Where's Betty?

Whats happened to Tom ( Betty Swallocks)? Did I miss something while I was away?

3rdforum wrote:Whats happened to Tom ( Betty Swallocks)? Did I miss something while I was away?

Don't think he's posted since early June. Maybe he's busy.

@ members elsewhere - is he posting there if not then he really must be busy. I like him nice bloke.

Yeah he is, will send an email see if all OK.

Thanks for your concerns but everything is fine.
Life is just a bit hectic at the moment and been a way in Tenerife for a short jaunt as well.
Promise I will post more.
I have read threads just not posted,is that a lurker then Howard?

Howard has his own way of bringing new members on board, Anybody that dosent post or lurks are Arseholes,
So i think i can understand why we dont get or lose members, Anybody care to say i'm wrong ?
I'm sure he will be along to suggest otherwise ,

Yup - ME !

If only more members had a sense of humour like Howard.

I look forward to reading his fun posts and I reckon he's one of the very, very few that keeps our little forum alive.

ACTUALLY Jim I like Howard but do feel he puts many off by his comments to visitors and new people. I do also think as I said the other day we need to stop the comments concerning other forums, as much as I don't like TF for what they are about, I do feel we are shooting ourselves in the foot by fighting over them.
Both of these things in my opinion need to stop now. End of.

How wrong you are again Kev - I suggest you take your blinkers off and look at the real reasons for so few fun posts and active members.

Let's monitor the situation over the next week and see who's right eh ?

It's now Monday morning, we have 160 members and the post count is currently @ 52,102

IMO, In no particular order could it be that

a) we are still seen as the bad guys/ troublemakers even though since the majority of us no longer use other forums they have gone very quiet, but people feel they cannot associate with us in case they are seen as one of us.

b) we are seen as a clique and new members don´t feel they can break in - we know that is not the case but looking from outside it could seem we are all mates having a laugh and newcomers would feel uncomfortable.

c) my bugbear is that posts go off topic - but that has been discussed to death so I'm saying nowt.

d) I hate the racial / vulgar / bad language comments and I am sure many others do too these should be jumped on as quickly as mentioning other places.

e) I don´t think Howard's posts have anything to do with people not posting - maybe 1 or 2 but I think the majority ignore him if they don´t know him or if they do know him, see them for what they are - a wind up rather than malicious.

f) There are still members from other forum looking in on a regular basis who have emailed their views on discussions taking place here - I suspect their friends know they are being watched so feel uneasy about joining in.

g) Maybe being funny isn´t enough you need some substance and the ability to answer proper questions without someone jumping in and taking the piss.

h) You can´t make people join in if they don´t want to, IMO it is ignorance to join and then not post an introduction but that just shows what a large number of people are like today.

i) The important thing is - do we care - are we desperate for people to post, do we need them. IMO the answer to all is NO! As long as there are a few of us keeping in contact that is enough it is not after all like some forums that need to make money we do it because we want to.

j) Finally, just because they don´t post it doesn´t stop them from looking, if you check the members list who look in every 24 hours there are generally lots of repeat names other than the usual posters so it can´t be all bad.

betty swollocks wrote:
I have read threads just not posted,is that a lurker then Howard?

It wasn't meant as a dig at Howard it was said tongue in cheek.

betty swollocks wrote:

betty swollocks wrote:
I have read threads just not posted,is that a lurker then Howard?

It wasn't meant as a dig at Howard it was said tongue in cheek.

I am [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Jimandsi wrote:How wrong you are again Kev - I suggest you take your blinkers off and look at the real reasons for so few fun posts and active members.

Let's monitor the situation over the next week and see who's right eh ?

It's now Monday morning, we have 160 members and the post count is currently @ 52,102

Jim, no blinkers mate, just can't say it any more plainly, we can do banter but not abusive remarks. We also have guidelines we have to stick to and I agree with Gypsy, we should jump on Racist abuse and Abuse of other forums, but again if either are just banter and not aimed, no problem. If comments are made as a clear and open discussion, no problem. I made a comment yesterday about Al Qaeda taking girls for brainwashing, if anyone sees that as Racist, think again. I am actually stating how horrible it is for the Somalians and why should any of us like Al Qaeda.
Howard is fine but people do get upset when he makes things like a general reference to people being arseholes. I do know of people being concerned over these comments and do actually have a friend who joined but said not for him due to the comments from Howard. General wind ups by Howard, no problem but abusive comments to on lookers and as Gypsy says, many read often they are interested but just don't post.
I do understand about going off topic and as I said before I think we should have a section where subjects must stay on topic, if they don't the post gets moved. We are a Democratic forum so we should perhaps all agree some points.
End of the day though Jim, we have done well so far and we need to stop any in house bickering.

