MVPaquatics Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Stick a fork in me I am so done! Background: http://www.pnwmas.org/forums/showthread.php?30316-Sponsorship-Dilemmas&highlight=sponsorship+dilemmas Thought it was over? So did I! Received this message about a week or so ago stating approval: "Hi Congrads you have been approved as a sponsor! I need a few things from you Your contact info, hours of operations. Your payment, be that $150.00 a year in cash, gift certificates, or dry goods donation Once payment is received we will set you up as the moderator to your own forum Thank you Roy Seine" Cool. I reply, asking who I can make a payment to. Dont hear back. Now today I receive this message: "Hello, as follow up from the BOD meeting regarding your case I have to inform you that your sponsorship was accepted as being an unconventional business (maintenance) that does not require a web store or brick and mortar store. You know already this because our president should have informed you about that." In further discussion we decided that you are not allowed to sell drygoods or live animal using our online forum, during our meetings and in general using the online website (private messages to members). Also organizing so called group buy of mentioned items is not allowed. As you can understand the activity of selling such items, even occasionally, will make you a standard sponsor, for which at now we don't allow any exception as for the ecommerce or brick and mortar store. Welcome between our sponsors and good luck. Alex Grassi PNWMAS Vice President " WOW. That is all I can say. I am done trying. No more free advice. No more help. You have blocked and censored my business enough. There are flat out sponsors who break the rules, sponsors who fight with each other. WOW. One big political showdown. You can have it. Whether you like it or not I have a voice in this hobby, and it will not have good words for this. I have an online store coming, keep an eye out, but consider this bridge burnt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReefSafari Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I don't know you or even have ever met you, but I think if you just state that your "Working On" a website, then everything will be OK...lol Somehow a sponsor just got accepted with no brick or mortor store NOR a website, just stated that they where "Working on it"...and they are free to do whatever, so just tell them your "Working on a website" to showcase some of the aquariums you maintance and or what you offer, then you will be legit, what you are selling is maintance, and some people need/want that, so I am not sure what the fuss is all about, letting you become a sponsor then saying you are not allowed to sell anything? What is the difference between you and anyone else that is currently a sponsor? Anyone can setup a website and claim thier a business, but to me if you are actually a registered business and pay taxes as a business, then its a free market, you should be able to become a sponsor and sell whatever you like.... Now Joe Schmoe chooses he wants to sell something and throws up a website and is not a registerd business, then no, sorry you shouldn't be allowed to conduct business on this forum as a sponsor...I think people are over thinking the "What if's" way too much, If you have a business liscense and are a registered business with a Tax ID and such, then there shouldn't be any problems...plain and simple...right? I guess I am not seeing the issue, and its making this club look very bad in my opinion, Maybe someone from the board can chime in and explain why a registered business that has to do with Marine Aquariums is not allowed to become a sponsor and be treated like any other sponsor would... unconventional business (maintenance) Sorry Alex, I think your awesome, but how is Marine Aquarium Maintance "Unconventional"...We ALL have to do maintance on our aquariums, what he is selling is no more "Unconventional" than some dude with a garage shop selling corals...right? I guess I am not seeing how this guy is "Unconventional"... He is selling Aquarium Maintance...and he is a registered business, so why is he being segregated from any other sponsor? What are people worried about? Are people woried that he is going to steal customers from other sponsors? Guess what its a free market, he as a business has every right to do what he wants with his Marine focused business right? Sponsors are here to support this forum/club, Sponsors come and go, thats how it goes, but to pick apart every potential sponsor on the ideas of "What if's"...what if so and so gets upset, well thats business... and in my opinion if he has a Registered business relating to the Marine Aquarium hobby, then why not let him be a sponsor like any other Marine Aquarium business? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 The rules arent good for the club and they dont even enforce them to anyone but me. It has to be personal, there is NO other option. Someone ruined it in the past. Haha, the rules still dont protect that, even IF they were enforced to a T. Its sad, personally i would be ashamed to have my business linked to such things. I now know why there is such little intake of sponsor and such little renewal. Onward and upward! