A LONG HARD LOOK AT OURSELVES

[Achilles Tang]

I think from the few postings that have been made by a few of you.... the community knows that there are problems, and that things have declined.

It's not just a question of entirely the (mis)management of SRC but also how individuals interact with each other and how they contribute TOWARDS the community that makes SRC what it is today.

We all play a part. Respect must be given, boundaries must be drawn and not crossed. Expectations have to be realistic.

So can we look past the misgivings and look at the positives and restore the goodwill?

I think I have dwelt upon the negatives of our community so much that I have forgotten the good things that have happened within SRC!

It is appropriate that I should mention them and perhaps bring a smile to all who remembers these!

1. We have risen up as a club to successfully fight against the negative outcomes of 'Finding Nemo', the subsequent marine craze and countered the mass media that has helped propagate wrong & misleading information provided by some LFS. The most rewarding part was that we have highlighted back to the public the importance of responsible reefkeeping via the same mass media and even got a LFS to see the error of its ways through gentle persuasion and member visits. (WE DID AN ENORMOUS GOOD!!!)

2. We have seen occasions where members needed help for their tank problems and many of us came forward to help willingly, to dirty our hands and share the work load... ie. flatworm killing exercise, tank crash resetting, loan of equipment to those who needed help. (What a bunch of great people!)

3. We have members offering rides to those without wheels for LFS visits. (You guys have our deepest gratitudes!).

4. We have housevisits where we open our doors to sharing with total strangers our homes and reef tanks to gain valuable insights (and most importantly, made new friendships).

5. We have rallied together unselfishly at events like Aquarama to promote responsible reefkeeping to total strangers who were newbies to the marine hobby (its all teamwork!).

6. We have promoted the love of the marine environment (look at the growing number of divers in our midst!).

7. Reefkeeping has become so much more affordable and easier with the commercial offers made here in SRC! The information platform here has benefited the LFS industry tremendously, and raised awareness that people's expectations on good service, good livestock and feedback is vital for them..... and thus benefitting EVERYONE!

8. We ALL learnt a great deal from one another online! Each other's experience, each other's tips and advice, each other's guidance!! (No book or LFS advice can beat this!!)

I don't know what other great things have happened in SRC that has benefitted you that I missed out but remembering all these things has reminded me the GOOD that our personal unselfish contributions have rendered to the community!!

I think we have just forgotten the silver lining when dark clouds loom.... perhaps we have been so bored with inactivity that we turn on ourselves... perhaps it is time to come together for a common cause?

I think we have spent enough time talking about what went wrong already and its now time to talk about for a CHANGE to happen.

So shall we rally ourselves together again as a people united by our love for the marine hobby (yeah yeah... national day's coming and all that but I'm not trying to be corny), put aside all the bad things and make a decision to start anew... start afresh... and to think about it... come September, in a month's time... we celebrate our 2nd Anniversary!!!

WE HAVE TO REVIVE THE OLD SRC SPIRIT!!!!!!

What sayeth thou???!!!

[Reefaholic]

1) first and formost,

as a new member, i try to make frens. but i noticed that there aren't many who want to extend their frenship.

2) everyone seems to be in some biz of some sort here THAT INCLUDES U. which means there is always a vested interest here.

3) not everyone is gentleman in their dealings and most just wants to prove they are more superioir/ with greater understanding. and U ARE LIKE THAT too. just incase u don't know

4) of course there are alot of sensitive ppl around but sometimes there is favoritism practised here.

5) there is no freedom of posts here. pics get removed and a tick tock was carried out as and when u like it. seriously u shud consider yourself lucky when ppl surf your webpage. most ppl dun like that kind of treatment.

if u say posts are not specific, thenu shud chk out on all the others.

6) unlike the others who address u as BOSS. i dun. becos if u want to be BOSS, behave like a BOSS. since when did u take care of the others except for your frens and customers only.

7) basically, it starts with the HEAD. if the HEAD is like that, he will attract the same towards him. Birds of a feather flock together.

Anyway, i know u will erase my thread.. so others dun read rite???

but if u are man to reflect yor actions and brave enuff to admit it, i will bring

IMPO i do agree with Acroporidae here... well to a certain extent.

1) first and formost,

as a new member, i try to make frens. but i noticed that there aren't many who want to extend their frenship. - Me too.. only 5 months.

2) everyone seems to be in some biz of some sort here THAT INCLUDES U. which means there is always a vested interest here. - I totally agreed to this one.

3) not everyone is gentleman in their dealings and most just wants to prove they are more superioir/ with greater understanding. and U ARE LIKE THAT too. just incase u don't know. - I agree sometimes i noticed certain threads he has boosted. But not always, and sometimes maybe jokingly.

