h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I must say that whenever I have had a post hidden and asked the Eds for clarification as to exactly what it was I had done wrong they have always told me.

Bearing in mind how quickly posts like this have been totally closed on other fora I frequent, I think the mods deserve some credit for not just bottling it and locking the thread.

What sometimes confuses me is that on some threads I have seen reference made to a 'phantom yikeser'. I've never really believed in such a thing because on the only occassion I ever yiked a post, it wasn't actually removed.

Overall I would agree the mods do an excellent job given the time and funding available. But I do sometimes get really irritated when something disappears which seems inoffensive in the extreme to me. But it's obviously not an exact science given their constraints.

Part of the "Phantom Yikser" things is that certain words or phrases that do not quite fall foul of the profanity filter are flagged up to automatically have a closer look.

This gives the impression of a post seemingly being "Yiksed" within minutes of being posted when quite possibly it was an entirely automatic process.

I suspect that there have been some McCann related words that may have been added to this list of late.

'Anyone find it strange that despite another suspected sighting in Morocco today, the McCanns are strangely quiet? You'd think they'd ask their bearded benefactor for flights, wouldn't you?'

Well, no.

1. They have 2 young children at home so why fly to Morocco ?
2. 'suspected sighting' why on earth would they act so rashly on pure speculation ?
3. Why do you think it's strange ?
4. Is it impossible for you to say 'Richard Branson' ?
5. Yet again, is this not media hype ?

1. They have 2 young children at home so why fly to Morocco ?
> Past form. They left those two children to do their whistle stop European tour.

2. 'suspected sighting' why on earth would they act so rashly on pure speculation ?
> Past form. They ran off to Malta when there was a 'suspected sighting' there.

3. Why do you think it's strange ?
>Past form. See answers to one and two.

4. Is it impossible for you to say 'Richard Branson' ?
>No, I can say Richard Branson. I can even type Richard Branson. I just liked the alliteration present in 'Bearded Benefactor'.

5. Yet again, is this not media hype ?
> It's all media hype. At which point did we stop questioning the media hype? They've not hesitated in upping sticks and rushing around the world at the slightest provocation before, now there's "photographic evidence" and three separate sightings and they're firmly on the couch. Strikes me as odd is all.

Initially they left their children in the early days of Madeleine's abduction to gain as much publicity as possible.

I didn't think they went to Malta.

Apologies about RB. Bearded Benefactor is so much better.

After more than 150 days, Mr and Mrs McCann must now realise all these sightings are pure sensationalism.

"Apologies about RB. Bearded Benefactor is so much better."

Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?

Actually, no. Not on this occasion.

Past form. They left those two children to do their whistle stop European tour.>

Past form: they left all 3 unattended in a holiday flat in Portugal...

Erm...like

Self-delusion
hypocritical
holier-than-thou
litigious
sun
shine
ass
children
abandoning
idiots

Latest PR stunt.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/7015766.stm

Apparently little pictures of Maddie will accompany each toy. Well like the Catholics, and the Russian Orthodoxies, are both really fond of their icons. How long before Maddie gets sainted?

Am I being cynical about this heart warming gesture?

Is the Pope a Catholic?

You mean, personally, re-focussing from never having looked for her(as she was abducted in Portugal and I'm in the UK) to still never going to look for her ((as she was abducted in Portugal) and in all likelihood(unfortunately) is dead).

<> (Fanny)

I guess it depends on what your complaint was. I mean, if you went all ape-shit and shrill about a post being offensive to you for blah-blah-blah reasons (which I'm sure you haven't done) I'm sure it would be immediately removed (temporarily) until the mods could check with the Eds about it. Meanwhile, I am quite sure there are some 'phantom yikesers' out there who are shrill enough about being 'offended' that a post does get removed, at least temporarily.

Another factor could be the profanity filter, but I don't think this would fit with stuff being written about this topic, for example.

Yes, I agree with you that the mods do their job well and that the Eds do even a better job of trying to deal with every complaint fairly.

If you are ever in any doubt about why something was removed that you felt was unfair you can always write to the Eds and ask for an explanation. In my experience, especially lately, they have been very good at doing this.

Again, a polite request will end up with a polite and informative response. I don't know how they would respond to being 'attacked' about a decision, so best to keep it as a clear and honest request for more information.



az

<> (Fanny)

No, I find it repulsive in the extreme. I mean, what the ...? What the hell is this supposed to be *doing*???


az

In case Belorussian peasants have seen McCann Jr wandering the former Soviet Union, obviously.

Oh, wait. It might be cynically hi-jacking a charity appeal for their own ends. I'm not sure.

How soon before Aboriginal dot paintings of Maddie get sent to the outer reaches of the Australian outback?

This post has been removed.

This post has been removed.

I wouldn't be surprised...

az