Check Your Membership Privilege

Just a quick note talking about membership.  There are no issues (that I’m aware of), and I am glad to see some new faces, and some old.  There are a good number of accounts here which don’t see much activity.  People kind of come and go as they please.  A recurring topic is the site’s relationship with Ricochet, or at least the members’ relationship, and there is no issue there either.  I do try to maintain a “good neighbor” stance toward Ricochet, and heaven knows that good fences make good neighbors.  I would not like to see this site become what Charles Johnson used to call a “stalker site”, existing only to throw stones at a former membership locus.  On the other hand, one thing that many here have in common is a certain displeasure with TPTB with the blog across the street, so conversation veers that way from time to time.  I find that I neither need to whip it up nor suppress it, as it seems to come and go in the course of natural conversation.

I bring all of this up just to make it clear that membership here carries no obligation to carry yourself one way or another over there — I’ll never tell you that you can’t be a member here if you are a member somewhere else, and I wouldn’t want to belong to a blog that did so.  I talk smack about that joint from time to time, but I don’t let it get to me.  There are people I miss over there, and there are some over there who will never be welcome here, but in both cases that’s about who they are, not where they post.

Good to see folks drifting in, and I want members here to be comfortable in their own skins.  I try not to swear too much, but sometimes I still do — I think this is likely true of all of us.  I reserve the right to eject anybody at any time, but I’ve done it exactly once and I don’t see it becoming “a thing”.  I have deleted some accounts but largely out of prudence — if I think you probably don’t want your account here, I wiped it out.  If you want back in, that’s easy, too.  I just think there were some folks who came in, looked about, and decided not to come back.  Easy day.

It’s you guys who make the site.  I’m grateful.  Family events have delayed my other areas of maintenance and growth — I’ll get back to hosing out my old FB group and then re-commission it as an adjunct to this.

I invite those of you who are so inclined to follow this site’s account at @BallDiamondBall on Twitter.  Finally, please see my recent post soliciting a new (or additional) timeslot for the weekly phonecon.  I am thinking of consolidating the two phone numbers we use now, and probably start a new phonecon at some point.  Might start this week’s phone call an hour and a half earlier than usual.  We’ll see.

Thanks!  Welcome.

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22 Responses to Check Your Membership Privilege

  1. MLHMLH says:

    Any chance you can clear out the “inbounds” (nothing/no one recognizable there)?

  2. 10 Cents10 Cents says:

    My thoughts are public sites and public figures are fair game since these people have an ability to respond. Stone throwing at private individuals should be refrained against.

    I am up for a little friendly teasing as long as it is good natured.

  3. blondieblondie says:

    I thank you for hosting the site, BDB. I love reading all you guys even though I might not always comment.

  4. NandaNanda says:

    Ever grateful for safe harbor during choppy seas, some time ago! Looking forward to the more formal FB presence…It might make that place bearable. :-)

  5. Susan in SeattleSusan in Seattle says:

    While a frequent visitor here, I hardly ever comment. I lurk and am glad to see familiar names.

  6. RightAnglesRightAngles says:

    I drop in more than I comment, but I love it here, FYI.

  7. Columbo says:

    Testing. I hear this is where the cool kids hang out? Am I right?

    • 10 Cents10 Cents says:

      Mostly right. Brent is here.

    • AdministratorAdministrator says:

      Heyyy! Good to see you too. What on Earth must be happening over there? How many inches of condescension have fallen from Tropical Depression Ric?

  8. Xennady says:

    Yes, you’re right.