How long before I get banned?

[lirruping]

Just to be clear, I don't have any kind of "grudge" against ECF. When I tell my tales about how I was been treated there, I'm just accurately depicting what happened. The best thing that happened to me was getting the lifetime ban because it encouraged me to find an alternative place and I found this place and now I don't have to walk on eggshells or carefully white wash everything I say. My main gripe against ECF is that my ban came so suddenly and without warning or explanation, and I couldn't even access my private messages to have a final word with all the people I had been hanging out with for a year. That was just a crappy thing to do to me since I was such an active member and had helped so many people out there when they needed it.

I've seen this situation--valuable members, members they should easily be able to recognize as assets to the community--banned again and again. The concept of community is totally beyond them. They say they do when it is convenient for them and because it sounds good, but their actions belie the truth: they simply don't value it. What are their values? I don't know... it reminds me of "supervisor syndrome" in the office place. Give some loser a little bit of power and it's all over. It's enough to make me misanthropic. It's almost enough to drive me to drink. It's so fucking hypocritical and annoying.

 

[lordmage]

I always was banned. Might be the first person to of been banned never to have posted anything. I guess 2 yrs when i purchased an ecig i wanted to be a cool guy an joined forum. As of 2 months ago when i started vaping i joined again. Went to sign on last week an it said i was banned for life for making multiple identites. Ha.✌✌

Funny the name i remember most was CEEjay CJ and a few other iterations or many others from my time at ECF and from what i can remember that was the accounts created by the now known as Rolygate. cant show you proof that was posted in the moderator section when i was a mod there. back in the good old days.

and as per JerryRM being a moderator or tiny mod. he could not ban or do anything other then move post and lock threads in one small section unlike myself back in the day. so in my book he was a member not a mod.

now i will not disagree on the points of favoritism and what not since i have not been active there at all. but i also will state ECF was and is meant to be a PG experience at the most and they have there rules which can and have changed to adapt with Trolls and Spammers alike. Each place has there Merritt. where we stand apart is we let you be adults up to the point of childish behavior in which case. some people are pm'ed, some threads are locked and unless your a total dick you wont get banned.

 

[lirruping]

Btw, is ECF really a for-profit enterprise? Someone earlier on this thread said that. Is VU also for profit--a business at its heart? If so, I'm not sure what I think about that. Obviously money is important--not knocking money--but it has that legendary tendency to corrupt everything, dontcha know.

 

[HazyShades]

And really, who cares if someone has a chip on their shoulder? Why on earth would that not be allowed? The need for control of the tone of a conversation is absurdly childish. "Disruptive", indeed. Sounds like my son's second grade teacher.

I'm literally sick to my stomach about ECF at the moment after an articulate, valued contributor in a thread I read a lot was recently harassed by the staff there until he left--and much, much worse, nobody in the thread would discuss it. Nobody will even comment on it. This occurred in a small (and I had thought rather intimate) group that has been chatting about this and that, vaping and non, on a daily basis for over a year.

Not only can you only talk about what they say, in the way they say--if something bad happens, the community they purport to care so much about has absolutely no way to process it. Can you say, "climate of fear"?

Around the same time, I noted conversationally in the thread that there seemed to be a new restriction on spelling: the first four letters of word "shite" were ellipse'd out of my post, where previously I'd thought it an approved work-around. (I have been happy to play along to a certain extent, yes). When I followed up with the comment, "Shyte! They're on us like dogs!" I received a formal reprimand reminding me that I had broken the rules by:

1) speaking negatively about the rules
2) attempting to subvert the rules

Yeah, I'm SO "subversive".

Everyone over there needs to watch the excellent film, "Other People's Lives", about people living under the East German Stasi before the fall of the wall for a reality check about where these types of values lead. I mean, obviously, neither ECF nor any other forum has that kind of power over people's lives but that place has the stench of fascism.

May I buy you a beer? I appreciate your words here more than I can express.
Your last word is precise and most indicative of the atmosphere I sense at ECF, fascism.
And your description of the general feeling of those who don't feel obliged
to subject to what is tantamount to tyranny is also precise, a climate of fear.

