TAKE BACK THE SITE!!

[Flower]

Well, folks, if you look at all the threads that got the most attention, they were the controversial ones--I mean, hell, we've even managed to turn a simple request from Rick Munrow into a debate--as well it should be.

 

I'm all for civility, but dead set against censorship--or veiled threats of censorship--"be careful cause if we start enforcing the rules" sorta thing. There are obviously some abuses, but as has been pointed out, they don't have to be responded to or just acknowledged as excessive with a :+

 

What better put down, if all an errant poster got was a page full of :+ :+ :+ :+ :+ (now no fair doing it to me, here anyway).

 

But they do get responded to and quite frankly that makes this board interesting to me. I like the informational stuff too. I post as many reviews as anyone and take it seriously when I do. I also like the escort-client interchange and questions and answers, but when I have only a few minutes, I check out the posts that have controversy--and am willing to bet that many if not most of you do too. Sometimes I add my $00.02 to the fray, but by the time I usually read, someone has said what I want to better, so no need to be redundant. But the ability to speak out is what this board should be about--ESPECIALLY THIS BOARD, since there are many here who are closeted or partially closeted and therefore have very few other avenues of totally free expression. If that takes on personal attacks--SO WHAT?? DO NOT RESPOND or if you do, then you've joined the fray. BUT THERE ARE DOZEN OF TOPICS each week--some so non-controversial (hey where can I stay in SF?) that they stay very vinella, or some that are so controversial that they become inflamed quickly (hey, I just exploited a boi for sex--ha ha) and they bring on their own controversy and extended life and spin-off threads.

 

Again, if people find them offensive, just go the non-controversial threads--if they want to read and laugh or cry, do so, but by not responding, they still stay safe from insults or harangs. But if they respond to a controversial thread, they open themselves up--that's the way it is in real life (politcs, editorials, books etc., just to name a few. Why should a message board devoted to gay men be censored from true expression when we have so few other venues--or many of us anyway.

 

And one other thought, while it is alway said that this is a "free board", and therefore we ought to be happy getting this for nothing, etc.," or the like, there is another side--WE do provide the frequency of hits that make this board commercially viable for advertisers to advertise--don't get me wrong--I like the whole idea of it being free to us and appreciate the venue, but it is not (or should not be) a totally benevolent web site--hope that isn't too cynical, but it is a site that is or should be anyway, developing a considerable commercial value and can ONLY do so by generating a considerable amount of hits each day.

 

That being said, then there is all the more reason to evaluate what will bring the most people to the site--IMHO, maybe some of BOTH -- have free for all pages and then the nice pages, censored so that no ones gets his feelings hurt--I am willing to bet which will get the most hits btw--seriously, I'll put money on the freefor all.

 

Anyway, those are my thoughts--I miss seeing the green ink of DCee quite frankly--and maybe others I haven't had the chance to realize are not posted here

 

--Has Ethan been banned deej?? Seriously, has he?

 

He was one of the reasons I'd read these threads--he was smart, insightful, and, should we say, "opinionated"--but so are many. i've never met him, but liked his writing. There are several times when I just skim for the posters when I have only a little time. For instance, I like Rick Monrow when I want to feel happy ; and Rod Hagen when I what to go into heavy self analysis :'( ; DCee when "I'm mad as hell and won't take it any longer" x( ; and so on--there is not room for censorship here -- and I think that it would be not only be morally wrong, but commercial suicide in the long run.

 

To be more concise, make it a smorgassboard--something for all of us, including keeping it commercially viable for Hooboy

 

Well, that's it folks, :7

 

Flower :*

[Rick Munroe]

>There are several times when I just skim for the posters when I

>have only a little time. For instance, I like Rick Munroe

>when I want to feel happy

 

That is such a sweet thing to say, Flower...you made me feel happy, too. (OK, I already was happy...I had such a great fuck tonight...isn't sex fun?) :9

[Rick Munroe]

Just a reminder that we've been through periods like this before! And we probably will again. "That's just the way it is; some things will never change." (Hmmm...I never thought I'd ever be quoting Bruce Hornsby...maybe some things do change, after all.)

[Guest ncm2169]

For my part, if there was an "acceptable" way to address the many dimensions of the term, "Str8-Acting," I'd happily embrace it. }(

 

(Sorry I missed you guys when you were in Mpls.).

[Rick Munroe]

>(Sorry I missed you guys when you were in Mpls.).

 

Yeah, where the heck were you when we were getting lost in the skyways?

[Guest ncm2169]

< Yeah, where the heck were you when we were getting lost in the skyways?

