Where Do Social Networking Sites Draw The Line With Monitoring?

Maha's Reply:

what did i say? sorry, sorry...so so very sorry, but this is exactly what i meant by overstepping. there's a fine line that i believe was crossed today regardless of peoples complaints and that my dear friends is what we call a learning process.

the personal and very strong belief that something is offensive does not offensive make it. not always... or am i wrong? i don't think so. now some one may not get my sense of humor, but that's not the point. my sense of humor isn't your sense of humor and, believe you me, visa versa!

i also came across a similar spam like message with overtly sexual connotations that i immediately found offensive. i hovered over the inappropriate button and after a few seconds decided not to press it. what if she was just joking? what if it's someone i know?

i left a silly reply and ended up getting into a goofy conversation with @maryadkins. i don't think that person ever replied to the messages so that was a pretty good indication that it was nothing more than dirty spam. so what, i didn't go back to it figuring that the utterli team does a good enough job of keeping junk like that off the board. if she'd have a deeply offensive name, one that not a single soul would ever contest deleting, i would have reported her immediately. she didn't, so there was nothing to do.

now, i'm sure you weren't deleted because of the name. that would be absolutely beyond belief. there must obviously be a reason for these actions...i'm trying to rationalize it as i write because...well, i suppose i'm trying to give the benefit of the doubt here. i'm sure that my initial instinct that one single individual decided the name @satan1 was offensive because some religious people found it so has got to be wrong.

i doubt, i mean seriously doubt, that we as a community would close our doors to plain old silliness. have you guys seen the pictures on flickr? i mean seriously? have you actually seen them? that site is MASSIVE with TONS of activity. i've accidentally seen pictures i wasn't supposed to see.

i've also been actually personally offended. i mean actually attacked verbally. it happens EVERYWHERE. you know what i got back from every single site? block them. that's it.

in my humble opinion the first response to a complaint is this:

1. block the person who's offending you.

2. if this person continues offending hundreds of people warn them. let them know that there are several complaints about inappropriate material and advise them to monitor their material appropriately. in other words, make them private.

3. allow the person to then plead their case.

4. if the team insist on censorship of material then the person has no choice but to comply or suffer the consequences. it's true, we're using this service and have to comply to it's terms. very true. but when having to worry about the material we write, about offending people because our sense of humor isn't the "community norm" then we should pretty much know that up front.

this would allow people to make the choice whether to stay or go. quite frankly, if i had to concern myself with the occasional dirty joke, foul language or questionable content you wouldn't even see my dust. as it stands, i sit in terror at my desk when i read my husbands messages. if @brettbums alias can get banned, temporarily or otherwise, imagine @rigidraider? he's got no chance if i actually let him speak his mind. NO CHANCE. lol

well, i'm sure this will all get resolved. i'm not talking about bett's alias, i'm talking about procedures. it's important to keep your community safe, but it's also important to keep a good rapport. a good set of standards of practice that can be adhered to and understood by the site monitors would be a great asset. and i'm sure that all of us, individually, should remember to read the terms of use...if the terms of use should be revised at any point to include naughty names it would be nice to be notified via email of said updates. as a courtesy of course. i'm just sayin'. :P

thanks for listening everyone and brett...thanks again for keeping me up well past my bed time with your 'tarded antics. this one will do down in my miscellanists blog for ever as one of the classics of all time.

night!...oh crappers, it's 4:24 am!!! lol

Mobile post sent by Maharet using Utterli.  Replies.

Bretbum's Discussion on Utterli:

"My Account Was Cancelled-I Blame Satan"

Rex Misquoted Twice and Maha's Epiphany

diaper check
Originally uploaded by somesai

On: Thu, Jun 19, 2008 8:25:57 Rex said:

"Naked bareback horseriding? I'd have to take a pass - I could just imagine all those horse hairs grinding up me arse - no thanks" by DILLIGAF REX on F1-Jet-Sub-Naked horseback riding (WHAT?!?!?!?!)

On: Sun, Jun 22, 2008 3:01:46 PM Rex's Thought for the day quoted Steven R. Covey:

"Live out of your imagination, not your history."

maha said: "hmmm...i don't get it. live out of your imagination...not history.... i don't have the imagination to understand how not to live out my history or what exactly living out my history means. that tinsy little sentence it too complex for my brain. now you did it! i'll have to google the damn answer again."

