Is there a reason why this thread is closed to reply?

1. 92

   Just Ask Susanposted 12 years ago

   I went to reply to a post in this thread and saw that it had been closed to reply and I was curious as to why it has been closed. http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/90745

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      Wesman Todd Shawposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I'm going to make two guesses here:
      
      1. that staff closed the thread, and that
      
      2. they closed it because Cags has already published the hub that I'm presuming that forum post was created to generate?

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         Just Ask Susanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         He hasn't published the hub yet. It's for this year.

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            Victoria Lynnposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I don't understand why this thread was closed if the requests for info for Women of HP was the reason. It was NOT self-promotion and he has done it before. Did we ever figure this out, Susan? I read a lot of the comments, but I'm still confused.

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2. 0

   Norah Caseyposted 12 years ago

   The thread in question was closed because it violates our rules against self promotion on the forums.

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      paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      If I could figure out a way to post a reply on that thread, would I get a reward? It will give me something to do.

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3. 61

   SomewayOuttaHereposted 12 years ago

   wow...that's really, really, really too bad

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4. 76

   Aficionadaposted 12 years ago

   No offense, but why did it take the staff nine days to reach that decision?

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   1. 0

      Norah Caseyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      We only close threads that generate a large number of flags and that severely violate our rules. The thread in question generated a huge number of flags overnight and early this morning. When a thread contains rules violations and generates this many flags, we almost always close it.
      
      EDIT: replaced "or" with "and" in the first sentence

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         Aficionadaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you for the clarification, Norah.

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         emievilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         First Cagsil got banned 7 days because of another thread and now his thread, which is 9 days old, has received a lot of flags overnight? I'd say somebody is really out to get him.
         
         This is not the first time that Cagsil did a hub like that. I think he also asked for profiles through the forums. That time he didn't get banned. This time he did.
         
         *sigh* what's happening to the forums?

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            wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Just got an email from Cagsil - the ban is now extended to 3 months.  For starting a thread with dozens of appreciative participants?  Because some didn't like the thread and flagged it?  What's happening here?

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5. 92

   Just Ask Susanposted 12 years ago

   Norah, Why were the original hubs allowed? And what makes this up and coming hub different?

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      Norah Caseyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The Hubs aren't in violation, the forum posts are.

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6. 92

   Just Ask Susanposted 12 years ago

   So the posts generated flags then. But it wasn't for self promotion- it was community support.

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      Norah Caseyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not sure what you mean. Flags on HubPages are notifications to HubPages staff made by community members of rules violations, not indicators of community support.

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         Hauntyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I think it's fairly easy to see that the subject of the second sentence is the tread itself and not the flags.

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            psycheskinnerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            In any case, it is the hub staff who decide what is self-promotional.  Often based on links.

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               Hauntyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Why are you telling me this? Do I look stupid? I consider your post a personal attack.

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                  psycheskinnerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  I clicked reply to the wrong post.

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      2. 92

         Just Ask Susanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         What I meant was Cags is writing a hub as a community hub. He is not writing this hub for himself, he is writing it for the ladies of this community. All I am saying is that he isn't doing it for self promotion. I do understand what flags are and it's a shame that this forum post got flagged in the first place.

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7. 76

   psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

   The posts generated flags, the moderators decided they broke self-promotion rules. As described by staff above.

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8. 77

   Uninvited Writerposted 12 years ago

   So basically those who don't like the hubber flagged it for purely selfish reasons...

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      psycheskinnerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Does it matter why it was flagged?  The staff are the only people who can actually do anything, not the flaggers.

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         Uninvited Writerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, but she did say it was drawn to their attention because of the flags.

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            Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            It goes to show what kind of community we are involved in. The statement by Nora only confirmed that it was flagged for purely selfish reasons.

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      Wesman Todd Shawposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I think that might be valid.  I love Cags, ....despite disagreeing with the guy on a ton of things....but when someone is opinionated or firm on some ideas as he or I am....I think you might be right.

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      Stevennix2001posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Norah also said that the forum had to contain rule violations as well.  Not saying that I agree with the decision, nor do I condone it either.  If anything, I don't see how the thread could be deemed self promotion, but that's just me. 
      
