Hello all

[tadpole]

i would like to that the moderators and admin team, for the great comments you put on the internet about your new members, in case you forgot here it is again :-

Posts: 5. Rep: lee greagsbey has got that new member smell. Default Re: Dart Frogs ... Many thanks, Lee. lee greagsbey is offline. Digg this Post! ...
Thanks a lot, i will no longer be part of the friendly forum of yours.

i have to agree with this poster, the quip you deem harmless i find obnoxious also. apparently new members have to fit in with some predetermined pecking order, like some kind of initiation. it only gets worse from here, for the next level states "so and so has started on the right path". who determines the "right" path? does the "church lady" run this site? all this smacks of hazing and academia, where the only way you get anywhere is to KISS some butt. i think whoever dreamed these snappy little phrases up should be kissing my butt for sharing 40 years worth of amphibian advise for free.

[Kurt]

i have to agree with this poster, the quip you deem harmless i find obnoxious also. apparently new members have to fit in with some predetermined pecking order, like some kind of initiation. it only gets worse from here, for the next level states "so and so has started on the right path". who determines the "right" path? does the "church lady" run this site? all this smacks of hazing and academia, where the only way you get anywhere is to KISS some butt. i think whoever dreamed these snappy little phrases up should be kissing my butt for sharing 40 years worth of amphibian advise for free.

I can assure that there is no pecking order here. How rank is determined, and the I use the term rank very loosely, is by merit and not by number of posts. It is the number of reputation points you have been awarded. If you are giving sound advice, other members will add to your reputation and over a period of time your reputation grows. To make it clear, it's the membership that gives out reputation points. They are not awarded solely by the administrators and moderators, though we can add to them, but no more than anyone else.

If you are giving bad advice, on the other hand, others will call you on it, and there are plenty of experts here that will do that. Negative reputation points can also be given. Before giving any, keep in mind that I always try to look into negative points given to make sure they are legit. So, if someone is unfairly giving negative points, I will call them on it.

I am sorry that you and lee greagsbey found the comments that come with the rankings offensive, they are not meant to be. They have been in place for quite sometime, and up to this point there hasn't been any complaint. Personally, I never paid any attention to them. To me they were always meaningless.

OK? I hope this makes things a little clearer.

[bshmerlie]

i think whoever dreamed these snappy little phrases up should be kissing my butt for sharing 40 years worth of amphibian advise for free.

I would like to think we're all here because we love frogs and by sharing our experiences and expertise we are helping to improve and educate our community. We shouldn't be doing this to "earn points" but to help people. Just yesterday I commented on a new member that is highly respected on a different forum. He to, over time will build on his reputation here on this forum if he continues to post here. By his professional responses he will "earn" that reputation. And it wont simply be based on how many years he has kept frogs but how helpful he is to the members here. 40 years of caring for frogs is fantastic and we hope that you continue to share what you have learned over the years because you care about improving the "frog community".

[Jace]

Very nicely said, Cheri. When I joined this Forum, I wanted to do two things: share what limited knowledge I have and learn, learn, learn! I have definitely learned a lot and thank every single person, new, senior, old, young, male and female, for sharing their own experiences with me. I hope that I in turn, helped others. That is what this Forum is about. And I hope it continues. Thanks everyone.

[Kurt]

You're welcome.

[Paul Rust]

You know Jo, I came here with 25 years of frog breeding and medical experience and thought I had it all figured out. Until I met Kurt
I learn something everyday from John, Kurt, even the modest Jo-Anna has tought me things. Rep makes no difference. I always approach a new member with the attitude that they can teach me something and I can teach them something. Most of the members here feel the same and it makes for an easy going place to learn and not get flamed for stupid questions....we all started from somewhere!

[Kurt]

I was built in a lab at MIT out of spare parts from other batrachologists.