     Christine Baker (Admin) | Thursday, May 25, 2000 - 03:45 pm 
I'm hoping to head North for the summer in a few weeks and decided that I will disable posting at that time.
The million dollar question is what to do when I get back. Considering all the problems I've had with the forum this year, I'm very tempted to just get back to investing in real estate, maybe look for some notes, etc. Growing trees sounds like a low stress option ...
On the other hand, Corporate America continually motivates me tremendously to continue the fight for equal rights. When I say "equal rights" I refer to my rights as a human being vs the rights of a corporation.
I really had planned to spend a lot more time on organizing the forum, but my day has only 24 hours.
The ongoing problems with "Robert" pissed me off so bad, I started fight-abuse.org (adults only - language!) to document once again how you have NO legal rights if you don't have the money for an attorney.
And while I'm willing to pay an attorney, I have yet to find one.
Since I've had to look at other forums (due to "Robert's" postings there) I'd like to keep BayHouse going even more.
I'm absolutely AMAZED by the people who give credit advice. I have never monitored other forums before. There is so much outright wrong advice, sometimes by people who truly mean well, but are just clueless.
And then there are so many new credit sites targeting people with bad credit, with so much misinformation! Looking at other credit sites is so aggravating, it's no wonder I rarely do.
"There is nothing that a credit repair company can do for you — for a fee — that you cannot do for yourself for little or no cost."
I can't believe that ANYONE would say that, but to put this lie on a site for people with bad credit is truly outrageous. Even the most intelligent and well educated people can't correctly read a credit report unless they're IN the credit business.
Why would someone make an absurd statement like that? I guess it's because people with bad credit like to hear that they can do everything themselves as well as any credit expert or lawyer with 10 years experience.
Those site owners/promoters frequent forums and it's so obvious that all they do is try to lure people with bad credit to their sites so they'll click on those banner ads ...
One guy has an ad/disclaimer on every posting about 10 lines long! I find that so offensive.
So anyway, I haven't seen a single forum where I would want to post or that I would recommend while BayHouse is closed for posting. Aside from the misinformation, a lot of people are rude and even obscene in their responses.
Of course what's been posted here isn't always correct either, and that is bothering me. There are opinion topis such as morality, but when it comes to SOLs and legal questions we should always be able to quote directly from the law.
I wished I had the time to always research and find the answers on the .gov sites.
The reality is, next year I'm going to have to make some money again. Whatever I'll do, my day has only 24 hours and I DO have other interests besides work and the BayHouse site.
Occasionally I even consider ads at BayHouse, but I can't find any service I'd want to advertise.
I thought maybe I could have a special page just for ** recommended ** products and services, as there is NO way I would add those awful banners.
It would be great to refer readers to lawyers, on-line credit reports, credit cards, banks, etc. and know that those companies will respond to inquiries and not abuse and defraud readers.
Most of the times I inquire about specifics on a service, I don't even get a response. So I don't think that's going to be an option.
I could also offer consulting services again, but not being able to get credit reports is definitely a problem.
Well, those are my thoughts about BayHouse and its future. We'll see what happens ...
Christine |
| Anonymous (Anonymouse) | Tuesday, May 30, 2000 - 02:27 pm
Why not have someone take over in your absense? Disabling posting entirely will have a negative effect on the site - better to keep it going and not loose that traffic - Perhaps Denise Richardson or someone like that? Voit? Any volunteers? I'd do it, but I have a VERY slow connection at home - of course, I am connected like 16 hours a day between work and home... Or perhaps a more ballanced approach - why not apoint a few moderators? I'm not really familiar with your software package, so I'm not real sure what kind of management features it has, but I'm sure several of the regular readers would like to help. |
| Christine Baker (Admin) | Tuesday, May 30, 2000 - 03:25 pm
There really are several problems with that.
1) The software administration takes a while to learn and unfortunately Discus is still releasing new BETAs. Just a week or so ago I had to restore b28 because b29 had a serious bug.
Aside from the difficulties someone with no prior Discus experience would have, it just takes a tremendous amount of time. People lose passwords, E-mail subscription doesn't work right, etc. etc.
I know that Denise is extremely busy with her law suit and most people have things to do.
3)I posted how he.net charged me hundreds for overages after my return from Alaska last year. Aside from "Robert" and the related problems, there could be all kinds of things going wrong.
I can just imagine coming back to law suit for spamming somebody with E-mailed postings they didn't want. How's a bill for $500 x 100 unwanted E-mailed postings?
4)I'm really not worried about traffic, although I just decided to go commercial (watch for a separate posting.) You have to realize that BayHouse existed long before any forum, many sites have been linking to BayHouse for 5 years!
5) This is the MOST IMPORTANT problem:
As long as posting is enabled, I'll be worrying about the forum.
I have dealt with more crap this year than I could have ever imagined. All that while I'm "on vacation."
My life has totally sucked. That's thanks to Bielak, Lockwood, "Robert", Mindspring, creditnet.com, numerous law enforcement agencies, and all the other credit site operators who only care about how many people click on their stupid banner ads.
