Well okay...

April 23, 2006

I hate my life.

Most of this has to do with the fact that I have never fit in

anywhere.

I live in an area where you have to be drunk or high before you can

be friends with anyone. My mom crawled in bed with me when I was

younger because she was too drunk to walk to her bedroom, and so when

you grow up with such people, you begin to loathe the subjects of sex

and drugs when they pop up unexpectedly.

And when I began posting to the online message board community, I

found people just like me who were also sick of the rest of the world.

Trolls destroyed this community as they have others. These trolls

changed a board where you could talk about life and love and animals

and people into a board where if you didn't talk about sex and drugs

and anti-religious topics you did not fit in.

My establishment of these boards was in oder to recreate and

ressurect a haven where people didn't have to be subjected to what

destroyed the old ones.

I wanted to create a place where we could once again retreat from the

bad aspects of the real world and talk about life and love and

animals and people.

Now I find we have a bunch of people talking about the bad stuff that

I and some others here were originally trying to escape from. Maybe I

should leave or else shut down these boards because maybe I am the

only one who DOESN'T want to talk about sex and drugs.

What do you folks have to say?

Should we continue, or should I just punch up the delete buttons and

send you all off to other boards and real life again?

Tom

Administrator

April 23, 2006

I think another reason you may have been angry at rainbow is because he stated that there was nothing to talk about in the Gentleman's Guild and then he talked about what he wanted to in the other forums. Mara seemed somewhat paranoid in my opinion and the page I read on gangstalking was hardly informative. I think this community can be rebuilt. It will just take time. What else is there for most of us?environmental1st2003 <no_reply > wrote: I hate my life. Most of this has to do with the fact that I have never fit in anywhere.I live in an area where you have to be drunk or high before you can be friends with anyone. My mom crawled in bed with me when I was younger because she was too drunk to walk to her bedroom, and so when you grow up with such people, you begin to loathe the subjects of sex

and drugs when they pop up unexpectedly.And when I began posting to the online message board community, I found people just like me who were also sick of the rest of the world.Trolls destroyed this community as they have others. These trolls changed a board where you could talk about life and love and animals and people into a board where if you didn't talk about sex and drugs and anti-religious topics you did not fit in. My establishment of these boards was in oder to recreate and ressurect a haven where people didn't have to be subjected to what destroyed the old ones.I wanted to create a place where we could once again retreat from the bad aspects of the real world and talk about life and love and animals and people.Now I find we have a bunch of people talking about the bad stuff that I and some others here were originally trying to escape from. Maybe I should leave or else shut

down these boards because maybe I am the only one who DOESN'T want to talk about sex and drugs.What do you folks have to say?Should we continue, or should I just punch up the delete buttons and send you all off to other boards and real life again?TomAdministrator

Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates.

April 23, 2006

Well you know I do not want these boards shut down. I want them to go

back to how they were, things have been far too heated recently.

Rules are rules - you are administrator of these boards, what you say

should go - you created these boards you run them - if poeple have a

problem with that they are free to leave, otherwise they can just

follow the rules.

I'll also add that if people have problems with how these boards are

run, rather than bickering and argueing online that they email admin

or mod's privately. Not sure how other mod's feel about this, but I

would rather keep all the conflict off the boards.

Hopefully we can get back to this being a nice safe supportive place.

>

> I hate my life.

>

> Most of this has to do with the fact that I have never fit in

> anywhere.

>

> I live in an area where you have to be drunk or high before you can

> be friends with anyone. My mom crawled in bed with me when I was

> younger because she was too drunk to walk to her bedroom, and so

when

> you grow up with such people, you begin to loathe the subjects of

sex

> and drugs when they pop up unexpectedly.

>

> And when I began posting to the online message board community, I

> found people just like me who were also sick of the rest of the

world.

>

> Trolls destroyed this community as they have others. These trolls

> changed a board where you could talk about life and love and

animals

> and people into a board where if you didn't talk about sex and

drugs

> and anti-religious topics you did not fit in.

>

> My establishment of these boards was in oder to recreate and

> ressurect a haven where people didn't have to be subjected to what

> destroyed the old ones.

>

> I wanted to create a place where we could once again retreat from

the

> bad aspects of the real world and talk about life and love and

> animals and people.

