Negative Kingsnake experience

As many of you know, I sell ASF rats. I post on this site and many others including fijiji, craigslist, fauna, and unfortunately kingsnake.com.

Kingsnake is the only one I had to buy a membership to post. What a waste!

1.) almost every post I have put up has been removed by them for breaking some BS rule

2.) I have not gotten any customer inquiries as a result of the kingsnake adds!

The most recent reasons for removing my threads:

1.) they said $5 per ASF is not a reasonable price!
2.) To share info about the species I was trying to sell, I referenced the link to the caresheet I co-authored on this site. they said I can never reference another site!
3.) I mentioned I was an active member on ball-pythons.net; again they removed a posting saying I can't even mention the name of another site!
4.) I posted an "event" anouncing I would have ASF's for sale at an upcoming show. They said I wasn't allowed to give the name of the show, or the date in the title!

What a waste! So many BS rules for a "membership" that I had to PAY FOR!!! Has anyone else encountered problems like this with their site? Or am I the only one?!


Mike

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Originally Posted by Mike Cavanaugh

As many of you know, I sell ASF rats. I post on this site and many others including fijiji, craigslist, fauna, and unfortunately kingsnake.com.

Kingsnake is the only one I had to buy a membership to post. What a waste!

1.) almost every post I have put up has been removed by them for breaking some BS rule

2.) I have not gotten any customer inquiries as a result of the kingsnake adds!

The most recent reasons for removing my threads:

1.) they said $5 per ASF is not a reasonable price!
2.) To share info about the species I was trying to sell, I referenced the link to the caresheet I co-authored on this site. they said I can never reference another site!
3.) I mentioned I was an active member on ball-pythons.net; again they removed a posting saying I can't even mention the name of another site!
4.) I posted an "event" anouncing I would have ASF's for sale at an upcoming show. They said I wasn't allowed to give the name of the show, or the date in the title!

What a waste! So many BS rules for a "membership" that I had to PAY FOR!!! Has anyone else encountered problems like this with their site? Or am I the only one?!


Mike

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Sorry for your issues.

I don't bother with KS. I feel that they are trying to control things in THEIR major advertisers favor.

Their site is hard to navigate. I don't enjoy going there.

I am not a big fan of KS. I posted a link to a single photo page on my website with close to 100 pics from Daytona 08. The topic was "pics for the ones who couldn't make it". In no way trying to promote my site, just making a visual for folks who did not go. It was removed pretty quick. I put the exact same thread on here and was thanked numerous of times by the folks that wanted to be there that couldn't, 100 pics is the next best thing. I felt I was just doing a favor to others. I visit KS very seldom, and when I do it's mostly the classifieds.

I spend plenty of free time pretending to shop for reptiles and accessories, but I don't even bother with kingsnake. FYI Mike, and for everyone who sells reptiles/rodents/supplies, I'm definitely in the category of "potential customer" to people in this hobby, and I don't like to shop via kingsnake. I just figured I'd throw that out there, sorry you had to pay money to post classifieds but I wouldn't bother anymore.

Kingsnake has all rules and dictate what is not appropriate to post on their site but at the same time they allow scammers and illegal activity to operate in the classifieds.

You don't have to worry about me posting on that site again. here is a copy of the "heated email" I sent after they removed my 5th consecutive attempt to post something.

Just wanted you to know that I hate your site, and I think it totally sucks. Cancel my membership and give me a partial refund. This is the only site I have ever had to pay to post something. Every single add I have placed on your site since paying for the membership has been removed for one BS reason or another. To make matters even worse, I get customers from every other site I use EXCEPT this one! I never get any business as a result of posting on your site!

This thread is anouncing an event! Why in the hell would it be against the rules to give the location and date in the title!? Nevermind. I have have no interest in discussing this further. Just cancel my membership and give me a partial refund for time not used.

Good Day.

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Originally Posted by Mike Cavanaugh

As many of you know, I sell ASF rats. I post on this site and many others including fijiji, craigslist, fauna, and unfortunately kingsnake.com.

Kingsnake is the only one I had to buy a membership to post. What a waste!

1.) almost every post I have put up has been removed by them for breaking some BS rule

2.) I have not gotten any customer inquiries as a result of the kingsnake adds!

