Posted on 10/26/2009 4:32:01 PM PDT by Admin Moderator
This is a public service announcement from your friendly neighborhood Admin Moderators (Sidebar gave us some attitude so we shoved him in the closet for a while. He never recovered from the Yacht incident) For a while, we have noticed some things happening that we need your help with. The Free Republic community is strong; we are almost a family, albeit very dysfunctional at times. Like any community, we have new members joining us daily. Unfortunately, the air of suspicion and the desire to keep things “the way they are” has fostered a feeling of distrust with new members. Almost every day, we see new members join, then, because of comments of suspicion, they often don’t return. For any community to thrive, it must grow. Because of this, we are asking for your help. Here are some important things you should know:
The Internet has changed greatly since Free Republic first started. When we formed, few people had their own websites, now, everyone has their own blog. With this, there is an attitude change where someone who doesn’t understand how our community works may be more interested in self-promotion than we have been used to in the past. We don’t want to change the overall feel of this site- it is about our shared values, not about self promotion, however, we don’t want to drive people away simply because they link to their own blog. There are blog “pimps” who want nothing more than to promote their own sites, but for most people, it is simply how they start out sharing their thoughts on a matter. Encourage these members to take part in existing discussions.
Many new members may not communicate well what they believe and it gives the appearance they are not 100% kosher in their Conservative beliefs. This may have nothing to do with their Conservative credentials but simply how they are communicating their beliefs or how the media/pop culture has told them what to think. Be an example and discuss what you think is wrong. A liberal troll’s true colors will reveal themselves while a new member who is honest, but may not communicate well, may learn from the conversation.
Remember, how you respond to a topic not only reflects your thoughts, but also is a reflection of the community and Conservative values. We need to be an example of positive conservative values when responding to members, especially new ones. As mods, we make a strong attempt to screen all new members. Every new sign-up goes through a period where their posts are reviewed. This helps us eliminate most trolls, porn and commercial spammers, and those who don’t fit in with our Conservative values. This isn’t a perfect system, but it does help us make sure that by the time a new member reaches the community, there is a greater chance this person is the type we want around. Some slip through, yes, and you can always help us by hitting the abuse button. (of course, we do let some world class morons through every once in a while as “Live Chow”- after all, the kitties have to have toys.)
_____________________________________________
With all that said, we need to grow. We need to be far more welcoming to new members and guide them into how to use our community best. With this said, we are issuing a challenge to our long time Freeper family. We would like to start up a ‘welcome wagon’ type of ping list or group whose job it is to welcome new members, show them the ropes, and guide them through our community. This could be as simply as giving new members a kind welcome, guiding them to how to post topics or replies, or just making the experience pleasant.
As this is your community, we would like your thoughts, ideas, and most importantly, for some of you to step up and help us with this.
We are passing the ball to you. What do you think?
"[S]omething" already DID happen.
In fact, "something" began happening about November 4th, ramped up on November 11th, and is continuing to happen; it's just staying "below radar" at the moment, although the distant rumble of thunder emanating from "something" is becoming audible on college and university campuses around the nation.
Mark me: "something" WILL become "The Greatest Awakening"; its impact will be numbered in billions, and will make the stadium meetings of Billy Graham [God love him, and I mean no disrespect] look like a schizophrenic singing "Just As I Am" to his selves in a phone booth.
This is VERY GOOD, because — after "something" — "something wicked" this way comes, and things get REALLY sketchy for a few years.
Then, the cleaning lady shows up with the Kosmic Kirby, and sucks up all the armies of evil, and...
No, wait. That's not it. Wrong manuscript.
Then, suddenly, there's the LORD, and He to His team gives a shout that resounds through the Cosmos, "THROW DA BUMS OUT!!"
[Yeah, He's from Bethlehem, originally, but He's always had a thing for Brooklyn, though it's been somewhat muted since the Dodgers left.]
Anyhoo, y'all make sure you're "laundry" is clean, and your "accounts" are in order, 'cuz word on the golden streets is that America's having her "Joel 1" moment. The "locusts" have come and gone repeatedly, but there is no turning, and the horizon is darkening; the harbinger of a doom many orders of magnitude greater than mere locusts.
The American "cup" is filled to the rim, and she's poised to drink it down to the very dregs, to indulge in every last putrid drop, and to punctuate her excess with a haughty belch of its poisonous vapor.
All who have understanding know that this is VERY BAD.
Therefore, 2010 will be called "The Year of Prayer"; for there is yet the hope that the cry of the intercessors may turn aside the Hand that bears the cup. And, here we see that the intercessors are already rising up, and their cries are already mixed with fire upon The Altar [Rev. 8:3-4].
Repent, therefore, fast, pray, and cry out, lest all be subsumed in judgment. Look to your own soul, and then to that of your neighbor. Compel them to come in, for out of this turmoil billions will join the Great Wedding Feast.
See you there.
HKMk23 out.
Oh, bother.
Here I am well poised to ride a wave of salacious prurience, and you have to go all harshy-buzzy on me.
“Lefto vers” was what I got when Frank whacked the space bar while Jake was hopping on the keyboard. This place is full of weird critters ...
Good morning, one and all. 34 and raining here; it poured all night again. We thought we were going to get to see the Coast Guard station at Attu, Alaska, in the “Full Circle” show, but Michael Palin and his crew missed the plane and had to fly scheduled airlines to Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka, Russia. Cool scenery, like Yellowstone Park crossed with Mars.
I am as equally inclined to put Kamchatka on my travel itinerary as I would be Mars.
Actually, Mars first. Mons Olympus and the Valles Marineris canyon are simply must-see.
There was an interesting segment in which Mr. Palin talked to an old man who was a survivor of the uranium-mining slave-labor camps that had been a feature of the area from about the 30s to the 60s. He asked the man what his thoughts were about his experience, and the old guy smiled and said (more or less), “The camps are in ruins. All the men in the governments that ran the camps are dead. But I’m alive, I’m still here. I won!”
Good morning. 29 degrees and overcast as well as dark.
I’m just going to throw this year out and start all over tomorrow.
A positive mental attitude is worth a ton of vitamins.
What YOU said!
*hug*
Good morning! I have to keep the year, since it produced Frank ;-), but you can erase yours.
Thanks! But I thought you and DP produced Frank? Should I re-read the book on birds and bees?
Here’s an interesting suggestion, for the religious among us:
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/
How would that help? We think he’s human!
:mumbling to self:
(maybe i need to re-think a few things.)
Have some coffee and then decide. I’m going to go get dressed and feed Frank again. Then I’ll check the fridge for lefto-vers breakfast, since there’s no bread thawed.
Pop it in the toaster for a few seconds.
Pop it in the toaster for a few seconds.
It’s not the same. I think I can use up a Bean Dish, and I’ll bribe the Offspring to eat Chicken Dish for lunch.
LOL!
Purist!
It’s hard to separate the slices when the loaf is frozen solid.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.