Summer dellema.

[Mikey-moo]

I will gladly comply with the read only status, see you in 30 days everyone, and many thanks.
Peter.

I don't think that bit was addressed at you either. At any rate, keep trying to post and see what happens

[ARK ANGEL]

I do have a cognitive reading disorder, usually repetitive re reading fills the blanks but not always, I classically miss things that are obvious, ....

That describes me and some of my friends when taking a lot of statins, well, any amount really, it's just the degree that differs.

Yep, on those too, had no idea they affected cognition.

[der wo]

I don't understand every word and subtext here always, but to push out rad and to punish still_stirrin after Ark Angel was throwing dirt all around...

I wish rad well. I learned much from his posts. We loose one of the most important members here. And besides his knowledge he kept the forum clean in a way. I fear we will get now much more questions without doing the mandatory research before.

And I hope still_stirring will accept to come back in 30 days and not simply move to another distilling forum.

[wtfdskin]

Choices. Everybody makes them. We all have the choice of posting a short helpful reply in a few sentences, a long chastising post offering no good advice, or make no reply at all.

The negativity around here dirtys up the forum just as much as the repeated newbie questions.

Why type a 4 paragraph reply tearing a someone a new one, when you could answer their question or point them in the right direction in one paragraph.

Anyhow. This forum is great and will only remain that way if thats how we keep it. Not a single person here wasnt a newb when they started this hobby. Everyone had someone teaching them one way or another.

But hell, i got rum to strip. Life goes on.

[ARK ANGEL]

This is a big world wide forum with great diversiity . For that reason it pays to read things from all angles before taking offence when possibly none is inferred, we all have many varied ways of communicating. Going off half arsed can escalate a problem that was not there to start with.

Point taken.
I guess it's a case of "once bitten, twice shy", I have been on some forums where they live to attack and ridicule with little or no reason,
I honestly thought I was dealing with an authoritative member and that was how the forum was run, I figured I had no recourse and was not going to just walk away under those circumstances, so thinking I had nothing to lose, I let fly with swearing and personal attacks.
Rest assured I have a reborn view of this forum and I am usually very affable and social in my manner, I often make mistakes, but very rarely twice.
I am currently and have been (since 2014) interacting with members of another unrelated forum, who are quite rigid about making any sort of mistakenly derogatory inference no matter how vague or obscure, and if they do, are the first to clarify and apologize even before anyone says anything, rather overly so, in fact, to the point of paranoia at times, it is a British forum and seems par for the course for people of the UK and the Euro nations involved.
Counter to this, although now educated, I was brought up in the bush and lived on the street as a teen, after brushes with the law, was incarcerated at length (for a teen), consequentially have an immediately strong response to perceived attacks on my motives.
I submit this only as a platform for understanding, and in no way any excuse for my impetuous predilection for retaliatory hyperbole.
Ok, heres an example of my classically annoying humor;
"I appreciate the specific gravity of my situation and feel blessed by spirits to see proof that there is still some measured justice, gauged to filter the impurities out of the wash, before the subject goes to pot".
Yeah, I know... But I'm semi retired so I don't technically have a day job.
I'll try to keep future post brief.

[ARK ANGEL]

I will gladly comply with the read only status, see you in 30 days everyone, and many thanks.
Peter.

I don't think that bit was addressed at you either. At any rate, keep trying to post and see what happens

Yep, I see what you mean, I was just expecting at least something like that for going a bit overboard, but, I'd cop it sweet regardless.

[rgreen2002]

Wow.... this escalated quickly.

Agree with der wo.... punishing a few long timers whose contributions are almost immeasurable, seems a bit rough.. I'm not judging and I certainly don't run the forum (Bless those of you who do!!). I do hope they return and their wisdom isn't lost here.

I remember my first posts...getting a little shit on and thinking who the F*** is this guy... Oh yeah..he's the guy with the years of experience and the willingness to help me. Who gives a shit how he does it because in the end he got me closer to my goal and made sure I was SAFE doing it. Oh yeah... for free... I get a little tired seeing (usually) newbs say to long standing members "I have a life...". Hey... everyone has a life and I would bet those you try to scorn have had many interesting experiences.... OK sorry.... that's a me issue...

I can imagine after nearly 10 years of saying "read the required material" it gets old... A lot of folks believe that "if you can't be nice about it then don't post anything" and it sounds like a good idea... Do we believe EVERY newbie that posts questions has REALLY read all the info...and REALLY understood it? No post for a newb putting himself in a dangerous situation is much worse than tough guidance IMHO. On the bigger scale (and yes I am probably exaggerating for effect here) leaving folks unattended too often will lead to more screw ups. This leaves folks sick, hurt, or worse. PLUS - it puts home legalization in jeopardy - rule 9 violation.

As was mentioned... posts have no context, tone or inflection. Interpreting them can be difficult and maybe we fall on the side of a positive interpretation instead...

