MR's viewer rating?

[momof6kids]

Before you all start yelling at who voted to keep it G. It was me. I could easily go PG or maybe PG13 but I have been concerned lately about the content of the posts. So I voted G to make a point. And no, I didn't do anything to start this discussion. As a mom of 6 kids who home schools (so my kids are here even during the day), I find lately that I have to look over my shoulder to see who is around. Not a habit I want my kids to see or emulate. And if I wait to go on till later at night after the youngest ones are in bed, I still have a teenager to look out for and I miss all the great deals.
; P

If I watch an R rated movie, that is my choice and I expect to see and hear things that I would not allow my 7 or 9 year old to see or hear. And I would watch it first before I decided if my 14 year old could watch it. My 19, 21 and 23 year old as adults make that decision for themselves.

I voted rated R, because most reefers seem to be older than 13. But at the same time, on a website about fish, rocks and sand, there's few occasions where someone would need to curse unedited (tank cracked, leaked, crashed, etc).

Dean

How much reason is there to curse about fish??? We just got more side talk than fish talk going on =\ :banghead:

: ) I think it is great that you all are friends and talk to each other about everything. But honestly, I don't need to hear about your love life (or lack of it, sorry) when I am trying to learn more about reefs or find new acquisitions for my tank. Talk about it in the Nubibar or privately but, when it is there in Latest Forum topics; it is there for all to see.

What if your daughter was looking at the site to find you a birthday present? (not that I know how old your child is, but you get my point) Would you like someone else's kid to be subjected to the same language you use on here?

BC

My daughter wants to get us a new fish or coral for our anniversary (26 years) and this could have very easily happened.

I think this site should be PG-13.

Tanks are generally kept in living rooms and dens, they promote discussion and interest in all ages of family members. Although many people consider it an addiction, it is still just a hobby. I know a few people on this board that have brought their children to events, and I am sure they would want everyone to feel comfortable accessing and reading the great content we have to offer. Plus, there are about a million other sites where cursing and profanity are the norm, I don't see why this site should have to fill that part of your web surfing experience, thats just not the point of the site, and everyone here thus far understands that.

That being said, a random curse word to express emotion SHOULD be a part of normal dialog. I don't think you need to do "&%$" or anything like that, as long as you aren't cursing in every post and without reason.

</$.02>

I agree with most of this. But, I am beginning to think it IS an addiction. Hello, my name is ________, and I have an addiction. ; )

I think you guys are great and know a lot more about reef tanks than I will for a very long time. You all have so much to offer. Even Kris, who has a lot of nickels to spend. ; )

 

[DRZL]

So as I see it, your no longer talkng about cursing but contents of coversations,which I think is an offshoot to this thread.

Personally I dont get whats wrong w/ being open about things.

They are things normal everyday conversations that happen in the "real" world all the time. Maybe sometimes I dont want to talk just fish, whats so wrong with that?

By the number of your posts its not like you are involved in much of the discussions here anyway, thus have less social capital involved than some of us do IMO. People will be people, not full-time scientists, we ARE a resource for marine education and that has not changed. If you dont like a thread, skip it, I see you have not skipped my "romantically challenged thread" , is that my fault? or anyones that commented on it?

I feel this pushes into how overprotective or OCD a particular person is. I have a friend who was home-schooled and his mother didnt want him to see PG-13 movie until he was 19. Girls until he was 21. IMO she was the one w/ the skewed outlook.

If you want the monotony of straight facts, have a converstaion w/ Randy Holmes Farley, the resident chemist at RC. He's pretty G rated

 

[aaron]

I second what DRZL says, The thing that makes MR great is that its more than just a posting of reef advice, its a gathering of people with a unifying interest in SW aquariums and along with that is all the other things that they bring to the group, be it interest in electronics, biological pathogens, or hotted up BMW's. I think one of the best theads posted on this site was the one started by Jhale about what everyone else did besides reef tanks - it was about 20 pages long.
If your looking for reef advice why would you click on a thread titled "Romantically challenged" ????
Having said that I think this site should be for everyone but i dont think we should compromise the social club like atmosphere that makes this site so great. Rampant swearing is one thing but dating advice is an integral part of this site.

 

[Reef Guy]

Like I said before...why not keep the site G rates except for the Nudibar which will pretty much be anything goes with discretion of course. This is pretty much an "adult" fourm isnt it? I htought the youngest person on here was Kris. If you think you might be offended by something in a post named "Romantically challenged" like Aaron and Drlz said why click on it and read it page by page knowing you will find something or perhaps the entire thread offensive.

