Some thoughts about this site

[Thumbcocker]

Recently there have been several threads concerning the overall health of this site and how it has changed. I was not involved in these threads so I am not in a position to comment on them. I offer the following observations. Many on this site are at an age where they have been there and done that in much of life. More than a few have bled or spilled blood in defense of the nation and the right to express themselves. Such folks have strongly held beliefs and values and are not likely to change their beliefs easily or suffer what they view as assaults on their beliefs and values lightly.

My own experience on this site has been overwhelmingly positive. The free sharing of information and advice has greatly benefited my enjoyment of this fascinating hobby of ours and exposed me to people from all over the world who shared their experiences and lives with us.

Just shy of a year ago I experienced the worst event in my life. People from all over the world sent good wishes, sympathy, and prayers that Janet and I drew great strength and comfort from. we leaned hard on people we have never seen and probably will never see but that doesn't make the support any less tangible or effective.


We just returned from our road trip out west. While in Utah Sweetpea, a man who makes his living doing physically demanding work, took most of one of his two days per week off to take us to the desert to shoot rocks and generally show us around. Sweetpea and his family treated us like family. A persons most valuable commodity is their time and Sweetpea and his whole family gave generously.

I can not think of any where else where we could have met such a group of generous and compassionate people. I know that many here would disagree with me on a number of issues, boolit people are not worth a hoot at being sheeple, but on the big things we have been treated like family and have more in common than we are different.

I owe the folks on this site a lot and I am in this for the long haul. Hopefully I can repay a little of what has been given freely to me and mine. Thank you all.

[petroid]

I'm glad to hear you and your family are doing well. There are a lot of great people on this site and it is up to all of us to keep it that way.

[gray wolf]

I couldn't agree more with the OP, Sometimes people just need to vent a little,
I don't think any real harm is/was intended. No one likes to have there toes stepped on, or be backed into a corner.

I think SOME of the problem we had recently is that SOME ( not all ) of the new people that came on board thought they could act on this sight like they act on other sights, Sides were chosen like it was a football team with one against the other, (Silly team mentality that I can't stand )
Well some of the old timers here and not always old by age only, are not the sort to be pushed around,
not here, not there, not anyplace, it's just the sort of people they are.
They give freely, ask ME how I know, I have no family to speak of, I have folks here that PM me on a regular basis to see how Julie and I are doing, do we need anything, are we OK ?
My wife and I know full well what the people on this forum are about and what they are made of.
I don't see a problem with someone letting the steam valve go once in a while, crying out loud we are all human.
It's the people that persistently cause trouble and get up in the morning thinking who can I tick off today ?
That sort gives the good sort a bad name, fortunately they can be weeded out,
Unfortunately many good people are lump together with them at times. Can it be helped ? I don't no, But the safe guard is we do not work on a one strike and your our premiss.
The sight has settled down quite a bit now and that's good, I still have some bones to pick but as each day goes by It becomes less and less. I do hope that anyone that needs to be evil on this sight just goes away quietly. No more choosing sides, right is right and wrong is wrong, stick up for what is right, not cause it's a team thing. Do it right and do it right now.

Think before you fly off into unknown places, and mostly remember
This is not like any other place and it can't be treated like any other place or it will be just like every other place.

[nagantguy]

Think the op and greywolf nailed it, great place made better by great people. Never had a place where so much of value was given so freely and where such big harts reached out so often through cyberspace to lift up one of ours whom has fallen on hard times. God bless you all, God bless these United States!!!

[AlaskanGuy]

I flat out love this board... The folks are just top notch, generous, and wonderful. Like any family, we have our squabbles from time to time, we get over it, and we get back to why we are here, sharing the knowledge of our sport, and helping others that need it by our example of grace and compassion for our fellow man....

Lord, bless this board...

AG

[Baja_Traveler]

This is the first place I go in the morning, and the last place I'm at before bed - I live on this site you might say (even though post count doesn't reflect it). Even so, I missed all the hoopla and just saw the rash of old timers jumping ship after the fact.
I guess one of the reasons I never saw anything is that I dont look at political or religious postings - you gotta figure billions of people have lost their lives over thousands of years because of those subjects, so I'm not interested in participating. I can only assume it was one of those subjects though, I can't imagine someone quitting because he got mad about a "this boolit is better than that one" argument...
If it doesn't involve heating a pot and dropping lead into a mold, or loading a round I wont read about it. And for what I do read, there is no better place to be than right here.

[SWANEEDB]

Oh so true what has been said in the above posts, I get up in the morning have my coffee and go to this forum, most of the time it gives me a reason to be thankful for all, in some really hard times I do find my calm, be thankful for who I am, what I have and what we (I), have lost, kind words, just the thought of having someone you don't even know be so respectful to those they don't even know by name or face, one day we will meet. In the short time I have been a member here I have met so many real people. When this forum started it was meant to bring us all together but at the time I think nobody realized just what it would come too, the work of our "higher power does work in strange ways".
Have fun and keep the 'lead' flowing.
Woof woof Gus an me.

[bhl2506]

I concur that this sight is a top notch site with members who are so generous with their knowledge and caring. I know there has been a lot of stuff going on and after reading most of it I'm really surprised at how people treat someone who they disagree with. Jeez have a good heated discussion and leave it at that. But no some have to take it a step further and keep the hate going by using PM's and e-mail. All I have to say is chill out life is to short for all this stuff. Read and enjoy and if you disagree just say why and leave it at that.

