Suspended Again? Me?

Late Breaking News: I was suspended for something else entirely than what I originally thought (original entry is below these next few paragraphs). That just goes to show you how utterly surprised I am by the suspension. I have yet to receive a notice of my suspension. I only found out when I tried to make a post, and it was rejected. Apparently they think I ignored a mod box telling me not to start threads to discuss closed topics. I didn't. I protested the the closing of a thread, but I did not discuss the topic at all. Tricky, a moderator, closed that thread. Apparently we're not allowed to protest mod actions in the forum dedicated to discussing Forum Management. This is absurd.

I cannot even find my protest thread. It's not in FM and it's not in Abandon All Hope. Addendum: Found it. I didn't get a move notification.

I protest the closing of "Infracted for saying something even potentially negative about the JREF? " The questions asked in the OP were:

Quote: http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=171751 Anyone else have an explanation for this? Rule 0, apparently (it's uneditted). Anyone seriously see a reason they did this?

Locknar claims the questions have been answered, but no questions were asked of the moderators. The OP specifically addressed "anyone else." On whose behalf is Locknar speaking? Unless Locknar is being a pedant arguing that the first "yes" answer completed the thread, the reason stated is invalid. Considering it was a holiday weekend, I don't think the membership was given ample time to comment in the thread.

Did I discuss the topic of GreyICE's post? No, I did not. I protested the premature closing of the thread. Did I start a second protest thread? No. Did I PM a mod or admin about it? No.

Addendum: My original appeal appears below. Before I had a chance to correct it (I still haven't received a suspension notice), Lisa Simpson read my appeal and wrote, "You assumed wrong. You were suspended for trying to get around a thread closure. Appeal denied, thread closed." I was not given a chance to present any evidence in my favor. Sigh.

Addendum #2: Finally I somebody pointed to the mod box I allegedly ignored. Here's the deal. Apparently Darat, in his infinite insecurity and overwhelming desire to swing his club, took exception to me making a legitimate suggestion because I inserted the word "<cough>" when explaining my simple suggestion that moderators use blue mod boxes to indicate they have modified a post when it isn't otherwise apparent. He called this sophistry and warned me that if I "repeatedly" use sophistry to get around thread closures I will be suspended.

Well, my latest thread was very clearly a protest thread. I didn't comment or even cough about anything in the thread I was protesting being closed. Where's the sophistry? Furthermore, where's the repeated sophistry? I received no other warnings about sophistry, so obviously I haven't repeatedly done it. And unless the mods think I orchestrated an elaborate ruse to fake being surprised about the suspension, it's obvious I had no clue whatsoever I was doing anything wrong.  

So, Darat, explain to me how I could possibly have phrased my protest without being accused of sophistry? How would you distinguish a legitimate protest from a fake one where I'm trying to discuss a closed topic? How, exactly, did you determine it to be sophistry?

I will leave my original blog entry for context. I apologize for not understanding my suspension.

Wow. I've been suspended again by the JREF, this time for ignoring a mod box warning. In the recent thread about the Rational Alchemy interview, Locknar issued a general mod box warning that read:

This thread has drifted well of course with respect to Rules 0, 11, 12. I've set to Moderated Status for now pending review...posts my be split into new threads, or to AAH.

For those who don't know, moderated threads require that posts be approved before making it into the thread. I submitted the following post. This was the first and only warning in the thread. I have no idea whose post is or is not considered against the rules or worthy of being moved to a new thread. Nowhere does the warning say that members cannot post. In the past the mods have closed threads pending review when they don't want anyone to post. With that in mind, you tell me if the following post ignored the mod box and was worthy of a suspension.

[QUOTE=remirol;5791871]UY needs VFF just as much as she needs him.  Without her, he has no paper tiger to slay; without him, she has no tireless promoter.  Note how he keeps us up-to-date about her private emails, even though it would be trivial to add a client-side filter and block them completely.[/QUOTE]

That this thread has seemingly become about me rather than the RA interview and its repercussions is disappointing, but considering the context, your comment does deserve a response. If the mods feel it is more appropriate in the General moderated thread, I hope they will move it there. I reply here only for context.

First, I have not shared all of the e-mails, PMs, Skype chats, Facebook messages, and other contacts I have received and still do not. By that I mean not only have I not shared the content, but I haven't shared their existence. I have stated this repeatedly. If you are unwilling to do the basic research, the skeptical thing, at least in my brand of skepticism, is to ask rather than make unfounded assertions.

Second, I have not blocked her e-mails for several good reasons. Being an IT professional yourself, you should be fully aware that it's simply not possible. While I can block her e-mail address or any e-mail coming from her domain, the prevalence of free e-mail accounts makes bypassing filters a trivial matter. And just like spammers, she can use fake e-mail addresses.

Truth of the matter is I think it's important for my own safety, both personal and legal, to be aware of every e-mail she sends to me. She has threatened me with lawsuits and police action, which in large part prompted my formal repeated requests that she cease and desist contacting me. She also offered to have a layover in Phoenix while traveling to Los Angeles so she could come visit me. I don't want unread e-mails in the trash bin that read, "Since you're ignoring me, I am going to stop by your house so we can talk this out. We used to be good friends, and I mean you no harm. Unless I hear otherwise, I will see you next Saturday." While she has not sent such an e-mail, I cannot say with any degree of certainty that she wouldn't.

It's only prudent for anyone who tells someone not to contact them except through an attorney to be aware of any and all attempts otherwise, especially when that person sends e-mails that read in effect, "I think I'm dying. If I suddenly stop posting, it's because I'm dead. I just wanted you to know that I LOVE YOU!"

Thank you for your time. It is appreciated.

In my appeal I asserted the following:

What "warning" did I ignore?

• The mod box does not contain any specific instructions to anyone or everyone.
• It contains a statement that some posts may be violations of the MA, but nothing was directed at me personally.
• The thread was not closed, which has been done in the past. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that posts to the thread were not allowed.
• The mod box explicitly states that some posts may be split to new threads, and I requested in my post that if the post belongs somewhere else that the mods move it. I only posted where I did to maintain context.
• Since the thread was moderated, I left it up to the mods to approve it or not, so I didn't actually post anything in the thread in question.
• How can I possibly know that my post is off-topic if the moderators haven't actually ruled on any of the posts in the thread?

Good moderation should not result in members being suspended totally by surprise. I'm sure that being critical of Jeff Wagg had no influence whatsoever. It seems like the JREF's interest in coddling Anita is getting out of hand if they look to suspend me for posts like that rather than simply doing some rudimentary housekeeping they were already in the progress of doing.