unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Mar 10, 2012 18:09:30 GMT -5
Hi everyone, I just the other day visited the Lapidary/ Gem Community forum for the first time. I registered but am still waitting to be approved. As I noticed a lot of familiar names from here over there I thought I would ask you all how long it takes to become accepted as a new member. Thanks Stu
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Mar 10, 2012 18:14:22 GMT -5
I'm still waiting too,unclestu.
snuffy
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Mar 10, 2012 18:22:27 GMT -5
Sounds like it might be a liberal conspiracy LOL
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Mar 10, 2012 18:28:34 GMT -5
LOL Yeah,may be checking old posts and just taking Dimocrats.
snuffy
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Mar 10, 2012 18:51:38 GMT -5
yea they don't want to un balance the status "quota"
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Post by tntmom on Mar 10, 2012 19:41:22 GMT -5
Lol Stu and Snuffy,
The Admin just changed hands, Aaron is an active member here too. I'll pm you guys.
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StoneCrazy
spending too much on rocks
Stone Crazy
Member since July 2011
Posts: 331
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Post by StoneCrazy on Mar 10, 2012 20:07:51 GMT -5
I did it a couple of weeks ago. Finally got on but it took awhile
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Post by Toad on Mar 10, 2012 22:12:07 GMT -5
What's a link to the site?
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nuevomundo
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2010
Posts: 222
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Post by nuevomundo on Mar 10, 2012 22:44:40 GMT -5
Hey all, So, as a matter of course, I send out confirmation emails with a couple basic questions before I approve new accounts on that forum. This is just to keep out spammers. No liberal conspiracy here - anyone is welcome as long as they have a legit interest and are not just showing up to spam the board. When I recognize a username, I will sometimes approve that account right away without bothering with the email to filter out spammers/bots. Unless I am mistaken, Stu, I approved your membership right away... I even sent you a separate note from my email account (nuevomundoimports@gmail.com) Perhaps these got sent to your spam folder? It would be dated the 8th, I believe... Anyhow, Snuffy, I just approved you too. If you register, and don't get a verification email to respond to within a day or so, feel free to email me. As long as I know you are a PERSON with a basic understanding of English, I will approve you. Not trying to keep out any of you fine folks. Just weeding out those who dont have a legit interest in the forum. I just stepped in as moderator on the other forum, so have been getting my sea legs under me and also trying to keep up with life... So forgive any delays or mix-ups. BTW, the URL for anyone looking for it is gemstone.smfforfree4.com
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billg22
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 451
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Post by billg22 on Mar 11, 2012 1:44:19 GMT -5
Why stray from this site?
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Mar 11, 2012 9:55:52 GMT -5
Thanks nuevomundo I just introduced myself on the other forum No offense to RTH this place is my home. I just noticed that they offered boards with regard to other areas of interest that I will be getting involved in. Metal smithing, beading, intersia Stu
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snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Mar 11, 2012 10:06:26 GMT -5
Thanks from me too! I belong to 4 now,browse em all waiting for new posts to read.
snuffy
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Post by Original Admin on Mar 11, 2012 15:26:57 GMT -5
Well when you log in over there - dont forget to link back to RTH for us will you We always appreciate links from other lapidary forums and I am certain they will allow it - let me know though if it isnt allowed. Mark
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Mar 11, 2012 15:28:34 GMT -5
Will do.
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Post by mrswtownsend on Mar 11, 2012 16:38:42 GMT -5
The way I learned about this forum was from someone mentioning it on that forum...
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chromenut
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2009
Posts: 1,971
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Post by chromenut on Mar 11, 2012 18:44:27 GMT -5
I wanna join! But just to spam..lol
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Mar 11, 2012 20:56:57 GMT -5
I like looking at the work over there (as a guest) when it is slow here, some great stuff. But for me RTH is my Rock Tumbling Home. I have learned just about everything I know about the hobby right here.
Bill
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Mar 14, 2012 13:55:47 GMT -5
I read a couple valuable tutorials over there before it closed down. Glad to hear it is back up. I registered a while back and was never approved.
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Post by helens on Mar 15, 2012 1:57:29 GMT -5
That's a great forum too, tons of info. I actually registered there a month before here. I just like the people here best (not that I don't like people there, just never got to know any except Kurt).
The people here are maybe a bit more down to earth? Also, I think the whole paranoia about people cheating and stealing from trading or selling... while there's some complaints about that here too, I really don't see the problem. You have the new person ship first in a trade. If people don't get their stuff, they're going to complain. Maybe I've just been lucky, but I can't imagine anyone here being dishonest about a few dollars.
