Mike Greathouse [you decide]

[critical bill]

You are just going out of your way to stir the pot aint you. I would take Chuck's word over almost everyone's on this site.

Something tells me though you aint man enough to back up telling anyone to shut it.

I missed this post. Thank you very much Sammy! I really mean that.

 

[Justin Mitcham]

What strikes me is that I can barley remember the bad deals I had 3-5-10 years ago..but I can remember all the jerks, the bad conversations and all the arguments I have had on here...despite the few positives I still can't help to feel that this site has done more than anything else in this industry to create rifts, differences, feuds and made many people who have been friends enemies...is all this constant negativity worth it?
I think to most this site is just a form of twisted entertainment ..sorta like rubbernecking..you try hard not to look but damn you do anyways!!

Mike in his own way has proven a great point... it's all about perception when it come to this site!!!

JUSTIN MITCHAM
WWW.EXTREMEHOGS.COM

 

[varnyard]

You mean he is allowed to moderate in a thread he's actively participating in and even obviously baiting fellow members and mods in? Well that sucks. I thought that was a no-no. Is it a no-no?

Yea Chuck he has been attacking me ever since I cam back:
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?p=556829#post556829'

Anyway, I think Mike needs to come back and answer these questions here, he was not so slow to post as shrilly.

 

[critical bill]

Bobby you arent even in the same game! So bother some other fly on the wall of some issue that means something.

What game is that? Is that was this is to you? A game? This whole place is just a big game you've been playing in? Is that what you're doing? Playing? Playing bait your fellow member? Playing moderator? Playing dumb (which I have to hand it to you...you do very well)?

You are a lousy member and representative of the moderating staff. I hope your peers see this as well and eventually you are stripped of any authority. That when me and you are gonna have some real, real fun. Oh yeah! You don't know what you're in for in.

 

[varnyard]

What game is that? Is that was this is to you? A game? This whole place is just a big game you've been playing in? Is that what you're doing? Playing? Playing bait your fellow member? Playing moderator? Playing dumb (which I have to hand it to you...you do very well)?

You are a lousy member and representative of the moderating staff. I hope your peers see this as well and eventually you are stripped of any authority. That when me and you are gonna have some real, real fun. Oh yeah! You don't know what you're in for in.

You bet ya, that just about sums it up.

 

[Dr Owens]

Goddamnit! Shut the hell up already! This topic is not here so that you three can bicker! It's about Mike. Either take it to PM, or go start a private bitch fest in Hell or something! JesusJackHammeringChristAlready!

 

[critical bill]

Goddamnit! Shut the hell up already! This topic is not here so that you three can bicker! It's about Mike. Either take it to PM, or go start a private bitch fest in Hell or something! JesusJackHammeringChristAlready!

rotflmao. welcome to the game.

 

[Dr Owens]

Ok...sorry. Temper tantrum over.

I'm at the end of a very long, very busy day. I'm sick with the flu. My nurse can't seem to do her damn job right, and my blood sugar is probably about 40 (very low). All that combined...well...I guess you get post #186.

My apologies. I am now through acting like a pissed off 3 year old.

rotflmao. welcome to the game.

Shut up, Chuck.

 

[shrap]

I'm a bit upset about the whole Shrill thing. I mean, I didn't like, nor respect anything he had to say, for the mere fact he was obviously under a fictitious name. Nothing he said really absorbed, and I wished he'd just go away.

I do think it was pretty cowardly some of the things that Shrill/Mike said, and especially the PM to monkey boy.rofl: ) Had the same PM occurred using your true name Mike, I don't think I'd see too much fault at all. I just can't respect not owning who you are, what you say, feel or mean. It's deceptive.

Bad guy? I can't really see myself viewing him that way thus far. I am along the lines of he just got carried away, and went too far with his original intentions. I don't see the bad guy many of you are seeing.

Not that I blame any of the offended for being pissed. We all have our own views. I see a known and proved good guy who made a really stupid mistake. He gets his chance to prove me wrong, just as I'd do for others that haven't repeatedly shown immoral behavior.

Great post Rick. You said exactly what I have been trying to say for two days. I just think you said it better.