The most recent reasons for removing my threads:

1.) they said $5 per ASF is not a reasonable price!
2.) To share info about the species I was trying to sell, I referenced the link to the caresheet I co-authored on this site. they said I can never reference another site!
3.) I mentioned I was an active member on ball-pythons.net; again they removed a posting saying I can't even mention the name of another site!
4.) I posted an "event" anouncing I would have ASF's for sale at an upcoming show. They said I wasn't allowed to give the name of the show, or the date in the title!

What a waste! So many BS rules for a "membership" that I had to PAY FOR!!! Has anyone else encountered problems like this with their site? Or am I the only one?!


Mike

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ive seen all of these supposed rules broken all over KS

Yea... I'm not a huge fan of KS either....

cv has an ad on there for asfs 2$ for males and 5 for females.
around here they charge 2 for either sex live

Im not a big fan of the site from a sellers perspective because i never directly sold a animal from my ads there. I will tell you that having read there rules of posting section before and after i left them (after many ads of mine got deleted) and everything my ads were deleted for was clearly against there policies and i either didn't retain them or didn't understand them correctly. So with that being said if i had payed attention to the posting rules i wouldnt have bought a membership.

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Originally Posted by Mike Cavanaugh

1.) almost every post I have put up has been removed by them for breaking some BS rule

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Soooooo, you went to this site, read the TOS, paid the money you knew it would cost you to become a member, BROKE the TOS not once but numerous times and you are baffled as to why your posts are deleted.....

I've got some land in Fla. Would you be interested in purchasing it?

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Soooooo, you went to this site, read the TOS, paid the money you knew it would cost you to become a member, BROKE the TOS not once but numerous times and you are baffled as to why your posts are deleted.....

I've got some land in Fla. Would you be interested in purchasing it?

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I think he already lives in Fla.

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Originally Posted by FatBoy

I think he already lives in Fla.

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Oh he knows....:D

Ya Kingsnake.com is a load of ____ ... well im sure your imagination can fill in the blank .

I was a member there myself and I have been banned permanently because of this reason - I'm not allowed to thank anyone in my ads .
but yet I see 10 or more ads listed where something has either been sold or traded off and they thank the people and yet their ads are never removed and they arent banned for it .

and when i emailed them asking why on earth would I be banned for such a BS reason they tell me (actual quote) "we don't want your business and never will "..


so it seems to me as Jim sure to others as well if you got the money , you can buy the rules so they don't affect you on their site .
Kingsnakes philosophy must be MONEY gets you anything you want and to the others who cares what U think ..

1 day soon they will have serious competition . and they will have to come to realize their treatment of people will come back and screw them ..

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Originally Posted by TheVipersHouse

Ya Kingsnake.com is a load of ____ ... well im sure your imagination can fill in the blank .

I was a member there myself and I have been banned permanently because of this reason - I'm not allowed to thank anyone in my ads .
but yet I see 10 or more ads listed where something has either been sold or traded off and they thank the people and yet their ads are never removed and they arent banned for it .

and when i emailed them asking why on earth would I be banned for such a BS reason they tell me (actual quote) "we don't want your business and never will "..


so it seems to me as Jim sure to others as well if you got the money , you can buy the rules so they don't affect you on their site .
Kingsnakes philosophy must be MONEY gets you anything you want and to the others who cares what U think ..

1 day soon they will have serious competition . and they will have to come to realize their treatment of people will come back and screw them ..

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I gotta disagree.

I hardly spend anything over there. I usually buy the least expensive 6 month membership and that's it.

But they've never deleted an ad that I didn't goof up on. I make very few posts on any of their forums, but that's because I like the head banging against stones they have here better than the ones there.

I suspect it's individual personalities.

Too bad, eh?

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

Oh he knows....:D

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Just making a funny. :)

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Originally Posted by TheVipersHouse

so it seems to me as Jim sure to others

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JIM is a typo it should read I'm



sorry about that lol

and yet there is currently still no viable alternative......




~Kat

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Originally Posted by janeothejungle

and yet there is currently still no viable alternative......




~Kat

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yes i know i agree with you on that point ..

but its a point im currently working on trying to remedy ..:D

Kingsnake.com think they are gods because they have the most popular classifieds site on the net .

and its deffinitly been proven they do not treat every customer on the same level as the rest .

hopefully one day things will be changed and a more fair and level playing feild will be made ..

There is an old saying "If you are going to treat your customers as though you are the only game in town, you better make sure that you are the only game in town." Even Leroy Brown eventually met his match.

