Hello everyone! I just wanted to clarify some rules & guidelines, if you have any questions or suggestions please post below. Thanks!
Just a disclaimer: These are the basic rules for the site but I also reserve the right to make up new ones on the fly and apply them to past threads or posts. If you join this site and post on this site, you agree to these rules. If I find any content that I think could cause me some trouble, legal or otherwise, I will remove it. Also, private messages are private, but upon occasion I have to go in and read them to figure out what is going on in certain situations. By using the PM system, you accept that I may access your PM’s if needed. I do not make a practice of monitoring PM’s, I get enough of those myself! (The ability to read other’s PMs is restricted solely to Administrators and Super Moderators.)
General:
Keep everything friendly! Don't be an ass to other members, it won't be tolerated. Do not ever make any threats to anyone, whether in the public forum or in a PM. This includes suggesting that you meet up with someone and fight. You will be gone from the site quickly this way. Joking is fine and encouraged, this place is to be light hearted and no one should feel unwelcome.
Each member is allowed one account. Multiple user account registrations for one individual are not permitted. We have tools designed to detect multiple accounts and, when discovered, we reserve the right to delete, ban, revoke or merge any or all of these accounts, without further notice.
Foul, offensive, vulgar, derogatory, abusive language, or sexual references/Jokes: Please keep language sanitary! We are all adults here and I swear like a sailor, but try to keep it out of the forums. A lot of members may have children that like to browse the site with them and I would like for that to be a safe thing to do. The use of bad language or profanity may cause your post to be edited or the post deleted by forum staff. If your post crosses the line of what’s deemed acceptable behavior by the forum staff your post will be deleted. You may receive an infraction, and/or given a temporary ban or be permanently banned off the forum. Use discretion when using such language.
Please refrain from typing around the censors, they are there for a reason! Just say shut instead of ****, friggin instead of ****, etc. Substitutions are fine, just don't change a character in a word to get around the censor, like using $ instead of an S.
Please do not post pictures or reference crying babies, wambulances, etc into threads where they will not be welcomed (such as a debate thread.)
No bashing of other sites. Discussions are allowed but no “That site sucks!!!!!” posts should be made. Sites can be mentioned and discussed, just not bashed.
If you haven’t heard, there seems to be a trend surfacing that could affect us at some point. Apparently lawyers in Las Vegas have begun copyrighting news articles and then suing websites like ours when members have cut and pasted a news story from their paper. From here on out, DO NOT cut and paste any content from other sites, especially news articles or copyrighted material, just post a link to the material. Please refer to the censorship thread for further information on posting.
Anything that can be portrayed as libel will be edited or removed. I know that is pretty vague, as I research what constitutes libel I will amend the rule.
Avatars:
Everyone is allowed to post pictures for their avatars. I just ask that you avoid anything too racy, gross, inflammatory, or offensive. I will remove or change your avatar if I find it to be too racy, gross, freaky looking, etc. If it is a sexy woman picture, it needs to be something that could be worn in the grocery store without anyone losing their minds, I think that pretty much covers it.
Signatures:
Everyone is allowed to have a signature, but it can't be anything offensive. Nothing explicit, overly-sexual, etc. Just try and keep it clean please.
Advertising:
Advertising for ANY business or product in usernames, signatures or avatars is not allowed, UNLESS you are a site sponsor. These will be removed. Creating threads or posts to advertise any business or product will be considered spam and will be deleted. Posting offenders risk being immediately banned.
If you are a Business or have a product or service that would be of interest to our members please click the Contact Us Link at the bottom of every page and choose the "Advertising Inquiry" option to learn how you can join our team and help support our community. We offer low-cost packages that can be of great benefit to you and your company.
Advertising outside forums(forums not owned by VerticalScope) is NOT allowed. Anyone advertising outside forums risk being banned.
Moderators:
Moderators are here to keep an eye on the place. They are regular users who happen to spend a lot of time on here. If you need help please look for a name in purple at the bottom of the front page and ask them for assistance.
Please understand that moderators do not have to be neutral in conversations, they have opinions just like you and me. They do not get paid and volunteer their time to help with the site, so there is no reason they should be muzzled on topics they would like to discuss.
These are the duties of the moderators:
They keep threads and posts in the right places.
They monitor threads and listings for violations of the rules listed here.
They edit or delete posts when needed, i.e. profanity, name calling, etc.
They ban spammers.
They issue temporary bans for constant rule breakers or general troublemakers.
They now may issue permanent Bans if the violation calls for it.
Please respect the mods, they are just doing what I ask them to do. If you have an issue with a mod just send me a PM, don't go and tell them to "f off," that's just uncalled for.
You may or may not be notified if action or actions are needed to be taken. Moderators and Administrators have the final word. If you have a problem or a complaint, send the Admin a PM and discuss it with them. Disrespecting the staff on the open forum or in a PM can and will get you banned.
A note on FREE SPEECH:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The First Amendment is greatly respected here, as are all other Amendments that the Second Amendment defends. Florida Concealed Carry is not listed in the Bill of Rights. We are, however, a privately owned venture and as such, your freedom of speech does not grant you a right to post anything you may wish to say on this forum. These rules are a contract you agree to when you become a member of this forum and members are expected to adhere to them. Those who err cannot complain about censorship, or a perceived loss of first amendment rights. If you do not like our rules or feel you cannot follow them, seek out a new venue to frequent, or start your own.
