POLL ON BOARD MODERATION

[Neal]

SInce I have taken over, there are comments of too much moderation which some of you don't seem to like and there are those of you that would feel that more of the old timers as well as more newbies would join if there were an even tougher crackdown on some of the limited crap we permit go away.

So the poll here is to figure out do you want a tougher stand on the crap so more intelligent conversation can be had as well as many more pople would come back or join ? Do you feel that there is just enough moderation? Or do you still feel that there is still too much? One vote per user and will last 3 weeks in which time you will be allowed to change your vote or a no comment.

This poll may or may not have bearing on future moderation.

Thanks

whilst I guess it's good ( I think??) that you're seeking the views of the board ( although I wasn't aware this was a democracy - dangerous game to start if you ask me) but I think you're poll is too general to actually answer the question you asked, "sometimes" maybe it's too much, sometimes maybe it's too little, sometimes it's fine and sometimes I couldn't care less - but I guess that's all just down to my own personal feelings on day and on whatever subject we're all waffling on about and I doubt you'll ever get true agreement on what is "right" across "the board" about ANYTHING as that is the very nature of a good board - and the day we all agree with everything each other says will be a very boring day indeed on here.

Personally I believe it's your board to do with what you will, some will like it, some will hate it, some will stay and some will go - but design by committee in effect is in my opinion always the least successful way of getting a satisfactory outcome to ANY area ( see what a great job all of our politicians do with that for details:-( ) so, you should trust your gut and not doubt your own judgement ( whether that be right or wrong) as to show a willingness for "opinion" may by some be misconstrued as weakness - and I think we all know that sick or not right now you are most certainly not THAT person :-)

* Although I've just noticed your "may or may not affect future moderation decisions" line .......nice to see you've left door open to totally ignore the vote if you so chose - just as it should be ! lol

So, just to bugger things up - I want to tick ALL the boxes !! :-)

[joe552]

I like things just the way they are. Sure, some threads go way off-topic or descend into bitch fights, but that's the nature of these things. I don't think there are lots of potential "interesting" posters out there who don't post because of the bickering - witness the recent great trip report threads.

So, I'm happy with the status quo.

[vnman]

It's an ungrateful task.

I honestly think that WE "the posters" should do some soul searching. How about taking some responsibility away from the moderator. Cliche: a better forum starts with yourself. I just had a discussion with one of the board members about my own past here, on this, and other boards. I could get really pissed off when people would twist my words or make false accusations. Even the last week someone tried to get a rise out of me...I'm not biting anymore. And yes, there are still some people on this board that are full of crap, but I won't be tempted to confront them publicly again.

Again, I wasn't and I'm still not a saint, but I think that "live and let live" is a better motto for me now.

Increased moderation would not necessarily lead to "more intelligent posts" - for the simple reason that what is or what is not "intelligent" is completely subjective.

Another point is that I don't necessarily come here to be "educated" (which is just as well) - I come here for primarily for fun, so whether a post is deemed "intelligent" or not is immaterial to me.

In my view it's OK the way it is, and I voted accordingly.

:hello2:

[Smiles]

" ... Increased moderation would not necessarily lead to "more intelligent posts" - for the simple reason that what is or what is not "intelligent" is completely subjective.
Another point is that I don't necessarily come here to be "educated" (which is just as well) - I come here for primarily for fun, so whether a post is deemed "intelligent" or not is immaterial to me ... "
It's mpossible to disagree with Scottish Guy's description.
A message board owner who desires to 'make' a message board 'intelligent', 'educational', or free from 'certain types of persons' simply doesn't have a clue what a successful message board is all about.
It's definitely arguable, but I believe that a good board, populated with a diverse group of folks who participate because the place is fun, entertaining, informational, free-speaking, and a bit edgy, and lacking a moderator's heavy-handedness and predilection to 'massage' a board in a certain direction (of his own choosing).
I think members of a message board would ~ in general ~ prefer for a moderator to be mostly seen-but-not-heard. The owner/moderator of this version of Sawatdee is definitely not in agreement with anything like that: to his own detriment.

