# Closing a Thread, Losing a Member



## d.c. (Nov 2, 2008)

The description of the Late Night Cafe reads, "A general forum to discuss all non-food/cooking related topics." 

Not only was I surprised when the site administrator closed the discussion on local economics but I was also a bit put off when he said that people were being offended and that those of us who wanted to have such discussions should go post elsewhere.

I was unaware of the ban on "political" postings. From the replies that followed, I don't think anyone was offended by this post. Our declining national economy with 533,000 people laid off in November should be a source of concern for anyone. 

I think a gentle warning would have sufficed. I don't think any of us were posting in a malicious fashion. The comments made about the current administration and the incoming administration were related to economics. 

I understand that the site administration sets forum policy. With this being said, I will also point out that there are also other culinary forums. Insofar as I'm a culinary arts instructor, there are even several teacher forums where I would be welcomed. 

I have chosen to post here because I enjoyed the sense of community. I now feel that a door has been slammed in my face, so I will respectfully exercise my right to post elsewhere. 

Goodbye all.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

DC, if you look at the rules of Cheftalk they are pretty straight forward.....NO politics, no religion, no language you wouldn't use around your grandmother (there are children that come on the site)......

As a long time member circa 2000, actually the month Tony Bourdain was a guest......this site is pretty special. Essentially the site was designed by a couple of guys that put thousands of hours and tons of money to set up this forum.....through the years learning curves showed that some things were just not worth it so rules were setup and put into place....this is a food site after all. 

So, yes there are other forums, blogs and sites out in cyberworld but none quite like cheftalk. Hope you'll reconsider, I valued your thoughts.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

It's right in the basic rules stickied in Cooking as well as "boilerplate" when you joined.

http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/food-...ity-rules.html


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

D.C. -

I too hope you'll reconsider.

the no politics / <whatever> thing is a huge benefit. 
even though that thread was tame, things grow sideways and before long it's a full blown food fight.

stuff that stays tame, polite, objective, all that - still will eventually 'insult' _someone_ - there is absolutely no accounting for taste, politics or religion <sigh> and everyone has the right to their own.

the moderators cannot spend 24x7 on line waiting/watching for just the appropriate time to act - and that of course also involves a working definition of how far is too far - dicey, that . . .
I've also seen the approach of "just delete the offending posts" - that blows up real fast, turning into a "why mine, not his?" screaming match.

the best approach I've seen is simply to outlaw those kinds of topics.
it like the Health Inspector - you do what he says - those are your options.


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

Tame it may have been but that is how they all start out, innocent and tame and then they blow up. Most of us (Jim the other mods and myself) have been at this for a long time. In the case of Jim and myself it has been over ten years. Not once Dilbert *not once* did any religious or political topic no matter how tame it was or started out as ever ended up well. People always get hurt by these topics and end up leaving. No matter how tame if you start a thread on ChefTalk it is going to be closed it is clear in our guidelines. We don't make this a secret.

We have spent that last ten years building this community and I think we are a niche on the internet. Not the biggest, not the best but a place that many of call home and enjoy talking food and cooking. The fact is we have "considered" this many many times (long before you were even here actually) and this is what is the best for the ChefTalk community.

Sorry to see you leave if that is your choice.


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

uhmm, I wasn't leaving - or am I? <g>

I support the position.


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

Whoops I was referring to the wrong person sorry about that. The title of the thread was "closing a thread losing a member".


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

>we are a niche [/B]:void(0)]on the internet. Not the biggest, not the best but a place<

Sorry Nicko, but I have to disagree. I participate in many culinary sites, and have joined (and left) quite a few others.

Cheftalk may not be the biggest. But IMO it certainly is the best.

There is no other site I know of where a professional community and just folks cooks get together in an amicable, friendly way to exchange everything from general discussions about food, to recipes to, well, anything that impacts the culinary world.

This is obviously thanks to the work you and the mods have put in over the past ten years. So, please, don't go selling yourself short.


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## cypressrider (Oct 7, 2008)

In choosing this website I went through the policies and specifically wanted to join because there is no politics allowed. IMHO there is nothing quite as annoying as when people start going off on their opinons of the state of the government or any other organization for that matter. There is never any good outcome from these types of discussions on the internet. Thank goodness for this policy because without it I would have never even thought twice about moving on to the next option of getting involved with some type of cooking forum.


