How does one get a refund of their membership dues, here?

Hang onto your coaxial connectors here we go again. !!

 

Please explain the difference between moderation and censoring.

 

If his nose is brown, mine is the opposite color.

 

You can if you wish, but QRZ accepts "donations" and also offers subscriptions. They are two different things.

 

Sure glad I never post anything controversial!

 

I know you didn't ask me, but I'll answer anyway cuz...well, just cuz.

a) I don't see where 'PXR made a distinction in the two words, or even brought up censorship. But let's walk down the path.

b) The answer you seek is "there is none" and that holds true here. In the context of the website, the words mean the same result, they just have different emotional baggage behind each one. Much the same as describing a glass as half-empty or half-full, both are accurate descriptions but both hint at the disposition of the speaker on the topic (in this case, the status of the glass). I call it moderating, others may call it censoring...the only difference is we're each "layering" onto the factual status our opinion of the facts.

As has been said ad nauseum, this is a private site with public access that is somewhat restricted in a few ways. What matters is the first part of that statement, the "private" part. Fred and the other stakeholders could shut it down tomorrow, close it to all but 5 people or make it completely wide open with no controls. They have the right to do all those things, and anything in between. The only rights we have in relation to this website are those granted by Fred and they are always subject to Fred's whim.

So where's the American ideal of freedom? It lies in the fact that any of us could create our own such site with our own such rules. We aren't forced to be here and we're not prevented from being elsewhere.

To me, this site is successful because it moderates. Just as our roads are successful because there are rules and they are enforced...there's a balance between allowing traffic (posts, ideas) to happen while pulling over those who create danger or pose threats. On this site, one of those threats is that the site is percieved as hostile...thus limiting participation, subscibers and ad revenue. It doesn't HAVE to be actually hostile - there doesn't need to be an actual threat or actual harm, just the perception. And who's perception? Exclusively, Fred and (by proxy) the moderators.

It really isn't any different than me saying 'no cursing' at my open house. Yes, my house may be open, but if someone curses, they're out. While "freedom" is a core value in America, the combination of rights and property ownership may arguably be more important. It's Fred's property, his rights. If anyone doesn't agree, they have the freedom to not participate.

 

I was wondering where you have been Pat.
Hay... Got a new Project lined up for next week....
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As for the Topic At Hand.....
As one of the people involved in yesterday's events and as one who is paid my membership donation through May of 2014, it's Fred's Football, Fred's front yard, and Fred's rules.
I support and will continue to support what the staff of QRZ do here.

This is the Best Amateur Radio Forum on the Planet.

 

I wanna a refund also!!!! .....oh wait, nevermind.

 

No, what you want is a fund. =P

 

There you go its in your paypal account.
Refund in full

 

Since you feel like being so generous Ill have 1 million quid, please!

 

Major Flounce reporting for duty!

 

Thanks, you answered that better than I could. My suggestion to anyone that wants an uncensored place to play is quite simple. Create your own, then try to keep subscribers, advertisers, or even users. Even if you are rich and wish to throw money at a place like that, your second challenge is to keep things within the law and within the terms of service of whatever service provider you have. Even if you have a very tolerant service provider you are still going to run into things that just need removed for whatever reason. The Internet is full of all kinds of people, when you get a thread like we had yesterday on a topic like we had yesterday, you are going to have angry people. When you get angry people, you get things that they don't mean. Once the user that posted the moderated comment yesterday cooled off, they may have thought it as something that should have been removed. I know I would have. In addition, a comment like that I would have expected to be banned, but that's not the point.

Again, my thanks go to the staff of QRZ for keeping the filth off this board and being nice about it.

 

Concur.

And while 'RXO might say "but it wasn't filth..." well, doesn't matter. QRZ thought it was worthy of removal, and acted on their rights. And in doing so, we collectively benefit. kudos and thanks.

 

I do realize this is a private forum and subject to any rules, to any level of enforcement of those rules fair or unfair and freedom of speech is not a right.
My point was why not call censorship what it is instead of moderation.
Ham radio is about communication. Censoring sounds dictitorial but that is what it is. I am not saying there is not the need for censorship, I just wish it was not called moderation.