point he has diplomatically stated that we draw an end to this. I see garion's point about things getting slowly out of hand here, however, unlikely (as we have an older and more mature crowd here) but still possible.
And yes 4uall we do want you to stay. You are a good reflection to the success of this forum and we can all see that this was your initial intention since the beginning. After all, anyone who names himself 4uall sends out this kind of connotation.
--And i do enjoy reading your posts and taking advantage of your "wide array of bookmarks". Nobody ever hinted that we want vacation from you.
Now that MM is gone we have something better, we have your own mug shot striking a pose on your car.
Let's all have a few laughs on that one and we'll keep moving on to enjoy the extended success of this forum which after umpteen years, has no intention of dying anytime soon.
Ari

[fiat218]

I have a Eriee feeling that he ain't gone

[PininF]

Long live Miata Man's Brother…

[AriK]

Long live Miata Man's Brother…

Ahhh! That generation where we worked our first job, earned our first dollars and went out and got our first set of wheels. Look at the posture of this Miata Man, the pride he shows even though he's a bit of a rebel, nevertheless the condition of that vehicle which in today's standards could not be put on the road. The first cop seeing it would whip a u-turn and make sure the rest of its mileage would be done on a flatbed. Yet, to this Miata Man (or Spiderman as we should call him) this was his symbol of freedom, his first girlfriend in tow, she's probably the one who snapped the picture and proudly placed it in her photo album.
-Compare that to today's generation whose helicopter parents finance or help finance the new Civic or Golf (sometimes even a BMW) so that their kids can trick them out and whip through traffic safely. Remember," I want my boy driving a new car because today it's all about safety."

I have a Eriee feeling that he ain't gone

Even if he's gone, he still lives on this forum, especially since now i took over the rights to his photo of him shooting his caboose up in the air. I managed to snap a photo on my cellphone during last week's car show in Montebello

[DanD]

Well, I guess the joke is on me.

Just to give you guys a little perspective, I have been sick for a few days, and when I read that Miata Man was No More, I thought he was a forum member who had passed on.

Fortunately, I soon figured out that my concern for a fellow Fiat owner was just my virus induced haze. Given that nobody has died, I'm sure we will all get over this ''demise'' in a day or so. Now that I remember the picture, I'm sure that in the end, we will all live happily without him.

Somehow.

[So Cal Mark]

personally, the pic doesn't bother me ( I don't particularly enjoy looking at it either) but I've had complaints about it

[btoran]

kudos to mark for not running this place with a heavy hand and to jay for retiring the photo when asked (and in his usual, humorous way). i was a little disturbed (but not offended) when i first saw the picture, but then got used to it as an inside joke. this is still the greatest web forum i've found.

[4uall]

I LOVE ALL OF YOU