# Very Few New Posts?



## recDNA (Apr 22, 2018)

Am I missing something or do we have way fewer posts than normal per unit time throughout the forum. It is very fast now so where is everyone?


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## Vesper (Apr 22, 2018)

Dying on the vine. So sad to watch. This site should either close for good or be handed off to someone who cares. Ban me, I don't care.


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## bykfixer (Apr 22, 2018)

Woah! That was.... 

Folks say the forum platform as a whole is losing ground to other insta-chat sources. And largely they are correct. 

As the lighting industry evolved from light bulbs to LED, and now that battery tech has been going the rechargeable path for a while... the interest to the hobbyists like those at CPF is likely waining some too. Geeks need to tweak stuff. 

Lumen wars has taken its toll on those wanting to build their own battery powered sunshine with one click settings at Amazon. 

CPF is doing ok.


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## nbp (Apr 22, 2018)

Moved to Cafe for general discussion.


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## scout24 (Apr 22, 2018)

The insta-chat platform is great for those instant gratification, what's shiny right now folks... it's all surface, today's stuff, no substance. A candy bar, where the forum platform is a full sit-down dinner. I peruse occasionally, but you can keep it.


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## Bdm82 (Apr 22, 2018)

I'd love to see the actual traffic statistics. I think posting count is down but I am betting visitor activity is still quite high.

Here are my thoughts:


Trends reducing activity-
A lot of the banter is now in facebook groups though those are fragmented. (I hate the "Hi group xxx, come check out my group yyy" cross-promoting.) CPF has a fb group but few people post on the fb group and in the forum; it tends to be either/or.
There's a competing forum which will go unnamed; there was once just CPF to turn to but posters are now split between two forums and facebook. Each has their own rules and style; some people are more compatible with one than the others.
Some of the biggest contributors from early on have expired/moved along. (Consider the "where have all the old-timers gone" thread.)
Google and general information online (especially thanks to vaping) has reduced the number of posts/questions, especially of "unnecessary" basic around things like batteries.​

Current events reducing activity- temporarily/seasonally-
Server slowness (I believe now resolved) caused frustration with some users.
In the US, flashlight use is much heavier in the warmer months. We're just coming out of winter now.
I don't recall any new/exciting LED announcements in the last few months. XHP70 is the last one that comes to mind. Newly released lights are incremental improvements, no big jumps or revolutionary changes very recently.

But it's still going strong!-
I post the reviews I do in both forums. Reviews on CPF by far get more views. This tells me that lurker presence is much higher on CPF.
Google seems to favor CPF; top search results quite often link to CPF above other places.
FB's mess of posts and threads, not organized in any way, will never replace well-structured forums. Good luck finding a discussion on fb about a certain light or topic a week or year later... very frustrating.


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## bla2000 (Apr 22, 2018)

It's Earth Day. Everyone is conserving energy by not posting.


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## KITROBASKIN (Apr 22, 2018)

When clicking on “Forum” and scrolling to the bottom you can see “What's Going On” right below the handy “Mark Forums Read”. There you can find “Currently Active Users” which shows how many members and guests are online. It would be interesting to get confirmation regarding how those numbers are determined; wondering if it is an average spread out over a certain block of time. Typically in the past the total was over twelve hundred with occasional about eighteen hundred. There has been a question if that number included 'bots' or other machine-generated views. Post server transfer, the number hovers in the eight hundreds most times I look, with members in the eighties when members were usually around a hundred or a little above in the past. 

Although posting frequency and thread-making numbers are not evident, just by regularly visiting our beloved forum, it is clear those numbers are down but not drastically so, considering the overall climate of flashlight interest. Nitecore continues their new releases, and there are some others, but not a whole lot of new stuff from Oveready, Skylumen, Zebralight, HDS, Surefire, Okluma, Prometheus, Foursevens, McGizmo, Data, Peak, Lumintop, Eagtac, Fenix, going on right now. Spring should pick up, but thinking some users are not looking to CPF presently because the downtime server switch got them off the habit of visiting. 

Other than some very useful links offered by members here, going to the 'other forum' has been a lackluster and/or trivial-downer experience for me. It would be interesting to hear from an informed member regarding what is going on over there (realizing that is technically against this forum's rules and certainly not interested in starting a bicker-fest)


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## quinlag (Apr 22, 2018)

I'm a member of both forums for one reason; to learn.
What's going on at the other forum is a lot of crybabying because someone got their little feelies hurt.

I can understand this because I was in the military and got my *** kicked verbally many times.
It's a mind thing.


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## bykfixer (Apr 22, 2018)

bla2000 said:


> It's Earth Day. Everyone is conserving energy by not posting.



Lol. 

I watched the numbers drop at my favorite car forum for a while. As long time members faded away the newcomers became less than the folks leaving. I say leaving but it wasn't that they left, they just didn't post much anymore then eventually due to lack of inovation they just stopped coming back. 

Watching the numbers at the bottom of the forum page here I see the same thing happening. Less members and less visitors. 

Like my favorite car forum, there was a viable competitor that shared some members time and had some members who preferred the style of that other one. Yet that one also had a steep decline in participation. Now they are centered around a model of car no longer made but was once very popular. In comparison it would be like a Maglite forum.... perhaps a SureFire 6P forum where in our case inovations for the P60 platform is waning. 

I see the amount of interest in flashlight technology decreasing in general. Now CPF has sections for camping, knives, other lighting technologies and general discussions. To me CPF is a well run place with interesting topics galore. Yet the trend in general is falling away from forums. 

Also it's like what them great is what also helps the decline. The climate of discussions on facebook etc has turned into free-for-all Jerry Springer episodes so keeping things orderly is like watching a NASCAR race for the crashes only thanks to technology they don't crash anymore.... and viewership/ticket sales reflect that. Those who used to enjoy the rush of heated discussions get their fix somewhere else now. To me that is a good thing. I stayed with this forum because of the order... because threads stay on topic (in general). 

I think the numbers will decline over time, but not because CPF is doing anything wrong. To me it's social trends and the industry leading to the numbers drop. CPF will be around for a long time provided the staff and owner don't lose interest. When the staff and owner lost interest in my favorite car forum, it soon fell into a spam fest and the remaining members soon stopped hanging around.

Some blame it on the photobucket heist too. That certainly didn't help things.


