I signed onto OBT yesterday, as was stunned to find how many of the old pn forum were posting there. I became concerned that to follow what's going on with my old friends, and help new ones, I'd have to check both places daily, and actually belong to OBT, which I'm loathe to do.

I'm stunned at how many folk post there. John took $10,000 from us and used it to fund a retreat for Second Lifers, who were acting as moderators. He used this money to "buy land" in the virtual world, and to pay rent. He leveraged us so he could sell himself as an expert at maintaining online communities, when, in fact, he had no interest in our community once he'd gotten his goal---a good-paying gig at Second Life. He refuses to make the financials of his non-profit available, which he is ethically bound to do. And he brags all over the web at how braintalk has helped fund his island at Second Life and shown him as a leader in online community.

Here we are with DocJohn being transparent, real, warm and honest. Why are people going back to a forum which has already failed us, run by someone who has been dishonest, callus, and dictatorial? I do not get it.

I dont get it either.........I felt at times that we are held in contempt with some of the moderators and administrators....I just saw a YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED from a moderator. Not one question posed about safeguarding any future data, or decentralizing the operation has been addressed. I see the administrator praised over and over there, and come to the conclusion that many people need to believe in a powerful benevolent someone in charge no matter how much evidence to the contrary mounts.

I guess I missed seeing the agreement to post on this one instead of the old one. I've been kinda bouncing back and forth and really not choosing one or the other. I wish we could get all of us back to this one. And I wish we could get some understanding of how secure or how long lasting this one is. Or did I miss this? I have to skip some posts since I can't sit much.

Billye

I too, find that it is in my best interest to check both.
Probably because others are doing so, to be part of the 'community' that has
served us (albiet questionably) for so long.
As long as the 'regulars' (the knowledgeable ones) keep coming back to post,
we can rely on them for support.
It is difficult for some to change horses, midstream or not.
It is comforting to once again, find our 'family'.
The people we communicate with, on a regular basis.
Until the 'movers and shakers' (not the administrators or moderators) of the on-line posts decide to make a permanent move elsewhere - I'll have to keep check here and OBT, as well.
There's a big difference in pollitics vs daily advice & comfort. Its a shame that all this has come to be, but things are ........as things are.
I have no interest in creating (or participating in) movements, rallies or campaigns.
When I was first stricken with PN, BT (sponsored by the Hospital) was an island in a sea of almost no knowledge- an oasis that I stumbled upon (I still cannot remember exactly how I found it) when I was frantic with pain. My doctors were clueless as to how to treat or Rx properly. All I had was a "PN" clue from one of my medical records, and a PCP that thought I should be treated by a psyc because of my 'complaining'.
Only thru the experiences and empathy of the BT community, did I find answers and avenues to pursue. It became a habit, a daily 'fix' for my psyche. Switching would have been difficult at that time. I'm sure others are at that same juncture and would be 'abandoned' if the experienced & knowledgable 'regulars' (like yourself) - just left. Many were in a state of near panic when BT went off-line for the first time, and similarly affected with the recent problems. Back on-line was a blessing for them. The politics and reasons for the problems, as well as the administrative tactics of the moderators, really only affected a small percentile.
The rest were just glad they once more, had a place to go, and a place to get answers to the questions tha concerned them most.

So I guess Doc John's generosity offering an alternate for us, must be an alternative for those of us who realize that its the community that counts. Hopefully, this site will develop a community that is a kinder gentler place to be- and will gradually attract its own populace. Create its own nest in the niche that needs so much help & understanding.
I am pleased that it is here and hope that it will stay..... as another place to be, not a replacement or 'the alternative'- but just a place that needs to be here.......for those of us that need & want it.

YET!
In relation to LizaJane's post about money mushing elsewhere....Well, if it does happen and there's tangible proof of it..the IRS will find out somehow I''m sure.

As for comments on change, well, it will or it won't..it's up to the administrations to fine tune things to satisfy [or try to] the majority of users.

What concerns me the most, and what I've found disconcerting about other boards is that in the past on these two boards, site or condition specific organizations or boards are not allowed to be referenced. Mores the pity as these boards are springboards of learning from others and other sites. ON the restrictive boards how creative does one have to get to get folks in need to the places they need to go? At times it's like walking in a land-mined field! Then, tho not on these boards, there are some 'respected' self-appointed 'experts' who, I find, quote US regulars...occasionally on a daily basis...often out of context and providing points of view not attributable to us and strewn w/biasing mis-information. There! I have vented!

As for what I do? I continue to try to learn, understand and DEFY my condition[s]! And will ardently support others any way I can in coping with the 'lemons' life has given us. I am not in a situation to contribute much financially to either site. I have offered services and skills gained in my prior lifes -to be either used or not is the admistration's choice.

Actually, I'd much prefer chocolate! Hugs to all! - j

...under the "New Title" thread earlier today. As I stated, I was totally unaware of NeuroTalk until last week and unaware of all the other "stuff" until then also.

"...this site even existed until I read something about it in a message on BT when I realized that site was back up and running. I wish I had known about this site as I spent the last two plus months adrift without reading information from BT the first thing in the morning upon turning on my computer.

Wings states, "...and am disappointed so many are going back to BrainTalk." I wonder if this is because so many people still do not know about this site???

I will be sticking with this site after reading some of the background of BT through various messages - things happening that I had no clue about.

