Bella-Haven is Live

[nbirnes]

Damn Nancy, couldn't you at least butter me up with some pictures of flowers and some bacon dipped in chocolate?

Tough question. Kind of like that old quote about porn [sic] I don't know how to define it, but I know it when I see it.

I totally get MVs hands off approach except for the most egregious cases. Moderating the forum is not a full time affair for him and if he made it so, we probably wouldn't be happy with the results.

There are probably only 3-4 people on here, today, that I would toss out. I think he has done a decent job of getting rid of the worst.

Awhile back, there was one person I couldn't stomach. I reported just about every post. I figured I would keep it up until MV banned that person or banned me. Not sure who the winner was in that whole affair. I got worked up, stressed out and in the end, the person was banned, but others took their place.

I am an advocate for free speech, but I am also an advocate for having the /ignore function. My only advice is to report posts you find offensive. If MV gets enough reports on someone, he might take action.

Without the /ignore function, the only way I can keep my inner peace is to skip past the idiots and try to never quote their posts. If people would ignore them and not engage them, they eventually tire of talking to themselves and move on to more fertile ground. Every once in awhile I get frustrated and quote a post from one of the idiots to blast their ignorance, but then I move on. Engaging them would only spike my blood pressure and the attention is what they are seeking anyways.

I know I don't enjoy the forum as much as I used to, but I have only been a member for 18 months, and have only been a regular poster for about a year. I miss some of the old timers I used to interact with, but I am sure they all have different reasons for moving on.

Someday take a look at the forum stats. June had the second most page views in history if I am not mistaken. MV has stated he views this forum as a business. Projecting out the numbers for July, it looks like it will be 75% of June, but still slightly higher than when Art was actually on the air. If the downwards trend continues, maybe MV will tweak his moderation model.

So, I know I did not give you any crisp, clear answer. WhiteCrow has the right approach. Love all. I wonder how many times he had to get banned for that message to become his mantra.

Thanks for taking the time to give this some thought. This is very hard to talk about, and if I keep erasing what I'm trying to say, I'll never get around to posting my pathetic hydrangeas this year, as well as a nice cupcake. Will think some more. I do love this place and hope to help.

[GravitySucks]

This is one of the spacecraft projects I worked on making sure their siftware would do what it was supposed to do. Glad it is still operational.

http://www.space.com/33462-sun-somersault-photos-nasa-sdo.html

[gabrielle]

Nancy, I too am greatly disturbed the hate speech.  I too have written and rewritten and deleted my post several times.


There are many good people here.  I have made some great friends here.

I am so saddened by what has happened.   

I guess racists and Nazis must like e-cigs.

[TigerLily]

Or forums that tolerate them.  MV has drawn the line and built the wall recently. And if they spew their evil rhetoric behind the Politics wall, mv seems to be ok with that and I can tolerate it. I enter Politics at my own risk and expect to see very little of their worst activity on this side.

The crafty ones have figured out they can venture into civilization if they leave their most blatant vitriol behind. But I know who they are and ignore them or very rarely hiss at them and do my best to quickly shoo them out and back into their little Racist Paradise.

Not a perfect solution but hey. It is Bellgab

[Dr. MD MD]

I'm a traditionalist.

Hey, any friend of Soc's. 

[serenity]

Or forums that tolerate them.  MV has drawn the line and built the wall recently. And if they spew their evil rhetoric behind the Politics wall, mv seems to be ok with that and I can tolerate it. I enter Politics at my own risk and expect to see very little of their worst activity on this side.

The crafty ones have figured out they can venture into civilization if they leave their most blatant vitriol behind. But I know who they are and ignore them or very rarely hiss at them and do my best to quickly shoo them out and back into their little Racist Paradise.

Not a perfect solution but hey. It is Bellgab

We claim this a safe "Haven" and for the most part it is. Yes MV has of late been doing a fair job of separating the wheat from the chaff so to speak. There are a few that venture out of the politics mansion and into other threads. They do their damage and then are either run off or flamed so bad that they find out they are outnumbered and run away crying, or get bored when they fail in their attempt to trash good people. The sad part is that their damage extends to a lot of those good people who have never said "boo" to them and it is those good people that leave. I am not a student of psychology so I am in the dark as to what motivates such people, and as such I have no answer as to what to do. I like Bellgab. I have since I have found it. I visit few threads though and I guess I got tired of the crap of the "Lets kill ( insert host name here ) threads so I venture into them very seldom. I too, believe in so called "free speech" But there is a big difference in what you are allowed to say and what you should say. It takes a smart person to know the difference, or to care about the effects of their speech. I am glad that you folks are still here though and it saddens me when one of you leave the thread due to the idiots that take such pleasure in trying to trash one of you. Wish I had a magic bullet that could cure all but I don't. So Let me say thanks for staying and thanks for being my friends. I don't know any of you in person but I am proud to know you through the web and would love to buy any of you coffee and bacon should we ever meet. And no I'm not going anywhere