I like this choice:
I would like to see more moderation on the board so there are more intelligent posts
The implication here is of course that the moderator would decide what is, or is not, 'intelligent' ... then edit, delete, move, or lock to make sure his decisions on 'intelligence' are adhered to. Scary stuff.
Anyone here want that (I concede, slightly exaggerated) example of so-called moderation to become the norm?

[Neal]

an interesting opinion on the topic Smiles up to the point where you needed to crawl into my head and look at it and decide what MY opinion and what I wanted with this board. Unfortunately your tarrot cards were incorrect. Please stick to your opinions rather than letting everyone know what their opinions are per Smiles. :3some:

to much for my likeing.. i agree if things can get you into trouble then they should be stopped ..
but just because a few people might not agree with each other i dont think posts should be deleted or changed ..
and what is wrong with the odd bitch fight ?? if a board is to be like real life then it needs to have disagreements as well as
intellegent discussion ...
as for new members joining in the posting .. the so called intellegent long term members need to have a look at themselves .. they seem to be the ones who dont like newbies on the board ..
im sure you will run the board as you feel fit .. which is upto you .. but dont forget its the members that make the board
more so than who owns it ..

Well, everybody knows there's a "clique" of self-appointed intellectual posers on SGT who like to think they're "intelligent" whereas everybody else is
"frivolous".
They denegate what others post and pine wistfully for long departed boring old farts who had the same superiority complex as themselves.

The truth is that the very people they look down on have probably forgotten more than they themselves ever knew - having lived in the real world as opposed to some poofy ivory tower.
No offence. :tongue3:


:occasion9:

[Smiles]

" ... just because a few people might not agree with each other i dont think posts should be deleted or changed ..
and what is wrong with the odd bitch fight ?? if a board is to be like real life then it needs to have disagreements as well as
intellegent discussion ... dont forget its the members that make the board more so than who owns it ... "
Right on brithai. Who gives a flying fuck about bitch fights (as you call them)? That's entertainment!
Frankly, the only thing an Owner should be seriously concerned about is (possible) legal/libel issues, brought up (occasionally), which might (potentially) do damage to the Board itself (existentially). There's not much else that an Owner should worry his little head over. Unless of course the Owner is primed up for profit (monetarily) only.

[joe552]

Smiles, maybe you know more than most here, but i wouldn't have thought that this board was a huge money earner, compared to the bar DaBoss runs?

[Smiles]

" ... i wouldn't have thought that this board was a huge money earner, compared to the bar DaBoss runs?
I didn't say it was (a money earner that is). I just said I think he's out to make it one. Whether he succeeds is an entirely different kettle of gogo boys.

For the record: the original Sawatdee Forum was totally ad free. It started that way, and was until I passed it over to Elephantspike.

[ikarus]

I did not vote because I prefer to express my opinion in a few words. There are two types of threads: the ones where people want to discuss certain issues, e.g. political situation in Thailand. As we all know people have frequently opposed views on the subject. For topics like that heated debates, with flaming etc quite permissible. Another type of threads is where OP is looking for information. For topics like that "people looking for fun" should stay away. If they persist, they should be banned in my opinion. I have very difficult time distinguishing "people looking for fun" (clowns , stalkers etc)
and trolls. Keep in mind that omnipresence of these characters deter many people from posting or participating in discussions
and IMHO one of the reasons why pretty much all GAY Thailand boards deteriorated.
Another important thing what is appropriate to discuss on message boards like that. E.g. the topic Russians in Pattaya is appropriate IMHO. Just simply because there are a lot of Russians in Pattaya and it is definitely effect the place. On the other hand, if someone like to salivate over Haaretz and then express his anti-semitic feelings why to do it on Gay Thailand message board? There is thriving and ever growing community of anti-semites and they are definitely in position to create their own online community. Or, say, somebody does not like anything American. Same-same as anti-semites...
In summary, if one wants to have online community, then the choice of topics should be well-defined and certain etiquette
should be followed.
I do agree, however, with Smiles that moderation should be moderate and should follow well-defined rules. There is nothing worse that a moderator who is changing the rules according to his mood, who permanently impose himself, offend other posters etc.

