Isn't it ironic

not bad but number nine would be a stupid rule. i did not post any poems under my name for over 60 days because i was busy and didn't have time to post but i still wanted my other stuff to be viewed.

#9 is written so as not a rigid rule and it hasn't been enforced. It just puts people on notice that the site administrator has that option.

I agree 100% with you Bob! These rules SHOULD be followed, though most aren't. (exept number 9 of course)

Bob, I am glad you brought this up. I am in total agreement with you.

I have had considerable experience with other internet forums. Unfortunately, they rarely survive when they are left to be self policed or selectively policed. It is just too easy for a very small number of ill-intentioned individuals to sabotage and destroy a worthwhile forum. They turn every discussion into a battlefield of personal insults, inflammatory language and heightened hostility. The large majority of valuable contributors to the group become exasperated and then depart, leaving the group to a handful of disruptive, destructive posters who eventually move on because there is no one left to aggravate and annoy.

There are tens of thousands of well-intentioned members on this site but only a small handful of individuals (and we all know who they are) whose primary motive in being here is to create such intense disruption, frustration and hostility that it will eventually destroy the spirit and soul of this site.

These no-life, lowlife people are guided by the same evil iintent as the kind of criminals who launch computer viruses or start wildires that burn and destroy millions of acres of our natural landscape.

It is always a very, very few that destroy the pleasures enjoyed by a great many others.

Unfortunately, the site administrator and monitors have so far not been assertive and effective in dealing with this issue.

the only problem with that Bob, is that right now the moderators have no powers other than forum editing.... it's not our fault that comments and voting are what they are.

Ann Marie -- I know you are right about the moderators not being able to do anything about the comments and voting. And that is pretty frustrating.

But so many of the discussion threads have deteriorated into a forum for name calling, insults and filthy language in clear violation of the forum rules. Lately most of the offensive posts are rarely being deleted or edited so the ones initiating and engaging in it feel all the more free to continue it.

I believe that if someone flagrantly violates the rules here with an abusive post and then a few words are later edited out, that may help but it is not enough to create any deterrent. I think the entire post should be deleted. That would be far more likely to send a clear message that this continued abuse won't be tolerated any longer. And it would serve to make the discussion forums more user friendly once again.

3 and 8 arent being enforced well...