Just curious

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

I just spoke to someone on this and they think I should make a point more clearly. THat point is that I have locked or split threads regarding this not to censor but to remove posts where people were name droppign on purpose to try and advertise for another site. Some members for whatever reason would like to make comments or posts just to drive traffic somewhere else. There was nothing nefarious. Advertising or name dropping for that purpose has never been allowed. I have even in the past asked members who advertised a home business not to name drop in a similar fashion. I am just trying to be uniform on this policy.

[rebeccajo 14]

Ewok, when are you going to understand the your site, that you have worked so hard to maintain, would not be what it is without the FREE contribution of so many in the past?

I mean...really...isn't it just that SIMPLE?

[chri'stina 190]

(This has nothing to do with what ewok just said...)

One thing that I hope of those who have left or are leaving VJ, that it does not turn it into "naive VJers" vs the smart ones who know what's "really" going on and have left. Because that would be hurtful to some ppl here too and wouldn't be fair. Not saying anyone has, but it's easy to do.

[almaty 19]

the site is as popular and important to many due to help given by those who have had more experience..it is the peeps that drives this site as my sister becca states and always will

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Members are the most important element of any site and I appreciate everyone. The blocking of one URL amungst billions of websites was the issue. I have offered to work on this rationally even but (not you) some members like creating drama. It is honestly hard to work any issue in the middle of a bee hive when there is dramam being created for no reason.

I am sure you can understand that if rational minsd prevail then things are easier all around to figure out yes? We are all adults and I am only asking that we work this as such.

[rebeccajo 14]

I just spoke to someone on this and they think I should make a point more clearly. THat point is that I have locked or split threads regarding this not to censor but to remove posts where people were name droppign on purpose to try and advertise for another site. Some members for whatever reason would like to make comments or posts just to drive traffic somewhere else. There was nothing nefarious. Advertising or name dropping for that purpose has never been allowed. I have even in the past asked members who advertised a home business not to name drop in a similar fashion. I am just trying to be uniform on this policy.

You deleted a thread by Diaddie M wherein she asked why the one site was censored from her signature but not others. She was asking about uniformity then. It seems to me she noticed a lack of uniformity. Do you honestly not see it?

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

the site is as popular and important to many due to help given by those who have had more experience..it is the peeps that drives this site as my sister becca states and always will

I agree and I hope you see that I try to be as helpful to as many members as possible. If you read the SIte Related Discussion I am constantly working with members to improve the site and to address any concerns they have. I work night and day many times to try and make the site everything it can be. I hope you honestly do not think this is the case.

I just spoke to someone on this and they think I should make a point more clearly. THat point is that I have locked or split threads regarding this not to censor but to remove posts where people were name droppign on purpose to try and advertise for another site. Some members for whatever reason would like to make comments or posts just to drive traffic somewhere else. There was nothing nefarious. Advertising or name dropping for that purpose has never been allowed. I have even in the past asked members who advertised a home business not to name drop in a similar fashion. I am just trying to be uniform on this policy.

You deleted a thread by Diaddie M wherein she asked why the one site was censored from her signature but not others. She was asking about uniformity then. It seems to me she noticed a lack of uniformity. Do you honestly not see it?

I did not delete the thread. You have your facts wrong. I removed the URL in the thread. I can point you to the thread if you want. That is the same issue as this and for uniformity is the same as now. Please, I think that many people are assumming things and I ask that you just PM me if you have concerns. I do not understand as I am willing to sit here and rspon to a million PM's if that is what it takes. Drama is not helpful. I am sure everyone here are rational professional adults and knows that things are always easier to address when calm and rational minds prevail.

[JenT 0]

I haven't weighed in much on this drama because I was a few hours behind in the banning of Aussie, so since I wasn't directly a part of that conversation or the chat that followed. I've just been observing....

I can see how people are frustrated by the censorship that seems to be occurring. Call it censorship or not, the reason people are upset, Capt, is because this topic has received more attention in terms of deleted posts/links than any of the flame wars/outright TOS violations in recent months.

