What the new moderator of the AOS forum does with this power will reveal
*their* goal. Do they want only to keep the discussion civil or are they
going to allow only THEIR view of good culture info to be posted. How they
moderate will determine if the forum is worth using.

Good points you have made. I and others who try to remain civilized over there
have actually received a fair amount of advance information about what is
coming. Those who scream and yell do not hear these things, and so much the
better.

The moderator is not going to be playing the "whose culture is best" game.
Moderation is purely intended to prevent nasty personal attacks and people
attacking AOS policy directly on the AOS forum.

AOS members will certainly be free to discuss AOS policy, but I for one am sick
and tired of paying for a website where people who are not members make
one-sided malicious attacks on an organization in which they are not a member
and are therefore not entitled to have any voice whatsoever.

To do such things on the organization's own website only adds to how ridiculous
such people are- and how appallingly presumptuous they can be.

The orchid world is a wierd place. I have yet to encounter any orchid society
that does not have its own vocal fringe element or that is not highly political
over at least one minor matter. So perhaps we just need a bit more policing at
times than others. One thing is for sure, few people heavily involved, or who
regularly impose themselves, are out for a love of plants and nothing else.

I do not frequent other sites for the reasons you have given- and for others
too. I am not interested in playing by someone else's agenda, and any orchid
discussion forum with more X-rated lewd talk boards than orchid boards clearly
is not a serious place to have a discussion. Time is valuable and I do not like
to waste mine sorting through junk to get to a few reasoned posts.

Cliques happen on the net boards for the same reason they happen in some orchid
societies- a few individuals with no life or little too be proud of have
decided to make a personal home out of what should be a place to discuss one
thing and one thing alone- orchids. Sure it is great to have some OT discussion
and the like, but some people clearly like to bunch up and make it their own
personal social hall- and to hell with anyone else.

And to say it again, I think this unmoderated board is where the best balance
is. I have yet to see any exclusive "groups" form or for anyone to come along
and spend ALL of their time on OT matters. We all love orchids here and it
shows. It is no mistake more newbies seem to come here than anywhere else.

Ok, I am off to repot too now. I was delaying as well. I love vacation days,
but now I risk having too much time on my hands