>

> Now I find we have a bunch of people talking about the bad stuff

that

> I and some others here were originally trying to escape from. Maybe

I

> should leave or else shut down these boards because maybe I am the

> only one who DOESN'T want to talk about sex and drugs.

>

> What do you folks have to say?

>

> Should we continue, or should I just punch up the delete buttons

and

> send you all off to other boards and real life again?

>

> Tom

> Administrator

>

April 23, 2006

Personally i agree with , very well stated and composed letter. I don't want the boards shut down either. I want them to go back to how they were. I agree completely and totally with everything you have just said. With the addition that this should be a happy place for us to go and talk to people that understand us, for support and help not a place for bickering and fighting. Bethgreebohere <julie.stevenson16@...> wrote: Well you know I do not want these boards shut down. I want them to go back to how they were, things have been far too heated recently.Rules are rules - you are administrator of these boards, what you say should go - you created these boards you run them - if poeple have a problem with that they are free to

leave, otherwise they can just follow the rules.I'll also add that if people have problems with how these boards are run, rather than bickering and argueing online that they email admin or mod's privately. Not sure how other mod's feel about this, but I would rather keep all the conflict off the boards.Hopefully we can get back to this being a nice safe supportive place.>> I hate my life. > > Most of this has to do with the fact that I have never fit in > anywhere.> > I live in an area where you have to be drunk or high before you can > be friends with anyone. My mom crawled in bed with me when I was > younger because she was too drunk to walk to her bedroom, and so when > you grow up with such people, you begin to loathe the subjects of sex

> and drugs when they pop up unexpectedly.> > And when I began posting to the online message board community, I > found people just like me who were also sick of the rest of the world.> > Trolls destroyed this community as they have others. These trolls > changed a board where you could talk about life and love and animals > and people into a board where if you didn't talk about sex and drugs > and anti-religious topics you did not fit in. > > My establishment of these boards was in oder to recreate and > ressurect a haven where people didn't have to be subjected to what > destroyed the old ones.> > I wanted to create a place where we could once again retreat from the > bad aspects of the real world and talk about life and love and > animals and people.> > Now I find we have a bunch of people talking about the bad stuff

that > I and some others here were originally trying to escape from. Maybe I > should leave or else shut down these boards because maybe I am the > only one who DOESN'T want to talk about sex and drugs.> > What do you folks have to say?> > Should we continue, or should I just punch up the delete buttons and > send you all off to other boards and real life again?> > Tom> Administrator>

Blab-away for as little as 1¢/min. Make PC-to-Phone Calls using Messenger with Voice.

April 23, 2006

Personally i agree with , very well stated and composed letter. I don't want the boards shut down either. I want them to go back to how they were. I agree completely and totally with everything you have just said. With the addition that this should be a happy place for us to go and talk to people that understand us, for support and help not a place for bickering and fighting. Bethgreebohere <julie.stevenson16@...> wrote: Well you know I do not want these boards shut down. I want them to go back to how they were, things have been far too heated recently.Rules are rules - you are administrator of these boards, what you say should go - you created these boards you run them - if poeple have a problem with that they are free to

leave, otherwise they can just follow the rules.I'll also add that if people have problems with how these boards are run, rather than bickering and argueing online that they email admin or mod's privately. Not sure how other mod's feel about this, but I would rather keep all the conflict off the boards.Hopefully we can get back to this being a nice safe supportive place.>> I hate my life. > > Most of this has to do with the fact that I have never fit in > anywhere.> > I live in an area where you have to be drunk or high before you can > be friends with anyone. My mom crawled in bed with me when I was > younger because she was too drunk to walk to her bedroom, and so when > you grow up with such people, you begin to loathe the subjects of sex

> and drugs when they pop up unexpectedly.> > And when I began posting to the online message board community, I > found people just like me who were also sick of the rest of the world.> > Trolls destroyed this community as they have others. These trolls > changed a board where you could talk about life and love and animals > and people into a board where if you didn't talk about sex and drugs > and anti-religious topics you did not fit in. > > My establishment of these boards was in oder to recreate and > ressurect a haven where people didn't have to be subjected to what > destroyed the old ones.> > I wanted to create a place where we could once again retreat from the > bad aspects of the real world and talk about life and love and > animals and people.> > Now I find we have a bunch of people talking about the bad stuff

that > I and some others here were originally trying to escape from. Maybe I > should leave or else shut down these boards because maybe I am the > only one who DOESN'T want to talk about sex and drugs.> > What do you folks have to say?> > Should we continue, or should I just punch up the delete buttons and > send you all off to other boards and real life again?> > Tom> Administrator>

Blab-away for as little as 1¢/min. Make PC-to-Phone Calls using Messenger with Voice.