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## peter yetman (Apr 22, 2018)

If, like me, you are using the "What's New" button to see what's happening you have apotted that it hasn't been functioning properly since the server swap.
It only shows the new threads that have been posted, whereas before it updated with every new post. This does give the impression that things are a bit lackluster here.
Interesting that flashlight usage in the States goes up in the warmer months.
Is that'cos of hunting? I tend to mothball a few lights in the Summer. There's nothing quite so frustrating as getting a new light when there's very little darkness to play in.
Also, I wanted to endorse the fact that this place is so well run. As for as Forums and stuff, this is all I do, and I have to say I really don't like the look of the other stuff out there, thanks.
P


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## bykfixer (Apr 22, 2018)

PK once told me Pete, that after Easter flashlight sales at SureFire went flat until Labor Day. I see that at Milepost as well. 
Yet... flashlight use would seem to go up during the warmer months. So I figured sales would go up too. 

Good point about the "whatz new" button. But when I first arrived useage was 1500 users at any given time with 110-150 members and the rest guests... (some would say a large number of guests are actually bots). When all of those "slow" threads began it was down to about 1000 at any given time with 95-125 members. 
This morning when I saw this thread it was less than 700 using it and 80-something members (currently 850 users, 95 members)
Btw the record was in 2016 when over 5000 users were using CPF.


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## StarHalo (Apr 22, 2018)

Sales go up when there's talk of hurricanes and/or tornadoes.


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## vadimax (Apr 23, 2018)

I may say about myself. There is no new posts and search function any more, so, when I cannot watch immediate activity or search I say: “Whatever...” and switch to another activity.


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## irongate (Apr 23, 2018)

Still coming back here to see what is new coming out from everyone every chance I get.


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## Thetasigma (Apr 23, 2018)

I no longer read and post as much since the search and new posts functionality no longer is present.


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## peter yetman (Apr 23, 2018)

WEll, whaddayaknow...
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ance-amp-Forums-Closure&p=5201348#post5201348
P


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## StarHalo (Apr 23, 2018)

Don't forget that Google is still there for specific thread searches; when I went to post about Art Bell's death, I had no idea when the last post was in the relevant thread or what section it was even in - I typed "candlepowerforums art bell" in Google, boom, the first result was the thread.


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## LEDAdd1ct (Apr 28, 2018)

I may not post often but my interest in flashlights and this forum is amortized over more than a decade with varying interests, hobbies, and wallet thicknesses all coming into play. I hope the "Virtual Bulletin Board"/"Forum" format never dies, and I prize the structure and massive wealth of knowledge this forum is renown for. 

I think part of the decline we are seeing is that the "Amazon-ifi-cation" of lights has made anybody's dollar go further in pure lumens, but Amazon and e-Bay will _never_ replace the talents of skilled modders and the very particular type of knowledge they bring to the table. 

Sometimes I begin a project and then come back to it six months or a year or three years later, and this site and those threads are still here waiting for me. 

There is information here nowhere else to be found on the Internet, and the order and general "cleanliness" of things makes it a great place to learn, or even, like today, to pay a visit and then go about other things in one's life.


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## StarHalo (Apr 28, 2018)

LEDAdd1ct said:


> I think part of the decline we are seeing is that the "Amazon-ifi-cation" of lights has made anybody's dollar go further in pure lumens



Pretty sure that has more to do with Moore's Law than Bezos' prices..


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## bykfixer (Apr 29, 2018)

Nice, nice, nice to see the search bar again.


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## idleprocess (Apr 29, 2018)

LEDAdd1ct said:


> I think part of the decline we are seeing is that the "Amazon-ifi-cation" of lights has made anybody's dollar go further in pure lumens, but Amazon and e-Bay will _never_ replace the talents of skilled modders and the very particular type of knowledge they bring to the table.


Eh, this has been going on for nearly 15 years. I first noticed it when Mag-Lite gave up their previously-exclusive half-aisle at Target over the course of a few years: LED went from fiddly angry-blue _showerhead_ things to powerhouses rivaling incandescent. It did not take long for the commentary on CPF to drop off. All of this generally follows the technology adoption curve: CPF represented the innovators and early adopters; by the time that early and late majority rolled around it was all routine and thus not as interesting as it was when it was all _just-within-reach *possibility*_ that took unusual special effort to make happen.

It wasn't too long after this that the custom makers and modders started feeling the squeeze and largely moved on to niches that the market wasn't covering - exotic materials, upping their design game, and generally doing much more than the now less-than-novel concept of putting a LED into an incandescent flashlight body.

The flashlight that a CPF'er typically buys is still different than the average person - better design, better performance, and typically more expensive.


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## bykfixer (Apr 29, 2018)

^^ Well put!!!


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## HarryN (May 17, 2018)

IMHO, the challenges of posting photos and photo bucket represent an opportunity.

I don't have time to goof around finding a host, figuring it out, and then linking.

If there was a relatively easy and inexpensive way (say $5 / month) that I could post (some) photos right into the forum, hosted by cpf that could make it more interesting. I am not quite sure how to tie the concept of "no longer paying - no longer showing the photos" but maybe there is a way.

I have other hobby and business interests that are sort of historically related to my flash light hobby, but now really more emergency power / solar oriented. If there was a good way to do some professional marketing related to those on CPF that could be interesting, but honestly with the declining use, it is tougher to justify and a bit harder to implement non flash light related products.

As an example, I hosted a CPF + conversion van get together - only 2-3 people from CPF even replied to the thread, and I think one person from CPF showed up to a party with free food and drinks. 10 years ago we would have gotten a house full.


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## TheShadowGuy (May 17, 2018)

As a frequent poster turned ghost, what Bdm82 said about less new stuff really rings true. At one point I checked back literally months after my last visit, and I saw that nothing really changed in the flashlight world- incremental changes at most. Similar lights available, similar questions, and when you feel like you have already spoken your piece on a topic it gets harder to bring yourself to make a meaningful post. 

The mainstream acceptance of social media and non-forum communications for niche groups like Reddit and Discord groups also probably has increased competition, drawing some users away. That isn't intrinsically bad, but it does lead to slower posting. 

I don't think CPF would die so easily. As long as there are modders, supporters, new people who don't know NiMH from INR, etc. it will probably keep going. Demand might slow, but there is still demand.


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## LeanBurn (May 18, 2018)

I think its a combination of things. New stuff, but all quite similar in therms of caliber for flashaholics and cheapy stuff for those looking for anything that emits light. 
Could it be a sign that people are actually using the search function?

On other forums, there is a constant barrage of the same questions over and over again from people that don't care to search. As a result, the forum is quite diluted of any deeper knowledge and quite boring to view. 

I'd rather have it the way it is here.


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## Greta (May 18, 2018)

HarryN said:


> ....
> 
> If there was a relatively easy and inexpensive way (say $5 / month) that I could post (some) photos right into the forum, hosted by cpf that could make it more interesting. I am not quite sure how to tie the concept of "no longer paying - no longer showing the photos" but maybe there is a way.



There is! It's called a "Supporter Badge" -


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## hyeTotum (May 18, 2018)

When things slow down...

