Not only will TER not do any of the things being suggested, they will do exactly what they want all the while poking fun at those making the suggestions.
This is exactly why there's no point in making suggestions here. It's like pissing in your blue serge suit: it gives you a nice, warm feeling and no one knows you did it.
Now, numerous people, are giving conflicting advice here than the host to the newbs.
How can this possibly be good for anyone? Its bad for the newbs, bad for TER's rep and even bad for Swim at this point.
Shouldn't good advice be the ONLY goal here?
Think about it. What is any newb here suppose to think when Swim gives advice and everyone contradicts him on a consistent basis?
TER, by having his name in red, implies that he should be trusted and his words carry weight but the people in the know here don't trust the words any more. At all.
TER, do you think that is sending a valuable message to the newbs or confusing the hell out of them?
Wasn't this board created to help the newbs and NOT confuse them
This is happening with greater and greater frequency.
It's bad enough that other well meaning, but mistaken posters are constantly offering up incorrect and often dangerous advice here, but when the bad advice comes from someone who's name is in red it gives the appearance that TER itself is behind the bad advice, this is intolerable IMO.
I would like to reiterate my original suggestion of many months ago, Let's get two knowledgeable members, one man and one woman to co-host this board, there are several very good candidates to choose from and get back to where the newbs can trust any advice that comes from the people posting in red.
I do think that a sample size of two is too small. Some of the questions here are more of an opinion nature than a straight up correct and wrong answer sort. Maybe have 5-10 each of providers/hookers and hobbyists/mongers (I don't want to get in trouble with terminology).
That way also, if a certain person is away from the computer for a day or two answers are still being answered. I feel if the sample size is too small, it will just drive these questions to the GD, where again there will be misguided answers.
We are all human and all make mistakes from time to time. Swim has made his share in the past, but lately there are just more and more, to the point where I am surprised when he gets something right anymore! Obviously that should not be the case when someone has their name in red. I don't know what the issue is, (PUI? Health? Tiredness? Burned out?) but he is definitely not suited for the job anymore. I was really hoping he would have voluntarily stepped aside when he could have walked away with his head up, but he is now just an embarressment to himself and TER.
I'm not sure how moderators work here, or if that person is the only one, but shouldn't there be a provider name in red in addition to the client name in red? If that's already the case just ignore this. I personally didn't even notice the red, or if I did I didn't know that it even meant that person's word is held in high standard. Just thought it was another person like anyone else.
Swimtreker is a "host" not a moderator. While he doesn't have any moderator abilities, his name is in red, and it means he represents TER and his words are held to a higher standard. On one hand you are correct. It really means nothing and he is just a regular member like the rest of us. On the other hand most people do notice the name in red, and do hold him to a higher standard.
As to having a provider host, read GaGamblers reply above. I believe he suggested that last November and I and many others have seconded that idea. However none of us are in a TER decision making position. We are just TER members like everyone else here, but speaking out does help sometimes as TER does listen to their members and many changes over the years have come about due to member suggestions.
-- Modified on 6/9/2016 5:13:38 PM
As it is, the Original Post followed a bunch of replies sometimes reaches a consensus but a newbie would never be able to figure it out from trying to edit and cut the right, wrong, best and worst parts.
(I try to be helpful when I reply, but week after week, I don't always type in the same info over and over and I sometimes make mistakes, too. Fortunately, you guys are there to clean up some of my messes, too.)
The BURDEN on the host/hostess, whoever it is / they are, would be SIGNIFICANTLY lessened with a static (locked), well edited, well maintained genuine FAQ.
That would leave the less frequent and maybe more difficult Qs that a host/hostess could address with more time and attention but might even be better answered by a regular participant with some specialized knowledge.
Now back to one of MY favorite requests: TER should sponsor an "FAQ Writing Retreat" for a bunch of us at a nice place. Discussion groups, breakout sessions, writing sessions, distribute the work produc each evening for exchange and review and then consensus revisions the following day.
And a block of free time each day for consulting with the local providers to get their opinions on various matters 
An actual pinned, newbie FAQ would go a long way in helping the newbs. There are proly 10-15 questions that are asked over and over again.
Lets put those up answers up for debate to the more senior members here (XYZ, GaG, Storm, etc) compare answers and have others chime in until we get a consensus answer and a complete one and then pin it at top of NB. Having gals like Deb, Tobi, etc to represent the girls in the responses would be necessary.
Newbs could be directed to the FAQ if they happen to miss it pinned, much the same way they are directed to the self help center now.
Its always been odd this board has been called "FAQ for Newbies" when there is no FAQ's. lol
Newbs could be directed to the FAQ if they happen to miss it pinned, much the same way they are directed to the self help center now.
I PROPOSE: that TER create a closed board or forum called "FAQ Writers Board" requiring TER approval to log in and participate.
The very first thread topic would be "What are the real FAQs" and GaG, Debs, P'storm, Swim, XYZ and others can beat each other up until a decent list is created. While that is going on, one of the consensus FAQs is posted as thread #2. Periodically, a volunteer or designated volunteer will summarize and write a consensus answer to that FAQ and post it for feedback until, finally, the consensus A to the FAQ is approved (by a vote? 2/3 majority? majority? plurality? by fiat? ??)