There were many times when I really just wanted to quit. And now all I want to do is drive to Alaska without having to worry about this forum. |
| Anonymous (Anonymouse) | Tuesday, May 30, 2000 - 05:39 pm
People change. It took me a while to get the idea as to how you operate, but I did. Software is just software. It can be learned. I work on a helpdesk for a living, it's not difficult. All I would really need is a good set of instructions. Singling out individules is not very productive, let's try to stay positive - if not Denise, how about someone else? Mitch? |
| Anonymous (Anonymouse) | Tuesday, May 30, 2000 - 05:43 pm
I don't see how going commercial is going to hurt either - perhaps you could eventually hire someone to do administration? I'd just hate to see the traffic drop off due to people not being able to post. The worrying about it part, I can't help (well, not without medication :-) (that's a joke, be the way) all I can say is, it would REALLY suck not to be able to help new people - new users come up with issues that haven't already been addressed here all the time. With as long as you'd be gone, how many people wouldn't get the help that they need? |
| Anonymous (Anonymouse) | Tuesday, May 30, 2000 - 05:45 pm
And just because I can't leave it alone (I'm sorry, I know I know) I don't think Bielak and Lockwood were really problems - they both thought they were doing right - Bobby was another story, not even in the same class. |
| Christine Baker (Admin) | Tuesday, May 30, 2000 - 07:16 pm
Well, why don't you host a new forum?
I'll be happy to help you set up Discus. They have a free version, and I can put a BIG link on top of the BayHouse forum and main page.
I really would rather concentrate on getting VERIFIED answers to often extremely complex issues. I'd like to get back to updating the site and providing a lot more resources.
To you Bielak wasn't a problem. When I run across his postings I still cringe. It's an embarrassment to me. I had a lot of ambitions for having a forum that's well organized with 100% good info.
Put downs and just plain wrong info weren't on my wish list. Besides, there are several other credit forums where anybody can post anything and misinformation and insults are the norm.
As I've been looking for lawyers I've been to newsgroups as well as web forums and it's just scary. As I go through postings I see 50% with no response at all, some have replies with what I KNOW to be bad advice and a few I can't rate because I don't know the subject. Why should I post there?
A forum is only useful to the people looking for answers if they get GOOD advice. I find it fascinating that some people apparently get on the net and they trust whatever advice they get. And the less complex it is, the better they like it.
Anyway, if I can't do it well I'd rather not do it at all.
Also, since it's a mute point trying to change how the system works, I'd really like to help people SUE. You advise so often that people should sue, but in reality people are so scared of lawyers (for good reasons!) and most are broke as it is.
Those people need help finding and paying a lawyer, and I occasionally I could assist with both, especially if I could make the site pay for it.
You are right that people should be able to post. Like I said, I'll be very willing to help!
Heck, I'd even pay for web space and another Discus Pro license. Yes, you CAN have multiple moderators.
Consider it! |
| Anonymous (Anonymouse) | Wednesday, May 31, 2000 - 07:36 am
I shall. Let me address a few points:
#1: Add a disclamer to the top of EVERY page that says this is a dicussion forum, and to get good legal advice before acting on any advice the user/poster gets/gives here. Caveat Emtor (did I spell that wrong?) right?
#2: We'll still loose people - you have a recognizable name here.
#3: Yes, I can be very litigously minded - no, I'm not a laywer. :-) I get fed up, and my first response is almost always to write a CRA/Creditor/Agency first. When that fails, what other recourse is there?
#4: I agree we need a new forum on legal advice - I'm looking for a good lawyer right now to force WebTV to open up some information I requested of them - they are protecting a criminal right now. Where's Mitch when you need him? |
| Christine Baker (Admin) | Wednesday, May 31, 2000 - 12:36 pm
Ok, great. I guess one could put a dislcaimer on top of every page like other forums have the banners.
Mitch does bankruptcies in Florida, I don't think he can help you with WebTV. But I might be able to help by next week.
I'll send you an E-mail with with my phone # in a bit, we'll need to talk. |
| Anonymous (Anonymouse) | Wednesday, May 31, 2000 - 01:37 pm
Okay! I'm at work. Can I call you tomorrow during the day? |
| Christine Baker (Admin) | Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 08:32 pm
Turns out Scott aka Anonymouse is William Scott Lockwood III.
He thought I knew that because he identified himself as Scott. He says he just wants to help, but I'm not sure.
I looked at those two anonymous postings from
http://www.bayhouse.com/discus/messages/7/583.html?959820236
*** Resolved 208.154.80.162 to shpwcpr1-hme0-3.is.chrysler.com
By Anonymous on Thursday, April 6, 2000 - 05:59 am:
I never confused Robert with Bielak. He's just a moron.
To whom were you referring?
-------------------------------------------------
By Anonymous on Wednesday, May 31, 2000 - 07:28 am:
I never confused Robert with Bielak. He's just a moron.
To whom were you referring?
I knew you wouldn't answer that.
------------------------------
I wonder who on earth would have posted that if not Scott. Bielak himself?
I have to say that there is nothing more tiring than dealing with anonymous postings. And if that's Bielak's postings it sure would be difficult for Scott to administer the forum while his *friend* keeps disrupting.
I have a ZILLION things going on this week, including a dental trip to Mexico and two attorney meetings I have to prepare for.
I sure appreciate Scott's offer, but right now I'm confused and I don't have the time to sort things out.
Anyway, I'm having delay after delay, just found out that I'll probably be stuck here till mid July. So it's not a pressing issue and I'll deal with it when I got more time. |
| Scott (Scott) | Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 09:41 pm
I couldn't tell you if Bob posted that or not - but I'd say it's safe to assume. I could ask if you like. I haven't spoken to him in some time. |
