Democratic Underground needs volunteers to serve as moderators!

[Skinner]

Please read this message carefully -- the moderator application process has changed. Failure to properly follow instructions will disqualify you to serve as a moderator.

The current moderator term ends soon, and we're looking for volunteers to help us out for the next term. DU is bigger and busier than ever and we're looking for dedicated people who have a little extra time on their hands.

The next moderator term will last three months, from the beginning of October until the Beginning of January. The term includes the holiday season!

Here are some things to bear in mind before you apply:

- Your political ideology is not important... We need centrists and leftists and everyone in between to serve as moderators.

- We prefer people who have been members for a while, and have made at least a few hundred posts. You must be at least 18 years old. You must have donated at least one time to Democratic Underground using your own name.

- You must be able to log on to DU regularly, and should not take any long vacations between now and the beginning of January.

- We prefer people with a generally positive outlook on life, who can be fair and evenhanded, and who don't get easily frustrated. If you sign up to moderate, we expect you to stay as a moderator for the full term. You must understand that it is perfectly normal for the admins to occasionally overturn your decisions, or to make specific requests regarding the manner in which you participate on DU while you are a moderator.

- We prefer that moderators avoid highly controversial topics, or at least moderate their behavior significantly when participating in such discussions. If you have a history of rhetorically hot postings on controversial issues, we may not choose you to serve.

- If you know that you aren't very good at controlling your behavior or your emotions, or if you know that you can't be fair to a particular group of people, please do not sign up to be a moderator. There is no obligation to serve as a mod, and we won't hold it against you if you choose not to.

Here's how to volunteer:

STEP 1: FILL OUT, SIGN, AND SNAIL MAIL THE MODERATOR CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT

IMPORTANT! If you mailed us the form three months ago, you will need to mail it again. The form was updated on August 26, 2005, and we need the most recent version from all of our moderators.

The moderator confidentiality agreement is here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/moderator_form.html

Double-check to make sure the page says "Updated August 26, 2005." That way you will know that you are looking at the correct form. If it doesn't say that, click reload/refresh on your browser to reload the page.

Fill it out and send it in to the address provided ASAP. We hope to receive completed forms from all applicants *before* the new moderator term begins on October 4, 2005 -- two weeks from today. If we do not receive your form before that date, we may not be able to give you access to the moderator forum at the beginning of the moderator term.

We will keep the moderator confidentiality agreement forms on file in our office, so once you mail us the form you will not have to send it again if you apply to serve in future terms. (This time, we promise.)

STEP 2: SEND US AN APPLICATION EMAIL WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION

Send an email to [e-mail] with the word "moderator" in the subject line. By volunteering to serve as a moderator, you are giving us permission to take all necessary measures to verify your identity. Include the following information:

- Your real name

- Your forum username

- Your address

- Your telephone number

- How much time you spend on Democratic Underground

- Which forums you'd like to moderate, or would not like to moderate (if you have a preference)

- A brief statement which generally outlines your political views

- Are you taking any extended vacations during the the next three months?

- Have you read, and do you agree to follow, the Message Board Rules and the Moderator Guidelines?

- Have you filled out, signed, and mailed the Moderator Confidentiality Agreement (Updated August 26, 2005)?

If you apply but are not selected this time, please don't be offended. We typically have a fairly large number of applicants, and we obviously can't pick everyone who applies.

We hope to select a new group of moderators on Tuesday evening, October 4, 2005. There will be a free conference call for the new moderators on the following night (Wednesday).

Skinner
DU Admin

[hwmnbn]

1. Damn.........

I was cool until that part about controlling my emotions and behavior.

What good is it to have supreme mod power if you can't wield it unscrupulously?

p.s. BTW, thanks to those mods who can. They've been doing a great job IMO.



edit to add ps

[dhinojosa]

2. Can I have golf trips with Tom Delay?

Schwing!

[cranston36]

3. Posting

Why not open up posting instead of keeping it so close? I have to search through topics that sort of seem like they might address the serious matter I want to address but have to stumble past junk like 'Will blowjobs be the undoing of another president?'

Here is an example of something I need to hunt a target for : (this process is not fair to me or to the people that might get an opportunity to read new things by different authors)

Did Ronald Regean really destroy Communism or did he just go into business with it?
Vladimir Putin showed up in Washington, DC recently to talk with the President.
What was he talking about? President Bush was talking about Hurricane Katrina while Putin did what he does best - he stood there with his mouth shut.
I have read that each day in Moscow over 14 people are hit by cars and that 300 pedestrians have been killed this year.
There is news that a sort of political party that features skin heads, white supremacy and Russian superiority is growing.
But what was Putin in the United States for?
Russia is one of the world’s largest oil exporters. On October 1st, 2005 the export duty on petroleum will be raised. Domestic Russian prices will not be effected.
Meanwhile back in Russia Putin has his own problems. He just recently attended a memorial service for the victims of the terrorist massacre in Beslan where over 150 children were murdered.
The former CEO of Yukos Mikhail Khodorkovsky is running for office from jail and Putin apparently arranged for his appeal to be denied early so that he can stuff him into the shadows.
There were reportedly 200 police officers sent to the court to guard against the businessman from escaping.
Vladimir Putin is more concerned about keeping his monopoly on power locked up than he is on protecting Russian children.
Sounds a bit like the problems we are having here in the U.S.

[Mojekearthe]

4. That is why....

...I loathe moderators....they are TOOO MODERATE!!!

Put someone who is NOT A LIEBERMAN to run ths show!!

[CrackpotAmerica]

5. Suppose I would really love to do it, but

I am going away for Thxgiving and possibly Xmas...

Shall I wait til the next opportunity arises?

Thx!

[weiser]

6. Although I've been around for years...

... I have too few post to put my self forward, I think..

There surely can be a shortage of moderator for DU.... I do hope they're screened properly though..