[tony]

Dear members,

This is essentially what I sent today to one of our members.

I removed your post . . . . It was clearly a criticism of a first-time poster, and was extremely unfriendly.

Quite candidly I have reached the end of my patience with members viciously criticizing other members. It will stop.

Discussing and arguing is expected and is what makes a forum work. Rebukes of posters could make this forum quite unfriendly for new, and existing, posters.

You are quite often guilty of this type of behavior. Please stop it immediately.

Obviously this particular rebuke is deserved to be made of only a comparatively few of the thousands of posts here.

Who am I to judge? I am an administrator and owner and I want this forum to be a place people feel welcome.

Those who conduct themselves this way can expect warnings and possible banning. Their meanness has to stop. Where is their gentility and civility?

The preponderance of posts here are fine and normal discussion and argument, but we all recognize those few that continually attempt to verbally batter others. We will be dealing with their authors decisively.

We will not tolerate mocking and denigrating this forum and our conduct of it. Nor will we tolerate attempts to ruin the reputation of Talk Of The Villages.

Enough is enough.

Thanks Tony. Posters do occasionally get out of hand. Its nice to know someone is keeping an eye on things and keeping the forums a place where people can post without being called names, experiencing excessive meanness, etc.

[KathieI]

Whew!! Good job. Maybe now I won't be afraid to post anymore. It had to happen, getting so out of control!!

Let's all have a Happy and Healthy and Peaceful New Year!!!

[Best Mom]

Tony,
I have never experienced meaness to me in my life(even when very ill) until TOTV. Some just don't get it. They think they own the board!!
Good news Tony is most people agree with you. There is a hugh silent majority. People have left the board or are afraid to post.
So bless you Tony. Carry out your rules. This should be a friendly place as the silent majority are the nicest people in the world.
Good luck and thanks for all you do.

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by KathieI

Whew!! Good job. Maybe now I won't be afraid to post anymore. It had to happen, getting so out of control!!

Let's all have a Happy and Healthy and Peaceful New Year!!!

I am on Kathie's team. OK.

The tone of the board takes such a bad turn when people try to make themselves feel better by making others feel worse. Not my style. Boomer even considered leaving a couple of times. I cannot stand it when someone attempts to embarrass or belittle someone else. Or to have the last word for the sake of some deep rooted need to have the last word.

And having seen these things, I have wondered, "Uh oh, this nasty streak that can show up here from time to time -- it comes after others. When will it come after me?"

It has never come after me -- yet (I don't count political) but even so, I cannot stand to see it come after others, and in some cases, not only embarrassing someone but maybe even truly hurting that person. That just ain't right. And I could not be a part of something where that is allowed to go on.

But mostly, I like it here and I want to stay around. Where else could I write those lame little vignettes and an entire dissertation about farts. I have been around for too long I think sometimes. But I really like it when it's got its groove. Political and all.

So, KNOCK IT OFF!

Uh oh, now it will come after me.....

Boomer

[KayakerNC]

Tony,
Thanks for keeping the lid on.
I'm reminded of the 50's song, Charlie Brown, by the Coasters.
"Why is everybody always picking on me?"
Having said that; rock-throwing, never nice, is best left to the political forums.

[ConeyIsBabe]

YOU ARE MY HERO !

[Russ_Boston]

Darn - did i miss another interesting thread? I hate when that happens.

[njgranny]

I never seem to see any of the stuff that goes on here. It must be a matter of wrong place, wrong time. :-)

[Dutchman]

EXCELLENT Tony! I have garnered so much great information from this site. There are some posts I choose to ignore but overall the give & take on the many subjects provides valuable insight not only of the Villages as a community but also the residents or those hoping to be residents some day. Keep up the good work for that fabulous salary you get!

[The Great Fumar]

Would have loved to have seen it , knowiing that Tony is a cool and calm guy, It must have been a beaut,,,,,,,

Nobody tells me anything... Fumar ........

[ouma1938]

Thank you Tony, as a rather desperate wannabee, TOTV is my lifeline to a community that I hope to be a part of someday -- soon! I love the information and friendship on this site, and do enjoy the heated and generally civil political discussion. Its wonderful to know that the content is monitered to ensure that there are no cruel and belitteling attacks made on the membership.

[dfn8tly]

Thanks, Tony;

I think sometimes people post negative or hurtful messages inadvertently. We are generally a verbal society and often forget that in a written environment our vocal inflections cannot be heard. Unfortunately, the words stand on their own without the help of a smile, wink or chuckle to guide the reader.

I know I can be guilty of being so eager to express myself that the tone of my message is occasionally misinterpreted. Re-reading our posts from another perspective before we push that "post" button can save a lot of embarrassment and hurt.

A happy and thoughtful New Year to everyone.

[Pocadot55]

Bravo!!!!

[TV MAN]

From one Tony to another it is great that you are able to keep on top of issues like this. All to often people forget that they should read what they put down before they just do it.

Forums are a great place for many people to trade information, vent frustrations from time to time, but it should never be used as a platform for downright hostility against other members or others out side of the forums for that matter.

There was recently another forum dealing with technical information on home theater things and alike who recently had to shut down a forum board on a discussion of Blu-Ray disc vs HD video disc that got so heated & out of had that actual threats we made against posters & admn's alike, threatening to take them to court bla,bla,bla.

I would hope that that type of activity would never be found on this forum, but it thanks to people like yourself that help to keep things in check.

To you and all the other admns in this forum keep up the good work in keeping things even keeled.