The purpose of this board is to help the new guys and gals learn to how hobby safely and successfully. It is not a place to insult, flame, ridicule, or otherwise make anyone feel uncomfortable about posting a question here. Yes, I see many of the same questions, but we have to remember that those asking might not know how to search for answers.
Several of you posters have offered up some really good advice to the newb questions, and I totally appreciate that. Sometimes you see the question before I get a chance to respond, and I'm cool with that. Some of you know stuff that I do not, so you are actually saving me some legwork finding an answer. So please continue to do that!!!!
I repeat, any of you newb's out there, if you do not feel comfortable posting your question in open forum, you can always PM me. I will answer as soon, and the best, that I can. If I can't find your answer, I will ask the board for you, keeping you anonymous.
Happy and safe hobbling!
Swim
-- Modified on 1/18/2012 10:55:36 PM
I've been watching the carnage lately on the General Discussion Board, as well as others and wanted to pass along a cautionary note for new players of both sexes. Be cautious with your posting. The Newbie Board is kind of a sanctuary but most of the others are like the Wild West. It's fun to get into the rough-and-tumble, but beware. And I don't mean about getting your feelings hurt.
This is the Internet, with more than its share of sickos of both sexes, plus LE. Never forget this when you post and don't post anything that could lead someone to your true identity, no matter how small. Both providers and LE have ways of searching for your real info of which you are not aware and you can imagine the consequences. Outing, blackmail, arrest, etc. Have fun but play your cards close to the vest.
The purpose of this board is to help the new guys and gals learn to how hobby safely and successfully. It is not a place to insult, flame, ridicule, or otherwise make anyone feel uncomfortable about posting a question here. Yes, I see many of the same questions, but we have to remember that those asking might not know how to search for answers.
Several of you posters have offered up some really good advice to the newb questions, and I totally appreciate that. Sometimes you see the question before I get a chance to respond, and I'm cool with that. Some of you know stuff that I do not, so you are actually saving me some legwork finding an answer. So please continue to do that!!!!
I repeat, any of you newb's out there, if you do not feel comfortable posting your question in open forum, you can always PM me. I will answer as soon, and the best, that I can. If I can't find your answer, I will ask the board for you, keeping you anonymous.
Happy and safe hobbling!
Swim
-- Modified on 1/18/2012 10:55:36 PM
Caring is Sharing and this board is probably the most helpful of all. I refer all my new friends here for
all their questions. Good to know there are kind helpful people here to help out those new to the Hobby !
Thanks for that .
Not really. Swim is an excellent mod who goes out of his way to help. But he is simply following the protocol for this board, which is supposed to be a flame-free place where newbies can get info and ask even dumb questions without begin driven off. Just read the rules of the board at the top of the page, which make clear. I came to TER before Swim was the mod here and it was almost exactly the same. And the same regular members were being as helpful as they are now. I never ventured off this board for months, not even to lurk.
The language I referred to is not at the top of the page or even on the Discussion Boards home page. I'm not sure where it is! But that's still the Golden Rule of this board.
Nick I could swear it was written somewhere too. Maybe they removed it. Could we both be wrong about seeing it before? Or is it such an ingrained unwritten rule that we think it is written? In any case it is definitely a good rule for the newbie board. 
the same rules applied here then that apply here now. This is a "kind and gentle" board and rightfully so.
Hate to burst your bubble, but facts is facts. lolo
Attila the Hun as head of the ACLU! LOL! Oops! I'm sorry! Did I flame someone on this board???
But this Newbie Board, is supposed to cut folks some slack. The purpose of the this board is to help those Newbies (we all were once) learn the basics without serious screw ups. The hobby has an established protocall for the most part & those who do not understand it have a difficult time.
Even guys that have been at the hobby for a while can find themselves in a situation they are not prepared for.
For myself, on the Newbie Board, I don't try to ferret out hidden agendas... just take things at face value & go from there.
The mods of the General Discussion and Politics and Religion boards have announced new posting rules to help restore more civility to those boards.
Full disclosure: while I play nice here, and almost always do on the GD board, I was one of the bad children on the P&R board who caused the "new rules." I am so ashamed!
I am sure you can find a provider who is willing to give you a good spanking
therefore it should be just that. It is a place where new providers and hobbiests should feel comfortable asking questions, without fear of someone telling them how dumb their question is or ridiculing them in any way for what they posted. I am here to see that this board stays in that mode. Yes, I do see the same questions posted by different persons, but I was a teacher for 35 years, and I am used to having to answer the same question more than one time.
I try to answer as many questions in the forum that I can, but sometimes, my unofficial helpers beat me to the punch. I have thanked them many times for their assistance, I really do appreciate it. I don't have all the answers and sometimes, someone else may be more knowledgeable on a particular topic than I am. If you have knowledge, feel free to share it.
Newbies, you are free to PM me anytime if you have a question that you feel a bit anxious about posting in open forum. I will respond as soon as I can and try to answer your question. Remember everyone, we are all in this together, both providers and hobbiests, so we need to help each other as much as possible.
Any posts submitted to this board that are, shall we say, counterproductive, will be removed, even if you are not moderated. I do look at all posts, even those that I do not have to approve, so let's keep this a friendly and helpful board. If you have an issue with a post that I have not approved, feel free to ask me about it, I will tell you, why it was not approved.
Swim
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