so after all that Ikarus is that a "no opinion either way" then ?? lol

[RichLB]

For me, the current level of moderation has resulted in a board I have now started to revisit. Frankly, the previous "Insiders Club" the dominated the board in the past made it senseless to come here. Except for the members of that club I doubt anyone else found it amusing to read adolescent put downs fired back and forth between folks no one else knew or wanted to know. I'd prefer those folks self moderate, but if they don't, keep on filtering out their nonsense.

For the record: the original Sawatdee Forum was totally ad free. It started that way, and was until I passed it over to Elephantspike.It still is ad free for me I use Feedly on my iPad to read the Forum RSS feeds and only log in if I want to comment no adds in RSS.

[kittyboy]

The truth is that the very people they look down on have probably forgotten more than they themselves ever knew - having lived in the real world as opposed to some poofy ivory tower.
:occasion9:

I am a poof working in the ivory tower (not poofy though...very much a manly manly man!) and this thread reminds me of the comment about academia..The fighting is so fierce in academia because the issues are so trivial.

This is Neal's board. He can do what he wants and we can use it or not use it, if we do not like his moderation policy (as an aside I reject most policies of moderation but I digress) go to another board and post.

As for its money making potential I saw a website yourwebsitevalue.com which estimated the value of this board at about $5600 US. Hardly a fortune.

Neal what did you pay for the board? Are you getting rich listening to the posters here complain?

[arsenal]

If I can't have a 'bitchfight' every now and then I would get rather bored. SG is right. This board is for fun. Leave it as it is.

[ceejay]

I've gone for "Like it just the way it is" because that's closest to the truth. What really matters most is consistent moderation, then leave it to people to decide whether they want to post here or not. A moderator can't please all the people all the time - do what you like, edit a post or don't, delete it or not, there's always someone to disagree. Don't try to impose your own opinions, keep it consistent and, as for the rest, let it work itself out as it may.

[Neal]

For the record: the original Sawatdee Forum was totally ad free. It started that way, and was until I passed it over to Elephantspike.

What Smiles continuously fails to state is that the original board was opened and designed by him for all his bitch fights which he loves. Elephantspike took it over and put some ads on it in order to pay the bills as he was not as independently wealthy as Sir Smiles. Then as a matter of record, I purchased it and put a few more blocks where ads can be purchased courtesy of Elephantspike. He also forgets to mention that he doesn't like the board run this way because he loves the fighting, clawing and back scratching and has been repremanded too many times. I think you are able to block at least the ads on the front page by upgrading your membership to GOLD for a whopping $20. US. Wow $5,600. I guess I got fucked! :sign5: Hey Smiles wanna buy it back? :pottytrain2: Just joking dear. You do see Smiles that the board poll is even kealed as far as less or more moderation and way out front as they like it just the way it is NOW. :occasion9:

[Jack3]

It has to be admitted that some posts from the older members are just an excuse for a bitching session. It seems like this forum is an old boys network and not one where the intellectual level is very high.

