[kj]

Recently there has been a lot of unrest on the UGS. I've put in place a team of dedicated moderators who in my opinion, and in the opinion of many more, have done a fantastic job in maintaining the integrity of the site and at the same time improving the experience to those who use it.

There has, unsurprisingly, been those who seem to have a problem with the way the site runs and have gone on to publicly accuse myself and moderators of a variety of things, including theft and bigotry. These same people have been those who have contributed in a negative manner to the site and as such are not welcome here... as a result being permanently banned. They have then gone on to make their views known on other boards and sites including their livejournals.

One thing I will not tolerate are personal attacks against myself and my website and moderators. People who say they will leave the site only to return with alias accounts and to continue posting about their distaste towards UGS are proving one thing... UGS owns them! Why can’t they walk away and forget about UGS? Why do they have to spread malicious rumours implying that I steal from the UGS funds to buy CDs? What has my car got to do with them? In fact, what has any aspect of my life got to do with them? Just because I prefer to talk face-to-face doesn’t mean I want to fight them. If I like to modify my car then so what? The very narrow-mindedness that they complain about on their live journals is the same narrow-mindedness that they are guilty of themselves.

Does it really bother them that much that they take the time to discuss my hobbies on their Live journal? We're not friends... as far as I am concerned they are just users on my website. Some of these people I have spoken to personally in a civil manner, just as if we were friends, only for them to turn around and stick up their noses. Those who I can count as friends and acquaintances are those that help further the site and also help me with everything the site entails. They are also people who criticise the site CONSTRUCTIVELY, because they are helping me address areas of the site that can be improved.

People that back stab, hate and spread malicious rumours are not my friends, they are nothing to the site or me. Every time they refer to the site and myself elsewhere on the Internet does one thing, increase the standing of UGS, increase our search rankings on the worlds biggest search engines, brings traffic to UGS and also eats away at their credibility.

I've also been accused of being unprofessional... since when was UGS a business? Since when do I have any sort of dealings with people on the site in anything else but a casual manner? I don’t rely on UGS for anything. I don’t use the site to further my professional life, I don’t need to. My life does not revolve around this site. Unfortunately some people are finding it hard to distinguish between real life and fantasy. If UGS was run in a professional manner, there would be no sole to the site. The lack of social barriers makes UGS what it is. But the site will not let itself be abused.

If anyone on this site has a problem with my moderators and myself then talk to us about it. There are a variety of ways to do this, through pm's on the site, through email, through msn or in person. If you cannot do this then please leave the site and get on with your lives. The same applies to those who lack trust in the site and myself, they are free to leave.

The site is in the middle of another stage of progression, we're better off without people like that... they're like dead weight to the site, its just a bit harder to throw them off the deck... because they keep coming back kicking and screaming like children.

We are all adults here, we're all educated (though in some cases this is disputable), and so why act the way they do? Why leave the country only to continue where they left off by defaming the site and myself on the Internet. I'm not entirely pissed off to be honest, because to me it shows two things, envy and jealousy. Envious of the success of UGS over the years and jealousy of the site and the team that keep it running.

My moderators have banned several accounts, and on a few occasions have resolved dispute through talking and reason and reinstated some of these banned accounts on an understanding that these people will not post degenerately again. The site moderators are in place because of their ability to make sound decisions based on site situations and leaving personal bias out of it. The moderators are chosen because of their integrity and willingness to do the job. There are others on the site that would work in exactly the same way and offer just as much to the site and eventually these people will be made aware of how the site values their contribution.

Those who continue this site are also in a position to help the site progress and leave this period behind... are in a position to make it clear to these kinds of people that they are not welcome here.

That’s all I’m going to say on this matter for the time being, so if anyone wants to talk to me, I’ll be working on my lawnmower.