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This poem is to those selfish members, flying around our site,
Who swoop down persistently, not intent of doing things right.
Featured poets spend their points, for an opinion of their work,
But not for those dishonest vultures, who think it an easy perk.
If you grab some points, without giving an honest comment,
your name should be published on that poem, as proof of dissent.
Those who always try to do, the right thing every single time,
Do so with knowledge there’re not part of this sleazy crime.
And the other many vultures running contests for their mate,
Not reading every single entry are the ones I despise and hate.
I’ll publish on my featured poem your name on there in lights,
It will be for my loathing you for not respecting our fair rights.
What are you ?? Vulture or Friend ??? .
Author notes
Written March 13th, 2006
In a list
A contest entry
- Controversy by I swashbuckler OK.
470 points, ended July 22, 2007, 19 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Piss Me Off, Make Me Laugh, Poems that get bashed, etc. by twilight seduction.
1200 points, ended December 1, 2007, 16 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 59 of 59
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Kudos..maybe Ill recommend it for teh front page! Lol.... Well said. I hate these littele groupies like I am up against in that group. I spend a l;ot of time, a lot , on making my backgrounds and the y are generally considered some of teh best nbecause I get so many requests from people who see them to make one for them....yet my entry doesnt even place sometimes....forst place sis, 2nd auntie, 3rd ap sis again..it;s sicening. And yet they dont get the requests that I do for maing BGs for others..kinda tells you something. No wander they have a lot of trophies! maybe deserved half or less! And as you said, probably fighting a losing battle but when so many people pm you after a contest that you got screwed, it gets kinda old....eep teh banner high and keep on with this ...
Evan
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Vulture
Sadly, I am a vulture. I can't always comment on what I read. What if it's better if I just shut up? Like...if I might bash?
However, the featured poems pay out well, and I always leave comments on those when I choose to read them.
I can see why you're pissed off though. Poets, by nature, are lazy, and we like getting the most out of the least possible effort. Its why we get crap poetry sometimes when we write. Sometimes i can't commetn on all the entires in a contest either, as I am in collge and very busy. But I do read all of them. So...I am probably a vulture.
Nice job. -
If this had been featured I would have declined to comment but as it is a poem in my contest I feel I should, here goes;
It is a pathetic and whiney excuse for a poem. You call people 'evil' because they don't comment on your work? Jesus F Christ who the bloody hell do you think you are? The truth of the matter is if your poem is good enough people will comment, if it isn't they wont. This poem sounds like a child's pathetic moan because they can't have their cake and eat it.
I shall keep an eye out for you in featured and be sure to waste your points. Put me on your list? I must make my own list, a list of things I really couldn't give a crap about and add your concerns to it.
Grow up for crying out loud, poor baby. -
Me thinks you may be taking it a little too serious but what the hell, that is your prerogative. As for publishing names on a list I'm afraid it would be deleted, I once wrote a poem about some racist poets on here who were openly writing poems about killing Jews and 'Niggers' (the fact that they spelt it 'Nigers' was testament to their intelligence) and it got deleted because you can't name other people without permission. And I think it a little strong to be calling people evil! It could be that they simply don’t know how to write what you would consider a good enough critique, I myself often read poems that are so good I really don’t know what to say, the other side of the coin is reading a poem that is so awful for whatever reason and not saying anything because I wouldn’t want to offend. Good luck with it though.
And if I may quote your Author page: I don't like Dark Poetry, Cutting, Violence, or sordid and explicit sex etc. and wont comment because I am not qualified to, for I don't understand the necessity to write such stuff.
Now I know we can categorise our poems but what if you happened across something because you liked the title or knew the poet and saw it in featured, for it to turn out to have subject matter you 'won't comment on'.
Not everybody checks the category of a poem before reading it, I can smell a little hypocrisy! Just a lil mind. -
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michael
Actually I was editing the poem just after I posted it as I had similar feeling to you but was interrupted and didn't get back to it until I saw your comment. I have replaced evil with sleazy which is a better fit and removed the last verse as it is impossible to do.
Poets use hard earned points to obtain a comment regarding the featured poem and no matter what one thinks of it, a reply can be given that wont offend and you will gfind many give a useless answer anyway for whatever reason. If a poem is so good that you are speachless then just say so, for what better comment coulkd you get anyway. there are always those with the technical skills who will comment accordingly. Click and run is a dishonest practice like the old saying "stuff you mate, I'm Ok" taking without giving anything in return.
Bazza -
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yes but as you say on your author page, there are things you wont comment on. I really think you shouldn't risk your points if people not commenting upsets you so much, I wouldn't say it is dishonest, lazy maybe at worst. anyway, Im off to bed.