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## foodnfoto (Jan 1, 2001)

I've been following the thread and have found it interesting to learn how the current US economy is affecting people in different parts of the country. Useful, as well.
I do understand why Nicko and Jim closed it. It was definitely headed in a direction that very possibly would become laced with strident political opinion. In the current climate, people's political views have become very entrenched and hardened which can lead to an atmosphere that's not conducive to the environment on ChefTalk.
It's kind of a shame that we can't find a way to talk about these issues here, because the economy is having such a profound impact on so many, and the trickle-down effect reaches us in so many ways. It would be helpful, certainly to me, to know of ways that others are coping. 

BTW-the last half of '08 has been a real bummer for us-beloved cat died, hubby a casualty of the Bear Stearns fiasco (NOT bailed out, but destroyed), lost out on two possibly great locations for Go-Go Pops, now providing a home to my suddenly widowed sister, aging parents failing health and refusal to stop driving, our dearest dog has an inoperable tumor with no positive outcome, the downturn causes precipitous drop freelancer hiring (me) and on and on. Sorry about the "woe is me" turn-things are hard right now. 

Could we maybe have a thread about how and if the economic trend is affecting us personally? Maybe for support from fellow CTers? Share coping mechanisms and skills?


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## jim berman (Oct 28, 1999)

Daniell,
Sorry to see you go. I thought we had a good thing going with an exchange of insight within the academic-culinary world. I hope you can understand, if not appreciate, why we have the guidelines that we do. Being a ChefTalk moderator is almost a full-time job... keeping topics moving forward... caressing bruised egos.... elminating the mountians of spam... generating interesting material. So, to keep this environment as entertaining, enlightening and informative as possible, some guidelines had to be installed. The proactive approach (ie, no politics, no foul language, etc) ensures that everybody gets a fair shot at participating and learning without feeling like a victim. I do hope you will reconsider, however, please understand there are many, many, other sites that do not have the constraints that we do. But, they also do not have the same spirit that we do, either. I have been here since 1999 and would rather throw away my computer than not call this place home.


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## docsmith (Aug 4, 2008)

Most people are completely clueless on politics but are happy to give you their opinion and tell you how wrong you are for having yours.

Such threads will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS become flame fests and as such I have absolutely no problem with boards who ban such discussions. If you want to have such talks there are plenty of political boards out there.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

You can still talk economics without getting political. Talk about how the economy is affecting the food service industry and ways restauranteurs can try and beat a downturn in the economy. At this point there is no sense in laying blame and nothing is gained by it, but there can be very important, relevant discussions about how to handle it.


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## free rider (May 23, 2006)

Hey! I see religion in Pete's signature!

I also like that there is no politics, no religion, etc., but have noticed that, on occasion, some slips by. I suppose it is all a question of balance and the moderators are experienced enough to know when to close a thread.


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## wheresthegrub (Oct 28, 2008)

*"Closing a Thread, Losing a Member"
*
I thought someone cut off a finger or something (ducking) sorry, couldn't resist.:roll:

This site is the bomb! The mix of Pros and the likes of me.

I also enjoyed Mr. D. C.'s posts; he will be missed.

My posts have been edited (not by me) and I took a step back and thought why? but then, if I had a website that was mine, and I put in the effort and time to make it work, I do believe it would be my right to have things on it that are appropriate *by my standards*. Especially if the rules were posted right up front.


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

If we could discuss just everything and not have anyone offended . . . we'd be doing better than most siblings. Here, it's not just three or four friends participating. I can see the need for guidelines, for sure.

This site is tops, thanks to those who put in so much effort to create and manage it, and those who contribute with their posts . . . why not stick around :look:


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Somehow this site managed to remain unpolitical even during one of the most heated elections in recent history. I'm sure the election/voting threads were monitored closely at that time and we all behaved ourselves. Once the political candidates start to be criticized and defended the chances of forum war are undeniable. Had Nicko not closed the thread chances are DC or someone else would have left the forums in anger anyway.

There are certain subjects that are too touchy for discussion on this type of forum. I love hearing about everyone's life and circumstances but please please please do not tell me which policies you support. I know for sure that they will oppose mine and frankly all I care to know is "what's for dinner."


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

I have been on many forums over the years and politics and religion start nasty flame wars so I avoid them. There are forums that allow such topics and if you **** the irritation of petty bickering go there :lol: closing the thread was a good thing when it went from economics to politics.


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## free rider (May 23, 2006)

I can say the same about religion. Please, please, please don't tell me which religion you think is right...


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## just jim (Oct 18, 2007)

I religiously avoid talking politics.
It never ends well.
It's rarely a discussion anyhow, more often than not it becomes at best a debate, at worst an argument.

My initial kneejerk reaction to this thread was "how dare they!".
But after reading on I realize the mods made the best decision, one that is in the best interest of the many rather than the few, or the one.


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