Recent events...

[Rod]

Apparently there’s quite a bit of hostility around here lately. The purpose of this community is to provide a fun and friendly environment for people to discuss and trade cigars. Some of the negativity going on lately is really getting out of control, and simply doesn’t belong here. I don’t care if you’ve been a member for 1 month or for 9 years, everyone is on the same playing field, and everyone is expected to follow the same rules.

The purpose of the “self moderated” community does not allow any one person or clique(s) to control or otherwise steer this community in a direction they see fit. Everyone is expected to play by the same rules. If you want to embarrass yourself and lose credibility, break the rules and you’ll be suspended/banned. Posting pictures and useless one-liners in threads is not only annoying, but will now be considered baiting and trolling. Posting a link to a picture in a thread that is going down hill is not ok. This goes for everyone.

If this community was about me making money, I’d have ads everywhere. The revenue brought in from the ads doesn’t even cover my yearly operating costs. Yep, that’s my choice, I can easily create more ways to bring in sponsors, however I don’t. Never was fond of banner farms.

I’ve really become fed up with how some of you guys are conducting yourselves. I hate moderation, but if it comes to implementing some sort of moderating team, so be it. A “self moderated” community can only last so long, and it looks like we may be reaching our threshold. Those who fear moderation are usually those who are breaking the rules. My vision of moderation is significantly different (in a positive way) than how most other forums operate. I don't believe in deleting content, but I do believe in enforcing our basic rules. I have no doubt that my vision of a moderating team will be positive and unique. I simply don't have the time anymore that it takes to perform the moderation this community requires.


Coming home and having to babysit adults is not my idea of fun; that’s not why the forum is attached to CigarPass. I think you can all relate…once something is no longer fun, there’s no point in continuing it … or you make a change that will result in a positive outcome. Read between the lines, the monetary gain (or lack there of) from CP is not worth my time to deal with some of the childish behavior that has been plaguing this community. If you don’t like the way I’m running the site or the direction I’m taking it, you’re free to sign off and move on.


Running this site is not as easy as paying a hosting company every month, wish it were, but there’s far too much time consuming maintenance involved on top of managing the personality conflicts. The drama just isn’t worth it anymore. I have come to the end of the rope trying to please everyone.


The retailer section of this forum is for ALL retailers to post their sales. If someone simply buys and resells cigars (no talent there) for an outrageous price, then I agree with calling them out. If someone uses their TALENTS to create artwork in which you feel is too expensive, take it to PM or don’t post at all. If someone requests free materials from members and then uses that material to build an item and sells it, then we have a problem.

Think before you post, and keep in mind everyone here is a guest. No one has paid membership dues, and no one is spending the majority of their “online time” maintaining this community. Unfortunately the time that I have to devote towards CP is becoming less and less (for several reasons). I’d rather use my available time towards more positive efforts, rather than having to spend hours trying to deal with childish behavior. Don’t PM me saying that you’re leaving, or telling me you disagree with what my future plans may be. The bottom line is that this community will continue in a positive manner one way or another.

Rod

 

[JHolmes763]

Stop pussyfooting around and throw out some one or two week suspensions like the rules say. If they take their ball and go somewhere else for good, all the better.

 

[Jonesy]

Stop pussyfooting around and throw out some one or two week suspensions like the rules say. If they take their ball and go somewhere else for good, all the better.

.....ummmm, wow. I think John just volunteered for the moderating team with that bold of a statement.



A much needed post Rod.

 

[Big Stick]

Stop pussyfooting around and throw out some one or two week suspensions like the rules say. If they take their ball and go somewhere else for good, all the better.

.....ummmm, wow. I think John just volunteered for the moderating team with that bold of a statement.



A much needed post Rod.

I almost spilled my coffee :laugh:

 

[tkoepp]

PUNISH the VIOLATORS !!

 

[br174]

I agree. Do what you feel is best Rod.

Brian

 

[jfields]

Stop pussyfooting around and throw out some one or two week suspensions like the rules say. If they take their ball and go somewhere else for good, all the better.

PUNISH the VIOLATORS !!

Yep! No doubt about it Rod, you're waaaay too nice of a guy. I think some have taken advantage of that, and it's gotten out of hand as we get more and more members here. Comes a point where you can't please everyone and you have to make a choice to step on a few toes for the greater good. It doesn't bode very well when you keep making comments about how this love of yours has become a burden.

I don't post in those threads due to the fact that I have come to the conclusion that no matter what side I may feel is right or wrong, it's not going to accomplish anything. It seems like more and more that I follow threads like HM's.
People act like they have nothing better to do than post rubbish, or act like they just simply have to prove a point. Half of you act like a bunch of bitchy women who don't even know what they're bickering over anymore. You just know that's what you do, so you continue on because that's the norm.
I agree, this place has evolved to the point of you needing to appoint a moderation team. You've got better things to do than come home to a PM box full of bitchy whiny emails everyday.

 

[Niko]

Much needed post Rod. Being an administrator of forums myself in the past, I know what a burden they can be sometimes. I hope you take the approach which makes things easier on yourself and get back to enjoying CP again.

 

[CigarMan Andy]

Rod,

Thank you for all your hard work and efforts to keep CP a great place to participate. I am sadden to see what's going on and hope we can over come the BS. It's a shame that some people abuse this forum. I for one appreciate the brothers that PMed me when I was inappropriate instead of publicly blasting and embarrassing me when I was new. We are all adults and can overcome this situation. I know that I have begun posting a response, previewed and read my post before adding my reply, and have deleted instead of posting. That is the advantage of "preview post". Maybe we can think twice before we post and we can cut Rod, and the rest of us, a little slack.

I have made some great friends here and don't wish to loose this community. If you are new and think this is like other forums, think again. Read rather than post, ask for input by PM before posting useless information just to post, and remember, unlike other forums, post count is not a factor in getting a good reputation here. Rod does what he can, but ultimately it is up to us to keep CP the best forum around.

I am sorry if I sound like I am preaching, but I care about our community and don't want to lose it.

 

[bfreebern]

This is definitely a cyclical thing.

Definitely appreciate what you have to put up with Rod, to let me hang out here.

 

[ggiese]

Can we nominate moderators?

 

[{tpc}]

Great post Rod! I appreciate all you do and the place you've established here. As a former moderator of a gaming forum with a member base thats similar in size to this one, I have no idea how you keep your sanity around here sometimes...

 

[ggiese]

Great post Rod! I appreciate all you do and the place you've established here. As a former moderator of a gaming forum with a member base thats similar in size to this one, I have no idea how you keep your sanity around here sometimes...

It is insane when you bring hundreds of people into the same small room... :thumbs:

 

[Sweetrice80]

Great post Rod! I appreciate all you do and the place you've established here. As a former moderator of a gaming forum with a member base thats similar in size to this one, I have no idea how you keep your sanity around here sometimes...

It is insane when you bring hundreds of people into the same small room... :thumbs:

Its one smoky room wont ya say? Luckly the ventilation system is pretty good. :laugh:

 

[verhoevc]

I agree with all of the above (although I think Rod should choose his team, not have it nominated). I think everyone at fault should start being punish, and that's including me if he so deems me in need. I agree that change is much needed, and if I have to take a fall to help facilitate it I am more than happy to do so.
Chris

 

[LilBastage]

...I agree that change is much needed...

The only change that is needed is for people to start acting like adults rather than adult aged children. If people would follow 5 simple rules (as well as the forum rules in general), this whole discussion would be completely moot.

1. Treat others as you wish to be treated.
2. Mind your manners.
3. Don't make everything about "you". (Unfortunately I feel the need to qualify this as the general "you", not anyone in particular.)
4. Post in a manner in which you can look back and be proud of what you've said and done.
5. Learn about CP's history and traditions before you jump in. Spend time reading the back threads. There's a reason why content is not deleted. It's great reference material.

It's unfortunate that a site that caters to adult hobbies and supposedly adult posters has to result to such hand holding and "parenting" of its members.

Rod, you do you what you have to do. Hopefully the moderators will be bored out of their mind with nothing to do.

 

[billbaker3]

Stop pussyfooting around and throw out some one or two week suspensions like the rules say. If they take their ball and go somewhere else for good, all the better.

PUNISH the VIOLATORS !!

Yep! No doubt about it Rod, you're waaaay too nice of a guy. I think some have taken advantage of that, and it's gotten out of hand as we get more and more members here. Comes a point where you can't please everyone and you have to make a choice to step on a few toes for the greater good. It doesn't bode very well when you keep making comments about how this love of yours has become a burden.

I don't post in those threads due to the fact that I have come to the conclusion that no matter what side I may feel is right or wrong, it's not going to accomplish anything. It seems like more and more that I follow threads like HM's.
People act like they have nothing better to do than post rubbish, or act like they just simply have to prove a point. Half of you act like a bunch of bitchy women who don't even know what they're bickering over anymore. You just know that's what you do, so you continue on because that's the norm.
I agree, this place has evolved to the point of you needing to appoint a moderation team. You've got better things to do than come home to a PM box full of bitchy whiny emails everyday.

I agree with what jfields said.

 

[DePasta]

The only change that is needed is for people to start acting like adults rather than adult aged children. If people would follow 5 simple rules (as well as the forum rules in general), this whole discussion would be completely moot.

1. Treat others as you wish to be treated.
2. Mind your manners.
3. Don't make everything about "you". (Unfortunately I feel the need to qualify this as the general "you", not anyone in particular.)
4. Post in a manner in which you can look back and be proud of what you've said and done.
5. Learn about CP's history and traditions before you jump in. Spend time reading the back threads. There's a reason why content is not deleted. It's great reference material.

It's unfortunate that a site that caters to adult hobbies and supposedly adult posters has to result to such hand holding and "parenting" of its members.

Rod, you do you what you have to do. Hopefully the moderators will be bored out of their mind with nothing to do.

Agreed....especially with number 3....

 

[grateful1]

I agree with all of the above (although I think Rod should choose his team, not have it nominated). I think everyone at fault should start being punish, and that's including me if he so deems me in need. I agree that change is much needed, and if I have to take a fall to help facilitate it I am more than happy to do so.
Chris

You're joking, right? Not worth it.

------------------------

...I agree that change is much needed...

The only change that is needed is for people to start acting like adults rather than adult aged children. If people would follow 5 simple rules (as well as the forum rules in general), this whole discussion would be completely moot.

1. Treat others as you wish to be treated.
2. Mind your manners.
3. Don't make everything about "you". (Unfortunately I feel the need to qualify this as the general "you", not anyone in particular.)
4. Post in a manner in which you can look back and be proud of what you've said and done.
5. Learn about CP's history and traditions before you jump in. Spend time reading the back threads. There's a reason why content is not deleted. It's great reference material.

It's unfortunate that a site that caters to adult hobbies and supposedly adult posters has to result to such hand holding and "parenting" of its members.

Rod, you do you what you have to do. Hopefully the moderators will be bored out of their mind with nothing to do.

Well put!

------------------------

Rod, I hope you find the time to sit and enjoy a smoke...right after a double-double!!!

 

[ironpeddler]

With everyone saying this was a "needed post"....how many times does Rod have to make this type of post before there is a change in attitudes?

I've only been here a year and this has to be at least the second or third time I've read such a heartfelt plea from the man.

Does everybody listen to the Forum's owner?

Let's call a spade a spade...it seems there are some members that ALWAYS think these requests from Rod don't pertain to them.

Plain & simple, what we have here is the occasional abuse of seniority. These folks have a good portion of the membership walking on egg shells about what they should post....and that's after they THINK, RE-THINK, and RE-THINK AGAIN what they wrote before they decide to post it. Proof of this is when I meet other members and we discuss CP while smoking a cigar....to a man, all have agreed it's BS. They either choose to ignore it or consciously stay out of it for reasons of being "selected as a target." But all agree, it's a dark cloud over what is largely a great place to hang out and meet B&SOTL.

Ask yourself this, if you were the Father of this website and a new person came here to poke around for the first time...should some of these negative threads be one of the first items they find? It's not just one or two threads, when this crap starts, some of the posters LINK to other outlandish threads as well...so one thread can become compounded with numerous negative comments of similar versions of yesteryear.

The 'baiting', hidden by clever & creative writing, has got to stop. The dismissive statements to newcomers, who ask truthful and honest questions, has got to stop. The condescending statements, to those in disagreement , has got to stop.

Last Fall/Winter we associated the negative vibes to "typical Holiday tensions"...what will we attach this one to?

As always, thanks for your patiences Rod....I hope it holds out.