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 Does the bod have stock in some sponsors? I do take the censorship as a compliment though, my business must be good enough to be preceived as competition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aclockworkorange Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 What a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Mike, While I understand your frustration and actually agree that it seems you ought to be able to be a sponsor without this hassle, I feel like you're making a mistake. IME, burning bridges is rarely a good idea. perhaps the BoD is a little slow on the uptake, but most of the people here have grown to appreciate what you have to offer the forum, why are you going to bail? I have made suggestions that haven't been even talked about (as far as I know), but I really like the knowledge base and trading opportunities. a volunteer-based BoD missing some details isn't enough to make me ditch out. Don't get me wrong, I understand what you're saying with some of the official sponsors not being the best contributors (I'll put it mildly), and that the official rules don't really offer the best protection against some of the people who might be malicious. Basically, even if we assume this is a personal thing for you, why are you giving them fuel? you're not being overly generous or other-centered in the way you're handling this. I understand there's been a lot of build-up and frustrating things that have happened, but you won't win the debate by throwing stones. sorry if I'm out of line, but I really am trying to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I don't see the issue: YOU CAN BE A SPONSOR. You started that thread saying that you do not sell retail and that your business is about maintenance. For a business like you, or a guy who prints coral posters or whatever, we agree that the rule of ecommerce or storefront was a bit too rigid. For that reason we allowed an exception. If you sell equipment or corals (or if the guy who prints coral posters does) than what is the difference between you and the other sponsors that are following the rule (or that were rejected because didn't follow)? ReefSafari, I answered your concerns about the "working on" issue in a pm, did you receive it? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnkrcklives Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I fully agree with you now MVP... Specially in light of some new sponsors that were accepted. Please leave me some contact info for you. I will not hesitate to do buisness with you... I also need some finalization on those stand dimensions you inquired about(if that project is still a go). Good Luck Onward And Upward... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 MVPaquatics@hotmail. 503-680-3343 is my contact. I am not looking to sponsor if I am censored. No one else is, and the same rules dont apply to everyone. If rules are rules, enforce them. I can play that way. But you arent, so I am calling the situation out. It is quite obvious you are protecting/favoring sponsors. If I am not the favorite fine, but your practices/motives are a little funky, no question about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikep503 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Reasons like these are exactly why I stopped being a paid member! MVP has tried to do the right thing since the begining and the club managment has made it impossible. The club will not be getting my money any time soon! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 We have 2 sponsors that, as for today, are not following the rules if I recall it well: Ed's Reef which used to have a storefront but not anymore. We discussed it in the last BOD meeting and we agreed to suspend the sponsorship. It well be done asap. ReefStar does not have a website yet. He declared that he is in the process of building one. We tend to trust people and give them some time to organize all they need (this is what I sent to reefsafari as a PM). We would do the same for you if you declare that you are gonna build a website. We will give you a few weeks, if that is necessary. We all understand that it takes time. There might be more, I have to go and check. Suggestions welcome. There is nothing personal: I don't know you at all. I never meet you. I am not in the coral business, so you are not in competition with me. I am not associated with any of our sponsors, I never was. I have never been in this industry and I am positive I will never be. If you have the time to read back this forum, or if you ask around (seems that we have some common friends) they will tell you that some stores does not like me much because I am more concerned about the club members than the sponsors and this generates some issues in the past. It is all written in this forum. I went to a couple of stores in the past 2 or 3 weeks. Other than that I have been a bit busy and out of the hobby for the past 10 months at least: never visited a store, talked with a store owner and so on. If your interest is more related to selling corals and drygoods, then open a storefront or an ecommerce. The last one is easy and cheap: there are many members on this forum (me included) that would love to help you for free, because we appreciate the contribution and knowledge that you bring to our club. