Are there moderators in this forum?

[COSGringo]

Are there moderators in this forum?

Hey Kradle. It's about forum moderators. Checking in on lurkers such as our pal desperados/baclofan and some other one I saw pop up.

Must have a lot of free time I guess.

[Prairie Fairy]

Are there moderators in this forum?

Well Cos and NE/NEVA -

It hasn't gone unnoticed by others and I think I found him under another name last night too...

It's sad really. I found one post where he said something so hateful to someone coming for help and sharing their pain - that I was just disgusted and infuriated.

I can only hope that whatever is driving him to hurt others needlessly will heal. It can't possibly feel good going through life that angry.

And thank you both for your repeated courage in standing up to his bullying. Because that's exactly what it is. In the absence of a more active moderator core - your active stance that this is not OK is exactly what's needed. So thank you- again.

[windycitylady]

Are there moderators in this forum?

Dare I ask? What is the ultimate motive of the nature of your somewhat 'contoversial' posts?

[Kradle123]

Are there moderators in this forum?

You simply CAN NOT talk straight to addicts who are still drinking .... WE of all people should know this... :bonkers:

Do what I do to my 13 year old son...WALK AWAY. Huge waste of time to continue.

GOOD LUCK

[FarfallaP]

Are there moderators in this forum?

I entirely agree with Kradle...compassion, self-control and WALK AWAY.

The only trouble is that sometimes it takes me a while to catch on...so what else is new, as my kids would say???

Good luck to us all. FF

[ifulovelife2]

Are there moderators in this forum?

I know what you guys are saying and I understand why. But I don't want to walk away. I see a fellow sufferer and I want them to get well. If she wants to talk to me, privately so others aren't upset, then I want to talk to her. Desperados, please PM me.:l

[Wildflowers]

Are there moderators in this forum?

Thank you for the honest update. I suspected RJ sold this site, as I don't believe she's visited here since 1/10 & she's a caring & intelligent person. Almost all forums are moderated by unpaid volunteers, who rotate their time & are generally members themselves. Sometimes active ones too. This sometimes creates a conflict of interest tho.

The other thing to consider is that some forum Moderator's may also be trained in conflict resolution, leadership, along with other skill sets & long term sobriety. Generally on recovery forums 1yr. Tho newer ones it can be a bit less.

I think this particular forum use to have more Moderators on board than it has now. This one is run rather freely. There are pros & cons. We are all free to stay, leave, or take breaks. As most people don't get the boot here. Which depending on your given opinion, situation, mood can vary with time.

Something I remember from an AA meeting years back was it's a good thing we aren't all going bonkers on the same day!.. God knows I've had plenty!.... I'm not saying said poster, or anybody else is bonkers here. Just that no body is perfect. Were all fightin to get sober, modd, harm reduction, still drinkin or whatever our goals may be, I think we just want to get better & not feel so lonely & unloved ~ unliked in the world perhaps. I found when I was picked on later by somebody that they ended up actually liking me later, or respected me.

As for the same poster being the same person, hmm ? I'm not sure. Jury is still out. Tho I've seen said poster showing a softer side on other forums. I think there's a teddy bear in there hiding. :l

As for the store, I'm a hard sell, unless I'm a share holder! I do buy quite a bit of supplements for our household. I need far more info as to where these items come from. I tend to support my local growers, urban growth & sustainability.

How about the new investors revamping their investments? I couldn't find enough info about Health Science INC. Let alone the Cd's are outdated. I read many old reviews on the CD's. Just my opinions. I'm sure many others have benefited.

[COSGringo]

Are there moderators in this forum?

My issue is with a few areas.

One with the lurkers who are turning people off from the forum that want help.
I know it's happening because I've had folks tell me "no more" and if you look hard enough you will see there are people not on here any longer.

There are also some "strong arms" that feel the need to gang up on folks when they don't like an opposing opinion.

To me, at the end of the day I really don't care any longer.

I got some good things from the forum and I appreciate it.

I wanted to still try to help some others based on what I went through.

This silliness and high levels of drama just aren't worth getting upset over. Believe me I am not upset.

Just walk away? That's fine but it's pushing people away which is too bad.

Thanks all for hearing me out.

Hope everyone carries on and makes out well.

CYA,
COS

[Forum Moderator]

Are there moderators in this forum?

Not sure where you got your information Ne, but this site has NOT been sold to a for profit company. Please refer to RJ's last post which I willl post below. The moderators do the best they can but, yes, this has evolved into being a more self governing site. The moderators work other FT jobs, have families, and all of the same busyness in their lives like all of you do so cannot be here to monitor every single post. We sincerely appreciate being kept abreast of unacceptable posters or spam and do our very best to get rid of them or resolve the situation, because we simply cannot read every single post every day.

As others pointed out this site, for the most part, is free (unless you are a Subscriber). There are considerable costs that come with running a website and as you will read below RJ has toyed with the idea of shutting it down but she knows how large this community has become, and how helpful it has been to who knows how many people and she wants to keep it running, even if it is not run by full time moderators. Please respect that. Here is her last post.

