[onlooker]

Just thought I would post this thank you to all the members and the Moderators of this site for making this a very enjoyable site to post and hang out on. Of course they're are the occasional spats between posters but the Rules of Conduct are good and I assume being enforced as attested to by the absence of inflammatory rhetoric. So thanks again everyone.

[C8]

based on what mods have said is their policy in the past- there isn't really much enforcement. I think all the mods have to agree to ban someone for instance. And there seems to be little in the way of deleting out-and-out insults either (just read the posts under almost any news article- endless name calling).

So if the posts on the forum boards seem civil- it is likely due to the fact that members mostly realize that it makes no sense to torch those who come to talk with you. Why turn off a potential companion?

There are 2 basic modes in any forum 1. ask or 2. tell. Very few people ask questions. Most are debating or pronouncing their position. Its far more rewarding when people step down from their box and just engage in give-and-take (saying this as a poster who has been on that box a few times myself !

PO.com is a microcosm of our collective dilemna- do we try to understand one another and yet honor truth over ego? Or do we see each other as enemies that must be defeated to gain domination?

One thing is for sure (for me)- endless arguments, war and a desire for a verbal beheading of another poster is boring and depressing.

[onlooker]

Thanks C8 for that post and it makes sense what you said. I think the News section is less restrictive than the Main forums. Anyway, I feel that the conversations and even declarations and assertions are done in an intelligent, civil and respectful manner for the most part. So, I imagine much worse sites exist on the Net, so thankful to have found this site.

[Subjectivist]

There used to be a news moderator, but she left years ago and nobody volunteered to replace her. Leanne I think was her handle.

[Rod_Cloutier]

Tanada invited me back with a private e-mail. Thanks all for welcoming me back here. Somewhere it said that there are only 35 active posters at peak oil.com, it's nice to have 34 friends even if we disagree sometimes!

[SeaGypsy]

Mossennui reckons it's more like a dozen. Reads are a lot higher than posts, lots of lurking seldom posting members.

[onlooker]

I wonder Sea why all the reading and lack of posting?

[tlowellb]

I just wanted to say thanks.
You guys and gals are making a difference. Your courage to do and say what you can see as the truth has changed my life. I've been watching and reading for over two months. I've learned so much. I had to break through a wall of fear just to make this post. I don't feel like I have much to give but I can at least give encouragement.

[onlooker]

Well that was a very honest comment Tlo. Yes, you will find that we on this site are honest about what is occurring in the world so maybe this site is not for everyone. Having said that I think that breaking through the fear is good for anyone and everyone. Hope you enjoy your participation on this site. I for sure have.

[Outcast_Searcher]

I just wanted to say thanks.
You guys and gals are making a difference. Your courage to do and say what you can see as the truth has changed my life. I've been watching and reading for over two months. I've learned so much. I had to break through a wall of fear just to make this post. I don't feel like I have much to give but I can at least give encouragement.

Welcome - to lurk or post at some point, if that makes sense to you.

One thought on possible posting sources -- books, if you are so inclined. When I joined I knew almost nothing about the mechanics of producing oil. So I read some books. When I found one with no apparent posts on it, I'd do a brief review. That way I was (at least trying to) contribute, even though I knew far less about energy than the hard core members.

One thing I like about this site (less liked by many apparently) is there are widely differing views and analytic styles, even if the pessimistic outlook is the prevailing one. The book "The Wisdom of Crowds" taught me the value of differing outlooks -- even if you really strongly dislike / disagree with certain points of view.

Cheers.