OK, we think (hope) we know what's going on. Apparently there is no way posts can be removed from another member's unread topic list.

SPF Master said…

I assure you that the way new posts are marked as read and removed from the admin queues and members 'unread post list' has not changed. Only the display changed which removed the 'padding' (i.e., adding new posts that HAD been read to make up the numbers).

There is a difference (and always has been) between what we term the 'admins queue' of new posts and a users personal list of unread posts (be they a moderator or not). if a moderator chooses to use the admins queue list then another admin or moderator removing posts from that queue is global to the queue and will be reflected for all who select that view. This has always been the case.

So, with that said… if within Your Admin Options you have "Display the Admin Bar" turned off and "Display Unread Posts on Front Page" turned on, then posts will indeed disappear from that list when an admin reads them. This is the only scenario in which such can happen. hence the dashboard note for that option: "(displays admin new posts queue if enabled and not using admin bar, otherwise latest posts)"

If all else fails, clear your cache, and blame it on Monkeybutt!

cometdog said:

Can anyone decipher this?  (maybe Chloe's mom?)

We can always try…

A list of posts that an Admin has not yet read or moderated
(admin new posts queue) or the user latest posts list can be optionally
displayed on the main/front forum page where the post content can be
quickly viewed.

The Admin Bar shows posts neither admin has read yet. If it is not selected to display, then it's functions (mark read, quick reply, etc.) appear in the Tecent Topics with Unread Posts list area.

The display and location of these post lists is
controlled by the admin new post queue option (global admin options),
the your admin display unread posts on front page option and the forum
option for new posts at top or bottom.

We control whether or not the Admin Bar is enabled for Moderators to use, should they choose to, and they can control whether or not to display the Unread List, the location of which we control. 

If the admins new post queue is disabled, this option controls
displaying the user latest posts list. If the admins new post queue is
enabled and the admin bar is enabled, this option also controls
displaying the user latest posts list. In both cases, the forum option
for new posts at top or bottom controls the location.

If we turn off the Admin Queue, then this option is only for displaying the Unread list, or not. Since the Queue is enabled, it is also used to show the Unread List, however … 

If the admins new post queue is enabled, but the admin bar is not
enabled, then this option controls the display of the admins new queue
list at the top or bottom of the forum depending upon the forum option
for new posts location.

… if a Moderator has chosen to hide the Admin Bar, the Queue will appear in the List, which we have set to display at the top of the Forums.

Everything is working fine for betaman with 1 and 4 checked. Perhaps the issue has something to do with all the testing and resetting of global options we've been doing the past few days. let's give this some time and see how it goes.

Do any Moderators even use the Queue? If not we'll see about just disabling it for you and see if that helps.

That's the spirit! If problems persist, please try turning off the Admin Bar and viewing topics with unread posts from the Page View instead of the forum front page. let us know if that makes any difference and in the mean time we'll keep working with the developer to try and determine just how insane y'all may be.