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yes but as you say on your author page, there are things you wont comment on. I really think you shouldn't risk your points if people not commenting upsets you so much, I wouldn't say it is dishonest, lazy maybe at worst. anyway, Im off to bed.
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Way to go man, taking a stand! But you gotta be fair sometimes, I've "clicked and run" on rare occassion when I was unavoidably called away to something else, but I did "kiss and make up" with the poet later. hate those 'rigged' contests that seem to give points to stuff with lots of errors and hallmark card greetings, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose. as poets, "let the buyer beware" is sound advice. this piece is fun and informative, just threatening enough. hope I didn't waste your points
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I know I've done that once and I apologized. Then someone did that to me, and when I asked why she wasted my points, she said she didn't have anything to comment. I was pissed but its ok now. And am glad to know some of you are pissed off as well. Nice poem. Direct and fierce
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I didn't know people took it so seriously.
Sometimes I just want to read a poem.
But I'll leave comments now.
You have a great title. -
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Fair is fair.
I joined another site a month ago and everything was free except promotion which was paid for, for each poem and bloody expensive. If you reviewed and commented you received points and most of these were paid for by the poet, otherwise you got out your credit card and paid with hard dollars (lots of em too). The end result were poems rated as 'all time best' that were absolute crud. When you tried to review, the most expensively promoted poems came up in numerical order so the same 'poems' just became more 'popular.' I would hate to see this site degenerate to that, but everyone (on other site)politely gives good reviews and they all sit in a circle patting each other on the back. Absolutely nothing to do with poetry or talent. One reviewer said she liked how I had little 'surprise words' on the ends of the lines like the ones before, but they became inconsistent... Bloody hell, when someone hasn't come across rhyme before they should not be reviewing at all.
This site has a lot of potential but a few things need to be cleaned up for the paying members and as I keep saying .. fair is fair.What about saying what you want... this is the ideal forum ..
Bazza -
Think about it this way.
Yes, some people do, that is why they promote. They like the applause and pat on the back and others like honest comment but one can always be diplomatic and constructive, so the reviewer gets some points for ther trouble and the poet receives some comment. It is then up to the poet to accept or reject the comments. But BOTH sides must do it in good faith and expect that some people won't like it and others will.
The return average of comments according to Brian is about 20% and that is NOT acceptable. It should be 100% and I believe that if someone clicks and doesn't comment then they are fined the same amount of points as if they had. This would solve the problem and reinstate the site to being fair.
It must also be remembered that this is a business venture and some return is necessary, BUT in all fairness I venture to say that if it was run fairly with policed rules then the turnover in points purchases would in fact increase.
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here here
I can be a vulture but never mean to be. It is always best to be a friend to those who want to see a answer to what is or what isn't what they think. Here here to the growing stink that are the vultures feeding on those who try their best to create a piece that's worthy to those who judge their name. Thank you for the truth so splattered in red ink. May the vultures fear the list and the friends remember they sometimes are vultures too.
As a poem I like the message and the flow that happens toward the end. It is unique subject to write about. It took a few lines to get moving though.
Always pen from the heart and you shall never write wrong!
~SongByrd
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Bravo !
When I first joined AP, I was amazed how many read my stuff but said nothing. Even the bad is better than nothing. I have also entered a couple contests where nothing was said.. other than it was read by the judge. For a long time, I just did not enter any. More than annoying ! I love to read other's work and when they lay their points in the line, a comment is appreciated. At least, I feel that way.I appreciate your efforts to stop this practice . Blessings to you. Debby -
I have to agree wholeheartedly on this whole piece, I am so annoyed right now, I featured 4 poems of my favourites (not mine) in the wee hours of lst night (Aus time) of 40 clicks at 30 points, they received 20 comments which mean half of my points disappeared down the drain, and then the comments they did recieve were worth nothing.... and as far as people holding contest who don't comment on things, that makes me even angrier... but without me going off on another rant, I will say superbly written, I am on your side completely here, love the way you contructed this piece, getting the message across without going into rant mode, sensational job, one that needed to be said, am going to bookmark this one if that's ok...
They keep asking me why I won't pay any money for a membership after being here for 6 years, take a good look at the reasons.....
Karen
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Good to be honest.
I love the way you express yourself. Say what you think and feel and yet you show a softness that I find appealing and friendly.
Great to find you are an Oz ... love it .. I will read some of your work soon, but at present I (computer) needs a recharge,
Bazza (Barry)
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bravo!
