Healing the forums.

A-f***ing-men.

I'll join you on the bad guy train. I'm sick of it. This bad-mouthing of admin has really got me angry..What gives any of us the right? This is a MESSAGEBOARD. This is not our job. I can't think of any other board that gives money for posting. We should be grateful for that and not smash admin when we don't get our money in what we think is a timely manner or because the points seem smaller.

When we all came here, did we know that we got paid? I didn't! I came here for HELP. And I stayed to give HELP. This is out of control. None of us have any clue what's going on in other people's lives..Does anyone really think that Vikas and Jason can be here all the time? Does anyone really think they have to tell us everything?

Morale on this board is shot to sh!t. ENOUGH!!! We are all friends here, let's stop it and realize what it is all about.

I hope my posts haven't been construed as being too critical of the Admins lately - I've tried to keep it reasonable and simply stated facts - Admin is busy, shorthanded, and Mike's absence is being felt very keenly right now. I think things could be handled differently by Admin, but I'm not trying to chew them out in my posts - but I have tried to get their attention at times here in the Mod forum, with no results. The only posts that get their attention are ones that out and out scream at them, accuse them of doing something dishonest or underhanded...etc. THEN they respond. I won't take it that far to get them to respond.

Again, if I've said or done anything that any of my fellow Mods think is wrong, I apologize. I've tried to keep it civil, while stating fact.

I understand what you are saying..

But let me ask you this...Do you have time to read every single post? I don't.

And..You have nothing to apologize for

Exactly, Fins...I sure don't have time to sit in front of a computer all day, though some days it would be easier than facing the real world out there! And I understand that Admin doesn't have time to respond to every single post - I just wish they would respond to some of the ones that have been posted requesting their attention - like the one that Goudah posted about someone being able to hack accounts here - I don't feel that it's a huge concern, but it would be nice to see Admin at least respond to it and tell us they are looking into it, don't see it as a problem, or have corrected the issue.

I will do my best to help move things toward a more positive note in the future - I'll do whatever I can to help.

I don't think I have stepped out of line, but if I have, feel free to tell me. Although, I do think a hacking possibility is a serious one, being a board Admin myself, I know the chaos it can create if it isn't addressed as soon as a security flaw has been recognized.

I think this can be a very positive thread! We can air it out here and fix things..FYI, thank you.

I second that one, Fins...thank you so much for starting this, FYI! As usual, you're a voice of reason! :-)

I hope that no one took this thread the wrong way. It wasn't intended. I'm not pointing fingers, whispering behind anyone's back or passing notes.

This forum truly needs to heal and the only way I can imagine that happening is to show everyone else that we are together, we are one and that we stand solid.

I can understand that people get upset at times, especially when they think something is wrong or they have been treated unfairly. We need to direct those people to the proper channels. either by email, PM or posting a thread here, where it is private and can hopefully be quickly addressed. We also need to help people understand that if they need an answer from the admin team that it might take a while as they are overloaded and understaffed currently. Which they are and if we can help let us try and work on it.

We also need to remember that this is text. Personally I don't care if I come off as being a heifer, I'm o.k. with that but I'll also explain myself if I feel I've been misunderstood. Text can be taken as anything as we do not hear the emotion behind the voice or the facial expressions.

I've admin and moderated forums for about 6 years. Not including my time here. I've learned a lot and something I've learned is that everyone expects the management to be robots. They don't care when you are sick or tired when they want something. They want it and they want it now. Everyone needs to find a way with dealing with that because when it comes to the daily functions of this forum your emotions do not matter. Now let me backtrack a minute and say that everyone has made some good friends on this forum, people they can talk to when they need ext.. those people understand that you are a person. Everyone else doesn't if it gets in the way of when they need help or something they want.

Cynical?, yes but I believe it to be very true in the experiences I have had here.

Amen sister :lol: I know exactly how you feel, I am sick of all of this pettyness with the admin bashing and member bashing.

I have said before that we all have to do what is good for the group as a whole, there is where the unity will come in.

Alot of people don't like my style of posting or what I say and I have been called a Nazi :lol: . If I am a Nazi because I don't want drama and just want to help others-fire away, but it needs to be done in here or in PMs.

