That has been done before a couple of times.

As to the sandcastle metaphor, I like it. And I guess most of us have shown our inner child off once or twice around here by stomping all over someone else's sandcastle.

It's just the way the cookie crumbles.

You can kill a thread... until someone responds to it. Then it's not yours any more, it's owned by everyone that has posted. I learned the hard way, if you kill the first post, you kill the thread.

I had someone PM me to kill a thread because it wasn't getting any response. Why? Sometimes a thread will sit for a long time with one or two responses, then suddenly take off. Often on a tangent but what difference does it make?

It is not "your" thread just because you started it, therefore it's not your duty or responsibility to babysit a thread that's drifted in a direction that doesn't interest you. In addition, it's not your fault just because you started it. You are not to blame if someone misbehaves in that thread.

Wind 'er up and let 'er go... you can follow or wave bye-bye, but that's it

I highly disagree. I think if you (someone, anyone) start a thread, then decide you don't like it after people have begun to post, you should edit your original post to say something like "I changed my mind about this thread so I'm deleting my parts of it." Then, delete your parts of it after the first post. By deleteing entire threads, you are stealing from the rest of us IMHO.

Better yet, don't start threads unless you really care about the topic and are willing to let them go where they will.

Start your own message board and moderate it the way you want. Or Blog away on Myspace, but don't burn down the whole house cuz the cat pissed in the houseplants.

Too many rules, too much moderation, these are the things that KILL a community. The Cellar is the porridge that is "just right" ...

LabRat, I think your comments were a little harsh to me when I was merely stating my opinin. I don't expect other people to agree with me, and I certainly wasn't demanding that any action be taken.

Your comments about editing the posts only are useful, but not a solution if a thread blows up in one's face. Remember that "the Internet is forever" and I think people ought to be able to have some control over their own threads. This is an opinion formed after many years on forums, but again, I really don't expect this to be a majority opinion.

I think your idea is worth of mockery and violent opposition, until you are shamed into admitting your wrongness. But that's just me.

I was not referring to you, Cloud, hence the (someone anyone) part. Sorry if that was unclear. Please ask me, don't assume something if I am unclear.

I was also stating MY opinion, hence the IMHO part.

Please define how a thread would blow up in one's face such that you, Cloud, would feel the need to delete it. Thanks.

I'm curious about that as well.

sorry, no. I don't want to define it. I can't. It's personal for each person. I just know it when it happens to me.

Maybe she's thinking of the "Do you own a gun" thread.

You mean "the thread which shall not be named"...:p

The community is stronger than the sum of it's parts. By participating, you acknowledge your acceptance the good parts and the bad parts.

Nothing that happens here happens "to you" ...

[saccharine]If you love it set it free. If it comes back it was meant to be.[/saccharine]

Tubgirl might fall into this category. no wait.....not a thread ...bad monster spoiling everyone's lunch :D (well brekky for them down under)

Absolutely not, "your" thread. Other peoples posts are not your fault, not your responsibility, not your property.

If you make a post , whether it be the first or twenty-first, in a thread, and change your mind, simply make another post saying so.

Cellar moderators are not conductors to lead the discussion, nor censors to hover over the discussions. They are the janitors with the wheelbarrow and shovel that follow the elephants.
We like it that way.