Let's straighten some things out:- 1. Yes, I am highly convinced Derpy Hooves did leave because of Flash's return. He made the call to fire Flash so he felt undermined or disrespected by his rehirement. It is my deepest, darkest regret, one I hold to this day. EP didn't just lose a good admin, it lost a good member and I lost a good friend. 2. All current staff at the time voted, some said yes, some said they don't care and some said no. The majority said yes, perhaps if those who didn't give a straight answer had spoken up Flash wouldn't be back but I assure you it wasn't Foxy's decision alone. It. Was. Down. To. Majority. Vote. 3. Yes Flash's conduct was disgraceful. I won't deny that, however I do believe everyone deserves a chance for redemption and in fact to be fair, Oatmeal, your own departure from the Staff wasn't exactly sweet. But that was a long time ago and I won't hold it against you, much like I'd expect you all to not hold the past against Flash. 4. I CAN see where your coming from, a relationship of their type is problematic and yes it is prone to bias. I've already expressed my own displeasure to Foxy about how it's resulting in us losing two staff at the same time when they take a vacation. Not to mention this vacation is the result of strife within the relationship, so it's affecting the site, negatively. However, this relationship formed AFTER both joined the staff, so I'm sympathetic. You can't fire two people for being in love much like you can't fire one over the other, just because of their feelings for one another. If you believe you can, then sorry but we'll have to agree to disagree. In conclusion, if you have PRESENT dispute with Floxy or Flash, we'll listen and investigate accusations as necessary and take actions if we deem them appropriate, however I will not condone a firing in response to something that happened months ago and has not been appealed against since.
Yay, storytime! Ooh, this story... I didn't like this one much. Perhaps it's the way you tell it? Oh boy, this is quite the claim. Perhaps you have an example or two to back this up? If I am reading this correctly, this means I'd hold back punishing Flash and reward him inappropriately, correct? A quick talk with Grey (at his discretion) would prove this isn't the case. Moderation of a chatroom or forum isn't the only thing we look for in staff. I'd be the first to admit that when it comes to dealing with the community, Flash's past hasn't exactly been stellar, but that's not his job. His job is to DJ and to broadcast for the radio, something he does very well. If you ask the staff at the time, I asked all but one (which I'll get into later) and over half said a direct 'yes' to it. I thought that meant it was fine. It was only after it happened that I learned people were hesitant to make comment to it, and for that I am deeply disappointed in myself. I didn't take the time to dig deeper and find this out before it was too late, and the fact the staff felt intimidated makes me feel even worse when I try to be as approachable and friendly as possible makes me feel even worse. As for Derpy, he was a very close friend of mine, so I'll say one thing and leave it at that. If I knew my actions would have caused what it did, I'd take it back in a heartbeat. Couldn't have put it better myself. In my time as head admin, I've learned quite a lot about the staff, myself and the site. I want to make it clear that in every single decision I make for the site, it's in the site's best interest. Ask any staff member and they will testify to that, and if not, then clearly I've not been doing my job well enough. Yes, Flash and I are in love, but even he knows that in a site decision, everypony is the most important thing. When I first became admin and made those first decisions, I didn't know what Grey or Derpy had to put up with and consider in their roles, but now I do and I've taken every measure I can to remain objective in as many decisions as possible. I hope my more recent decisions and future decisions will reflect that. Breaks? Pfft, I'm married to this site it seems. I hope Flashie doesn't get jealous. >.> ~Foxytail
I mean no disrespect in my replies. How would you tell it? Admittedly. I do Foxy. Though Saik doesn't due to him not being former staff. From what I'm reading, he's saying that using your influence, you could be possibly doing it now to lesson his punishment, though not reward him. Like if he was going to get permabanned, but then you used your influence to only make it a 2 week ban. Although that isn't his job, that's no excuse for him to able to act that way. Just doing your job isn't enough in EP or EPR. You said so yourself in your first sentence. There's a reason people don't hire jerks. (Not saying Flash is one) That last part: You admit that there was a problem with the intimidation and if it wasn't for that, then the outcome would have been different? As for Derpy. It's not too late. Though it might be. He has left and may or may not come back. When you made that decision, you attacked the chain of command. You not only attacked his pride, but the integrity of the roles of mods and admins as well. I have one question for this statement. Flash was fired. He was gone. So you then decided to go against the previous decision of his termination behind Derpy's back, knowing fully that he wasn't there to have a say, and then get Flash back. Does this sound about right and does it sound like you used your influence to get Flash back? I mean no offence Foxy, and I really do mean that; but Flash has to speak up for himself on this one. If you want to make a non-biased opinion on the topic, then you can't defend him. You can defend yourself, but Flash needs to speak for himself. If you intervene, then that only proves Saik's point even more on the influence you two have with one another. And based off of what you said. (granted I'm NOT telling you to use this to get me back on) If I said I wanted to come back, and a vote was cast, and the majority said I could come back, I could come back or in the case for the community; if I started a poll to see if I could be back on? (The difference here is that I left on my own accord, and I left because a few things started coming up and happening. So I became too busy, but now I'm able to work and do my job yet again. Which is a MUCH more lighter reason as to why I was gone) I'd have the right to come back?
