And then explain it to us lowly idiots who just drive your paying members to the site?  

It's the craziest thing. Basically, any time I post asking for advice about a general area, even places to go on *vacation*, not for this, it gets removed and I'm told it's an "ad". However, time and again I see "oooo baby I'm coming to splash in the water June 28-30th, which hotel is closest to your house tehe!!" And "I'm retiring this summer, should I tell anyone or should I say goodbye first" Get left up. Some "thank for the trip!" Posts get left up, a LOT get taken down. Why is miss Bordeux saying "thanks for making me #1 on TER" more of an ad than "I'll be there next week and here is a bullshit question to make it look like that's not all I'm saying"?

Come on TER. Pick guidelines for what an ad is, publish a list of your favorites that can actually have something pulled, I don't really care, I'm just sick of the obvious favoritism and inconsistency.

on a certain day, and hosting availability, that's an ad.  Also posting a picture is considered an ad.

The samples of others you site are also ads, and by rights they should be treated as such.

Just saying thank you for something is not an ad, however.

...if you are the initiater of a thread you may not put a link to your info whether it's an ad site, web site, or your TER profile. It doesn't matter what the actual post is about. You may post that link in any subsequent replies you make to other posters.

I saw a legitimate post, though maybe bordering on an ad if you look at it in that light, get taken down this morning, while another blatant ad on the same board was left up. So, while we all may know and *try* to follow the rules, it is up to TER to not only enforce it, but do so in a manner that makes some sort of sense to those of us who are just trying to play by the rules.

I'm just saying. Allow them or don't. Don't jerk some of us around because y'all feel like being the big man (or woman) today, and then let half the blatant posts stay. It's like a slap in the face to those of us who are legitimate and avoid going the laziest route possible.

...this. Someone reports a post but doesn't see the other one so it stays while the reported one goes.

Just a thought.

But nope!! I wouldn't bitch about the rhyme or reason if I wasn't sure that there was none, lol! ;-p

I was in both threads and I agree with you, no clear reason and the op of the pulled did not repost.  
The threAD the op did not even respond to pm. SMH I just don't know.

the one that was left standing is CLEARLY much more an ad than the one that was removed.

Having said that, it doesn't surprise me at all.  There is a lot of randomness and arbitrary decision making here.  I know from personal experience that it's not easy running a board, and to some extent I'm empathetic / sympathetic to the difficulties involved.  However, I suspect there are different administrators with different ideas of what is okay, and what is not okay, because the amount of randomness here exceeds anything I've seen elsewhere.

I have attempted to post a new thread only to have it removed because it violated some TER forum rule. OK, I asked the TER admins what rule did my post violate?  

TER admins reply back with a VAGUE answer. Still not clear on exactly what my post violated.  

However, I see a similar style of post stay up... never to be removed... all the while, people are replying to the thread.  

In a nutshell... one can NEVER be certain of the TER forum rules. Yea, the rules are there in black and white, but never administered UNIFORMLY to all phases of TER's website.

The Forest Waits
 

And another one is up now. but I play along and no reporting. Post a real response.

I never report any post, but I do notice the ones that are particularly ad-like, and I don't comment on them.  I really don't think the one that was taken down (the thread I did comment on) was ad.  Hence why I understand this thread's OP's confusion.

in the "pulling" of posts and/or threads.

The first is that the process is driven by the RAP button. A few just troll for posts to RAP because they are worth 2 days free VIP. They don't troll consistently, and they may have other agendas as well. The idea is to find free days, not to help the boards.

The second is that when a post is reported, the Admins are all going to look at the RAP and the post itself differently. They may also not have the time to really look into a vague claim from a RAPrat.

I'd suggest changing the process so that when a RAPrat makes a claim about a post, the post author has an opportunity to rebut the claim. The admins currently only see a claim, not an entire case. Sounds like more work for Admins, but I have some thoughts that it could easily be expedited via automation in the RAP and feedback message processes. Admins still make the call, but they have more info to go on when they do so.

I would cut out the 2 days of VIP.  It's just too mercenary and an invitation for trolls to get rewarded for making trouble.

If an improper post isn't enough reason to report it, then it can't be that bad to start with.

How could a troll get rewarded? If someone reports a post that is within the posting guidelines, then it will stand, and no reward of VIP days will be given.

The reactive position of TER management on the boards necessitates the RAP function. The only way to abolish the RAP function is to have proactive moderators.  

PS: Without the 2 VIP credits there would be a loss of incentive to help keep the boards clean. While Panthera is one of the kindest and most charitable gentlemen on TER, I do like to be compensated for my wisdom and services rendered to a corporate entity  

-- Modified on 6/28/2014 1:11:14 PM

of late there have been too many examples of inconsistent and unfair TER removing of posts, etc.

I do agree with you about proactive moderators.  I'd love to see them return.  There was accountability and many few complaints back then.