I'm not saying that I'm personally being attacked or run off, what I mean is the negativity will keep people from posting. And it will if doesn't stop.

dear Thelma and Username

it saddens me that you feel "run off" or even that you perceive there is a "popular thought" here that would turn against you:(

In all truth, people DID need to vent.

The crash is something that can happen to any website...but the loooong silences and the inexplicable length of the down time truly have perplexed and saddened me, and I do feel a sense of frustration and, yes, even a bit angry when I think of the BT members and readers who are out there without the lifeline that the BT community was to them.

What I dont agree with is the speculation here about JL's motives and money etc etc.........tho I can understand why folks are potentially disturbed about it. Still, I agree with ZombieSlayer that it is just not good to say things when the facts arent known.

anyways
Thelma and Username and anyone else who is feeling uncomfortable....do remember that the vast majority of people here really do just want to form a community of caring and sharing with some fun thrown in to brighten the day:).......Truly, the negative posts that I have noticed have been very very few thankfully.....

(((HUGS))) to all and I for one do hope that the discussion will maybe now just turn in other directions and away from OBT and JL

Onward and forward :)

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8046/lolku9.gif

(((((((((((Dorry)))))))))))))

:D

Of course Brigadoon wasn’t mentioned. The money went to the server. (If you have a hint of validation for your "it appears" inference, I hope you'll share it with us. I haven't been able to find anything yet.)

http://zero.hastypastry.net/forums/ Donations are accounted for with $3,000 left over for the continued care and feeding of the system. That was a year and a half ago. Methinks the system nibbled more than $3,000 worth in that amount of time. Google ads contributed some revenue, people periodically sent some donations.

mrsd, you posted the Brigadoon description under your post titled "Where OBT donations went." Here’s part of what you pasted from the Brigadoon site and written by John Lester:

"I am using BrainTalk Communities Inc. as the organization to receive and process the funds. Since BrainTalk Communities is a non-profit organization, all donations are fully tax deductible, and all donations made through the "donate" button on this Brigadoon blog will be used *exclusively* for Project Brigadoon."

Since I haven’t been able yet to locate the FAQ from BT1, I can’t know if there is a similar statement there about the exclusive use of donations. BT1 had a "donate" button also. It's not likely since the pages hadn't been updated since hula hoops were in. I'll see if I can find it anyway.

For mrsd and stumps, this is a google link to a cached page of the administrative announcements at BT1. Get past the David H one at the top, if you can. The rest is by John Lester, which gives some introduction to the other places where he’s been working, like Brigadoon. And it clearly states Brigadoon is part of BrainTalk Communities.

http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache...&cd=4&ie=UTF-8

BrainTalk Communities Inc. is the umbrella organization. Brigadoon is one of its entities. BrainTalk forums is one of its entities. Because they are under the same umbrella does NOT in and of itself mean that the forums support Brigadoon, nor does is mean Brigadoon supports the forums. It means they are both members of the same corporation. Contributions are processed by BrainTalk Communities Inc. I'm not an expert in how non-profit monies are handled – it is my understanding that money from one entity cannot be transferred to another. Can anyone help in that area?

I’m let down, disappointed and disrespected (and angry) too BECAUSE OF THE SILENCE. Speculating about where money is, and goes, and went, assumptions that there even is any money, and raising passive-aggressive questions about what John Lester does and did with donations, is just plain irresponsible. Contemptible might work, too. Talk about disrespect!

It does a terrible disservice to a person who is not even here to field questions. This is someone who has failed us for over two months. That is after 13 years of taking care of us. I’m ticked that he isn’t here and hasn’t communicated. But to use that as a seque to undermining the man’s integrity with back-door innuendo is nothing short of disgusting.

I only have knowledge of English law - under which any charity has to produce publically available accounts. How does it work in America? (as surely that would stop any speculation/be the productive route for those speculating to go down).

I'm sorry, did I miss something? Is he banned? Is that why he can't come and field questions and defend himself?

here you go swift from The Commonwealth of Massachusetts:


http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/corp/cor...FEIN=000878277

no filings other than the non-profit organization on 10/7/04

The BT version of the childrens book "Where's Waldo",,, "Where's JL"...

(If I was brilliant when it comes to computers - I'd do a cyber version... I can picture it, I just can't build it.)

:p

mb

The original BT chatroom has been up.

The chatrooms are available, and also have a backup chatroom when the upgrades are being done.

I'd rather not bash someone who has provided me with a free service for so long nor do I think it should be encouraged here.

http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/chat/flashchat.php

There is the chatroom, you can use it with your same username and password. The Moderators can also give small updates upon request.

http://www.thunder65.com/bt_temp_cha.../flashchat.php

There is the backup chat for when the site is down for upgrades, your BT username and password work for both.

Most of us hang out in Hooptedoodle and chat throughout the day and night. It is more busy during evening hours.

If you plan to rejoin just to bash the site, stay here - where bashing seems to be encouraged.

Have a pleasant day.

Edit: Some people will just use this so they can spam more, hopefully you get real moderators soon.