Hi! Long time, no blog.

I thought I'd borrow an idea from fellow moderator Grailwolf and post on a few misunderstood moderations as well.

As grailwolf notes there, if you have specific questions you don't wish to discuss publicly, feel free to PM me.

If there's another misunderstanding topic you'd like to see, PM me directly rather than post off-topic here.

Misunderstanding A: Censor Bypassing

The first thing to understand is that some "naughty" words are allowed. On any given day we get users reported for using words that in fact aren't censor bypassing. Hell, damn, crap, and ass are all permitted words. We don't recommend people use them, and if they use them in another context (like flaming) then that's still a TOS violation. But in and of themselves using them is not a Censor Bypassing violation and we don't moderate their use.

So if someone typed the word exactly how it is spelled, and the system lets it through so you can see it... it's an acceptable word.

Oddly, some people will try to censor bypass acceptable words, even though they don't need to. We don't moderate people for doing that, either.

If you're not sure if a word is permitted, create a post with the word(s), check Preview, and see if the system automatically censors it. If it doesn't, then the word is permitted. Then just cancel out rather than post your test message.

As moderators there's nothing we can do about the "system hack" naughty words like "c1ass." However, we won't moderate you for bypassing around those words.

Censor bypassing to quote from shows is allowed, as long as it's suitable in context. Discussing what Tony Soprano said last week in syndication and providing a quote to illustrate is fine. Posting something like You know what Tony Soprano would say about a jerk like you: [Quote here]." is not. Common sense prevails.

Yes, the TV.com filter has some... odd ideas about what words should be censored. Although we have no control over what is censored, we try to keep that in mind. Again, if the word is suitable in context when discussing TV, we won't moderate.

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Those are the things you can do. What is it you can't do?

Censor bypassing on blogs isn't allowed. That's gone back and forth a bit, but currently we're consistent with Gamespot's policy. Typically we'll give you a warning to remove, rather than delete the blog.

Use of abbreviations to get around the filter isn't allowed.

Using a hack to get around the filter isn't allowed.

Even one censor bypass will get your entire post deleted. We don't want to get into the habit of going into people's posts and editing stuff. Most folks don't want us editing their posts.

We'll go by the most common and most common sense interpretation of a censor bypass. You'd be surprised at the # of people who say, "Well, that * is an 'o' and I really meant 'Who gives a shot?'" Uh, right... If you had typed "shot" in the first place, the censor bypass wouldn't have kicked in and you wouldn't have tried to find a way around it.

If you can't get out of the habit of typing "naughty words," or you're not sure of the best way to make them unrecognizable within the permitted rules, your best bet is simply type them like you would normally and let the system automatically make them unrecognizable. believe it or not, most people are smart enough to figure out what you meant from context.

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Why is censor bypassing a TOS violation? Several reasons. We have users of all age groups, with access to all shows. Believe it or not, some parents don't want their kids hearing "naughty words." It may be a minority view, but it's one that CNET respects.

"Naughty words" drag down the discourse. You swear, other people swear back. Some people end up swearing more than actually saying anything meaningful. Believe it or not, you can make yourself understood without "naughty words."

Using "naughty words" doesn't make you a grown up. The fact that most of the people on here who use them are junior and senior high schoolers rather than adults should tell you something.

It's understandable that someone might blurt out something naughty in a conversation. It's not understandable that you uncontrollably typed a censor bypass. Why? Because the system won't let you. If you accidentally type a "naughty word" in the heat of the moment, the system will make it unreadable automatically. You have to deliberately go back and make it a little less unreadable.

Hope that all helps.

Well, if you really have to know the intimate details of my viewing habits... Not really looking for a debate on why I should watch a particular show – that’s why we have debate forums. Just some people seem to find this interesting. Maybe some day I’ll rig up a webcam so when you’re done watching TV, you can watch me watch TV. It involves a lot of me sitting and typing recaps, though.

(Note: this adds up to about 16 hours of TV watching a week, give or take.)

Monday: Heroes, of course! It’s interesting enough to keep me going, secure in the knowledge it’ll probably be cancelled quicker and more inappropriately than Night Stalker last year. It’s got Jeph Leob on it, Tim Kring as the guy in charge (Misfits of Science - whoo-hoo!), and it’s got the edginess and originality that Smallville had for… oh, about half a season. Studio 60, I’m kinda watching to see what da buzz is about, but I was never a West Wing fan and this one isn’t doing much for me either. Also a Tales From the Darkside mini-marathon through October. Otherwise it’s wait to January for 24.

