Has Somersoft changed or have I?

[weg]

Some of the D & Gers around at the moment I'd consider intelligent, well informed and not out to prove any point, and I actually enjoy their posts and the richness they bring to these boards.

Seriously, all one sided, especially at this point in time would make me uneasy and suspicious - like spruiking does.

Many D & G ers are actually bulls who have gone a little bearish. Imo I wouldn't consider any to be trolls or to be reducing the quality of the boards in any way.

Many have a more 'balanced' view on world events, the economy and housing than some of the bulls do, and I certainly wouldn't class them as extreme by a long shot.

But I agree the boards have taken a quieter tone. Property Market Economics especially has really quietened down and I think it reflects how things are going in the economy (OK not all places) and the uncertainty of where people should put their money (investment classes).

 

[pieman]

Sort of miss the crackpots like norecourse who promised 40% drop in 6 months at the beginning of the GFC. Posters of his ilk and the aptly titled doom and gloom forum missing doesn't make for an as interesting extreme view. I did have a few laughs posting over there
Why, your "buy gold" threads thommo, dont cut it with me anymore.
I want some of that hardcore end of the world stuff.

 

[Kenster]

I agree with most comments we have so far, it is the lackluster market that makes people feel uncertain about their ability to boast around.

In the old time when the market was more erratic, everyone, doomers or gloomers, had the chance to predict and prove right "I made a killing here", "I told you so"...

Wait for the election year 2012 is over, maybe we will have some perma-bears crowing again.

Then from the bottom of the ashes of a bust, the perma-bulls then will be rising...

 

[gottabespotless]

I find I'm more of a lurker again these days - not that I've been a member for very long though. Still enjoy reading the posts .

 

[Peter 14.7]

Hi All

Personally, I came on board 2003 and was invited to be moderator from 2005.Stepped down in 2007 and since then post infrequently. Why?

A few reasons, some as said earlier;

Change in Life: I retired as Mod to focus on our new daughter and a tree change. You change. My wife was high power, inner city businesswomen and now reads at school, learns french and makes serious jams. Me, I work only half the week as the business is now mature. Our interests elsewhere. We did some traveling OS. I think if your goal in property is to provide financial independence that when you get there, you enjoy it.

Forum can be Nasty there appears to be a lot more people here who are not here to learn or teach but to lecture. In the old days, "someone would say, I did this and made that and here is what went wrong or right". We would say yah or nay but still overall the thread was well done. I suggested to my friend who just bought number 10 IP to post and he said "yeah but I will only get lectured". These are the posters SS has lost.

The hard but fair nature of a few years back seems to be gone. Aceyduecy and other and I (especially Dazz) used to go hard but we always played the ball not the man. I.e. I posted recently a genuine question about what "fixed" was and got bagged as stupid. And then when i said "fixing" made the discussion hard to follow and wasted my time, I got ridiculed. Not encouraging to share in that environment.

Lost Focus Lastly, there seems to be an overweight obsessive focus on the macro economic world wide factors of gold versus oil and shares and its impact on property when IMO we need more posts on insurance, tenants and a good buy price. So the more the posts are elsewhere, the less it is on property. I mean, I understand the GFC effects property but fear leads to inaction and that results in no gain.

But I don't post my latest buy/reno/experience because I don't have to time or interest to reply to someone (who BTW seems to never talk or give specifics about their IPS) telling me, I am fool (regardless of all my work) because property is going to crash 40% just like the US. Again, Not encouraging to share in that environment.

Regards, Peter 14.7

 

[pieman]

Hi All



Forum can be Nasty there appears to be a lot more people here who are not here to learn or teach but to lecture. In the old days, "someone would say, I did this and made that and here is what went wrong or right". We would say yah or nay but still overall the thread was well done. I suggested to my friend who just bought number 10 IP to post and he said "yeah but I will only get lectured". These are the posters SS has lost.


Lost Focus Lastly, there seems to be an overweight obsessive focus on the macro economic world wide factors of gold versus oil and shares and its impact on property when IMO we need more posts on insurance, tenants and a good buy price. So the more the posts are elsewhere, the less it is on property. I mean, I understand the GFC effects property but fear leads to inaction and that results in no gain.

But I don't post my latest buy/reno/experience because I don't have to time or interest to reply to someone (who BTW seems to never talk or give specifics about their IPS) telling me, I am fool (regardless of all my work) because property is going to crash 40% just like the US. Again, Not encouraging to share in that environment.

Regards, Peter 14.7

Quite true, in the late 90's when I was using a different username and starting up, there seemed to be enormous amount of help and encouragement on this board. I didn't know **** but there was always someone there to help if the question was asked.
The sentiment often now is negative, reeks of jealousy and a "can't do" attitude.
Fortunately, many of us know that you "can do"

 

[wobbycarly]

As a relative newby, I still enjoy most of what I read. I hope I can add some value, and have a bit of a laugh with some, as well.