I am also interested in the Vitamin forum as it has been helpful in reading and gathering information as it relates to my PN. I will be posting my story with updated information later today or tomorrow."

Diana Shaffer

after I saw how Glenn was treated in trying to raise some of the concerns we all have. As you can imagine, his posts were impeccably crafted, thought-provoking and well-reasoned. He was trashed by some idiots who sounded like junior high school girls on nitrous. Their embarassing troll behavior was tolerated, of course, because it defended John.

I'm not really sure how crack-addicted one would have to be be to imagine that people with twice one's IQ and six times one's moral fiber would keep coming back to an Internet forum only to be harangued with one's incoherent and nearly illiterate lectures on the sanctity of JL, but obviously a lot of people over there are hitting the pipe very hard.

As my father always said they are probably "A bubble out of plumb". But hitting the pipe is also a very solid description. It seems as though he feel fancy free to misappropriate donations,mask wrongdoings, and intentially ignore us.

To him it has become the norm,like the air that he now breaths. False hero, black knight, a true pyrrhic victory. He was willing to sacrifice morality and the well-being of the entire community to further himself.

What gets me very cranky is that he has no remorse and is oblivious to the feelings of those he has trampled over. I remember I had encountered a member who I suspected was about 14 years old. He was in a foster situation,and his posts were very alarming,and he admitted to being sexually abused by various male members of his family. I PM John lester and asked him to help this young man,and use the information from his posts if he had to. I PM him twice with no response at all.

The young man disappeared from the community,but his member log-on details would of helped with locating him. I mean how unfeeling can one really be??


PS. There is a good possibility that those very same moderators you speak of Steve are none other than John Lester pretending to be different people. It's actaully very common that an administer like John Lester has multiple profiles,and uses them to further manipulate people into submission. I wouldn't be surprised if he was lurking on this forum too, promoting his other sights.

I bet that none of you have ever checked out Second Life have you???

Well, I did, (Only because my son who has aspergers is addicted to it).

It's free to join, so I joined. I must say the graphics are overwhelming, the tech language is not for beginners. You really have to know your computer technology to know what you are doing in this virtual world.

But the shocker was.....There is a lot of sexual activity in this world.

sure, you can be an entrepreneur, and make Linden dollars, and build stuff and fly in the air and create your own avatar with skins, textures, and other wonderful stuff.

You can also enter a virtual world of S and M, bondage, hookers, and last but not least, sexual areas (which I accidentally entered and took off so fast it would make your head spin).

I happened to be sitting on a log around a campfire and if you sit there for 10 minutes you get 2 linden dollars. So I had zero linden dollars to my name, So here I am sitting around a fire, with other avatars sitting on their logs when female avatar walks up to me and invites me to go with her and she'll pay me 50 linden dollars. So, because i have no idea what I'm doing, and I hear 50 linden dollars, I said "sure!" and she teleports me to a place where......and I'm trying to not be off-color here.....but everybody was stark naked and well, USE YOUR IMAGINATION!!!. I typed in the chat box on the bottom of my screen: "oh my god, you're all naked and having sex" and one of the avatar's says in the chat box "well, hi there, come and join the party". So there I was standing in this virtual world, (completely dressed) and everybody was having the time of their lives. One female says to me "isn't this the most amazing place??" I answered "you've got that right!!" and I teleported myself to a virtual gambling casino and sat somewhere and earned some more linden dollars for doing virtually nothing.

When Alan came home and I explained what happened, after he stopped laughing so hard, his bald head turned red, he looked at me and said "I wish I could have seen your face when everybody was naked".

I mean, who ever thought that second life would have virtual sex places? Lots of virtual sex places.

So now we know what JL has been up to don't we???

melody

Maybe I better check this out! Thanks Mel! But you know, I don't think my ISP is FAST enough to handle that place...LOL If you look at it from another point of view...there are many people who don't understand sex or intimacy.. and online activities could bridge that for them. My son had a brief fascination with the Furry community...and he outgrew it pretty quickly. You can look that up, if you have never heard of it. It was a developmental, juvenile thing for him. ( I found out after, and was pretty stunned!)

In all seriousness... A non-profit does not have to file an IRS statement, unless
the income exceeds $25,000. At one time this limit was going to be raised, so
I don't know if it has. So there does not have to be accountability.

While I agree it may disturb people to know the "truth" about OBT's admin,
the "truth" varies from individual to individual. Some things can be verified on the net.. and others cannot. I have found some interesting stuff myself. Labeling posters at OBT as "high" or the implied negative attributes suggested by Liza's post, is not respectful at all.

I agree with Nide (Bob) in that most of the folks at PN are not involved in the
politics of OBT. Many aren't.

So as Liza is stunned, I am stunned to see this thread here. DocJohn does not
need more negative attitude or accusations (that do not have EVIDENCE, but only speculation)..to bring problems to this board, about another venue.
We are lucky to have this wonderful place...let's not denigrate another place using a wonderful, generous positive one. There are emails and PMs to share your feelings.

If folks do not like OBT...then don't go there. But don't cast aspersions on those of us who choose to participate there in our own way.

I donated, I was banned, I was hurt, and I got over it. It is time others move on as well.

Sorry, off the soap box.

one more thing... remember if it were not for OBT (and all it flaws as well)
we all would not have met each other, and this thread would not even exist.
Think about that. What is more important? The politics, your disappointments, or the facts and connections we all made?