4) of course there are alot of sensitive ppl around but sometimes there is favoritism practised here.

Fully support this one.. I remembered sometimes back i was framed and name calling by Bwilly.. I was the victim and i was being warned by AT (noticed my below my nick) and not Bwilly. This is favorism... I later understand why... Cos he is his customer... Sorry i have been keeping this for a very long time not till you mentioned it. Well if he is not happy that i brought this up.. he can ban me forever. I DONY GIVE A DAMN.

5) there is no freedom of posts here. pics get removed and a tick tock was carried out as and when u like it. seriously u shud consider yourself lucky when ppl surf your webpage. most ppl dun like that kind of treatment.

if u say posts are not specific, thenu shud chk out on all the others. - I agreed becos he sees who he likes... No choice as he is the BOSS here.

6) unlike the others who address u as BOSS. i dun. becos if u want to be BOSS, behave like a BOSS. since when did u take care of the others except for your frens and customers only. - I noticed that... Very awkward...

7) basically, it starts with the HEAD. if the HEAD is like that, he will attract the same towards him. Birds of a feather flock together. - I personally agreed.. In every team or organisation, a leader must earned respect and later can command respect. Not Self nominated to be one. So if they seriously want improve SRC then AT must set good example.. and lead as one.. Best is be neutral and no dealing of businesses.

Anyway, i know u will erase my thread.. so others dun read rite???

but if u are man to reflect yor actions and brave enuff to admit it, i will bring

---- I think he wont be doing this.... Unless he removes all who against him.

Anyway... I hope SRC is actually meant Singapore Reef Club NOT Singapore RIFT Club. All the best.

[Achilles Tang]

Reefaholic,

Are you sure you want to open up a can of worms? I'm curious.

[Reefaholic]

I can see most of you guys are teaming against Acroporidae even if he speaks up his mind. Well you can also throw all out against me.. But what i want to say is at here you guys talk about changing and revamping this club and changing it into a more friendly forum.. Now Just look at how you guys react when he brought up his own perspectives or points of view. Very sad to see this.

[Achilles Tang]

You really really want to open up a can of worms? Five months you are here, posting mainly in sales/pasar malam forum and you complain that you made no friends but but instead made quite a few people ticked off and now you'll complaining EXACTLY what Acroporidae did?

I favour Bwilly because he is a customer??? What a joke... Bwilly is one who speaks his mind out but even he has the decency to tick me off in private over the way I SEEMED to favour you in THAT tiff you had with him!!

And FYI, Bwilly was never a customer of mine till recently... way long after your run-in with him over your rudeness about how you treated a fellow SRC member who felt you wasted his time by providing wrong information on an item you were selling.

BOTH of you were warned by me because you two started a flame war. It was nothing more than that because I didn't take sides... please read this thread again... I have been MORE than gracious and I don't think YOU if YOU are the moderator would have been so nice. What happened? You and Bwilly started a flame war in another thread and I was forced to issue you both a warning to make you both stop. Did I suspend your account? I have every right to but I did not. You BROKE my rules in my forum.

I suggest you read this topic title all over again... and consider if you're part of the problem now or you're the solution to all our problems.

AT

[Reefaholic]

Sorry no offence, BOSS Just that i am brave enough to speak up my mind over that incident and I have to say i agreed to what Acroporidae said... JUST MY OPNION.... This IS a FORUM... I thought u practices freedom of speeches... I i really offended u.. Then i must say i am sorry... Dnt mean to..

[Achilles Tang]

First, dun call me boss, I don't like it and I don't know you at all.

2ndly, thank you for all your negative feedback on pointing out other people's failings as it gives extremely insightful information on your character and how you think and reminds me that I have to please the minority who have not been coddled well enough by me to like me and my style of running my own forum.

3rdly, kindly put your energies now into proposing what YOU can do as an individual to make this community a BETTER, FRIENDLIER place where people do not need the Administrator to intervene in problems caused by people who don't know how to make this a better friendlier place.

I have said many times already to focus on solutions... can you comply please.

Thank you.

[Achilles Tang]

Enough already.

Anyone who wishes to criticize me on my exclusive faults can do so via PM or speak to me face to face. I like to meet people who have the guts to speak up to my face and find that its the fastest way to spot the sincerity and to thresh out any problems.

I repeat... this thread is NOT about me UNLESS you are saying that I am 100% responsible for how everyone behaves, thinks and interact in SRC. I am not a controller over robots nor am I a hypnotist who can manipulate people's emotions nor am I able to force anyone to do what they don't like to do.

SRC is NOT about the way I make the rules, how I enforce it nor my interaction with members, nor my business, nor my personal life.