 

ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!! :+ :+ :+ :+ :+

 

We here in Upper Antartica tend to see Skyways as The Midwest's revenge on NYC subways. Your motto seems to be, Get On, Get In, and Get Lost. Our motto is, Get in, Get comfortable, and Stay as long as you like!" :-)

[Guest ncm2169]

< Yeah, where the heck were you when we were getting lost in the skyways?

 

ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!! :+ :+ :+ :+ :+

 

We here in Upper Antartica tend to see Skyways as The Midwest's revenge on NYC subways. Your motto seems to be, Get On, Get In, and Get Lost. Our motto is, Get in, Get comfortable, and Stay as long as you like!" :-)

[ariadne1880]

"Somthing ugly with no constructive purpose."

 

The problem with that is that it is so subjective. For some on this group, deviating in any way from what is perceived as the "party line" on a whole range of issues is considered "personal attacks" or "something ugly with no constructive purpose." Many people here don't want to be challenged on their pre-conceived beliefs. Will those posts get smileys or be censored?

 

This is the internet. Free flow of information is best. Each individual can choose for themselves what to ignore or respond to.

[ariadne1880]

"Somthing ugly with no constructive purpose."

 

The problem with that is that it is so subjective. For some on this group, deviating in any way from what is perceived as the "party line" on a whole range of issues is considered "personal attacks" or "something ugly with no constructive purpose." Many people here don't want to be challenged on their pre-conceived beliefs. Will those posts get smileys or be censored?

 

This is the internet. Free flow of information is best. Each individual can choose for themselves what to ignore or respond to.

[Guest CURIOUS35]

:-) :-) :-) :-)

 

I agree with you 100%.

 

I have resolved that I will never stoop down to the level of slum dwellers, whose language is peppered by all the $%^&*()*# of any language!

 

I will continue to post in the threads I believe in, Start threads I personally find to be interesting, and ignore threads that I do not find amusing, educational, or contributing to my development as a person.

 

I also firmly resolve to explain in the simplest way possible, (hopefully succeeding) in the intent and purpose of my replies and posts.

 

Trolls do exist, some posters do troll on people and threads they are opposed to... So be it...I have the power of the mouse...the ability to delete...and I am sure the desire to come to this Forum...the club prive away from my day to day existence!

 

YES! I vote that this site be made TROLL FREE!

 

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

[Guest CURIOUS35]

:-) :-) :-) :-)

 

I agree with you 100%.

 

I have resolved that I will never stoop down to the level of slum dwellers, whose language is peppered by all the $%^&*()*# of any language!

 

I will continue to post in the threads I believe in, Start threads I personally find to be interesting, and ignore threads that I do not find amusing, educational, or contributing to my development as a person.

 

I also firmly resolve to explain in the simplest way possible, (hopefully succeeding) in the intent and purpose of my replies and posts.

 

Trolls do exist, some posters do troll on people and threads they are opposed to... So be it...I have the power of the mouse...the ability to delete...and I am sure the desire to come to this Forum...the club prive away from my day to day existence!

 

YES! I vote that this site be made TROLL FREE!

 

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

[Guest Delaware Man]

OMG, Derek, this may be only the second time, I have seen you post. As usual you, I believe are correct. Ignore the bastards. The smiley is great.

Your's and Rick's friend,

Delaware Man

[Guest Delaware Man]

OMG, Derek, this may be only the second time, I have seen you post. As usual you, I believe are correct. Ignore the bastards. The smiley is great.

Your's and Rick's friend,

Delaware Man

[Rick Munroe]

>OMG, Derek, this may be only the second time, I have seen you

>post.

 

You should have seen him typing -- this big muscle goon pounding away at the keys (I always have to remind him to be gentle: "It's a keyboard, not a whack-a-mole."). Kind of like Tarzan in the 21st century. (Btw, that post is 6 years old, as is the rest of this thread)

 

Great to see your name, CP. Check your mail...

[Rick Munroe]

>We here in Upper Antartica tend to see Skyways as The

>Midwest's revenge on NYC subways.

 

Wait a minute; I've had sex on the subway in NYC...are you telling me I missed out on Skyway BJ's?? :o

 

>Your motto seems to be, Get

>On, Get In, and Get Lost.

 

Personally, my motto is "Stick it in, pump it hard, shoot it big."

 

>Our motto is, Get in, Get

>comfortable, and Stay as long as you like!" :-)

 

And yet...the Skyways close at night!

[+ stevenkesslar]

A few thoughts from someone who is usually not very tuned in to this site. While its always good to talk about rules of communication in the family, I hope everyone realizes this is first and foremost really a nice family to be part of.

