"..The point is that we are not communicating as equals."

if your point is that one who HAS an edit button has more 'power' than one who doesn't....of course! When the forum grew past what Max could deal with personally, he decided to trust several others with varying degrees of responsibility. On the whole, I think he made fine choices!

You, Shambles, have practically made a hobby of regular complaining and nit-picking, with Joe as your major target; and you seem bewildered that so many seem to continue believing that Joe does a pretty good and basically honest job!

this comment..
"..all his personal prejudices about what he will allow the forum to be." is just plain BS! Look at what utter nonsense and general crap ARE allowed everyday! If you want a forum where anything is allowed without oversight, YOU can start one ...and have the devil's own time running it.

and this-- "I do not believe it is the spirit that Max intended" ...ask Max! You don't think he communicates with Joe and the clones about how things are done? I have been in a room with Max, Joe, Pene Azul, and two other clones (on more that one occasion) and have spoken to them all, and I KNOW that they all do an astounding job of shepherding this amazing forum with minimal expression of their own personalities.

I, for one, am amazed that Joe 'usually' keeps his personal feelings so well controlled. I am not sure that *I* could approach all these issues with so much equanimity!..and I'll BET that you couldn't! It is not an easy job, and it is a VOLUNTEER job, with many more hassles than benefits.

Since I am not required to try to keep MY personal opinions neutral, I will note that I am pretty weary of this interpretation you seem to espouse that says, essentially ..if a decision is made counter to what YOU think should be done, it indicates power-mad despotism and rampant censorship! I truly cannot comprehend how someone can find cronyism and favoritism and elitism and personal vendettas in the relatively low-key and mild way in which this forum is overseen.

Yeah, I should spend an hour or two editing and polishing my little speech for errors and detailed referents...but since it will either be ignored or passed off as the babblings of one of Joe's bootlickers....here it is.

(Joe...you GOTTA start using a better brand of boot polish!)