      I just wonder what Cagsil will have to say to all this, as I'm sure he'll probably be upset; which I wouldn't blame him considering that I'd probably be too.

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         Cardisaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         He is rather upset. I don't think he understands it himself. I think he is baffled by the whole thing because there was no self promoting as far as he knew.

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9. 83

   Sufidreamerposted 12 years ago

   HP used to be a great community of writers supporting each other and also having fun. The thriving community was one of the main reasons I signed up and spent time writing here.
   
   Now the site is defined by paranoia, pettiness, lack of engagement with writers, and insensitive moderation.
   
   HP has lost its soul, and that saddens me

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      paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There are still lots of nice folks here.
      
      And we can always put contracts out on the rest.

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      Aficionadaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      
      Nice to see you, Sufidreamer!  You haven't been around in awhile.  You've been missed.

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      kirstenblogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Ahhh Sufi, I miss our thread hijacks! We were a couple of rascals

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      Shadesbreathposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I keep trying to think it hasn't. I'm an optimist. But I believe you may be right. A gradual erosion of the soul, i.e. the sense of closeness and community that comes with any institution or organization as it flourishes in the warmth of mutual purpose and the desire to make something grow.
      
      There's a critical mass that these entities hit wherein the particular goals of the leadership no longer neatly align with the collective body of the group. Too many individuals create opportunities for strife (usually born of pettiness, but also of exploitation and the rest of the stuff in humanity's bag of tricks). From there, for the sake of "equanimity" and "order" rules must be enforced--and they are enforced by more of the same people, humans, that created the problem by their accumulated presence. But when too much order is enforced, it is imposed. People chafe at imposed order. It is the antithesis of creativity, so it is worse when it begins to poison a place like HP.
      
      Ultimately, HP is a business. So, like all companies that grow to success--raised up by the arms of happy people lifting together for the joy of building something--once success arrives and that critical mass is attained, there is no room for happy freedoms. Not when the petty begin to whine like a cloud of angry gnats. Leaders have no time to investigate causes, they just want it to stop. They get middle managers to "handle it" so they can do the real work of maintaining the income that came with success. The focus on money takes over and, with unmitigated irony, crushes the very thing that brought about the circumstance of success to begin. That's the death of a collective soul.
      
      The entity can go on. It will. They always do, at least for a time. It can have victories, but it is a juggernaut, a large and heartless thing. It's the thing that makes people want to throw up at corporate team-building events. The saccharine attempts at levity and social warmth that are a mockery of anything genuine. Everyone there for a job. Everyone there to take. No one is really lifting anymore. A thousand to do what a hundred once could.
      
      [Cheers, Cags. See you on FB until... f-ing Easter?]

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10. 60

    FloraBreenRobisonposted 12 years ago

    Maybe someone else can open up a new thread on Cagsil's behalf.  The way he did for shades of Breath

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       Stevennix2001posted 12 years agoin reply to this

       That's a great idea.  And, the best part of that is that nobody can say he's self promoting either.

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       Hauntyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Deleted
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          FloraBreenRobisonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Edited: Since the above post was deleted, there is no reason to keep my answer up.  Nothing rude was said on either of them. Just that the reason for them existing doesn't exist anymore.
          
          Cheers.

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11. 81

    J.S.Matthewposted 12 years ago

    This is a very interesting conversation!

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       FloraBreenRobisonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       yes, it is.

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12. 83

    Sufidreamerposted 12 years ago

    @Paradigm Search - That is true. Perhaps the recent events have made me miss a few of the older faces that I used to chat to in the forums. I like the contract idea, though
    
    @Aficionada - Thanks for the welcome. I pretty much exiled myself from the forums after the witch hunt against ESL hubbers, as that is a topic close to my heart. I now have many other pursuits outside HP, so avoiding the forums freed up a lot of time!
    
    Hope you are both keeping well - good to see some familiar faces

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13. 72

    Hauntyposted 12 years ago

    @Flora - In the meantime I deleted my post at Cagsil's request. It appears he hasn't reached his goal yet after all.

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       FloraBreenRobisonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       oh, okay. No worries   Since your comment is deleted mine won't make sense. haha!  I better delete mine as well then .

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14. 59

    paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

    My 2 cents worth...
    