I've found that now prior to using a word I know the definition of I also have to look it up
in the urban dictionary dot com site to be certain the word hasn't been
used in a derogatory manner by some uneducated fool. Or I'll be accused
as I was recently of trolling and using words meant to incite and are derogatory
towards somebody's national, ethnic, sexual, bla-blah-blahhh.

I used the word "canard" and was given a 10 day warning and my post edited because somebody
w/o a clue thought it a great idea to complain about me.
A friend said "fatties" in context of obesity being unhealthy and likely to raise insurance rates and was reprimanded.

Well, Chucks..I thought they were an "adult" forum.
Again, that beer is waiting for you.
Regards,
Hazy

 

[lordmage]

Btw, is ECF really a for-profit enterprise? Someone earlier on this thread said that. Is VU also for profit--a business at its heart? If so, I'm not sure what I think about that. Obviously money is important--not knocking money--but it has that legendary tendency to corrupt everything, dontcha know.

ECF is for profit now since Smokeyjoe is not the sole admin anymore with mods doing the work. VG is not for profit per say the only revenue we get is from ads and that pays for the website and giveaways and the like. as far as i am aware there is no profit in @VaporJoes pocket

 

[HazyShades]

Funny the name i remember most was CEEjay CJ and a few other iterations or many others from my time at ECF and from what i can remember that was the accounts created by the now known as Rolygate. cant show you proof that was posted in the moderator section when i was a mod there. back in the good old days.

and as per JerryRM being a moderator or tiny mod. he could not ban or do anything other then move post and lock threads in one small section unlike myself back in the day. so in my book he was a member not a mod.

now i will not disagree on the points of favoritism and what not since i have not been active there at all. but i also will state ECF was and is meant to be a PG experience at the most and they have there rules which can and have changed to adapt with Trolls and Spammers alike. Each place has there Merritt. where we stand apart is we let you be adults up to the point of childish behavior in which case. some people are pm'ed, some threads are locked and unless your a total dick you wont get banned.

"Tiny mod" with an apparently big mod attitude in the wrong place..I'll not quibble with you about the definition
of the word moderate, but if you can decide a thread needs to be locked down in my book you're a mod.
The biggest difference between here and there is that since you're a moderator here,
if we were at ECF I'd feel the need to kiss your ass
and so would you.

Regards,
Hazy

 

[lordmage]

"Tiny mod" with an apparently big mod attitude in the wrong place..I'll not quibble with you about the definition
of the word moderate, but if you can decide a thread needs to be locked down in my book you're a mod.
The biggest difference between here and there is that since you're a moderator here,
if we were at ECF I'd feel the need to kiss your ass
and so would you.

Regards,
Hazy

the whole no question staff thing there really got my ire which is why i stopped going there. even in pm they hate defining their actions and use the several pages to get you. what really gets me is rather then list you as banned which would remove you from the member total they move you on to keep the numbers high. please no ass kissing im not into that unless your a hot redhead :wink @kelli

now i will say this Jerry Said his piece and you all can disagree or agree and so long as your adults about it like you have been there is nothing for me to say other then rock on.

Jerry left the thread and so did whiskey and with this unless i am needed in a staff capacity here i too will let you all do what you do best as adults.

 

[HazyShades]

Just to be clear, I don't have any kind of "grudge" against ECF. When I tell my tales about how I was been treated there, I'm just accurately depicting what happened. The best thing that happened to me was getting the lifetime ban because it encouraged me to find an alternative place and I found this place and now I don't have to walk on eggshells or carefully white wash everything I say. My main gripe against ECF is that my ban came so suddenly and without warning or explanation, and I couldn't even access my private messages to have a final word with all the people I had been hanging out with for a year. That was just a crappy thing to do to me since I was such an active member and had helped so many people out there when they needed it.

LOL..OK vaperture, you don't hold a grudge, you feel indebted and appreciative for the favor they did you in banning you.
Since you're a writer I won't define the word grudge for you, I'm sure you know the meaning.
But I'll do it for those who don't know
1.
a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury.

There are some who do feel that way, even if as you say, by being banned they were done a favor.
I suppose your saying "That was just a crappy thing to do to me..." is only being descriptive
but not indicative of an emotion like resentment or anything like that...

