and Hope? in case you've missed some of what we all seem to be discussing, it is not just the changes that you're implementing, it is the WAY in which YOU present them. you do honestly come across as some kindergarten teacher who is clapping her hands at her classroom children, trying to get them to settle down. either that, or you seem rather petulant if we do not get behind your view on things. let's face it - we all have differing opinions, and they all matter to at least one person posting them, but it is only that...

but here is more of what i wish to tell you, and it ties into Pip's post...

if you can figure out a way to get down in the muck, as it were, with the members here and learn some other way to interact with the us on this site, we do tend, after a time, to forgive and/or forget, for the most part - which means you may still have a fighting chance with truly earning our respect and other important things, such as your stated goal with wanting to actually form/give a sense of community to this place. i, myself, am not sure how to go about such a thing in a way that works for you, but it would possibly serve you much better if you can figure it out...

i think what may also help you is to stop seeing things in black & white - a nice mix, some swathes of grey, are always required in dealing with reality. just because i do not agree with you on a thing at any given time does not mean i'm required to, nor is it any big deal - it just is... extreme reactions to things only serves to potentially create more extreme reactions, so everything feeds off itself and thus we find ourselves having unnecessary drama over things that could've been avoided by using a little aforethought...