...that's when I'm back on the scene (after years away!) 

And BTW, where are my RED SHOES? :shrug:


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## Bullzeyebill (May 18, 2018)

hyeTotum said:


> And BTW, where are my RED SHOES :shrug:



LOL, you are an early member.

Bill


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## hyeTotum (May 18, 2018)

Bullzeyebill said:


> LOL, you are an early member.
> 
> Bill



chuckle.

Good to see you're still here!


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## StarHalo (May 19, 2018)

The new people need to pull their weight..


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## peter yetman (May 19, 2018)

Greta said:


> There is! It's called a "Supporter Badge" -



Personally, I think everyone that enjoys this place should get one, and certainly not be able to criticise it without.

While you're here Greta, is there a way for attachments to display images within the post rather than this? Obviously I can insert images the way I do now, just never managed it with the "Manage Attchments" method.

P


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## Greta (May 19, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> ...
> 
> While you're here Greta, is there a way for attachments to display images within the post rather than this? Obviously I can insert images the way I do now, just never managed it with the "Manage Attchments" method.
> 
> P



I think I fixed it?


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## peter yetman (May 19, 2018)

Why, thank you so much ma'am.
P

It really works, ta.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?446670-test&p=5206616&viewfull=1#post5206616


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## HarryN (May 19, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> Personally, I think everyone that enjoys this place should get one, and certainly not be able to criticise it without.
> 
> P



Hi, hope my post wasn't taken as criticism - my goal is to help strengthen the forum in a positive way.


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## HarryN (May 19, 2018)

Greta said:


> There is! It's called a "Supporter Badge" -



Thanks - I will re-read this section again and related guidelines.

Just an idea - the forum and forum sales areas are very "flashlight" focused. Perhaps there is a way to expand the concept to include more product areas - for example emergency power, camping equipment, forge / knife making - essentially the same areas that the forum has expanded into for the non flashlght areas. Perhaps the concept is already there and I just need to read things again in more depth to properly use what already exists.


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## peter yetman (May 19, 2018)

HarryN said:


> Hi, hope my post wasn't taken as criticism - my goal is to help strengthen the forum in a positive way.


No Sir,
I was more on about the people who pile in with the "CPF Slow" threads and all that stuff. If they don't support it what do they expect.
There's no such thing as a free lunch.
P


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## Greta (May 19, 2018)

HarryN said:


> Thanks - I will re-read this section again and related guidelines.
> 
> Just an idea - the forum and forum sales areas are very "flashlight" focused. Perhaps there is a way to expand the concept to include more product areas - for example emergency power, camping equipment, forge / knife making - essentially the same areas that the forum has expanded into for the non flashlght areas. Perhaps the concept is already there and I just need to read things again in more depth to properly use what already exists.



Well... there's the WTS: Gadgetry/Multitools Watches/Pens/Other forum. And then there is the WTS: Edged Tools & Knives forum also.



Yes... you really should have more of a look around...


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## HarryN (May 20, 2018)

Greta said:


> There is! It's called a "Supporter Badge" -



Hi, not an expert on photos and such - but isn't 1 megabyte - just one, medium resolution photo? 

Again - just a wild idea intended to be supportive - is there a way to offer an option for more like 1 Gb vs 1 mb for a fee?

Also - I wonder if someone is paying to be a dealer / mfg - does it potentially make sense that they can reply in normal threads, at least some? At least in my mind, this would have value.

Just trying to throw out ideas for helping to expand the forum, not criticize its operation.


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## etc (May 20, 2018)

I've raised this issue before, if the for-sale forum became free to all, it would increase traffic significantly. Like the craigslist model. Free posts instead of having to buy membership.

I think the fee situation limits the users of the classifieds section just to the hard-core dedicated, committed members. I don't know that it's shrinking but it does not appear to grow.

Remove the fee restriction and watch membership grow and participation increase. The buy-sell forum is like the shopping mall anchor.

then we could still raise annual funds on a voluntary basis like other forums.


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## etc (May 20, 2018)

HarryN said:


> IMHO, the challenges of posting photos and photo bucket represent an opportunity.
> 
> I don't have time to goof around finding a host, figuring it out, and then linking.
> 
> ...



I would prefer to pay some fee annually if it came to that, instead of having to worry about renewal every month. And something affordable. Or follow the CL model that has no fees at all.


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## nbp (May 20, 2018)

Do you really think people are going to join this forum just to sell flashlights for free? Who are all these enthusiasts with extra flashlights to sell who have thus far neglected to join the forum? I certainly never come across them in my day to day life.


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## etc (May 20, 2018)

Of course, absolutely I do. 

the lurkers are just lurking, the ratio of lurkers to actual posters is what, 10:1 or 20:1?

They are either members who went into lurk mode due to fees. Or never joined.

do you understand the concept of an "Anchor store" at a shopping mall?

You can think of the classifieds section as a mini-Ebay type setup. The fee situation has to be restructured somehow to make it more appealing, an annual membership of $5-10 or some kind of fund raising. 

No other forums that I know charge to sell in their for-sale section and I know dozens. Some have "you must have x number of posts to sell" but none have a fee-based for-sale abilities. 

this is significant because CPF is the only place for that type of product. Membership and active posts will grow and so will the lurking traffic.


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## bykfixer (May 20, 2018)

I like the small fee to sell. You start letting every johnny and jane just start selling from day 1.... 
Bad idea.

Craiglist? Are you joking? Do you know how many scams and sketchy stuff is sold there?

Once upon a time my truck got robbed. My stuff was on Craigslist the next day!!!!

Besides for sale threads don't drive this place. Sure we members frequent the joint... we're flashaholics for pete's sake. Nope, it's a basic supply and demand for all things brighter. 

Used to be you had to DIY, but now for $22.95 you can get many lights that are as brights as the old days... delivered to your house from China in about 12 days.....

And anchor store spaces are rapidly being occupied grocery stores, harbor freights and flea markets.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (May 20, 2018)

etc said:


> I would prefer to pay some fee annually if it came to that,* instead of having to worry about renewal every month*. And something affordable. Or follow the CL model that has no fees at all.









I chose the 180 day supporter package for $20. No worries about having to renew every month and it's a great bargain. 

~ Chance


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## HarryN (May 20, 2018)

etc said:


> I would prefer to pay some fee annually if it came to that, instead of having to worry about renewal every month. And something affordable. Or follow the CL model that has no fees at all.



Actually CL now charges $5 / month to post each adv for a month and I think also charges for posting jobs. I am kind of happy about this actually because it got rid of a lot of riff raff and noise. This seems like a reasonable amount of money.