We are giving our guests and new members an awful preview to the site, and are presenting ourselves as immature, bickering children.

We had alot of drama some time back and it settled down, this seems to keep feeding on itself.

We all need to ask ourselves, if they had to shut this site down, how are people going to get help? I would be in really bad shape had I not found this site and the people in it. I have made some great friendships, and want not only that to continue, but this site as well, it has helped so many..karen

I still think that the points are the root of all evil on this site..Sometimes I really wish they were gone.

I have also made some great friendships on this site..There are people here that I have spent time with in person. This is a great place! I really believe we can get it back to what it was..I think having it out is great..I really appreciate when people can voice their concerns or complaints and everyone else can accept it and debate in an adult manner. It shows open-mindedness and respect. Let's do it.

I think the problem is not the points - The problem is everyone got used to Mike. Mike would always answer you, Mike would always calm someone down if they were upset over something.

Since Mike isn't here, there is no one putting out those fires, and at times it seems like people are flaming them.

Since Mike's been gone I've seen what a huge role he plays here . . . .

Yeah, someone IS flaming fires.

Mike isn't here, and that's unfortunate. I miss him like hell, just like the rest of the mods, I talked to him very frequently. There is a huge void.

It's an rough situation, but I really think that out and out bashing admin isn't going to help a thing..And that's what has been going on. And the worst part is that people seem so quick to pass judgement on them, and they don't even KNOW what is happening behind the scenes. There is way too much presumption, too much anger, too much childishness.

I don't want to sound like an a$$hole, I really don't. You have to understand, for 50 hours a week I have to sit in an office and listen to people b!tch. I have to explain garnishments time and time again to people who could've easily avoided them..And explain why they aren't my fault. I have to be on a conference call every week with an attorney explaining why so-and-so can't get workman's comp..And then I have to deal with the fallout from the ex-employee. I also have to listen to these fools whine about their benefits and change things around daily. It's exhausting to deal with people who make $35 an hour acting like children. We are all responsible for what happens to us, and we can influence every little situation we are in. No matter what it is. When people are treating me like crap and beating down my door at work, I put them off. I make them schedule an appointment. When someone treats me as an adult and can talk to me in a rational manner, I will gladly deal with them. You can always, always kill more flies with honey than vinegar. So frankly, I don't think I would be rushing to attend to anyone's needs right now if I was admin. They gave us a plum situation here, and it seems like people have the gimmees. I'm sorry, but that's how it looks. Everyone needs to just take a huge step back and appreciate what is here! They don't HAVE to pay us, and I'm sorry, but no one should've ever put info you're afraid will be leaked out on the web, for crying out loud! I mean come on! People will hack things all the time, it will happen no matter what. I don't really give a damn, it's not going to hurt me!

I'm sorry about the rant, I love everyone and I just want everyone to be happy.

Big smile for all! :D

kumbayahhh m'lord....kumbayahhhhhh

:D

sorry, I just had to. ;-)

My .02 are that this site and its forums are not our God-given rights. This site exists solely out of Vikas/Admin's will to help out society. But he/they are not required to maintain this site, nor are they required to give us points for each post. The going-on's of this site are purely a goodwill gesture by the admin.

Certain members/mods recently are being very brash toward the admin, bad-mouthing them and what-not. Granted, things are a little unkempt and disorganized lately due to Mike's hiatus, but still I don't think Vikas and Jason deserve that treatment. To make such brazen remarks is disrespectful in the least.

Vikas is "giving us a hand" here by providing the site and its content, and those members want to grab onto his hand and take his whole arm off ... I think Fins hit it on the head when she said "and it seems like people have the gimmees." There is a sense of entitlement going on here, and certain people are acting like Vikas should be on his knees taking it in the mouth just because you post here. Those who feel entitled to anything here have got the wrong idea ... rather, they should be on their knees.