For a buy, paypal has a 45 day complaint policy, and if money's involved and you don't get your stuff, you get it back from Paypal. Don't pay unless the person has a confirmed paypal account. If it's confirmed, it's pretty darn safe. If you pay via credit card and paypal, that's double the protection, the bank should take off the charges if paypal doesn't (that's unheard of tho for me).
I honestly was put off a bit by the policy of 50 posts before you post a trade, not sure how that helps anyone, but it definitely made me not want to post trades, and as weird as that sounds, it's a small test for me about the strangers in a new place. I am prepared to lose 100% in a trade, because in the long term, I find out if I don't want to waste my time, which is way more valuable than my stuff. I have made several trades, and I consider myself a fairly generous person. The people on THIS forum blow me away for generosity... that's pretty amazing to me. And one thing I think most people also realize is birds of a feather tend to flock together (maybe not politically LOL!).
The 50 post thing is both too little and too much. Too little because I can do 50 posts in less than an hour, just bumping threads with OOOH! On every forum, there's so many wonderful things to read and comment on. What's 50 posts going to tell anyone?
Too much, because it assumes that new people are untrustworthy until proven otherwise. Not a friendly atmosphere right off the bat. Trust is a fragile but important thing... and there's no reason to distrust at all, someone has to ship first, the new person does it as a protocol, not a big deal. People with 1 post can do that, without telling them they aren't allowed to do this or that til they've 'earned' a privilege.
After I read that, it just made me wary of the forum because of that tone of distrust. Generally, untrustworthy people are mistrustful IMO. Not always true of course, but it's a visceral perception. If you don't trust me, why should I trust YOU? I just avoid those situations if possible.
And maybe it's just that, already coloring my perception of the place, but for some weird reason, I always feel like I'm walking on eggshells when I post there. I don't NEED to post at all, but I find that when I do, I'm rethinking about what I said for a long time afterwards. I'm new, so I don't want to offend... how do I 'earn' that privilege? PFFT. It's too hard to make real friends in that atmosphere.
I ENJOY posting here, and I'm sure there are times I say stupid things, tired things, offensive things, without thinking. I've gotten into arguments, I've aggravated people with my opinions, and probably post a little bit too much... but that's because despite all the arguing... I LIKE these people, even the ones I argue with, because they are just that much more 'real' to me.
And finally, I don't like censorship. I can say 'shit', 'boobs', and whatever pops into my head, and no one's going to come behind me to clean it up. Now I'm not a potty mouth... but there's just a little bit more freedom because we know we can do it, even tho it's bad.
I just realized an important thing that makes this board special. BECAUSE anyone can be as bad as they want here... the fact that no one really is bad tells you a lot about the caliber of the people on this forum. Sure, there are strong opinions about politics, but it's not hateful... and it COULD EASILY be. It happens to be one of those rare topics that's like a litmus test. Can you disagree and still get along? Still talk civilly about other things? And despite some pretty strong opinions, and real disagreement... there is no real animosity.
More than any single thing, that people can contain themselves even while vehemently opposed to what someone else is saying... that says something about their character, even the most colorful and opinionated people on the forum. If the worst of us is not that bad... what's the best of us like? Good people. Good forum. We are free to be rotten, but we're not rotten anyway. That's why I like it here:P.
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Mar 15, 2012 8:52:30 GMT -5
Helen the number of posts does nothing in the way of proving a member is trust worthy or honorable. People who join these forums with a true passion for the hobby are not the problem. The problem lies with the reality that there are dirt bags out there just looking for a place to do their thing. Which is to rip people off. Here is a simple scenario: New member joins forum and posts a sad story of how he has no knowledge of rocks but needs to liquidate the life long collection of his late grand father. Seems as though he has some really nice stuff at really great prices however the senior more experienced members stay away. Then another nube sees the thread and seeing as how everyone has been so nice and helpful to him he makes a purchases. The items arrive faster than promises and in a larger quantity and better quality than purchased. Eager to show his thanks the nube buyer posts a glowing review of the nube seller and now the trap has been baited. A couple of more nubes buy with equal results so not everyone thinks this nube seller is legit and it is safe to go into the water. It is than that the shark attacks just after the buying feeding frenzy begins. It is than when the people get ripped off. You need restrictions of some kind in order to make it more difficult and time consuming for these type of people to function on the forum. Oh the example that was given was not pulled out of the air. It did happen fortunately I was the lucky nube that made out OK but ended up buying stolen merchandise. There was no dead grand fathers collection just stolen goods. Stu
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