Recently there has been tension and arguments within the forum, arising from a few members deciding that the best way of resolving their differences with other members or mods is by writing posts or starting threads for everyone to read.

This is not appropriate.

As we saw recently with Connecting Dots, this type of behavior can lead to being banned. Not because of their complaints, but the way they go about it.

If you have a problem with another member, contact a moderator.
If you have a problem with someone's post, report it (use the little exclamation point button below the post)
If you have a problem with a moderator or their decisions, contact me.

My objective with this forum is to listen to every possible factor that could cause us harm or joy in 2012. Nobody will ever be silenced just for their opinions, unless they have come here solely on a mission to convert others to their way of thinking. I am extremely tolerant and consider myself reasonably good at looking at both sides of a situation. Having said that, it is impossible to please everybody all the time, and anyone who disagrees with how I handle something is free to frequent a different 2012 forum instead.

From now on, any public airing of grievances about mods or other members will not be tolerated, and anyone that does so will be warned not to do it again.

I'm not talking about debates or arguing topics, but rather:

"how come she's an elder and I'm not"
"I got told off by a mod, how dare they"
"he's breaking forum rules"

- these are all to be dealt with privately with mods or myself.

Thank you Rob.....I agree with this wholeheartedly

But you are a Moderator, of course you agree.

I'm not a moderator or an elder, and I agree 100%.

There have been way too many disparaging and impertinent comments written on the forum.

The way I handle a poster who is discourteous to a comment I make, or "flames" me is to ignore their post
and not waste my time in responding to him/her.

Man who cares... its just a bit of cyber space.... and words get typed... disagreements pop up from time to time, people mods included just need to chill out a bit more.

Try not to get so hung up and what you say or others say... its all completly irrelivent in the grand scheme of things.

Not really - I never asked moderators for input on this. Plus keep in mind, our moderators are also some of our most active members - moderating is not their primary purpose for being here.

Where are all the ppl that disagree?

I just left a site without notice after 3 years and 9,000 posts bc the 'Senior Administrator' was taking her 'job' (volunteer) way to seriously. She would proof read every post making sure it fell under 'the rules' and if it didn't in her mind she would edit out the material. We went round and round (by pm's) and I finally told her,,, see ya.

Anything remotely Esoteric she concidered lunacy and NOT acceptable. Of course if it was 'science' like the 'scientists' say may live forever in 30 years with current break throughs, that was ok. WTF?

Ralph was banned there over a year ago bc they couldn't stand his swastikas. One day they deleted an entire sub-forum called 'out of this world. Religious material would now go under medical issuses.

I ain't kidding. Do you know how hard it is to quit cold turkey - xanax was on order last night.

The rubber-binder was stretched untill -snap.

But it always sucks getting banned. I prefer to leave on my own terms, no matter how hard it is. Here's what I did on that other site. I told the SA in my last PM, I'm scrambling my password, writting it down and putting it in the garage, 'over an out'. That's exactly what I did too.

we all moved to the other forum

Just for you VM...



I wish this were the case but I don't see it. The mods you've chosen are the cream of the crop, but their input throughout the forum is pretty sparse as of late. I understand that they have lives like we all do and carry heavier burdens, but having their ideas thrown in more often would dispel this theory that you're all on the same conspiratorial page.

People like Suz, Goz, Shok, Deja, and that other one ( ) are all pretty damn independent and different in outlooks. But when they don't engage often, it's easy for some to think they are elite overlords who only want to tamp down on dissent.



Given your post, that's obviously not the case.

I don't understand. If people are so disgusted by a forum, then why would they sign on, suit up for war, and dive into the conflict that upsets them most? Is it sadomasochism? If the "other forum" is so much better then what compels one to venture back into the one that is in their minds worse?

I'm not too sure about the prophecies of 2012, but I predict for certain that the extreme antagonists will be back like a moth to a flame. And they will voluntarily do so kicking and screaming. Then it will be deja vu all over again and another announcement for Rob to break up the squabble among the children.



Now that's sig material, and should be the mantra every time people get huffed up over words.

Popped in just long enough to see this and had to respond. When I joined this forum it was a much different place than it is now. I really enjoyed it here which is why I made almost 4000 posts! Sadly, Human Legacy is right....we all moved to another forum so things should be much more peaceful and quite here....no dissent, no contrary views.....just one big happy family and with as little real, thought provoking discussion.

