On my way to Guest status.

[Dave M Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dave M]

I heard of a guy who they didn't like his posts, of course the threat of being banned wasn't enough for them to use, they saw from IP addresses that he had posted from work and threatened to notify his workplace.

Since I have been directly involved to some degree with all suspensions and bannings OY from July 2004 until the last few months, I can say with 100% certainty that you were given false information, Spence, with one possible exception.

A little over two years ago, there was an individual - a new BBS registrant - who posted several blatantly profane and racist messages, with no content that related in any way to timesharing. Those posts would have made the recent well-publicized radio host's remarks look like kindergarten fare! We asked him to stop, but he continued. Through IP addresses and the e-mail address he used, we were able to trace that he was a state senator in a specific state. We sent him a message addressing him by his full name and title (which I'm sure was a surprise to him!) and again asked him to stop with his off-color posts. There were no specific threats to tell anyone in state government about his posts, but he never posted again!

If the supposed threats you mention were made prior to July 2004, I can't confirm or debunk the claim, but such old news would not be applicable to current TUG management.

To Carolinian's comment, TUG has indeed taken a more relaxed view of moderating under Brian Rogers. That doesn't mean that the "Be Courteous" rule has been abandoned, but it's definitely a more relaxed environment now.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

I log on to both sites daily and am active on both. I love the reviews section at TUG because I find it very easy to navigate. I must have missed all the stuff that went on there a few years back since I was so new at the time. There is an obvious bias toward RCI and that is what led me to TS4Ms in the first place. I came here to learn about the alternatives to RCI especially SFX. If only we had a rep from II.

There is a real feeling of "community" here that I don't get over there. I always feel a bit out of the loop at TUG because I don't use RCI, own Marriotts, or vacation in Florida or Mexico every year. Not that there isn't plenty of interest in those areas here, too. There just seems to be a lot more participants from the west & Europe posting here. And the attmosphere is a lot more relaxed & friendly.

The two forums are different and that is a good thing. I am so glad they are not just clones. For me TUG is like going to the library to get information on timeshares & TS4Ms is like sitting at the local pub after work chatting about our timeshare experiences.

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

Since I have been directly involved to some degree with all suspensions and bannings OY from July 2004 until the last few months, I can say with 100% certainty that you were given false information, Spence, with one possible exception.

A little over two years ago, there was an individual - a new BBS registrant - who posted several blatantly profane and racist messages, with no content that related in any way to timesharing. Those posts would have made the recent well-publicized radio host's remarks look like kindergarten fare! We asked him to stop, but he continued. Through IP addresses and the e-mail address he used, we were able to trace that he was a state senator in a specific state. We sent him a message addressing him by his full name and title (which I'm sure was a surprise to him!) and again asked him to stop with his off-color posts. There were no specific threats to tell anyone in state government about his posts, but he never posted again!

If the supposed threats you mention were made prior to July 2004, I can't confirm or debunk the claim, but such old news would not be applicable to current TUG management.

To Carolinian's comment, TUG has indeed taken a more relaxed view of moderating under Brian Rogers. That doesn't mean that the "Be Courteous" rule has been abandoned, but it's definitely a more relaxed environment now.

While you certainly know more than I do because of first hand direct work, and I am not at liberty to discuss any more details of the occurance, and I don't know the exact date, may have been before your time, I defer to your expertise and appreciate your weighing in.

As far as Brian Rogers is concerned (I can only assume he is Bill's son), I have never been anything but civil to him in emails and he has not reciprocated that courtesy. OK, so he doesn't like my posts, that's no call for his uncivility. All my opinion, granted.

What's your opinion of the 'value' of Ask RCI?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Gone to a show.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Man, I am soooo confused.

[ladycody Member Find all posts View Profile Close ladycody]

I do reviews and I get a six-month extension for each one. I haven't paid since my original membership, a couple of years ago.

I havent been a member all that long...but have already extended my membership by a year with no payment through review submission as well.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Gone to a show.

[robbied111 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close robbied111]

Man, I am soooo confused.

I'm with you there!!!

I don't have much of a problem with TUG either...but as Wacky said earlier...I would like to see more recent Resort info.

We geek-newbies need DATA!

