Max, I seemed to have been earmarked for death just because I once stated that I was not a fan of cats, and then stated actual behaviour which they do. That's it.

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!

Sad? No! Also, it's no more bullying than the misuse of the comment function of the threads by some - in fact, it's less bullying since this is just a response to an abuse. As Sammi said, any function in this site is open for abuse. It's precisely to address the abuse of the comment section by some members that this moderation tool was introduced. Some people want some users out of their comment section for a good reason, they are the best judge of who they want to keep out of their threads/discussion. Or do you think you are a better judge of that for everyone here? That's a bit bullying, isn't it?

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.

Please explain which part of this comment was nasty and rude and was worthy of being deleted?

And the second pic, which was a reply to a humorous  post in the off topic section?

I'm just trying to get along and it gets thrown back in my face.

im going to stick my neck out so to speak and point that, this was my idea actually that I put forward to patrick a while back, in such that if any 2 members really just cannot get along with each other then they should have the option of ignoring each other, my thoughts with this idea, came about when it was pretty clear that Max and Dor often came to loggerheads, I personally am more aligned to Mark and Danny's views on this, I am never one so bothered by someone as to just want to nuke all their posts/bar them from commenting on my posts, but I can understand for example with Max, how Dor would often comment/say things that where not true, and that to correct him or clarify the subject as so that other people are not mislead would take a fair amount of time and effort to do so, such that I can understand Max or such not wanting to deal with constantly cleaning up after someone like that, so I can understand in cases like that it would be good to have an option to bar someone from interacting with you/your posts.

this way Max and Dor (and others that dont like him) could theoretically co exist a bit better. those that dont mind Dor can leave him off the ignore list, and those that are bothered by him can stick him on the ignore list and not have to deal with his posts on their uploads etc

everyone has the option to do as they see fit, without having to stop Dor interacting with people on the site all together and cutting him off from what was his only connection to the outside (which is one of those things that I find quite appalling about Dor's Banning from LG, it feels to me like little thought was given to the fact, he is a special needs person and that LG was his only outlet from which he has been cut off)

Previously you had the option to enable or disable comments on an album.  Now you'll have an additional field that applies when comments are enabled, a textbox for entering usernames to block.  For blocked users, adding comments to photos in the album will be disabled.  If a member is being a nuisance by consistently posting excessive comments or poor quality comments (e.g., off-topic, wildly inaccurate, or inflammatory), you may use this feature to prevent them from posting.

It's up to individual members to decide who they block and why they block them, but I ask that you all refrain from restricting commenting due to petty grievances or to limit discourse.  For example, if somebody posts contradictory opinions on your photos, blocking him or her because you don't agree is not a good reason.  For now we don't have specific rules for why you may or may not block a member.  Please use your best judgement.

however I will admit I did laugh a bit at that part, because thats exactly why this feature has been introduced now is it not? its been introduced because Ria for whatever reason, cannot tolerate FSB/Mark commenting on her posts, despite the fact that the comments that Mark leave are almost always on topic and relevant to the upload in question, its not been introduced because mark is posting wildly inaccurate or off topic comments on Ria's uploads has it now? and is it not the text book definition of petty when someone (ria) deletes someone else's comments (FSB) just because they (ria) does not like the other person (FSB), rather then anything being much wrong with the comments? what is wrong with Mark mentioned the fact he has a similar sticker on his motorcycle as to the one sammi posted? was there really a non-petty valid reason as to why that comment should of been nuked?

now does FSB know at this point that Ria is bothered by him simply existing on this site and posting her uploads? most likely, so one could argue there is not-nice intent behind some of the the comments, in such that really he might be posting some of them to wind her up, rather then to actually make valid contributions but to me this just proves, how unsuitable a moderator she is, a moderator should not be bothered by such comments and should just take them at face value, be the better person and just ignore whatever not nice intent is behind them, because the comments he does leave, any not-nice intent put to one side, are still valid and do still contribute to the site in total, one cannot argue against that, and thats why I find quite bad that such comments are being nuked, and being nuked by someone who is a moderator, it is damaging to the site because it shows that not even valid and helpful contributions to the site are welcome anymore

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.

but, are any of the comments nasty or rude? the comments themselves, the words that make them up, from what I have seen are benign for the most part, while the behaviour that you display and have displayed over the years, especially as someone who is a moderator, is frankly quite appalling

why do you think Mark is suddenly commenting on your posts the way it is? you have do so much damage to lighting-gallery over the years, so many of us have voiced our concerns about the matter over those *years*, and very little has been done about it, you still wish to rule the site with a strict and iron fist, so what is a person to do, but to quietly rebel?

I will say I dont fully agree with winding someone up in any regard, but I very much can understand why some people may chose that path, for what option is left when all others have been exhausted?

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!