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReefStar Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 To clear things up. This is Kenny from ReefStar. I do have a brick and mortar building as my commercial buiding. The business license is registered there. That is the place of my office. Most of my work is done at home because of the time difference overseas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Thanks Kenny, I didn't know that but I am sure the other members of the BOD knew in fact your position was not mentioned during the meeting, my mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Mike I have to say I'm disappointed that I went to bat for you. I do think you are very knowledegable and contribute a great deal to the club but this is not the way to handle things. The rules are in place for a reason. This is a very difficult business to be in as you know. You yourself as Alex quoted, did not have the goal to undercut the LFS as you could provide lower prices for corals and drygoods since you do not have overhead to pay. Since I have been a member (only 2 years really) I have seen Waves, Westside Aquarium, The Coral Mafia, The nano reef aka Ed's reef, and Davy Jones locker close down. This is a difficult business to be in in this economy. If we do not take steps to support our LFS more will close down and that is not good for the hobby. We had agreed you could promote your maintenance site and made an exception for you. I got your pm at 154 in the afternoon. I usually would be working but took the afternoon off and had people over at the house and then had a nice dinner. I did not really have the time to address it or respond as I was driving and then had an appointment. just got a message from grassi. Here is some of what is included. What is up with that? Why would I want to sponsor? I will have no choice but to make it public again. "In further discussion we decided that you are not allowed to sell drygoods or live animal using our online forum, during our meetings and in general using the online website (private messages to members). Also organizing so called group buy of mentioned items is not allowed." I hate to bring up kenny. No website. No store. I know he is selling.. Less than 30 minutes later you are already posting up a thread about how we are being unfair when we had just spent a great deal of time discussing and making an exception for you. . Now honestly I regret that decision. However, you did not really give us a chance to discuss and explain the rationale to you. You just put up a threat about making it public without even giving me a chance to respond. Like Alex said you yourself posted up a thread how you were not planning on selling retail so now I do not understand what you were upset about. I thought you just wanted to promote your maintenance business. Smann actually looked into the reefstar issue and posted in the board forum that yes indeed Kenny does have an office and a storefront but again I have not had a chance to respond. Folks I would appreciate that the board be given the benefit of the doubt. The rules are there for a reason and were in place before my time. Please know that I am very passionate about this hobby (and yes a bit of an addict too ) Please also know that when I make decisions I do have the best interest of this club and this hobby at heart. We have some great board members and officers. We have some great sponsors We have great members here too I am amazed at how much help and support I have received and how many awesome people I have met along the way. Having said that, if you are not happy with the direction of the club, I also would encourage those who are interested to run for office. Nominations are coming up soon this month and elections are next month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 Mike I have to say I'm disappointed that I went to bat for you. I do think you are very knowledegable and contribute a great deal to the club but this is not the way to handle things. The rules are in place for a reason. This is a very difficult business to be in as you know. You yourself as Alex quoted' date=' did not have the goal to undercut the LFS as you could provide lower prices for corals and drygoods since you do not have overhead to pay. [/quote'] It is very difficult to be in...because of this...people make it harder and more cut throat than it needs to be...I am all for it! This IS EXACTLY how you handle things...you see youserlf getting segregated and treated differently, STAND UP FOR YOURSELF! Dont keep quiet and settle for it. You simply wouldnt believe the PM, email, phone, and in person support I have received. Since I have been a member (only 2 years really) I have seen Waves' date=' Westside Aquarium, The Coral Mafia, The nano reef aka Ed's reef, and Davy Jones locker close down. This is a difficult business to be in in this economy. If we do not take steps to support our LFS more will close down and that is not good for the hobby. [/quote'] It is difficult, and THANK YOU for making it more so. Maybe they werent doing something right, maybe I am, you won't even get to know before you throw out stipulations. You are a business growth inhibitor. We had agreed you could promote your maintenance site and made an exception for you. What exception? Take my money, but no selling through PM, email, meetings, on site. etc. Wouldn't it have been nice to say that when I was approved, not a week later after trying to find out payment info? Volunteer basis or not, that isnt how things work. Volunteer better... I got your pm at 154 in the afternoon. I usually would be working but took the afternoon off and had people over at the house and then had a nice dinner. I did not really have the time to address it or respond as I was driving and then had an appointment. just got a message from grassi. Here is some of what is included. What is up with that? Why would I want to sponsor? I will have no choice but to make it public again. "In further discussion we decided that you are not allowed to sell drygoods or live animal using our online forum, during our meetings and in general using the online website (private messages to members). Also organizing so called group buy of mentioned items is not allowed." I hate to bring up kenny. No website. No store. I know he is selling.. Less than 30 minutes later you are already posting up a thread about how we are being unfair when we had just spent a great deal of time discussing and making an exception for you. . Now honestly I regret that decision. YUP! Business decisions happen fast. This isnt a private matter anymore...I love how BOD says, "oh we take the benefit of the doubt" when we take in sponsors, they can make a website later. I AM building an ecommerce website. Were is my benefit? I could make another name to sell from, I can keep it to PM, I can reply to want ads. It is CRAZY you force people into these avenues. However' date=' you did not really give us a chance to discuss and explain the rationale to you. You just put up a threat about making it public without even giving me a chance to respond. Like Alex said you yourself posted up a thread how you were not planning on selling retail so now I do not understand what you were upset about. I thought you just wanted to promote your maintenance business.