When people feel like they can't honestly contribute, or that their contributions are being dismissed, they will get upset.

There's no point in going back over the he said/she said 'stuff', IMHO... TOS violations should be dealt with consistently and across the board.

Jen

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

I haven't weighed in much on this drama because I was a few hours behind in the banning of Aussie, so since I wasn't directly a part of that conversation or the chat that followed. I've just been observing....

I can see how people are frustrated by the censorship that seems to be occurring. Call it censorship or not, the reason people are upset, Capt, is because this topic has received more attention in terms of deleted posts/links than any of the flame wars/outright TOS violations in recent months.

When people feel like they can't honestly contribute, or that their contributions are being dismissed, they will get upset.

There's no point in going back over the he said/she said 'stuff', IMHO... TOS violations should be dealt with consistently and across the board.

Jen

Yes I agree... completely. People can always contribute, yes. The blocking of one URL amugst billions is the issue and I was even willing to resolve it. I would just like people to see that.

[rebeccajo 14]

(This has nothing to do with what ewok just said...)

One thing that I hope of those who have left or are leaving VJ, that it does not turn it into "naive VJers" vs the smart ones who know what's "really" going on and have left. Because that would be hurtful to some ppl here too and wouldn't be fair. Not saying anyone has, but it's easy to do.

Not at all. I maintain that VJ will go on. There are MANY good people here - friends - and that is one reason it's hard to contemplate a 'separation'. Not to mention the fact that people simply can and will learn.

In my repetoire of 'old stories' there is one about putting your fist into a bucket of water and splashing around furiously. Make a great deal of noise and mess. Pull your fist out of the bucket - see how fast the 'hole' your fist made fills back up. The 'story' is a metaphor for how fast one can be replaced.

On the other hand, those who have contributed - either because they purely loved to help others - or because they became fascinated with the process - have value. When that value seems to have diminished, then there is frustration. One wonders why one spent so much time here.

For me, I know there are others I helped. They've thanked me for it. At the end of the day that will be enough.

[JenT 0]

In my repetoire of 'old stories' there is one about putting your fist into a bucket of water and splashing around furiously. Make a great deal of noise and mess. Pull your fist out of the bucket - see how fast the 'hole' your fist made fills back up. The 'story' is a metaphor for how fast one can be replaced.

Interesting Becca.... never heard this one before. But there's a flip side... consider the qualities/properties of one's fist, and the qualities/properties of water.... one can replace the other, but they are not the same.

Jen

[meauxna 15]

I just spoke to someone on this and they think I should make a point more clearly. THat point is that I have locked or split threads regarding this not to censor but to remove posts where people were name droppign on purpose to try and advertise for another site. Some members for whatever reason would like to make comments or posts just to drive traffic somewhere else. There was nothing nefarious. Advertising or name dropping for that purpose has never been allowed. I have even in the past asked members who advertised a home business not to name drop in a similar fashion. I am just trying to be uniform on this policy.

This sounds suspiciously like the current US gov't administration: keep saying it and make it true.

If you 'split' a thread in forum-speak, it means that two distinct parts remain. You simply edited a thread to remove posts that you didn't like.

Same goes for the definitions of the following: spam, name dropping and drama. I submit that none of those things have happened relative to FBI or any other site here.

I clean up 'spam' from the Usenet group every day--they are repeated posts, not relevant to the group, dropped by non-members designed to advertise another site. That didn't happen here.

I don't see name-dropping, or your other accusation of 'driving traffic' to be true either--just because someone names a site, that is 'name dropping'? If so, you'd better get busy. There are thousands of links repeatedly posted here.

And drama? Trust me, no one wants this as 'drama' just for fun--people feel seriously wronged by you and you ignore it, or ask for pity based on the day and night work you do on the site. that issue is not in question, so please don't turn the discussion to that. Least of all to mention the non-stop, unabated drama that goes on here for nothing more than entertainment. Consistantly allowing people multiple registrations just for the purpose of actually stirring the pot is hardly an ironclad interpretation of the TOS.. shoot, a person could go on for days at the 'drama' that IS allowed here. You call this 'drama' as if it's something bad because it's a topic YOU find dramatic.

