So I left for a while

After I was suspended, several users decided to pile on HotBlonde. That made me so angry I had to stay away from the board. I know what the internet is like, but I expected better from this site. It's really not nice to gang up on someone when 1) she's announced she's taking a break from the board and 2) the only person on her side is suspended. That was just cruel.

I was also very upset you all bought Soopoo's act. The man is a bully, whether you like the term or not. Look at this:

Quote: Soopoo

Nareed wants special rules applied to her. The single 'he' that I used was unintentional, I can assure you, as I didn't even remember doing it, and have since apologized for. As far as the 'dork' comment, I have told you and others that is something I wouldn't have even blinked an eye at had it been used to define me, or my loved ones. Nareed is just far too sensitive, always looking for an instance of being aggrieved, rather than trying to look at the overall context of what was said. I won't waste time with dredging up old quotes, but I recall MANY personal insults lobbed by Nareed at mkl in the good old days... I never once paid them any mind, nor begged the Wiz to suspend her. I am happy to release you from the 'can't share private message' rule, as I am extremely comfortable that anything I pm'd you I would be comfortable discussing in open forum. I just thought that YOU might not want to, so I was protecting YOUR privacy.
Really, Nareed, you need to channel some of your anger towards those you should be angry with, not the doctor who was ALWAYS willing to listen to your medical stories, provide specific advice, and ALWAYS respect your decision to live your life the way you see fit.
Hopefully you can make to Vegas in October for the HB weigh in, I'll buy you a beer, we will chat, and you won't hate me, I can promise you...

Read it carefully.

First he tosses out some very abusive, demeaning language, then he doubles down. Next he shows how magnanimous he is by claiming he wasn't upset that I once insulted someone else.

I am not interested in revealing any PMs between Soopoo and myself, mostly because I don't want to embarrass him professionally, but also because I don't toss the rules aside to make a point. But the claim to be protecting my privacy is baseless. The question he asked has been answered, by myself, quite publicly well over a year ago.

After berating and belittling me in public, after making inflated claims of his "help," after making baseless claims about respecting my privacy, and after showing he can withstand insults not directed at him, after all this, he claims to be a nice guy.

Oh, the apology he makes reference to is this one:

Quote: Soopoo

Thank you, HB. I hereby officially apologize to Nareed. I was too busy focusing on the subject matter to carefully choose the correct pronoun.

Does that look like an apology? It takes more than using a variant of the verb "to apologize" in order to make one. In the second place, you direct the apology to the person you're apologizing to; you do not toss it carelessly in a message to someone else. But in the first place, you do not apologize by effectively saying "I was too busy insulting you to regard you as a person." Even an eight year-old knows that won't fly.

Sure. All he has to do now is claim to be a nice guy, right?

If that's not enough, there's the whole matter between him and HotBlonde. Despite what many of you here thought, it wasn't all about the PMs HotBlonde posted. There was a great deal more beforehand. I can't describe all that happened, because I don't know it all and because I don't know both sides. but given how the bully acted towards me, I can understand how HB would feel.

Now, after being told in no uncertain terms to stay away from her, Soopoo went and posted this:

Quote: Soopoo

HB, if you don't want me there and Mike can be there I won't attend. If Mike can't be there the rules state that I will be there. Simple. No doctor. No other forum member. No attorney. (They can be there as long as I am there, too. You of course can invite whomever you wish). And I WILL NOT be giving Mike your winnings. If you win, I will give them to you. And I expect you will graciously thank me for setting up the whole challenge, twisting the arms of many to engage in this bet against you, for prodding you on your way to victory, and hopefully, changing your life for the better. I'll make myself available at a time and place of your choosing.

This is bullying, too, pure and simple. He's not content with forcing himself upon HB, but also expects a show of submission and gratitude disproportionate to any of his positive actions. That's being abusive, too. This man is the kind of person one should run away from. If HB made any mistake at all, it was to try t patch things up after they had a falling out.

So I was just too angry and upset at the fact that when a man decided to bully me and my friend, the rest of the members here either stood by in silence or piled on the bully's side.

The question is why I even considered coming back.

In short, because this isn't just a gambling board. If that were all it was, I wouldn't have wasted any time on it. From the beginning, if you care to look back on it, this has been a community for those interested in Vegas and gambling to socialize and come together. Whether that was what Mike intended or not, that's what he got.

