My New Year's Resolution is to come to this thread every now and then and write, "If you don't like what Shambles has to say, don't read the thread."

Good idea but you will see that this approach has been tried.

Perhaps if other posters followed your example - that may convince the usual noisy few but favoured posters that not only have they no right to be seen to bully and try to prevent others from posting their views.

That our forum has always been about Max encouraging posting - not finding ways to restrict and inhibit it.

And on a purely practical level - that all the 'fun' tactics encouraged to be used to this questionable end - over a long period of time - ranging from the current Chief of the Mudcat Editing Team setting the example of indulging in and encouraging abusive personal attacks and intentionally littering our forum with spam posts - have proved not only to be ineffective they seen to be totally counter-productive.

Being seen to encourage such tactics only serves to demonstrate that what is evidenced in my posting here and for which I am restricted and abused for trying to continue - will remain the truth.

For a mirror is being held up and if posters to our forum do not like seeing their reflection (and far less supportive posters than me pointing out how ugly this now appears) there is little point in closing one's eyes or devoting all efforts to break the mirror.

If it is accepted (and taken for granted) by certain posters and 'moderators' - that posters have the right to say what they wish and to see their words remain as posted (except perhaps for very rare extreme cases) - what more is there to be said by those who are now encouraged to feel they have some right to prevent and deny others that right?

My New Year's Resolution is to come to this thread every now and then and write, "If you don't like what Shambles has to say, don't read the thread."