Continued in second post:
Just a disclaimer: These are the basic rules for the site but I also reserve the right to make up new ones on the fly and apply them to past threads or posts. If you join this site and post on this site, you agree to these rules. If I find any content that I think could cause me some trouble, legal or otherwise, I will remove it. Also, private messages are private, but upon occasion I have to go in and read them to figure out what is going on in certain situations. By using the PM system, you accept that I may access your PM’s if needed. I do not make a practice of monitoring PM’s, I get enough of those myself! (The ability to read other’s PMs is restricted solely to Administrators and Super Moderators.)
General:
Keep everything friendly! Don't be an ass to other members, it won't be tolerated. Do not ever make any threats to anyone, whether in the public forum or in a PM. This includes suggesting that you meet up with someone and fight. You will be gone from the site quickly this way. Joking is fine and encouraged, this place is to be light hearted and no one should feel unwelcome.
Each member is allowed one account. Multiple user account registrations for one individual are not permitted. We have tools designed to detect multiple accounts and, when discovered, we reserve the right to delete, ban, revoke or merge any or all of these accounts, without further notice.
Foul, offensive, vulgar, derogatory, abusive language, or sexual references/Jokes: Please keep language sanitary! We are all adults here and I swear like a sailor, but try to keep it out of the forums. A lot of members may have children that like to browse the site with them and I would like for that to be a safe thing to do. The use of bad language or profanity may cause your post to be edited or the post deleted by forum staff. If your post crosses the line of what’s deemed acceptable behavior by the forum staff your post will be deleted. You may receive an infraction, and/or given a temporary ban or be permanently banned off the forum. Use discretion when using such language.
Please refrain from typing around the censors, they are there for a reason! Just say shut instead of ****, friggin instead of ****, etc. Substitutions are fine, just don't change a character in a word to get around the censor, like using $ instead of an S.
Please do not post pictures or reference crying babies, wambulances, etc into threads where they will not be welcomed (such as a debate thread.)
No bashing of other sites. Discussions are allowed but no “That site sucks!!!!!” posts should be made. Sites can be mentioned and discussed, just not bashed.
If you haven’t heard, there seems to be a trend surfacing that could affect us at some point. Apparently lawyers in Las Vegas have begun copyrighting news articles and then suing websites like ours when members have cut and pasted a news story from their paper. From here on out, DO NOT cut and paste any content from other sites, especially news articles or copyrighted material, just post a link to the material. Please refer to the censorship thread for further information on posting.
Anything that can be portrayed as libel will be edited or removed. I know that is pretty vague, as I research what constitutes libel I will amend the rule.
Avatars:
Everyone is allowed to post pictures for their avatars. I just ask that you avoid anything too racy, gross, inflammatory, or offensive. I will remove or change your avatar if I find it to be too racy, gross, freaky looking, etc. If it is a sexy woman picture, it needs to be something that could be worn in the grocery store without anyone losing their minds, I think that pretty much covers it.
Signatures:
Everyone is allowed to have a signature, but it can't be anything offensive. Nothing explicit, overly-sexual, etc. Just try and keep it clean please.
Advertising:
Advertising for ANY business or product in usernames, signatures or avatars is not allowed, UNLESS you are a site sponsor. These will be removed. Creating threads or posts to advertise any business or product will be considered spam and will be deleted. Posting offenders risk being immediately banned.
If you are a Business or have a product or service that would be of interest to our members please click the Contact Us Link at the bottom of every page and choose the "Advertising Inquiry" option to learn how you can join our team and help support our community. We offer low-cost packages that can be of great benefit to you and your company.
Advertising outside forums(forums not owned by VerticalScope) is NOT allowed. Anyone advertising outside forums risk being banned.
Moderators:
Moderators are here to keep an eye on the place. They are regular users who happen to spend a lot of time on here. If you need help please look for a name in purple at the bottom of the front page and ask them for assistance.
Please understand that moderators do not have to be neutral in conversations, they have opinions just like you and me. They do not get paid and volunteer their time to help with the site, so there is no reason they should be muzzled on topics they would like to discuss.
These are the duties of the moderators:
They keep threads and posts in the right places.
They monitor threads and listings for violations of the rules listed here.
They edit or delete posts when needed, i.e. profanity, name calling, etc.
They ban spammers.
They issue temporary bans for constant rule breakers or general troublemakers.
They now may issue permanent Bans if the violation calls for it.
Please respect the mods, they are just doing what I ask them to do. If you have an issue with a mod just send me a PM, don't go and tell them to "f off," that's just uncalled for.
You may or may not be notified if action or actions are needed to be taken. Moderators and Administrators have the final word. If you have a problem or a complaint, send the Admin a PM and discuss it with them. Disrespecting the staff on the open forum or in a PM can and will get you banned.
A note on FREE SPEECH:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The First Amendment is greatly respected here, as are all other Amendments that the Second Amendment defends. Florida Concealed Carry is not listed in the Bill of Rights. We are, however, a privately owned venture and as such, your freedom of speech does not grant you a right to post anything you may wish to say on this forum. These rules are a contract you agree to when you become a member of this forum and members are expected to adhere to them. Those who err cannot complain about censorship, or a perceived loss of first amendment rights. If you do not like our rules or feel you cannot follow them, seek out a new venue to frequent, or start your own.
Continued in second post: