Yet another announcement

[ethercat]

Lastly a big thank you to Ethercat for remaining on as the tech Admin. That server stuff scares the bejeezus out of me so I'm glad I don't have to worry about that.

And the [strike]cat herding[/strike] people stuff scares the bejeezus out of me!

Thanks, everyone. The train out of scientology keeps rolling on. Let's all try to keep it on the tracks, for the sake of Emma's sanity.

 

[Emma]

but isn't that what Veda and Caroline do?

Most of the time. That's not what was pissing me off.

 

[Gib]

Most of the time. That's not what was pissing me off.

ok

 

[lotus]

Many thanks to you guys who take care of this message board and make sure it's alive for thousands of people to read it

and to get a new sight on $cientology. I am 100% certain it saved many lives, families, divorce, suicide, bancruptcies, depressions, psychotic breaks ...

This board, by it's hundreds of member's contributions, is one of the most important source of valuable information, testimonies, true stories, about what $cientology is all about.

To be an admin or moderator on a board like this one is an ''almost impossible job to do'' as , with $cientology, major disagreements and arguments can't be avoid. It requires a tremendous amount of virtues

You succeed to keep it alive.

It is appreciated from us, mostly lurkers.

Thank you for volunteer good work you do.

 

[Gadfly]

I know some of you won't be pleased about this. Honestly I'm not over the moon about it either. But I hope we can all agree that it's better than closing ESMB down.

Onward.....

I have never had even the slightest mini-particle of "displeasure" about you in anyway - as a Mod or otherwise.

Of course, keeping ESMB open is a "good thing" - a VERY "good thing".

Ummm, what "cabals"?

I don't keep up with those sorts of things (cabals, claims of cabals, accusations of cabals, conspiracies about cabals, and so forth).

 

[Jump]

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Confucius say it is chicken nature to cross road.

Sometimes it is best to observe chicken nature than to argue over roads and the reasons for crossing.

 

[Magoo]

I just found out.

Both!

NOOOOOOOO:

THANK YOU BOTH SOOOO MUCH!



Tory/Magoo

 

[programmer_guy]

Most of the time. That's not what was pissing me off.

Please, elaborate on that a little bit.

 

[Free Being Me]

Thank you again Ethercat and Emma, both of you deserve high praise and grateful accolades for all your efforts.

 

[Emma]

Please, elaborate on that a little bit.

No. I'm *not* starting it all up again. If you missed it, you missed it.

 

[Panda Termint]

No. I'm starting it all up again. If you missed it, you missed it.

I'm guessing the "not" is silent in that sentence, right?

 

[Emma]

I'm guessing the "not" is silent in that sentence, right?

Quite right fixed now.

 

[Stat]

Quite right fixed now.

Also the (retired) thingy in Admin Emeritus needs to go, pls and ty.



EDIT: That was fast! Thank you Ems! Loves

 

[afaceinthecrowd]

Ethercat,
Thank you for all you have done to keep this here First Class Rodeo blowin' and gowin'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INbouHfyM4o



Emma,
You are the finest, most fancy and prancy Sweetheart of the Rodeo there's ever done been.

The only thing tougher than a real Cowboy is a true Cowgirl.

Let 'er Buck! :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVPrph3zYio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on7diFHEDbM


With Abiding Affection,

Face

 

[Dulloldfart]

I don't keep up with those sorts of things (cabals, claims of cabals, accusations of cabals, conspiracies about cabals, and so forth).

When they've gone, the thing is that a cleared cabal is still a cleared cabal.

Paul

 

[PTS]

I don't know what to say. EC I hardly know ya, and until today did not know that you are behind Tipping Point. Thank you for all the work you're doing in the ex/critic community

Emma, I'm sorry you have to put your admin hat back on, I know how much you were enjoying just hanging out here. Still, I am very grateful for your willingness to take back the reigns.
Thank you so much.

 

[cakemaker]

Thank you EC and thank you Emma. Hats off to you.
Having never been an admin, I imagine it takes the patience of a saint and the endurance of an ox.
From the outside, it seems that the algorithm for keeping the peace is straightforward - ad hominem comments = out, everything else = in. ...I'm sure that is too innocent.
Many viewpoints make me roll my eyes or raise my temperature but I'm glad that they exist.
I've often reassessed my positions thanks to someone's different take.
Ad hominem's are the one thing I can't stand and I'd rather have 'Emma the Merciless' than 'Emma the Admin'.

 

[Ho Tai]

After I got out of the co$ I had a lot of time on my hands. I found that there were a lot of things I could do that I believed had value and in which my contribution would be worthwhile. I signed on for more than I could handle, the result being that I was committed to some activities that I could not do a good job at. For the past year or so I have been going through the process of deciding which of the things I was doing were, in my opinion, the most valuable, and extracting myself from the things that I was less committed to. It has been very hard, having to say to people that I was not going to do this any longer. But as I unwind, I find myself more dedicated to the remaining things I want to dedicate myself to.

I think my experience may be like that of ethercat's. A person can only do so much. And there is so much to do, and so few people willing to step up and take responsibility, that it is always hard to say NO. But sometimes you gotta. Thank you, ethercat, for your contributions, keeping ESMB alive. And thank you, Emma, for getting back into the game. But Emma, if you can't give ESMB what you think it needs, then let it go. There are other forums out there, lots of places for people to engage. If you can't do it and nobody else is willing, then let it go. If you are re-energized and ready to fully commit, excellent. ESMB will always be your baby, but babies do at some point grow up and move on.

 

[Claire Swazey]

Yes I like the idea of polar opposites making up an Admin team. They'd get into fights over who to moderate and who to ban. Then they'd end up trying to ban each other. It would be a bloody mess to behold! The Ex Scientology Flying Circus Board.

