Missed opportunity to speak of TITLES

[Mael Coluim]

I caused that pesky Panache run to the hills bawling like a little girl.

Your have crossed the line, Grant. Surely, Panache will now have to return to defend his HONOUR! Do I hear the sound of hooves . . .

[ccga3359]

Your have crossed the line, Grant. Surely, Panache will now have to return to defend his HONOUR! Do I hear the sound of hooves . . .

I just called him "pesky" did you just call him cloven hoofed? And I crossed the line? I ask you isn't this forum better off without him and his dapper attire, his me-bashing fiction and his subtle reminders when we didn't act quite gentlemanly?

[Mael Coluim]

I just called him "pesky" did you just call him cloven hoofed? And I crossed the line? I ask you isn't this forum better off without him and his dapper attire, his me-bashing fiction and his subtle reminders when we didn't act quite gentlemanly?

Grant, I thought there was something said, like “bawling like a little girl.’’
But I could have been mistaken. As for the clip clop I heard, it was not Panache riding forth on his faithful steed, but my pooch Fiona coming into the study. I must really trim her nails. Yes, Panache was annoying at times, but XMarks being better off, NOT.

[morrison]

Jaimie is a super good guy. When he and Star & kids came to Seattle and a bunch of us got together for a brew and a chew it was fun and the kids got to play with guy's clay face! He was wearing shoes so I can't tell you about hooves or such

Anyway, back to the thread start, and back on track. I think to be against the continuance of the fun factors such as the silly titles is to be a tad more serious than needs be.

Methinks an open poll by this time is appropriate.
Please don't post a poll yet. I have to determine the proper manner of presentation. Then I'll post a poll.
:buttkick:

[CDNSushi]

Many people on forums often fail to realize that, like all websites, they are not democracies. They are the personal, private property of their respective owners and creators, and if we have any voice in them whatsoever, it's because those who own the site allow us to do so.

Does that therefore mean that we, as guests, have no right to complain about anything? Well, strictly speaking, and technically, yes. This is not OUR site -- this is Steve's site, and he can do as he wishes.

HOWEVER... It should perhaps be noted that at some point in time, in a site's growth and evolution, it comes to a place where the site is really defined by its people. If it weren't for the gentlemen and ladies that post here on XMTS, Steve's site wouldn't amount to much. With that, let me add that XMTS does NOT have 30,000 members. There are a core group of posters and contributors who log on, if not daily, on a fairly regular basis.

I can understand the frustration for the site's owner (especially when it's a new owner), trying to effect changes. Yes, it is his decision to make. But a good analogy might be someone who buys an apartment building full of tenants. If the new owner needs to renovate the entire building, he will likely have to evict all the residents first. But if he wants to let them stay during the renovation process, he also needs to be willing to give them some voice during the process.

So while we may be only guests here, I really do hope that Steve values the contribution of the regular visitors enough, and to the point that their input be considered. Should all XMTS members have an equal voice? No, I don't think so. I do think that someone who checks in every day may deserve more consideration than someone who checks in once a month. But that's my own, personal opinion.

Anyway, having said all this, I too miss the titles, as well as the kilt counter. I thought that they added to what makes this site unique and enjoyable to visit often. If Morrison puts up a poll thread, I would certainly add my voice to those who would like to see the titles return... But again, let's not lose sight of the fact that this isn't a democracy, and Steve has no compulsion to heed any poll results (although I privately hope that he would).

[morrison]

Good words CDN.
Woofwoof, woof, woof.
In Siberian Husky, that means;

I agree that there is not a democracy in the running of a forum. I put forth that it is something loosely like a hat shop or shoe store or better yet a kilt talk center where the association of one consumer with another is purely free and willful. When the ambience is more welcoming and comfortable the managed premise may be perceived as an area available to more visitations and stimulating intercourse. When the ambience seems to be chilled, the perception could turn dour as in "Hmm, this is not as comfortable as I prefer. I think I'll not get a new hat here." Or maybe, "I'll just window shop then go get a fair pair of shoes at the general retailer down the way instead of this specialty shop."

The store may succeed or fail based on its atmosphere instead of prices.
This forum rose in popularity, IMO, because of the attitude of the owner, management objective, conscientious moderation by the staff in their sensitive judgments, growing resurgency in popularity of kilts, the user friendliness aspect of the software which is makes being here easy to do and the less than welcoming sites else where. (There are more evidences than these, so please add them in if you will?) Other sites have shown less civility at times and another site is simply "Too Stodgy," obtuse in its acceptance of more secular viewpoints.

Moreso, here at XMTS we've found reasoning, polite agreement/disagreement in more than a few controversial issues, scholarly banter, banal jocularity and simply a common ground wherein many of us have found some forming of a camaraderie in the crucible of sites on the web and others falling to treachery in their own misguided managing objectives.

FREEDOM
The free will of mine to return again and over again is the democracy of liberty. This principle is the fulcrum upon which any site balances and finds its success or failure. Other sites may enjoy greater freedom they think. But they don't. Rather, in their anarchy is a system working its way to utter chaos and collapse. Another site purports to show itself as loving freedom. Freedom from what, the opinions of those different from the ownership and management?

We here at XMTS do indeed enjoy a more true freedom. We do abide in the fair structures of the established rules. The civility it engenders along with the fairness of the moderation of the site is an attraction availing itself to me providing me an opportunity to choose to return again and over again. I'm am ALWAYS welcomed and treated respectfully. Those other sites permit flaming and/or don't permit relevant but opposing views-opinions.

Management at whatever site may attempt to move the fulcrum in order to keep the balance of success swinging in favor of success. But when there is one point of good balancing opposite many points of non good, the fulcrum, just like the kid's teeter-totter will no longer be adjustable. Someone at one end or the other will destroy the precious balance and the teeter-totter will be blamed for any resultant injury and will as a consequence be removed under pressure of unpopular avoidance or a better teeter-totter is put up somewhere else. In either case the real reason for the failure is because the fulcrum had been undergoing a continuing change toward balance point until it could not accommodate another change.

The stodgy, obtuse in opinion managed site might get the refugees while the unruly, more disparate and less well moderated site gets the others of the remaining refugees with no better choice yet available.

In that sense we are a democracy unto ourselves individually and cooperatively for the success or failure of the business or website.

It is our right to protest, complain, or show discomfort. We have agreed to it by our adherence to the established rules of conduct. Our grumblings are presented in a civil and still decidedly forceful manner.
We grew this forum because there was that reasoning and sensitivity within the ownership, moderators and general membership that pressed forth the cognizant consensus of right for the betterment of our on line community.

ah tennn HUT
.
.
. . .Kilt
.
.
. . . ON




Where's the firehydrant?

[Mael Coluim]

Well said, Morrison. Post your poll.

[ccga3359]

Well said, Morrison. Post your poll.

I agree with CDNSushi point as much as I hate to admit it. There is a certain amount of ownership I personally feel as a contributor over the years. I am not the forum owner, Steve is. At the end of the day it is his decisions alone. If he allows himself to be swayed by a majority would be great, but we do have to respect the fact that we may not agree it`s not our decision. Would a poll help change his mind?

Perhaps we should post a poll about whether we should post a poll or not.

[Mael Coluim]

Perhaps we should post a poll about whether we should post a poll or not.

[McClef]

I think we should post a poll on whether we should post a poll on whether we should post a poll or not...