State of the Union address:
Dear CRT Community:
Way too much time has passed since I have addressed you all as a whole. Sometimes when everything is running well and there are very little problems or rifts or just minor ones you tend to let your guard down and allow things to happen or go on, which can only turn mountains into mole hills. As it turns out we do not have any large scale problems on the forum or site today, but I still am receiving numerous PM's from disgruntled unhappy members of a select few that continue to take liberties with each other within threads themselves or then take to personal private attacks etc. These are the things that have not been allowed to happen in the past and in some cases have driven away long term posters with years of experience.
We have over the last year to 18 months had many long standing members not leave us but stop posting. I have met with them within C.R. and have had many long conversations over cocktails on how to keep this site vibrant and the place and community that has we have grown accustomed to. How do we address this? We have grown in size beyond anyone's wildest dreams and with that you will get a larger more diverse culture within the forum and community on whole. Much has changed in Costa Rica over the years with that CRT has grown beyond its small group of guys that we used to meet at the front bar of the Del Rey to a massive swarm of persons of all interests, backgrounds, and creeds from all over the world.
With change comes compromise. With growth comes understanding that we are not the same as we were even a year or two ago. With experience we become less tolerant of the new person who has now joined. With years of doing the same thing over and over again comes the inability to remember what made us what we were before and how we got here. I ask all of you take a moment to step back and reflect on what made CRT such an outstanding place to come to share thoughts, ideas, suggestions, and experiences of before and after your trips. It was you the members that made this place what it was. Sites have come and gone before and after us all failing because the forgot the basic premise of any model is nobody likes a know it all and nobody likes trouble. Most persons will avoid situations if given the opportunity, while a few will add more fuel to the fire. Human nature can't be changed persons are what they are and will act accordingly. The only way to maintain the level of respect we have in this community is to remember what got us here and what made us so special and friends and gentlemen.
Remember his phrase which graces our pages "LIKE MINDED GENTLEMEN" We are all here for the same purpose to enjoy Costa Rica and get the most out of our experiences but sharing the knowledge of what we learned and the experiences that we have. Honestly is it any fun to do something if you can't tell anyone about it or share it with someone? The laughter and the spirit have to remain or we lose the base on which we were founded.
I ask each of you to step back and reflect when you post. These things have been said time and time again but need to be refreshed. If you don't have something nice to say, Don't say it. If you have a personal comment to make about someone else because you don't like them or their postings keep it to yourself. If you can't resist breaking someone's balls do it in the smack section where it is taken as what it is, not a hijack of a thread.
I ask each of you to step back and DO THE FOLLOWING AS WELL. Remember we are all here for the same purpose remember that. We are here to help others on the forum, newbies, veterans, etc, your comments can change the course of a person's trip mostly for the good and its appreciated. Do continue to post and add worth wild comments to questions asked and answered multiple times over the years. Do Continue to visit our sponsors and hangouts and share your thoughts and knowledge with others during their trips. Socialize among the brothers at events and introduce yourself even if you don't post any longer etc.
Let us follow the above yet let us also follow the following items as well.
1. Read the Forum Code of conduct. Much of it is common sense which many do not have.
https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=23499 2. For newbie’s, there is a tremendous amount of information here, with years of experiences here for you. Do some research, use the search engine, don’t expect to be spoon fed, as much of what you ask is here for you. When you have specific questions come out of the box and ask them. If our members are being gentlemen than they won't jump on you for doing so.
3. Of course we are here to have fun too. I am not asking for persons to disregard the razzing of each other, what fun would that be? I am asking it’s done in moderation that we do not need to hijack a thread to make a point of busting someone’s chops. Use restraint, we don’t need to increase your post count to simply add a string of emoticons and smiley’s with absolutely no content of interest to add.
4. When responding to a thread think, am I adding something of interest or assistance, or am I posting just to post.
5. This is not a political forum, we do not need nor do we want political views expressed or discussed here. The fastest way to destroy a friendship is to talk politics. Way too many persons post topics that begin this is not a political rant, yet it is nothing more than that we a pre-emptive caveat to take the heat of It being political.
6. Post in the appropriate section. Trip reports are for TRIP REPORTS. Not for roll calls. General section is for General Information on “COSTA RICAâ€, and on and on. I don’t think we need any more sections if we simply apply some logic when posting.
7. It is not necessary to cut and paste and “quote†and entire persons post inside your response followed by multiple cut and paste “quotesâ€. If you are making a point, use the line itself in your quote before your response. Nobody wants to see pages of white quotes to address 1 line of text.
Only we as a community can allow trivial matters, personal insults and attacks and related type events to tear us apart. Honestly nobody wants that and I certainly don't want to see it. We are all GENTLEMEN think about that when you post, make a comment, a snide remark etc. Is this comment worthy of a Gentlemen or do I look like an idiot when making it. That is a fairly good measuring stick when deciding if a comment should be made or not.
The bottom line the negativity stops now! There will be very little tolerance on the subject. We will continue to grow and we will continue to bring new brothers to the fold. Welcome them don’t ridicule them. Help, them guide them; assist them towards information instead of making them afraid to ask a question. Share a beer with them; make them feel at home in a foreign land. Remember what it was like when you were a newbie, how you felt overwhelmed by the information; the enormity of what is available. Let us get back to feeling like a brotherhood instead of feeling like it’s not worth logging on for fear of reading more negativity & attacks from the “Guru’sâ€
As stated it has been far too long that we have all been addressed. I thank you for taking the time to listen and remember as we move forward. Too much good has gone on to have it undone. I assure you I will be taking a more active role in the moderation of the forum to insure that the aforementioned has been followed. I thank you all and Wish you pleasant journeys.
Some housekeeping notes:
New Map is being worked on
New sponsors actively being pursued
Software re-design of the mains site is being reviewed and work will begin on a redesign
Any additional questions comments please feel free to leave them in this thread or Private message me or email me at
info@costaricaticas.com
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