I've always been pretty reactive to posts here, explaining rules as needed, in reaction to arisen issues. I like the idea of this proactive request... and I am enjoying the feedback, both good and bad.

Some of the sillier rule-issues (OT, silly flames, etc.) come in waves... and it always gets a little extra crazy in the winter. Cabin-fever, or just an influx of new folks not yet familiar with the rules? Dunno.

One thing to ALWAYS keep in mind is that we moderators appreciate feedback, but this is most effective in personal contact and LEAST effective on the public stage of the forum. This is not to maintain secrecy or hide the machinations, but rather to have honest, open discourse. Trust me, honest discussions are tough to do in a dark, crowded theater when suddenly the spotlight pops to life on ya, and someone shouts a question from the anonymous darkness... it can feel downright adversarial <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> even before anyone cracks the valves on their flamethrower.

Sometimes we moderators get hurried and end up appearing overly brusque. Most of you exercise the option of not reading EVERY thread, but we really are obliged to read more than most. That's a lotta content to cover, so please forgive us in advance.

Something I have resolved to do personally to do is to encourage use of the SEARCH function by showing a few results of a relevant search and citing the specific search criteria that got me to those results. We're working to continue to improve our already much-improved search features, but changes can be confusing, improvements notwithstanding. Not everyone thinks in Boolean form (I do!).

I know we need to better-define some of the rules, especially how Isuzu Talk is different from Isuzu Tech. I've tried to document this before with little success... seems like it is just a sensibility that we wind up having. Some issues are obviously Tech (fuel injector resistance, Tera gear installation, gear setup, etc.) and others are obviously Talk (wash-and-wax, driving style, Isuzu corporate advertising issues). Some topics could go either way on the initial post (tire size, lift preference, wheel width) but end up in Talk since the responses wind up Talk-ey -- that's a historic frame of reference that moderators consider. Confused, yet? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" /> I like Michael's approach to it: "Sometimes people are not sure what goes where. This is fine and it is what we are here for." That said, we'll continue to work to document the rules better.

Michael also touched on a couple of things that sometimes pass without much notice... there truly is a good bit of cooperation between the moderators and effort behind the scenes -- and doggonit, we're volunteers! We appreciate the help we get from other members of the forum, both in terms of self-moderation and by helping answer the stuff that you know. What I find best to remember is that we're all pretty much friends around this virtual campfire, and I try to conduct myself as I would around the real thing.

I've got the graham crackers and marshmallows -- who has the chocolate? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Randii (ain't singin' kum-ba-yah, though!)