[/ '] What is to discuss? I have no more patience for monthly updates that go no where. I have no patience for approval then a week later with stipulations. I have no more patience for upper level members running the club this way. Private isnt working! Smann actually looked into the reefstar issue and posted in the board forum that yes indeed Kenny does have an office and a storefront but again I have not had a chance to respond. I have an office, a home office. What is reefstars address? Hours? I want to visit...or is it one of those "by appointment only" things? Folks I would appreciate that the board be given the benefit of the doubt. The rules are there for a reason and were in place before my time. Please know that I am very passionate about this hobby (and yes a bit of an addict too ) Please also know that when I make decisions I do have the best interest of this club and this hobby at heart. We have some great board members and officers. We have some great sponsors We have great members here too I am amazed at how much help and support I have received and how many awesome people I have met along the way. Having said that, if you are not happy with the direction of the club, I also would encourage those who are interested to run for office. Nominations are coming up soon this month and elections are next month. It is now quite obvious that keeping the drama down is much more important than fair/acceptable business practices. I really don't want my customers being mixed up in that. Rules are rules, enforce them...you have done a good job on me but NO ONE else. No one should be selling without BRICK AND MORTAR OR ONLINE STORE! Where am I at? I cannot be a single member and sell, I cannot be a sponsor and sell. YOU ARE DISCRIMINATING on a maintenance only business....WHY!?!?!?!?!?!!? FISH RELATED! HONEST/LEGIT! You dont see me whining about other store selling maintenance services, I dont see you helping me but not letting them advertise it. FREE MARKET COMPETITION! Not here........and this is a democracy? A democracy isnt, you get elected so you decide. I think it is also obvious that the BOD either doesnt want to come back for another year or it is so much of a popularity contest that business practices dont matter. PLEASE DO VOTE PEOPLE. I vote to impeach. PS. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH KENNY (EPIC1) OR ANY OTHER SPONSOR. IT ISNT THEIR FAULT IF THEY GET BETTER TREATMENT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 So the the BOD decided you need a website or store to become a full sponsor. Correct? Once you have one of the two you can sell freely just like other sponsors? Just build a website, they are free and easy to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 So the the BOD decided you need a website or store to become a full sponsor. Correct? Once you have one of the two you can sell freely just like other sponsors? Just build a website, they are free and easy to make. I am in the process. I worked on it some last night ,it is a slower learning curve than I am used to but it is coming along: www.mvpaquariummaintenance.com. still under construction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 If you are building your ecommerce then you are free to sell here for a few weeks until your ecommerce will be up and running. I can be wrong, but you declared that you are in the process of building one only in this thread and after my pm and not in the original thread that you started. You should just have sent me a PM about that instead of starting this new thread. I didn't receive any reply to my pm. I usually send a PM to a member when there is an issue to solve. If I don't get an answer in a certain amount of time I contact the BOD. If I don't get an answer than I make it public. If you feel that the position of Reefstar is against the rules, please submit your concerns as a PM to all the BOD and officers. I say this again: we run this club for the interest of our members which is our priority. This club, the BOD, and the way it is and can be managed it was not, it is not and it wont be made in a way to work efficiently as a profit organization. We volunteer to make this place a better place for our members. The sponsorship is a way for the club to collect funds for other activities. Some of you guys are very generous and made possible a lot of projects in the past and we thank you immensely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I am in the process. I worked on it some last night ,it is a slower learning curve than I am used to but it is coming along: www.mvpaquariummaintenance.com. still under construction Then you are fine. Take your time to finish it and let us know when it is ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I am in the process. I worked on it some last night ,it is a slower learning curve than I am used to but it is coming along: www.mvpaquariummaintenance.com. still under construction It's lookin