DILLIGAF REX said: "It basically means: The past is like your ass - it's behind you! If you dwell in the past you will never open yourself up to a better future. ; )"

maha said: "WOW! you put that in the simplest terms that even a retard like me could understand. my past truly IS like my ass. behind me, getting older every day, and a little saggy. sometimes you have fond memories of it, but when you think about it too much just reminds you how fucking horrible it is to think about it all the time. all you know is you want to pretend it doesn't exist! FUCK ME! thanks rex. you totally cleared that up for me. lmfao!!! what's funny is that i really did look it up, but never had the chance to find my answer. what would i do without you? :)"

SO, i'd like to take the time to thank Rex with the above picture. it was actually an accident as i only had the first quote shown there which i had created the day i read his post last week. the second conversation, inspired by our chat about the second quote, seemed to fit really nicely here as well. i can't stop smiling in fact and people are walking by wondering what kind of drugs i'm on... so thanks rex!

all of this lead me to an ephiphany. it seems strange to quote my self but there you have it:

"i don't have the imagination to understand how not to live out my history or what exactly living out my history means." by the mighty maharet - life ponderer

basically, though i've tried to think of ways how "not" to live in the past i find i can't live without living in the past; you see, it's a very fine line for me, one that is always a bit smudged and it's always been a part of who i am. not that it was meant to be understood by anyone but me OR that i even understood my own comment until rex clarified the meaning of his quote.

strange the way the brain works isn't it? and don't you love my double negatives??? i do. i tell you it's an art form unto itself. :P

Bats Misquoted: Queen of Anti-Thin

"Really? Are you kidding me? Who elected her Queen of the Anti-Thin?" Batman Gotham on The blog for thursday

Buckshot's Misquoted Again!

Wordsworth misquoted
Originally uploaded by jazzbeat

another entry by buckshot george into my very special HALL OF MISQUOTED CLASSIC'S....

Bucky on topic: If you could switch places with another GTPer, which one and why?

"And yes, I have dreamed about what it would be like to be that smooooooth! Don't tell me you haven't! Let me tell you a little story, a few GTP guys were sitting in a Halo lobby, some ladies joined, and Huey simply said "Who wants to play Team Slayyyyyeeerrrr". The women went crazy, and the guys had to leave as we all sounded like Joe Pesci in comparison! The man with the voice that melted a million hearts, was once told by his parents (Barry White and Kathleen Turner) that "with great power, comes great responsibility". Just imagine if it fell into the wrong hands, and Buckshot had the voice of Huey! I think the world would be in grave danger.

I'm not going to lie, I would use the Voice of Huey to drop women's panties across the globe. And the girls here know that Huey can barely get the "H" out of "Hello Ladies" before their underwear is replaced with a wanton desire to jump him til they may jump no more. I would be drunk with that power. And that is why Huey has the voice, and I do not." ~Buckshot George

okay, yeah, that was a long ass quote, but it was my favorite part and it explained the really great line:

"And the girls here know that Huey can barely get the "H" out of "Hello Ladies" before their underwear is replaced with a wanton desire to jump him til they may jump no more. I would be drunk with that power." ~Buckshot George on I'm going to kill a frog

sometimes i really love my life. lmao!

Hall Of Misquoted Classics

I've run into a lot of lines that make me giggle, titter, snort and chuckle. Yeah, I said titter damn it. It's not often the things my friends say on gamertag pics or any other site make me laugh so hard my head feels like it'll pop.

When sitting at my desk the first few hours of work the following quotes will inspire a hearty cackle, a boisterous guffaw or even an accidental chortle (a combination of a chuckle and snort):

"Would I Shag a 75 year old to pay my debt off? Damn right I would. I'd break her bloody hip in half haha." BuckshotGeorge on How GTA4 Ruined my Life

"I've always had a dream where I drive down to Maryland, bend Toad over and give her something to think about for the next ten or so years." Xx Wuch xX on My affair

"...if i forgot you, no i didnt you were there I was just too drunk too remember and so were you, remember?" DiRtyEffEnJiMjO on Pick one GTPer to have a wild night. What would the night consist of?

"A clean concience is usually the sign of a very bad memory." DILLIGAF REX on Thought For The Day

"By the way Lara Croft is a Tomb Raider, right? That means she will encounter places that are underwater. Time after time, adventure after adventure Lara Croft will have to swim underwater pulling switches and dodads, but does she ever bring scuba gear? No of course not." BATMAN GOTHAM on No Title Coming To Mind



more will be added as time goes on or i remember old quotes.