I still think that a TER hosted retreat in CR or DR or NYC would be much preferred, but a closed Forum is cheaper for those TER cheapskates.
I don't know if the FAQ has to be pinned right away. There's something about the personal touch (for now) to direct a newb to a specific web page. "Welcome to TER. Your Q is frequently asked. Check out Q7 on the FAQ page. And the third section of Q11 might also be helpful. Come back and post again if you have more Qs."
I have one more suggestion - REQUIREMENT - that Jack Dunphy sign an agreement that he will not use freely created FAQ material at the for-profit JDU without generously compensating the contributors for their efforts.
(Should I post this to the S&P board?
maybe don't know there is a search function or a Self-Help Center.
Several of us do try to help by posting advice for both new mongers (see, GaG influence) and new providers. If I mess up, one of you is quick to correct.
Many Qs are almost desperate pleas for help: "Help! I don't know where to start!" and that's why I also like a personal reply that can direct someone to a few paragraphs rather than an entire multi-page Self-Help or FAQ.
As a newbie I'll give my recent experiences.
First, while I'm a newbie to the hobby, I'm not a newbie at forums.
I had 2 significant issues:
1. I saw several references to the Self Help Center, but it took me several visits to actually find it! I was looking at the top menus and sidebar and must have been blind to the life preserver. Now that I know it's there I understand it, but it was just a random graphic when I was looking for text.
2. The faqs are just links to other posts that can be contradictory at worst, but are repetitive and sometimes hard to follow at best.
I spent a good number of hours going through all the posts and getting myself at least a little familiar with the basics. It's not impossible to pick up, but it's not as easy as it could be. As far as dealing with contradictions, I just made a note and thought about things in a "what's the worst that could happen" perspective. That got a little scary sometimes, but I think I came to good conclusions.
All that said, I will say that imperfect as it is, I was able to see my first provider this week and I had a great time! So thanks for the effort, it really did help this newbie! Now I'm off to review the guidelines on reviews....
Edit: part of how I handled conflicts was to try to also review other sources. *cough* Ginger's awesome newbie reference *cough* *cough* so bummed my schedule couldn't work for a certain lady visiting Columbia this week *cough*
-- Modified on 6/10/2016 2:51:16 AM
The FAQ we are talking about here would an actual edited document (web page or similar) and not a forum post that would have to be located and navigated and interpreted
The FAQ we are talking about here would an actual edited document (web page or similar) and not a forum post that would have to be located and navigated and interpreted.
We are thinking Hawaii.
That means I don't get to travel for it!
Stop your bitchin'. lol
TER wants P'storm to put us up at his place and to provide the food and beverages. Bad news for P'storm.
Seriously ... does anyone think that TER is serious about aiding and abetting an FAQ Writing Retreat or was the BoardAdmin post supposed to go to the humor board
Not only will TER not do any of the things being suggested, they will do exactly what they want all the while poking fun at those making the suggestions.
This is exactly why there's no point in making suggestions here. It's like pissing in your blue serge suit: it gives you a nice, warm feeling and no one knows you did it.
You don't honestly think the old volunteer mods logged 80 a week on these boards just for free VIP, did you? Just how stupid do you think we were? and yes that was most definitely a rhetorical question, PLEASE don't bother answering it. lol
The current host has gone on cruises, taken days off to play golf and when he's gone, the board seems to function fine. I scrolled back on the board and noticed from 5/25 through 5/31 there were a dozen or so threads and no posts by the host.
When someone answers incorrectly they are admonished for the incorrect response. When someone behaves poorly there always seems to be someone who reminds the poster about the unwritten Code of conduct for the newbie board. RTP's can always be used to remove anything offensive
While it's nice to have someone in "authority" to be the go to person on a board such as the Newbie board, that person needs to be there all the time and much more importantly be correct ALL the time.
A red handle has always meant that person was posting as the official word of TER and as such that person's advice should be beyond reproach, in the absence of having one or two qualified people to "get it right" every time, maybe the better solution is no host at all. As you said, the board seems to function just fine without one. It would be nice for the newbs however to have one person who could step in when their is conflicting advice and give the definitive answer to certain questions. Our current host unfortunately has been wrong entirely too many times to ever be the definitive word on any question asked here.
When TER sacked the volunteer mods there were originally supposed to be hosts of other boards but none were ever put in place. No one noticed. Just as no one would notice if there was no host on the Newbie Board.
Not true that no hosts were ever put in place. There were hosts for the Atlanta Board, (She posted on this very thread), the Florida board, and the newbie board. Their tenures were short lived except for the newbie board host, which is the only one that remains. Since all the other boards function without a host, I have long felt that the newbie board can as well, and truthfully it has been for years.
Well Jake is well meaning, kind of like our current host. lol
The Newbie board actually does function quite well without a host. There always seem to be enough veterans here to make sure any incorrect or dangerous advice that is given here is corrected before any real harm can be done. In theory, I believe that is what the role of the host should have been, similar to when there were mods here to clean up any messes that were made here, unfortunately it seems like all too often the membership is picking up after the host rather than vice versa of late.
Or for that matter, I can't remember the last time you fucked up on the Newbie Board either.
I think either of them would be an excellent host on the Newbie board.
What are you wearing, " Jake from State Farm ." 
. Hahahaha love it
OMG that commercial too funny - every time
Ch