good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReefSafari Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Walla.....problem solved...glad everything worked out, this is a great forum, with great people, lm glad everything worked out, good start on the website too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 It is very difficult to be in...because of this...people make it harder and more cut throat than it needs to be...I am all for it! This IS EXACTLY how you handle things...you see youserlf getting segregated and treated differently' date=' STAND UP FOR YOURSELF! Dont keep quiet and settle for it. You simply wouldnt believe the PM, email, phone, and in person support I have received. [/quote'] Sorry Mike, but this is not how you handle things. you didn't give them a chance to respond to your most recent questions before public indicting them of their alleged 'crimes'...not cool Yes, stand up for yourself, but you told them you didn't need to sell goods, just promote your business, they let you do that and you cried foul. The rules are in place, they made an exception for you (yes, it's an exception because you don't have a storefront or ecommerce website), but you think they're horrible people because they didn't do more. It is difficult, and THANK YOU for making it more so. Maybe they werent doing something right, maybe I am, you won't even get to know before you throw out stipulations. You are a business growth inhibitor. why the purely inflammatory statements? it looks like you're just out to make enemies! this doesn't add to your point, it just makes you seem like you hate everyone. What exception? Take my money, but no selling through PM, email, meetings, on site. etc. Wouldn't it have been nice to say that when I was approved, not a week later after trying to find out payment info? Volunteer basis or not, that isnt how things work. Volunteer better... So they weren't totally clear until you were paying...so your argument is that the deal wasn't totally clear until the deal was being struck? that's how business works, I figured you would know that. If you haven't seen the contract in writing, you may not have the whole picture. that's the USA. YUP! Business decisions happen fast. This isnt a private matter anymore...I love how BOD says, "oh we take the benefit of the doubt" when we take in sponsors, they can make a website later. Kenny said he runs a business through his existing office...NOT A BRICK AND MORTAR FISH STORE! I AM building an ecommerce website. Were is my benefit? I could make another name to sell from, I can keep it to PM, I can reply to want ads. It is CRAZY you force people into these avenues. ok, business decisions happen fast. I remember you fighting me for supporting a customer (on a different forum) who was upset after three days of poor communication from a vendor. you said to give the vendor the benefit of the doubt and things will blow over. so does that standard only hold when it favors vendors? why can't you allow the BoD at least 24hrs to respond? 30 minutes from threat to execution? very uncool, sorry bud. What is to discuss? I have no more patience for monthly updates that go no where. I have no patience for approval then a week later with stipulations. I have no more patience for upper level members running the club this way. Private isnt working! So you were ok with the monthly up dates at one point-at least you were dealing with it. then you jumped to a 30 minute warning!? a bit severe, don't you think? I have an office, a home office. What is reefstars address? Hours? I want to visit...or is it one of those "by appointment only" things? I know you said this isn't about Kenny (or other sponsors) but if I were them, I would have a growing sense of dislike for you and your business since you keep using them to make your point. I don't think it's you're intent, but your repetitive use of their names makes it seem like you have it out for them. It is now quite obvious that keeping the drama down is much more important than fair/acceptable business practices. I really don't want my customers being mixed up in that. Rules are rules, enforce them...you have done a good job on me but NO ONE else. No one should be selling without BRICK AND MORTAR OR ONLINE STORE! keeping the drama down is a fair/acceptable business practice first of all. I have seen multiple people post in your two most recent threads saying that they have decided to no longer be on the forum because of the drama. I've also seen others state that the drama is what keeps them from becoming paid members. Others have said that the sponsor issues (that you're pointing out) are keeping them from paying, but if I were you I'd think twice about such inflammatory posts. you say you have tried to help all of us out. I think you've done a great job of that with lots of very useful advice. but with these two threads, I think you're undoing a lot of the benefits you've provided by creating such tension and frustration. Where am I at? I cannot be a single member and sell, I cannot be a sponsor and sell. YOU ARE DISCRIMINATING on a maintenance only business....WHY!?!?!?!?!?!!? FISH RELATED! HONEST/LEGIT! You dont see me whining about other store selling maintenance services, I dont see you helping me but not letting them advertise it. FREE MARKET COMPETITION! Not here........and this is a democracy? A democracy isnt, you get elected so you decide. I think it is also obvious that the BOD either doesnt want to come back for another year or it is so much of a popularity contest that business practices dont matter. you can be a single member and do things like the rest of us. you can still communicate as a human being. you can respond to want ads and evidently several