I couldn't agree more barry, i'm a friend , i'd never dream of clicking and not leaving some kind of comment, and as for contest holders not commenting,ggrrrr
well done indeed,
Alex
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Mate points ... are one thing because they buy (people) many things including trophies, and there is a paranoid concept at winning trophies which is purely greed and ego boosting, but at the end of the day, points cost money and this is a commercial site ..... GREED and as I have said greed is what is wrong with mankind and money has no conscience.
There are many great features and that s the pity so I have to bite my tongue and do it through the correct channels. I agree with this but to remove my ststements because one of the cheats complained .... that is hard to understand.
Regards,
Barry -
The honest truth Bazza, this point system is intrinsically flawed. People have an inbuilt radar and hunger for winning and getting points. And to use that for the purpose of getting traffic on a site - will in fact boost ratings (as with the TV ratings battles) but then compromises quality and substance. I feel this will work out until it reaches that place of reckoning.
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I am a kestrel seeking its peace of sky to fly in....
or a wedgetail surveying an almost barren landscape.... -
Yes, I don't only say it but I do publish the names of the Vultures with each poem I feature. If everyone did that it woule reduce the incidence of them Swooping Down and STEALING points. I have several to update as I have been too busy lately.
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Hi, GIVE THE MAN A MEDAL,HE'S HAD THE GUTS TO SAY IT, HIP HIP HURAH, HIP HIP HURAH. not that it will change anything sad to say,hugs Di
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Glad you agree. I treat everyone fair and do my best but I don't like Vultures. Anyway, every time I Feature a poem I list the people (and mention it) who did not comment and just grabbed the points so it is there for all to see. Some are quite well known too, but there is no favouritism. I always ensure that I thank the people who did comment in the spirit of the site. Barry
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i couldn't agree more. It's true, it has happened too many times to me. maybe i should not complain since i do not pay for this site, and rely on others that support it. yet, it's annoying when others click on your work even when you are giving up 20 point and more per click, and they don't comment. That is really annoying.
i might not support the site financialy, but whatever points i get from comments, i'm proud. i try and do my best and leave thoughful comments.
thank you for writing and sharing this, bazza. thank you very much.
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I list all poets names on each poem entered for Featured Poems who did not comment.
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Gwenevere thanks for the comments and support, i am like you and won't suck ass just to win. I have just joined Winklings and Lyndon appears to have a nice warm community there which is based on honest critiquing and help. I dont like to have my work as a public re-hash session so opted to have my work closed to public co-operative groups which of course mean well, but my book will be all my own work, just like the illustrations, and I use the same strict guideline the painter's group use. We are not even allowed to paint from someone else's photograph as it is not of our own making.
Anyway it is worth looking at. -
I sense your FRUSTRATION!!!!!!!Worse for me are the ones who have a jibe and won't let go.They have to be right.Never mind that you have put your heart and soul into something and they come along and want to rewrite the whole thing their way.I am all for constructive criticism but some take the biscuit.I feel like Dastardly and Muttley at the moment RASN FASN DASN.
Perhaps like you I feel slightly bruised at the moment.so glad to see someone is not afraid to speak out, Ros -
First of all---I agree completely with you Bazza and things need to get sorted. secondly-many times do i enter a poem and it doesn't get read, if the contest holder can't handle the amount of entries and give time to comment--then why don't they stop the contest after so many entries--simple!, now the reason to that is----I think they already know who will get trophies and so do we--Mates!!. What really pisses me off is this feature issue---we work hard for our points and some of us even buy our points only to have them stolen away when you put a poem in the feature section, I am not a gold member but i can still see who has clicked on a feature poem--shame on you!. Well, I just hope all this gets sorted out because at the moment I don't feel like staying!.
Bazza keep up the good work, i'm right behind you.
shaz xx
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Word--Warrior It is about time someone did something but it has gotten me into trouble with Jan M Picket and lostsoul7 because I asked questions regarding their awarding multiple trophies in the same contest. I am now receiving personal insults but I dont expect different fro lostsoul7 anyway. There is something wrong with their brains if the expect me to believe that there were ties for 1,2 and 3 places in a recent competition. This makes the trophies inconsequential and meaningless.
I have had enough and cancelled my gold membership and I will be persuing my other hobbies until I find an honestly run poetry site. Picket runs under the group for Fair Contest Holders as a red herring and she is but one of the many dishonest cheats and vultures on this site. Fair is fair so I wont be having much to do with any of it in the future. I will post if and when the fancy comes and to appease the many good friends and fans on this site.
