Frank Hagan Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 Recently, a post in the Wooden Boat Forum provided a link to messing-about.com and seems to indicate that people should follow that link to come here and, if I'm reading the poster's intent correctly, disrupt our community. See the link at http://media5.hypernet.com/cgi-bin/UBB/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=012761#000003 As you can see, following the axiom that sunlight is the best disinfectant, I have invited everyone reading that thread to come here, but asked them to follow our One Rule. And, since all of you are also in the sunlight, I'm letting you know what I did. messing-about.com has been in existence for several years now, and has always amazed me. We have a great group of people here, who can put aside their differences (which are sometimes HUGE!) and share in those things we hold in common. That's truly a testament to your values and honesty. I salute you. We only have One Rule (besides the ones already in place due to laws and regulations of our various governments). I often joke that since God only had 10, it would be presumptious to have more than One. I'd hate to add more rules. Perhaps if we agree to follow the One Rule even through an onslaught of those who would disrupt us, they will find a home here too. 8) Here's a hard fact: some people like to disrupt Internet communities. If everyone ignores them, they go away. Oh, I can try banning them, but the only real way to do that is to close your community off, require special registration procedures, and therefore have more than One Rule. I'd like to take a different tack, of course, and invite them to become part of our community. Will it work? Time will tell. But for the present, before you hit the <ENTER> key, just remember our One Rule. Maybe, just maybe, that will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe(Cold Spring onHudson) Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 Frank I have always been here and its always been a great place. Thank you. Maybe one day Ill have that ebay weekender restored :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Pennington Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 High Ho Silver! To the rescue, Tonto! Unreal! Lord Nelson's Ghost! If that don't beat all? I guess if that there post won't get me out of the mine, I don't know what will. I am tired of spitting dirt, how come none of them gold nuggets get caught in my boots? BOATS! Think beautiful boats! Wind, nice wind! Wood, yeah, lots of wood! Oh, okay, my hearts settling down now, getting calmer... ZZZZZZZ Lets see, don't we have to give our e-mail address to be able to sign up for this forum? Please Frank, I promise to be "nice", you know how much I like to travel! :twisted: Honest! OOOPS! Sorry, "Nice" wind, warm weather, sails, yeah thats it Sails! Okay, I'm all right! Whoooo! Lost myself for a moment, BUT I'M BACK! I have been learning to make big booms in the ground, getting smarter! One of these days this giants going to figure out how to get that their gold out of that hole. Still got my night job though, a guys got to eat, you know. I did get a brand new laboratory, it even has windows, plus some new fancy analysers. Santa has been good to me Here is the meat of my post and I am dead serious. This forum has helped me build my Vacationer, there is not a bad thing about this site, nothing but good Karma. I have met some very nice people from all over the world through this connection. Everyone is so helpful, it takes time to answer posts, sometimes even extensive research, folks just flat go out of their way to help a guy, wether they think your nuts or not. It don't matter what floats our boats, the fact is they are a float, not some forgotten scrap pile. The people that participate on this Forum are true blue, and I have nothing but respect for good people. I learned a long time ago to follow the golden rule, do on to others as you would have them do on to you. Them little Sisters at Catholic school had big long rulers with the metal edges, know what I mean. They could just reach right out and touch you, just like, can you here me now! Your Friend. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hagan Posted December 13, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 Very nice indeed, Mike. It must be nice to sail in a place without a thousand other boats, and scenery other than docks and houses ... You do have to give an email address, and so far I've allowed the Hotmail type of email addresses. That could change, of course, and I could require only ISP emails. Back in the stone ages, when I ran a BBS, I required a valid home phone number, and I would talk to each member. That might be more work than I want to do, so I'm hoping the appeal to the One Rule will be enough. (So far, that has worked over the last few years. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 Back in the stone ages, when I ran a BBS, I required a valid home phone number, and I would talk to each member. That might be more work than I want to do, so I'm hoping the appeal to the One Rule will be enough. (So far, that has worked over the last few years. ) Sometimes its hard to beat tried and true methods. Mine is in your mail box. Looking foward to chewing some good old Redman with you. For others, it is always nice to share a yarn and an idea with you. In the old days, a real old Conflab occured with many folks of like interests. We may act crazy, but niceness was the first rule of order. Thanks again Frank for a great diversion here, from the real life's ills and ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebob Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 I for one am a fan of your one rule Frank. It's the old sticks and stones thing. Here the boats are the message, anything else is just noise. Keep up the good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Diebert Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Hey Mike....who made your sails? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hagan Posted December 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 After a bit of thought, I decided that leaving a post suggesting someone may be involved in beastiality was, indeed, a violation of our One Rule. Dutch Rub has been downgraded to "guest" level, and the permissions have been changed to not allow guests to post or reply to messages. He can still visit us here, and read messsages. All of you who have been here, and registered, should be able to continue to post without interruption. However, I will impose ... sorry folks ... a new rule on registration to participate in the Web Forums. 