• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

Paradigm shift

Thanks Cathy. Even backtracking from the link, it took a bit to find it on the "Quick Links" drop-down. A bit off-topic, but maybe a suggestion would be for Rich to make the entire link easier to find or more prominent somewhere for those of us who are slower :).
 
DAND said:
I believe it is more along the lines of shape up or warning points will be following if they continue on the path they were currently on.
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Makes sense. I know my suggestions are always major :bolt01: , but I was worried for some of the other folks around here who sometimes only make minor suggestions :rofl:
 
Fight The Power?

Greg,

To squander the opportunity of bringing change and reform to an imperfect system through simple and decent communications is a waste and a shame. Especially so when you've the obvious tools in place to easily do just that. And even more so in this day and age where forums like these are so readily available to spread a message that can unite us rather than divide us.

But whatever....you obviously haven't a clue to what I'm saying, or maybe you do? Do you get the day off for Martin Luther King Day?
 
Cat_72 said:
Check out the new and improved "warning" list.....that's where Normsis got it from, it was already there.
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Jim, thanks for thinking I would come up with something this witty but it was certainly Rich's rule. I just happened across them when he mentioned changes and thought that one particularly funny and fitting in with his mood that day.
 
Well, I believe you would have thought it up if Rich hadn't :) And Dand, I honestly believe that little brown guy could fit onto a merit badge. Maybe even get some kind of a "scratch and sniff" thing going for those that really want to raise a stink in leaving !
 
Chameleon Company said:
Well, I believe you would have thought it up if Rich hadn't :) And Dand, I honestly believe that little brown guy could fit onto a merit badge. Maybe even get some kind of a "scratch and sniff" thing going for those that really want to raise a stink in leaving !
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A little something like this huh?
 

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Dave,
Believe me, I had a good laugh with the image of Mr. Brown, and while the concept is crude, it is unquestionably fitting for the purpose discussed. Just as the earlier comic about f-wads was on the mark. All jests aside, I would hope that Rich would give some thoughts to the encouragement made by several of us to ban some of the keyboard warriors with some descriptive gusto. Many of us have had disagreements with each other before, sometimes with passion. But I would like to think that it was also with respect. It is an undeniable fact (IMO :) )that any group or organization that has a disciplinary code that members strive to adhere to appreciates, and in fact lauds, when the disciplinarians maintain the standards and crack the whip when the lines have been crossed. We not only expect it, we hope for it. There are countless numbers of quality people out there, who while holding views that will inevitably put them in occasional disagreement with us here if we can get them to participate, also know how to disagree without the gutter nonsense displayed so often of late. I put the trash out to the curb twice weekly, with diligence. We all do. Putting the trash out here can be done with far less effort, with far greater reward. After the recent desertions, Rich has a nucleus of moderators who have proven themselves. Let them be a jury when in doubt, or when advice is needed. Most of us know the difference between a pain-in-the-ass (such as myself, but only on rare occasion) and what the body instinctively knows is the ejected purpose/product of that ass, whether gaseous or solid (pepto bismol for those liquid days). Attract the people that enjoy a good debate. Tell those that are looking for Jerry Springer that he's on a different channel. No paradigm here, at least not one worthy of the tail wagging the dog.
 
Actually, I do believe that Greg's words would be better utilized being appended to the thread about him in the BOI. That way this PERMANENT and higher profile thread concerning him will contain the perspective that people may find most descriptive of the man behind the name. And I will be doing that SHORTLY..... :reddevil:

So go ahead, Greg, keep piling it on. With the warning signs given from Chris Johnson's attitude and now yours, what would some people reach as a conclusion concerning dealing with you? :hehe:

But in the meantime, here Greg, take some more rope......
 
Just a thought.

Ever since registration has been required to post on the BOI, there have been less bad guys posting and less fraudulent claims. It seems that all the energy that was directed their way is now used amongst us.

Many seem to be imploding. Is this necessarily a bad thing? I don’t know. Maybe not, I just hate to see it.

I wish we could all just get back to basics of trying to help protect our community from the scammers that are out there and less time dealing with how people feel about the administration of the site.

Rich will continue to have my support. If you don’t share this support then perhaps it’s not worth your energy.

Greg, obviously you know the value here. You helped bring several scammers to the attention of the community. What will be gained if you are banned? It’s all so unnecessary to go this route.

I don’t agree with Rich on every decision he makes. I don’t expect to. As he doesn’t believe his decisions will please everyone either. I will mention my disagreement, when and where I feel it appropriate and leave it at that. Why can’t we do the same here.


Anyway, just a thought. I will try and no have to many of them.
 
Very disappointing. I keep waiting for you to take the high road. I truely understood how vindictive you are. Unfortunately your actions will speak louder than my words.
 