I have met some great people here, both online and in person. And I'm not going to let one bully and a bunch of bigots (more on that later) take it away from me.

Perhaps you need some more time off?

So this is your big return speech? I'm not impressed.

SOOPOO officially apologized. That isn't good enough? Get over it!! I remember when you were a "he" here so making a mistake as he did is not at all far-fetched. Maybe even doing it on purpose could happen in a heated conversation. So what? Does SOOPOO have any real impact on your life?

Only if he is the one putting you under for surgery or you have some other real contact with him!!

The whole HB/SOOPOO thing seems much calmer now since all of the name calling stopped. There was not a consensus as to who the bully was at that point...why don't you just let it go?

I have enjoyed reading your comments, even when I disagree with you. I hope that Nareed comes back!!

Quote: RonC

SOOPOO officially apologized.

He did not. But that's not the issue now. Better read the post again.

Quote:

The whole HB/SOOPOO thing seems much calmer now since all of the name calling stopped. There was not a consensus as to who the bully was at that point...why don't you just let it go?

I don't knuckle under to bullies.

It seems to me like you are expecting the whole board to just take HB and your word for it that SOOPOO is a bully, jerk, etc. But you all are not providing a lot of evidence, and the evidence that is provided (like the pm's) is so thin that it actually discredits the other claims. The part that we have seen is SOOPOO being a pretty nice guy, offering money to HB, paying for her trip, etc. It's clear that something happened between them, but to expect the board to convict SOOPOO without offering any evidence is unfair. I haven't studied every corner of this issue but I have seen enough to be confident that no specific accusations have even been made. It's all "he's a jerk/bully", but very little "He said X, Y, and Z." or "He hit me".

That said, Welcome back! I hate being the only one skeptical of the government on the board.

Quote: Nareed

He did not. But that's not the issue now. Better read the post again.

He did apologize. He did it in a thread in which you were a regular participant.

You don't have to accept it. You don't have to think it was in appropriate place. You can think that calling you a "he" was a terrible insult but, again, you were a "he" before you were a "she" if I remember correctly. He might not have been trying to insult you. You say he was; he says he wasn't doing that.

Quote: Nareed

I don't knuckle under to bullies.

No one asked you to "knuckle under"; no one really proved that SOOPOO was a bully. He took a stand on a bet he was a huge part of putting together. He and HB had a falling out. He also authorize publication of PMs that had to do with the allegations of bullying.

Just like I said before...if it is really a life-threatening issue (needs cop involvement, etc.) why stay in the situation? Void out the bet with SOOPOO, ignore him, and move on. It isn't knuckling under at all--it is just getting out of a situation before it gets worse.

Do you walk down streets where there are high crime rates just to say you did so? If not, why would you stay in any kind of a relationship where you feel bullied? It isn't like SOOPOO was trying to actually physically harm anyone with his alleged (and unproven in most eyes) bullying. It is an internet forum, nothing more.

Whew! Well, if it makes you feel any better, this whole thing has convinced me you should have been born female, I no longer have any doubts.

In all seriousness, I don't think the male mind can conceive why SOOPOO's quoted remarks could be considered bullying, granting that he refuses to completely back down.

But welcome back, clearly you are a valued member with positive contributions.

Quote: Nareed

After I was suspended, several users decided to pile on HotBlonde. That made me so angry I had to stay away from the board.

A Freudian slip, perhaps?

Quote: bigfoot66

It seems to me like you are expecting the whole board to just take HB and your word for it that SOOPOO is a bully, jerk, etc. But you all are not providing a lot of evidence, and the evidence that is provided (like the pm's) is so thin that it actually discredits the other claims.

As the saying goes "The truth is where it needs to be." I don't care what you all do with it.

But I can't understand why you claim the evidence is thin. Forget about HB for a minute. Read what I posted on his actions concerning me. If that doesn't strike you as abuse by a bully, then I can only conclude you've been fortunate and never been abused by a bully before.

Quote: RonC

He did apologize.

I've posted why what he did was not an apology. if you disagree with what i wrote, please be kind enough to say so and tell me why. Repeating "did too!" endlessly wn't get you anywhere.

Quote:

No one asked you to "knuckle under"; no one really proved that SOOPOO was a bully.

Did you even read the quotes I posted?

Quote: Nareed

I've posted why what he did was not an apology. if you disagree with what i wrote, please be kind enough to say so and tell me why. Repeating "did too!" endlessly wn't get you anywhere.

