Originally Posted by cabo35 (Post 730659)

Great thread. I agree that The Villages is becoming an end destination for vacationers or those looking for a getaway from the real world.

No one has mentioned the growth and metamorphosis of TOTV. I remember the rough and tumble of the virtually unmoderated political forum. I remember delightfully stimulating and thought provoking posts by Kahuna, Billethkid, Bucco and a litany of others from all political persuasions and ideologies. Most of us were in it for cerebral exercise. Care had to be taken to research your position as exhilarating challenges could always be expected. I learned a lot from some very intelligent, informed Villages TOTV posters. One example was a regular poster who was very successful in the banking industry. He shared some brilliant, articulate, insider assessments on current events that prompted some to alter their opinions. It is sad when that kind of opportunity for informed enlightenment has passed into oblivion. It is lost to all but a few TOTV old-timers.

I remember the TOTV political forum morphing from an open forum to a closed forum that you had to register for. Probably a casualty of political correctness taken to a fault. I could never understand the critics of lively debate protesting to the moderators about the spirited content of a forum they had voluntarily signed into. Kind of like a nosey voyeur climbing a ladder to his neighbors bedroom window and then reporting to their landlord that he didn't like what he saw and demands they be evicted.

While memories of the sometimes raucous old political forum slowly fade, I hope that the new moderators strike a balance that allows for some passionate, colorful opinions outside the mainstream. In other words, I hope they don't sanitize the forums into boring, politically correct banter for the masses............(provocative thought provoking pause).

Thanks for an interesting thread. I hope this post passes muster and doesn't wind up in the great "deleted file" in cyberspace.

Have a great day in The Villages!

Originally Posted by Bucco (Post 730494)

Good post.

Be clear...because some have totally misunderstood my post.

I was not complaining about anything with this thread. It just struck me the dynamic changes in the years I have been here, and thus the thread. Some changes have been good and some not so good from my perspective.....but all change fits that definition.

Originally Posted by cabo35 (Post 730659)

Great thread. I agree that The Villages is becoming an end destination for vacationers or those looking for a getaway from the real world.

No one has mentioned the growth and metamorphosis of TOTV. I remember the rough and tumble of the virtually unmoderated political forum. I remember delightfully stimulating and thought provoking posts by Kahuna, Billethkid, Bucco and a litany of others from all political persuasions and ideologies. Most of us were in it for cerebral exercise. Care had to be taken to research your position as exhilarating challenges could always be expected. I learned a lot from some very intelligent, informed Villages TOTV posters. One example was a regular poster who was very successful in the banking industry. He shared some brilliant, articulate, insider assessments on current events that prompted some to alter their opinions. It is sad when that kind of opportunity for informed enlightenment has passed into oblivion. It is lost to all but a few TOTV old-timers.

I remember the TOTV political forum morphing from an open forum to a closed forum that you had to register for. Probably a casualty of political correctness taken to a fault. I could never understand the critics of lively debate protesting to the moderators about the spirited content of a forum they had voluntarily signed into. Kind of like a nosey voyeur climbing a ladder to his neighbors bedroom window and then reporting to their landlord that he didn't like what he saw and demands they be evicted.

While memories of the sometimes raucous old political forum slowly fade, I hope that the new moderators strike a balance that allows for some passionate, colorful opinions outside the mainstream. In other words, I hope they don't sanitize the forums into boring, politically correct banter for the masses............(provocative thought provoking pause).

Thanks for an interesting thread. I hope this post passes muster and doesn't wind up in the great "deleted file" in cyberspace.

Have a great day in The Villages!

Originally Posted by cabo35 (Post 730659)

Great thread. I agree that The Villages is becoming an end destination for vacationers or those looking for a getaway from the real world.

No one has mentioned the growth and metamorphosis of TOTV. I remember the rough and tumble of the virtually unmoderated political forum. I remember delightfully stimulating and thought provoking posts by Kahuna, Billethkid, Bucco and a litany of others from all political persuasions and ideologies. Most of us were in it for cerebral exercise. Care had to be taken to research your position as exhilarating challenges could always be expected. I learned a lot from some very intelligent, informed Villages TOTV posters. One example was a regular poster who was very successful in the banking industry. He shared some brilliant, articulate, insider assessments on current events that prompted some to alter their opinions. It is sad when that kind of opportunity for informed enlightenment has passed into oblivion. It is lost to all but a few TOTV old-timers.

I remember the TOTV political forum morphing from an open forum to a closed forum that you had to register for. Probably a casualty of political correctness taken to a fault. I could never understand the critics of lively debate protesting to the moderators about the spirited content of a forum they had voluntarily signed into. Kind of like a nosey voyeur climbing a ladder to his neighbors bedroom window and then reporting to their landlord that he didn't like what he saw and demands they be evicted.

While memories of the sometimes raucous old political forum slowly fade, I hope that the new moderators strike a balance that allows for some passionate, colorful opinions outside the mainstream. In other words, I hope they don't sanitize the forums into boring, politically correct banter for the masses............(provocative thought provoking pause).

Thanks for an interesting thread. I hope this post passes muster and doesn't wind up in the great "deleted file" in cyberspace.

Have a great day in The Villages!

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 730821)

I sent a PM to the Admin on that very subject. In the last hour there have been deletions I have questioned.

I was one glad to see political disappear..because of just a couple really vicious posters. But now I want it back. Even if it is relegated again to op-in.

I hope I don't get banned from speaking out about this.

Originally Posted by Golfingnut (Post 730865)

We came here the first time in 2004. The difference from every place else we tried in our search for the perfect retirement home was that The Villages offered wonderful homes with the feel of a resort that included hundreds of things to do that you would find in a resort or a cruise ship. Yet, with the neighborhoods, it is also like a home town. 9 years later and it has only gotten better. We are all so blessed to have this opertunity.