@AMcD: I rely don't have time for this silliness.

I will turn this situation over to my assistance, tommy, when and if he is allowed back on the BB. He handles all the minor details for me.

People come, people go.
It's really not as big a deal as its being made out to be in this thread.

The Gambling Spot is just fine, it's always been just fine, and it's always had its busy times, its dead times, and its ups and downs.
Importantly though, I think most posters can easily spot the subtle put-downs and equally subtle insults that have, over the past few years sent some excellent contributors to the forum on down the road.
Anybody who thinks they're "hiding" their true personality here is ultimately fooling only themselves.

Folks generally don't like passive/aggressive online behavior - for good reason - it's hard to parse the "real" person on the other end of the post from the sock-puppet making negative statements about all the rest of the folks who post to the forum.

It doesn't take a genius to figure this place out, indeed it's very simple to slot each poster into their appropriate category.

Perhaps the best feature to introduce to the Gambling Spot in order to inspire activity would be a feature that would allow all regular contributors to vote others permanently out of the forum.
I think you'd see a sharp increase in the quality posts if such a system were in place, as folks would be less concerned that their posts would be made fun of, or they themselves would be subtly insulted for the words they choose to post.

Alas, such a system won't, can't, and probably shouldn't be in place ... but this would be a vastly different forum if it were! (different doesn't automatically mean "better" however - just different).

I suppose that we always traded insults a bit, and I suppose I have myself been guilty. This place has always had a sort of "macho" about it.

But I used to feel that I could post here with the comfort of my posts not immediately being ridiculed, and that is no longer the case. Why post if someone is just going to tell me I'm stupid? I know I'm stupid--that's why I'm effing here! To learn.

What some don't seem to get is that a discussion is supposed to be a discussion, and not lectures from "experts."

I remember once joining a thread several years ago and some "expert" paraphrased--not a mere paraphrase, mind you, but a near-verbatim quote--a portion of Steve Forte's book in order to show that I am stupid. Well, I am stupid, but I have the book and recognized the plagiarism, and wondered why someone should think that plagiarized ideas prove me stupid. But I chalked it up to "macho" and left it at that. Still, the story is quite informative.

It may be true, as Mr Bones says, that each of us can be slotted into an appropriate category. But the category of, "I'm here to learn but don't want to be insulted" is a pretty big category that probably most of us fit into.

So maybe we'd all be a bit more active if the insulting behavior stopped.

And to all those who feel that I have insulted them in the past: I am truly sorry, and please forgive me.

This is dead on accurate. Also it is sort of a measuring contest about some of the DUMBEST CRAP imaginable!

The need to insult those learning or just enjoying on a different level is strange. And it becomes only about the insulting. I have seen guys here with the right answer insulted down. It makes no sense.

Well, well, well.

I've been insulted dozen of times here. In fact, I'm probably the one who has been insulted the most! At some point, I had to contact the admins, for many posts were liable to judicial proceedings. They deleted many lewd messages, banned some people. But it never really ceased. I even left that place 3 times because I was tired of all those fights!

I have never really understood why there is so much aggressiveness in this place. I can understand that, because it is a place open to everybody, unfortunately we have to deal with all the basic human flaws like racism*, jealousy or stupidity (just to name a few). But here, it seems we top everything!

I have some explanations but I can't elaborate because I'm afraid it would get me banned forever.

(*) Yes, I repeat racism. The Magic Café is now full of people coming from all parts of the earth but at the beginning the Gambling Spot was mainly visited by Americans, and sorry to tell you that, but not many would be considered as part of the elite of this beautiful country! People suffering of a form of "USA ethnocentrism" I would say, thinking that outside USA there is nothing, the center of the Gambling world being Las Vegas and other things on the same line. I can tell you that I got tons of xenophobic comments, emails and messages, which probably helped to build my very straightforward style (which some don't like, I know)! It's something which I don't understand, for I have friends and fans form all over the planet. But you know, it's not "that" surprising either. After years passed around the Gambling tables and dealing with the Magic community, and, in advance I apologize for the next words if some of you feel offended, I can tell you that the average IQ is low, sometimes even very low! Theft, jealousy, fraud, no culture, poor education... I can't complain, as I made wonderful friends in both world but that's how I see Gambling and Magic. Trust me, it's not like that on forums talking about Egyptology, Latin language or Game Programming, absolutely not. I never got insulted in such places, never.

Stoney is dead-on with this observation.

One has to begin to wonder if some of the most aggressive "insulters" on the forum have any actual perspective on themselves, what they write here, or how people might be turned completely off ever contemplating engaging with them?
Being somebody with a lot of knowledge certainly does't give a person any sort of "inherent right" to be a complete dick to those who may not share the same life experience.

And I have to say that Arnold certainly has been the target of many rude, abusive, and completely uncalled for comments directed his way. Considering his efforts to contribute to the forum over a period of years, he deserves far better than some here constantly direct his way.

Alas, expecting the forum to change though may be misplaced. It's not the forum that needs to change, it's some contributors to the forum that have to make a change - and I suspect that may not be in the cards (if you'll forgive the pun).

Thanks Silver!

For sure I deserve far better! I suggest you guys club together for a few pole dancers (scantily clad, of course) for my next B-day.

I see no reason for you to be insulted. You are sharing your own personal experience. It is valid, it is interesting and it is valuable. That should be enough for anyone.

This should not be a contest. It should simply be sharing experience. Just an opinion mind you.

I avoid this place because it is easy to get enough of the measuring contest stuff in the other sections. Here it is multiplied by hundreds. It is crazy.

Personally I have never once cheated. I have played poker in and out of casinos, and for relatively high and very low stakes. I have never played Blackjack outside of a casino, but in more countries and cities than I care to remember. I am by no means a professional gambler, and certainly not a cheat of any sort. But it is funny that some of the "insulting posters" I shall call them, want to invalidate that experience.

I get everyone is who they are and everyone has their own style of posting. So be it. I don't think anyone should change that for anyone. Arnold had been the brunt of much of the insulting behavior and he really has done nothing to deserve it. I for one believe his experience is valuable. Even if I never intend to cheat, which I don't.

There is no reason.
You're absolutely correct Danny.

As always, folks who habitually insult others do so NOT because of the individuals they choose to insult - rather they insult repeatedly as a result of their own personal baggage, and as a manifestation of their need to constantly demean others in order to fill in holes they perceive to exist in their own lives.

It's actually a bit sad when you encounter online personalities who must constantly and subtly insult others to feel fulfilled themselves.

Agreed.

Another possible factor contributing to the tumbleweed might be the problems registering to the forum itself. People have left or been banned, and usually most forums allow one to assume a new identity, and rejoin the conversation.

If I didn't receive a ouija board for Christmas, I might not have been able to recover my password for this ancient account.

I do want to say that I have read all the threads in the gambling spot especially over the years, and enjoyed them very much, and learnt a great deal. So the bickering hasn't been in vain.

Much love to all who post, or have posted here.

I would love to purchase a favorite beverage for Arnold at Pub of his choice in appreciation of his contributions to this forum, unfortunately I don't live in merry England.

If I do cross over the great pond I will make an effort to fulfill this offer.

Thanks to everyone who has contribute in the past for that matter. I support this section of the forum more then any other

In general, interest levels drop or peak at different times for different reasons.

Well, you still can send it .