Dear Hidden,

I'm glad to know you've found this site helpful. Its mission to help those who suffer with alcohol addiction remains intact and will never change.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, the cost of maintenance and upkeep of a site like this is not insignificant. I continue to serve as overall administrator (I have contracted daily maintenance to others), but I simply do not have time to support it in its current state with the limited revenue it generates. That was never its purpose--to make money. I was eager, and able, to throw abundant energy into MWO when I first launched this site, but it took a ton of time, energy and investment. I am proud of my work and I care deeply for the visitors here, but I have moved on. New life, new marriage, new career. I'm doing really well and I am committed to the mission of MWO, but I can no longer participate in the forum at the same level.

I understand the site needs updating, but frankly at this point, my choice is to take it down or leave it as is. I simply don't have time to oversee an overhaul of the website, forum and blog. For that reason, I've chosen to host the site in its current state, for now anyway, because I think it still provides helpful information and support to those who visit.

And many do visit--thousands each week. Except for a small number of Subscribers, to whom I am *extremely* grateful, those visitors are non-paying registered members or guests who all benefit from the site at no charge.

Over the past couple of years I've been encouraged to use social networking in my outreach. I am considering a Twitter page, which should be easier to update more regularly. I often find fascinating articles in addiction research or web resources I'd love to share with you, and Twitter may be another avenue for that.

As I read this thread, I must say that it is so heartwarming to read the posts from those of you who have benefited from this place. I smile when I see many of your user names because I feel as if I know you. Everyone here is such an important member in this network of support and I am continually grateful for the contributions each of you make.

My very best to all of you,

RJ

[desperados]

Are there moderators in this forum?

Anyhow being accused of doing so much harm guess time for me to find 'my way out' from this Forum.

Wishing all of you the best, your buddy desp!

[RedThread12]

Are there moderators in this forum?

Dear RJ:

How can I help? How can I help you from here, where this forum has evolved to, including all the riff-raff and problems. I've never been a "paying" member, but if your decision rests on that very practical need, I will carry my part. It does seem, over time, to be primarily "self-moderating."

I would like to put "My Way Out" into any and every time-capsule being generated today, September 1, 2012 . . . and forward from here. This forum saves lives. I have been, and am, honored to be a part.

[desperados]

Are there moderators in this forum?

RedThread12;1372409 wrote:

How can I help?

By temporarily deleting your message...if you follow mt drift...

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Are there moderators in this forum?

Forum Moderator;1372396 wrote: Not sure where you got your information Ne, but this site has NOT been sold to a for profit company.
Apologies, I must have been mistaken. And even if I am not, it doesn't really matter, does it? This place is full of daily miracles. THAT is what matters.

I wish for Roberta Jewell (or rather, the woman behind the pseudonym) that she is right now drinking from the fountain of youth, wherever her version of paradise is, surrounded by friends and family she loves and who love her in return. (I wish that for us, too. But she gets an extra special spot. You know?)

It matters not who, if anyone, profits from this space/place. It gave me a new life and a lot of friends I love dearly.


Forum Moderator;1372396 wrote: The moderators do the best they can but, yes, this has evolved into being a more self governing site. The moderators work other FT jobs, have families, and all of the same busyness in their lives like all of you do so cannot be here to monitor every single post.

I respect and understand that. I would also respectfully request that more attention is paid to the threads in the meds section. We bear, I believe, an unfair burden of misdirected anger and outrageousness.
I have found what I perceive is a general disregard for the earnest pleas that often go unheeded in this section. Unless someone from some other part of the forum is involved. That gets immediate and direct action. I hesitate to call on him every time there is a problem here. (After all, it is not his problem!) But it is a problem for My Way Out in general when someone is posting hateful, malicious or simply incorrect information about medications. Or in the meds threads.

I understand it is difficult to read every post every day, but it is not at all difficult (or that time consuming) to read the posts of a person that has been flagged. Especially a person who has been flagged repeatedly.

I think it's probably fair to say that whoever you, the mods, are, we know each other a bit by now. Right? You're active members of this board, as I have been for about two years. While I've had my share of gaffs and mistakes, I think most of you would know that I do not flag people lightly. And I do not (any longer) take direct action to curtail the hateful stuff--especially when it's directed at me. (I sincerely take very little offense. It's annoying. But I am, well, well. Healthy. Able to handle direct insults much better than I used to. And I don't have time! :H)

It may be free for many (and thank all that matters for that!) but I joined in no small part because I want to support it. (In spite of the fact that I would assume that River Pharmacy pays no small amount to advertise here, and that the supplements and etc make a great deal of money for whomever is making money from them.)
Again, it's a function of my own gratitude. I make an exception to the fact that I NEVER give money (ever) when I don't know where it's going and to whom exactly. Because of the benefit I've received.

Please help us all, and particularly here in the meds threads where correct information is so absolutely vital (we are almost all self-prescribing, after all) keep this place free of bad information, mean posts and malicious undertones. I'll help in any way I can. (I assumed by flagging these posts, I was actually doing my part. If I was incorrect, or if, as one moderator said in an email to me, that I am perceived as flagging too much or erroneously, I will stop it.)

Thanks.
~Karen

[spacebebe01]

Are there moderators in this forum?

I have to say that I have been a member here and posting for quite a while now, I love this site and owe it a lot, without it I dont know where I would be. I have never really had any problem with anyone, nor really seen many problems, I would hate for the site to close down as I dont know what I would do without it, and for me its ok as it is.

[playland]

Are there moderators in this forum?

I want to say "where would we be without this site, there is nothing else like it out there", I really appreciate RJs continued support and keeping this site open for all of us, it is a life-saver, thank you, RJ.

Playland