Good Gentle Fellows,

Before I delete several threads that I am not happy with personally, I need to make a brief statement.

I wanted to allow the forum to take some shape before I added any comments myself. And, I do realize that a lot of you have sent me emails saying youd like to post but you feel it would be held against you at another site. Thats a shame but I frankly dont need the forum to be hopping with activity, unless it is creative contributions. If people in positions of authority on other message boards are afraid and need to act like that, what can I do?



However, in spite of other site's low brow behavior, this forum is not primarily provided to bash other foras. It is intended to post reviews, articles, pictures and what have you. As pathetic or small minded as they may or may not be run, I assure you that I alone have enough positive content planned to shine on my own site. Further, though Im sure that I have been more wronged and lied about for less than some, Im not planning to rant about it ad naseum. Now, I dont want you as posters to think you dont have a place to air your frustrations but you're going to have to tie it in to some cleverness and use some subtlety. Frankly, I would rather you all to contribute about the things in style that make you passionate, rather than focus on the negative. it should be enough that you have a place where you can still contribute. For everyone's information, I have some very serious people looking at this site and I don't think they understand, nor care, about the soap opera which is the world of some of the internet style message boards. In short, if you embarrass me, I am not going to appreciate it.

I think you all understand me when I say I am simply not interested in a competition between websites, that is for those brought up in the "survival" mentality, which I am not a part of. I am not competing with anyone. Further, I am not from a background that needs to look at everything as a panic or challenge to either be won or be eliminated. I am what you all hoped to see when you built the boards, a real, modern day arbiter elegantiarum that you can learn from or simply enjoy. I take orders from no one and I apologize to no one for what I like or dislike.

However I am concerned about the current expenditure of energies on the worthless. We need to focus on works of artistic merit and reviews. An occasional "blowing off of steam" is understood, but you need to speak your piece and move on, not let it fester. I want to keep it lighthearted but I have zero commercial interest in this and no need to be perceived as a "great guy" so that you vote for or buy something from me. You either like what I like or you dont. And believe me, if you dont like it I do not care. You can post about what you like to wear here free from any recriminations from me, I am not jealous, nor am I insecure in the slightest about my tastes. You can read about them, comment about them, contribute in your own right, or not post at all.

In the end, quality and a desire to have fun will win the day, if, in fact, there is a day to be won. Which brings me to my final point. I find this all very interesting as a hobby, I have no competition as a "dandy", nor do I need to compete with people in the trade, or degrade them. If someone has displeased you, state your information with responsibility and then take a deep breath and move on...but do move on.

Thank you all, I know you both empathize and will completely disregard everything I've said. And I appreciate it.


Yours light heartedly,

FNB