Tuesday: House! Despite a few off characterizations this season is still rolling along pretty well. My curse this year is with the departure of UPN, our local affiliate switched over to Retro Television Network, in the evening, which means Tuesday is now Mission: Impossible night. One of my two favorite 60s American TV shows. Arrgh, another two hours of my life lost to the tube.

Wednesday: Missed the first episode of Jericho tried the second one, kinda liked it, kinda not. Will probably stick with it. Lost, have to follow along to get those hints of vague things that might be answers. Blade is gone for the season (and apparently cancelled permanently). Thanks, SpikeTV, for removing the one original show on your station I liked.

Thursday: The killer night for my schedule. Smallville and Supernatural, got to keep up. And RTN strikes again because my other favorite 60s show, Wild Wild West, is on for two hours.

Friday: Well, with the SciFi/USA biggies like Stargate and Monk gone, all I really have now is Doctor Who (2005) until that runs out after 13 weeks. Then back to the Stargates after the new year.

Saturday: Cartoon day! Legion of Super Heroes, Fantastic Four, and The Batman. Also the old school Doctor Who airs on our local PBS station, so have to watch that as well.

Sunday: Venture Brothers until that runs out in a week or so. The new remastered Star Trek is on at midnight if it’s an episode I particularly want to catch.

Things on my to-watch when I have spare time (ha!): tapes and DVDs of Planet of the Apes, Night Stalker, Firefly, and Friday the 13th: The Series.

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*shrug* So there you go. Enjoy whatever insights into my psyche that my viewing schedule mght give you.

Not much to say, not a big blogger. But with the new season upon us, just a reiteration of a few basic rules and common-sense guidelines.

Sources

For episodes that haven't aired yet, please provide a verifiable source. That would be a reputable major fan site, or an official source. And reputable fan sites provide their sources anyway. If the site doesn't say what the source of the info is, I can't accept it. This policy helps to cut down on Internet rumors. Even the most reputable sites get it wrong occasionally. And I'd rather be 50% slower but 100% accurate, than 100% faster but only 50% accurate.

Format

Yeah, there's lot of guidelines here, but really formatting boils down to one thing: look at what's already done. Quote format, allusion set-up, TV & movie titles, names, line spacing, etc. Flip back an episode or two if there's nothing for that episode, you'll find something. If you can't figure out how to use the HTML, click on Edit and see the code.

Preview

Please check the Preview before hitting Submit. If the quote is all in bold, then there's something wrong with your HTML. Hit the Back button and check it. If there's only one word in the preview for your two-paragraph allusion, then you've got something in the wrong place. Hit Back and put it whre it needs to go.

Comments

The more detailed your Comments on edits and deletions, the more likely I'll accept. I don't really need Comments for new stuff, but if you're editing or changing or deleting, please say why. If you're changing something, say what you're changing. There's no easy way to see what you're changing by comparing it to the original.

And please, please put what you want to appear on screen in the Submission field, not the Comment field. That's another one of those things where I could accept it and try to explain in my response-Comments why it's wrong, but then most people won't see it.

Rejection Rate

I never look at anyone's rejection rate. It doesn't concern me, it doesn't bother me. If you're concerned about your rejection rate, read and follow the above and you won't have many problems.

I try not to reject based solely on formatting but if you submit a lot of stuff and it's all incorrectly formatted, I'll reject at least a few since too many people (understandably) don't read Comments on an approval. But (almost) everybody reads rejection Comments.

If you absolutely can't figure something out and have questions, PM me. But most of it you can figure out from above. If not...well, some stuff is going to get rejected. I've got rejections, everybody's got rejections, don't sweat it.

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That's about it. Look forward to seeing your submissions!

Given the recent increase in submissions, seems like a good time to reiterate TV.com policy, what I understand to be Tv.com policy, and make sure it’s at the top of my blog so I can easily direct people there. Sorry if it's long, but there's a lot to cover...

Number One - look at other entries on shows by the same editor. The best way to get something accepted is to see what editors have accepted before. Me or any other editor, look at what we've done in the past.