R

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

There was something of a rebellion in 2004 and that and the OY responses and other actions led to many of us migrating elsewhere and building a better timeshare site. While most of us still do participate OY many have severely curtailed their time OY. It would take considerable time to express exactly what happened, so let it suffice that it did happen without dragging out the past and fighting those battles all over again.

[shopgirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shopgirl]

TUG is great. I like both sites. I like this site for the sightings in the morning, most especially.

I have been moderated a bit on TUG and thought it was unnecessary, but as Cat explained to me very nicely (what happened to Cat?), no one can tell what your motives are when you write something. Perhaps you are just joking or teasing someone, but it comes off badly. Spence should use some smilies or winkies or something, if he wants to be able to post remarks that are meant jokingly. A smiley after your comment on RCI would have changed the way it was perceived. I read that post and did not think you said anything that was not true. All corporations, all businesses are all about making money. Nothing facetious there, in my opinion.

If some of the things he says are not meant as jokes, then he needs to be moderated because sometimes his comments are not so nice!

I think it is nice to have Ask RCI on TUG. Marge does her best to explain RCI's policy. I had to ask her a few questions recently and received answers that I would quote to any guide I talk to in the future. My two questions were about 1 in 4 rules and if they do or do not apply to points' reservations. The other question was about this glitch in RCI's system that at first glance seemed to have eliminated the Instant Exchanges for 9,000 points. Both answers were clear and satisfactory. RCI has a crappy website, considering all the money they make.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

I'm confused about what caused the rift, too. And although I am curious about it, I do kinda get the drift & so try to be as polite & open minded as I can. I like the fact that people can express their opinions over here & people can respectfully disagree giving another point of view. Crackpots show up on any forum occassionally. There's a poster OY at the moment that's sorta strange but I just figure if people don't respond he'll disappear before too long.

On another topic:
Is Cat the same one who was quite ill recently or is that someone else?

[shopgirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shopgirl]

Julie, yes Cat was very ill. She had surgery and nearly died. She came back and posted for a while. I had many great PM conversations with her. She is a very nice person. She and her husband were going to be moving soon. That is probably what has happened to her. They were living near BocaBum in Florida and she loved it there, for the weather. But they were moving back up north to the cold. I think they were moving to Minnesota or another equally cold place. She was so sad about moving. We will hear from her again on TUG, no doubt.

[Fern Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fern]

I spoke with Cat a few times recently. She's still not totally well, but she is on the way. She and her husband are relocating back north, to Connecticut I believe, for job opportunities.

About whether she will participate on TUG again, I can only speculate. I know that there was a problem of some sort (I don't believe it is up to me to go into what it was), and she resigned as a moderator and left TUG. That's not uncommon; I left under the same sort of circumstances, too. I post again, but not nearly as much. And that's not uncommon with any board. Burnout happens. Some of the previous administrators who are no longer around, or only once in a great while, include Ron Donze, Marina Keeney, and John Cummings.

Julie, yes Cat was very ill. She had surgery and nearly died. She came back and posted for a while. I had many great PM conversations with her. She is a very nice person. She and her husband were going to be moving soon. That is probably what has happened to her. They were living near BocaBum in Florida and she loved it there, for the weather. But they were moving back up north to the cold. I think they were moving to Minnesota or another equally cold place. She was so sad about moving. We will hear from her again on TUG, no doubt.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I spoke with Cat a few times recently. She's still not totally well, but she is on the way. She and her husband are relocating back north, to Connecticut I believe, for job opportunities.

About whether she will participate on TUG again, I can only speculate. I know that there was a problem of some sort (I don't believe it is up to me to go into what it was), and she resigned as a moderator and left TUG. That's not uncommon; I left under the same sort of circumstances, too. I post again, but not nearly as much. And that's not uncommon with any board. Burnout happens. Some of the previous administrators who are no longer around, or only once in a great while, include Ron Donze, Marina Keeney, and John Cummings.

Thanks for the Cat update Fern. I still have my "Brining" thread saved....I think I will post it here this Thanksgiving.
She was originally from Mass. and for those who don't know, a wonderful professional chef.

I was recently thinking about Marina......so many people (you included!) who were generous with their time and knowledge - there just is a natural ebb and flow on the internet

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Gone To A Show.