If I am ever in need of a spokesperson I am going to have to give you a call.

 

[Gary O]

OK, Mike said he was one of the three names. Or said he only created the one of them.

I was not into the threads these other "egos" were in. I may have posted in some but not really into the threads.

I do not get ghosting. I only have the one name here. I use to go by AGF. It was a tag name given to me on Football boards. But I asked Rich years ago to change it to my name. I always say what is on my mind without hiding.

I do not understand why Mike made another name. And guess what I am not going to try to figure it out. Some say it was becuase of Wes. I tell you what Wes is hard headed and posts in ways I do not agree with. He has done things he has yelled at others for doing. But still does not give a reason for a person to make up a name to just attack Wes. Wes is not a bad guy. Just needs to open his mind a bit. Just quick to draw the sword and it has cut him a few times. lol

Other then this I see a lot of posts here that just is repeating. I see people going at each others throats over a GHOST................ A fricken ghost. Guess What? Mike made the ghost and said he did. If you are upset over it then do not buy or sell to Mike. If you think it was not that bad then cool no big deal.

But to drag this thing out while attacking each other when trully most of us have nothing to do with it is just well DUMB.

Rich sorry this has happened to you. You and I have had or go abouts but you know I am always me and you know where I stand. I will be the first to say I was wrong about Rich. I thought at one time Rich was in it JUST for the money. But he trully loves this hobby. That is enough for me. We do not agree on everything each other does but no one ever will. But I know I never have to create a different name to talk to Rich. I do not need to create a different name to post my opinion. Some may hate my guts. Some may like me. But everyone knows where I stand.

Mike, If you are reading this. I do not think you are a bad guy. But I will say I never thought you would do something like this. It might not matter to you the way I think. And that is not a big deal to me. But some people seem very upset over this. I do not want tell you what to do but some of these people are good people. Maybe take it to a personal level to make it right with them? Some may not want to but you can say you tried then.

WOW........... This thread got big fast.

 

[critical bill]

I recently experienced a complete failure of my computer and was forced to build a new system from scratch. One of the issues that I overlooked, was securing the wireless router. It wasn’t until all of this came up that I even thought to check it.

http://www.digitalherper.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=260&t=1182

I guess his own post in his own forum about WIFI security wasn't enough to remind him to check his own wireless router. Maybe he was just too busy talking to himself/walk of life.

But what do I know....I'm just a monkey.

Gotta run....errrrr...swing on out of here.

 

[critical bill]

Before I run...

I'm having a sale on straws and smoke for those who like it blown up thier asses.

I call it...the incredible funky monkey sale.

 

[Serafim]

I couldn't resist that little orang is so cute Chuck.. And its an Ape....

 

[ravensgait]

It is a Sad kind of funny..
Here Mike made up some user names and then used them to create strife amongst some of the membership here. Now he has been outed and Damned if we don't have another round of Pissing and Moaning and members tearing into each other AKA strife. If he planed the first part he must see this as a bonus...


One thing I have never understood about some folks here is why it bothers them so much when Rich decides to do something they are not in favor of... Sure I wasn't thrilled about some of the changes but took them in stride and kept on keeping on. I figured when Rich asks I'll give my opinion and see what happens, if the decision he makes isn't what I'd like I watch and see how things go. So far they have all been things I can live with, if ever it gets to where I can't I'll just stop hanging around here, no going out with a bang as some prefer I'll just fade away. We complain about how things are here but do any of us really do much to change them.. Well other than to bitch about them that is. I've seen a few members create bad blood with others here and Rich just because Rich got tired of hearing their plan for the 100th time.

I see some old members come back now and then to just once again reiterate their displeasure with what Rich has done. Then we have the lemmings those that went out of their way to get the boot here and wandered back again but still have this thing and take shots at Rich every chance they can. Why !

I think some here really need to take a look at why they are here ? Sure we find this entertaining but there should be more than that. I mean look at the forums how many of us have far more post here than on any of the forums?? I guess as some say it is like a car wreck ..... People post on the BOI and then wander off to some other forum about their favorite critters, hey I do to as 3 people don't make for much interest in the Arboreal Forum lol



A few things that have happened here over the years have made me really think and this thread was one of them. Hope I'm not the only one who will do some introspection ..Randy

 

[crotalusadamanteus]

Great post Rick. You said exactly what I have been trying to say for two days. I just think you said it better.