I have written to Kevin but he is too worried about doing anything in case it affects the income generated. -
Wow! THat's right in-their0face honesty, huh? VEry well said! I hope it doesn't get you into trouble though, if ya know what I mean! Thanks for sharing this hun!
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I have been arguing that but they (AP) wont do it. Click and you get the points .. simple as that and two idiots didn't even comment on this poem, so they couldn't have read it..
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Bravo!
Barry I think this is great will stir up a few members this. If you click on a featured poem I dont think you get the points unless you make a comment so are they are wasting yor points but not sure they gain them themselves? Would check it out but dont want to click a featured without commenting on it? -
Excellent Writing
You got a lot of comments with this, Barry. You get everybody to be honest, and I'll get them all to rhyme --Ellis
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IT AMAZES ME WITH A POEM LIKE ABOVE THAT TWO PEOPLE DID NOT LEAVE A COMMENT WHICH INDICATES THAT THEY JUST CLICK TO GRAB THE POINTS WITHOUT READING ANYTHING.THESE TWO WERE Kindred Dreamer and Crazy Kay. The rest all gave good meaningful comments and were thanked for their efforts of fair play and good sense of site spirit. Another poem featured around the same time but with less points per click "Love is many Things" received 3 comments from a total of 14 visits or clicks. They will be listed on that poem. It is supportive of my claim that the vultures swoop and take points wihout care of anything but their own laziness and greed.
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Cupcrazy thank you for your comments and I hope something is done because this site has more great features than bad ones but fairness to all should be the major parameter embraced by the AP management, whether a new version is comong or not.
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Great piece of writing. Liked the directess and the thoughts conveyed. I too am new here, but I always leave a comment and try to be honest with my critique. As for the contests I have entered some the last few weeks, no wins yet but I am hopeful. regardless I like to write and as long as people read and enjoy I am satisfied. I hope that some of the changes happen if the system is corrupt fore that is the only way to ensure fairness to all. Excellent write and opinion!
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jmiller420, I thank you for your comments and agreement. It is not difficult to sort out.
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YAY REAL THOUGHT
Heres my honest message , first off, Here fucking here! so agree, dont get me wrong, i like when people say they "liked it, it was good" but i dont get much time to comment and read as many of everyones works here as i like, but when i do i try to at least give em a few REAL lines, not just earn 4 free points. I dont have many points myself, but i personally think ive earned every comment point ive gotten, i try to be honest and real on how i feel about your poem, and on my critiques, i usually dont find much writeing i dont like, but if i do dislike it, im gonna tell you! and i admire when people do that for me too! I also think this was a great idea to put into a piece of somewhat-free-verse writing. Plus i totally relate and agree 100% Kudos! -
Wow...Definitely glad I found this poem. I'm by no means a great poet. I wouldn't even go so far as to say that I am good. So, all that being said, I have yet to recieve any actual critiquing of any of the poems that I have posted on the site. It's like everyone wants to make people feel good.I have tried my best to leave actual critiques for people. I don't post my poems in order to get my ego stroked. I can read them to my family and accomplish that. I want honest critiques and suggestions. It seems that the site isn't so much about helping other poets, but about ego stroking and point gathering.
Spot on poem friend, spot on poem. -
crazy kay thanks for your comment and it is gratifying to have some support in a quest for fairness.
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Thank you kjd, for fairness is not too much to ask especially if one is paying. The fair ones are always thanked for extending the courtesy necessary. After all they have been paid to do so, and to me in not doing so is stealing.
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Hear! Hear!!
If I read a featured poem, I always try to leave a comment. I can't stand it when I post a poem on the "featured" list and no one takes the time to let me know they read it...I hope I am a friend.
As for this poem, it is emotionally charged and very well penned; enjoyed.
~Karla. -
i agree entirly. good job. wonderfully written. great job!!!! keep it up
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deceptivecalm1 thank you for your spot comment about the point I am trying to make. I agree 100% with your opinion and so do many others bit I believe that fair is fair and so why are we teaching the vultures how to get away with dishonesty. Ignoring it wont stop it and only encourages it. The way things are at present is contrary to the site's own basic comcept.
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Holton-Poet Thank you for your comment and as i keep saying, It is my TIME that I resent losing because I could have done something I enjoy more anyway. It is like stealing my time as far as I am concerned.
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I sure fell into this. I am relatively new. I always comment and try to offer a contructive critique when it is needed. I have only entered a couple contests and so far, no wins but that is okay. I will just writing. Your poem sure gets your message across. You want honestly and fairness. Me too.