Hazy going back to bed

 

[HazyShades]

the whole no question staff thing there really got my ire which is why i stopped going there. even in pm they hate defining their actions and use the several pages to get you. what really gets me is rather then list you as banned which would remove you from the member total they move you on to keep the numbers high. please no ass kissing im not into that unless your a hot redhead :wink @kelli

now i will say this Jerry Said his piece and you all can disagree or agree and so long as your adults about it like you have been there is nothing for me to say other then rock on.

Jerry left the thread and so did whiskey and with this unless i am needed in a staff capacity here i too will let you all do what you do best as adults.

Indeed, the not being able to question or argue with moderators is a major problem among the membership.
In the states the law states that we are entitled to confront our accuser
and demand an explanation of their decisions. I understand that in a privately held foreign forum
claiming the protection of the law is iffy at best. However, considering the nationality of the majority of the membership
perhaps a little consideration should be given to the laws and ethics that we live by.

LOL, no Sir. I'm not a hot redhead or a blonde..but you know what I meant.
Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Hazy

 

[vaperature]

LOL..OK vaperture, you don't hold a grudge, you feel indebted and appreciative for the favor they did you in banning you.
Since you're a writer I won't define the word grudge for you, I'm sure you know the meaning.
But I'll do it for those who don't know
1.
a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury.

There are some who do feel that way, even if as you say, by being banned they were done a favor.
I suppose your saying "That was just a crappy thing to do to me..." is only being descriptive
but not indicative of an emotion like resentment or anything like that...

Hazy going back to bed

Dude, so far you've seemed like a fair guy to me, so don't start up with this kind of bullshit with me. I said I don't have a grudge against ECF and I don't.

 

[HazyShades]

Oh, I don't know, H.Shades. I think Jerry was just trying to be a peacemaker, from his POV. But like Whiskey said, and he himself acknowledged, this is maybe not the place to do it, lol.

Take that chip off your shoulder and give me back that beer!
Sound friendly and peacemaking to ya? OK..have another beer, mate.
Peace and Love

 

[sub4me]

Dude, so far you've seemed like a fair guy to me, so don't start up with this kind of bullshit with me. I said I don't have a grudge against ECF and I don't.

I do, fuck them, and why shouldn't I have a grudge I was banned by some old dried up cunt.

 

[HazyShades]

Dude, so far you've seemed like a fair guy to me, so don't start up with this kind of bullshit with me. I said I don't have a grudge against ECF and I don't.

Bull...? I defined grudge for the masses.
You wanna play?
OK. When sub said he was banned you asked him to post proof it because it would be a public relations win for VU
against ECF.
When I told you the Jerry is/was a mod at ECF you asked me to printscreen his profile and post it here.
You don't have a grudge?
Sure...whatever you say...but I'm starting to agree with Jerry regarding that chip, except In this case I see bullchips.

Do I need to define ingrate or arrogant for you?
Hope your next book is a best seller...

I do, fuck them, and why shouldn't I have a grudge I was banned by some old dried up cunt.

Remember what I told ya when you showed up about a couple of guys here..?
My wife tells me I'm always right.

Hazy the Fair

 

[vaperature]

Bull...? I defined grudge for the masses.
You wanna play?
OK. When sub said he was banned you asked him to post proof it because it would be a public relations win for VU
against ECF.
When I told you the Jerry is/was a mod at ECF you asked me to printscreen his profile and post it here.
You don't have a grudge?
Sure...whatever you say...but I'm starting to agree with Jerry regarding that chip, except In this case I see bullchips.

Do I need to define ingrate or arrogant for you?
Hope your next book is a best seller...

Wow you sure flipped your coin quickly. What's your problem man? I won't say that I have a grudge for you, so all of a sudden I'm a target for your attacks? I don't have any kind of grudge against ECF. It reminds me of when I had to attend Catholic school when I was a child. To this day I look back and wince at some of the things the nuns did and if you engaged me in a conversation about it, I'm sure I could come up with a ton of horror stories. That doesn't mean I'm harboring a GRUDGE against my Catholic gradeschool. So what are we going to do now? Argue forever about whether or not I hold a grudge, and when I won't submit to you, you'll start calling me a troll? Give it a rest.

 

[sub4me]

I think its fair to say that anyone that's been banned from ecf for pety reasons holds some kind of grudge which would be the reason they post in these threads.

