After much soul-searching and trying of alternate management styles, I have made a decision over how to run UER.

I gave the moderators power, but within hours they were overrun with shit-disturbers, trolls, and other people who were pushing them to their limits. The members attacked Misfit because he was the one doing most of the announcements. There was major chaos.

I just can't sit idly by and watch my baby, the site I built with my own two hands, crumble before my eyes. It's time to take action.

I REALLY wanted me "not running UER" to work. But it didn't work out.

So, effective immediatly, I am back.

UER is my website. I welcome all urban explorers to meet, greet, and share here on this site. But don't think for even a second that I will allow any sort of bullshit, trolling, or shit-disturbing.

All of the current moderators will remain moderators. They are to be treated with respect. Any lack of respect shown towards a moderator may result in a permanent ban.

If you have a problem with a member, moderator, feature, or anything else on UER, you may take up the issue with a moderator, or with myself.

If you wish to bash UER, it's administration, or it's members, your comments, posts, signatures, pictures, or other hate speech will be removed, and you shall consider yourself warned. If your insolence continues, you will be banned.




To distill all that down: If you're an explorer and you enjoy the resources and community that UER offers, you are welcome. If you don't, you are asked to leave immediatly.

Thank you.

Posted by Avatar-X To distill all that down: If you're an explorer and you enjoy the resources and community that UER offers, you are welcome. If you don't, you are asked to leave immediatly. Thank you.

Serious question:
What if you are not an explorer?

Posted by Mr. Yuk Serious question: What if you are not an explorer?

Not everyone is physically able to actually go out and explore. I welcome them to share their insights and opinions, and to enjoy the stories and photography of others.

However, once again, if they are only here to cause trouble, they will no longer be welcome.

Thank God, Finaly maybe order will be restored and everyone who complains about everything stupid will be put in their place.


Welcome back Av...

I like ExKa's phrase for all of this:

"Its Av's Clubhouse and he can do what he wants"

TO be honest, I never really noticed that you were "gone"

Hey AV good to meet ya.....

Welcome Back!

Okay... I'm pretty much afraid to say anything here, because I can honestly say I DON'T want to get banned. So, please do not take this as trolling, flaming, or shit-stirring, because that's not how it's intended.

I think your determination to be more iron-fisted (which, unless I'm mistaken, is the point of your post), is just going to make the ongoing problems worse.

95% of the problems around here, from what I can tell, are caused by people feeling like they aren't free to discuss site policy or decisions. This IS your site. You don't have to do a single thing anyone tells you to do, and only the most retarded of users would say otherwise. But the fact that no one feels like they can even discuss any of the decisions around here without risking their membership is creating a lot of resentment. Basically, what I'm saying is...

Reasonable people aren't going to fault you for running the site the way you want to. But some of those reasonable people are going to resent it when you won't even allow them to question the way you're running it. And that's always, always, always going to lead to divisiveness and problems. We've witnessed it firsthand with the sheer amount of respected members that are no longer around.

I guess I'm just saying you should maybe try and foster a more discussion-friendly environment when it comes to site policies and decisions, not stifle it. Yeah, it's going to mean more public bitching and moaning--debates always do. But it really will ultimately lead to more harmony around here.

That's all I have to say. Please don't ban me

If only that were true.

For almost 4 years, I tried my very best to make this site the best for everyone. Discussions were open and allowed, bans were infrequent and obvious. An incredible amount of trolling, flaming, and other shit went on, and we allowed it, all in the name of free discussion and near (but not quite) free-speech.

So what happened? Did all problems get solved and was there harmony? No, of course not. In fact, it eventually led to one of the biggest fallouts this site has ever had.

We tried it that way for so long, WR. It didn't work. Now it's time to try it the way every other forum on the internet is run.

Respect is expected. Those who do not respect their peers will no longer be among the group.

-av

Posted by Avatar-X For almost 4 years, I tried my very best to make this site the best for everyone. Discussions were open and allowed, bans were infrequent and obvious. An incredible amount of trolling, flaming, and other shit went on, and we allowed it, all in the name of free discussion and near (but not quite) free-speech.

Well... Honestly, I think that was when UER was at its best. And I think a lot of people would agree with me. I know it wasn't perfect, but what message board ever has been? And considering that this message board is HUGE and that social problems seem to increase exponentially with the population, I think it was actually handled pretty well.