You tell me you don't know what else to do about this; I don't want to give you suggestions any more.

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Ok, I have indeed now received an email from AW (4:30EST was sent and now recv'd). I will certainly respond to her points and let you know her thoughts that she expressed in the email. I hope that you will respect the situation and that it is between myself and her.

Firstly let me say that I apologize to AW and anyone else for my initial reactions to this and in anyway if I dispairaged her character. I do try hard and my intentions are true... no one is perfect and I am trying to do my best. AW is a good person and truthfully someone I always thought of as a friend. AW respectfully declined the offer to chat, in either visajourney or personally by phone, now and in the future. That is her decision and I will respect it.

AW also did agree that this matter does need to come to an end. It has gotten out of perspective and is not helpful to the many members around this and other sites and distracts from the goal of this and many sites on the internet -- to share experiences and make the immigration process less stressfull while promoting education on the topic. In the end I appreciate her comments and agree with her on what she said.

To AW again. I apologize if I reacted quick at the hip initially and the resulting snowball effect was truly not what I planned. I regret that the things that happened caused strain to both you and me personally. To everyone here, I hope this can show you that AW and I would like to put this behind us. I hope that you can respect that decision that we both have made (to move on and focus on what really matters -- the other members and community at large).

I also just want to thank everyone for what you have done for the immigration community as a whole . We are at a better place today than years ago because of everyones contributions and the many communities out there.

Edited May 18, 2007 by Captain Ewok
edited for grammer. yikes.. typoes :P.

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

I just spoke to someone on this and they think I should make a point more clearly. THat point is that I have locked or split threads regarding this not to censor but to remove posts where people were name droppign on purpose to try and advertise for another site. Some members for whatever reason would like to make comments or posts just to drive traffic somewhere else. There was nothing nefarious. Advertising or name dropping for that purpose has never been allowed. I have even in the past asked members who advertised a home business not to name drop in a similar fashion. I am just trying to be uniform on this policy.

This sounds suspiciously like the current US gov't administration: keep saying it and make it true.

If you 'split' a thread in forum-speak, it means that two distinct parts remain. You simply edited a thread to remove posts that you didn't like.

Same goes for the definitions of the following: spam, name dropping and drama. I submit that none of those things have happened relative to FBI or any other site here.

I clean up 'spam' from the Usenet group every day--they are repeated posts, not relevant to the group, dropped by non-members designed to advertise another site. That didn't happen here.

I don't see name-dropping, or your other accusation of 'driving traffic' to be true either--just because someone names a site, that is 'name dropping'? If so, you'd better get busy. There are thousands of links repeatedly posted here.

And drama? Trust me, no one wants this as 'drama' just for fun--people feel seriously wronged by you and you ignore it, or ask for pity based on the day and night work you do on the site. that issue is not in question, so please don't turn the discussion to that. Least of all to mention the non-stop, unabated drama that goes on here for nothing more than entertainment. Consistantly allowing people multiple registrations just for the purpose of actually stirring the pot is hardly an ironclad interpretation of the TOS.. shoot, a person could go on for days at the 'drama' that IS allowed here. You call this 'drama' as if it's something bad because it's a topic YOU find dramatic.

You tell me you don't know what else to do about this; I don't want to give you suggestions any more.

Multi reg's are removed as reported. There is no tool to find them automatically as IP's are often recycled by ISP's. However if alerted to muli-reg'd members we close the dupe account and if required will penalize the original member if they reg'd the dupe account for bad reasons (some times it is ok in the regards that a member may want to ask a question that they are too shy to under their normal account; I can understand that for privacy reasons).

[Fandango 1,439]

This is Ewok's site, and if he wanted to ban the URL, he has a right to.

People need to accept that. This site is not governed by the US Constitiution, and people need to understand that.