Why are you trying to bully me into accepting your conclusion that he did not apologize? You feel he didn't; that's fine. We disagree!!!

Quote: Nareed

Did you even read the quotes I posted?

Yes, I did. Like many here, I did not feel that you offered significant proof that he was "bullying" HB. Your opinion was that he was trying to do so; I did not see that.

Is it required that everyone agree with you? Are you trying to bully me into a particular position by not accepting the fact that I don't agree with your position?

I welcome you back but for the life of me I don't understand why you don't get the fact that calling you a "he" one time is not all that big of a deal (if he did it all the time, it would be an issue) and that an apology is an apology. Again, don't accept it if you don't want to do so. Ignore him. Block him. Ignore me. Block me.

Just stop all the victim stuff...you are a strong person; not a victim!!

Welcome back Nareed hopefully everyone will quiet down and recognize your contributions to this forum.

Quote: Nareed

Does that look like an apology? .

Yup, pretty much. The first clue is that he used the actual
word 'apology' in the sentence.

Not good enough for you? Thats why there's an ignore
feature here. I'm sure Soopoo won't lose any sleep over
what you do or don't do.

Quote: RonC

Why are you trying to bully me into accepting your conclusion that he did not apologize?

Asking you to post a reason is not bullying.

Quote:

Just stop all the victim stuff...you are a strong person; not a victim!!

What victim stuff?

Quote:

In all seriousness, I don't think the male mind can conceive why SOOPOO's quoted remarks could be considered bullying, granting that he refuses to completely back down.

There's at least one female mind -- mine -- that can't conceive of it either.

Quote: Nareed

Asking you to post a reason is not bullying.

We disagree because I feel that his apology was enough. I feel it is enough because it is an apology to you. You don't feel the same. Continuing to insist that I prove why I feel the way I feel is an attempt to make me see your point of view whether I want to see it that way or not.

You are trying to push me to agree with you. I don't. I am not going to agree with you. What I see is an apology.

Quote: Nareed

What victim stuff?

You act like SOOPOO's insult is a lot more than it really was...he said it; he apologized for it.

It is time for you to move on!!

Quote: RonC

You are trying to push me to agree with you. I don't. I am not going to agree with you. What I see is an apology.
!

What would have happened had Soopoo actually done something
wrong? Would Interpol be involved? Homeland Security?

This whole thing is beyond ridiculous.

Quote: EvenBob

What would have happened had Soopoo actually done something
wrong? Would Interpol be involved? Homeland Security?

This whole thing is beyond ridiculous.

It is kind of ridiculous, yet I keep responding. Someone once wrote me a PM that alluded to not feeding the trolls. I don't remember who it was or what the exact contents of the PM were (and I couldn't reveal them here anyway) but this whole thing, though not her overall participation, is kind of trollish. I am feeding it...but I can't help it!!

Quote: EvenBob

What would have happened had Soopoo actually done something
wrong? Would Interpol be involved? Homeland Security?

This whole thing is beyond ridiculous.

The TSA would investigate!!

Quote: RonC

We disagree because I feel that his apology was enough. I feel it is enough because it is an apology to you. You don't feel the same. Continuing to insist that I prove why I feel the way I feel is an attempt to make me see your point of view whether I want to see it that way or not.

I'm not asking you to prove anything. I stated the reasons why I thought Soopoo didn't apologize. You say you disagree. Fine. Why do you disagree? Merely saying you disagree stops the dialogue right there, and it sends us to side arguments like this one.

Quote:

You act like SOOPOO's insult is a lot more than it really was...he said it; he apologized for it.

He did not apologize. And did you not see the rest of what he posted?

All I'm pointing out is 1) Soopoo is a bully and 2) the reasons why I say so.

Quote: Nareed

All I'm pointing out is 1) Soopoo is a bully .

I think we get it. What now, are you leaving the
forum for two months to punish us? I guess we'll
just have to accept that and try and muddle thru
as best we can.

Quote: Nareed

I'm not asking you to prove anything. I stated the reasons why I thought Soopoo didn't apologize. You say you disagree. Fine. Why do you disagree? Merely saying you disagree stops the dialogue right there, and it sends us to side arguments like this one.

I stated that I thought that he apologized when he said that he apologized.

You act like he committed a horrible crime by mistakenly referring to you as he instead of as a she. I will honor your preference but, if I made the same mistake and called you a he instead of a she, I'd expect you to accept my apology when offered.