Have we ever heard the saying "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth?" Does anyone know what that really means? I asked my grandpa (who grew up with horses on a farm in Kentucky, without any electricity) -- well, when people used to buy horses, you could generally tell a horse's health by looking at its teeth. After all you wouldn't want to buy a horse in bad health. Back then he said it was common to give horses or other livestock as presents. If someone gives you a horse, it doesn't matter what health it's in - all that matters is that it was a gift - and so you don't need to go looking in its mouth. If you don't appreciate the horse that was given to you, and instead you want to complain about its teeth, then sooner or later people will stop giving you things. And if I was Vikas, and people were bad-mouthing me, I would shut the whole site down or ban everyone who's talking $#!t -- why should he work so hard for people to spit in his face like that?

In regards to everyone who pisses and moans over "untimely" point payouts, I think they just need to chill the F*** out. The argument is that they need those payouts in order to buy gas and groceries -- how will they possibly get to work all week if Vikas/staff doesn't drop everything they're doing to make a payment? My argument is: Why the hell is it Vikas's problem that you blew all your money? Maybe we don't realize he's operating a business outside of this website -- a business that he needs to take care of his own bread and butter. I don't blame admin one bit for taking care of other more important things before the rancoured mouths here.

The points from this site should not be considered as a supplement to your regular income; and if money is such an issue, then consider this: It may take me 15 minutes to write a "good" reply to someone's question (sometimes up to an hour). Currently I get paid 10 cents per post, times 4 posts per hour = 40 cents per hour I make by posting at this site. Now maybe you can post some garbage/generic replies every 5 minutes, in which case you make $1.20/hour. That's still far below minimum wage. If you can't make enough income at your day job to buy gas/groceries, then I'd suggest getting a part time job at 7-11 --Spending 8 hours at a real job would pay a hell-of-alot more than spending 8 hours posting here.

To conclude, I'm glad FYI posted this thread. It mimics what I've felt and just bit my tongue about for a long time. All the admin-bashing to me is just pathetic.

My two cents here, for what they are worth:
First off, I admit, I do LIKE the points. They are indeed a nice little supplement for all of us, and I for one appreciate this site's having the decency to do it. And I know it's done out of the goodness of vikas's heart, and I am deeply grateful for that.
If anything, I think we should not be asking what Admin can do for us--but what we can do for the Admins? Especially now, with Mike out. We are the leaders of this board, how can we guide?
I have no interest in or desire in bashing people on the boards--I get enough of that in real life, thank you very much, instead, I want to help others get out of their PDL and other debt messes and still learn from others in dealing with mine.

Thanks you all for this wonderful thread. My chest swelled with pride when I saw this constructive effort from the moderators of this community. You guys are the best.

I know that you all are deeply affected by the departure of Mike, but I am sure that he will soon be back and things will again start flowing in the right direction. But in his absence the responsibility rests upon our shoulders to keep things going. And that can????????t be done without your supports.

Quote:

Jason, thank you so much for your response. We really appreciate it!

Thanks so much for your response and comments Jason!

Jason, thanks again for your response--and I'll say again, how can we as moderators help you be successful?

Hi kscornell, thanks for asking this question. However, in a way, I????????m pretty satisfied with the ways the moderators are performing their jobs. And I????????ve no issue with it. However, I would like to touch upon some other issues.

I think that its time to put all our differences at rest and restore harmony amongst the members, as well as between the members (moderators) and admin. The admin works only towards the best interest of the community and its members. And there isn????????t any question of personal liking and disliking.

I think by now we have overcome the initial phase of mistrust and insecurity. I????????m now a more known name amongst the members. I????????m working hard to earn your confidence and I need your support for that.

I????????ll request for more tolerance form the mods. Please, don????????t instigate any controversial issue, which is not at the best of the interest of the community. I????????ll also request the mods to take more responsibility to keep the board clean.

At this time, we need every bit of support to bring the site back to its deserving position. Hence, the forum specific moderators are required to take little more time out of their busy schedule to attain the quires posted by the visitors. Thus, we can enrich the stock of information of this site.

We need to promote the video section of the site. RoxyNY, Shazz, any suggestions??

We also need forum specific moderators for the following forums,

• Identity Theft - Scams, Security and Training
  
• Creditors and Collection Agency Address Book
  
• Dealing with Student Loans