I too have learned so much from the kind peope here who so generously share their knowledge. I'm not a very chatty person so don't post much put rest assured that I do greaty appreciate all that is shared and want to thank you everyone who is responsible for posting same.
Brian

[beezapilot]

I've learned a great deal from kind people on this site, met one or two members that have been very good company, done business with honorable people, recieved a great deal of advice on esoteric areas of firearms, all in all- a site that trancends "common denominator". I've been flamed too- probably deserved it- all part of learning.

[Love Life]

I love this site because they haven't banned me yet...

[w5pv]

Prayers and best wishes for you and Janet

[Freightman]

[QUOTE=Love Life;2807970]I love this site because they haven't banned me yet...[
Me nether! and I have been here a long time.:smile:

[oneokie]

I love this site because they haven't banned me yet...



[QUOTE=Love Life;2807970]I love this site because they haven't banned me yet...[
Me nether! and I have been here a long time.:smile:

Gentlemen, you both take constructive criticism well and take it to heart. Thus, you make this a better place for the whole family to enjoy.

[Sweetpea]

Ralph, it was good spending time with you, talking, learning, and shooting.

I've got a new mould and size die coming my way for the 41, thanks for the push in the right direction!

Here's a pic of you hammering that rock at 330 yards...

107109

[jcwit]

I love this site because they haven't banned me yet...

Sorta how I feel, sometimes I wonder how close I've come tho.

[square butte]

It's kinda got that old shoe thing going - Just sorta feels right

[Mod42]

I love this site because they haven't banned me yet...

I know what you mean. My opinion is that a club that would have me as member is no place that I want to be!!

[HARRYMPOPE]

There was period from the late 1970's to early 90's (pre forum) that the fellows who broke much ground shootiing cast never got the info out(besides a few Fouling Shot articles in the CBA)Most of those guys i shot matches with(minus a few i still shoot with that look dead<G>) have passed on with their info.Th good is the internet forums help share the info,the bad it most of it(now considered ground braking) was already done 30 years ago.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

...snip...
My own experience on this site has been overwhelmingly positive. The free sharing of information and advice has greatly benefited my enjoyment of this fascinating hobby of ours and exposed me to people from all over the world who shared their experiences and lives with us
...snip...

AND

...snip...
I can not think of any where else where we could have met such a group of generous and compassionate people. I know that many here would disagree with me on a number of issues, boolit people are not worth a hoot at being sheeple, but on the big things we have been treated like family and have more in common than we are different.

I owe the folks on this site a lot and I am in this for the long haul. Hopefully I can repay a little of what has been given freely to me and mine. Thank you all.

This was sooo well said, I thought it needed repeating, lest we not forget.

[white eagle]

I guess I have missed all the bad posts and team building you all talk of
thank god

[doc1876]

What thumbcocker and greywolf said are what I see that makes this a place that I want to be. Groucho Marx said “I won’t be a member of an club that would accept me as a member”. This has been my life. I have always marched to the offbeat of a caring group of people, and they did not care who got in the way, they were going to care about you.
I have seen a lot of understanding people here, and for that I am grateful. I came here to learn about boolits, and found that this site is about so much more. I have a lot of alone time, and this is much better than FB or anything else I have seen.
Thanks for allowing me to be a member of a group of crankey types that care, and want only what is right, to be allowed, and will be polite in the way in which they do it.

[David2011]

If I'm on the computer my wife assumes I'm on Cast Boolits. She's usually right because this is the one website where knowledge is king and insulting other participants or using foul language is not acceptable. I'm not a prude; just don't see the need to be crude when communicating publicly. Sometimes I write a post and revise it several times to make sure it doesn't offend anyone. I recently started a thread and while I appreciated everyone who took the time to read and reply, it gave me new insight on some of the difficulties that new members encounter. I asked a question about a particular powder and cartridges A, B, C and D with jacketed bullets and got mostly answers that said how great it was in cartridges F, G, H and I with cast boolits. Just sayin'.

David

[fatelk]

If I'm on the computer my wife assumes I'm on Cast Boolits. She's usually right because this is the one website where knowledge is king and insulting other participants or using foul language is not acceptable. I'm not a prude; just don't see the need to be crude when communicating publicly.

I'm with you on that. A lot of other forums get downright juvenile, so I come here for some "grown-up" talk. Grown-up as in mature and able to communicate without profanity, insults, and posturing; as well as a generally more experienced topics of discussion. I get tired of all the black-rifle wannabe's that tend to prevail on many sites.

No, nothing against the AR class of rifles in general; it's just that I don't fit in well with the uber-tactical, special forces/SWAT crowd. To each their own, I guess, but that's not my world.

[buckwheatpaul]

Thumbcocker, I agree with you.....the members have been wonderful...sometimes someone gets upset but we all have bad days .... we are human and prone to missinterpretation.....but I promise you that the good far outshines the negative and I would not take for my Boolits Family! May God bless each and everyone of us........Your Servant, Paul

[Ajax]

This site is so great because of the moderators allowing us to have adult discussions and hash it out. The people here are the most giving and loving people i have ever been around. Having PTSD i came to this site every day when i was afraid to go out alone. This allowed me to have human interaction and get through the tough times.. I love you people like family and a lot here do. We take care of our own here and we are proud to do it and want no recognition for it. I am truly proud to be a member of this forum.

Andy

[historicfirearms]

This is the best site on the Internet. Period.