So, yes more moderation is necessary to raise the level of debate. :banghead:

It seems like this forum is an old boys network and not one where the intellectual level is very high.
So, yes more moderation is necessary to raise the level of debate. :banghead:

DEBATE !! lol - christ maybe I'm on the wrong board, I thought the board was generally made of of some local Thai people, some ex-pats, some sex tourists and some others somewhere in between all of those four, all perhaps gay and all having varying levels of interest of life and living or staying or holidaying in Thailand, I didn't realise we were a debating society :-) So THAT'S where I've been going wrong then !! Man some people take this board WAY too seriously :-)

However I do of course add that I respect your opinion and your right to make it and should you or others start posting topics which encourage and enhance the current level of debate on the board I will then of course look forward to the intellectual level on the board increasing exponentially I'm sure ! :-)

[Neal]

NIrish, when I decided I wanted to take control of the board, we were the ONLY advertiser and an advertiser that was planning on pulling his ad because of all the fighting. Over and over I listened to other businesses about the uncontrolled fighting on this board. Well I decided that if I purchased the board and really tried to calm it down a bit, actual people might come to visit the board not just a clique. That a few advertisers might actually change their mind and want to advertise for once. I envisioned a board that was somewhere in between the clawing and kicking of the old Smiles board and the rigid temperment of the Gay Button board. Not that there isn't a problem with either but there was a need for an inbetween board and that's what I wanted to see.
A board without flooders and a board that did not make newbie's scared to join or post. I think we are pretty darn close and I am proud of my accomplishments. A few of the older members might not care for it, but I do and I wanted to do a poll to see what you thought. :hello2:

A few of the older members might not care for it, but I do but I wanted to do a poll to see what you thought.

Well I guess whilst all the votes maybe not be in yet you did put yourself "out there" for judgement on your performance to date so it appears from the votes currently in anyway that you can take a certain credit for the progress made to date on the board as it appears from the votes cast that the majority of the board are either happy with your efforts ( or couldn't care less :-) with the other members being fairly equally split between your decisions to moderate too much or not enough as each sees it and as you're never going to please either camp then I guess a 50 / 50 split there isn't a bad status quo to aspire to re that issue).

I wonder out of interest as it was before my time - did any of the boards previous owners put themselves or their board policy decisions ( if they had any ? ) out to the public vote and such public / board scrutiny in a way such as you have done here or is your putting yourself out there for others to comment and cast opinion on your board running a first on here perhaps ???

[Neal]

Well the most ridiculous thing about all of this is that when I took over the board one previous owner of the board contacted me when he still believed I was George who had promised to buy the board but did not. He stated that the Rules and Gudelines were very outdated and volunteered to look at other boards and put a more updated Rules and Guidelines together for posting. I agreed for him to do this.

Amazing enough he has been one of my biggest critics and shit stirrers!! One of his most memorable things he had a fit about was the fact that I used lavender to write my comments and not bright red as he put in the Guidelines. Aint that a big violation! Of course I had to go back and add that a moderator could modearte in any other color except red just to please him! :crybaby: :crybaby: :crybaby:

[Smiles]

Seems we have a petulant five year child as a Owner/Moderator. Oh joy.

good to see our leader getting involved in his very own bitch fight :party
whos needs moderation ... ???? :laughing3:

good to see our leader getting involved in his very own bitch fight :party
whos needs moderation ... ???? :laughing3:


?? Actually I don't see where Neal named any particular person in his post or directed his comments towards any one named individual in particular, however as smiles seems to have replied I guess we can assume it was him perhaps.......and as his comment has appeared, not been deleted or edited ( well not yet anyway lol) I guess that speaks volumes for the "over" moderation that some are speaking of......or lack of it to be more precise - well so far anyway lol

one of the joys of having ones own mind NIguy is that i can work things out all by myself ... and not having to follow the flock ... its a wonderful thing to have ...
i do belive you have the same abilities ... isnt it wonderful ??? isnt it ...
im sure thats upset a few more people .... how dare someone have a mind of there own .... i would say you know who you are ... but you probably dont :violent1:

one of the joys of having ones own mind NIguy is that i can work things out all by myself


I never doubted that for a second :-)

[christianpfc]

Difficult question (and unfavorably worded, as others pointed out already). On the whole, the moderation is ok. But I think it should be restricted to cases that clearly violate a law (like underage sex and lese majeste). I witnessed a few deletions where this was not the case, so I voted "too much moderating". For other cases, the members should act accordingly (i.e. don't feed the trolls, use the "ignore" function).