All that said so much of this mud slinging violates rule #2 and as such I certainly can see all sides to the issue. Maybe a few apologies all around and everything moves on.... I'm hoping.

[cuginosgrizzo]

I thought for a long time before writing this post. But I guess if the Mods left the thread open, they did it for a reason, so what the hell.

+1 der wo and rgreen

I don't know how many times those two invaluable members have been warned before this last event. I guess this was the last straw that breaks the camel. But, although I have been around only for a little more than one year, I really feel that without their contributions we are losing a lot in HD. I have been helped in the past by them and never got sh*tted on. I took the time to look back at recent answers by the two members. In the last weeks I can see a few harsh and somewhat less than polite responses but I can see mostly important contributions, suggestions, guidance and help. We have a saying: this looks like the husband that cuts his own balls to displease his wife.

I guess what's done cannot be undone, but I needed to express how I feel here, now.

[wtfdskin]

Good points by everyone. This is how discussion forums should work, you discuss. I'm not by any means choosing sides, i have goten some great advice by some long time members.

But in point, look at post 1 then post 2. Nowhere was the op question answered, it went straight to the question of the keg source.

I have posted in the mistakes I've made topic an instance where I lost track of sugar weights and wound up with a stupid high o.g. I clearly stated i was going to split and dilute the wash, but in turn I got a page long lecture and was accused of being greedy.

Maybe a cooling off period is needed. Hopefully we all can step back and come in with a new perspective. Life is stressful enough. Hobbys are meant to be enjoyed, we gotta stay clean if we ever want to get legalized. Helping people stay safe is paramount, and setting good examples is the key.

[panikry83]

I guess I'll chime in...
As a recent member, I've been on both sides of this argument. I've been chastised and also made to feel welcome. While I understand the frustrations that our veteran members must feel, I think sometimes it comes off as little hard nosed.
That being said, the contributions from Still Stirrin and Rad cannot be underestimated. It is a shame things happened the way they did. Hopefully, some kind of understanding can be agreed upon.
This website has a 10-12yr pedigree that has evolved with the hobby. That is ALOT of information. I spend long hours almost everyday reading and I still find new information even after two years. It's easy to take the knowledge you have for granted and get annoyed with those that dont share thT information. But, new members should also be aware that almost every question you may have can be answered by one post or another.
Sometimes it not what is said, its how it's said.

[spiff]

There is definitely two sides to everything but it sucks to see this fallout though. But it has always felt like if you're not a sycophant that you're not welcome. Not to mention selective and biased "truths" that seem catered to certain mindsets that still persist. That's all i wanted to say.

[Bushman]

I agree it was a terrible loss but we have rules and if we don't hold all members mod's included to the same standards then there are no reason for rules. Unfortunately Rad had more breaks than we allow most members. We have lost great members to death and other reasons but this forum has survived. Advanced members need to step up to the plate as they always have in the past.

[shadylane]

Just a guess
The moral of the story is, don't abuse the newbie's.
Especially, in the "novice distillers" section.

[lowpull]

One of the problems new people to the forum have is there is so much information to go through. Flutes for instance. Experienced members say everything you need to know is in Flute Talk. Well its 60 plus pages long with meanderings, conflicting information etc etc. Its hard to keep it all straight. It would be nice if there were some synopsis of some of these massive threads ie a lessons learned or best practices; but who has the time to make them? I have a questions about flutes that I havent asked because Im sure I will get attacked because somewhere in the Forum the information is in there , but I didnt see it. But thats just my view.

[Evil Wizard]

Wow, I'm surprised how fast that all turned to slop. On the other hand, the first time I joined this site, around 2005, I posted some questions and got promptly shat on. Took me eleven years to consider becoming involved here. Turns out I care more about building than getting my feelings hurt.

[RoadR]

I know I have no say in the matter being new and all. But I am really sorry to see RAD go. I really enjoyed his posts, and his can do MacGyver attitude. I would even go as far as say he was one of the reasons I actually registered on this forum. I honestly can't see anything in this thread to warrant such harsh punisment. As for this topic.. well.. let's just say if the OP went in to the fit like this on my forum he would be history by now. Sorry I would be happy to demote myself to read only kind of member, or just leave altogether.
Forgive me but I can't stand people who throw the toys out of the pram as soon as something doesn't go their way.

I honestly thought I was dealing with an authoritative member and that was how the forum was run, I figured I had no recourse and was not going to just walk away under those circumstances, so thinking I had nothing to lose, I let fly with swearing and personal attacks.

????? The above, and previous garbage he had thrown @ Rad and Still Stirring, sums up the OP really, at least for me.
RR

[jb-texshine]

As much of a train wreck as this post has turned into , I'm of the opinion that it should be locked. At this point the op's question was answered and this post has nothing to do with distilling anymore,novice or otherwise. For good or bad this community has suffered a loss and I'm sure that it wasn't one reached lightly so let's not armchair quarterback it to death.
Jbt
Rest in peace to this post.

[Bushman]

Agreed!