Ever since registration has been required to post on the BOI, there have been less bad guys posting and less fraudulent claims.
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Dennis,

Maybe some people that have a fraudulent claim to report, don't want to pay to do it.

Regards
 
Hi Dan,
I was referring to the bad guys out there that were coming on with multiple identities to post.
But none the less, what you say is true. Some do not feel it is worth it. We obviously do or we wouldn’t be here.
 
Otter_23 said:
Very disappointing. I keep waiting for you to take the high road. I truely understood how vindictive you are. Unfortunately your actions will speak louder than my words.
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I assume you are speaking to me. Been on that high road for what, five and
a half years now? What's the point of continuing on that path? It's a wasted and fruitless effort. I have tried HARD to make the BOI something worthwhile. And I continually catch flak about it. I expected this from bonafide bad guys, but from supposed "good" guys too? Well I've made my stab at trying to separate the wheat from the chaff. Now it is up to you to do that. I'm not using the rules to filter out that crap any longer.

And my actions were not vindictive at all. It was putting information about someone where it would do the most good for people interested. I made no comments or claims about those posts either way. They were posted simply as a FYI. Anyone reading them can make their own decisions about them.

And yes, anyone who cares to send such stuff to me via email or private messages may certainly expect the possibility that it will see the light of day attached to their name as the source. I believe such aspects of someone's personality can, in fact, be VERY important for people to know about.
 
The BoidSmith said:
Dennis,

Maybe some people that have a fraudulent claim to report, don't want to pay to do it.

Regards
Click to expand...

Yes, I am considering this problem and the obvious solution. The down side would be returning to multiple false registrations again, of course. Which, quite frankly, I would not expend a single instant in trying to determine and defend against. And I would not expect this of my moderators, either. But realistically, perhaps that just is not my problem Let people just see the raw data presented themselves, the truth scattered in a storm of lies, and they need to figure out which is which in the mess on their own. So that is the choice for me to consider. The paid membership filter, or NO filter whatsoever. Quite frankly, I don't care either way, as my vision for what I thought the BOI SHOULD be is just not attainable.
 
As for the rule changes,

On 6/20 I could say-
The Reptile Ranch doesn’t have an outstanding reputation. Please use caution if you decide to deal with them.

On 6/22 I can say-
These people are scum. Don’t deal with these lying scammers! In my very humble opinion of course.

Really, I can deal with it either way. At this point, the issue isn’t that significant to me. I had original voiced an opinion that the rule changes could hurt the BOI in that we wouldn’t be able to poke hard enough at some of the information posted.

I understood Rich’s position in wanting to bring about a more professional environment and it would only be right to support him. He is the one giving us this tool. This is his site after all.

I think he made an effort to change the perception of the site and he was damned for doing it. He well be damned for undoing it. Its has to suck to try and please all of us. I wouldn’t do it.
 
Yes, exactly. Right now, the path of least resistance will be the most attractive to me. I felt obligated to make the effort to try to turn around this site (particularly the BOI) to try to make it my vision of being a credible and professional place where people could present arguments and discussions in a professional manner. Tried it. It has failed. What is the only realistic option open to me at this point? Besides just shutting down the site, of course, which I am not going to do.
 
ok my 2 cents

"Well I have to admit that this certainly may be the case. My idea of what I want this site to be may be just contrary to what people really want out of it, as well as keeping it (the BOI) from being effective. I am failing to give people what they want and am actually standing in the way of what this site needs to be for people to stick around. When I look at the stats, I find it difficult to come to any other rational conclusion. And quite honestly, I really shouldn't have to be fighting so often with so many people if I were actually on the right track."

I'm sorry the stats aren't looking good, but I do find that when i need inof or want to post an opinion, someone has usually already posted it. I just feel like I am clogging the forum with my innane babbling unless I have something really cool or necessary to ask.
I'm not sure about the making people act nice thing, but if it's too much work to regulate the jerks who are just dying to hang themselves, I'd rather be insulted by an idiot and know him for what he is that have him try and sleeze his way out of getting bad marks and still being a jerk without my knowing. The more dangerous knife is the one you don't see until it's in your gut. A potential for a hidden threat makes me more wary than an unveiled one. (wow, if this makes any sense, I'm not as tired as i feel)
And as for people fighting you. I have been doing what I think is right in many aspects of my life, and if i were as infamous as you are in the herp world or the fencing community or any of the forums and real life groups i belong to, i would get just as much hate mail. It's that simple.
I hear countless stories from zookeepers to martial artists how people want to tell them "how do it right," even when the so-called-expert knows less than the average five year old on the subject in question. As it is, I don't envy you and even when I don't agree with you, I do very much admire your efforts. I would be very lost without this site, or at least much more incompentent with herps.
 
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