I realize I am not your Guru, so before anyone gets all excited about a Guru Post, realize I am posting here because it is the fastest way to gain your attention.

On the subject of your conflicts folder:

Long, long, long ago when I was trained to monitor, our first instruction was to facilitate the head monitor in a reorganization of the message boards, and part of that was directed to us "Every guild area will have a conflicts folder". I have never maintained a presence in the Ranger area -- ya'll gab way too much for me to keep up with. Until recently I had no idea no one ever made a conflicts folder here.

The purpose of a conflicts folder is for personal complaints. For instance, lets say PlayerA has just graverobbed everything you ever owned, and you want to make the guild aware of it for whatever reason. -That- sort of material is for conflicts. Conflicts does not have to be name-calling or flaming or abusive. Conflicts encompasses anything that does not address the issue, but the person. And the policy we use with that is "You may call the idea idiotic, you may not call the composer of the idea an idiot." From reading here briefly tonight, and discussing things with folks that have been working with you, yes I feel you can debate the issue without debating the person. However, (and this isn't meant as a slight) even with that ability, the Ranger area has had posts removed for containing flames. And, in the honest to goodness truth, some of the messages I have read debating whether you should or should not have the folder belong in a conflicts folder or would be hidden if I were regularly monitoring here. A conflicts folder is for you all to post "Jeez Trev I cant believe you did this!" -- and I know from at one time being a player and from the years I have spent reading the boards nearly everyone feels the urge to vent and it is rare that when emotions are high on an issue, that people really do wait to calm down before posting. I know you've been using complaints for issues you are passionate about, but there too... there are many posts that are borderline enough that I would prolly remove them.

Now, Lou...

Lou has been affiliated with Rangers for a while. And he loves you guys. He didnt do anything to intentionally offend anyone here. He came to me and told me that he'd received requests for a complaints folder, could he make one. I said "Er... what happened to their other one." And after talking about it I said go ahead and make one. And had it not been reaaaaallly late at night, I would have remembered that you all like to input, and would have advised him to allow you to input on it. That was my fault, and being new to the area here, he couldn't anticipate. I apologize. On the other hand I'm human and prone to forgetting things <g>.

I did not read into the conflicts folder discussion presently. I did read all of the messages in the Ramblings folder, and by my tally there we've 8 people that are opposed to the folder, 5 that are indifferent and 3 that are solid yes. If you all would like to take an official "vote" we can arrange that. If such is your desire, this is how I would like to handle it for the ease of all people to follow. From now till Sunday, please post down there in that conflict folder, one message per person, with just a "Yes", or a "No" or an "I dont care". That's all you need do.

My personal thoughts are that if one person desires the folder, and would actually be inclined to take a heated discussion there as opposed to posting it in another folder, thus having to have us remove it, then it is a worthy action. And those of you that are opposed to it, just click ignore and forget it is there. You don't have to use it, and it doesnt reflect badly on anyone because it is here -- because as I said, ya'll are supposed to have had one long long ago.

Lou is a bit more lenient than I am and I don't have any issues with his being such, as long as my mail box doesnt start filling with complaints or whatnot. I'm more than willing to let a monitor make their own personal relations with their area and maintain an "open-door" policy so to speak. It isnt "wrong" of him to leave a borderline post, just because I personally am more by the book. There are, as you know, differences of interpretation in ever human being and none of us are going to be 100% identical. But as for him, he's been working with thieves lately, and he's got a good head on his shoulders, with the ability to listen to you guys if you approach him with a bit of respect. He is really a good monitor -- please don't get up in arms over -him- with a decision that -I- made the call on.

I hope you can understand the things I am saying here. And I do apologize if any of you were offended by my mental-slip in not advising him to seek your opinion or input first.

Fyremelody