French Entree - I was livid, but now I'm ZEN...

[Clexane]

Paolo,

I rarely laugh at a post or my computer, but your reference to naughty step was v. funny. You obviously are the father of a toddler as your picture shows, and I must agree that the naughty step is one of the most effective tools available for discipline.

Timing on the naughty step is dependent normally by age and a meaningful apology concluding. One wonders what your criteria will be??

[Alan Knighting]

Even if rental listing site owners post supportive comments - make no mistake - they are here for their own interests not ours.

That's what I meant when I mentioned reading between the lines. Some, perhaps few, of these folk do have something constructive to say but I am more than happy to have the “comfort blanket� of Paolo looking after our interests – that’s why I wont argue with him.

Fluffy

[paolo]

I just find the sniping a bit wearing. If it came from someone like Brooke, then fair enough, but given that the guy is here to flog his wares, you'd think he might bring his manners with him.

Timing on the naughty step is dependent normally by age and a meaningful apology concluding

He must be at least in his 20s, so 20 years?

[Fraise]

Giggle...wonder if the step will wear out? What do we do with a full naughty staircase, could be a fire hazard?

[Giddy Goat]

As I have said in the past, LMH is a dictatorship.

Paolo, did you really? I haven't been able to find the reference, but though I love LMH, have benefited, made friends, get my daily fix here, and understand where you're coming from Paolo, the choice of the word 'dictatorship', malevolent or benevolent, makes me a trifle squirmy.

As far as Garri's concerned, the bottom line is that he has made valuable contributions to the forum, and has not always, I suspect, been motivated to do so just by self interest. The very fact that his website is about holidays demonstrates that the subject was already close to his heart, as it is for the rest of us here, and another reason for his presence - to share his knowledge and to gain from the views of others. He has been a bit outspoken on this thread I agree - but what does it take to be put on the naughty step and not be invited to participate again? If it came to that, it would be a shame - and our loss. Hope it doesn't.

[Rocket Rab]

though I love LMH, have benefited, made friends, and get a daily fix here, and understand where you're coming from Paolo, the choice of the word 'dictatorship', malevolent or benevolent, makes me a trifle squirmy.

GG, you are always so eloquent. Nothing to add. I share your all your sentiments, and would not like to see Garri go.

[la vache!]

As far as Garri's concerned, the bottom line is that he has made valuable contributions to the forum, and has not always, I suspect, been motivated to do so just by self interest. The very fact that his website is about holidays demonstrates that the subject was already close to his heart, as it is for the rest of us here, and another reason for his presence - to share his knowledge and to gain from the views of others. He has been a bit outspoken on this thread I agree - but what does it take to be put on the naughty step and not be invited to participate again? If it came to that, it would be a shame - and our loss. Hope it doesn't.

I agree.
Sorry, will finish off now (in the middle of ironing!) - I do think the advice and feedback that Garri has given on many issues, including peoples personal websites (many of whom join the forum and then disappear) has been valuable for me. He has never hidden his interest in the holiday market, but I don't think he has ever tried to hard sell his rental listing sites to anyone on here either, unlike a lot of posters. I hope his banishment to the naughty step isn't permanent either!

[Mountain Goat]

GG

100% in agreement, and would like to join the menagerie support team - Garri's got a lot to offer this forum, and his website, and the philosophy behind it, should an inspiration to many of us (not the least its technical features).

MG

[Overboard]

100% in agreement, and would like to join the menagerie support team - Garri's got a lot to offer this forum, and his website, and the philosophy behind it, should an inspiration to many of us (not the least its technical features).

MG

As above. I read an old subject this morning from 2005 and he was right in there still helping out.

[marcus]

Ditto the few posts above.
I've learned a lot from Garri, mostly in the form of ideas he suggests which turn out later to be very good ideas, and as far as i'm aware he's always been upfront about what he's doing.
I think it would be a loss to LMH to lose him.

[enid]

I don't want anyone to be banned and certainly not for life - but I do want the positive tone of the forum to be maintained. I am trusting to Paolo and his chosen moderators to do that.

[vrooje]

the choice of the word 'dictatorship', malevolent or benevolent, makes me a trifle squirmy.

All forums are dictatorships, though... since in the end, the site owner can just decide to take the site offline or move the database that stores all our posts to some inaccessible place.

Not that I'm suggesting that Paolo would do that, but no user of any free forum should harbor illusions that s/he has a "right" to use the forum. The fact that we are discussing this, that we all give input that is welcomed and heard, and to what extent we are heard, is entirely Paolo's choice.

And when he makes a decision regarding the forum, it is by definition the right one. It's just that the "dictatorship" is so benevolent that it's easy to forget that.

Which may be what Fluffy already said...

[Giddy Goat]

Even if rental listing site owners post supportive comments - make no mistake - they are here for their own interests not ours.

If this is a reference to Garri's site, it isn't a listing site Enid - it's a travel blog, so offers a lot more. The 'listing' of rentals is a very small part of it as far as I can see - simply tags with a brief one line description to link to an owner's website. No ads, no thumbnails.

And when he makes a decision regarding the forum, it is by definition the right one.

Even dictators, self confessed but benign, can make errors of judgment sometimes. I admire Paolo for what he has achieved here, but he is human after all!! I hasten to add that this last comment in no way diminishes what I feel about the forum and its creator, but we're all adults, or at least I think we are: do we really need reminding who holds the plug?

[enid]

it isn't a listing site Enid

I know that - I was using it as a generic term.

[debk]

do we really need reminding who holds the plug?

Unfortunately, dear GG, some people do. They definitely do.

This forum is quite unique in its civility and I imagine that the part of Paolo's role that he likes least is this particular one. I don't always agree with Paolo -- especially as regards his sandpaper obsession -- but I thank him for sticking in here with us and for sticking his oar in when he deems appropriate. Which is very, very seldom.

As for Garri, I think he's a great asset to LMH and hope he'll be with us for a long while to come, though his tone herein and his snipe at Fraise was completely childish and begs an apology.

Poor Paolo, he probably had no idea what he was getting himself into back when he was choosing cool logos and selecting colors for the ideabud to be called LayMyHat...
debk