If I am ever in need of a spokesperson I am going to have to give you a call.

Me? Mr. Communication said it better? I musta had a moment or something.


Chuck, I must have missed your point. That post at digital herper was only 19 days ago. The whole Shrillo thing is much older. Care to elaborate your meaning for the slower people such as myself?



Rich.....Just a thought here. Someone earlier mentioned "paranoia". You think there may be a little truth to that? Maybe you are letting other peoples past deeds interfere with, or have too much an impact on the way you are viewing this whole thing?

The reason I ask, is I know not very long ago, you got pretty upset about My signature being directed to Boaddiction, or the wording of it anyway. Point is, you came up with suspicions, that simply didn't exist in that case. It even caused a site wide end to competing advertising.
Next day (and I apologize to you for letting my train of thought go that way) I couldn't reach the server for that site. I knew it was hosted here. I started wondering if maybe you flipped the switch in anger. It was Mike that convinced me it wasn't your doing. He was quite adamant about it too, telling me "NO WAY Rich would do that". Not the actions of someone who intends you or your site maliciousness, but more the act of a friend, wouldn't ya say? He stood to gain nothing.

Anyway, I know I have little influence on your train of thought, but maybe, just MAYBE, you are looking deeper than you need to on this? Maybe I'm wrong too. Like I said, just a thought I was having.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Bad guy? I can't really see myself viewing him that way thus far. I am along the lines of he just got carried away, and went too far with his original intentions. I don't see the bad guy many of you are seeing.

Rich.....Just a thought here. Someone earlier mentioned "paranoia". You think there may be a little truth to that? Maybe you are letting other peoples past deeds interfere with, or have too much an impact on the way you are viewing this whole thing?

Too bad I can't give you any more positive karma today!

I have noticed many trends here on Fauna, and one of them is that when the web hits start declining, all it takes is a another new 'drama' to perk them up!

I think to most this site is just a form of twisted entertainment ..sorta like rubbernecking..you try hard not to look but damn you do anyways!!

Yup! I'm a rubber-necker on this thread. Why it's on the BOI, I haven't got a clue...

 

[Chameleon Company]

Well, much to my enormous distaste, count me as one who thinks the posting of the topic in the BOI was appropriate. Its not the first time, and likely will not be the last, that the topic of a thread was the exposure of an alias.

Substantiated or not, the charges extend to the serious and were of significant concern to the OP, and in such situations, the accusor and accused both will withstand scrutiny. That has long been the rule here.

More than one source has confirmed that Mike was warned long ago. The evidence strongly suggests that Mike was connected to the newer alias reincarnations despite the warning. A lapse in judgement was admitted to, with a line drawn as to where it extended. I do not pretend to know where the exact truth lies, but have to allow, given the evidence presented so far, IMMHO, that the possibility exists to me that less than truthful statements, possibly in the form of deliberate half-truths, have been made.

I hope that all recover and move on the wiser. There is no pleasure in this emanating from my keyboard.

 

[Jim O]

I have watched the last several pages unfold on this thread with a variety of reactions. Those of you that know me well also know that Mike Greathouse has been my best friend for close to 15 years. I would trust him with my life. The reactions have changed based on the statements made. The first reaction is actually amusement to think that anyone who has frequented this site for any length of time would think that Mike would create an alter ego because he was afraid to voice his own opinion. Look at his posts. He has always voiced his opinion. Those of you that call him a coward IF that his what he did are way off base. Anyone ever hear of Dramatic effect? Poetic license? It is obvious to anyone who has gone through the original Shrilomn posts that the creation of that particular entity was for the express purpose of deflating the bloated ego of Wilomn after his thought provoking and somewhat nauseating journey of self reflection into the inner workings of his megalomaniacal psyche. “Wilomn...a Brief Expose”...good God! After that, the persona took on a life of it’s own. However, anyone who wants to take the time should do two things. First, ignore the fact the Shrilomn was not a real identity. Then, read through the 50 some posts by this character and tell me how many you do not agree with. If you are honest, it won’t be many. Truth and sound judgment can be dispensed anonymously. Sometimes with great effect.