I am Serenity and thats my rant for the week
So say we all

[starrmtn001]

We claim this a safe "Haven" and for the most part it is. Yes MV has of late been doing a fair job of separating the wheat from the chaff so to speak. There are a few that venture out of the politics mansion and into other threads. They do their damage and then are either run off or flamed so bad that they find out they are outnumbered and run away crying, or get bored when they fail in their attempt to trash good people. The sad part is that their damage extends to a lot of those good people who have never said "boo" to them and it is those good people that leave. I am not a student of psychology so I am in the dark as to what motivates such people, and as such I have no answer as to what to do. I like Bellgab. I have since I have found it. I visit few threads though and I guess I got tired of the crap of the "Lets kill ( insert host name here ) threads so I venture into them very seldom. I too, believe in so called "free speech" But there is a big difference in what you are allowed to say and what you should say. It takes a smart person to know the difference, or to care about the effects of their speech. I am glad that you folks are still here though and it saddens me when one of you leave the thread due to the idiots that take such pleasure in trying to trash one of you. Wish I had a magic bullet that could cure all but I don't. So Let me say thanks for staying and thanks for being my friends. I don't know any of you in person but I am proud to know you through the web and would love to buy any of you coffee and bacon should we ever meet. And no I'm not going anywhere

I am Serenity and thats my rant for the week
So say we all

So say we ALL!

Good day, Serenity and all Haveneers!  Brunch is being served in the garden.  Enjoy.

[serenity]

So say we ALL!

Good day, Serenity and all Haveneers!  Brunch is being served in the garden.  Enjoy.

It looks wonderful and the company adds to the beauty of the banquet. 

[21st Century Man]

Or forums that tolerate them.  MV has drawn the line and built the wall recently. And if they spew their evil rhetoric behind the Politics wall, mv seems to be ok with that and I can tolerate it. I enter Politics at my own risk and expect to see very little of their worst activity on this side.

The crafty ones have figured out they can venture into civilization if they leave their most blatant vitriol behind. But I know who they are and ignore them or very rarely hiss at them and do my best to quickly shoo them out and back into their little Racist Paradise.

Not a perfect solution but hey. It is Bellgab

I'll talk to them as long as they aren't carrying on with their racist rhetoric.  I feel that there is one misguided soul who is basically good in most other respects.  I hope to eventually turn him though it will be a difficult task.

[starrmtn001]

I'll talk to them as long as they aren't carrying on with their racist rhetoric.  I feel that there is one misguided soul who is basically good in most other respects.  I hope to eventually turn him though it will be a difficult task.

Good luck with that, 21st.    No, seriously.  Good luck with that!

[21st Century Man]

Good luck with that, 21st.    No, seriously.  Good luck with that!

Thanks, starr.  I realize that it is not likely to happen but if I can find the right thing to say at the right time, well then you never know.  It would be easier if a certain KoK wasn't around to stir up the hate.

[serenity]

I'll talk to them as long as they aren't carrying on with their racist rhetoric.  I feel that there is one misguided soul who is basically good in most other respects.  I hope to eventually turn him though it will be a difficult task.

Blackmail has worked somewhat in the past. (oh sorry Im retired I forgot)

GEOMAGNETIC STORM: Unexpectedly, a CME struck Earth's magnetic field during the late hours of July 19th. The impact sparked a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm that could intensify in the hours ahead as Earth passes through the CME's strongly-magnetized wake. Visit http://spaceweather.com for updates.

[starrmtn001]

Thanks, starr.  I realize that it is not likely to happen but if I can find the right thing to say at the right time, well then you never know.  It would be easier if a certain KoK wasn't around to stir up the hate.

Easier?  Yes.  But I find him a good exercise in strengthening my troll immunity.

[nbirnes]

I'll talk to them as long as they aren't carrying on with their racist rhetoric.  I feel that there is one misguided soul who is basically good in most other respects.  I hope to eventually turn him though it will be a difficult task.

True racism is a disaster, for the person carrying the hate most of all. If you really think one race should somehow rise and some should sink ... you're going against logic and even the Great Creator's Great Design.

[Dr. MD MD]

I'll talk to them as long as they aren't carrying on with their racist rhetoric.  I feel that there is one misguided soul who is basically good in most other respects.  I hope to eventually turn him though it will be a difficult task.

You sense the force is strong in this one? 

[Dr. MD MD]

True racism is a disaster, for the person carrying the hate most of all. If you really think one race should somehow rise and some should sink ... you're going against logic and even the Great Creator's Great Design.

See, here's where making universal statements like that gets tricky because everyone has a different version of who they think that "Great Creator" is and, I assure you, the gods don't all get along. 