I mean... There might be less public fighting going on here right now, but UER morale has never been this low. It's pretty obvious that a greater chunk of the people are unhappy. There's people that have left the site that I NEVER thought would. It's more than a little shocking.

Besides... If you allowed discussion of site policy and issues ONLY in the Site Concerns forum, you could still keep the bazillion other forums clean. Because anywhere else it would be off-topic and you could move it.

And I'm not saying you have to listen or even take seriously anything anyone might say in regards to site policy. I'm just saying I think things would be better if you just let them say it.

Posted by Avatar-X If only that were true. For almost 4 years, I tried my very best to make this site the best for everyone. Discussions were open and allowed, bans were infrequent and obvious. An incredible amount of trolling, flaming, and other shit went on, and we allowed it, all in the name of free discussion and near (but not quite) free-speech. So what happened? Did all problems get solved and was there harmony? No, of course not. In fact, it eventually led to one of the biggest fallouts this site has ever had. We tried it that way for so long, WR. It didn't work. Now it's time to try it the way every other forum on the internet is run. Respect is expected. Those who do not respect their peers will no longer be among the group. -av

Respect should be earned, not expected.
That may get me banned, but that's my 2 cents worth.

Honestly, I think that was when UER was at its best

We also had the oversight of Ninj back then. We don't anymore. Unfortunatly, this is not a situation I can fix. I am nothing compared to Ninj --- he would have been able to fix this situation to everyone's content. I can only do what I think is right.

But UER morale has never been this low. It's pretty obvious that a greater chunk of the people are unhappy.

Not really. As the global site-wide poll that I did showed, most of UER doesn't care for the political crap and just wants to use this site as an exploration resource. So that is what I am doing: Getting rid of the bullshit.

Besides... If you allowed discussion of site policy and issues ONLY in the Site Concerns forum, you could still keep the bazillion other forums clean. Because anywhere else it would be off-topic and you could move it.

Once again, this is how it was for years. All it did was cause even more fighting and make me physically sick.

I'm just saying I think things would be better if you just let them say it.

They will be able to say it ... to a moderator. And if more discussion is warranted, then the public can be invited.

-av

I think there just needs to be a brawl room, if you have something to say about someone say it in there. That is how a site I work for is ran but to each is own. CANT WE ALL JUST GET ALONG

Posted by 0U812 Respect should be earned, not expected. That may get me banned, but that's my 2 cents worth.

No. When you go to a job interview, you respect your potential employer. When you get the job, you respect your co-workers. When you run into a stranger on the street, you respect that person.

The same goes for UER. When you join UER, you should respect all of the members of UER and especially the administration.

If you do not do this, you will find that UER does not respect you enough to keep you around.

Posted by Avatar-X No. When you go to a job interview, you respect your potential employer. When you get the job, you respect your co-workers. When you run into a stranger on the street, you respect that person. The same goes for UER. When you join UER, you should respect all of the members of UER and especially the administration. If you do not do this, you will find that UER does not respect you enough to keep you around.

Yeah, that's what I figured.

Posted by Avatar-X No. When you go to a job interview, you respect your potential employer. When you get the job, you respect your co-workers. When you run into a stranger on the street, you respect that person.

In which reality? May I visit some day?

Chris...

Welcome Back Av...get your boots on. the shit is deep!

First let me say, Av, this isn't politics but the topic this thread is about so don't start with your "get out of the politics" bullshit.

I FULLY agree with White Rabbit. I think, that when the site went to shit, yes the Mods were in charge here... BUT you never backed off, you did most the banning and deleting, that is what pissed people off. NOT what the mods were doing. You make it sound like the mods are to blame, it's all them that made the site suck. I'm sorry but they were listening. They would allow people to put their two cents worth, they hadn't even gotten time to get their stuff in order. But you never left as you said you would. I don't hear people saying what an ass --- Mod is. I have heard two mods names in the past month, and I know why. But that is all.

Plus this "global poll." Please, it was a sham to start with. This was all pretty much before and believe it or not, yes, most the people here are pretty upset.

I wish people would quit flogging a dead horse! This is Av's site to do with what he wants. We may live in a democracy but sometimes the leader has to make an executive decision that might not be popular but we have to live with it.

It's good and it's bad that this site has become the benchmark for communities of people interested in exploring the urban/rural environment. It's good because of the wealth of knowledge and experience that is here. The downside is all the politics that seems to have consumed the community.

The politics is really spoiling the fun of exploring. I'm on the verge of asking for my account to be closed.