What a few of you are also glossing over is the fact that Mike has done more to support this site over the last several years than just about anyone. He organized auctions, contributed regularly, purchased the first Endowment Membership and had one of the first GCC certificates displayed on his site as well until it was pulled. Coward?...he never had a problem voicing his opinion or thoughts to anyone including Rich. An awful lot of the members here adopted the “it’s his site, he can do what he wants” attitude when Rich dropped the reins here six months after collecting a tidy pile of cash from everyone. We were even treated to a nice shiny picture of what our money purchased prior to his abdication. Mike was one of a few who very professionally pointed this out to Rich. And now a select group of you have actually paid for the privilege of running this site for him. That is one of the better pieces of business legerdemain I have seen pulled off. A few of us called him on it. Myself included. Based on the lukewarm responses from others in the threads concerned, a lot of you though the same way. If the point was punched home by someones alter ego....who cares. It was effective.

Anger probably rolls up next. If some of you find the use of an alias distasteful, that is your choice. Myself, I found most of Shrilomn’s posts amusing and thought provoking. If they came from Mike, I enjoyed them no less. You are all entitled to your own opinion on the use of this sort of a technique to get a point across. However, for Rich and others here to make the idiotic jump from an alias to throwing allegations of site vandalism and DDOS attacks is not only reprehensible, it is downright low. For you to even allude to that Rich without a single shred of anything to back it up is despicable. And to now backpeddle and say you did not say it after anyone can plainly read it in your first post is beyond gutless. The few of you who are tossing around terms like Bad Guy and Scumbag based on nothing but an alias ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Whether they were Mike in disguise or not,again, read through the posts. What damage did they do? The lot of you watch the antics of Wes and his pet monkey Kimmel parade around here showing their asses daily and, at most, grumble a bit. Wes has been banned here for behavior unbefitting a human a dozen times. Kimmel, at least a couple. They have stalked people with no reason, harassed people across every thread they posted on and insulted and belittled half the damn membership. Has Wes helped oust a bad guy or two? You betcha. Accidents happen. When you attack anyone and everyone who disagrees with you, you are bound to get lucky once or twice. Even a blind egomaniacal jackass of a squirrel finds a nut now and then. And these two are the ones that I believe someone referred to as two of the most reputable members of this site. What a joke.

Personally, whether Mike is one or all three of the entities mentioned, I couldn’t care less. His seven year tenure on this site helping folks with questions, supporting this site when the owner did not and his all around positive influence and willingness to voice his opinion when needed far outweighs any such paltry infraction that some of you want to read into posting under an alias.

Oh and Bobby...I did catch your attempt to expand the lynching through association. I noticed that the pet monkey chimed in right after. Theres a true braintrust. As someone who has flip flopped for and against this site over the years so many times they can't be counted, you more than anyone should be ashamed of yourself. I realize that the vast majority of thoughts that enter your head are hand placed there by Wes or Kimmel but for God's sake...try thinking once in a while before you hit submit.

If you like i can get you the name of Mike's second grade teacher...she was probably in on the conspiracy too.

This place has just gotten sad.

John,

You and I have met in person (as have Mike and I); we have agreed on many occasions, disagreed civilly, professionally, and respectfully on some other occasions. This is a somewhat complex issue and I agree with some of your points, and disagree with others.

When I became aware of the IP matches in the other thread my initial reaction was that it should go here. I was disappointed in Mike and in fact I still am disappointed in him. I have waited a few days in order to not post before I had a chance to think things through.

