I want to offer my sincerest apologies for anything I said last night that may have come across as offensive to anyone, particularly those in power -- and especially Torgo. My sentiments were not meant insultingly but rather as a questioning of authority on the grounds of the information I had been presented with at that moment, as well as some preconceived notions I held beforehand.
Jess is absolutely right about bringing matters such as these to the attention of moderators first, especially those with tight connections to forum admins. However, I do think discussions like these can be healthy for us. We all have differences in opinion, and from time to time, a bit of checks and balances isn't a terribly bad idea -- if just to ensure that things continue to be run as they should and that everyone is on the same page.
With regard to the current state of affairs regarding moderators here, I do think it's time the powers that be look into evaluating the 'who does what' and what powers should be handed out. While this doesn't necessarily relate to the present discussion, I still believe the primary mods (Jess, CU, Steve -- and to a lesser extent these days, Army and Alfonso) should be given the power to ban members, at least on a temporary basis until an admin is able to make the final decision.
On the admin side of things, it's no secret that Marc and John really aren't doing much more than keeping the lights on around here. The only true admin is Chelsea. I think it's time to consider adding another admin to help keep things in line, and if it were up to me, I'd offer the job to Gavazzi. His dedication to the site over the years is almost second to none, and I think he would be perfect for the role. That would give us two admins (in addition to Marc and John) overseeing the site, and I can't see that being a bad thing as time wears on.
Also, I mentioned that Army and Alfonso really aren't all that active anymore, so essentially, we only have three "global," or whatever you want to it, moderators. I'd like to see at least two more added to the list. I believe there are a host of excellent members to choose from, so making a selection shouldn't be too cumbersome. I will add that new mods probably shouldn't get the ability to ban right away, should that power ever come to fruition -- but for the other roles, I believe it's time we add a couple more people to the mix.
These are just my throughts, and I again, I do apologize for anything I said last night that came across as less than reputable to some.