No one here feeds me and I am not obligated to anyone in any big way. I have far more better things to do in life than to run an organization that gives me more trouble than anyone will believe.

I repeat: SRC is about YOU and the guys around YOU who form PART of the COMMUNITY and NOT JUST ONLY ABOUT YOU. There are problems to solve and there are solutions to find.

We are here in this thread to discuss and to find answers.

CONCENTRATE, people, CONCENTRATE!!!

[auberon]

Wow! Can't believe some people can be so critical and unforgiving. I have had some posting unanswered or not exactly what I was looking for but I don't go complaining about. One should learn to take the good with the bad. And people should just lighten up. Some things are made in jest and have a personal meaning to it but are taken way too seriously

Anyway I am glad the SRC is around to provide information on the local LFS scene and assistance on set-ups. Would love to really see what the good old days of the SRC are like.

Let's start by being more constructive with our comments & postings.

[Melvyn Tan]

Thats the problem when you have computer and people talk without fear, sensitivity, consideration & care cause you don't know who you are talking to. Good old days will be like people gathering around the coffee table sipping coffee sharing, cheering, knowledge transfering, laughing and heartening (got disheartening so heartening right?) so lets all target to do that, undercurrents has arisen enough to meet the upper currents, cold water and warm water has also already met, planktons now aplentiful so lets all now feast ! I think i have seen much better postings in threads so i guess Singaporean's attitude are now evolving for the better - at least for those Singaporeans in SRC.

[Achilles Tang]

Apologies to all for ranting. I have to learn how to be more emotionally detached when I run a board like this.

[Vinoth]

So far we all talk about the problems...no one propose solutions....

Face to face meeting or group meeting will greatly enhance the environment here. If you get to know each other personally, you know better about the person.

Think twice before posting. Try to be polite as much as possible and dont be rude in ur comments. Before posting think whether it will personally offend the other party. Put u under his shoes and think if the same comment passed on you whether you will be offended?

Set aside your egos and its not going to help you in anyway.

Its a small community only 3000+ members and we cant live in harmony and peace? Come on bro & sis we can make this environment better. Stick to the basic...we are here to share and learn. Nothing more than that.

Admin and mods cannot satisfy everyone and they are not robots. They 2 have emotional feelings. You have to appreciate their efforts for creating the club for us. They are not doing this for their living....its just their passion.

Many accuse AT for gaining monetary benefits from SRC. But what's bad about it? Nothing in the world is free. Yahoo is providing free emails to everyone. You mean yahoo just run and dont get any money out of it. They are also earning money thru advertising. It all depends on how you view it. Remember he fork in lot of time and money for starting and maintaining SRC. Why at that time people not complain that he is wasting his time & money for SRC?

We are better people and we can make SRC also better place to hang out.

[danano]

IMPO i do agree with Acroporidae here... well to a certain extent.

1) first and formost,

as a new member, i try to make frens. but i noticed that there aren't many who want to extend their frenship. - Me too.. only 5 months.

2) everyone seems to be in some biz of some sort here THAT INCLUDES U. which means there is always a vested interest here. - I totally agreed to this one.

3) not everyone is gentleman in their dealings and most just wants to prove they are more superioir/ with greater understanding. and U ARE LIKE THAT too. just incase u don't know. - I agree sometimes i noticed certain threads he has boosted. But not always, and sometimes maybe jokingly.

4) of course there are alot of sensitive ppl around but sometimes there is favoritism practised here.

Fully support this one.. I remembered sometimes back i was framed and name calling by Bwilly.. I was the victim and i was being warned by AT (noticed my below my nick) and not Bwilly. This is favorism... I later understand why... Cos he is his customer... Sorry i have been keeping this for a very long time not till you mentioned it. Well if he is not happy that i brought this up.. he can ban me forever. I DONY GIVE A DAMN.

5) there is no freedom of posts here. pics get removed and a tick tock was carried out as and when u like it. seriously u shud consider yourself lucky when ppl surf your webpage. most ppl dun like that kind of treatment.

if u say posts are not specific, thenu shud chk out on all the others. - I agreed becos he sees who he likes... No choice as he is the BOSS here.

6) unlike the others who address u as BOSS. i dun. becos if u want to be BOSS, behave like a BOSS. since when did u take care of the others except for your frens and customers only. - I noticed that... Very awkward...

7) basically, it starts with the HEAD. if the HEAD is like that, he will attract the same towards him. Birds of a feather flock together. - I personally agreed.. In every team or organisation, a leader must earned respect and later can command respect. Not Self nominated to be one. So if they seriously want improve SRC then AT must set good example.. and lead as one.. Best is be neutral and no dealing of businesses.

Anyway, i know u will erase my thread.. so others dun read rite???

but if u are man to reflect yor actions and brave enuff to admit it, i will bring

---- I think he wont be doing this.... Unless he removes all who against him.

