My overall point is that I don't see the need to post JRR mocking in X threads that have nothing to do with JRR. (or in signatures, avatars)
I also don't see a NEED to, but if people want to, I don't see where it's breaking any rules (that is, unless one uses the enormous Rule #2 loophole). I mean, people were mocking "The Guy" in X threads that had nothing to do with Yoshiki's road crew. I can't see where it's any different than that.
I don't blame them, this thread and the previous two (you know the ones I mean) were filled with questions, every single action by an admin was questioned, there were 3 new pages every day, it's kind of hard to keep up with that stuff (given they also have private lives, jobs and such).
I'm sure it was hard to keep up with, but when there are so many questions/comments/complaints about the administration-- and 95% of them on exactly the same topic-- that in itself should be a sign that something is seriously wrong with the forum.
Do you want to tell me that it never occurred to you that if PN was de-amined/de-moded the climate here could become worse? You might have noticed that Hypno/PN are pretty close, do you expect Hypno to be perfectly happy with such an action/decision?
I certainly expect, given PN's behavior pattern and use of scare tactics, that there could be some kind of backlash from PN if she were de-admined/de-moded. If that's the case, then like SarahAlex I don't envy you guys either-- and like Camicat said, it would indeed be a trap.
But fear of repercussions (if that's indeed what's going on here) is never a good reason to keep someone around.
As for the friendship issue, like SarahAlex said, no one is saying "Hypno, you shouldn't be friends with PN!". I don't think anyone cares who Hypno is and isn't friends with (I sure don't). But when one is choosing admins for a public forum (as opposed to a forum that's just for Hypno and his circle of friends), one needs to realistically consider which of one's friends are actually appropriate for the job at hand.
What makes you think the rules will disappear when PN is no member of the staff anymore, who says there won't be even more rules?
Sadly I'm sure the rules won't disappear, but if it's a choice between having an unfit admin AND ridiculous rules, or just having ridiculous rules... well, that latter would at least be some improvement. An unfit admin and no ridiculous rules would also be some improvement over the current situation.
And really, it's extremely hard not to see the new rules as anything other than a bait-and-switch. People complain about PN, then are told to wait for the new rules which will solve all their problems, then are saddled with a bunch of completely arbitrary new rules which have nothing to do with the PN situation.