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Originally Posted by dsirkle

There is an old saying "If you are going to treat your customers as though you are the only game in town, you better make sure that you are the only game in town." Even Leroy Brown eventually met his match.

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EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


well said ..

I cannot stand kingsnake.com I feel that the classifieds is over run with sellers trying to make a mill, and dont give a crap about their animals or their customers. The same goes with their forums, I once posted on there a question that I guess wasnt up to par with their caliber. Mike dont waste your time with those idiots, same goes with fauna though just a bunch of brown nosers concerned with how high their rep power is, lol. Idiots

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Originally Posted by MDB

I cannot stand kingsnake.com I feel that the classifieds is over run with sellers trying to make a mill, and dont give a crap about their animals or their customers. The same goes with their forums, I once posted on there a question that I guess wasnt up to par with their caliber. Mike dont waste your time with those idiots, same goes with fauna though just a bunch of brown nosers concerned with how high their rep power is, lol. Idiots

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I disagree Fauna can be and is a great site for info on people you might be buying from the BOI has its good points

Ok so what would make a good classified site?

I love craigslist for generic classifieds, it just isn't for selling pets.

I don't think a truely good classifieds site exists for reptiles. I'd much prefer to "shop" based off of references to quality breeders, and then check out their own personal website. Of course this doesn't help the very small-time breeders who produce maybe a clutch or two and want to sell off a few of the hatchlings.

lol I like the letter you emailed them :)

I'm moving this to the feedback section, but I'd also like to remind folks here of our TOS regarding discussions on other sites - as this thread is very close to violating them, if it hasn't already crossed the line. I will also be changing the subject title to better comply with this section of the TOS .

While I understand that there was no link posted, the purpose of the thread is treading on slamming the site. Let's keep the discussion more on discussing personal experiences with KS and any issues you may or may not have had.

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Originally Posted by FAQ

12. Links or text with the purpose of recruiting members to competing sites are not allowed. Linking to other sources for the purposes of sharing something unavailable at BP.net and/or for the purposes of promoting reasonable and appropriate discussion are allowed. However, links to other forums for the purposes of slamming the site, an individual, or other inflammatory action are not allowed.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

I'm moving this to the feedback section, but I'd also like to remind folks here of our TOS regarding discussions on other sites - as this thread is very close to violating them, if it hasn't already crossed the line. I will also be changing the subject title to better comply with this section of the TOS .

While I understand that there was no link posted, the purpose of the thread is treading on slamming the site. Let's keep the discussion more on discussing personal experiences with KS and any issues you may or may not have had.

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Thank you Robin. Sorry if I crossed the line with this thread. I appreciate you letting the thread stay though as I feel I am doing a service to my BP.net brothers and sisters who are considering doing business with this site. Knowledge is power.

Funny, they say my prices were not reasonable, but there is another big name guy on there that has had very similar pricing on the same product forever... but they don't seem to have a problem with him.

So maybe this is a good site for those who want to pay much more for the "prefered treatment." I made the mistake of only spending $35 for a three month basic membership. Next time I need to sell a few $5 dollar rats, I will be sure to spend hundreds of dollars to get good customer service. :8:

Hmmmm, much like a monkey whose paw gets a shock when an unwanted action is taken learns not to take that action, an unwanted seller has learned a lesson too; if you can't follow the rules, they'll toss you off the field.

Of course a bit of research would show that this is nothing new for KS, they've always operated this way.

Oh well, there are plenty of other sites that get as much traffic and, oh wait, no there isn't, they're a monopoly.

I use the heck out of KS. It sucks that you have to follow some of the stupidest rules ever but the rules are there because scammers were abusing their posting rights.
I dont always have my mebership updated. I get the cheapest one when i have lots to sell then when im done it turns back into a free account again. I get the one month accounts.
KS isn't the only site on the net to sell but its the only one i've had to use. Everything i've posted has sold. I have a fauna classified account but i have yet to post there. I dont like to have my stuff posted all over the place. Ill pick one and stick with it if it works.
I have yet to have a negitive experiance with KS. I dont consider myself lucky because i do research when buying so i dont end up dealing with trash lieing scammers. And there are a few of them on KS. I dont consider myself a large breeder so i dont have a real website yet. In a little over a year when all my pets have grown up to breeding size WATCH OUT cause here i come. Then i wont need KS anymore hehe.

the best classified is a forum all my boas have been bought that way except petstore babies what i do is i click the link under there post and hope they have a site lol

