iVillage gets sold every couple of years. I don't remember who owns it now but I believe it is one of the big news channels/publishing giants.

It was better way back when it was owned and controlled by one man (Spike) who used monitors from each forum to help him keep everyone in line.

The fact that it gets sold so often makes me think that it makes money, but not enough money. Which is one of the problems I see with the internet - a gold mine of communication that is having a tremendous impact on entertainment and publishing and information getting "out there" but it is like a giant casual conversation that no one wants to pay real money for. Very few people are making money on the web. If the big guys can't figure out a way to make this thing work I don't hold out much hope for smaller operations. I imagine this site will get sold again and again.

With all those off-topic topics one wonders why we even bother keeping the conversations forum. I sure don't want to see the on topic threads diluted by "how many cats do you have and what are their names' kinds of threads. So I ignore the 'what's new' offerings as most of us do.

I miss Spike. Still got my GW teeshirt for signing up and sending him a donation.

Wonder if Spike lurks or has a home forum here?

I remember him showing up on a forum years ago. It was after he had sold and he straightened out some of the false facts being talked about. I believe he stayed on as a consultant or something but that was years ago so all could be different now.

I have to add that a couple of years ago I sought out a legal advice forum elsewhere on the web so that I could get info about what my father was going through. There were no monitors, it was totally unregulated (as are many forums out there) and people could offer good advice but the next responder could be a total whack job spewing all sorts of hateful and hurtful comments. It was cruel (and I have a thick skin) and unnecessary. Be grateful for what we have.