In the little time I've been here, I don't see a marked change.

 

[redwing]

It's you...next you'll be getting cranky about "time-wasters"

You're know you're getting old when

1. You start at least three sentences a day with “I can remember when”, or “There used to be…”

2. You know that Regis Philbin was the announcer for the Joey Bishop Show and you remember that Joey Bishop had a show, and you know who Joey Bishop was.

3. You think Betty White is hot!

4. You have to lasso your foot with your sock to get dressed…..and it takes more than one try.

5. You worry that your grand daughter is going to get hurt climbing the stairs…and she is eight!

6. You call the TV remote control “The Clicker”.

7. You know who Cathy Lee Gifford’s husband is.

8. Your doctor calls you Sir.

9. You hate today’s music.

10.……ah…….......you can't remember

or

You Know You're Getting Older When . . .

You're asleep, but others worry that you're dead.

Your ears are hairier than your head

You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.

You can live without sex, but not without glasses.

Your back goes out more than you do.

You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.

You buy a compass for the dash of your car.

Your potted plants stay alive.

Having sex in a twin-sized bed is absurd.

You keep more food than beer in the fridge.

6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to sleep.

You hear your favorite song on the elevator at work.

You carry an umbrella.

You watch the Weather Channel.

Your friends marry and divorce instead of hook-up and break-up.

You go from 130 days of vacation time to 7.

Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up".

You're the one calling the police because those damn kids next door don't know how to turn down the stereo.

Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.

You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.

You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonalds.

Sleeping on the couch is a no-no.

You no longer take naps from noon to 6 p.m.

Dinner and a movie --- the whole date instead of the beginning of one.

MTV News is no longer your primary source for information.

You go to the drugstore for Ibuprofen and antacids, not condoms and pregnancy test kits.

A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good stuff".

You actually eat breakfast foods at breakfast time.

Grocery lists are longer than macaroni & cheese, diet Pepsi and Ho-Ho's

"I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to drink that much again".

Over 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.

You don't get liquored up at home, to save money, before going to a bar.

 

[Rolf Latham]

What happened to Aceyducey (i saw his ex wife Jas post the other day), thefirstbruce, Duncan, seechange, Bill.L etc. I think bad admin and mod decisions encourage some to leave or drift away.

I wont be as diplomatic as Sim.........

Im German and I dont have to be diplomatic, in fact I think I own the TM for ............A German Diplomat is an Oxymoron.


And I will throw the potato straight back .................


Stand and deliver on your definition of "bad admin and mod decisions" in the context of reality pls.

ta
rolf

 

[Mr. Fabulous]

redwing, my moment came a couple months ago when I was at a gig and the pit was going off and I thought to myself 'Geez, I really wanna get amongst it, but I'm getting too old for that sh.t.'

That was a pretty depressing moment.

 

[Rolf Latham]

redwing, my moment came a couple months ago when I was at a gig and the pit was going off and I thought to myself 'Geez, I really wanna get amongst it, but I'm getting too old for that sh.t.'

That was a pretty depressing moment.

hehhee

You have beccome what one of my mates calls a "petunia guy"

We attend a family event where the young people go and have game of touch or the like, and we no longer feel that we want to get involved.


Instead we are more comfy talking to Aunties Ethel and Bertha about the Petunias we are growing

ta
rolf

 

[Rolf Latham]

Are you taking the micky or trying to lay some bait? You must be kidding if you want me to list every mod decision that i thought was subjectively bad, incongruous or inconsistent.

Hey it's human nature to make mistakes so don't take it personally but as a mod you should know full well that any mod decisions rest on their own discretion after consulting the rule book. I've modded boards before but never had a barrow to push like some here who might be selling their services

I will throw your potato back and raise it if you can provide a link to the repository of deleted posts and threads which would show some examples of what you requested, e.g. what reason did Duncan and WinstonWolf give for leaving this board? Two examples off the top of my head in recent weeks would include Mark's thread about the legal risks inherited by shopping centres and the fella who got ripped off by his girlfriend after loaning her money.

Im not asking for examples.............and there is no secret stash of "deleted" posts that I am aware of (other than the trash can which is atemporary park). Im sure if one wanted to spend the time there is plenty of "cached" stuff "out" there.

I am simply asking for your opinion on what is a "bad admin or mod decision". How do YOU define BAD ?



ta
rolf

 

[Andrew_A]

Yes, even the moderation has been pretty dull of late - nothing much requiring attention beyond the occasional over-enthusiastic newbie spruiking their wares.

I tend to agree with some of the suggestions already made - I think the market is a bit lacklustre at the moment and many investors are sitting on their hands, playing the waiting game.

Yes a sideways market (well +/- 10% over many years) isn't that exciting, especially when you have very low turnover such as in 2011.

