What do all these abbreviations mean?

[mikswi]

Welcome!!~ Poke around, do a search- you will be suprised at the wealth of info available.

This board is THE authority when it comes to info and being able to ask/answer questions.

 

[The Chairman]

I was looking for a prohibition on political discussion. I didn't see one per se...

It's a good point and I would like to address it. This is Scuba Board, not Politics Board, and not Religion Board and not... well you get the picture. We are here to discuss diving... so anything that hinders or obscures that discussion is counter-productive on this board.

Political discussions are great... but not on this board. There are other venues that have been set up to handle those types of discussions. We lack the time and inclination to do that here. But why isn’t that in the TOS? Well, if we were to put EVERY little rule in the TOS, then we would have a novel instead of an easy to read agreement. That's why we have moderators. They are a dedicated and hard working corps of volunteers that do all they can to not step in until they have to. But when they see a thread heading south or onto the shoals, they will come in to try and get it back on course. Sometimes they have to get rid of excess baggage and every now and then they even have to scuttle a thread. We have "Report this Post to a Moderator" links on every post so our users can tell us when they see a problem. Consider that an “SOS” button. Don't wait until the thread runs aground to use it.

But this is HUGE board... we rank in the top ten on the "Big Boards list" for sports related communities (over 25,000 registered users). We receive over a hundred new threads and over 1500 new posts every single day! Even with that volume, we only have 22 moderators, 6 medical moderators, 5 senior moderators, 4 supervisors and 2 Administrators keeping it all on track. No other Scuba related discussion board comes close in terms of volume, content, breadth, expertise or friendliness. We aim to keep it that-a-way.

 

[glbirch]

It's a good point and I would like to address it. This is Scuba Board, not Politics Board, and not Religion Board and not... well you get the picture. We are here to discuss diving... so anything that hinders or obscures that discussion is counter-productive on this board.

Political discussions are great... but not on this board.

Depending on your definitions, that could be pretty tricky...

Politics:
, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.

Competition for power and leadership between competing interests or groups. May be characterized by artful and sometimes dishonest practices.

noun. from Greek; "poli"-many; "tics"-ugly, bloodsucking parasites. (A tongue-in-cheek favorite)

You'd be carving whole forums off the board...

But this is HUGE board... we rank in the top ten on the "Big Boards list" for sports related communities (over 25,000 registered users). We receive over a hundred new threads and over 1500 new posts every single day! Even with that volume, we only have 22 moderators, 6 medical moderators, 5 senior moderators, 4 supervisors and 2 Administrators keeping it all on track. No other Scuba related discussion board comes close in terms of volume, content, breadth, expertise or friendliness. We aim to keep it that-a-way.

So are you saying that you are running a relatively immoderate board then?


Seriously though, NetDoc, I'm sure that the vast majority of Scubaboard members appreciate the tricky work you and your 'staff' do to keep the place going smoothly.

 

[The Chairman]

Thanks GL, we do try but it's hard to make EVERYBODY happy. Every opinion is rock solid and impeachable. Well, at least to the person holding it. They only become "stupid" when they disagree with your own!

 

[Diver294]

Sorry, I should have specified that the political discussion I meant was dive related. We had a very heated thread going regarding the politics behind a recent regulation enacted in Massachusetts.

I think in that context political discussion is ok.... :06:

 

[The Chairman]

Well the brush used was WAY broader then just diving... I seem to remember someone suggesting that the state in question should put a communist symbol on their flag. Of course, that might have been another thread.

It's one thing to discuss how a law affects diving, and yet quite another to condemn a state and a political party for passing a law you disagree with. Saying it is a "stoopid law" is OK, but this went way over that line. We simply don't allow that kind of bashing here on ScubaBoard. Not over race, religion, ethnicity, country of origin, diving discipline... even political affiliation.

Yet at the same time, we don't to become so agonisingly "politically correct" that I can't joke with my friends from Canada with the occaisonal "eh!?" There is a point at which friendly "humor" becomes not so friendly "harrassment". We want everyone to stay on the friendly side of things.

 

[Rick Murchison]

The only agency that requires all instructor trainers to go to HQ to be certified.

Nah, SSI requires this too.
Rick

 

[Diver294]

I seem to remember someone suggesting that the state in question should put a communist symbol on their flag. Of course, that might have been another thread.

Yet at the same time, we don't to become so agonisingly "politically correct" that I can't joke with my friends

Nope, right thread.

I said all that was missing was a communist red star on the flag somewhere... It was intended as humor (the peoples republic of Massachusetts) and as a 40+ year resident of Mass I felt experienced enough in the issue to joke on it.

There were some other items included that, in hindsight, could have been perceived as offensive to some and for that I apologize. If you've ever lived in Mass you would understand how and why things go sour so easily in that state. If you disagree with the party line... you are subject to personal attacks.

My (original) post was aimed at the regulations passed against divers and when a post appeared that attacked me personally it was all pulled. (which I agree with)

The issue is being re-visited in the thread but in a more "civilized" manner.

Thanks again for the clarification.

diver294@hotmail.com

:57:

 

[diverrick]

OK DandyDon, your going to have to explain one of your abbreviations for me.
What in the world (WITW) is a "same ocean buddy" (SOB)? I always thought that meant something else! ;-)
That must be a guy/gal you dive with, who are never anywhere to be found. The only thing you have in common at that point is that you are diving in the same ocean at the same time.

 

[scuba felipe]

here you have another abreviation

nauwi

not an other underwater instructor