 

[vaperature]

I think its fair to say that anyone that's been banned from ecf for pety reasons holds some kind of grudge which would be the reason they post in these threads.

Ok, the truth is, I wasn't even thinking about ECF until you and hazy and a couple other people came in here and bumped up all the old ECF threads, and hazy even private messaged me about ecf, so that's the only reason I got suckered into talking about ecf. So now I'm joining Whiskey and the others and just leaving this be so that I can go on like I was before, grudgeless and not even thinking about ecf. Take care.

 

[tcmx250]

I think the worst thing about ecf, and something that we can control, is that it's causing in fighting on VU. Screw that. Lets all just get along. We're all here cause we dont want this to be the boring bitchy little forum ECF is. Love all you guys (edit AND gals).

 

[HazyShades]

Ok, the truth is, I wasn't even thinking about ECF until you and hazy and a couple other people came in here and bumped up all the old ECF threads, and hazy even private messaged me about ecf, so that's the only reason I got suckered into talking about ecf. So now I'm joining Whiskey and the others and just leaving this be so that I can go on like I was before, grudgeless and not even thinking about ecf. Take care.

Of course, the only reason I sent you a PM regarding all this is because you had what seemed like an altercation
with Jerry where he told you to take the chip off your shoulder.
Mine was an attempt to clue you in about possible agitation from a foreign usurper.
I'm rather consistent in my application of fairness as well as what the definition of certain words,
including friendship entail.

Yes, that's a great idea. Be grudge-less, write books, and have phun.

Take care,
Hazy

 

[vaperature]

Of course, the only reason I sent you a PM regarding all this is because you had what seemed like an altercation
with Jerry where he told you to take the chip off your shoulder.
Mine was an attempt to clue you in about possible agitation from a foreign usurper.
I'm rather consistent in my application of fairness as well as what the definition of certain words,
including friendship entail.

Yes, that's a great idea. Be grudge-less, write books, and have phun.

Take care,
Hazy

Have a great night Hazy.

 

[HazyShades]

Have a great night Hazy.

You as well.
Peace,
Hazy

 

[lirruping]

May I buy you a beer? I appreciate your words here more than I can express.
Your last word is precise and most indicative of the atmosphere I sense at ECF, fascism.
And your description of the general feeling of those who don't feel obliged
to subject to what is tantamount to tyranny is also precise, a climate of fear.

I've found that now prior to using a word I know the definition of I also have to look it up
in the urban dictionary dot com site to be certain the word hasn't been
used in a derogatory manner by some uneducated fool. Or I'll be accused
as I was recently of trolling and using words meant to incite and are derogatory
towards somebody's national, ethnic, sexual, bla-blah-blahhh.

I used the word "canard" and was given a 10 day warning and my post edited because somebody
w/o a clue thought it a great idea to complain about me.
A friend said "fatties" in context of obesity being unhealthy and likely to raise insurance rates and was reprimanded.

Well, Chucks..I thought they were an "adult" forum.
Again, that beer is waiting for you.
Regards,
Hazy

ABSOLUTELY! Come buy me a beer anytime. (I'd prefer a pina colada, though, FYI.)

Can I just say that the disagreement over grudge or lack thereof strikes me as mostly just a semantic one? Like...maybe I misread, but you aren't really disagreeing with one another on anything important. Yet there might be a perception that it's somehow demeaning to say someone holds a grudge coz they should be "above that" or whatever...or it could be seen that way, and possibly is, by vaperature.

I wouldn't blame anyone for grudge feelings toward ECF, especially considering the way I feel currently. I feel grudgy as all hell. That doesn't mean (hopefully, lol) that I'll let ire and resentment eat me alive. Thank goodness for the ability to vent on VU!

 

[tcmx250]

well the thread was deleted, no infractions dispersed as far as i have seen...

 

[HazyShades]

the only similarity between VU and ECF: i am ascared of anyone in either place who has more than 5 badges under their name.

LOL..I'm ascared of any badges..especially when they don't know the law they're supposed to be enforcing.

