Censorship and the Punters Lounge

[Guest cunniman]

I've been a member of the PL for over a year now. I've made over 650 posts in my time here, and hopefully one or two of these have been of value to other members. When I first became a member of the lounge there were only a few forums and people posted where they felt their post most suited and that was that. Now, we live in a different world - the world of the moderator Now when you make a post, you'd better make sure it's in the correct forum. And you'd better make sure you've read the "Guidelines for the PL". And Jesus you'd better not post your accy, even if you think it's worthwhile, or it will be deleted. Or if it's your first post and it's not up to scratch then you may well be castigated in front of everyone and you probably won't make another post again. And why should you? The number of first time posters who (in my opinion) have had a hard time just because they posted an accy or posted in the wrong forum here is unbelievable. Used to be there were loads of new posters every week. Now how many do you see coming on board? Take a scan through the various forums and count them. Exactly! On Wednesday I posted a new topic. A shite one, I agree, some pathetic joke about how crap England were and how they may be better off with Berti Vogts as a manager. But by Thursday, my post was deleted. Censored, if you like, by someone who knew better. And whilst I agree, my drunken post was probably justifiably consigned to the bin, I have to take issue with the overly heavy handed response of the mods around here recently. The rules are: 1. If you haven't read the rules then be prepared for a public baracking 2. If you post in the wrong forum then be prepared for a public baracking 3. If you post shite then be prepared for it to be deleted 4. If you post something that doesn't suit a mod then be pepared for it to be deleted. In the good old days of the lounge there were some fantasic debates (check out then classic discussion threads to see what I mean). Now these debates are killed off by mods or the threads are locked as if to protect us form some unseen evil whatever that might be. Well, I for one disagree with the way that the PL is going ("Post your British threads in the British forum", "Post your Euro threads in the Euro forum", "fuc k up and we'll publicly castigate you", "Say something that's outwith the rules and we'll delete you". fuc k the rules guys, surely the whole principle of this forum and the net is freedom of speech? No? No doubt this thread will end up being deleted or moved to the "General Complaints" forum, but in my opinion the lounge is becoming a little too serious for it's own good. Anyone else agree? P.S. I've posted this in the Britain forum because thats the forum I frequent the most. Any mod that feels the need to move it to the general bulshit forume please feel free to do so - it's been a while since I read the rules!!!!

[Guest Bookies Runner]

Re: Censorship and the Punters Lounge Cunniman Could not agree with you more mate, especially on the accies front. If people want to post a twenty team accy, so what?? I certainly would,nt follow, it nor would most people with any common sense. Having said that some people do these accies as speculative bets. Small stakes and huge returns, and they are mainly for fun, I have the odd five-timer myself now and again. It's the same with after the eventing. If some guy wants to come on here saying he has just won Five grand on a ten team accy, so what. It won't make a bit of difference to the selections I make The way I see it, there is a lot of Naiviety with new members. when it comes to betting, and they probably think that big accas is the way to go, they may even be right, although I doubt it What does concern me, is the way they are discouraged from posting these accas, because they don't back it up with analysis. speaking personally I would have to question the judgement of people who post these kind of bets, so would probably shy away from their analysis anyway But what does concern me is the number of members we have on this Forum (2,300). How many have posted a couple of times, and been scared off because what they have posted is against board etiquette. I take all posts with a pinch of salt. Can't see why everybody else can't do the same. Jim