April 23, 2006

Tom wrote:

> Trolls destroyed this community as they have others.

> These trolls

> changed a board where you could talk about life and

> love and animals

> and people into a board where if you didn't talk

> about sex and drugs

> and anti-religious topics you did not fit in.

I can kind of relate, except trolls did not change my

forum. My forum on Delphi was Aspie Hangout, and I

wanted it to be a safe haven, a support group. I did

not want any debating or fighting. My only rule was

kindness rules. People could rant about the outside,

but not at each other.

It worked for a long time, but as it attracted more

posters, it started to change. My newer members wanted

more " challenging " discussions to be allowed. They

were so many and so vocal about it that I opened a

debate folder and it made it limited access. But the

debates and fighting kept finding it's way outside

that folder.

It seemed that every time I logged on I had to

moderate a situation between members. It went from

being a quiet, peaceful place where anyone hardly ever

argued, to a place where it seemed people were always

getting on each other. I grew tired of putting out

fires and being the Big Bad having to put people in

time out. I had many moderators, but being the Owner

the buck stopped with me.

My forum changed a lot from it's original vision and I

couldn't get it back. The newer, very active members

were a totally different kind that used to frequent

the Hangout. I found myself starting to avoid my own

forum. Finally I turned it over to my Assistant.

As I said, it did not change because of trolls, but

because the members it attracted changed. I don't

blame them, it is just that the forum got so big and

attracted too many different kinds of autistics.

> Maybe I

> should leave or else shut down these boards because

> maybe I am the

> only one who DOESN'T want to talk about sex and

> drugs.

>

> What do you folks have to say?

I don't like talking about that stuff either.

> Should we continue, or should I just punch up the

> delete buttons and

> send you all off to other boards and real life

> again?

I really like this place. It is one of my favorites,

so I would be sad to see it go.

Take care,

Gail :-)

__________________________________________________

April 23, 2006

Tom wrote:

> Trolls destroyed this community as they have others.

> These trolls

> changed a board where you could talk about life and

> love and animals

> and people into a board where if you didn't talk

> about sex and drugs

> and anti-religious topics you did not fit in.

I can kind of relate, except trolls did not change my

forum. My forum on Delphi was Aspie Hangout, and I

wanted it to be a safe haven, a support group. I did

not want any debating or fighting. My only rule was

kindness rules. People could rant about the outside,

but not at each other.

It worked for a long time, but as it attracted more

posters, it started to change. My newer members wanted

more " challenging " discussions to be allowed. They

were so many and so vocal about it that I opened a

debate folder and it made it limited access. But the

debates and fighting kept finding it's way outside

that folder.

It seemed that every time I logged on I had to

moderate a situation between members. It went from

being a quiet, peaceful place where anyone hardly ever

argued, to a place where it seemed people were always

getting on each other. I grew tired of putting out

fires and being the Big Bad having to put people in

time out. I had many moderators, but being the Owner

the buck stopped with me.

My forum changed a lot from it's original vision and I

couldn't get it back. The newer, very active members

were a totally different kind that used to frequent

the Hangout. I found myself starting to avoid my own

forum. Finally I turned it over to my Assistant.

As I said, it did not change because of trolls, but

because the members it attracted changed. I don't

blame them, it is just that the forum got so big and

attracted too many different kinds of autistics.

> Maybe I

> should leave or else shut down these boards because

> maybe I am the

> only one who DOESN'T want to talk about sex and

> drugs.

>

> What do you folks have to say?

I don't like talking about that stuff either.

> Should we continue, or should I just punch up the

> delete buttons and

> send you all off to other boards and real life

> again?

I really like this place. It is one of my favorites,

so I would be sad to see it go.

Take care,

Gail :-)

__________________________________________________

April 23, 2006

The reason it worked to begin with was because Inger and I made it

work. Things have changed a bit since then.

I am still up in the air.

People are wearing me out.

I feel empty inside.

And, to be honest, used.