BTW, I looked at your profile last night. You have too many groupies.
But you do have very "deep" eyes..a person could get lost in them

Be good.
Hazy

 

[kelli]

LOL..I'm ascared of any badges..especially when they don't know the law they're supposed to be enforcing.

BTW, I looked at your profile last night. You have too many groupies.
But you do have very "deep" eyes..a person could get lost in them

Be good.
Hazy

ha, groupies. most of those people lost interest eons ago and have found someone else to "group".

most people say i have sad eyes. i think i like deep better. thanks.

 

[HazyShades]

ABSOLUTELY! Come buy me a beer anytime. (I'd prefer a pina colada, though, FYI.)

Can I just say that the disagreement over grudge or lack thereof strikes me as mostly just a semantic one? Like...maybe I misread, but you aren't really disagreeing with one another on anything important. Yet there might be a perception that it's somehow demeaning to say someone holds a grudge coz they should be "above that" or whatever...or it could be seen that way, and possibly is, by vaperature.

I wouldn't blame anyone for grudge feelings toward ECF, especially considering the way I feel currently. I feel grudgy as all hell. That doesn't mean (hopefully, lol) that I'll let ire and resentment eat me alive. Thank goodness for the ability to vent on VU!

Okay, a piña colada it will be. Want Bacardi in that?

I think it may go beyond semantics but would rather leave it be in the interest of peace and goodwill.
Mine was but an effort to protect and defend rather than to slight or agitate.
I should know better by now, I'm not Under Dog or Mighty Mouse either.

Be right over.
Hazy

PS. You have mail

ha, groupies. most of those people lost interest eons ago and have found someone else to "group".

most people say i have sad eyes. i think i like deep better. thanks.

No need to Thank me. I always tell it like it is..even when it gets me in trouble..
as I understand you do.
More power to you..and to your eyes

Hazy

well the thread was deleted, no infractions dispersed as far as i have seen...

Sorry, but I'm at a loss. Which thread where was deleted?

 

[tcmx250]

Oh something I was watching over at ecf

 

[tcmx250]

Something user just me was involved in. She posted a link a few pages back
Edit: wrong ecf hate thread. I'm involved in a few

 

[HazyShades]

I'm going to defend ECF, now. Smokey Joe has strict rules, because he wants the ECF to be a family friendly place, not one where the parents have to chase the children out of the room, before they log into it. Every forum has an owner and the members are the guests of the owner, we have no right to be there. I have seen new members get banned from the ECF, because they demanded that the forum be run THEIR way. We play by the rules, folks and if we don't we get booted out.

It's as simple as that, no matter what forum it is.

End of rant and I will be leaving this thread, but not the forum.

In the interest of peace I'll not argue about the silly rules or payola on ECF,
but I will say that considering that both ECF and VU are supposed to be adult forums
for adults, your justification of the rules is silly.
As silly in fact as parents who would allow their children to look over their shoulders while perusing an adult forum.
A family friendly place where one has to be an adult to join and participate
shouldn't be a family friendly place.

Think I'll have my 12 year old son come read on here or ECF now...here Trex, wanna vape?

Hazy in disbelief again

 

[HazyShades]

Something user just me was involved in. She posted a link a few pages back
Edit: wrong ecf hate thread. I'm involved in a few

Oh, so this was on ECF then? OK, I didn't see anything here deleted so I wondered.
What goes on at ECF I'm not concerned with as I'm not posting there now.

 

[tcmx250]

Well, in all fairness the thread we're on is entitled "how long before I get banned"

 

[HazyShades]

Well, in all fairness the thread we're on is entitled "how long before I get banned"

Yup, that it is. I'm just saying I'm not very concerned about the many soap operas here or there.
But if you tell me the thread on the other forum has to do with somebody either being banned or about to be banned then by all means
tell us all about it as we're in the correct thread.
So, what happened? What, where, when, how, and why? Don't spare us any details,
we're all ears...like in Burger King whoppers

 

[tcmx250]

Well...someone was a naughty damsel, and some of the uptight senior members were ganging up on said damsel, so I tried to be a night in shitty armor and defend the fair maiden, so they deleted the thread. Anti climactic really. Said damsel was pushing the envelope a bit.