Kingsnakes rules are pretty straight forward -- you either follow them or post elsewhere -- if you weren't willing to play by their rules you shouldn't have paid the membership -- seem awfully silly to pay and then turn around and complain.

kingsnake sucks for the same reason it is so awesome - its HUGE!
trust me, they regulate it tightly because the world is filled with morons. just look at all the problems associated with ebay, paypal, craigs list, etc... i'm not saying you are a moron, so please don't take it that way, i'm just saying that heavy moderation is necessary with a beast such as KS. they are not trying to spite anyone, they're just trying to be consistent with their TOS.
they're humans so they will make mistakes, but to say that KS sucks - well, honestly i don't think anyone else here can or will come up with anything better.

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Originally Posted by Tosha_Mc

Kingsnakes rules are pretty straight forward -- you either follow them or post elsewhere -- if you weren't willing to play by their rules you shouldn't have paid the membership -- seem awfully silly to pay and then turn around and complain.

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I guess some of us folks just aren't Kingsnake "Pro's" like you...

LOL! :gj:

Just to play a little Devil's Advocate here regarding classifieds and how to run them....

First off, I have seen plenty of anecdotal evidence of KS being entirely unfair and inconsistent in how they apply their rules....I have no way of knowing how true any of that is, as I've never been behind the scenes to see how they go about making the decisions they do. But coming from an "Admin" point of view.....Rules are Rules. Each and every rule is created and enforced for a reason that the administrators felt was important. Whether or not you agree with it or even understand it is moot. Rules are rules.

Second off....I'd like to know just HOW someone would run a "perfect" classifieds. On the one hand, you've got people complaining that they can't advertise because they don't/won't/can't follow certain rules about business or personal identity...there's not enough "freedom" to advertise however they like. But then you've got those saying scammers and scumbaggery run rampant....but the only way they could is if there is too much freedom in the advertising policies.

Or...you've got those who accuse KS (or other classified sites) of only catering to those with money....or the advertisers are only after money and don't care about the animals. Ummm....just HOW is someone supposed to judge such a thing? How can KS (or anyone for that matter) make rules to weed out anyone who is just "greedy" or "doesn't care" about their animals??? Wouldn't that impose an entirely new level of rules that are impossible to enforce with any amount of consistency or fairness?

The larger the site, the more complicated all these questions become. Personally, I don't envy them the task of keeping up with the whole "classifieds soap opera", no matter how much income it may draw in for KS.

If you don't like KS...then fine. Don't sell there, don't shop there and don't post there. But don't expect them to change just because you don't like them or disagree with their policies.

I am not so much speaking to their rules and policies... I am more specificly speaking to their varried enforcement of their rules and policies. Bottom line is that the bigger customers seem to have a completely different rule book. That is fine and dandy when it is a FREE site! But when I BUY a membership, I expect that everyone else should have to follow the same rules!

Mike

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Originally Posted by MDB

same goes with fauna though just a bunch of brown nosers concerned with how high their rep power is, lol. Idiots

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I love the BOI, I always get great info on breeders/broker's etc.... Its also very entertaining;)
Your pretty quick to pass judgment MDB, i dont think its right. These guys really do show some of these horrible business's and crooks for who they really are, and vice versa with great business's/breeders who love what they do and care about thier customers!

..........

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Originally Posted by Mike Cavanaugh

I am not so much speaking to their rules and policies... I am more specificly speaking to their varried enforcement of their rules and policies. Bottom line is that the bigger customers seem to have a completely different rule book. That is fine and dandy when it is a FREE site! But when I BUY a membership, I expect that everyone else should have to follow the same rules!

Mike

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Yup, very selective in enforcing their rules... Unfortunately you've broken one of their biggest rules of all which is... Don't badmouth Kingsnake on other forums.... What? You didn't think they read all the stuff written about them???

Sorry Mike, you're pretty much toast now... Don't worry though, there is life after kingsnake, you wouldn't believe all the people who have received lifetime bans......

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Originally Posted by MarkS

Sorry Mike, you're pretty much toast now... Don't worry though, there is life after kingsnake, you wouldn't believe all the people who have received lifetime bans......

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LOL! don't worry about me... I won't loose sleep over it!

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Originally Posted by Mike Cavanaugh

LOL! don't worry about me... I won't loose sleep over it!

