I realize that it is hard sometimes to determine what is breaking as developments are unfolding but one of the great things I admire about this site is that something will happen and our Freepers are on it immediately with all kinds of updates and insight... not matter where in the world the event is breaking.
If you disagree with one of their actions, you can contact either sidebar moderator or admin moderator. If you do not get an answer or you find the answer unacceptable, then feel free to contact Jim Robinson.
A good rule of thumb for each of the sidebars is this:
1) If one posts something to more than one of these sidebars, and it not incredibly obvious that it belongs in a sidebar, then odds are it will be removed from ALL sidebars.
2) Breaking news is for news that is so breaking that one would almost expect to see FNC or CNN break in to whatever show they have on to report it, or that radio stations would break in to whatever they were airing to report on it. Jim also allows breaking news to be used for various FR chapter announcements to aide in our activism efforts.
Front Page is for news that one could reasonably expect to find on the front page of the next day's paper (or could if the paper was run by a reasonably conservative editorial board).
Extended is for news that isn't quite breaking, wouldn't be on the front page, but is more important than most. It is also used for stories that extend or support (give more information, give background, etc). front page or breaking stories.
Editorial is for published opinion pieces that would be of interest to conservatives.
Hope this helps.
No it's not; it's a crummy idea.
First of all, you have no idea at the number of threads and/or comments involved in deletion.
You are not entitled to an explanation if it becomes a burden.
Of course there is another side to this issue: the so called moderators include a good number of people without a clue as to knowledge and experience, history etc. So naturally they react to their limited capacity.
To say nothing of the obvious relish in wielding power.
Again it may be questionable, but it is still the prerogative of the owner of the site.
The main frustration and problem with "breaking news" is that by its very nature it isn't, after a half hour or so.
If it could be made to disappear after a brief time period, and replaced with a normal thread, we wouldn't have to deal with the absurd "breaking news" item posted last month.