Well I certainly don't expect specific timing but the question also had a sliver of rhetoric in it; I suppose it might be my viewpoint as a forumite as opposed to a mod but I never saw anything about this shift, and I don't think I'm alone either. I can understand trying to rein it in but all that's been done is Fifth is demoted for doing said actions and now Archbio has an infraction and Bells is taking a vacation. It seemed really abrupt and there wasn't much explanation to the users.

Most of that paragraph is kind of moot at this point, though, as this --
-- makes me feel better about it.

Oh, for fuck's sake!
I'm gone for one week, and what happens?
Social upheaval, that's what happens! The one opportunity I might have had to overthrow the current ruling body and create my own flegeling internet empire! The one opportunity for major social revolution, for temporary anarchy and mob rule, followed by iron-fisted dictatorship! But noooo, I'm gone when it happens, and by the time I get back it's all boiled down to reforms. I wanted guillotine beheadings! Goddammit.

Also, yeah, the fifthfiend shit is pretty freaky too. But there's been what must be in excess of 10000 words on that (Achievement unlocked: Collectively write the equivalent of a small novel due to an admin losing his position), so my modest contribution would be near-irrelevant at best. Besides, it's been explained, the method has been apologised for and, while I don't agree with the decision, it's obvious that this is, in fact, not an arbitrary dictatorship (yet), and while we're each entitled to our opinions on Fifthfiend's worthiness, the difference is that my name isn't in bold italics (yet).

I'm disappointed about what happened, but I've been distracted with my Sam growing molars, finding a full-time job, trying to write, babysitting my sister's kids for free, and other issues. It reminds me of what happened to Adrian Pasdar, formerly of Heroes.

At the end of the day, though, we're still like a family...a bizarre online family, but a family just the same.

If we're a family, I'm putting the number for the Domestic Violence Hotline on speed dial.

Can't add numbers with a broken arm Seil >=3

Can I have a puppy then?

I bags drunken wierd uncle that only gets invited out of a sense of obligation.

You trying to pick a fight, Smarty? You can't even spell "weird," what would you know about the crippling depression that comes from having your family interact with you solely out of obligation because you're a man-child who's going nowhere when your other siblings were married by your age?

Wait, you're a grad-student or a researcher, right? Guess you would know. Sadness fist-bump.

Wait?

THAT'S what he was saying?

Shit man, I couldn't understand a word of that. I thought the spirit of cthulu possessed him or something. I was all like "I" ok, get that... "Bags" What? "I bags" What?

And then I just shook my head and walked away.

I though it meant he was going to have sex with the uncle.