Banter and bitch fights are a crucial part of this forum, they should remain. Even if I don't take part, I enjoy reading them (up to a certain point, then it gets boring). It's hilarious when grown up men act like children!

[Neal]

A recent post of Smiles. The words "deleted" and the lavender font colour were also put in by Smiles. I'm sorry Smiles, and who did you say was a 5 year old?



:laughing3: :laughing3:

Every message board needs a class deleted to enliven the place with unadulterated deleted such as Diec's bull-deleted. I just hope new members here don't take the deleted seriously and go scurrying out to Isaan to deleted every gogo boy's deleted by deleted him and his deleted right there under the kitchen table.
Most entertaining however, and right up the deleted big hairy dark deleted-hole in terms of keeping this board's members well-informed, yet thoroughly deleted. A real class act for sure, full of deleted deleted and more bull-deleted.

The above deletions were not by a moderator but done by the child author Smiles himself. DaBoss

[allieb]

I answered a post back in January 2012 headed "For Those Who Like Hanging Around Shopping Mall Toilets"

My post is pasted below. I have highlighted in red the words which were edited and not even a mention underneath that it had been edited I did not write notorious person I wrote a board members name

Considering that we all use board names and not our own I thougt it ridiculous to edit it out and make my post totally loose its meaning. The person under his board name has been outed as a cottage queen before. Since then I just look and rarely post. so is this board over moderated? Yes it is

My post 17th january 2012

The only thing I can think of which would be more scary would be finding a notorious person in the next cubicle

[Neal]

Sorry, looked at that post and read it and can't recall it at all. Possibly the old Mr. jinks?
i went back into the moderator logs and found that prior to very early Feb 2012, actions were deleted. as I did not know how to delete prior logs I can only assume that Mr jinksie did it and deleted those logs prior to then so I have nothing to really look at prior to him resigning.

[allieb]

Sorry, looked at that post and read it and can't recall it at all. Possibly the old Mr. jinks?
i went back into the moderator logs and found that prior to very early Feb 2012, actions were deleted. as I did not know how to delete prior logs I can only assume that Mr jinksie did it and deleted those logs prior to then so I have nothing to really look at prior to him resigning.


Thanks for looking in to it. Now you are in charge and have the final word, I hope you won't become as zelous as Jinks became in his final days as moderator. As has be mentioned by other posters I come here for a laugh, some fun and to exchange storys and experiences.

Btw whatever happened to boygenyus I used to enjoy my bitch fights with him

[Neal]

Well I went to the main control board and typed in boygenyus and I get, "user does not exist". So I don't know when the last fight was you had with him or what as he obviously was barred for some reason. Searching under posts seems like you were all talking about him last on Oct 3, 2011 which would have been 3 days after I bought the board. I was all preoccupied with the Gay Button letter about LMTU to notice what jinksie was doing. There was only 2 of us at that time and I can assure you it twasn't me!

People that are READING this board that were barred befor can just re-register under their OLD USERNAME and it will allow you to re-register. If you abuse the board then I can take a fresh look and decide if the banning was justified. I don't know when people dissappeared nor why as when they were deleted I can't get that info.

[Manforallseasons]

To much moderation? No. The disappearance of Beachlover, L.M.T.U. and Combat have basically achieved the proper equallibbrium.

[Khor tose]

To much moderation? No. The disappearance of Beachlover, L.M.T.U. and Combat have basically achieved the proper equallibbrium.
I could live with LMTU and Combat, but the constant saturated dribble from Beachy was enough to drive anyone away.

[jinks]

Well I went to the main control board and typed in boygenyus and I get, "user does not exist".

Try boygeenyus....... last active before Bob banned him February 2009.

