Yeah, well there are two long, ugly stories that I will not go into but briefly mention:
1) That forum used to be this forum. Or, this forum used to be the COG forum and there was no 'their' forum. Long, drawn out deal and COG ended up with [this original's] forum name, and this forum got a new name. It was kinda' ugly and there was (and probably is) bad blood. The break happened in 2011 IRRC.
2) I have a history with the 'other' forum, again with bad blood and unpleasant. Now, I was an active member of COG also and had absolutely no problem with the 'face to face' (Easy Boys, not like that!) part of COG and still do not. But it was impossible to separate the physical, 'in person' side of COG from the forum side of COG, especially when paying dues, and so I stopped paying dues simply because I could not stand supporting the forum in any way, shape or form.... and that had the unfortunate result in greatly diminishing the 'in person' interaction with COG also. I am still in contact with many COG members, still participate in a few local events that are open to the public but am not involved in any direct COG function (read: anything restricted to members or available to non- members for a fee; I could not care less about the $10, $20 or whatever it is, I simply will not send money to that organization until and unless I am comfortable in supporting the forum). That said, no emotional connection now and no crankiness on my part anymore. And there were and are some really outstanding people that are current, active members of COG, so that is why I poked my head into 'their space' and said what I hope was a pleasant hello.
Any group of any size has a personality, be it a country's army, a store or store chain, an airline, a public service organization such as a police force, etc., etc. ad nauseum. It would not seem possible but fly three times on Southwest Airlines, and three times on United Airlines and see if this is not 100% true. In my absolutely useless opinion, I like this forum because of its 'personality'; well- moderated, tolerant but it has limits, reasonable and responsible moderation and an almost amazing lack of Goo Roos and the gigantic (and usually unwarranted) egos that go with them; not to mention the legions of mindless followers that will stone one to death if one were even to so much as ask if a Goo Roo may be anything less than a full- blown god (picture Eric Blair (George Orwell)'s sheep bleating "Four legs good, Two legs bad" endlessly for an example). In fact, I only participate in three forums, none of which are related to the other in subject in the least, and that is how I choose them: they behave like gentlemen and gentlewomen, are knowledgeable, respectful and know how to act in a polite society.
Now of course there is a lot of knowledge on 'the other' forum as well, as well as a lot of great people and it would be foolish of me to think or say otherwise. It is merely the organization's personality that I am referring too, not the user's average 'niceness' or anything else.
Anyway, as I said- went over and said hello, got a couple of very pleasant replies from some old friends and all is well and right in the world. I will certainly stop again, perhaps around a holiday or something when it occurs to me, and do the very same thing- say a pleasant hello.
One very nice memory I will stick in here (Boys!): at the National COG rally in TN back in, I think, 2014, we had a totally accidental little hoard of us gather in the hotel's main lobby; all nice people, all known friends from all over the country. And so I end up doing a pretty well known shtick know as 'The Cat Joke' and it kind of turns into something. After perhaps 20 or 30 renditions ('The Cat' Joke' is not really all that funny until my wife is on the verge of wetting her chair), passers by start hearing it and then going off to get other people to come and hear 'The Cat Joke'. The new listeners would be directed to stand is a specific spot and listen and watch (because 'The Cat Joke' is very much a visual, group effort) the shtick and it kind of got funnier each time. This is a picture of that very thing: I am on the left, in the orangy shirt, the current listener is out of the frame on the right side, my wife is on the opposite couch wearing a red shirt, and the guy next to her is Chuck (Rev Rider), who is reaching for a newspaper to prevent my wife from having..... er, and accident on the leather couch. It truly was a great night and really pretty typical for an alcohol- laced 'clot' of COGgers. :-) By the way, Chuck is a Presbyterian minister from TX, and eariler in the day he had a long and very full beard..... which I shaved off of him with a straight razor in front of a small auditorium of COGgers in a group called the 'Over the Pond', for charity, and I think we raised something like $800 or $900 for that cause. It was the first time (and so far, only time) I have every shaved anyone else although I shave with straights myself. So believe me, there was a significant amount of risk.... if my hand shook I could have cut Chuck and knicked the blade of a very old, very expensive razor, refurbished especially for that occasion, and then where would I be?
:-)
Brian
Awhile age when this site was down for a couple of days I went over there and poked around. Did it again when I was selling my C14. Now I visit there more often. Maybe once a week now.