Well, I dunno that I would consider BlackRob to be my opposite in viewpoint or in any other way. I don't agree with him on everything, but nobody agrees with others on everything.

We're all siblings in a cosmic sense and as I grow older, I've less and less interest in taking a divisive view or in being looked upon as a sideshow.

I think that everyone who posts is their own moderator, to the extent of their abilities and inclination and that love and empathy are the best guiding principles.

And, yes, I know it (and the preceding post) were written in the humorous vein, but, yanno, I had sumpin' ta say.

 

[Mattwith2tees]

Scientology is a horrible thing. Scientology is such a horrible thing that most of us who know enough about it to understand it want to prevent any more people from being harmed by it. The existence of this forum and other critical venues is evidence of that. And there is still much informing to be done toward that end.

Many of you know that I've never been a member of scientology, and therefore I have no stories to tell about my experiences in scientology. I can't see things from the same perspective that many of you as ex-members see, or know how you felt while in or after leaving scientology. I can't feel the pain and anger you feel as an ex-member. I'm just a member of the general public, society, one person who sees the wreckage left behind in people's lives by scientology. Even in the lives of people who were never scientologists.

For far too long, scientology has been trying to gain a toehold in society - trying to infiltrate my world. Our world. And sometimes it succeeds. It does this through the front groups, gaining what it sees as power, and what some see as credibility, and gaining money. So while I can't tell my story, nor do I care to debate the finer points of the "tech" and its results, I can and do still represent my demographic, the general never-in public, by opposing the front groups that harm those who would never knowingly have anything to do with scientology. Narconon is a major source of money for the cult, money that is funneled from the general public into the cult, and all the while, Narconon and scientology never give a damn how vulnerable the clients and their families are, who may get hurt physically or financially, or who may have long term emotional issues because of the surreptitious practice of scientology on the vulnerable and unsuspecting public.

Some of you may know that I run another forum, Reaching for the Tipping Point, where the primary focus right now is Narconon. On Tipping Point, we investigate and expose the facts about Narconon, and help those people whose lives have been or are being turned upside down by this insidious fake drug rehab. Sometimes it involves activities that don't happen on the forum, but in the real world with government agencies and others. Almost everyone who is a major player against Narconon is on Tipping Point, with only a few significant exceptions. There aren't many of us, but I'm grateful for everyone there. Tipping Point is making life very difficult for Narconon.

ESMB is making life very difficult for scientology. A year ago when Emma decided she was done with running ESMB, I volunteered to be the technical admin because I knew this place is important and is having an impact. I knew it would take some time away from the other things I was doing, but I could offer that amount of time to help keep ESMB open as a living forum. Then a little over a month ago, I found myself being not just the technical admin, but the only admin on ESMB. It wasn't easy for me. I guess some of you could tell that, right?

Sometimes as caring and earnest humans, we think we can be supermen, and we take on more than we can do. If we're not careful, it can mean that tasks are left incomplete, or that tasks that are completed are poorly done, both of which can accomplish little if anything, and can basically amount to spinning our wheels for nothing.

This is the position I am in right now. I have to admit to all of you and to myself that I just do not have the available free time to do it all here at ESMB, and do it well, without giving up the other things I need and want to do. Things like working full time, tending to my daily life, taking care of and participating on Tipping Point, a few special projects here and there, and having some time left over for friends and some occasional fun.

So I was faced with having to make a choice - close ESMB down, at least as an open and living forum; or find someone to be the social/community admin who is trustworthy to most people here, capable of understanding and working with the forum software, has the time, and is willing to do it. Yes, just like in scientology, I would have to find a replacement to do that part of my job before I could leave it.

I turned to Emma to ask for help in making the decision, and with the two of us lacking any obvious viable candidates, she graciously although somewhat reluctantly agreed to take back the reins as social/community admin. I will stay as technical admin, doing what I had originally agreed to do. I know some of you may be disappointed that I won't have as much of a presence on the forum - probably Emma most of all. Some of you may be happy about that, and that's ok too. I would just ask everyone to help by making Emma's job as manageable and straightforward as possible. It's not easy to make the moderation judgment calls sometimes; I know because I've been there.

I appreciate the support I saw from some people during my struggle to oversee moderation, and I hope you will show Emma the same support. I will still be around, just not as visibly. The extra time I gain will be put to good use, and at some point, I'll even get the search feature straightened out, hopefully for the better. I know at least a few of you will be glad to hear that.

Now, with no more "bla bla bla" from me, over to Emma.

Excellent post EC. I have come to the realization ESMB is not a place for me a garden variety wog. I also have come to the realization OCMB is no longer a place I need to be. After many years, I came to the conclusion direct public involvement has all along been my strongest point in regard to making an actual change. Blogging though nice,was more preaching to the choir than actually effecting change. The boards will be here and if I need information,I'll know where to go if that information is pertinent to me and or my state,county or city.

Those that choose to follow scientology or any of its offshoots will always be with us. I honestly do not care about that and do not have any impact in that area. Never have. BUT,once any of scientology,s entities or offshoots transcends into the public sector,I can make a positive impact from both a legal and moral perspective.

Case in point being NarCONon. Change has occurred in our area through legal channels AND direct public involvement. Therefore I have seized on my direct involvement and embrace the "Reaching For The Tipping Point " website and what it is in fact accomplishing.

I thank all that guided me to this moment in time.

Cordially

GumbyTheUnstoppable

GumbyTheTruth

FullMetalGumby

Nomoresci

OCMB and ESMB are 2 seriously important sites and its been one hell of a ride on my end. Now its time to go see some more of this big beautiful world!