 

I can't imagine my escort career without this site. Most of my time with clients these days is spent with regulars I have known for years, and almost all of them are people who found me on this site, despite the fact that I've probably had profiles up on over a dozen sites at various times. That's not a coincidence. I learned early on that this is the "thinking man's" site, and that people who actually make thoughtful decisions about who and why to hire, and are able to communicate about their sexual needs and wants, are almost always more fun to be with. People with those characteristics are attracted to this site, which is mostly about thoughts and words, not cock and ass shots like most other escort sites.

 

Mostly, that thoughtfulness has been reflected on this message board whenever I've tuned in or posted something. I've refered lots of people who hired me to it, both to protect them from making bad hiring decisions, and because I thought it was a cool forum to talk about all kinds of things relating to escorting and being gay.

 

It's popular to trash rentboy right now, so I'll pile on with this. I've only run an ad on rentboy once, for one month, as an experiment, maybe 4 years ago, and there really was a black and white difference between what I experience with this site. As soon as the ad hit, the number of contacts I was getting went through the roof, so it definitely seems to get more clicks than this site. But within a few days it was clear that mostly the guys who were contacting me wanted jack off material ("send pics") or had very little experience with how to hire, or just had a pretty one-dimensional view of escorts as objects that deliver sex. Of course some of that goes with the territory, but what has made escorting fun for me, and it has everything to do with this site, is that generally people who hire me treat me like a human being, not a sex object, and the tone for that is almost always set in some thoughtful email they send me to introduce themselves. In my one month on rentboy, I think I heard from over 50 people, and met with only two of them, and they were among the least interesting hours of sex I've had with clients. Probably not enough experience to make sweeping generalizations, but it reinforced that this site is always home for me.

 

I realize I'm talking about hiring experiences, not what people post, but it all runs together, and this is the place where people who want to think with their brains as well as their dicks tend to cum together.

 

And when somebody gets nasty on this site, it does add to the passion and sometimes the humor, if only because we get to laugh AT them. I have a client who blamed me for the fact that the word "fuck" got into his auto-type memory on his corporate Blackberry, because I am the only person he knows who regularly uses fuck in my sentences. (Why shouldn't I "fuck" a lot?) Sometimes I get excited. The question is where you draw the line on civil communication, and who gets to draw it?

 

Anyway, to be more specific about Rick's idea, it makes lots of sense that if you don't give energy to nastiness, it won't have room to breathe. Or as Derek said, just :-) (Remember that sweetie. I hope you just the next time I am in New York and I try to get nasty with your husband).

 

One of my favorite sayings is the Saul Alinsky organizing line: "the action is in the reaction." If you don't like something, don't react to it, and it will usually go away.

 

That rule works on a lot of different levels. They say that if Martin Luther King didn't have Sheriff Jim Clark, he would have had to invent him, because Clark and his dogs and water hoses epitomized everything ugly about racism and led America to react against it and move on. A little of that is happening in this thread. If you didn't have a few clowns spewing venom on this site, you wouldn't have a reason to appreciate and protect everything good about it. I'm glad the family wants to do that!

[Rick Munroe]

>Or as Derek said, just :-) (Remember

>that sweetie. I hope you just the next time I am in New

>York and I try to get nasty with your husband).

 

He's already smiling at the thought! }(

[Guest Delaware Man]

Thanks for pointing out the fact that Derek's post was a little long in the tooth.

Your message said watch your email. As of now I have not received an email from you.

[Rick Munroe]

Oops...I started it and forgot to send. My bad. I'll send now.

[+ Tom Isern]

Huh..very funny. Rick, I'm one of the people who is staying away from this site--and it's largely because of the belittling way you treated me when I posted my reservations about marriage. There was no reason that "conversation" needed to rise to the level of hostility that you pushed it to.

 

I realize that I demonstrated my ability to defend myself, and that I eventually gave as well as I got. But there was no reason for the mud-slinging that started with you repeatedly calling me "whiny" and "bitter" (As if!) and ridiculing my posts and making fun of them while admitting you hadn't even read them. I stopped reading your replies/posts and retreated from this site altogether. It seemed to me that there was little room on this board for people who disagree with you--you made sure of that.

[Rick Munroe]

>I'm one of the people who is staying

>away from this site--

 

I thought it seemed unusually calm and friendly around here.

[+ Tom Isern]

bump...

[Guest Delaware Man]

Mr. Isern,

After more than one month, why are you bringing this up again?

[Rick Munroe]

Some of us watch the same "I Love Lucy" episodes again and again, and I guess some of us like to read the same 6-year-old message board threads again and again. Hey, it takes all kinds.

[+ Tom Isern]

bump...