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## nbp (May 20, 2018)

Bladeforums charges $40 per year for a Gold membership which allows selling. I really don’t think the fees here to sell are causing a huge issue. Omg, $5 for a whole month of unlimited sales?!?! What a burden! 

It costs nothing to be a member here and participate. If people want to join and participate they can and will. It only costs a small fee if you want to sell something. And it’s still cheaper than selling on ebay.


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## Modernflame (May 20, 2018)

nbp said:


> It costs nothing to be a member here and participate. If people want to join and participate they can and will. It only costs a small fee if you want to sell something. And it’s still cheaper than selling on ebay.



Yes, far cheaper than ebay. The CPF marketplace is a jewel.

lovecpf


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## peter yetman (May 21, 2018)

The CPF Marketplace feels a helluvalot safer than Ebay, most of the stuff is sold and bought by true enthusiasts. Change whatever causes that and it will be a nightmare.
But thanks for giving this thread a jumpstart, ETC.
P


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## etc (May 21, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> The CPF Marketplace feels a helluvalot safer than Ebay, most of the stuff is sold and bought by true enthusiasts. Change whatever causes that and it will be a nightmare.
> But thanks for giving this thread a jumpstart, ETC.
> P



You welcome. 

Okay, I will play:

I got into a fraud situation on Ebay, I paid via paypal $300 for an SSD (solid state drive) and the buyer never shipped. To be precisely, he shipped but never delivered. He gave me and Ebay a bogus tracking number. Eventually the USPS showed the item as delivered but my mailbox was empty. Come to find out, he underpaid the postage. You know what happens in that instance? The item goes back to the seller and the tracking shows "delivered". Ebay was confused for a while. They go - well, it says "Delivered". I asked the seller "what's up?"
The seller dropped off the face of the earth. He gave me a bogus text number I texted/called half a million times with null replies. No response via ebay either. $300 gone.

Well -- I got my funds back after 10 days, Ebay sent him a bunch of emails, please respond, etc. and after several phone calls the funds, held in escrow, were refunded. Because you see that is the way works.

Now let's explore the situation where hypothetically I buy a $300 item here on CPF and the seller drops off the face of the planet without ever delivering.
Maybe there is no light, maybe it is some kind of error, like it got lost in shipping, maybe he underpaid postage and it went who knows where. 
Maybe he sent the wrong, much cheaper item by mistake. 
bottom line is, you don't have it.
The seller is not responding. Or fails to take responsibility. 
Don't tell me you never faced that reality. I think it's normal for about 1 percent of all transaction to fail. That is just a guestimate. 

You know what the admins here will say? Well - of course you do. All you have to do is read the terms / rules of the for-sale forum and there is your answer. Don't mean to insult your intelligence.

You are not buying from CPF. You are buying from an individual seller. Think of all parties involved as independent contractors. CPF will not own it. You are an independent contractor interacting with another independent contractor and CPF just facilitates, much like a newspaper where you place your ads. You will own it. And to no avail. Especially as it sometimes happens if you send paypal gift. You have no recourse whatsoever. Or even if you don't gift it. 
I mean, CPF has no more legal liability for a failed transaction than Washington Post classifieds section where you buy a car with a bad engine or missing title or stolen or any permutation of known fraud.

So, to spell it out - if you are never delivered a $10 or $300 or $1500 item you pay for here on CPF, you have absolutely no recourse via this forum. Just consider it a gift to them (the recipient) at that point. CPF will not own it -- nor can they -- nor should they.




So, no, CPF is not like Ebay at all. You have a **** of a lot more leverage on Ebay to get your funds back if a transaction goes South, quick.
Sellers also have a lot of pressure on them via the feedback system. 
I am not cheering for Ebay here - I am just pointing out the obvious differences and addressing the argument about what is "safer".


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## etc (May 21, 2018)

nbp said:


> Bladeforums charges $40 per year for a Gold membership which allows selling. I really don’t think the fees here to sell are causing a huge issue. Omg, $5 for a whole month of unlimited sales?!?! What a burden!
> 
> It costs nothing to be a member here and participate. If people want to join and participate they can and will. It only costs a small fee if you want to sell something. And it’s still cheaper than selling on ebay.



That is cherry-picking. I don't do blade forums but I can point out about a dozen forums which have free for sale sections. Though I won't. I could, but will not. About half you them you might recognize.

It seems this thread if paralyzed by group-think, inability to think outside of the box, propose any new ideas or not cave in to both peer pressure and authority respect and is not really a mechanism or a viable forum discussion to figure out the answer to the original question posed in the opening title - Why are there "Very Few New Posts". 
Since the participants - well, most of them, anyway -- are not really interested in figuring out this answer or a solution and just prefer things the way they are. 
If that is the case, stop complaining. 

There is no problem, apparently.


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## peter yetman (May 21, 2018)

Wow,
Didn't mean to get your hackles up, sorry.
P


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## etc (May 21, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> I chose the 180 day supporter package for $20. No worries about having to renew every month and it's a great bargain.
> 
> ~ Chance



You do. 

but you are a part of a very small demographic, even within this community, a hard core user with commitment and a large post count. 
Hence the fee system supports the model with few new posts, few new users - relatively speaking and nurtures that model. 

the fee model excludes the lowest common denominator and lots of fresh blood pumped in. Hence the fee system results in stagnation. Where it is basically the same 15 people talking to each other, like an exclusive club. this is an exaggeration but basically so. 

People are cheap. They will not pay for an annual membership where are dozens that are similar and free. I could give you a long list right now. None are CPF-focused though, some have it as tangent, like a side dish. 

Paying for things on the Internet is like going to the forest and paying to see the trees.

Oh and the Craigslist model is free. You know get charged a few bucks for job ads. And help wanted with gigs, like a moving gig. 
99.9% of it *is* free. Posting items for sale on CL is most certainly free.

So if the identity of the forum is a relatively small, exclusive group of hard core enthusiasts who do not mind paying small fees to move items that are worth maybe hundreds, then we have no legitimate way to complain about "few new posts". 
Fees are a tax and taxes discourage production or lower participation. That's economics 101.

That may not be necessarily a bad thing as you would rather have 100 quality users versus 10,000 and 1 spammers. I *get* that point. Just that pick one- or another.


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## archimedes (May 21, 2018)

Although I understand how this thread turned from a topic of possibly reduced posting activity, to increasingly strident discussion of fees for sellers, the fact remains that CPF has *no* mandatory fees for general casual participation.

Thus, this should not be a limiting factor of any real significance.

Yes, there are fees for hosting photos here, although there are any number of fee-free alternatives readily available and easily utilized here which provide similar functionality.

And, yes, there are fees to use the CPF marketplace _as a seller._ Most would likely agree that those fees are minimal, and rather lower than most similar alternatives.