1) All registrations will be approved by me, using criteria I will not share. That means if you get downgraded to "guest" level, you will not be able to post or reply to messages, and you have to go through me to become a registered member again. That's it. Sorry folks, there are some people who can't even follow One Rule. Sad, isn't it? (Mr. Smalser, my apologies. Your account was also downgraded, but you can try to re-register.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken connors Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 smart move Frank, i just wasnt "feeling the love" from those guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hagan Posted December 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 I hate to do it, but I don't see another way. Some people simply don't respond to an appeal to the "inner light" as John Fox used to say, so rules have to be made. As I said, it was incredibly easy to disrupt us, so its not much of a notch on the belt or feather in the cap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Diebert Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Who's John Fox? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High C Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Thanks Frank. You're doing a fine job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hagan Posted December 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 One of the Fox brothers. Sorry, couldn't resist. Now that I think of it, I think its actually George Fox. He was the founder of the Quakers back in the early 1600's, and they had an appeal to an "inner light" (although it was religiously based and dealt with something like God's call to the person rather than good behaviour. We'll have to get Pastor Johanna to chime in here and rescue me on the details.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Diebert Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Thanks Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebob Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 I think that if he was ignored he would have gone away if he didn't manage to provoke anyone but it is for the best not to have to come across some of those posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild_Dingo Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Well mateys I reckon thats a fine move 8) ... was a tad worried for a nanosecond there as I logged on... I will get in? will I be made to register again... or horror of horrors would I be downgraded to... gasp choke splutter fume... "guest" :shock: now I didnt really think ol Frank could be that :twisted: so as I said one nanosecond later all thoughts evaporated... and so I typed me name an password in and whallah!! in like flamin flynn... as the ol song goes "love is in the air" Some times things try to escape from the bilge but the rarefied air knocks em down again... And Frank yer reckoned was a time yer would ask for a phone number to varify the member??? so why didnt yer ask me for mine eh? I mean we coulda had a right royal yarn!!! Im easier to unnerstan on the blower than I seem to be on some of these boards Oyster Mike has some fun during his calls his youngun reckons he sounds just like Steve Flamin Irwin who by the way we wish to give as a gift to you for no charge anytime yer want him now would be good yesty even bedda :? ... mind you with Mikes accent its me who has no flamin idea what hes sayin!!! strewth I dont have an accent I can unnerstan me perfickly Now on to another tack thats bin niggling at me... so Frank hows the calendar coming mate? 8) Im gonna get me one regardless if me wee canoeythingy an hoons is on its cover... but then... nah!! no pre-emptin Shane yer galah Messingabout is a small oasis of sanity... okay exceptin Konrad of course who like me own good self is as mad as a cut snake ...but anyways its a fine place! 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Pennington Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Tim, The sails were made by Ulta Sail, Paul J, I have had them for three summers now. No complaints, I did have some pin hole wear marks, but Paul sent me some special tape for repairs. They are made from the poly material, which beats tarp home made ones I have made. They shed rain real well, and hold their shape when wet. They dry fast too. The Dacron ones may be better I don't know, someday I might be able to afford some and try them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Frank, you are the man. Thanks for your interest in keeping this area clean and a nice place to come to, for a diversion away from stife around the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hagan Posted December 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 I think that if he was ignored he would have gone away if he didn't manage to provoke anyone but it is for the best not to have to come across some of those posts. I thought so at first. But he was escalating, and one thing said on the Wooden Boat Forum bothered me. He hinted at how people sometimes post "interesting pictures" The implied threat was that could happen here. Then he intimated one of our posters was into beastiality. Even a joke picture with that content would get messing-about.com suspended from the server I'm on immediatly, and I have to be honest with you, I'm not sure I would go to the trouble of finding a new host and re-building the site. I had the choice of limiting what everyone could do (i.e., no more posting of pictures), or make registration more difficult. I chose the latter, deleted his posts, and now I'm working on a way to insure easy access for people able to follow our One Rule without risking the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Diebert Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Thanks Mike, appreciated. I have been using home made poly tarps. The worked fine but got baggy after one season. I think the guy that made them used crap poly. I did buy a poly tarp sail kit from whathispickle....and the material looks excellent.....but I am hoping to have enough pesos saved up in a month or two to get some dacron sails. I recon I have put enough work into revamping this boat to warrant some nice sails. Plus I won't have to explain at the launch ramp any more. Two most common queries at the ramp: "Where's your keel?" and "Why do your sails look like the cover on my firewood?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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