Tom

Administrator

I really like this place. It is one of my favorites, so I would be

sad to see it go.

Take care,

Gail :-)

April 23, 2006

The reason it worked to begin with was because Inger and I made it

work. Things have changed a bit since then.

I am still up in the air.

People are wearing me out.

I feel empty inside.

And, to be honest, used.

Tom

Administrator

I really like this place. It is one of my favorites, so I would be

sad to see it go.

Take care,

Gail :-)

April 23, 2006

In a message dated 4/23/2006 9:50:53 AM Eastern Standard Time, 6emini@... writes:

I third this motion. Kim

Thank you too. I do think it is only one or two people on here that cause trouble and without them things would settle down, at least until we end up with another troll.

April 23, 2006

In a message dated 4/23/2006 9:08:20 AM Eastern Standard Time, Kate-Irvine@... writes:

I second this.Kate2

Thank you.

April 23, 2006

Oh, Tom I am sorry that so many things are going differently than you hoped. thank you for putting so much time into the boards. I tend to read and not post when things are going hectic for me because that doesn't feel so overwhelming to me. I have learned a lot that helps me in my life. I don't really want to talk about sex and drugs or get into heated arguments. Maybe some of those folks need to join a debating forum instead of here? Anyway it can be a good place again if we dont let ourselves get sucked into no-win arguments.

I have been in the place of hating my life several times too and it can be very hard to keep slogging through till it gets better again. I just remind myself that it does get better if I can just make it through the bad time.

Kathy J.

On 4/22/06, environmental1st2003 <no_reply > wrote:

I hate my life.Most of this has to do with the fact that I have never fit inanywhere.I live in an area where you have to be drunk or high before you can

be friends with anyone. My mom crawled in bed with me when I wasyounger because she was too drunk to walk to her bedroom, and so whenyou grow up with such people, you begin to loathe the subjects of sexand drugs when they pop up unexpectedly.

And when I began posting to the online message board community, Ifound people just like me who were also sick of the rest of the world.

April 24, 2006

These boards have changed a lot since I last posted regularly. The

seeds of dissension were starting to be sown at that time, which is one

of the reasons I wandered away. However, I was still shocked by the

free-for-all anger I found upon coming back.

>

> Trolls destroyed this community as they have others. These trolls

> changed a board where you could talk about life and love and animals

> and people into a board where if you didn't talk about sex and drugs

> and anti-religious topics you did not fit in.

Intrigued as I was by the board's breakdown, I went back and read over

the posts from this year. (Easy to do when you're an insomniac.) If

anything, I saw the opposite of the above statement. I never saw

anything touting recreational drug use. I would say more, but I

understand that's a taboo subject.

Anti-religious topics? The tone of this board has become considerably

more fundamentalist since I was last here. That can be off-putting,

just as " un-Christian " sentiment can be off-putting to fundamentalists.

Please understand, not everyone who isn't religious lives a degenerate

lifestyle. I personally have no interest in discussing sex or drugs,

but not because I'm under the Christian banner.

I realize it must be very hard to run a forum like this, and I commend

you for all the good you've done. Please don't be offended, I only ask

you to ponder if maybe you came on a little strong with the religious

stuff, something which may not be " good for all. " It kind of comes off

(to me) that everyone has to share the Christian viewpoint of the

moderator or they are wrong or unwelcome or even a " troll, " a word

which has become overused on the net these days. A troll is someone who

exists on a forum only to stir up trouble, not someone who offers a

dissenting opinion.

I can only speak personally by saying I probably won't post to a board

that is so fundamentalist in tone. It isn't comfortable for me.

However, I really hope things squared away so that those who are

comfortable here continue to be so.

Being an Aspie can be very lonely.

I enjoyed the responses I got on the anime topic. Take care all.

April 24, 2006

" Anti-religious topics? The tone of this board has become

considerably more fundamentalist since I was last here. That can be

off-putting, just as " un-Christian " sentiment can be off-putting to

fundamentalists.

Please understand, not everyone who isn't religious lives a

degenerate lifestyle. I personally have no interest in discussing sex

or drugs, but not because I'm under the Christian banner. "

I don't think anyone ever said that non Christians were bad or

anything like that. Just to make things clear, not all the moderators

are Christian.