Yes, there are marketplaces which do not have even those minimal fees, but those may present other challenges and difficulties of different types.

Let's leave aside further complaints about Supporter Badges for sellers, and redirect this thread towards other issues which may perhaps be impacting participation in the forums here more generally (apart from the marketplace)

Thank you.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (May 21, 2018)

1. I don't post as much as I once did because...... well, I'm just not that interesting and therefore don't have much to say. 
2. I haven't listed anything on The Market Place for a couple of years, so I'm not paying for things on the internet. 
3. My cheap level 1 badge (good for 180 days) is just me supporting something I enjoy. 

~ Chance :wave:


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## peter yetman (May 21, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> 1. I don't post as much as I once did because...... well, I'm just not that interesting and therefore don't have much to say.
> *You are very funny when you do post.*
> 2. I haven't listed anything on The Market Place for a couple of years, so I'm not paying for things on the internet.
> *That's because you're a hoarder.*
> ...



Good on you.
P


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## bykfixer (May 21, 2018)

CPF'rs in general follow the golden rule in the wts section.


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## HarryN (May 22, 2018)

etc said:


> Oh and the Craigslist model is free. You know get charged a few bucks for job ads. And help wanted with gigs, like a moving gig.
> 99.9% of it *is* free. Posting items for sale on CL is most certainly free.



CL has recently changed. I routinely post an adv on CL in the services section for installing solar panels and electrical systems in conversion vans. It used to be free - the past 2 months it is $5 / adv / month. I didn't care about the $5, I just wanted to be sure payment system was secure. The fee did get rid of a lot of adv - many were just multi posting the same thing anyway. Personally I think it improved CL.

__________

Coming back to the topic of what might encourage people to post more things on CPF. For me personally, the area I am most likely to post in is homemade / modified flashlights, and photos are a natural for this section. For me, 1 photo is not enough - maybe 25 or something and figure out an appropriate price for it?

In some ways, the incredible level of perfection that has been achieved in machining, optics, LED output - have made it slightly embarrassing to post my simple hack job / hobby projects.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (May 22, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> Good on you.
> P



1. Thank you. I try. 

2. Yep. We, however, prefer the term collector. 

3. Indeed! 

~ Chance


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## archimedes (May 22, 2018)

HarryN said:


> IMHO, the challenges of posting photos and photo bucket represent an opportunity.
> 
> *I don't have time to goof around finding a host, figuring it out, and then linking.*





HarryN said:


> .... Coming back to the topic of what might encourage people to post more things on CPF. For me personally, the area I am most likely to post in is homemade / modified flashlights, and photos are a natural for this section. For me, 1 photo is not enough - maybe 25 or something and figure out an appropriate price for it? ....



Not trying to be flippant about things, but truly, doing even the simplest flashlight mod is about 10x more challenging than finding and using an image hosting service....


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## StarHalo (May 22, 2018)

The hobby needs a consolidated reviews site again, like Flashlightreviews or Selfbuilt's; it was a lot easier to get excited about a new flashlight when 1) you could be aware of it immediately, as opposed to noticing a post from some guy discussing a find on a rumor/auction/Chinese site weeks later, 2) you could see it [at least numerically] against all your favorites, which now everyone else is aware of too since they're all in one place. Trying to parse out what you might find interesting out of hundreds of posts scattered everywhere isn't realistic, it makes the learning process take place in bits and pieces over long spans of time, no new people are going to be interested in that.


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## maglite mike (May 22, 2018)

Something has changed recently. I noticed no one was replying to any of my posts and the search feature doesn't seem to be as effective.


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## HarryN (May 23, 2018)

archimedes said:


> Not trying to be flippant about things, but truly, doing even the simplest flashlight mod is about 10x more challenging than finding and using an image hosting service....



I guess it depends on the person, but you might be right. I can't help but wonder though - if it is so easy - why is there a 150+ post thread about "so long photo bucket" and multiple people venting their frustration at the challenge of finding a new hosting service.

I can modify a flash light no problem, make 2 stage optics, and install solar panels and electrical systems on conversion vans that can power a house - but I have truly failed at trying to make a web site. I guess it depends on what you like to read and learn about.


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## archimedes (May 23, 2018)

I think most of the posts were complaining about PB breaking thousands and thousands of links, and trying to repair that damage is a whole other can of worms, but fair enough ... point taken.


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## bykfixer (May 23, 2018)

maglite mike said:


> Something has changed recently. I noticed no one was replying to any of my posts and the search feature doesn't seem to be as effective.



Everybody is ignoring you.

Nah, seriously, Maglite don't get the love it used to Mike. I used to, and still often do get ignored. We're not being ignored as it turns out.... we just don't make comments that folks get in a rucus about most of the time. 

And commenting in the Malkoff thread is like wearing a flannel shirt at a flannel shirt convention.... or wearing a dark suit at a crowded church on Sunday morning... it ends up blending in.


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## peter yetman (May 24, 2018)

Very apposite, and very funny.
At least there's no punch-uos over there.
P


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## Chauncey Gardiner (May 24, 2018)

maglite mike said:


> Something has changed recently. *I noticed no one was replying to any of my posts* and the search feature doesn't seem to be as effective.



Oh my! Do you at times feel as though you're the "Thread Killer"? That's a whole other subject altogether.  2,882 posts at last count. Closed a few times, but never killed! :twothumbs

~ Chance


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## maglite mike (May 24, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Oh my! Do you at times feel as though you're the "Thread Killer"? That's a whole other subject altogether.[emoji14]2,882 posts at last count. Closed a few times, but never killed! :twothumbs
> 
> ~ Chance


Ha ha I hope not. [emoji1]


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## idleprocess (May 25, 2018)

Woods Walker said:


> The Malkoff Junky thread is like a black hole. It's consuming all the new posts.



_No kidding!_ Every other time I hit "Today's Posts" it's in the top ~20 results...


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## bykfixer (May 26, 2018)

There were less than 200,000 members when I joined in 015.
Today we are 503 from being 300,000. That's about 30,000 a year. Go back to the beginning and start at member #1, then 300,000 divide by 17, you get a bit over 17,000 per year average. 

Now I remember days where only a few posts were made in the sections I frequent, and other days it looked like it must've been a really dull day in lots of members lives. 


It's an ebb & flow thing. But I still think that in general forums are losing interest in peoples lives as more online options are available.


