unlinkedstudent Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Being relatively new here, Is this troll issue ingrained or is it novelty?When Shetlink was new and the first 1000 or so people were on it, it had a wonderful community feel - you were made welcome, you could chat to people / have constructive arguments about the issues of the day / exchange information / help out. I have three friends from those days whom I met on Shetlink, subsequently met in real life, liked very much and with whom I keep in touch - mostly on Facebook. I'm sure others do too. But then people moved in and started to play out their private lives in front of us - for what warped purpose it is hard to discern. At one point there was a threesome going on - one third of which is probably Crocus in his 5th or 6th incarnation - whose means of communication append to be rock videos with in-jokes based on sexual connotations. Absolutely fine among consenting adults but the rest of us really didn’t want to know. Then some of the same people took it upon themselves to lecture everyone else about anything and everything. There was no topic on which one person in particular was not an expert. It became tedious beyond belief, and after the long-running argument about whether or not one might reasonably walk up someone’s garden path to express an interest in purchasing their house, large numbers of Shetlinkers gave up on the forum and have not come back. Which is a great shame - a community resource destroyed by the egos of a very few damaged individuals. Perhaps you could offer them some pro bono psychotherapy / counselling for the good of (the other members of) what used to be a community? Judge much? It never dawned on you that perhaps someone, who had been on here for years, could actually help build up someone's confidence having been soul destroyed through years of abuse, being told they were fat, ugly, no good, etc.? It never dawned on you that if you didn't want to go on certain threads, you didn't have to? Most of the threads, were, from memory, in the music thread. A threesome? You weren't the only one who didn't like a certain person stating what they intended doing and even now, getting stalked elsewhere on the internet by that person but I guess you find that funny. Oh, the derelict houses thread. From memory, Shetlink had started going downhill wayyy before then. So some of us have opinions differing to yours, is that your problem? Some of us also enjoy a good debate. I'm grateful to the friends I've made here, including many from Shetlink. It is, however, rather sad that you choose to judge people based solely on what they post on an internet site - but then hey, where's the community spirit gone? I wish you well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Thats probably one of the most accurate posts you'll find on this forum. I remember the garden path one well I'd hardly call it accurate. That 'garden path' thread remains a classic example of people speed-reading. However, thanks to that thread, I made three further friends, with whom I still keep in touch ... but then they didn't speed read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 But then people moved in and started to play out their private lives in front of us - for what warped purpose it is hard to discern. Absolutely none whatsoever to anyone not directly involved. At one point there was a threesome going on - one third of which is probably Crocus in his 5th or 6th incarnation - whose means of communication append to be rock videos with in-jokes based on sexual connotations. Yes, its a right begger when you find a cuckoo has invaded. Absolutely fine among consenting adults but the rest of us really didn’t want to know. One board, one thread, a "fun" thread at that. Don't like, don't look, don't read, simples. It became tedious beyond belief, and after the long-running argument about whether or not one might reasonably walk up someone’s garden path to express an interest in purchasing their house,.... Okay, fine, this hoary old chestnut yet again. I kicked that one off, so let me try and kick it in to touch once and for all and kill it stone dead. The OP in that thread was non-specific, so, on that basis I attempted to be non-specific also, while at the same time covering a real concern. The OP described a property, it could have been any one of several properties anywhere in Shetland as the details were quite vague, but at the same time it could very well have been a property of mine that the OP was describing, as what little detail they did supply all applied. If the property the OP described is someone else's, I obviously cannot say how they may or may not choose to react, however, if it was indeed mine they were describing, which based on what little information they supplied, could very well have been, my comments made at the time stand. I do not appreciate cold callers turning up on a doorstep of mine at any time for any reason, especially if they have designs on buying that which is not for sale. If a curt "begger aff" doesn't see that back of them, I reserve the right to use whatever methods and means I deem appropriate to get their ass off what is mine as fast as it can be shifted. There is, IMHO, a matter of respect at stake in such matters, there are polite and respectful ways to approach people in such matters, and arriving unannounced and uninvited on someone's property, and hammering their door waving a cheque book most certainly isn't among them. ....large numbers of Shetlinkers gave up on the forum and have not come back. Really?!? You can back this up with actual evidence that can be scrutinised I presume? Or is it just a case that there aren't so many using Shetlink at the moment who are on your wavelength. The site has continually evolved in the 7+ years of its existence, and I don't think the number of active users has changed much in that time. Rather there are a very few who have been here from the start, who have been joined from time to time by others, some who stay only briefly and some who stay longer/permanently. Certainly content, and quality thereof varies depending on the exact balanace of core posters at any one given time, but I seriously question where these allegedly "large numbers" came from, given that while the site may have a large registered membership, it has never ever had what could be begin to be described as a "large number" of either active users and/or active posters, ever. Personally I think you've defeated your own argument by stating you now prefer to use Facebook....Is it not far more likely the case that the rapid rise in popularity and usage of Facebook these last 3 or 4 years has drawn people away from Shetlink because of what it is and how it operates, and not because of any one thing or combination of things at Shetlink "driving them away" and they went out actively looking for an alternative. Facebook is keyed up to make folk socialise and gossip, Shetlink is better suited to discussions, and lets face it, for a large part folk will choose to road on hellery about hellery long ahead of taking things seriously, so Facebook has a very clear advantage over Shetlink in pulling in asses on seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Howe Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Hi and welcome, If you own a house you obviously not qualify for social housing as you wouldn't if you rented it out and you moved up here, but as your selling it I imagine you can still apply but possibly much further down any list, probably best bet is private renting if you can but as some have found it can be very difficult anyway up. Intersting. I do own a house. It has NO equity. once sold I will be skint and void of any money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Howe Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 If you have a house to sell.. Then you can surely buy another house up here, and so let a needy person lay claim to a council house instead of you. See previous post. Fact is, my mortgage NOW costs more than I could ever generate rent. If you read my post I am quite clear that despite applying, I know I will score very few points and WILL rent privately Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyboy Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Hi Shaun, Whats bringing you to Shetland mate?Have you got a particular area or property you are looking at? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercloud Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 As someone mentioned earlier ( Redrobbie ?), "Aberdeen have a policy of living in an area for 5 or more before they will give you a house if your made homeless telling you to apply where you previously lived for housing" Does anyone know if this is correct ?and if so does Shetland have a similar policy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 shaun have you looked at porting your mortgage. lots of british(english) wont up here but some will. its worth a try and may be cheaper. whatever happens good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owre-weel Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Personally I think you've defeated your own argument by stating you now prefer to use Facebook....Is it not far more likely the case that the rapid rise in popularity and usage of Facebook these last 3 or 4 years has drawn people away from Shetlink because of what it is and how it operates, and not because of any one thing or combination of things at Shetlink "driving them away" and they went out actively looking for an alternative. Facebook is keyed up to make folk socialise and gossip, Shetlink is better suited to discussions, and lets face it, for a large part folk will choose to road on hellery about hellery long ahead of taking things seriously, so Facebook has a very clear advantage over Shetlink in pulling in asses on seats. Hit the nail on the head Ghostie.A lot of folk use facebook more now and from what I've seen, it is full of gossip and witch hunting, it's not a media I use often. In my opinion Shetlink does offer a site for discussion, but what has put a few off recently is the idiot trolls, level of spam and the fact that it is so slow and often you can't get logged in. People often don't agree, nor play nice, but its still one of the better forums for help and assistance, getting questions answered etc. if I don't like what someone else posts, We have two choices, 'reply' or ' ignore'! What would improve it? Speed it up a bit and get some more moderators. Perhaps a token charge for the classifieds would get rid of the spam and help meet the costs of upgrading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyboy Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 As someone mentioned earlier ( Redrobbie ?), "Aberdeen have a policy of living in an area for 5 or more before they will give you a house if your made homeless telling you to apply where you previously lived for housing" Does anyone know if this is correct ?and if so does Shetland have a similar policy? Whether the council admit it or not they don't seem to. I personally know of 3 families who have turned up more or less on speck. Two from England and one from Poland. All 3 were given houses. Shaun if you can live off the mainland. I know that incomers recently have got houses pretty easily on the islands. In fact they have been given what was the sheltered housing.Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owre-weel Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Whether the council admit it or not they don't seem to. I personally know of 3 families who have turned up more or less on speck. Two from England and one from Poland. All 3 were given houses. Shaun if you can live off the mainland. I know that incomers recently have got houses pretty easily on the islands. In fact they have been given what was the sheltered housing.Mike If that is the case, it is a bit worrying. I seem to recall, in the past, that if someone arrived off the boat and went to housing, they would just book them on the next boat out, but that may have been rumour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Howe Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Hi Shaun, Whats bringing you to Shetland mate?Have you got a particular area or property you are looking at? Mike Couple of things TBH, work, new life, future.... I have a job with NHS Shetland that starts in July and find ourselves somewhat compromised financially. BUT are doing the math and hoping we can get a deposit together so may be looking for a short term let now.... North Mainland is ideal really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Howe Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 . Shaun if you can live off the mainland. Mike Yeppers, Unst is pushing it (look an SIC website "low demand housing" but Yell ok, Whallsey ok... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Howe Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 shaun have you looked at porting your mortgage. lots of british(english) wont up here but some will. its worth a try and may be cheaper. whatever happens good luck. Thank you Paul. We have to sell, move and start again But to all those "detractors" out there, I am coming to fill a role in NHS Shetland that has not been filled for some years and even then on a hit and miss basis. I intend to serve the population in the Islands in the same way I serve my current population; that is with the upmost professionalism and CARE.. because that is what I do. I need to live somewhere to do this; this may mean using "social" housing for a short while in the absence of anything else. I am doing the math and hopefully will be able to generate a deposit so I can buy and NOT be a burden to the population, but hey for those that want to have a go, feel free. Been to war twice, not scared of ya That is an interesting point, if I was a disabled war veteran would that change your opinion of me having social housing? Even if I was able to work and function like my able bodied colleagues, would you view my application for housing differently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercloud Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Not sure I understand your post, a deposit for buying or renting ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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