Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Bust my chops    
   
Bust means "punch" and chops means "mouth", so "to bust someone's chops" literally means to hit them in the mouth, but most of the time it means to give (someone) a hard time.

Don't bust my chops; I'm sick and tired of you calling me names.

harrass tease annoy bust your chops bust someone's chops

— Urban Dictionary

The term "busting chops" comes to mind many times these days as I read forum posts. Not that I'm entirely innocent of that kind of behavior but the frequency is working it's way up to a pitch that I think becomes deadly to online forums.

We have lots of "Braves" on the forum, but probably more "Chiefs" than we need or who can co-exist peacefully.

From the forum administrator's "Read First > Getting Started" message (http://www.shakuhachiforum.com/viewtopic.php?id=2) :

Respect other forum members

When posting to the forum, please be nice. Respectful, civil interaction and debate keeps us closer to the original purpose of a forum. Take the high road. Be kind to newcomers. If they ask questions that seem obvious, (or whose answers seem easy to find) cut them some slack. Many valued contributors started out this way. Treating newcomers kindly makes them more likely to turn into the valuable community members we all know and love.

Personal Disputes

These should never intrude on forum discussions or topics. These include personal attacks, business grievances, flame wars, etc. Heated debate or exchange between individuals should be handled privately. Please do not respond to posts of this nature. Even if your intentions are good, threads of this type only drag out the drama, and that's not an option here.

Whether you are just a member or whether you're a moderator or pro, insulting others on the forums just needs to be taboo, period. That includes calling people's input "stupid" or "foolish" or calling others "fools," idiots," "Nazi's," or "cry-babies." Once that's tolerated the gates are open. It's all downhill from there.

Finally, It isn't a democracy

While we care very much about what the members here like/dislike, please remember that the administrators have the final say. This is not a democracy, it is a benevolent dictatorship. We take this responsibility seriously. We work very hard to make this forum enjoyable and informative for as many people as we can, but it's impossible for us to please everyone about everything all the time. If we do something that you don't particularly like, please remember that all our decisions are carefully made based on what we feel contributes most to the greater good of the forum and ultimately the shakuhachi.

Personally I'd like to see the 'benevolent dictatorship' tighten up. I can't see any reason to have individual forum moderators. Aside from the "Ask the Pro" forum with its multitude of experts, I think individual forum moderation was an experiment that outlived its time. A good idea at the time, for certain, but it sets up moderators in positions where they might feel trapped into defending their turf of individual beliefs and theories and putting their own personal, professional or spiritual concerns ahead of the good of the forum as a whole.

Lastly, as much as I've enjoyed the Zen forums, I second (or third or fourth) the motion to not return there. Not that it's up to a democratic vote, because it isn't. Even eSanga can't keep the peace in their Zen forums. Tricycle magazine's online forum has been an "ex-Forum" for years now. Usenet and Google Groups Zen forums are a wreck. Let spinning dogs lie.

There's my twenty-five dollars worth.

Peace. -- Chris