 

[buzzlightyear]

redwing, my moment came a couple months ago when I was at a gig and the pit was going off and I thought to myself 'Geez, I really wanna get amongst it, but I'm getting too old for that sh.t.'

That was a pretty depressing moment.

Ah the Murtagh moment

 

[lizzie]

What is YOUR definition of a BAD admin or mod decision?

I have been here a lot longer and believe the mods to a brilliant job under, what can sometimes be, difficult decision conditions.

I have only ever seen threads deleted at the request of someone who is personally affect in a negative manner (such as the Dazz shopping centre thread) - or - when a thread has deteriorated into a personal slanging match but is un-editable (ie, individual posts deleted) without losing the entire jist of the thread - or - when there are legal repercussions - or - a thread is closed when it goes wildly off topic, such as ending up as pages of discussion about mod decision, when the thread started out about the "mood" of the forum" - or - spam.

If you think you have been unfairly deleted then give us an example - but start your own thread instead of taking over this one - and we'll give you a combined opinion as to "why".

... now back on topic ...

I find those on SS a bit like friendships ... some come and go as life changes and you both get something from the friendship before moving on ... whilst others stick around forever.

This lull in the market is nice. It's reinforcing my lesson of patience - and it also takes away the stress to "buy this instant". I feel, atm, there is time to look, assess and consider before buying. I know it won't last forever - hoping for just another 6 months or so.

 

[Rockstar]

Anyone agree with my opening statement?

Not for me Sunny. Maybe I have a different motivation for being here than you - as I am sure others do also.

I continue to enjoy the time spent on here and appreciate the contributors who provide help and feedback. I am also grateful to the mods who monitor this site keeping it free of spam, trolls, insults, etc.

There have been some great posters who have disappeared but also some who have blessed us with there presence. That has nothing to do with SS. That's just a choice they take. SS was set up primarily as a help line for a community of property investors. If you have a genuine question or a generous offer of advice or experience SS can deliver this exchange of information. It continues to help me and I hope that most folk here maintain both a generous and grateful attitude. Those who get bored may do well to have a look inside themselves and check their motivation.

 

[geoffw]

the fella who got ripped off by his girlfriend after loaning her money.

This was brought about by the OP asking for the thread to be removed as he had genuine concerns that the girl would come across the thread. We felt that this was a genuine reason for removal.

 

[Sim]

I've modded boards before but never had a barrow to push like some here who might be selling their services.

Who is selling their services?

None of the mods sell their services via the forum. There's no barrow pushing here.

The only mod with an interest in the industry is Rolf - and he has never ever sold his services via posts on the forum.

I think you're on pretty shaky ground here if you start accusing the mods like this. If you have specific issues with individual moderation decisions - feel free to contact me privately and I'd be happy to discuss it with you. I don't appreciate this constant sniping on the forum about perceived issues with the moderation. Either make a specific complaint to me in private, or else get over it ... or move on.

As pointed out with both of your examples - there are very specific reasons why posts get deleted. Sometimes the reasons are of a personal nature and we aren't about to post a full explanation on the forums. Even my explanation about Dazz's thread included more information than Dazz was really happy about - which I was concerned about when I posted it (see my comment at the bottom of my explanation post).

Posts don't just get deleted on a whim.

 

[depreciator]

I like it when threads head off on simultaneous tangents.

redwing, my moment came a couple months ago when I was at a gig and the pit was going off and I thought to myself 'Geez, I really wanna get amongst it, but I'm getting too old for that sh.t.'

That was a pretty depressing moment.

My moment came a few years ago when we were going on a family holiday - driving up the coast. Before we left, I made some sandwiches and stuff to eat in a park somewhere on the way because I decided that morning I couldn't bear the thought anymore of eating the crap they have at servos. I paused as I was making those sandwiches and had sort of an out of body experience. I looked at myself at that bench and saw my father.


And on the other tangent. I've been here for a fair while. All forums have cycles. This is a very well run forum. If the odd thread gets deleted for whatever reason, it's not the end of the world.

 

[luce.rocks]

I agree it seems to have changed. Seems like when I first joined up there was a lot more discussion about adding value through renovations, how to accumulate IPs, and what sort of long term investing plan people had. That's the kind of stuff that helped me during the relatively flat period after the Sydney boom.

Now it's more about where to find CF+ regional properties, or which mining towns will see the best short term CG, or who's building a development or buying their hundredth house. Not that I don't appreciate those threads too, but they're just not quite as useful to me.

As for it being quieter, maybe it's because people don't want to start threads that they think about already been discussed. And simply as a factor of time, there's more stuff that's already been discussed?

E.g., I wouldn't mind starting a thread on tips and strategies for investing in a flat market, but I'm pretty sure it's been discussed before, so I hesitate to start it. And because there are so many more successful investors on this forum, if I did start it, I'd hesitate to add to it!!