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Ya'll take it easy on good ol' Ray.  He's harmless and adds much to the posts on CADO even though you don't always have to agree with him. 

I noticed that he didn't say anything about FICUS, you did.  Both of you, please put aside your personal issues on a public forum and address them in private.  It's not professional.

Knowledge speaks - Wisdom listens.

Thanks Mark, but I have no desire to rewrite the original post, and quite frankly, were I not answering your post, wouldn't say anything at all. 

I grow weary of the superior attitude that seems to prevail, the seeming need to monitor and censor with peer pressure other's words.  There was no reason to be ''called to the carpet' when it was clear that all that was done was some good natured poking fun at a fellow poster.  I thought anyone with good sense would be able to see the intention of my post, but apparently not.  Apparently there was some need to create an issue out of nothing and accuse of unprofessional behavior.  I hear this voice in my head saying those final words and I feel a bit like I'm standing in the hallway with Dorothy and her friends and "the great and powerful Oz" has spoken. 

This is silly and I have no desire to continue it, but I feel I should mention the hypocrisy of this whole thing.  In another thread a poster actually accused someone of 'being a liar' and questioned their ability to successfully perform their work (this person was a roofer who was posting) and I notice that no one felt the need to mention unprofessional behavior to the one who called another a liar, nor was there the need to add any additional cryptic comments.  This is a tiresome continuation of an old subject, one which I have no desire to get on my soapbox and discuss. 

What kind of moderation if any would work for a forum of this type?  When I first saw the post made by Meg, my thought was what has this got to do with the subject "Lightning Strike", I then moved on. I did not see the liar post but I will try to locate it. The forum provides a tool to report posts that a viewer may feel is wrong or out of line, the Alert icon.

Seems I have started a friction fire with a water extraction contractor, a roofing contractor and an adjuster weary of my copywright that is in place and working NOW. The friction seems to be shaping their post  to express  myths and urban legends to dismiss true facts and spread this propaganda.

I think maybe we all need some work to keep us busy. I remember a couple decades ago when I was a pastor in the Anthracite region of Pennsylvania and it seemed that everybody started sniping at each other when the winter got too long. Maybe our winter between catastrophe assignmemnts has gotten too long at this point.

I am sort of the junior moderator here. Roy and Tom have been doing this a whole lot longer than I have. But here is my perspective, for what it is worth. I feel that there was a time not so long ago when the forums were just out of control. They reflected poorly on our whole profession. In fact, one had to wade through continual chatter, name-calling, and even libel to find a few nuggets of anything worthwhile here. Roy posted a request for people who were interested in helping with the moderation of the site to contact him. He basically asked for volunteers, and I volunteered with a great deal of trepidation. I knew that it would draw some fire, but I was also interested in seeing CADO continue as a quality site, as well as being representative of the best face of our industry and profession.

I'm sure that Meg will not take offense when I tell her that there really is no "Great and Powerful Oz". There is just a guy hiding behind the curtain, pulling levers, and talking into the microphone. The truth is that it's been quite some time since I pushed the delete button on a post. The truth is that we very carefully consider whether to delete a post, and usually decide to leave the post intact. The truth is that people edit their own posts more often than we edit them. Humor is not banned from this site. Self expression is not banned from this site. Difference of opinion is not banned on this site. The rules that govern the site are clearly posted, and are the sole provence of Roy Cupps to change. After all, Roy owns this site and has worked hard over the past twelve years to make it the premiere site for the catadjusting community. He has the right to make the rules. And I moderate only because he says I can, and because I chose to help out here. Tom, Roy, and I simply try to step in when a post goes too far over the line. That line is not set in stone and cannot be measured with a Disto. We have to use our best judgement. Each decision to edit or not to edit is weighed carefully, often behind the scenes, behind Oz's curtain if you will. When you pull back the curtain you simply find a rather flustered yet jovial balding man who isn't that scary or difficult after all.

As a moderator I saw no reason to edit or delete any posts within the last month. We have varying personalities on CADO and that must be taken into consideration. Now, if a swearing match pops up with insults or possible libel, (defamation of ones honesty or character) of another, then they will be modified or deleted. I believe in free speech, but not to the extent people should put down others. That, sometimes, is a fine line that must be considered, so I always go back and try to analyze that persons personality.

Sometimes you have to read between the lines to analyze some adjusters comments (posts). I personally would prefer that statments be forthright and easily interpreted. Anyway, there has been a vast improvement in the way posts have been made in the past two years, and I, as a moderator, appreciate it and am positive Roy and Steve do too. Keep up the good work.

Nope, not a moderator in training.  Just another adjuster who has been helped by the numerous posts and tips offered by the veterans in the industry.  I've seen adjusters wince in pain as they gave me their hard earned secrets, so I know how valuable the forums here are as well as the information in archive are.  With patience, there are plenty of valuable nuggets in here to find.  I continue to come to CADO and get that information and strive to improve my adjusting abilities.

Now, if I see someone else getting razzed, or a fellow neighbor who needs to borrow something, or somebody with a flat tire on the side of the road, I just feel that its better to step in and be constructive as opposed to rubbernecking and doing nothing.  No one should stand by because they aren't qualified (as a Minister, Fireman, Repairman, or Moderator) to jump in and help.  I use these examples to make it clear that one's association shouldn't be an issue in deciding to help someone.  I just didn't see how Meg's original post was good natured poking while she used the phonetics of FICUS to allude to the f-bomb on public forum.  From what I know of Meg, she certainly wasn't trying to be poison mean and that's why I told her to take it easy.  Like some of you, I got tired of hearing about the FICUS theme surface in almost every topic and forum and politely asked him to tone it down.  Ray's toned it down considerably since he first copyrighted his idea and shouldn't need to keep getting flack as a reward.  If you wish to read about it, Ray has his very own forum that outlines the pros and cons about it.  Click on FICUS and state your opinions regarding his personnel enhancement theory there.

I agree with Mark and Steve about the censorship issue and see that it's unnecessary to delete peoples' opinions because you don't like them, but this issue wasn't a matter of stating a negative opinion, but of someone getting razzed.  Getting razzed takes place on another website, so there is a place and a user agreement for that.  I also see that freedom of speech is a privilege that many have fought and died for, so I don't see that this freedom nor censorship should be abused.  I know that Roy, Steve, Tom and everyone else who visits here all want to see that this privilege is preserved.  Meg: you offer much value to the forums of CADO and I enjoy reading your columns.  I tried the best I could to draw a line and be constructive, so please don't see that as an effort by me to censor or snuff you out.  Thank you all for returning the same level of respect for my opinions.

Cute remark, Rob.