---

What do moderators do here on PAL?

This has been on my mind for a while.

Each moderator on PAL has a project that they work on, whether its curation, radio, music, art, education, or helping people in the channels. Some mods seem to do it all and rarely rest or sleep. Some are omni-present, and it seems they are always online and assisting.

Others work behind the scenes. Every moderator here gives their time and dedication to the community, and without expectation of recompense on a voluntary basis, sometimes supporting their efforts with member support on posts in exchange for their service.

However this requires posting in their spare time. Not everyone is suited to posting on a daily basis for additional income due to the nature of their server duties, personal strengths, outside projects, or need to make a living.

---

Why am I supporting this?

I have been helping out the mods in registration for the last few weeks, so Ive gotten a fly on the wall view at what each one does every day between their "projects" versus their online presence. Many mods have full time jobs to help them support their Steemit Discord habit. Some don't. Did you ever wonder how they make ends meet?

Half of the work Discordiant does for PAL you will never see, because it happens in back channels; working with Steemcleaners to catch abuse and trade information; catching people and banning them for multi account abuse; working with abusers in the Probation server; DMing with the large number of new Steemians looking for assistance, explanation, exceptions and friendship.

Keep in mind how much you see him in chat. He is always there, and seems to see everything. Now imagine how much you don't see.

---

Why do I believe this is the right thing to do?

I have always believed in supporting the underdog. The selfless people who give to others with kindness and generosity without asking much for themselves. All of the Mods fit that description, however many of them, to my knowledge, make enough on their posts or at their job to pay their rent and bills.

I am also a bit of a Marxist.
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs

If we are a community of abundance, we should be able to come up with a way to support ALL of the mods based on their particular need, despite the nature of their work. Needs are not always advertised or vocalized. But they are seen.

---

Why Disco in particular?

Some people have unique abilities that cannot easily be duplicated. The ability to spot patterns of abuse and deal with them in a fair and impartial manner. The ability to interact with all types of people without losing their cool. I've tried to emulate this to the best of my abilities and failed miserably. Not everyone is suited to this type of work, and far too few are willing to do it voluntarily.

The ability to type at lightning speeds in five different channels basically filling the role of multiple people in a rapidly growing and evolving server that has gone from 15 hundred to 15 thousand strong community of international people with conflicting thoughts, ideas and emotions. The ability to spot trends and needs in the future and deal with them in the present before they get to be issues.

The PAL Community has thrived because of each moderators presence. They are all worthy of support. I am focusing this current post on Discordiant, but I would like all the mods to know that there is something to fall back on should the situation arise.

---

So what is this about?

My idea is to push for a more stable form of income for @Discordiant, and in effect for all of the moderators based on their particular situation. Why? Because not many people outside the community want to read about our Blacklist and Abuse Monitoring. Some weeks it doesn't pull in a lot of payout.

Music and Art are popular, pulling in tons of outside support. Radio is booming. Disco, his project is playing Sheriff, all day every day, and he is woefully underpaid for his services. He is a backbone of this community.

Support the Mods. Pay Disco

I am asking all of you who agree and support this idea to put your voice and support behind this. On this particular post, all earnings, 100 percent will be paid out to Disco.

But more than that, I am asking for a community based initiative to set up a monthly payout so that he can afford to keep PAL as his full time occupation. I'm not sure how this is best done, but I know it can be done. A delegation, fund, or ongoing community post.

If people are working together on a project they believe in, it ceases to become work and becomes what they love.

I am a button pusher. I fight for what I believe, despite lack of support, because I believe it's the right thing to do. Because I see it needs to be discussed. Everyone is welcome to agree or disagree. In short, I'd like to see all the moderators paid according to their needs. I'm doing it because I'm vastly suited to being a pain in the ass until this happens.

And it's the right thing to do.

PAY DISCO