Love to most, I'm still around.

[kittyboy]

To much moderation? No. The disappearance of Beachlover, L.M.T.U. and Combat have basically achieved the proper equallibbrium.


Oscar Wilde was quoted as saying, There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating - people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing, Beachlover fit into the latter category....he was fascinating sometime in that he was so unaware of how he knew absolutely nothing. He was fun to poke at occasionally, shall we start a poll to vote on allowing him back?

[witchhunt]

It seems strange this poll is running at the same time as the "Is the sex trade dying?" in the other forum.

Surely the thread has to ask the question of what is the purpose of the forum. Is it a slap and tickle for a few that have built up rapport with DaBoss? Is it a travel questionaire for those interested in travelling to or returning to Thailand?

I offer no comment but the two threads seem to be "interesting"?

[Neal]

Beachlover was never banned. I think he just felt nobody wuved him here. Everyone was picking on him.

Poor wee soul!

That's what happens when you post fake pics!!

[Neal]

It was never the pics that bothered me because they were genuine from "somewhere" about the place. And it wasn't all the "information" he posted as it was copied and pasted from somewhere and was genuine.

It was the "recomendations" he made about these places he supposedly visited. If he just kept to the pictures and information it would have been ok for me but these stories about all these places he had been and in such a supposedly young age! Just say I Googled this for your reference or looked it up on Agoda and these were the pics I found....... you have to admit that he must have spent hundreds of hours searching the internet for information for the members and it was valuable information. I am sorry he left rather than to just keep to the facts of where it came from.

Well, yes - if he had just given the sources of the pics/info then that would have been preferable.
You just know however, that had he done so he would have been attacked by those who scream "cut and paste".
So he was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't.
I believe the real and immediate reason he left (and took his alter-ego with him) was that he was found out on both counts .

C'est la vie, C'est la guerre.

:occasion9:

I don't care about cut and paste and I would not have allowed a battle on that issue. I would rather have someone cutting, pasting and giving the other members valuable information, than not to! DaBoss

Well, the Wombat gets accused of cut and paste all the time (not by me, I may add), so.... :dontknow:

[Khor tose]

.... you have to admit that he must have spent hundreds of hours searching the internet for information for the members and it was valuable information. I am sorry he left rather than to just keep to the facts of where it came from.

Yes, I do. I hope you will remember any good any of us did when or if we leave the board. However, I am sort of amazed that your memory is kind of selective that way. I also remember how he told all of us that we had no self-esteem if we bought a boy at a go-go bar. How we were all low lives exploiting the poor of Thailand. How despicable it was for fat old farangs to lust after Asian boys. I am sure if I went through all of his thousands of post I could find many more delightful and helpful things he said about the rest of us that were-----in your words----helpful. Gee if I post 30 posts a day and get you hit average up can I call you all and any names I want to? I mean do you like being abused (that verbal--not otherwise)?

[Neal]

Yes, I guess my memory is selective or I wasn't here when he was doing that. I do remember him calling Pattaya shitsville and I was very annoyed at that.
I was on the board for about 1/2 year after I joined and then left. I came back about the time of the opening of bar so as to promote it's specials and during those times don't recall them BUT they may have been there during those two periods.

He was a very strange indeed and as I said before he was fantastic at researching things and supplying information. That, I think many members will miss. The extra bullshit which includes those types of comments, I won't. He was very smart when it came to computer technology and I believe that really is his field of expertise. When The New Sawatdee Gay Forum was opening the valuable information he shared with me and graphs etc was astounding. I highly doubt the average member would have been able to give me 1/2 of that. That is the Beachlover I will miss.