Rule are only rules if/when they are applied evenly and fairly to all. When they are not, they simply become judgments. Yes, this is Rob's forum. He is God here and can do whatever he pleases. But forums need members. They also need members to feel that EVERYONE'S opinions are valued and that no one's opinion is more important than anyone else's.

When you subjectively start assigning titles of "importance" to people whether they have any real power or not, several things happen. First, you alienate people. Second, whether intentionally or not, you draw a distinction between members. One would also expect those people given these "titles" to be held to a higher standard. Sadly, here in this forum they have not been. You would also expect those given those titles to at least be a representative cross section of the forum. They were not.

When you create a "think tank" and subjectively invite certain members into that "elite" clique, you also expect more decorum. Again, that has not been the case here. Surprise, surprise, there are at least two other EXCELLENT forums dealing with 2012. There are no elders, no think tank and there is a Hell of a lot more respect given not just to those on the left but those on the right as well and surprise, surprise, they are populated by many people who used to post here regularly and to put it quite simply, got sick of the bullshit.

A forum is supposed to be an open arena for sharing information, ideas and opinions. Whether you like them or not is irrelevant. You should disagree respectfully with the ones you don't or ignore them. If that fails put people on your foes list. But that doesn't happen here. Instead, members here are ridiculed or viciously attacked by those with "special" titles, who are supposedly, the most enlightened or are banned and when they attempt to re-enter to clear themselves are banned again. Once again, Rob's forum, Rob's rules. I can respect that. However, just because I respect it doesn't mean I have to agree with it.

Enjoy the Wonder Bread. I will be back from time to time but have already made a conscious decision to direct most of my 2012 related energy to the December 2012 forum. I have a lot of information to share and there are people who appreciate alternative views. Sadly, few of them are here. I am posting on a limited basis in the 2012 supplies forum. I have not given the web addresses out of respect for Rob. I will be happy to supply the links via pm.

As for the developing, homogeneous, "elder, think tank" best of luck as you will have plenty of time to turn on each other now that all of the "riff raff" have left the building and will no longer be distracting you.

God Bless

Well said, Survivor727.

I never cared for the "elite" title and the "think tank". It does alienate people.

Some quick responses:

The Think Tank has been shut down - it was hardly ever used and I'm calling it a failed experiment.

There are a handful of members who have made lots of posts, but that I do not feel are worthy of the Elder tag. A very few of them are the only people who care about the Elder tag, and I guess they have convinced a few others to think it is a problem of elitism. I'm sticking with the tag - it lets forum members know that this a person who has my highest respect (in terms of forum etiquette, knowledge and mature behaviour). The few instances where someone has complained "hey, that's not the behaviour I expect from an "elder", have basically been an elder giving back as good as they got. If an "elder" starts provoking others without being provoked first, they'll lose the tag. But if an elder is attacked by another member, I have no problems with them defending themselves.

Other forums not having such strict rules, not calling some members Elders, not trying something like the Think Tank - could just be a lack of care by the forum owners. Just a guess - I wish I had time to visit every forum and read every thought, but my priority is to spend more time here before venturing elsewhere.

Really sad Rob. So I guess you teach your kids if someone hits you, hit them back? What happened to turn the other cheek? Isn't that what a mature person would do? If an "Elder" striking back at a member who may have pissed them off or attacked them directly or indirectly is your idea of maturity, then that explains a great deal. I always thought the "tit for tat" thing was immature, but apparently I was mistaken since you equate it with maturity and use that as an indicator of whom you bestow the title of "Elder" upon.

Isn't that what a title like "Elder" is all about. Letting forum members know that a person has your highest respect (in terms of forum etiquette, knowledge and mature behaviour) even after they have attacked others without provocation is pretty damming for you. Obviously people other than me are seeing this. Of course the people who are complaining aren't "Elders" so maybe they really don't warrant any respect?

And there have been "Elders," one in particular who has repeatedly attacked another member without provocation. I have not named a name because of the new rules, but that member is still an "elder." Seems to me they're more like at this point, they're more like "enforcers" than "Elders." They can say and do what they like while others are attacked, condemned and banned. There's always an excuse for their behavior. It's pointless discussing it further because you just don't get it.Again, it's your forum and they're your rules. But for someone who talks such a good game and portends to be so impartial and enlightened, I would have expected more than it's ok if "Elders" stoop to personal attacks...."It's ok if you hit him back because he hit you first." Yeah....real mark of maturity!