OFFICIAL POLL: Appropriateness of sexual topics on Stormtrack

[Tim Vasquez]

This is an official poll to gauge user opinion on whether sexual topics should be allowed on Stormtrack; case in point the "boobies" thread over the weekend, which spawned complaints. This will NOT be used to establish policy on a simple majority, but rather if we're going to moderate according to community standards we need to find what those expected standards are. This only extends to sexual references, discussion of sex, crude jokes, and other related topics, and not to graphic photos or descriptions.

Only a tally will be shown; individual votes (and how people voted) are private for this particular poll.

 

[Jason Foster]

My vote:

Yes, but with close moderation

Because hey...there are other sites for that kind of stuff that would just be too much, but a little humor, a little 'reality' has to be realized, but I believe in the TMI rule!

 

[Benjamin Smith]

My vote is no, simply because other "off-topic" discussions such as politics are not allowed. However I will say that the "booby" topic did not come across to me as a "sexual" topic.

I would just like some consistency.

 

[Stuart Wilson]

Yes, but with close moderation.

But I don't envy the mods I have to say!

 

[David Wolfson]

Wow! I'm at the prude end of the vote, saying that they shouldn't be allowed.

I hope the distinction between a sexual topic and non-demeaning sexual (scatological, prurient, physical) innuendo or comments is preserved. For example some old hands posting in the legacy Marny Stanier thread did wander onto some areas probably better left alone . However pleasant that felt at the time it was pushing the limit, but the topic was absolutely fine.

Perhaps those who think sexual topics should be allowed or become yet another headache for the hard-working mods can suggest examples of sexual topics that are appropriate for ST. The one thread I'm aware of that had an overtly sexual topic was piped to the null file quickly with no one especially upset about that.

But I certainly wouldn't like it if threads like the "boobies" thread or the humorous maps threads were forbidden because there's some innuendo involved. What's a Bar and Grill anyway if you can't discuss condoments on your hot dogs?

 

[Adam Lucio]

Yes with moderation.

The current thread IMO does not cross any lines however I do understand that topic could quickly go downhill and cross some lines which is why it may need to be more moderated. One thread every great once in awhile should not be a problem but if there was one popping up every other day I agree it would become annoying.

The current thread is only one of a couple out of thousands of threads...and I see absolutely no problem with that.

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

If the Bar & Grill can keep this stuff out of kids eyes, and members wish to 'speak freely'; then perhaps such subjects as this can also be put on B&G and let it fly there. I'm not intending to turn ST into 'Disneyland' by any means - but a note of professionalism and discretion would keep ST dignified...

I'm abstaining my vote until I am influenced by more comments...
smiles.

 

[Josh Morgerman]

If the Bar & Grill can keep this stuff out of kids eyes, and members wish to 'speak freely'; then perhaps such subjects as this can also be put on B&G and let it fly there. I'm not intending to turn ST into 'Disneyland' by any means - but a note of professionalism and discretion would keep ST dignified...

I'm abstaining my vote until I am influenced by more comments...
smiles.

Agreed. I think there's a happy medium to be found-- but either way, I definitely think any silliness should be strictly contained in B&G, largely so that the weather discussions can remain thoughtful and unencumbered by nonsense.

 

[Scott Weberpal]

I will start out by saying I was not offended by the recent topic, however, I did vote "sexual topics should not be allowed" in the poll. Stormtrack started as a very dignified and profession publication by well respected members of the chase community. The online version of ST was an extension of the magazine as publication ceased. The original ST online and the Storm Chasers Homepage, both very professional websites, merged around 2000 I believe, and the site as it is known began in 2003. Over the years, this site has gone from an extension of a very profession and well-written publication, to a quagmire with some pseudo-childish banter (NOT in reference to the more recent threads) in the B&G, with poorer and poorer quality posts in the actual weather discussion sub-fora.

Not once in the print edition, nor early editions of the ST or SC websites was there any discussion of sexual topics or discussion of sexual nature. I believe the creator of ST (David Hoadley) is quietly appalled at what the forum has become, however, I would like to hear his input as well as Tim Marshall's in regared to tactfulness in what is essentially their child which has quickly grown up in the internet era.

As an extension of the original publication, I believe ST should be limited to the professionalism the creators set forward. I'm not saying there can't be a B&G or there can't be off-topic discussions (the print version had "funnies" etc.) and its obvious tasteless off-topic discussions should be curtailed (I understand "tasteless" is highly subjective).

Just my take.

 

[Dave Kaplow]

Wow! I'm at the prude end of the vote, saying that they shouldn't be allowed.

I hope the distinction between a sexual topic and non-demeaning sexual (scatological, prurient, physical) innuendo or comments is preserved. For example some old hands posting in the legacy Marny Stanier thread did wander onto some areas probably better left alone . However pleasant that felt at the time it was pushing the limit, but the topic was absolutely fine.

Perhaps those who think sexual topics should be allowed or become yet another headache for the hard-working mods can suggest examples of sexual topics that are appropriate for ST. The one thread I'm aware of that had an overtly sexual topic was piped to the null file quickly with no one especially upset about that.

But I certainly wouldn't like it if threads like the "boobies" thread or the humorous maps threads were forbidden because there's some innuendo involved. What's a Bar and Grill anyway if you can't discuss condoments on your hot dogs?

