Dixiesmom- I just saw the posting and was happily reading away enjoying the rainbow effect descriptions and then wham. Miss Snark was a real shock. I REALLY enjoy this forum and have been checking in here very frequently marvelling at how kind and helpful and outgoing everyone is! This group and their friendliness is the ONLY reason I even started asking questions and replying to things here and there, I don't leave comments anywhere else on the web for any reason, people are just too catty, except here. I definitely agree with you and HowieDoin (hope I spelled that right) that JS was pretty cowardly registering a new name just to be negative (and how!).
Back to the subject! I have no idea how to contact Spike, but I did see a thread in this section about the forum being taken over by iVillage and there were quite a few mentions on how to contact him in there.. Hope that helps you!
Christine

I see that JS is now gone and most of her/his posts are gone. Poor JS probably couldn't cure her cracked tufa pot.
Back to the happy virtual mudhole!

Jo

Thank you. That's how we do it in Texas. Anywooo I found this great thread about saving old threads that hit 100 posts. Well worth reading.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Web Classics

I've tried to change my terminology and not use "bump" because it's one of those flare words.

I still don't see what the big deal is when you reply to a post to see if you can encourage more discussion on it when it has proven itself to be a popular post already. So what if it's nearer to the end than the front--they're still valid posts and still there to reply to. I personally like to read those near the end because I find things in some of them that I didn't see while they were on page 1 and some of them have time lapsed and the project has improved in effect a few months or a year after. There are those posts that prove to be ones that generate a lot of interest and then there are those that get answered for the quick question that the poster needed--and usually those have been asked several times and repeatedly answered again. They all have their place here and they all keep this place moving and dynamic. If we were only allowed to reply to posts that were on page 1 and then had to let them fall off because we were afraid of "bumping" them, I think we would have a very flat, one-dimensional forum. There would be no "history" whatsoever and those people who have come and gone and their great ideas and input would be dictated by a short term memory of all of us--the "what ever happened to that post about...". Sure we can save it and that's great but you never really get that information back.

As far as anyone being annoyed by this, ok, that's fine. I'm annoyed by things in here too but that's sometimes reflective of own my personal scope/perspective on things and it's not necessarily anyone else's problem--overall, this is one fantastic forum. I don't look at all of the posts when I'm tightly managing my time and that's why I select what interests me in the header and the time/date on that header.

I belonged to a kooky forum years ago where people came in and asked just general questions. There were a lot of "oldsters" there that posted everyday and it was a pretty cool place just to hang out. It was not without it's trolls though. But what really stirred things up was a woman that, I think I could justly say, had a mental problem. She was a long time member and then she would go off on a binge and come back in under several identities and be nasty to people. She even came under other member's identities and spoof them. What a nut. That's why when someone comes in like this and has just registered to "speak up", I highly suspect it's somebody that has been posting among us everyday but is just too cowardly to voice their opinions in a social manner or is someone that tends to do it to get attention in their own sad life. It's hard to take anyone's opinion seriously such as JS's. I have my suspicion's because there was a flareup not long ago--does it have anything to do with this one--JS only knows for sure. I definitely think Deb hit it on the nail (or axe) when she said this person has an axe to grind.

My two cents and that's without inflation figured in!

Well, you all (y'all for the southerners) know my opinions on the matter by now. During the time I've been following this forum, the camaraderie has always impressed me. Even as the number of posters has increased, a sincere interest in the work, ideas and questions presented has been the common thread. I would hate to see that end. I truly hope this little battle blows over and the forum continues to be fun for all. I believe that it will.

Wayfind, I'm pleased that I was able to provide you a laugh. I hope your pets have forgiven you for startling them so.

Cheers.

ActuaryBoy, I think things have blown over and all is well in Hypertufa Land. Now click your concrete heels three times and repeat after me...
:)

I just dicovered the internet term Trolling;

An outrageous message posted to a newsgroup or mailing list or message board to bait people to answer. Trolling is a form of harassment that can take over a discussion. Well meaning defenders can create chaos by responding to trolls. The best response is to ignore it.

That sounds like good advice.

Dixiesmom

Dixiesmom,

If you want to email Spike, I found this posting from Spike when he let everyone know that Garden Web had been sole to iVillage [sob sob] You should be able to email him from his page.

Jilly

Here is a link that might be useful: Spike's posting

ActuaryBoy, I also found your post over there very amusing and well put. You've got quite a flair for the wittism and should post more often--we'd love to hear from you. You're a poet and didn't know it! ...obliterating world hunger...you crack me up!

Thanks Howie and everyone else too. You are all so supportive and I really do perceive a strong sense of community here.
Regarding posting, I havent had anything to contribute since I havenÂt really made anything yet. (I did make a few test blocks of various hypertufa mixes last fall in preparation for doing some real stuff this year. One winter proves little, but they all weathered fine.) I expect IÂll post often once I get started on the planned summer Âtufa and Âcrete projects - mostly questions IÂm sure. 8^)
Dixiesmom is right of course, and I suppose IÂm just a sucker who fell for the bait. IÂve always been too quick to jump to the defense of those being attacked for no apparent reasons. My lovely spouse constantly implores me to let others fight their own battles unless they truly need assistance. Concurring with DixiesmomÂs statement, she also tells me that my involvement usually just adds to the confusion. When will I learn? Probably never - if I havenÂt grown up by nowÂ
Obliterating world hunger was way over the top I know. Overuse of hyperbole is another of my countless foibles or, as I prefer to label them, endearing character traits. IÂll try to tone it down a bit but IÂm reluctant to make any guarantees. See the comment above that refers to my maturity level.
Cheers,
ActuaryBoy