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## peter yetman (May 27, 2018)

So there I was this morning, quietly adding yet another person to my Ignore List, and I realised that was a reason for not posting so often.
It's just me, and not anyone else's fault, but I really don't like being growled at for expressing an opinion. I know I say some silly things and say them in the wrong threads, but voluntarilly exposing myself to aggression is just not my thing.
This is just the Forum reflecting Society in general, that's probably whu I spend my days in a barn in the middle of nowhere with just a beagle for company.
My Ignore List is at 14 at the moment, I used to say I'd stop when it got to 10 - maybe 20 and I'm off.
P

Think I might start a new thread "How big is yours?" (Ignore List)


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## ven (May 27, 2018)

:laughing: thats a lot of ignoring P. Must make some threads look empty haha

I dont actually have a list, now and then i might throw my toys out of the pram(man tantrum) , but usually after a few days i will calm down(not happened for ages ). I kind of look at it in a way that we all have our personalities. Some very strong and opinionated, others not so. Its all entertainment as long as it does not get personal. 

I am still a regular on here, not always posting though as i dont always have anything worth saying(could argue all the time lol). The search stopped me as i use the new posts for ease, works great. 

I wonder if P can read this post:thinking:


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## Chauncey Gardiner (May 27, 2018)

Peter....... Peter........ Hey Peter, are you..er, am I there? Hello? Is this thing on? 

Over the years there have been a few people that "rubbed" me the wrong way. However, I've never put any of them on my ignore list. Wouldn't want to miss them getting banned now would I? :devil: Is that wrong? 

~ Chance


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## peter yetman (May 27, 2018)

No, can't hear a word you're saying.
P


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## ven (May 27, 2018)

:laughing:


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## Greta (May 27, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> ...
> _*This is just the Forum reflecting Society in general*_, that's probably whu I spend my days in a barn in the middle of nowhere with just a beagle for company.
> .....



(emphasis mine) Personally, I think this is the root of it all. (I spend my days in my office/room with bulldogs for company) - Society has taken on too much of an entitled patina where everyone gets a trophy and everyone is right even if they are wrong. This spills over to online interactions as well and honestly I just don't have the need or want to be around that kind of behavior and attitude. And I certainly have no desire to interact with it. I think many people who have been around this forum and industry for awhile now are pretty much of the same mind in that regard. Other forums have sprung up over the years that have allowed the BS, disrespect and rudeness. Good for them! It's still not allowed here and never will be while I'm at the helm. I'd rather have 10 DECENT members than 10,000 jerks. :ironic:


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## peter yetman (May 27, 2018)

More power to your elbow, Greta.
You and your bulldogs are always welcome.
Free beer!
P


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## peter yetman (May 27, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Peter....... Peter........ Hey Peter, are you..er, am I there? Hello? Is this thing on?
> 
> Over the years there have been a few people that "rubbed" me the wrong way. However, I've never put any of them on my ignore list. Wouldn't want to miss them getting banned now would I? :devil: Is that wrong?
> 
> ~ Chance


See, I told you that you were funny.
P


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## bykfixer (May 27, 2018)

There's an ignore feature? 

Next thing you know motorcycles will have automatic transmissions....


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## Chauncey Gardiner (May 27, 2018)

Thanks, Peter. :wave: How's the pumpkin in the UK?

I wish everyone thought I was as funny as I think I am. It's hard to believe but my sense of humor has caused the majority of issues between myself and other members. Even with the sense of family that we try to foster here, well, we're not all going to get along all the time. We just need to learn to forgive and forget, then keep posting. 

~ Chance


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## nightshade (May 27, 2018)

I still love the forum, it's still a great place on the web to visit. Many members here have succumb to gravity and time. Many others, myself included, have retired. I don't crawl into uninviting and dark spaces as much anymore. I now happily live on a modest boat, often far away from the entitled and demanding denizens of the instant gratification kingdoms. Starlight is my new ultralow, long runtime mode. CPF is in good hands and still a incredible resource for lighting enthusiast, I don't see CPF disappearing anytime soon, unless the owners and mods tire of the relentless babysitting and maintenance that any forum requires.


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## nbp (May 27, 2018)

I think that other social media platforms have made people very “consumerist”. Most do not want to join a hobbyist forum and become a longtime contributing member - they simply join to ask a few questions or to get a coupon code or whatever. When they get their answers they vanish and never come back.


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## Modernflame (May 27, 2018)

With a join date in 2017, I'm still new to CPF. I especially enjoy threads like this, where long time members discuss the history of the forum. I wish I had arrived here sooner, but I'm here to stay. I'm proud of my CPF membership and look forward to contributing for the long term.


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## nbp (May 27, 2018)

Modernflame said:


> ... I especially enjoy threads like this, where long time members discuss the history of the forum. I wish I had arrived here sooner, but I'm here to stay. I'm proud of my CPF membership and look forward to contributing for the long term.



I’ve been here since 2007 and I still feel the same way!! I missed a lot of exciting things before I got here too.


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## bykfixer (May 27, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Thanks, Peter. :wave: How's the pumpkin in the UK?
> 
> I wish everyone thought I was as funny as I think I am. It's hard to believe but my sense of humor has caused the majority of issues between myself and other members. Even with the sense of family that we try to foster here, well, we're not all going to get along all the time. We just need to learn to forgive and forget, then keep posting.
> 
> ~ Chance



I used to tune into threads in the "site is slow" section just to see your comments. Lots of laugh out louds.

I did avoid it in the am to prevent spraying coffee onto my keyboard though.

Who ate the fillet o fish for example.


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## tech25 (May 27, 2018)

I guess it's slightly different by me. I lurked here for a while and when I joined I didn't post much- I read through to learn. Lately, I have been posting more often but as my collection is a bit smaller than others, I can only post advice based on my experience. I enjoy this forum much more than Facebook and other social media platforms. It is much more friendly than other edc thyme forums as well. 
I think get togethers would help people get to know each other better and posts would increase.


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## peter yetman (May 28, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Thanks, Peter. :wave: How's the pumpkin in the UK?


Is that some kind of weird American euphemism, or are you making a comment about vegetables? :laughing:
P


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## scout24 (May 28, 2018)

bykfixer said:


> There's an ignore feature?
> 
> Next thing you know motorcycles will have automatic transmissions....



Don't get me started on automatics in motorcycles...


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## bykfixer (May 28, 2018)

Those hellz accountants types can't be scuffin' their dock shoes with a shifter ya know.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (May 28, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> Is that some kind of weird American euphemism, or are you making a comment about vegetables? :laughing:
> P



No, I just figured you'd know. You do eat pumpkin, don't you? 

~ Chance


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## peter yetman (May 28, 2018)

Mostly in Humble Pie.
P


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## Chauncey Gardiner (May 28, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> Mostly in Humble Pie.
> P



 

~ CG


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## peter yetman (May 28, 2018)

All I can find is this, but we don't have many of them up here...

PUMPKIN BOMB, noun. (historical) A kind of conventional high-explosive aerial bomb used by the United States against Japan during World War II.

