Have to agree with Groo-
"Chris, we don't say it enough (ever?) but your presence is appreciated just as much as Doug's site. Thanks for the work behind the scenes.... moderating anything is a difficult, thankless job."

Thanks to you and Doug for providing this place, and providing adult supervision when needed.
I have to say, this is the most civil and well behaved group of people I interact with, and really hope it stays that way.
Joey

The useful knowledge contained on ETS brought me here initially. The "flavor" of the forum keeps me coming back on a near-daily basis: the opportunity to exchange information and learn from a diverse group of nice folks from around the world. Chris's gentle touch with the reins helps keep it that way. Thanks Chris!

Well, Chris, please explain. Why, exactly, don't you want these words here?

Talk about an attack of political correctness. The company AT which I work (not FOR, there is a distinction), was recently bought out. Holy cow, you should have seen the proceedings! Everyone had to dress well and not behave like Bluto Blutarsky.

You would have thought Moses was visiting AND bringing the 10 Commandments on the original stone tablets. People who usually wear shorts in the office (we're VERY casual) were wearing shirts and ties. It just about killed them. And me. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

-- Craig

Actually, it pulled a Houdini and vanished. Honest. It was there this past Sunday.

-- Craig

Agreed. Equipped remains the one and only web forum to which I have ever contributed money. I intend to contribute again, after I have finished paying my yearly school taxes and my condominium fire insurance. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

The knowledge I have obtained here is priceless. And the people are nice, too. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

-- Craig

Brandtb,

I know you asked Chris to explain, but I'll take a shot at it.

Those words are judgemental, derogatory, and insulting to some. They have nothing to do with the topic of this forum and only stir things up, promote topic drift, and cause Chris and Doug headaches. No positive purpose is promoted by their use. There are plenty of political smear forums available on the web for people to visit and ETS isn't one of them.

I admit that I have been guilty of using the sheep term on other forums in the past, but I realized a while ago that it only hurt my "causes" instead of helping. Divisive language never helped anybody's cause. People on one side yell "PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER." while those on the other side yell "commie", people are converted to labels, and the real issues never get addressed.

Not everybody on this forum has the same political or idealogical agenda and Doug and Chris both work very hard to make sure that things stay neutral so that the topic, survival preparedness (not survivalism), stays the focus.

Chris, thank you (and thanks to Doug, too)! I've learned a heck of a lot on ETS from you both, as well as from all the other forum participants -- and it's to everyone's credit that our discussions generally are civil (though spirited <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />). Thanks again.

Wow Chris, I could read your stories all day. Really, I find them quite interesting.

I'm grateful that you take on the task of making this forum pretty friendly. This site is one of the few I frequent where I actually feel pretty good about posting things, and learning from others. It would be such a shame if you weren't around.

That pretty well covered it,thankyou. I did have a few emails from guests and hopefully future members who took offense. California is a funny state. We gave the world Nixon and Reagan and get remembered for Jerry Brown. Personally I don't care, but exclusionary slang gets really old. I attended a gunshow before the last elections. Somebody overheard me explaining a collectable piece of Coast Guard equippment ( you know your getting old when your junk goes on the antique roadshow <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />) decided I was a swiftboat veteran and "what did I think about Kerry's war record. " oh, not much, about as much as I think of Bush's. Me, I'm voting for Ralph Nader again." He backed up faster than Bela Lugosi from a mirror and spent the weekend silicone cloth buffing an old springfield sporter like the victim of a compulsive disorder and glaring at me. That night I went to a local environmental meeting and heard the same stale PC speak and upset somebody there wearing cowboy boots. I even got the Unitarians mad at me once. They burned a question mark on my front lawn <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />