@chemist,

I do not envy you your job. You try to keep the forum clean while also trying to pacify both the members and the moderators. I understand that you expect some respect in return and are cross when people step out of the line.

But please try to see it also from the other side. We mere mortals do not have the same level of information and access to logs that you do. All we can see is the action, but not the reason or even who did it so we could ask what the reason was. If that happens once, fine. If that happens repeatedly, I hope it is understandable that people start demanding a bit more transparency.

It is this lack of transparency that creates the "us and them" atmosphere. For example, you say that you spoke to the moderators behind the curtains. That may be so and I have no reason to doubt it, but you did not say so until I challenged you.

The same applies to the moderated posts. Moderating may be unavoidable but a little bit of transparency could go a long way. It could even move the forum from, "be constantly on guard, you never know which moderator will strike next and how" to "moderators are your friends".

As for inapropriate humour, you are right and I apologize. Sadly, resorting to silly jokes like that is sometimes all I feel I have left.