OK, forgive me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it precisely the Boobies thread that instigated the new rule? Thus, the new rule would indeed cover that thread, and yet here's someone who thinks it was a perfectly acceptable thread voting for the new rule that would ban it. Something wrong there, I think. I believe we need some further guidance on the exact nature of the new "sexual topics" ban, maybe a better description of what would and what wouldn't be permitted under the new rule, otherwise this poll simply isn't going to be to be meaningful, not when we have people who clearly would have allowed the thread in question voting "yes" for the new ban. That doesn't make sense.

 

[Jerry Prsha]

This is an official poll to gauge user opinion on whether sexual topics should be allowed on Stormtrack; case in point the "boobies" thread over the weekend, which spawned complaints. This will NOT be used to establish policy on a simple majority, but rather if we're going to moderate according to community standards we need to find what those expected standards are. This only extends to sexual references, discussion of sex, crude jokes, and other related topics, and not to graphic photos or descriptions.

Only a tally will be shown; individual votes (and how people voted) are private for this particular poll.

Perhaps is just the boredom kicking in but it seems that the whole site has gone nuts lately. Maybe yanking the "Bar & Grill" for a while and only allowing weather discussions would stop all of the nonsense? It would certainly allow less moderation.

It's not just here though.. It's like the whole country is just constantly angry all the time... Dunno...

 

[Bob Hartig]

A moderate stance for me, simply because there's such a thing as innocent fun, though let's keep it to the B&G, please. The original "Boobies" post struck me that way, and while I recall thinking that some of the comments that followed were maybe pushing the envelope, it wasn't a hill for me to die for.

However, the "yes, but with close moderation" is going to be the hardest stance to pull off because it's the most subjective and the likeliest to be challenged. With "never at all" and "anything goes," the lines are either drawn definitively or not drawn at all. But the carefully moderated approach is going to require some further discussions between Tim and the mods regarding where and how to draw the lines, and the entire ST community is going to have to understand that no one is going to be entirely happy all of the time. If more flame wars rather than a willingness to compromise and respect moderator decisions are the result, then I would advocate shutting down sexual talk entirely, not because I'm a prude, but because the other extreme of wholesale, unchecked raunch is unacceptable to me, and out of keeping with a forum striving for professionalism.

 

[Bob Hartig]

I will start out by saying I was not offended by the recent topic, however, I did vote "sexual topics should not be allowed" in the poll. Stormtrack started as a very dignified and profession publication by well respected members of the chase community. The online version of ST was an extension of the magazine as publication ceased. The original ST online and the Storm Chasers Homepage, both very professional websites, merged around 2000 I believe, and the site as it is known began in 2003. Over the years, this site has gone from an extension of a very profession and well-written publication, to a quagmire with some pseudo-childish banter (NOT in reference to the more recent threads) in the B&G, with poorer and poorer quality posts in the actual weather discussion sub-fora.

Not once in the print edition, nor early editions of the ST or SC websites was there any discussion of sexual topics or discussion of sexual nature. I believe the creator of ST (David Hoadley) is quietly appalled at what the forum has become, however, I would like to hear his input as well as Tim Marshall's in regared to tactfulness in what is essentially their child which has quickly grown up in the internet era.

As an extension of the original publication, I believe ST should be limited to the professionalism the creators set forward. I'm not saying there can't be a B&G or there can't be off-topic discussions (the print version had "funnies" etc.) and its obvious tasteless off-topic discussions should be curtailed (I understand "tasteless" is highly subjective).

Just my take.

Just read your post, Scott. While I took a moderate stance, you could sway me on this one. I think you've said a mouthful regarding the legacy and mission of Stormtrack. I would LOVE to hear from David Hoadley and Tim Marshall--some frank talk from men whom everyone on here can respect and admire.

 

[Shane Adams]

Choice "C" should be amended to say "in the B&G section". Either let adults be adults in there and tell the mamby pamby folk to **** off, or get rid of it. When I'm at a real bar, hanging out with ADULTS, I don't want some do-gooder ****hole giving me **** about my language. Hey - I hate smoke and cigarettes....but I don't bitch about it in a BAR.

What this place is heading towards is a monster with no head, because many of the members who hold experience and contribute quality to this forum are going to drift off elsewhere....leaving a forum full of "experts" with half a dozen chases under their belts. Look at the "CFDG" guys who everyone covets; they've gone long ago. Guess what? Whether you all like it or not, that makes people like Lanny Dean, Steve Miller, and myself THE guys. We're a different breed...less scientific, less PC, and a helluva lot more rough around the edges but damn good at sharing detailed info about what it's really like to CHASE STORMS. We are who we are, and that knowledge comes with everything else we're about (namely calling out BS when we see it). If that's not good enough, then **** it. Go figure it out for yourselves. We ain't getting paid to share gold.

 

[Marcus Hicks]

I voted "Yes with moderation" I feel that because we are adults and let's get real, there isn't much happening and things could get pretty boring around here. I'm not saying that there should be open sex talk here but the poll question is a loaded one. The thread that started all of this I personally felt was completly harmless. Some of the post pushed the edge a bit but I have heard much worse on regular primetime TV. I came to this forum because of the professionalism and to fill the gaps in my knowledge of weather but realize that discussing weather all of the time quite frankly is boring. And the off topic discussions have not change my thoughts of ST and it being a professional forum. The arguments about protecting the children are nill. Ever watch a teen nick show or married with children episode, family guy. A show my daughter watches mentioned sex 45 times in one episode. I'm still looking for the sex topics here. If this really is all about the boobies thread with pics of birds donkeys and an oven rack, people we've got bigger problems.