Gypsy wrote:IMO, In no particular order could it be that

a) we are still seen as the bad guys/ troublemakers even though since the majority of us no longer use other forums they have gone very quiet, but people feel they cannot associate with us in case they are seen as one of us.

b) we are seen as a clique and new members don´t feel they can break in - we know that is not the case but looking from outside it could seem we are all mates having a laugh and newcomers would feel uncomfortable.

c) my bugbear is that posts go off topic - but that has been discussed to death so I'm saying nowt.

d) I hate the racial / vulgar / bad language comments and I am sure many others do too these should be jumped on as quickly as mentioning other places.

e) I don´t think Howard's posts have anything to do with people not posting - maybe 1 or 2 but I think the majority ignore him if they don´t know him or if they do know him, see them for what they are - a wind up rather than malicious.

f) There are still members from other forum looking in on a regular basis who have emailed their views on discussions taking place here - I suspect their friends know they are being watched so feel uneasy about joining in.

g) Maybe being funny isn´t enough you need some substance and the ability to answer proper questions without someone jumping in and taking the piss.

h) You can´t make people join in if they don´t want to, IMO it is ignorance to join and then not post an introduction but that just shows what a large number of people are like today.

i) The important thing is - do we care - are we desperate for people to post, do we need them. IMO the answer to all is NO! As long as there are a few of us keeping in contact that is enough it is not after all like some forums that need to make money we do it because we want to.

j) Finally, just because they don´t post it doesn´t stop them from looking, if you check the members list who look in every 24 hours there are generally lots of repeat names other than the usual posters so it can´t be all bad.

Well said Gypsy.

Totally agree with you especially in paras:- c), d), e), g), and i).

Looks like it all fell on deaf ears though.

Topdog wrote:Jim, no blinkers mate, just can't say it any more plainly, we can do banter but not abusive remarks. We also have guidelines we have to stick to and I agree with Gypsy, we should jump on Racist abuse and Abuse of other forums, but again if either are just banter and not aimed, no problem. If comments are made as a clear and open discussion, no problem. I made a comment yesterday about Al Qaeda taking girls for brainwashing, if anyone sees that as Racist, think again. I am actually stating how horrible it is for the Somalians and why should any of us like Al Qaeda.
Howard is fine but people do get upset when he makes things like a general reference to people being arseholes. I do know of people being concerned over these comments and do actually have a friend who joined but said not for him due to the comments from Howard. General wind ups by Howard, no problem but abusive comments to on lookers and as Gypsy says, many read often they are interested but just don't post.
I do understand about going off topic and as I said before I think we should have a section where subjects must stay on topic, if they don't the post gets moved. We are a Democratic forum so we should perhaps all agree some points.
End of the day though Jim, we have done well so far and we need to stop any in house bickering.

You'll notice that your "in house bickering" in this particular thread started in post #6.

I like Howard AND Reg, so ...... I think we have just reached our natural level. I didnt know it was a popularity contest, I certainly would never win one. And guess what, I dont give a monkeys..........

Topdog wrote:ACTUALLY Jim I like Howard but do feel he puts many off by his comments to visitors and new people. I do also think as I said the other day we need to stop the comments concerning other forums, as much as I don't like TF for what they are about, I do feel we are shooting ourselves in the foot by fighting over them.
Both of these things in my opinion need to stop now. End of.

as a member who has had nothing to do with any other forum, i can find many of the posts either
a. confusing as they are related to something i know nothing of, or
b. for the most part, annoying.
in the past when someone new joined there were often assumptions made about whether they were known to other members or not.
this still goes on today but not so much
i understand some of what went on but i think that someone new would find it offputting to join in as it seems like they are assumed to have a hidden agenda

i don't think that the problem is we are cliquey
at the end of the day people can see the posts without actually joining so i would think that if they are taking the trouble to join they have seen something they are interested in
having said that i've said before that i think it is only good manners to at the very least post an introduction when you join the forum but most people don't seem to have bothered

i know there have been various posts asking non-posters for their thoughts/reasons for not joining in and we don't seem to have had many responses so maybe they joined and haven't logged in often enough for these posts to stand out?

Topdog wrote:
I am [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thought you might like that

betty swollocks wrote:

Topdog wrote:
I am [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thought you might like that

Ta

betty swollocks wrote:Thanks for your concerns but everything is fine.
Life is just a bit hectic at the moment and been a way in Tenerife for a short jaunt as well.
Promise I will post more.
I have read threads just not posted,is that a lurker then Howard?

nah then sweaty, nice to here from you i have missed you in answer to your question .does a bear shit in the woods? dont be a stranger lets here from you now and again.

Jimandsi wrote:
Yup - ME !

If only more members had a sense of humour like Howard.

I look forward to reading his fun posts and I reckon he's one of the very, very few that keeps our little forum alive.

Mcqueen wrote:Howard has his own way of bringing new members on board, Anybody that dosent post or lurks are Arseholes,
So i think i can understand why we dont get or lose members, Anybody care to say i'm wrong ?
I'm sure he will be along to suggest otherwise ,

mmmmm. my ears have been burning,i have had a bag of frozen peas strapped to each ear to cool them off. been thinking about what you said about arseholes reg,i am very sorry if i have offended anyone,i have made a decision not to mention arseholes again,gunna substitute it with the word cabbages. so if any of you cabbages out there have a problem with me ,feel free to pm me and we may be able to sort things out.

betty swollocks wrote:
It wasn't meant as a dig at Howard it was said tongue in cheek.

hi there sweaty, is this what you meant? .

Perfectspecimen wrote:I like Howard AND Reg, so ...... I think we have just reached our natural level. I didnt know it was a popularity contest, I certainly would never win one. And guess what, I dont give a monkeys..........

i will drink to that vince,

Howard you silly arse