 

[HazyShades]

Well...someone was a naughty damsel, and some of the uptight senior members were ganging up on said damsel, so I tried to be a night in shitty armor and defend the fair maiden, so they deleted the thread. Anti climactic really. Said damsel was pushing the envelope a bit.

But, you left out the who and the how.
Did they delete the whole thread or just lock it down?
If not deleted post a link.

 

[tcmx250]

Deleted thread. Nothing special though, they were just ragging on her cause she claimed to be a stripper.

 

[HazyShades]

Deleted thread. Nothing special though, they were just ragging on her cause she claimed to be a stripper.

What's wrong with being a stripper?
Let me guess, it wasn't vape related?

 

[tcmx250]

I dont know, the thread was deleted with vauge reason "violation of forum rules" not a clue who the actual violator was.

 

[stevegmu]

What's wrong with being a stripper?
Let me guess, it wasn't vape related?

Absolutely nothing is wrong with being a stripper...

 

[lirruping]

I wonder how they would react over at ECF if enough people started using a solidarity signature line...something expressing a particular sentiment about the censorship policies. Since there is no forum or thread in which posts discussing their policies in a critical way is allowed, perhaps if enough people had the same sentiment in their signature it would at least make some kind of statement. Of course, maybe the mods would warn anyone who did it and take their posts down. Still, it might have some kind of impact.

It took me quite a while to really get how oppressive to the development of (what I consider healthy) community their policies and methods can be. Communities of all types have enough issues because of ... human frailty, whatever, without the behavior police coming in and making people afraid to discuss certain topics. It's really not about the language issues. Who cares if you can't say "shit"? It's not important. What sucks is when your intent is monitored, judged, found ethically lacking or threatening to them in some other way, and as a result you are censored.

To me, one of the main reasons for becoming invested in any vaping community (other than the obvious access to technical information) is to participate in a community that is solid enough to have an impact on the wider world. This requires a largely democratic structure, somewhere people can feel both safe and empowered to articulate & develop their thoughts and their voice.

Say, eg, something that includes the ideas that:

- ECF is a great resource for finding information and interesting, knowledgeable people but
- the censorship policies here [there] are extreme and arbitrarily enforced
- leading to a stunted, anti-democratic, parody of community.

--only something more catchy, pithy and articulate than that.

If enough people did it, even if it was only up for a short time, well spread over posts on all areas of ECF (or repeatedly up on a significant number of people's signatures for short periods of time, a signature line "bomb", if you will) it might be effective. At the very least, people visiting the forum for the first time, lurkers and the like, would get a sense of what goes on there and what simmers beneath the surface.
Thanks to ECF, maybe I am subversive, after all.

 

[Woody213]

I received a formal reprimand reminding me that I had broken the rules by:

1) speaking negatively about the rules
2) attempting to subvert the rules

Yeah, I'm SO "subversive".

Everyone over there needs to watch the excellent film, "Other People's Lives", about people living under the East German Stasi before the fall of the wall for a reality check about where these types of values lead. I mean, obviously, neither ECF nor any other forum has that kind of power over people's lives but that place has the stench of fascism.

You know who else had those rules? Nazis. Thats right I said they're fucking Nazis.

 

[lirruping]

You know who else had those rules? Nazis. Thats right I said they're fucking Nazis.

lol. Mussolini (the original fascist) not bad enough of a comparison? Well, I'm not going there. I think it's counterproductive to curse in that particular way, even tho I obviously can relate to the desire vent spleen and am sympathetic to wanting to call them out with the harshest epithet I can think of.

 

[sub4me]

You want a signature phrase?? No problem, one word is all that's needed. NUTZ. All the mods and admins know its an insult to them. I can't take credit for the term but believe me its very effective.

 

[stevegmu]

You want a signature phrase?? No problem, one word is all that's needed. NUTZ. All the mods and admins know its an insult to them. I can't take credit for the term but believe me its very effective.

I came up with NUTZ

 

[sub4me]

I came up with NUTZ

Yes you did. I didn't want to say that unless you were ok with it.

 

[sub4me]

If you post this you get banned, LOL.

 

[lirruping]

If you post this you get banned, LOL.