P


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## StarHalo (May 28, 2018)

As opposed to pie missile


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## bykfixer (May 28, 2018)

I thought it was "Peter Pumpkinhead" as refered to in that XTC song. (Now that one is stuck in my head... cool)


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## Chauncey Gardiner (May 28, 2018)

Oh for Pet's sake! It's a bloody, *English,* nursery rhyme. 






And Peter, I truly hope your wife hasn't left you. Because if she has, I'll forever be known as a wanker on CPF. 

~ Chance


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## peter yetman (May 28, 2018)

I knew that, was just taunting you.
When we had the restaurant my best waitress used to sing it at me when I was grumpy - didn't help.
P


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## Chauncey Gardiner (May 28, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> I knew that, was just taunting you.
> When we had the restaurant my best waitress used to sing it at me when I was grumpy - didn't help.
> P



:laughing: You got me. I didn't have a clue. :thumbsup: 

~ Chance


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## Monocrom (May 31, 2018)

hyeTotum said:


> And BTW, where are my RED SHOES? :shrug:



They went from being old to "vintage," placed up on e-Bay where they sold for a high price. :thumbsup:

As for the topic at hand, things have just simply changed around us in the outside world. Gone are the days when you had to educate yourself, see what was out there, order online, and face questions from ignorant friends, family, and co-workers about your lights. No one cares anymore to ask questions or reach out. Not when they can just go to Home Depot and walk out with an LED Solitaire that pumps up a good number of lumens, or a bigger 2AA LED Mini-mag that is ideal for use for many who need a light for work purposes. Getting a decent quality light with very bright output.... That process has been dumbed down to the least common denominator.


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## bykfixer (Jun 6, 2018)

No posts to this one for 6 days.... 
So there is that.


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## Ozythemandias (Jun 6, 2018)

Alright so i skimmed this thread quickly, I don’t know how missed it. Interesting to see everyone agrees the activity on this forum changed. 

I’ve noticed this change on the forum and in my own behavior and have been thinking about it. Here’s some thoughts:

It’s almost inarguable that the activity has moved to Facebook. I actually created a dedicated account just for that. Almost all of the custom makers have migrated to Facebook (some exclusively) and as such any collector must have a presence there. 

Why Facebook? Well first ask, “why not CPF?” Then answer it yourselves. There have been numerous threads on various topics from extreme lag to overmoderation, almost all resulting in lack of validation and head in sand type responses. This does not foster a community. 

Selling is much faster on Facebook. Probably due to the mysterious algorithms, whomever needs to see the post gets it pushed right into their home feed, along with pictures of their aunt and whatever else happens on Facebook. I’ve been paying and staying current on my membership here but I don’t remember the last time I posted a sale here that sold on site. Even Facebook messenger makes thing more convenient, no need to wait 24 hours for a response to a pm. 

Unfortunately, it’s the same algorithms that take away from facebook’s effectiveness as a repository of information. Conversation and information here is in a relevant location, indexed and searchable even by outsiders. CPF (and the other forum(why can’t we say its name?)) is probably the two best sources of English language flashlight information, Reddit a close third. Facebook is transient, private and doesn’t foster conversations nor makes it easy to find information.

Speaking of the other forum, has its activity been suffering? Reddit? Questions like that may be worthy avenues for administration to explore. 

Personally, I like cpf. I like the environment, the cultures and the (over)moderation, to a degree of course. I much prefer it over forum that must not be named, for reasons irrelevant to this thread. But to be honest, the slower this website got the more time I got to spending on Facebook. Now its integral to hobby, there’s no going away from Facebook at this point. 

My suggestion to management is to focus on the aspects Facebook cannot offer, both for the benefits of this site and for the flashlight community in general. Making CPF the foremost resource of flashlight information is the only way to increase the value others get from it. How to do so? Well..... it’s easier to talk about the problem than it is to fix it. But that’s the direction to take.


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## Random Dan (Jun 6, 2018)

I tried being a part of the facebook flashlight groups, but to me they were never that interesting. Seemed to be more pictures of skulls and other assorted pocket jewelry and less useful discussion than you find here or BLF. Maybe I just wasn't in the right groups, but anyway I like it here just fine. Pretty much I just like to keep track of HDS, Malkoff, Oveready, and then whatever's new in the Chinese world like Emisars or the BLF projects. A lot of customs these days are more focused on bling than what I want.


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## tech25 (Jun 6, 2018)

Ozythemandias and Random Dan, Very well said. I think facebook is a platform that people are surfing anyways so to go into another group is simpler. The major downside and annoyance is its impossible to find a particular piece of information.


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## Cosmodragoon (Jun 7, 2018)

I'm a new member and this is my first post. I find forums like these to be excellent sources of information, education, and assistance. In concert with independent product reviews and YouTube, this is an invaluable resource. It also allows those of us who don't use Facebook or have concerns over recent privacy scandals to participate in discussion with knowledgeable persons.


I was actually pointed here from another forum when I asked about flashlights. I was still using my ancient (but still reliable) Maglites. I had long resisted the bright, painfully harsh, blue-white LEDs that first sprung onto the scene years ago. I figured I would see what was available these days and I had no idea how deep the rabbit hole was. I lurked here for a while and decided to join when I saw this thread. I don't know how often I'll post but hey, it's something.


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## Nitroz (Jun 7, 2018)

scout24 said:


> Don't get me started on automatics in motorcycles...


Uggghhhhh! Might as well be autonomous while they are at it.


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## Poppy (Jun 7, 2018)

So few new posts...

After so many years, what hasn't been said? Asked? Discussed?
Incan vs LED, Cool white VS LED, flooder vs thrower.

Personally I pretty much stopped posting when the pages took too long to load. Back then I rarely visited, or rather stayed long enough to read a few posts, and left.
OTOH, I think that for the main-stream, I think that Monocrom said it pretty well.



Monocrom said:


> As for the topic at hand, things have just simply changed around us in the outside world. Gone are the days when you had to educate yourself, see what was out there, order online, and face questions from ignorant friends, family, and co-workers about your lights. No one cares anymore to ask questions or reach out. Not when they can just go to Home Depot and walk out with an LED Solitaire that pumps up a good number of lumens, or a bigger 2AA LED Mini-mag that is ideal for use for many who need a light for work purposes. Getting a decent quality light with very bright output.... That process has been dumbed down to the least common denominator.



It seems that there are fewer requests for recommendations, than there were before. Often there are fewer specific replies. I know that *I* don't reply as often for a couple of reasons. 1. I haven't kept up, and my recommendations may be obsolete. 2. there are so many similar lights, in that they have the same characteristics, that there is little reason to choose one over the other.