people here value your business, so word will spread by word of mouth and you'll get PM's, emails and the like. I don't see you whining about other store doing maintenance services...but what right would you have for that? They're not discriminating against your business. there are rules in place and they found a work-around for you. Also, a democracy is founded on the very principle of those who get elected decide. they are suppose to make the decisions that their constituents would want and if they make too many mistakes, they get replaced. this is how it works...sorry? And I'm sorry, but popularity contest? Kim's only been a member for two years and she is an officer, I don't think it's an exclusive club in the Hamptons. PLEASE DO VOTE PEOPLE. I vote to impeach. Please do vote, everyone who is a member should vote. the rate of abstinence from voting is a problem in American politics and I hope it isn't a problem here. feel free to become a member (individual) yourself so that you can vote too. and you can vote for a new batch of officers. Please temper the inflammation though, it's getting a little out of line. PS. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH KENNY (EPIC1) OR ANY OTHER SPONSOR. IT ISNT THEIR FAULT IF THEY GET BETTER TREATMENT! Sorry if this is hard to read, but tough love may be required. You're asking for more out of our volunteer BoD than most corporations get out of a paid one. At my company, if I want to buy a staple (or anything else) from a vendor we haven't used before, I have to fill out a request and email it across the country, usually wait 2-4 weeks for approval and then order the item (and then wait for shipping). Sorry bud, but you're just asking for too much out of a volunteer board. As matty said, just get the website up and all these issues go away. If this has really been going on for as many months as you say, how is it that you haven't gotten a site up yet? it can't take more than a couple weeks to get up a site that meets the rules' requirements. I think you dropped the ball on that, you could have been a sponsor a while ago. It seems like you just want to make a point-am I wrong? If so, let me know. I understand it takes a learning curve to do a nice site, but it would not have taken much to set up a yahoo-hosted site using paypal for payment and put up two or three products and services just to meet the requirement and get it over with. All this drama and both of these threads would never have been needed if that had happened. I vote for you taking the initiative to throw together a quick paypal-based site and to avoid taking it out on the BoD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteRock Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I have a love hate relationship with this forum. I come around once or twice a year as my interest in the hobby comes back into swing, trade/buy some frags with the very nice and generous folks that I meet, jump into a group buy or something etc. Something usually ends up turning me off and I remember why I stopped checking the boards last time. DRAMA seems to swirl around this place like water down my toilet. I'm not sure if the personality types that are attracted to this hobby don't always mesh with others, or if people take themselves and this hobby way too seriously or what. I'm a member of four forums, all of my differnt hobbies and none of them have close to this much continued drama. What's the deal?!? It's like a train wreck, I kinda can't stop looking, but certainly don't want to get on board and ride the train... I have no care or interest in the actual issue of this thread, and I appologize for throwing my opinion out as if it were asked for or it matters. I've never chimed in on any issue over the years, but for whatever reason today I feel like I should say something. I understand that there is a lot of work that goes into keeping a forum going (especially one with local business that are "sponsors") and TFT is a great program, Thank you for all of that. I urge this BOD to find ways to make this place more laid back like the Pacific NW is. Anyway, I hope everyone that reads this has a great day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 WOW burning I am not going to even respond to that...you are trying to light a fire but i am cool as ice. You have a personal thing with me, fine, but defending it like I am critisizing a person is crazy. You took it personally for some odd reason. Tough love? Not from you, but I am glad you got it out You have my contact info, and website. IF you ever see anything that fits your criteria for sponsorship, I will wait for an offer, with no strings attached. I am biting my tongue and taking business elsewhere. This will be my last post until formal sponsorship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I take nothing personally, I've never met you and know people who appreciate what you do. until you starting bashing the forum, I figured you must be a stand up guy, but recently I've seen nothing but inflammation from you. I find it sad that you think I started a fire...did I start the bashing threads with titles in all caps? I'm sorry, is all your criticism of the BoD in general, the VP, the president and the secretary NOT criticizing a person? I thought that they were people, perhaps you disagree. I know we live in the information age, but you've gone from a threat email at 1:30 yesterday to trying to tear apart a forum and quitting...less than 21 hours...that seems extreme. I am sad to see that you are jumping out, I had hoped that after Kim went to bat for you that things would turn out different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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