As for this board being fundamentalist - I have experienced

fundamentalists - this board is not - if anything those that are

Christian and open about it have been persistently attacked by some

accusing them of running the board in a self righteous way, been

accused of being hypocrits and a whole host of other things.

" Intrigued as I was by the board's breakdown, I went back and read

over the posts from this year. (Easy to do when you're an insomniac.)

If anything, I saw the opposite of the above statement. I never saw

anything touting recreational drug use. I would say more, but I

understand that's a taboo subject. "

I think those that have been causing trouble have been very

clever/subtle with it - it has been subtle and hard to spot, but it

is there nonetheless; some people are just very clever with their use

of words. Those causing trouble have done in a very underhanded way,

they have observed the boards, drummed up support and then caused

dissention. It is this continued dissention causing of some members

that makes me wonder whether they want the boards to run smoothly.

I hope you will stick around as the moderators are trying to come to

a solution that will enable the boards to remain open and hopefully

also go back to smooth running - please bear with us.

> >

> > Trolls destroyed this community as they have others. These trolls

> > changed a board where you could talk about life and love and

animals

> > and people into a board where if you didn't talk about sex and

drugs

> > and anti-religious topics you did not fit in.

>

> Intrigued as I was by the board's breakdown, I went back and read

over

> the posts from this year. (Easy to do when you're an insomniac.) If

> anything, I saw the opposite of the above statement. I never saw

> anything touting recreational drug use. I would say more, but I

> understand that's a taboo subject.

>

> Anti-religious topics? The tone of this board has become

considerably

> more fundamentalist since I was last here. That can be off-putting,

> just as " un-Christian " sentiment can be off-putting to

fundamentalists.

> Please understand, not everyone who isn't religious lives a

degenerate

> lifestyle. I personally have no interest in discussing sex or

drugs,

> but not because I'm under the Christian banner.

>

> I realize it must be very hard to run a forum like this, and I

commend

> you for all the good you've done. Please don't be offended, I only

ask

> you to ponder if maybe you came on a little strong with the

religious

> stuff, something which may not be " good for all. " It kind of comes

off

> (to me) that everyone has to share the Christian viewpoint of the

> moderator or they are wrong or unwelcome or even a " troll, " a word

> which has become overused on the net these days. A troll is someone

who

> exists on a forum only to stir up trouble, not someone who offers a

> dissenting opinion.

>

> I can only speak personally by saying I probably won't post to a

board

> that is so fundamentalist in tone. It isn't comfortable for me.

> However, I really hope things squared away so that those who are

> comfortable here continue to be so.

>

> Being an Aspie can be very lonely.

>

> I enjoyed the responses I got on the anime topic. Take care all.

>

April 24, 2006

Lissa wrote:

>These boards have changed a lot since I last posted regularly. The

seeds of dissension were starting to be sown at that time, which is one

of the reasons I wandered away. However, I was still shocked by the

free-for-all anger I found upon coming back.<

I see the same thing. The tone of the board has been changing from open and

mostly friendly into an atmosphere where people easily get (mis)jugdged and

attacked.

>If anything, I saw the opposite of the above statement. I never saw

anything touting recreational drug use. I would say more, but I

understand that's a taboo subject.<

I also cannot find any mail like that.

>Anti-religious topics? The tone of this board has become considerably

more fundamentalist since I was last here. That can be off-putting,

just as " un-Christian " sentiment can be off-putting to fundamentalists.

Please understand, not everyone who isn't religious lives a degenerate

lifestyle. I personally have no interest in discussing sex or drugs,

but not because I'm under the Christian banner.<

Maybe the tone is not excactly more fundamentalist, but it seems to have

changed into a Christian board on which Christian conviccions are standard.

>I realize it must be very hard to run a forum like this, and I commend

you for all the good you've done. Please don't be offended, I only ask

you to ponder if maybe you came on a little strong with the religious

stuff, something which may not be " good for all. " It kind of comes off

(to me) that everyone has to share the Christian viewpoint of the

moderator or they are wrong or unwelcome or even a " troll, " a word

which has become overused on the net these days. A troll is someone who

exists on a forum only to stir up trouble, not someone who offers a

dissenting opinion.<

Right. I also feel that the troll mentioning doesn't make much sense. I have

not seen trolls here among the members that are writing here already for at

least more than a year.

Lida

April 24, 2006