[nbirnes]

Easier?  Yes.  But I find him a good exercise in strengthening my troll immunity.

In solidarity!

[nbirnes]

See, here's where making universal statements like that gets tricky because everyone has a different version of who they think that "Great Creator" is and, I assure you, the gods don't all get along. 

Let's just agree that the gorgeous beauty of the human form remains a miracle, whether created or evolved. Humans should be respected, not hunted and kicked around.

Ditto other life-forms ... and words are weapons.

[starrmtn001]

The Weather Cat.  My Area.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

340 AM MDT WED JUL 20 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN
COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER MUCH OF
THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH A MAXIMUM IN COVERAGE EXPECTED THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH MID EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH COULD IMPACT DRIVING
CONDITIONS AND PRODUCE AREAS OF HEAVY RUNOFF. LOCALIZED MINOR
FLOODING IS POSSIBLE AND NORMALLY DRY WASHES MAY BEGIN TO FLOW.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THIS SURGE OF MONSOON MOISTURE WILL BRING INCREASED SHOWER AND
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK AND
INTO THE WEEKEND. SOME STORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL POSSIBLY LEADING TO LOCALIZED FLOODING.

[I_Speculate]

The Weather Cat.  My Area.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

340 AM MDT WED JUL 20 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN
COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER MUCH OF
THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH A MAXIMUM IN COVERAGE EXPECTED THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH MID EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH COULD IMPACT DRIVING
CONDITIONS AND PRODUCE AREAS OF HEAVY RUNOFF. LOCALIZED MINOR
FLOODING IS POSSIBLE AND NORMALLY DRY WASHES MAY BEGIN TO FLOW.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THIS SURGE OF MONSOON MOISTURE WILL BRING INCREASED SHOWER AND
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK AND
INTO THE WEEKEND. SOME STORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL POSSIBLY LEADING TO LOCALIZED FLOODING.

Sweet. Wish i could be there. Love those.

[starrmtn001]

Sweet. Wish i could be there. Love those.

I can hear the thunder boomers.  Give me a few minutes and I'll shot some pics.  Brb.

[I_Speculate]

I can hear the thunder boomers.  Give me a few minutes and I'll shot some pics.  Brb.

Do you get tornados down there? I've never had the pleasure of living through a tornado or a hurricane.

I tried explaining this to a guy in Cuba while i was there and he looked at me like i said something wrong.

[starrmtn001]

Sweet. Wish i could be there. Love those.

Okay.  Here ya go.

[starrmtn001]

Sweet. Wish i could be there. Love those.

And a couple more.

[starrmtn001]

Do you get tornados down there? I've never had the pleasure of living through a tornado or a hurricane.

I tried explaining this to a guy in Cuba while i was there and he looked at me like i said something wrong.

I've only been here 8 years.  I haven't heard of any touching down.  But, now that I'm living among the old timers, I should ask around, heh heh.

[starrmtn001]

DRAT!  Me battery died.     Will be at least an hour before I can shoot any more pics.

[serenity]

DRAT!  Me battery died.     Will be at least an hour before I can shoot any more pics.

maybe so but the ones you did shoot were nice. Stay dry Starr.

[I_Speculate]

Okay.  Here ya go.

That looks awesome and foreboding.

[serenity]

That looks awesome and foreboding.

right up my alley! 

[GravitySucks]

I went down to Galveston today to eat lunch with a friend from high school. I only have two friends from high school. Ones I made my senior year after moving to a small town in Texas to finish my last year of high school. One friend is the girl I took to the prom. The other friend is the girl that punched me for not asking her. Somehow, they have remained my friends for many years. (They still don't like each other).

After lunch I went by myself to the seawall. The seawall was built after the Great Hurricane of 1900. Best estimates are that at least 8000 people died, but it may have been as many as 12,000. I took this picture of a bronze statue they placed on the seawall on the 100th anniversary to honor those that perished.

The seawall was built 17' high. While they were constructing that, they dredged and pumped sand onto the island to raise the island up to 17'. They jacked up any structures that were still standing and pumped the sand/mud underneath. From stories I read, the place stunk like swamp mud for years. The seawall worked. In 1915 another storm followed almost the exact track, but only 53 people were lost.

The seawall only protects the end of the island where the city is. It is 7 miles long. After that, the beaches are wider and sand dunes are the only thing protecting people that have built houses on pilings. Most people aren't aware, but there used to be concrete artillery emplacements, much like the Germans had at Normandy. These were to protect the port from invasion and to try and sink any German U-boats that may approach to sink cargo ships.

When I was in high school, you could explore inside of them. Now they are hard to notice unless you know where to look. Hotels and resorts have fashioned waterfalls and tropical gardens to hide the concrete structures. It was too hot to walk down and take pictures of one of those.

Here is a link to read about the statue.

http://www.galveston.com/stormmemorial/