# Please Do Explain Mods



## wineforfun (Mar 23, 2014)

There was a thread going yesterday from some guy(I assume by the username) that was asking about making wine from an energy drink. Now while a couple people responded with some "edgy" comments, there was nothing illegal being discussed, so why was the thread closed? The OP asked, what I thought was, an honest question and then got bombarded by some posts with what was morally correct, ie: great more drivers behind the wheel drinking stuff like this, how it was blackout in a can, etc.
I am always amazed at the directions some posts take. All he wanted to know was, if anyone had ever done this and if so, what were some tips and tricks. Also, one poster mentioned adding caffeine to the product if that is what he wanted. Caffeine was never mentioned or the issue, as far as I read, from the OP, he just wanted to mimic the "taste" of Monster, as he liked it.
Either respond here or PM me. Again, I am very curious to why this thread was closed or if this is going to be normal protocol from now on.
Thank you.


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## cpfan (Mar 23, 2014)

I didn't read this thread, but there was another one that got closed. The OP was quite reasonable. The responses were not.

This is usually a very friendly forum, but I guess, occasionally it isn't. 

Stvee


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## Julie (Mar 23, 2014)

D.J. it was an honest question but like Steve said a lot of answers that came back were not all that nice. Grapeman came on and warned exeryone but it seemed to be going south again.

I know it didn't seem to be that bad but threads go bad sooooo fast, normally we close it down before it goes there. It is not something that any of the mods want to do but sometimes we just have to. The last thing we want is to have a thread go so bad that there are bad feelings amongst the members. We try are best to stop anything before it gets to that point.

I know sometimes you all think we mods/admin are just a little too trigger happy but honestly, each of us mod's and admin's have had experience with how fast a thread can go bad.


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## grapeman (Mar 23, 2014)

Just for anyone that is wondering, I did not close the thread. I was willing to let it go a bit and see how things went. While I was gone offline, a couple more comments came in that was deemed as a bit confrontational so it was closed. We are trying to have a winemaking forum here, not a forum to see just what will ferment and what won't. As long as discussions remain civil, we let them go on to see how they proceed. Believe us when we say we don't like to close threads because when we do, it offends some and we get questions like this, or worse. If we let things turn into a free for all with people exchanging insults, the forum would lose it's generally friendly nature.


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## Pumpkinman (Mar 23, 2014)

I closed the thread, I had no problem with the original post or the member that posted it, I did feel however that since most of the replies were geared towards telling the OP how bad his idea was instead of encouraging the OP to experiment while taking into consideration the potential health risks that it was time to close the thread, it was not moving forward, it had become a pinata that most were taking a whack at, this is not fair to the OP not is it what I feel that WMT is or the image that we want to have, after the dozen or so flavors of the same replies toward the OP even after Grapeman, an Admin posted a verbal warning, in my opinion it was time to close it in fairness to the OP and his preference in wine.
It will only be normal protocol when a thread gets carried away and the thread becomes a negative thread instead of the decent helpful thread.
I hope that explains my motives.


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## WVMountaineerJack (Mar 24, 2014)

Couple of months ago I got my posts deleted simply for asking newbies to use a hydrometer because it was not in agreement with the OP who didnt seem to understand a forum if for discussion and not One Way or the Highway! WVMJ


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## wineforfun (Mar 24, 2014)

Ok, fair enough. I just couldn't figure out why as OP, in my opinion, asked a genuine question. 
And I did notice, as with alot of threads on here and other forums, people read what they want or use the thread as their soapbox.

I do understand how threads go wrong as I have been a member of numerous weightlifting boards where 15 posts in, you had no idea what the original question/issue was.