I am sure I was at least 50% of the reason he left. Quietly I sent him many many warnings and if you realize it, there was a big change in what he (if he was a he, some say he was a she) posted after I took over. Right from the beginning I said no shitsville, no tempertantrums, bitch fights really laying into others and no picking on the go go boys as prostitutes. One of the biggest problems he faced was he was told that he could not post more than 6 posts in the am and 6 at night. I said at one point that I needed a moderator just for him!
Oh and he was absolutely beside himself when he ws told that he could not bring up Boyztown and the KQuill days. Absolutely crazy.

the main reason beachlover *left* ( if he's not using other names .. which id imagine he is) is because one of his early posts came back to haunt him .... a post about how he picked up a boy who may or may not have been 18 the second time he picked him up ... which was a year after he first picked him up ....
he basically admitted to being what he accused everybody else of being ...
theres a link to it on 'rush yet agains' blog .. ask him if he can paste it onto here ... buggered if i can be bothered going to look for it .

Oh let's not get into an underage sex drama, dear - especially when it's all based on dubious detective work on some anonymous posts, rather than any reliable evidence whatsoever.

AND (bringing it back on topic) that's exactly the sort of stuff that needs robust moderation.

:banghead:

from what i read on it .. it was beachys own post that said all that was said .. no one else ...
anyhow moving on ...

[Dick]

To get back to the topic of the thread, if a Board publishes rules or guidelines for posters to follow, then the job of those who moderate should be to uphold those rules. If collectively the forum and/or owner want a tighter, or less restrictive forum, then change the rules. That leaves the moderators free to police the Board as per the clearly published guidelines without fear or favour. If you want to encourage a broad spectrum of members to post then the policing needs to be fair and transparent.

I would expect the owner and his moderators to set the example and I think if timely to draw attention to rule 3 тАУ Flaming:
тАЬ'Flaming' is generally defined as posting or responding to a message in a way clearly intended to incite useless arguments, to launch personal attacks, to insult, or to be hateful towards other members.
This includes useless criticism, name-calling, swearing and any other comments meant to incite anger, or to go off-topic and attack the person rather than their opinion.тАЭ

I find it deplorable that the owner - posting as the owner 'da Boss' rather than as a contributor - 'Just Me', chose to single out one poster in particular within this thread for personal attack; nor do I believe it right that the behaviour of individual posters and the stance taken by the owner or moderators towards them should become topics for open discussion. Whilst it may interest the general public why so and so might not post here any longer, whatтАЩs said between them and тАШthe managementтАЩ is surely privileged information.

[Neal]

Ah shit Dick, it's a lot to keep switching back and forth and everyone knows who I am anyway. I really have stopped posting under justme personal views and just have been posting everything under DaBoss. Who are we fooling anyway?
and with privy information, if it is not in a PM then it isn't considered privy. But thanks for sharing and we would like to see more of you.

[francois]

Off topic and back to Beachlover. He was a liar and a fraud; a 60+yo man posing as some know it all, moralistic, young man. Good riddance to him.

[joe552]

and how do you know that, francois? :dontknow:

[francois]

and how do you know that, francois? :dontknow:

Elementary my dear joe! I have inside info provided by my close friend, Inspecteur Clouseau.
But really, did anyone believe all of the blarney he posted?

... did anyone believe all of the blarney he posted?

I find it advisable to rely on very little that is posted - except for generally reliable information on which bus to get or where to buy XXXXL speedos for the beach.

When it comes to contentious issues, I reckon about 60% is bluff, bluster, & exaggeration, 20% is downright lies, 15% is honest error and mistaken assumptions, and 5% just might be accurate/true.

:occasion9:

[Dick]

...if it is not in a PM then it isn't considered privy.quote]


I am sure I was at least 50% of the reason he left. Quietly I sent him many many warnings and if you realize it, there was a big change in what he (if he was a he, some say he was a she) posted after I took over. Right from the beginning I said no shitsville, no tempertantrums, bitch fights really laying into others and no picking on the go go boys as prostitutes. One of the biggest problems he faced was he was told that he could not post more than 6 posts in the am and 6 at night. I said at one point that I needed a moderator just for him! Oh and he was absolutely beside himself when he ws told that he could not bring up Boyztown and the KQuill days. Absolutely crazy.

