Removing a users comments, even when they are completely on topic and relevant and then blocking them is,  I reckon, a form of online bullying tbh, and is really quite sad indeed and not behaviour that you would expect from a member of the moderation team!

If they are nasty or rude comments and there is no call for it then yes action should be taken. (Which i know it would be anyway)

But sammi. Are you not wanting to receive any comments from that person period? Because of past issues? Even if they are not criticism from that person post grievance and are a comment that does not break any rules. should they really still be removed?

I think that it's a good addition to the tools that we, as members, have. 
The ability to remove comments from other members that we don't want to receive comments from is welcomed.
Yes, this facility is open to abuse, but so is everything else.

However it is not a feature that i will be using, everyones comments and opinions are welcome on my pictures and posts as long as they are not nasty or rude.

But what if they are nasty or rude..?

In any case, the site has always had the facility for users to block incoming PMs (the 'ignore' list) and that has never been abused as far as I can tell. I don't see that this is any different.

So, the solution is to remove the possibility to block repeat offenders? And is your view and take on that so universal that "what we want" is indistinguishable from "what you want"? Less options and choices for the members is really the way to go? That won't even work, because out-of-topic, inane, irrelevant, and annoying posts (take your pick) can be deleted manually. The new option only makes that easier to manage against repeat offenders - It's not because you do not have anyone in mind that falls in that particular category that its true for everyone... Tolerance is also accepting that we don't all have the same opinions and view on how our personal threads should be managed/moderated.

Your right to want to have everyone's comments and opinions displayed in your threads regardless of relevance is not greater than my (or anyone else's) right to keep my threads on point and free of unnecessary clutter. So, having more moderation options/tools available to members is better than removing their choices and possibilities. In fact, the latter amounts to considering that they are not capable of making their own choices properly, which is rather extreme and despotic don't you think? Will the new feature be abused by some? Of course it will. But it won't be more than the "delete" button ever was, and so far there has not been any problem despite all the ruckus its introduction has caused.

Is it really what we want where people can be targeted with a mute button, just because you may have had disagreements in the past? So much for being friendly and inclusive to all?
As you say though, it's all down to if we can be adult enough to use the function wisely like a grown up instead of using it as a tool to feed petty grudges!

Interesting to see the hurt and heated reaction of some... it's as if they want to see their view/opinion on post policy (i.e. everyone has the right to post garbage in my threads) applied to everyone here. Is it another case of "tolerance should be enforced regardless of consequence" that's so prevalent these days in our Western society and media? Interestingly, it's always the few noisy ones who know exactly what's best for everyone. Peculiar concept of tolerance to say the least...

Anyway, I digress. It's good to have another moderation tool available. If it ever needs to be reminded, that's just an option and most of us are adult enough to know how to use this in moderation. If that wasn't the case, then there would be far more problems with that comment "delete" option that we've had for quite some time now. I'm sure some would like to see that feature removed too.

Tolerance is also giving members more choices/options to moderate their own threads as they see fit, even if that displeases some people. So, thank you Patrick for giving us more options!

i’ll update you tomorrow since i don’t have it between my hands now. it also may be a strange tube since the rack were i found it said “85W 150cm” so it may be a strange size but i just assumed it was a mislabeling but i didn’t have time to check whether it’s 180cm or really 150cm (in that warehouse multiple things are mislabeled, such as ballasts labeled as rheostats)

it’s not 1.80m it’s 1.5m 
what kind of tube is this?
here’s it lit on a 65w ballast

"but I ask that you all refrain from restricting commenting due to petty grievances or to limit discourse"

We've already seen legitimate comments being deleted by a certain moderator no less, who should know better and set a higher standard as an example.
This is just going to be abused by people holding petty grudges tbh.

This is a really bad feature and I will not be using it.
Hell, I have never ever, deleted anybodies comments of any of my photos, even Dor when he used to post complete rubbish, because that is his right to post it tbh!
Anybody can pot whatever they want on my photos and it will never be removed by myself and I will never block anybody!

Honestly, what is this site turning into? No wonder people are leaving in droves.

Hasn't this been created because someone does not like someone else's opinion or in-fact even that person commenting on their pics period? Yet you ask people do not block others for not liking their opinion? Bit confusing!

This is a bad idea, it’s going to end up getting abused to hell! Certain people are going to have a really long block list for the pettiest of things.  “Oh i dont like his nice comment, Block him”!!!!!

If someone doesn't like someone else, why not just  have a full block feature where you can make that member vanish for you but members can only block one person a month unless extreme circumstances. This block would apply on forums, gallery, pm and any other feature this site has.

However it is not a feature that i will be using, everyones comments and opinions are welcome on my pictures and posts as long as they are not nasty or rude.