Anyway... I hope SRC is actually meant Singapore Reef Club NOT Singapore RIFT Club. All the best.

Hmmm... this would be another very clear example of the type of immaturity, language and animosity that is not conducive for a fun and enjoyable online reefing community and experience.

Besides, basic online etiquette dictates that letters in caps equates to "shouting".

Please, let there be peace...

[Melvyn Tan]

Antagonism serves no purpose but to create anger and subsequently wrath, so lets not do that, let us all build one another up.

[moxa]

Hi Bro Reefers,

I cosider myself a newbie in the marine. i am not good in expressing in words.

Really sad to see that SRC has not used to be a warm place where reefers helps out each more, of coz there is still reefers have already built up true friends through SRC but the feeling is just not there as compare the past.

Agree those advertiser here is to attracts customers to buy things from them. nothing wrong with it.

Maybe along the way things got out of hands be it which ever parties is invlove.

I am glad to meet a few reefer who become freinds since I officially join as member in SRC. I starts with 0 knowledge in marine.

Just hope to see SRC is here to stay. And the seinors please do not give up on SRC. As a reefer mention to are here to share and learn.

Cheers

Moxa

[victorp]

In my opinion, one should reserve judgement on another person's character until one has a chance to talk to the other person face-to-face. Usually in the cyberworld, one's persona is different from the real world, and one cannot judge another person's character until one has a chance to talk to the other person face-to-face. I think body-language also plays an important part in knowing another person's character.

[Achilles Tang]

Now that the jokes are over and we know who are seriously keen on helping to do something for SRC, lets proceed on, shall we?

Any more comments that are still obviously posted to attack me will be deleted as I have mentioned a few times to PM me or to meet up with me to discuss the error of my ways.

From now onwards... we talk about progress and solutions and not about blame and fault-finding.

Most of us are matured enough to know where the priority lies.

If you can't contribute towards the reefkeeping community, just stay out of this serious discussion.

I seriously think that SRC is not the place for some people and there is no clause binding them to stay here.

Kindly PM me to delete your accounts if you feel you need this symbolic gesture.

AT

[Achilles Tang]

For starters,

I propose the nomination of a few more moderators to help lighten the load of running of SRC.

What sayeth the helpful people?

[DeepBlue]

Been reading a lot of these stuffs the last few days..... I think SRC needs no more fingerpointing and further dwelling in all this unhappiness. perhaps its time to move on.

Afterall, we are all hobbyists......if it becomes such a pain to some...might as well move on. afterall ... the site does belong to AT's....so if choose to continue being guest and enjoy the sharing going on..it would be great to do our part and contribute when necessary. For many of the reefers who come here regularly...I think we are hoping this distraction will soon be over.

I think there are a lot of new reefers out there with many questions many experienced reefers can help out. Let's be more constructive rather than getting into flaming wars and pointing fingers ....

[flubberina13]

Sidetracking...I suggest those with inferiority complex to go see a shrink/counsellor/psychologist.

There's nothing taboo about it. Afterall...there's a high tendency of it improving your life for the future to come.

Most of us are guilty of not taking a step back to evaluate how we have been living our lives.

what things that can be changed and yet still not changed...

I, for one, committed the sin of procrastination. Look at my stuff still in my tub for half a year liao...

I always feel that a healthy self-concept will enable one to brave the storms when they come...

[RAV-65]

For starters,

I propose the nomination of a few more moderators to help lighten the load of running of SRC.

What sayeth the helpful people?

Honestly, I tink its a brilliant idea... the Mods now are stretched too thin...

[flubberina13]

But if the root of the problem is not solved, there would exist internal turmoil...

Now is to see...where's the root?

solve it first then add new mods if the need calls for...

[Nitro]

Hi AT,

Put me as a moderator lah new member got more fresh ideas you know... juz kidding.

Anywayz juz a suggestion to further the brainstorming, why not give existing members and newbies a group outing like to "Underwater World to break the ice and at the same time to re-kindle the friendships/relationships of some ppl who hasn't been meeting up or got misunderstandings.

Juz my 0.5cents worth

[RAV-65]

But if the root of the problem is not solved, there would exist internal turmoil...

Now is to see...where's the root?

solve it first then add new mods if the need calls for...

Grandma,

i tink the root may take time to dig... but on a day-to-day basis, the running of SRC has to go on.... New mods can help lower the workload of the existing mods...

Juz my $0.02...

[Achilles Tang]

What's the root? Please expound on this, dear Flubby... or we'll be forever lost in the proverbial desert.

We all already know what caused the eventual decline of the SRC community and now we have to find solutions to our problems.