I don't know why this picture or the word "NUTZ" would get someone banned, so I assume it's an "inside taunt"--similar to the (technically meaningless) word I used to tease my little brother when we were kids: I couldn't call him a "baby" outright or I'd get in trouble, so I called him "wooba" instead. It drove him totally crazy but what could he do? What was a woob? Besides, he was my little brother, not my Big Brother. Eventually my mother caught on. According to her, my behavior was "mean-spirited", and she was right. But it was still difficult to enforce with any semblance of rationality. Not that ECF mods let this factor get in their way.

Anyway, I'm as mean-spirited as the next guy, but I'm considering something that would not just annoy the moderators. The primary benefit of a signature line bomb would be to convey to the supposed masses of active ECF members (plus those browsing around) that there is a feeling of discontent about the lack of freedom of expression which cannot be addressed in any other way due to the oppressive structure of the forum. And that there are options other than the Death Star of vaping which is ECF.

 

[lirruping]

I came up with NUTZ

I realize "oppressive" is a strong word, and again, this is clearly not a life or death issue. On the other hand, a functioning community--one that is not at the mercy of a whimsical administration with unreliable priorities and obvious personal power issues--would be a useful tool for responding to the real threats vapers face. The value of such a community is less straightforward than something like CASAA, which makes communiques to its members to educate them and call them to action in specific instances. The COMMUNITY's function is more nebulous, harder to describe, but to me it is clear that it is equally as important a way to make vaper's voices heard and to impact the eventual bottom lines (FDA regs and other legal and taxation changes) that will define all our lives in the very near future.

 

[stevegmu]

I realize "oppressive" is a strong word, and again, this is clearly not a life or death issue. On the other hand, a functioning community--one that is not at the mercy of a whimsical administration with unreliable priorities and obvious personal power issues--would be a useful tool for responding to the real threats vapers face. The value of such a community is less straightforward than something like CASAA, which makes communiques to its members to educate them and call them to action in specific instances. The COMMUNITY's function is more nebulous, harder to describe, but to me it is clear that it is equally as important a way to make vaper's voices heard and to impact the eventual bottom lines (FDA regs and other legal and taxation changes) that will define all our lives in the very near future.

The vast majority of threads there are fear mongering. My guess is to drive up sales for the vendors... ANTS are the boogeymen, behind everything; they are NUTZ for believing it...

 

[lirruping]

ECF could avoid so much hassle by just giving people a place to blow off steam within their forum, rather than driving them elsewhere. It seems very shortsighted, but then again, it does seem to be "working" to the extent that they still have more members than any other forum. Even I (annoyed and disgusted as I am) still participate over there because I'm comfortable with the format and get access to information and the people I like.

I was actually thinking of something that would be intelligible to anybody who sees it--current or new members, people browsing, whatever. The message would be less for the moderators than for them. Let's say signature line bombs were done in a coordinated series. The first ones would be as non-provocative as possible while still conveying a point of view comprehensible to any reader. This way they have a better chance of staying up longer and the accounts have a chance of not being banned right away. The less provocative, more coordinated, reasonable and easier to understand the message/signature line is, the more people will participate, and the more people will be moved to consider it.

Clearly, pith and concision are not my forte, which is why I'm thinking-out-loud about this, hoping for some inspired and witty communications genius among us to come up with a Really Good Idea.

 

[lirruping]

The vast majority of threads there are fear mongering. My guess is to drive up sales for the vendors... ANTS are the boogeymen, behind everything; they are NUTZ for believing it...

the vast majority of threads where are fearmongering? On ECF? That isn't my impression, but maybe. I stick to a few areas. Thing is, "Anti Nicotine and Tobacco Zealots" or not--whatever the "enemies" of vaping are, we are in a way better position to think through what to do about it and to preserve the rights/privileges we have, etc, in a forum where free expression is allowed. This is true despite the nasty outbursts and lack of focus and whatever else--bad language, say--that may come along with a free and open forum. VapingUnderground has the right idea to tolerate all of that for greater good, IMO.

Edit- What is NUTZ an acronym for?

 

[stevegmu]

They don't want debate or discussion. Threads start out as a circle jerk. When Group Think gets challenged, they post pictures of bacon and threads get closed...

They have a lot of members because they employ a lot of Google search bots. There are only dozens of active members who make 20 or more posts/day, it seems, in the General Discussion threads and less in the media and campaigning threads...