 

[jenniebutterfly]

i voted anything goes. but thats because i am not easily offended. i do not think saying F!%* (or anything vulgar) is needed, but saying ****, *****, ass, is fine as long as it is not directed at someone, and bashing someone is also inappropriate. again i feel that if you think the topic does not pertain to something you want to read, don't click on it. we have the freedom to ignore things we do not want to read. for the most part, people in this hobby are adults, and children mature enough to go online and learn about it, are most likely exposed to the basic curse words daily. i know my 4 yr old hears them once in a while (damn taxis) yet he does not say them. for the most part, kids will say these words to their friend. again, as long as they are not directed to someone i think they are fine

 

[marrone]

i voted anything goes. but thats because i am not easily offended. i do not think saying F!%* (or anything vulgar) is needed, but saying ****, *****, ass, is fine as long as it is not directed at someone, and bashing someone is also inappropriate. again i feel that if you think the topic does not pertain to something you want to read, don't click on it. we have the freedom to ignore things we do not want to read. for the most part, people in this hobby are adults, and children mature enough to go online and learn about it, are most likely exposed to the basic curse words daily. i know my 4 yr old hears them once in a while (damn taxis) yet he does not say them. for the most part, kids will say these words to their friend. again, as long as they are not directed to someone i think they are fine

My same feeling here as long as it not directed at some one there really shouldn't be a big deal. Considering that the only thread that seem to have them are in the Nui-bar and wasn't that what it was setup for to have off reef type topics.

Everyone here is adult and have seen and heard this words all the time, as have most kids, and if they're keep in content of the thread shouldn't be a problem.

But hey lets Disneyize Manhattan Reefs like we do with every thing nowadays.

 

[jenniebutterfly]

lol marrone "disneyize" i like that. i mean really, most things do not bother me. i am not worried about my child sitting around seeing what i am reading. if i know it might be bad for him to see, i won't click the topic if he is on my lap. when i want to sit and do my thing on the computer he knows to go play while i am online. so really kids seeing a "bad word" on the screen should not bother people as long as they raised their kids to know that it is something they should not say. (please don't take that last statement wrong anyone. it was not aimed toward anybody, just a general statement)

 

[Vic8361]

pg 13 for me. A good safe place for reef keepers to learn and share with one another no matter what the age is.

Vic

 

[joseney21]

well, i said R, then pg 13, now i'm thinking more towards anything goes...lol. if underage kids are browsing the internet it should be with adult supervision, the extent depending on the age.most kids know alot these days, they probably already know what you don't want them to know, and as jennie pointed out they just don't say it around parents- they do it around friends.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

See I vote for anything goes. Just because we are rational adults who should know what is or is not right to post. We're talking about an Aquarist website not a porno website so one would think that aside from some off topic (clean) threads that everything should be about fishy things. Oh well EOL (end of lecture)

 

[momof6kids]

Just got back after being away?.I am very sorry if I stepped on any toes; please believe me DRZL when I say I was not alluding to a specific post. I was speaking in general of some of the topics that have been listed.

I have referred many people to Manhattan Reefs as a great place to be, where the people are friends as well as fellow hobbyists. Am I personally interested in some of your topics? No. Am I only interested in the things about reefs? No. I agree that jhale?s post about other hobbies was great. I read it and feel that I learned more about each individual person.

But, I am concerned about the rise that I have seen in the cursing and the title (content) of the posts. Please remember that this is a public forum. And people do have it up in their family rooms where children can see. If that makes me overprotective because I don?t want my 7 or 9-year-old reading words that they know we don?t want them saying then I guess I am overprotective.

 

[jhale]

Here is the perspective from the moderators pov.
A few of us spoke about this over the weekend

We have to balance what everyone has said here and keep the site a place that everyone enjoys.

It is obvious that we do not have strict rules like RC, so I think complaining that we are trying to censor anyone is unfair to us.

So far the only posts that have been deleted have been ones where someone was personally attacked. This behavior will not be tolerated and is the one thing that will get the attention of the moderators faster than anything else.

other than that I trust everyone to know where the "line" is as far as posting. There really have not been many instances when anything would need to be edited so far. We are all adults and I trust people to not curse like you would in a bar with your friends.

As for OT threads concerning personal matters that is what the nudibar was formed for. The one thing that makes Manhattan Reefs special (to me at least) is the personal nature of the site. As others, I've met many people here and consider them to be good friends now. It's normal then to seek advice from friends and share stories.
Within these threads we won't block anything except graphic sexual or remotely racist posts. Just please continue to watch the cursing.

We only ask that you just think about what your writing before hitting the send button, this will make our jobs here much easier.

thanks,

Jonathan

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

So in a nutshell acting like mature adults here, like we all try to, is the way to go. and if you need to attack someone we can start a server for counterstrike source and attack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL 32 going on 13 here sorry LOL :knockedou