    Moderation used to be very lenient regarding self-promotion.
    
    Now the pendulum has swung the other way.
    
    Hopefully it will settle down to a happy medium.

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    stephhicks68posted 12 years ago

    And this is why I rarely visit/participate in the forums....

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       paradigmsearchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       What!?! And miss out on all the religion threads!?!

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16. 59

    paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

    We love our Cags.
    
    And he is a strong person. He'll do fine.

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       wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, Cags will be fine. 
       
       I'm not so sure about HP.  When a forum is closed for asking for information to build a hub with that seems a little over the top.  I've seen lots of threads started expressly for that reason and suspect there are many hundreds more.  It is not uncommon.

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17. 61

    SomewayOuttaHereposted 12 years ago

    i wonder if there is a connection between the no. of flags and no. of days for a ban.

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18. 0

    Vincent Mooreposted 12 years ago

    I caught this in Facebook last week and didn't think much of it as he did it back in 2010. Also in this thread many ladies yes they were in? So I am really confused why he was banned from the Hub Hoppers group? Is it something he said? did he upset Linda? or was his request taken as to personal to some? I am in the dark with this one to. I always felt Cags was an upright guy, sure he gets banned now and then for saying his mind and sometimes a little raw to the bone probably rubs some hubbers the wrong way with his take on life and his beliefs or disbeliefs. I sure would really like to know why he was banned.

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       AliciaCposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Hi, Vincent. I hope that you're not referring to me in your post, since my real name is Linda. I noticed that Susan announced that Cagsil was banned from the forums for seven days shortly after I mentioned in the thread that my name was missing from the list of names for Cagsil's hub. I wasn't upset by my missing name at all! It was just an oversight, as I thought it was, and Cagsil quickly added my profile to the list. I have no idea why he was banned, and I certainly didn't complain - there was nothing to complain about! (Perhaps I'm not the "Linda" that you're referring to, but I wanted to set the record straight, just in case.)

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          Vincent Mooreposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          For the record AliciaC your not the Linda I referred to. My apologies.

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             AliciaCposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             Thanks, Vincent. No problem!

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       AEvansposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       He wasn't banned from the HH group, he chose to leave it for now. So he was not banned. I read that earlier on HH.
       
       As for HP moderators there isn't any explanation necessary, many of us have been banned for one reason or another. My other account is banned for life from the forums because people complained I was trying to promote the other account. Didn't bother me, I was far from promoting it, I just forgot which account I was in when I was answering people on the forum. So instead of yapping from my other account, I only use this one. My other account however is in both of my profiles.
       
       Having a hiatus from the threads is a wonderful thing and soon I will be taking another, to much to do and so many to greet, read and write. :)Cagsil on hiatus will also do him a world of good, he has to create those Valentine Hubs and they take a long time.

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    Victoria Lynnposted 12 years ago

    Yeah, it doesn't make any sense that this thread was closed. Other hubbers gather info about others, hubs they write, opinions they post, etc....but aren't banned. And Cags even did one like this back in 2010. Is Cagsil being picked on? The purpose of this thread seemed to be to promote others, not himself. This makes me uncomfortable. Too much censorship unless there's some real reason the thread was closed. I'm willing to listen to that, but it doesn't look fair from just reading the explanations.

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20. 89

    Victoria Lynnposted 12 years ago

    I'm only referring to this thread. So is he not supposed to do the women of hubpages hub he wanted to do?

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21. 89

    Victoria Lynnposted 12 years ago

    This makes me afraid to even ask a question for fear that it's inappropriate without my knowing....

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       AEvansposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Victoria,
       
       Never be afraid to ask anything, honestly this entire thing I believe has been a little blown out of proportion. Moderators just do not ban "because" there are always circumstances that surround a ban. Our friend has been in time-out a few times so it is not his first rodeo. He will be fine.

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    Victoria Lynnposted 12 years ago

    Thanks, AEvans. Maybe I just don't understand. But if it's just because of what he was requesting for this forum, then that isn't warranted. But I guess it's more...?

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       AEvansposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       It wasn't about what he requested, so you can ask away, you will not be banned for asking questions. Hub Love will not get a person banned.

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