Number Two – the following applies to what I edit. Other editors may have different standards. I don’t argue with them about their stuff or tell them what to do, they grant me the same courtesy. See Number One above to figure out how they edit their submissions.

If you submit in the wrong category, I will reject and explain in Comments what the right category is. If you want to avoid a “bad mark” on your submission history, either check previous entries as above, or PM me first. I’m around.

As always, don’t use br or p HTML code. Don’t double-space between lines, either. It might look good in preview, but it messes things up when it gets approved.

Put your submission in the Submission box, not the Comments box. Readers won’t see anything you put in Comments, so putting an explanation there is useless. If it’s a new entry, “New Allusion/Note/Trivia” is sufficient as a Comment. If it’s a deletion or edit, explain in Comments and be very specific as to what you’re doing.

Remember to click on “More Allusions/Notes/Trivia.” Single-space after punctuation.

Base your submissions on your own viewing experience, rather then taking it from another site. We’ve seen most of those sites too, so if the material isn’t already here, we probably had a reason not to put it on. And if they get something wrong, us reposting it just perpetuates the error.

In my experience, initially the more you submit at one time, the more likely you are to put something in the wrong category, and the less comprehensive my explanation will be about why it’s being rejected. Making 50 submissions won’t impress me so take your time, focus on one episode, wait to see what I accept and reject, then move on to the next episode. Most people who read this are probably already familiar with my editorial “style,” so once we have a working relationship then is the time to submit more. Unfortunately, it’s the people who aren’t reading this who need to see it the most.

If I rejected once, submitting the same thing again isn't going to help you.

Show and movie titles are in italics. Episode titles are in quotation marks.

On to the specifics…

1) Allusions - An allusion is an indirect or passing reference to an existing form of media, be it to another TV program, a movie, a piece of music, or a book. Allusions are prevalent in television shows, and some shows, like The Family Guy, make exclusive use of this kind of humor. When submitting allusions, always credit the original media being referenced with as much detail as possible.

An allusion must be a reference. It also should be specific. Either the character should be specific (“This is something like Kafka’s Metamorphosis”!), it should be clear from context (a S.F. character who is a fan of Star Trek referencing a Star Trek quotation even if they don’t say “It’s from Star Trek”), or should be a pretty clear in-joke by the writers.

If you're not sure if it's an allusion, it isn't.

Format an allusion with a quote on the first line (following TV.com standards for quotes). Then hit Return or Enter on your keyboard. Then provide the explanation.

Believe it or not, some stuff predates an association with a particular show. If a show quotes a book but that quote also appeared in another TV show, the allusion is to the book (the “original media”), not the other show.

Be complete, and provide a bit of background on the reference. If a character says, “Just like that peanut farmer of a President,” you quoting the line and simply saying “Referencing Jimmy Carter” is not informative. Toss in a little background. No more then one paragraph or about 50 of your own words. Don’t cut-n-paste from other sites.

A show referring to something in its own history and previous episodes is not an Allusion – that’s simply internal continuity.

If they explain the allusion on screen and make a direct reference, then it’s not an allusion. Thus if a character on-screen explains about Jack the Ripper, and the plot is about Jack the Ripper, you don’t have to submit an allusion about Jack the Ripper.

Word definitions aren’t allusions, so please don't provide a definition of a word a character uses, no matter how obscure.

Allusions should...allude to something. A character named "Venus" does share a name with a planet and a Roman goddess and a statue. But if the character has nothing specific to do with any of these, and "Venus" is just...well, their name, you don't need to submit an allusion explaining Venus. Just because someone or something in a show shares a name with something historical doesn't mean the writers are trying to reference the latter.

Promotional materials aren’t part of the episode and thus shouldn’t be submitted as Allusions.

The writers “borrowing” a plot from another show isn’t an Allusion. If it was a plot on one show, it was probably a plot on a dozen others. So it’s not specific, either. If a character notes a similarity of their on-screen adventures to another show or book or movie, then it would be acceptable.

Allusions as noted are to media - books, TV, movies. You can find a lot of historical non-fiction stuff in books and TV and newspapers, though, and even Family Guy references historical events. So cultural and historical stuff is generally acceptable.

2) Trivia - Trivia is any small detail or goof that might not be known to people who view an episode. Trivia is attached at the episode level, not the show level. It should be specific to what aired in the episode and not deal with off-camera events, which should be submitted in the "notes" form. A car license-plate number is trivia, and a producer walking off the set is a note.

I’m putting Trivia first before Notes because it’s easier. If it deals with what you see on-screen and deals with the “reality” of the episode, it’s Trivia. Trivia can be “cross-platform” if the show is part of a franchise. Thus Stargate SG-1 Trivia that ties into Stargate: Atlantis is acceptable. Stuff across the various Star Trek series, ditto.

Trivia is not for plot points. Plot points aren’t small details, and the people who view an episode typically know them.

If you submit Trivia and you talk about actors or writers or background music choices or directing techniques...then you’ve strayed into Notes. None of that is on-screen. “On-screen” to me means the story and the setting and the “reality” of the episode itself. Characters don’t hear the background music or notice the lighting techniques.

Trivia should be significant or at least of some interest. Yep, this is highly subjective – that’s why us editors get paid the big bucks.

Do not submit “first appearance of”-type material unless it’s of huge significance. Any episode of any series features a first or last or hundredth of something – again, this would result in dozens of such entries per episode.

Internal continuity in general is expected and again, there are so many examples in shows these days that listing everyone would take dozens of entries. However, if the continuity is obscure and “trivial,” it may be accepted.

Trivia isn’t for pet theories or what used to (vaguely) be called Analysis over at TVTome. These categories are for facts, not opinions. Discuss it on the forums.

As confirmed by missribs, Trivia submissions aren’t for back-and-forth discussion. If you disagree with an existing entry, Edit it or mark it for Deletion, and explain in Comments what you’re doing. Keep in mind that entries were scrutinized carefully before being accepted, so your odds of winning an “argument” are pretty slim. But it happens.

3) Notes - Notes are off-camera tidbits about an episode. They should contain off-camera events that deal with a show's production. They should not deal with on-camera events or trivia.

Premieres, finales, etc., are stated in the episode lists and don't need to be submitted. As yo might notice, I'm a big fan of avoiding redundancy.

If it’s not Trivia as above, then it’s probably production-related and we’re into Notes.

Plot points aren’t Notes, either. Plot points go in the Recap. If there’s not a Recap, write one!

In general do not submit “best known as” Notes for guest stars. Everybody is “best known” for something, somewhere – we could have one of these for every guest star in an episode. Folks can click on the cast links at the top of the page if they want this info. If there’s some kind of direct in-joke to an actor’s previous role, then it would be a Note, yes.

Do not submit “similar to something on another show” Notes. There have been tens of thousands of episodes of different series in TV history – I assure you if it’s been done once, it’s been a dozen times somewhere. And then we’d have to provide dozens of such entries per episode.

DVD commentary is fair game but please write in your own words rather then cut-n-paste. Ditto cut scenes and such.

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Hope that all helps.

Okay, just to be clear, and hopefully get the news out to a wider audience, here's how it works if you're an editor.

If you're not an editor, us forum moderators won't take lock/pin requests on show forums from you. Contact the show editor to forward your request to us.

Hopefully this will all go away in a few weeks and you can pin & lock stuff yourselves. We'll see...

1) If you are an editor and want a thread on your show forum locked and/or pinned, use the moderation report pulldown. Report the first post in the thread. Use Strong, put in you're the editor, and ask us to pin and/or lock the first thread. We'll do it.

2) Exception - if you want to lock/pin your own thread, PM us. Currently you can't report your own threads.

3) At this time we can't unlock threads that are locked. Lock stuff with care.

4) If you are locking stuff on your forum for administrative purposes, as opposed to for TV.com forum/policy violations, we will re-mark it as Moderator Discretion - the person who created the first thread will not be penalized or have a mark on their permanent history.

5) If you don't want the thread there, or it shouldn't be there, mark it for deletion. Don't lock it.

6) Report violations of policy normally.

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Using the moderation system rather then PMing is the most reliable and expedient way to get your forum(s) moderated. Using the moderation system means that your request is going to all the moderators, with a better chance of someone acting on it quickly. Also, while the PM system has had its ups and downs, the moderation system has had occasional 1-to-2 minute bouts of blank-screening where you just have to keep trying, but to the best of my knowledge it has never gone down.

Hope that all helps.