You were a he when I got here so it is kind of automatic to refer to you as such--I just have to remember that you are not a he any more each time. I can see getting it wrong and it wouldn't be meant to harm you in any way!!

There is no need for a dialogue at this point--you just need to stop trying to tell me that he did not apologize and move on.

The fact is that he DID apologize, his crime was not horrid and an apology should take care of it, and you don't accept his apology because you feel it wasn't real. You likely won't get another apology from him and I don't blame him for that.

Quote: Nareed

He did not apologize. And did you not see the rest of what he posted?

I saw the things that were posted and your arguments as to him being a bully. I disagree.

I saw the apology. It was an apology. It said that it was an apology.

Quote: Nareed

All I'm pointing out is 1) Soopoo is a bully and 2) the reasons why I say so.

You and HB say that SOOPOO is a bully. You two insist that he is a bully. You attack him as being a bully.

Your facts did not prove that he is a bully IN MY OPINION. It also didn't prove it to other people (see opinions above and in the thread where all of this started).

What I want to know is why the heck you can't just say that you and I don't agree and move on instead of continuing to try and convince me of things that you don't have the proof to convince me of? Just saying someone is a bully and did not apologize does not prove they are a bully and did not apologize. The "proof" you offered did not measure up for some of us.

Now I asked you to just accept my opinion as being in disagreement with your opinion and move on but you want to keep on going back and forth about it. At this point, I have no choice but to believe that YOU are the one who is a bully by trying to convince me to believe evidence proves your point even when I have stated that I don't think that it does.

No new evidence, no new information, just the same tired arguments and insinuations that SOOPOO is a bully.

Either come up with something new or move on!!

Thanks, Ron, 1BB, bigfoot, EvenBob, MrV, odious, tsmith. I find it amazing that someone could even remotely call me a bully for the sum of the posts Nareed has quoted. Nareed, you think you are 'protecting me' by not allowing the pm's to be viewed by the forum? PLEASE allow me to post them so the forum could know the totality of 'my bullying'. Since you and I have never communicated outside of this forum the members will get a good laugh. Mike will have no concerns if we both agree to make them public. As I said before, I will not make them public to protect you from embarassment if that is how you feel. But if YOU think you are protecting me, I have NO CONCERNS about anything I wrote to you being made public. NONE.

By the way, answer quickly because I assume another suspension will be on the way, calling me a bully, a personal insult if ever there was one!

Quote: Nareed

The man is a bully, whether you like the term or not.

Isn't this a personal insult?

Nareed and the blonde are constantly trying to prove SOOPOO is a bully,
but the "evidence" they provide is laughable. You can tell us to read closely,
but there just isn't anything there???

I'm smart enough to make up my own mind and SOOPOO seems like a good guy.

Why don't they get suspended for the relentless personal attacks?

Quote: RonC

Isn't this a personal insult?

Sigh. Sing Sing or Leavenworth this time.

Please feel free to stay away as long as you feel necessary. However, keep in mind that December 21 is inexorably moving towards us.

I wonder if SOOPOO is represented on the Mayan calendar?

Could this be Soopoo in high school, where being a bully
often got the hot babes? Or was he the more nerdy I'm
going to be a doctor type..

Nope, Bob. I skipped a grade so was always at least a year younger than my high school classmates. I was also a top student, and like our Wiz, considered nerdy. I only had one girlfriend in high school.... She was attractive, but would not have been considered a 'hot babe'. And I was never even remotely a bully. Although smallish, I never felt bullied, either.

I loved that game.

SooPoo does have quite the way with the ladies, it seems.

Quote: SOOPOO

I was also a top student, and like our Wiz, considered nerdy.

OK, I changed the pic..

Quote: Nareed

I was also very upset you all bought Soopoo's act. The man is a bully, whether you like the term or not.

Let the record show that Nareed has been issued a warning for this remark. Even if evidence is supplied to back up a direct insult, it will not serve as a license to break the "no personal insults" rule.

Although Festivus is still over three months away, it is permissible to celebrate the airing of grievances anytime, as long as forum rules are respected. Consider MustangSally's rant against me. It made me look like a complete idiot and hypocrite. However, she pulled it off without ever using any direct insults, and thus didn't even get a warning.

Another thing to keep in mind is the forum rules are not carved in granite. As some learn to game the system, so too will the rules be changed in response.

Quote: thecesspit

SooPoo does have quite the way with the ladies, it seems.