ItтАЩs a good thing that we can discuss such issues unlike some other boards that do not allow members to question the edicts of the owner. In divulging in open forum a summary of the content of many warnings to a named poster and his reaction to them, it seems to me that you are as the owner putting out privileged information that ought to have been kept confidential between the two of you, and worse, it seems you donтАЩt see it that way.

When posting as the owner rather than a contributor it tends to make what you say тАШofficialтАЩ, so in perpetuating a personal attack on Smiles rather than his opinions, some might see it as a poor example where the owner again disregards his own rules.

[Neal]

Sorry Dick but you are putting your information out there as fact when in FACT you don't have factuall info. Beachie and I for about 1 1/2 years corresponded by EMAIL and not PM. He was so worried someone would hack into his PM box. The rules state PMs are confidential. This was an email. Let's drop it ok?

[witchhunt]

Fascinating this board has degenerated to personal bitching between fag hags. Gaybuttons now he has eliminated the dirty threads, has more info and help than this sorry some say disappointing forum.

I wonder who the guilty parties are?

The solution to your sorrow and disappointment seems quite obvious doesn't it?

:occasion9:

Careful not to let the door hit you on the arse on you're way out now ! :-)

[francois]

Careful not to let the door hit you on the arse on you're way out now ! :-)

I believe that is GayButton's quote to say adieu to those he expels; init?

[joe552]

francois, you didn't realise that NIrish Guy and Gaybutton are the same person? I'm surprised, you usually have the inside scoop. :dontknow:

[anonone]

Catching up on some threads now that I am back in the boring USA.

I like the vibe of the board now. There is some good information being shared and a friendly banter that keeps it a bit more interesting. I am visiting the board more often and posting more often, which I guess is the intent. An additional benefit of visiting more is knowing some of the quirks and knowledge bases of the different members. Christian writes great trip reports about pieces of Thailand I have not seen. Colmx and Martin are the source for anything disco related. Joe and Scotty have a great sense of humor without becoming (too) obnoxious. :sign5: and so on.

For the size of the board, I think the moderation is about right. Threads tend to veer off in unexpected directions, but there are not so many messages that you cannot keep up.

Searching for info is a bit more dicey as it could be in a thread titled something very different.

One suggestion for Neal. Perhaps a large thread could be started as a newbie / safe zone for members that are just getting started. Moderation a bit more aggressive, no bitch slaps, etc. A place for someone to ask questions or get advice that might be jumped on in if posted as a new thread. I have seen versions of this in some other types of forums. The potential downside is troll posting....don't know if it would work here or not. "Up to you"

[joe552]

Thanks for the kind words, anonone - we aim to please. :love4:

i think the new blandness of the board is rather marvellous ...
what could be better than someone making as post and everyone agree with it ... ...
how about doing away with allowing more than one post per thread ... i.e. just the OP then lets just have thumbs up or thumbs down ... so much easier to police .. and it stops anyone fighting / trying to be funny etc etc ..
what could be better ?

Oh, BOTH thumbs up now is it?

Joe552 thought ONE "thumb up" was some kind of perversion!

:party

[firecat69]

For me, the current level of moderation has resulted in a board I have now started to revisit. Frankly, the previous "Insiders Club" the dominated the board in the past made it senseless to come here. Except for the members of that club I doubt anyone else found it amusing to read adolescent put downs fired back and forth between folks no one else knew or wanted to know. I'd prefer those folks self moderate, but if they don't, keep on filtering out their nonsense.


I agree completely. I just posted on Gay Thailand that people who disparage this board have not visited recently. It is now the most interesting Board by far!!

[Neal]

Thank you Firecat69 we greatly appreciate knowing that all of our hard work and nasty remarks that we have had to put up with from "a few" is appreciated!!