Blessings. Debby -
Torn on what to say, I myself have felt some of the contests I entered were ran unfairly, especially those that announce right off the bat they are only for a select few ppl. Seperate groups is not the answer, letting ppl continue to do wrong, while turning a blind eye because there are some that do right, isn't the answer either, just look at society and where that approach is taking us. Rules are rules, and should be followed no matter how self important some on here might consider themselves. If someone is holding a contest then they should be required to read and honestly accept any contribution to the contest, not just their favorite authors, too many times I've seen better submissions lose to some I truly felt did not deserve the win. I agree it's high time someone step up and do what they can to put a stop to this nonsense on here. Picking favorites is something elementary school kids do before they know better..
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wow, very well written, I totally like this it is totally inspirational, very good write, keep it upyou have great potential!!!!!
Follow the one and only GOD!
Luv yuz,
Tonja -
good work!
I wouldn't want to get on your bad side....
Here is my comment: excellent poem, you definitely said it for all of us here at AP!
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Jan I do leave a decent message always, so that is not a matter of contention and can't even understand why you even mention it. A few simple rules in the first place would negate the reason to need to have separate groups like this, which I question anyway. I have complained to you several times about this and yet it is only now that you tell me about your sepate 'fair groups'.
I am complaining about what you yuorself have just said anyway which is :-PEOPLE VISTING FEATURED POEMS WITHOUT EVEN LEAVING A COMMENT OF ANY TYPE AT ALL.
If you are trying to teach people how to be fair then why in blue blazes aren't the rules made so just that can be done without allowing all the cheating and perks that are so rampant at present to happen in the first place??.
You seem to keep missing the points I am making somehow.
I have given much more suggestions and information to Kevin including suggested rules which only number a few that would halt most of this but got the reply of 'ouch' and told I must be patient, yet nothing has happened since.
You seem to keep missing the points I am making somehow.
Many people leave long messages that have no relevance to the poem being commented on just to gain points but I did not even complain about that, but it lowers what I think of them each time it happens. I am sick of the FEATURED poems being used as a points raising perk by so many people and if that is helping the site then God help us all.
So A DECENT MESSAGE as you put it, should relate to critique of the poem, nothing else.
This site has great potential but is being slowly killed by the narrow thinking and amateurish way it is run. I can only deduce that there is a fear that correcting the few problems is a monetary consideration.
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There are 2 major ggroups on AP that were set up and designed for exactly this reason. To supply a place for fair and honest contests. Fair contest holders are linked with approimately 100+ members who run fair, good and honest contests. Thats nice chunk of the poets here. We are also involved in helping people learn about being fair and how to judge correctly.
The principle behind it is to read and comment. Leave something constructive and positive, then if you have advice to offer.. put it last.
BUT if you read LEAVE A DECENT MESSAGE.
Jan
Legitimate Contest Holders Group -
WONDERFUL POEM
Oh this is so true. I know of others this has happened to. I don't know if it happened to me because I only became a gold member recently. Some one should do something about it. I guess in the mean time we just have to chose our contest wisely and pray they will be honest judges. There are some dishonest people, we need to list them when found out. I will be checking what contests I enter to see if the host read it. Although I think if they are a gold member too and logged in invisible, it won't show up in your list. I would check on that. Take care my friend. Sandy Awesome poem.
Edited on Mar 13, 6:27 because ''. -
3 reads out of 12 submissions ?? a bit worse than 'few' . anyway, I dont want to involve you, but thanks for telling me you had the same problem. That is my big winge, it is not winning a trophy or points, it is the TIME that has been wasted. I could have been fishing, painting or making my jewellery, all of which are more productive in positive terms .
Anyway, it has started so I will see it through now. bye. -
wow, it sounds as if you really have run across quite a few hosts that might have been unfair .Fortunately I can't say that I have had a lot of that happening, and the few times it has...well, I just sort of ignore it for there are at least 20 fair hosts to every single one that might not be . Therefore I have found it easier to just ignore that small minority and not let them ruin my time on this site. And it is not really worth my time to list them , as that would take time away from what I enjoy doing on here (and my time is limited already). That is sort of my phylosophy in life as well.....there are a few bad apples everywhere-but I do not want to use my time to police them (maybe that is selfish-but it works for me). Don't let it get to you...
reenie
Edited on Mar 13, 5:51 because ''. -
YES! This is what Allpoetry needs. Bazza, you alone have the guts to stand up and voice your opinions. You are a true poet.
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Thank you Shaz, for your comments and applause. May as well do something before they throw me off this site.
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A great write.
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Well it is about time someone did something about the cheating on this site. Thanks for the comment Emma. Take care .
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Very well written. I'm a friend! You always write extremely well! Em
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