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## peaches9324 (Mar 24, 2014)

WVMountaineerJack said:


> Couple of months ago I got my posts deleted simply for asking newbies to use a hydrometer because it was not in agreement with the OP who didnt seem to understand a forum if for discussion and not One Way or the Highway! WVMJ


 


I myself would rather have some of that valuable info ... legal ramifications and before that was said, said that we doubted it would work we also gave him other instances .. recipes he could follow and I got a not so nice response to my post but I brushed it off! And that wasn't the first time I had gotten a not so nice reply I tend to think it's the new generation.. no respect for experience and the reason I think its the new generation is because it's just lately that a mod has to come in and say "play nice". I rather be told about the problems that might come about then be led on to believe something that I have no control over And why not weed out the bad comments and delete only them? And post a warning. This is a wine making forum. and to know how to use a hydrometer and when is the most important thing in winemaking as long as it's done in a nice informative way. I recently read a post where the poster was belittling the newbie and I felt sorry for the newbie! Can't remember who it was. I have replied to threads then after reading them after the fact thought to myself "I hope they don't take this personally" Because this is a forum and we must be able to post our opinions on topic


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## GreginND (Mar 24, 2014)

peaches9324 said:


> And why not weed out the bad comments and delete only them? And post a warning.



I came late to the thread after it was locked so I didn't see everything.

I know one warning was given to the thread before it was locked. I tend not to second guess the mods as their job is hard. I assumed there must have been some nasty posts deleted that I didn't get to see to cause the thread to be locked. If not I do think this may have jumped the gun a little bit. But, again, the mods have to make a judgement before it gets out of hand. Mods DO delete bad comments and often we don't see the bigger picture.

It is a very fine line between going a little off the specific question that an OP asks and shifting the thread negative.

I think it should be ok to post information and even opinion on when we see things as potentially dangerous or not producing the outcome the OP was looking for - even if they didn't ask for that specifically. As long as it is congenial and not arrogant.

When it crosses the line of taking over and becoming personal, spiteful and really negative I think a thread should be shut down.


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## GaDawg (Mar 24, 2014)

I think the Mods do a Great Job.....THANK YOU


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## peaches9324 (Mar 24, 2014)

GreginND said:


> I came late to the thread after it was locked so I didn't see everything.
> 
> I know one warning was given to the thread before it was locked. I tend not to second guess the mods as their job is hard. I assumed there must have been some nasty posts deleted that I didn't get to see to cause the thread to be locked. If not I do think this may have jumped the gun a little bit. But, again, the mods have to make a judgement before it gets out of hand. Mods DO delete bad comments and often we don't see the bigger picture.
> 
> ...



I know the mods have a tough job and I probably didn't see the last couple post either but to say we weren't encouraging him to make something = to a black out drink this is a winemaking forum not a "lets see who can handle this experiment" I for one am glad its closed because it is a dangerous drink he was going for! Good job mods!


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## wineforfun (Mar 24, 2014)

peaches,
This is one of the things I was talking about.....your response.

So, some time ago, someone posted about making a Mountain Dew wine. This would be equivalent to what the OP was asking. Also, as was mentioned before, check what a Red Bull/Vodka is. It is much higher ABV than what OP was inquiring about along with the caffeine.

I guess what bothered me with this was that the OP was just asking for some advice or if anyone had done what he was inquiring about before, not a lesson on what happens when A. gets mixed with B. or what is "supposedly" morally correct. 

Also, I never said the mods were doing an inferior job or questioned their ability, I just asked for an explanation, which I was given. Yes, this is a very well run board. As I mentioned, I have been on many forums, alot of which are not near as cordial as this one.

I will step away from this thread now. Julie, Tom, etc. answered my original question. Thank you.


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## Wade E (Mar 24, 2014)

Yes we closed and yeah you guys dont see 1/3rd of the crap that gets posted here unfortunately as you all would be throwing your fists up and duking it out! Like said above we dont like to run this place like a concentration camp but some members just cant seem to bite their tongue and spit out info thats so inappropriate that it gets everyone going and once thats done it becomes a very steep slope down that cant be stopped with eliminating it.


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## tonyt (Mar 29, 2014)

The Great Oz has spoken. Let's all lighten up now y'all. WE is lightyears ahead of other wine forums in information and camaraderie. Thanks folks.


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## Runningwolf (Mar 29, 2014)

Thanks Tony, well said.


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