Revised Community Guidelines

In order to address the upswing in popularity of The Dreamshake from developments over the last couple of years and a fundamental shift in the community and behaviors. It is necessary to update the guidelines for posting at The Dreamshake. These rules are written in a conversational manner because we're expecting that we can all behave like adults, not like the moderators have to babysit everyone. We're a community and we're only as good as we ask ourselves to be.

The Basics

-       If you feel the need to swear you should feel the need to be witty about it. We don't require a waiting period or review process for comments for a reason. We won't ban for swearing because we persist in the belief that you don't need a babysitter. Don't prove us wrong.

-       Leave personal attacks out of it. If you hate the opinion, talk about the opinion. If the poster gets you upset, it's the Internet and you can walk away from it.

-       Criticism of Hakeem Olajuwon and/or Robert Horry is sacrilege. Actions are taken accordingly.

-       If you're Yao Ming, the writers expect a written and paid invitation to hang out and high five with you.

-       If you're a Utah Jazz fan there can be no shelter here. We must all live with our poor choices in life.

The New

-       The flag feature isn't your personal dislike button. If you're flagging frequently and without any justification other than you're generally opposed to something is not good enough.

-       If you feel the need to lobby for a player then do so intelligently. No one is asking you to write a dissertation or thesis statement, we're asking you to weigh other opinions before offering yours.

-       There are no conspiracies here. Nobody on the staff is making a concerted effort to disparage a player.

-       Got a problem with what an editor has written? Be articulate about it. Don't insult the people who work hard to provide you with content and a platform for free. Did we miss an angle or some other point you think should've been mentioned? Be constructive and offer the thought in the comments.

-       Don't like that you got a warning or your content got deleted? Awesome. You don't have to be ok with it. No one tends to be happy with it. That said, the comments aren't your appeal board and they're not your public forum to air a grievance. E-mail Pat or a moderator. If you click our names you'll find an e-mail address there.

Discipline

-       You have the right to one warning on a violation.

-       If you want to contest the warning, but choose to do so in the comments, you have earned a 24-hour hiatus.

-       If you want to contest a ban, e-mail a moderator. Moderators may be e-mailed by clicking the author's name. E-mails are listed.

- If you earn yourself a ban, do not create a separate account to resume posting. Duplicative accounts are already grounds for a raised eyebrow. If it's connected to the same person spamming or usurping a ban then it's connected to an IP ban.