But in a way that you really don't want to emulate..

Yes, the ladies don't appreciate it when a fellow emulates prematurely; it sort of spoils things.

Hi, Nareed. You don't know me, I am somewhat new here. One of the very first threads (and the first post of yours I ever read) was your "Viva Las Vegas!" thread and I thought "this might be a pretty cool community" as I was impressed with you and your trip. I also contributed a handful of posts to the HB thread just because it was wacky and it's hard to resist.

I think the problem for you and this topic is that SOOPOO is not a perfect human being. He is likely full of faults and there is probably no better indication of them than that he got himself caught up in this thing. From reading his posts it's clear he has an ego and a sort of attitude that reminds me of a big brother that sticks his tongue out as his little brother when the parent's backs are turned. That being said, all of the supposed grievances have been so dramatic in nature without any equivalent proof that when something is offered it completely exonerates him in public opinion just by failing to live up to the hype.

Also when you confront him, your vocabulary is so loaded that it imediately forces the rest of us to discredit much of it. Here are a couple examples from your OP.

Quote: Nareed

...several users decided to pile on HotBlonde.

Quote: Nareed

It's really not nice to gang up...

Quote: Nareed

That was just cruel.

If you are going to be hypersensitve to a pronoun, you should at least empathize with the fact that men might not be receptive to anything that could be construed as men ganging up on a woman.

Quote: Nareed

Despite what many of you here thought, it wasn't all about the PMs HotBlonde posted. There was a great deal more beforehand. I can't describe all that happened, because I don't know it all and because I don't know both sides.

If you don't know all that happened, your authority is lessened when you tell people that a lot happened. This point is especially critical when HB has made rather major claims and when the proof was provided it ended up proving the claims were baseless. If she is your source and you don't know all the details, you must understand how other people may be skeptical.

Quote: Nareed

Now, after being told in no uncertain terms to stay away from her, Soopoo went and posted this:

His post was an imperfect post from an imperfect man. I believe he has since lightened up his stance (appropriately).

Quote: Nareed

He's not content with forcing himself upon HB...

Again a loaded vocabulary that makes it hard to be sympathetic.

Quote: Nareed

The question is why I even considered coming back.

I think you are a good part of this forum. I think you just ended up in the middle of a break up on HB's side. Just extract yourself from that situation and as long as neither person is in danger (which so far seems to be the case) just tell them to behave like adults and sort their own problems out (I think this is exactly what HB is doing now and I am happy for her). If they need help there's always the authorities.

Thanks, kulin. I think your overall analysis is pretty accurate. But as far as the brother who sticks his tongue out part, as far as my interaction with Nareed, I am willing to have EVERY WORD made public. I have never spoken with Nareed, and ALL of our interactions have been via the forum and pms. It will be simply clear that Nareed has no reasonable basis for any of the allegations, other than what HB 'told' Nareed. You all have read HB's posts which were supposed to be my 'transgressions', and you know how silly that was. As far as the Wiz not suspending Nareed, that is fine by me. I would prefer the rules of the forum be more lenient. I am happy to defend myself against patently false accusations.

I am sick of all the drama on this forum. It is why I hardly post anymore. Lets all pretend like we are at work or school and discuss the matter related to the business. Im sure our Wizard did not intend to have drama and trolling when he spent his own time and money making a forum for gaming discussion. I am not looking for blame for a specific person, but I am asking to keep the posts on this forum related to gaming business from now on.

Quote: NicksGamingStuff

I am sick of all the drama on this forum. It is why I hardly post anymore. Lets all pretend like we are at work or school and discuss the matter related to the business. Im sure our Wizard did not intend to have drama and trolling when he spent his own time and money making a forum for gaming discussion. I am not looking for blame for a specific person, but I am asking to keep the posts on this forum related to gaming business from now on.

While I kind of agree with you and I am way too involved in this bit of drama (I even got my very first negative PMs because of it...imagine!!), this forum is great because this kind of stuff is pretty much segregated from many of the gambling related things. My unsolicited advice to you is to stay away from these things and just read the gambling stuff.

Recently I posted a thread on Three Card Poker. It is a game I played a long time ago, learned the house edge was bad and stayed away from, and now play a little bit. I am enjoying hearing everyone's thoughts on that and the thread is totally gambling-related.

I've enjoyed your posts over time--I hope you decide to ignore stuff like this and contribute on stuff like that!!