Your friendship with Mike (close to 15 years of his being your best friend) may color your judgment of this some. It is hard to be objective in such cases. But a true friend will eventually be honest with his friend, even while publicly backing him. What Mike did was dishonest at the very core. He got caught and denied it over a year ago. He got caught again with the "Walk of Life" ID which posted from the same IP as he did within a few hours time span. In my opinion, that alone is enough for a match, but there is another match as well. Then there are the other coincidences like that ID pushing Mike's site here, the same animals of interest, the registration on Mike's site, etc. Coincidences are exceedingly rare. Multiple coincidences are virtually non-existent. Mike is lying about that ID, as he no doubt is about the others. They all seemed to show up at the same time in the same threads, Mike used negative karma when someone spoke out against one of them, Mike exchanged PM's with them, etc. I can go on, but suffice it to say that Mike was way too involved with these other personae for them not to be him, knowing what we know about his being Shrillomn. His explanation that Walk of Life is a cyberstalker is plain old BS. I guess the guy was in his car parked in front of Mike's house picking up Mike's allegedly unsecured wireless network and posting here. Believe that and I have a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn. If you aren't convinced then you are blinded by your loyalty to your friend.

Sadly, this rose to a level beyond "taking it too far" and almost to an obsession or addiction. Mike gave it up for awhile, but had to come back. He was unable to let it go even after being confronted. That sort of agenda does make one suspicious about whether, given his knowledge, he was behind the ddos attacks. I'm not saying it was him, I'm not accusing him, but common sense and logic would dictate that he is on the "short list" of persons of interest. Paranoia on Rich's part? Do you blame him after someone attempted to put this site out of business?

As for whether Shrillomn or any other of Mike's not yet admitted to personae were helpful or harmful, I see them as having sown as much dissent as Shrillomn's foil did in that given time period. Did Shrillomn make some good points? Sure he did. But had Mike had the cojones to say those words himself it surely would have meant more.

As for your crack about people paying to run the site, this simply indicates that you know little about running a site. Rules enforcement is a small part of it. I admin other forums, including one of my own that gets 150 posts per day. The running of the site involves more than issuing warnings and bans. Believe me on that. I opted to join the warning system mod program here because I believed it might work and I wanted to be part of the solution. It has clearly not worked in my opinion, at least not effectively enough to make it worthwhile. Note that I am currently no longer "wearing" a gold coin for that reason. I still think that it was an idea worth trying.

None of what I have said takes away from Mike's past good deeds in real life and for this site. But the way that he acted on his anger at things not being done his way here was childish at best. Taken in the whole sum, he's not necessarily a bad guy, but he's less trustworthy than I might have thought. He has lied and he continues to lie. One who is able to lie so easily may lie about other things as well. You may not care about his being those other personae but you should care about his character. Any friend would.

 

[critical bill]

Suncoast Herpetological
Last Activity: 03-14-2008 02:37 PM
Creating Private Message Jim O @ 02:37 PM

Whaaaaa! Stop spanking me in public Jim! How dare you be right! Its all that monkeys fault! Damn Wes and his damn monkey!

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

Ahahahahahahahahahahaha.........ahhhhhhhhh.

 

[dsirkle]

viewpoint from an upstart newbie

I have been posting on Fauna for less than a year. I am new not only to Fauna but to forums in general and reptiles as well having become involved for the first time in both after I retired in December of 2006. I admit that I was shocked at the mayhem and conduct of many of the people participating in the BOI when I first saw it. I can understand the concern of many that it has become the laughing stock of the reptile community. Ultimately I became impressed by the amazing detective work that is being done on a regular basis and turned into a BOI fan. And I have come to enjoy the freedom of interchange of ideas that have been allowed to flourish there. I also participate in another site where the interaction between members is kept to such a bland politically correct level that it leaves much to be desired as nothing can really be discussed at all beyond reptile husbandry or displaying photos of reptiles. I much prefer this site of the two. Now as to the subject of this thread, I feel that if a person is involved in the administrative duties and or hosting of a website and especially if that person is receiving money for performing such functions and that person trolls, incites trouble between people and operates under multiple "ghost" identities on that site I think that would be an unpardonable ethical violation. No ifs and or buts. Also to address a side issue that has been mentioned in this thread I think that while Wes would often go too far, not know when to quit and often engage in needless quarreling in my estimation, I do believe that he is an honest man that believes that he is standing on principle for what he believes to be right and therefore has my respect. If he tells you to go take a flyin' leap he tells you that as Wes Pollock not as Gike Mreathouse or some other name.