WOW! We need just one more new member to reach 100

[CarolAnn]

On June 1, our membership stood at 4,510. Oliver, our site administrator has been noting that our ranks have taken a jump in recent weeks, so he and the moderators have been watching the number grow.

This is the last day of June and we're at 4,609!

Who's gonna be the 100th member of June, 2008?

:o ;D :o

I'm really pleased and impressed by so many of the new members, too. They've just jumped right in and started asking and ANSWERING questions! That is just so cool!

We mods try to say "hi" to the new members in the Hello area - and I've seen new folks giving a warm welcome to other new members as often as the oldies like me. It makes me proud to be a part of this forum!

[msta999]

MAN! This place is getting crowded. Probably overload the server before long. ;D

[chloe3388]

That's great, got a good bunch of people in here..

[Deberosa]

I agree - it's really a great thing Carol Ann! Lots of new faces and ideas keep it interesting! And now it's at 6013 - woo hoo!

Sandy, there is a politics forum? ;-) Only notice it when the lines clog and it backs up into General a bit. HEHE

[Fred_47460]

I *LOVE* this forum....I only wish I'd started sooner. Whenever my son needed to go to the bookstore to pick up some book he needed for school I would pick up a copy of BHM and a copy of "Homepower"...a mag on alternative energy. I stumbled upon this forum while searching the net for info on subscribing to the magazine (BHM).

I wonder if some of the reason for the recent growth of the forum is because of concern over the way things are shaking out on this planet. I think more people are beginning to wake up to what a house of cards we have going...especially with the economy and the apparent inability of our governments to deal with reality.

Fred

[CarolAnn]

Sandycane - I really DON'T go to the politics area much. But you've got to admit - all towns of any size have scary neighborhoods! :o


Just KIDDING! (sort of)

[Deberosa]

CarolAnn,
While we're on the subject...as a Global Moderator, why don't you moderate the Politics forums?
I wouldn't call it a 'scary neighborhood' as much as I would a toxic landfill. Someone needs to clean it up a bit, imo. There is no excuse for vulgarity.



While I am only a facilitator, I used to be a moderator and it's my opinion that moderating those areas is nearly impossible. For one you've got to get down and dirty and really read that stuff - YUK! And then you have to take all kinds of abuse. ANd then it just pushes the junk to other parts of the forum. Best to just avoid it and let 'em have at it in my opinion...

And gee - can't we just celebrate a milestone? So what if many don't post, we still are getting far more really interesting and useful posts and active members than we had a year ago... I am happy to leave it at that.

[CarolAnn]

Sandycane -
I did not say that we have over 4,000 active members. I said that we have 100 NEW members last month.

Oliver has said he wishes he had time to go thin out the folks who posted a couple of times and never came back - but there are higher priorites, like keeping this thing up and running smoothly.

As volunteer moderators, we are allowed to moderate where we are most knowledgable and comfortable. Everyone is welcome here until they start being rude and obnoxious to others - and even a degree of that is allowed on the politics and current events board. I have enough of that at work, so I don't willingly go there for more of it.

I do strongly believe in this forum as a place for people to learn about self sufficiency and living in the country. The publisher of Backwoods Home, who owns this site and allows us to exchange information here is a strong believer in personal freedoms, including speech. But there are a few maladjusted folks who adore fighting and causing others pain, (just as in the real world) hense the need for moderators. It's too bad - but to keep it a meaningful and civil place, that's the way it is.

[bookwormom]

bicker about the 4000 members or not members, 100 new people signed up in June. :) :) :) :) :) I like it when it is humming along.

[msta999]

The way I see it, if someone wants to join and then just read through the sections/threads to find out what they want, I don't see a problem with that. There is enough info here to answer just about any question, if you just take the time to go through it all. That is what I did the first month or so, when I joined. There is a lot to read and not everyone can take the time to do it all in one sitting.

[justgettinby]

I too am a recent register and enjoy reading most of the posts and soaking up the knowledge. I have decided who's knowledge I believe holds weight, and which one are wretches that want to just be a pain. There are all sorts of opinions and all are just that, opinions. My job shows me all walks of life and I know that a rich man describing his new Rolex watch has just as much passion as the poor man describing his Wal-Mart special $.99 watch.

Thanks to everyone and all opinions.

Maybe now that I have broken the ice, I'll join in some discussions. :)

[jen_in_southtexas]

This sight is great..logged in or not!!!

And thats all i have to say about that.

-j

[wy0mn]

I think Sandycane is right, too many "spammers". Look how many posts some people have made since joining in May!

Anyone can have a bad day and post something thats not quite kosher, but if you click on the login name, search their last 10/50/ALL posts and see that they are either full of themselves... or full of crap... or haven't contributed rational ideas, thought, or aid to others...
I love this 'IGNORE' feature.

The good thing about this is that it can be undone, I had to add one suspected troll back to my reading list. I was reading comments where others whom I respected praised a post of his. Maybe he just pulled his head out and smelled reality, may he had a bad day and made a few less than thoughtful posts.

When I login to this forum I try to leave my ego in MySpace. The Brad Paisley song "So Much Cooler Online" keeps me from getting too inflated.

[chass]

Yes the site is great! I've just joined today. I have visited here for years. I've never posted because I learn so much from reading everyone else's. Thanks all.

[wy0mn]

lol
The "spammers" posting record has been purged!
The problem is that she'll be back, under a new alias. The posts showed a person who was simply combative and argumentative, abusive to anyone who disagreed with her in the smallest way.
If she reads this I'd like to recommend joining a debate club/forum in yahoo or myspace.

PS: Did we break 100?