I have a correction to make on this one, Derpy himself knew that the decision of bringing me back was to be made. I even talked to himself about it and he was considering it. The reason why Foxy made the decision in the end, is that Derpy kept on delaying it, promising to give straight answers "within a week" then "within two" and so on and so on. In the end, he didn't.He never gave a straight answer on the subject, he never said yes, he never said no. Foxy eventually did take it on himself to make the decision in the boundries of what he stated above. Theoretically speaking, yes. There is a rule that says "Within one week of a staff member leaving, they have the right to return without stating any reasons as to why they want back. After this one week, they have to go through the same application process as anyone else." So if you wanted back, you could by simply applying again. I'm sure we wouldn't have much discussing to do to make a decision on that one. Anyway, just so to make this clear, that is what I did as well. Even though I was fired I didn't just go and tell Foxy "Bring me back nao!!!!". I re-applied just like anyone else would have. And as Foxy said, it was discussed like it would have with anyone else. As to what's caused my firing, yes I bucked up. I am well aware of that. I know what happened back then was a very very bad idea (for the sake of not triggering the swear filter) and I am sorry I handled it the way I did. Foxy, Derpy, Grey and everyone else involved in the process know that. It was decided that I was given a second chance and i have been doing my job which, as Foxy stated, is to DJ and broadcast for the radio, in the best way I can. If anyone had a problem with it, they had the chance to raise their voice. Thy didn't, for their own reasons. And since this all has happened, as Grey already said, months ago, that chapter is closed for me and will remain so. - Flash
Why exactly do you feel the decision -wasn't- appealed, Grey? It's not like the community knew about what was going on. Hell, none of us knew what happened until ~3 days ago. You could bet your flank I would have said something if I knew anything about it. Also, what Oatmeal said. Might I also point out that ePONY and Cyber's relationship started after they became staff, and it took me ~1 month or so to actually say ANYTHING about the problems that HE had. And yet, even though their relationship was started after they became staff, it was a source of concern for the mods from what I could tell on Skype, as well. Like I said. At the time, the decision was biased and right now decisions are being biased. For the integrity of the site, if not for the bias the relationship creates, then do it for the fact that he is extremely disrespectful to those around him AND for the fact that ever since he was re-hired, problems starting arrising yet again. Almost all of the staff I've talked to agree that immediately after the relationship started, they knew something was going down. That something has already passed, late, but already passed. Now is the time to judge for that action. And, for clarification, not once did I say I want both mods fired. I only ask for Flash's removal. And a 'current dispute' is what caused this in the first place. He never participated in the punishment delegation nor gave any thoughts during our meeting on what to do with ePONY. This leaves him little to no room to talk about that.
You are well aware that that post has already been removed and been dealt with. And just as I have not participated in the ePONY discussion, you were not involved in mine. Therefore, by your own logic, what gives you room to talk about that? And just for clarification, my opinions on the subject have in fact been brought up and have been accounted for. Just because you didn't get to see that, doesn't mean it hasn't happened.
I was actually unaware of the severity of Epony and Cyber's relationship until the incident hit. No one noticed that Flash was fired and rehired? I find that hard to believe. I'll talk to Flash and Foxy when I get home (3hrs?) - If anyone else wishes to support one side or the other you may also add me on skype or send me a PM. Saikyo we should talk too. This needs to end now, one way or another. It's upsetting to see all this strife, all these accusations and arguments.
Because as the person making the claim, I have every right to talk about an issue that I myself bring up. You are a constant source of common alienation from the site. That much I have an inkling is true. Not to mention instead of talking to me about it, as you should have, you proceeded to remove me from Skype. I couldn't really bring this up in private then, now could I have? @Grey, we shall. I'm home today. Also, mods can re-apply. Nobody is going to question something if you have the ability to re-apply for a job here. That's what swayed my concern in a different direction at the time. There is, of course, nothing wrong with a mod getting his job back after re-applying. Nobody would question that. But if they knew the circumstances behind it, it would so much as spark a single question. A single question is all that is needed to have an opinion.
Grey, as much as I was hoping to not have to post here again, I must. Derpy had left for a multitude of reasons, all of which he has every right to keep personal and tell to who he trusts with the information. Though you may be "highly convinced" Derpy left due to Flash, please know that Flash was only a small part of a larger picture. It's not my right to speak of his reasons for leaving. And yes, he may have delayed a response, but I can tell you that his distance was well warranted. Derpy left for a collective of reasons, not just one alone. Even though I cannot speak of his reasons, please trust that only a couple of the reasons had to do with Flash, but the rest was something else entirely. On the note of Flash, I've said my part and spoken with Flash myself. I do want to apologize to the site for having a case of "new staff syndrome" where I was new to the staff at the time, and was fearful of an authority figure - a boss. I'm very blunt about things but also very timid in regards to others, and unfortunately I chose to be timid. So please forgive me. The only thing I had said was "What with members think of us hiring him back after so short a time of him being /fired/?" I should have said more, and I'm sorry for not doing that. Perhaps, had I brought up some more things that were relevant at the time of his possible re-hiring, things could have gone a different way.
New Staff Syndrome is common. I had it quite a lot and had to make it quite clear that if people had a problem with us to tell us on a site I ran. It's why I left that site, too, Ironically.
I'd rather not discuss Derpy's departure, but thanks, Harley. Leaving work in 30.. Home in about 90-120
I have to agree with Saikyo here. And I shall say no more, because, in my mind, I seriously have no desire in turning this place into a 100% full-on democracy.
If you do want to discuss it, perhaps ask Derpy himself one day. ^_^ <3 Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2
Ok, started to read this got half way and gave up. You lot are a bunch of children end of. This is not a company, its a Community. and it is full of its little groups. Stop trying to drill holes in the bottom of it so it sinks.
Sites been on a downward spiral since November, Stain. The holes are already drilled, now the boat slowly sinks... unless a repairman/men can fix the holes before too much water gets in it.
Dictatorship forums = 4Chan So no. I'd rather this community enjoy the site rather than be banned over some stupid thing.