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Well Mike, many people are just instinctively political and they consequently weigh and measure possible fallout of each statement that they make as second nature and such people generally presume that all people are inclined to do the same and so heap their wrath upon those that they perceive as violators of this "rule". I myself am not made like that and from reading many posts of yours I am rather sure that you are not either. We just have to accept the fact that we will occasionally take our lumps from the more astute that are among us. But sometimes we benefit from our naivety as well.

I've been placing ads on KS for a few years now. Yes I had trouble getting all their rules straight at first and Yes I had my share of ads deleted. Once you get the rules straight and learn from a handful of deleted ads, it's not that bad of a site. I've met MANY valuable customers from that site, as I have many other "free" ones.

I guess what I'm trying to say is- if you want to promote yourself within the world wide web you can't limit yourself at all. You need to abide by their rules, it's their site. You need to find your niche among them and establish a stasis. This goes for ALL forums and sites. Bashing any of them only creates a bad vibe from them to you...and most importantly...limits you and your business that much. It's important to remember that FOR THE MOST PART whatever you type and post on the internet STAYS there forever. It doesn't get forgotten or lost. It's there for good.

Hope this helps.

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Originally Posted by dsirkle

Well Mike, many people are just instinctively political and they consequently weigh and measure possible fallout of each statement that they make as second nature and such people generally presume that all people are inclined to do the same and so heap their wrath upon those that they perceive as violators of this "rule". I myself am not made like that and from reading many posts of yours I am rather sure that you are not either. We just have to accept the fact that we will occasionally take our lumps from the more astute that are among us. But sometimes we benefit from our naivety as well.

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I'd have to disagree with you on this one Dale.

It seems more to me that ol mikey here blatantly violated some rule or other with which he had some pre-existing problem and is now making a stink about getting his hand slapped for it.

I've been VERY vocal about KS on fauna and a couple of other sites, just not on KS, about them. Their mods are known to play favorites.

Big deal.

You want fair moderation, try fauna. They are the best I've seen so far and I've tested more than a few.

I see it more like a kid whining for stealing a cookie after his mom told him not too, pointed to the jar and repeated he was not to touch it, moved the jar to make it less accessible, then finds the broken cookie jar on the floor and cookie crumbs all over mikey.

Eh, I won't lose any sleep over it.

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Originally Posted by jim020cricket

It's important to remember that whatever you type and post on the internet STAYS there forever. It doesn't get forgotten or lost. It's there for good.

Hope this helps.

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Actually, on Ks, as here, this statement is not true. It may well be saved in a mod accessible forum only, but it may not be on the web forever.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Actually, on Ks, as here, this statement is not true. It may well be saved in a mod accessible forum only, but it may not be on the web forever.

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You know what I meant... :rolleyes:

How about this "For the most part..."

Is that better? :D

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Originally Posted by jim020cricket

You know what I meant... :rolleyes:

How about this "For the most part..."

Is that better? :D

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It's certainly more accurate.

Wes, I am in agreement with many seemingly contradictory points of view that have been made in this thread. I have seen many people complain here and around the internet about having their ads pulled from kingsnake when they are clearly not in compliance with clearly stated policies. And I agree that rules are rules.
At the same time I also agree that there is selective enforcement of rules for the "in crowd", the "common folks", and the "out crowd", three distinct classes of people. And I have noticed that some people that are ordinarily quite outspoken are obviously afraid to anger the great OZ. The bottom line of it to me is that if a person is not politically astute or not willing to occasionally walk on eggshells or to pretend not to see that the Emperor has no clothes there is no point in spending money to advertise in this particular venue.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Actually, on Ks, as here, this statement is not true. It may well be saved in a mod accessible forum only, but it may not be on the web forever.

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Actually, I've posted stuff on the rec.pets.herp usenet group nearly 20 years ago that is still accessible somewhere... What you post may not be accessible to your average yokel. But somewhere it's on a tape in somebodies long term storage facility. What you say here will NEVER go away.....

The people who refuse to stand up to an injustice out of fear are the reason things are as screwed up as they are over there.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

I see it more like a kid whining for stealing a cookie after his mom told him not too, pointed to the jar and repeated he was not to touch it, moved the jar to make it less accessible, then finds the broken cookie jar on the floor and cookie crumbs all over mikey.

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I would say a more accurate description would be the kid brother who also steals a cookie, gets caught, but is not punished. Its ok though, when mom isn't looking, I will take care of the kid brother. I have no problem going out and getting my own dam bag of cookies. Screw Mom!

Mikey