Recently I laid out a nice selection of lights for my grandson to choose from to take camping, his choice was an 18650 CRELANT CH10 CREE XM L2 460Lm headlamp, and a Home Depot Defiant 850 lumen triple LED with an adapter for it run on an 18650. While we were camping he asked for a lantern. I gave him a convoy S2+ with a white diffuser. I'm sure that will be in his bag next time out too.

So as Monocrom pointed out, even the home depot lights are decent these days. As bykfixer points out... even a $8 light isn't so bad anymore.


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## Ozythemandias (Jun 7, 2018)

Poppy said:


> So few new posts...
> 
> After so many years, what hasn't been said? Asked? Discussed?
> Incan vs LED, Cool white VS LED, flooder vs thrower.
> ...



If this is true, all other forums and mediums would be losing activity.


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## peter yetman (Jun 7, 2018)

I would imagine this place might become a place for all of us nerds to hang out. The people who actually care about tint and beamshape and stuff. 
If the folks who only come on here to find a light to walk the dog, and then contribute nothing more, don't come back, would that be such a bad thing?

_Speaking of nerds, there's a comma in the wrong place up there and I can't find it.
_
P


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## Monocrom (Jun 7, 2018)

Facebook will simply attract a large volume of bodies. Plain and simple. What percentage of those bodies will actually be flashaholics? A very tiny one, quite frankly. The guys doing custom work for some odd reason, don't get that. It's like looking at a YouTube content creator's subscriber numbers to see if they are successful. Which quite frankly means little. Many who subbed in the past, no longer bother to visit. They just leave their subscriptions open. Want to know if they're successful?.... Look at the number of their views per video. That's the one that matters.

I've seen guys with 500,000+ subs. get only 10K views. I've seen guys with 10,000 subs get 5K views. Which one is more successful? (Rather obvious once you think about the numbers.) If you're a custom modder, you want to be on a site full of ignorant bodies or one not quite as populated but full of basically your core customer base?


----------



## Ozythemandias (Jun 7, 2018)

Monocrom said:


> Facebook will simply attract a large volume of bodies. Plain and simple. What percentage of those bodies will actually be flashaholics? A very tiny one, quite frankly. The guys doing custom work for some odd reason, don't get that.



Custom makers are selling out in minutes on facebook, I don't think they're lacking.

For the past few lights I sold, I listed both here and on facebook. Since I became active on Facebook they all sold on Facebook before anyone even expressed interest on this site. 

Saying "Oh that activity on FB is ignorance and we're the real enthusiasts" is the mindset that is contributing to this decline.


----------



## TimeOnTarget (Jun 7, 2018)

I remember when LED lights first became available. One of my first was a homemade finger light that somebody was selling at Fort Rucker. Sadly, I can't find that light anywhere. But these were game changers for us. Here is a more modern version that was actually issued to me. You strap it around your index finger and the switch is activated by tapping the LED in and out. The LED is the switch.

We then started swapping out or buying the LED Mag Lites because you never had to worry about breaking a bulb. Back then, I didn't know anything about tint or kelvin. We just used the light because it worked. I only recently discovered this world of advanced flashlights here on CPF, etc. I have more lights now than I ever imagined or need, but I am learning more and more which makes me want to experience these fantastic pieces of technology and art for myself. Thanks to all who share the knowledge. KUDOS!











[/IMG]


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## the0dore3524 (Jun 7, 2018)

Monocrom said:


> Facebook will simply attract a large volume of bodies. Plain and simple. What percentage of those bodies will actually be flashaholics? A very tiny one, quite frankly. The guys doing custom work for some odd reason, don't get that. It's like looking at a YouTube content creator's subscriber numbers to see if they are successful. Which quite frankly means little. Many who subbed in the past, no longer bother to visit. They just leave their subscriptions open. Want to know if they're successful?.... Look at the number of their views per video. That's the one that matters.
> 
> I've seen guys with 500,000+ subs. get only 10K views. I've seen guys with 10,000 subs get 5K views. Which one is more successful? (Rather obvious once you think about the numbers.) If you're a custom modder, you want to be on a site full of ignorant bodies or one not quite as populated but full of basically your core customer base?



Customs sell out almost instantly through Facebook...like it or not, that’s where the market is right now. The demand on Facebook for customs, like Hankos is absolutely insane. Pretty much every new custom maker that wants to sell needs to be active on Facebook.


----------



## ven (Jun 7, 2018)

Since 2013(bit before joining as well ), i cant think of a day without logging on(unless site down or emergency situation). This place is a 2nd home, full of like minded dudes which is great. Over the years i have been on a few forums(not flashlight related), only one came close on the friendly like minded type. Its good to see older members still about mr monocrom

Regular a link is posted and its often a thread i have not even seen, this place is beyond vast in info!!! Honestly i think this place is great, mods are cool these days and overall greta has done fantastic. The recent sever change and hard work has made a huge difference. I am sure after the summer, new members will be popping up pretty quick again come fall. 

Not much flashlight wise has been happening at the vens house, pretty content . Odd light here and there if i find a specific one(fussy these days) or modded to suit. There are still a few wants down the line,interest is still as strong as ever. Trouble is as poppy said, sometimes its not always easy posting if not keeping up with the latest and greatest.


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## ven (Jun 7, 2018)

the0dore3524 said:


> Customs sell out almost instantly through Facebook...like it or not, that’s where the market is right now. The demand on Facebook for customs, like Hankos is absolutely insane. Pretty much every new custom maker that wants to sell needs to be active on Facebook.



That seems very true, for me unfortunately the exclusivity is compromised some and pretty much any tom **** and harry ends up with certain custom lights. Then even sell on at double,triple the purchase cost.
I do post a little on facebook, only down to knowing some prior, but other than the flashlight sections....................i hate that place! Hard to follow and keep up, not easy to find previous pics/posts due to poor UI. Long live forums i hope........


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## Monocrom (Jun 7, 2018)

Ozythemandias said:


> Custom makers are selling out in minutes on facebook, I don't think they're lacking.
> 
> For the past few lights I sold, I listed both here and on facebook. Since I became active on Facebook they all sold on Facebook before anyone even expressed interest on this site.
> 
> Saying "Oh that activity on FB is ignorance and we're the real enthusiasts" is the mindset that is contributing to this decline.


Sell shiny things to the ignorant and they'll snatch it up. You're also forgetting one more thing. Something you wouldn't be aware of from being on CPF for only over a year. Yes, sometimes there is little interest from members. Often due to not trusting new modders. And quite frankly, with good reason.

A little something no one likes to talk about. But I have no issue bringing it up. The vast majority of modders we've had on CPF almost all eventually turned out to be scumbags. Conning members out of hard-earned money. And I don't mean chump change. Sometimes having earned very positive reputations over long years on here. Then, no warning; just out of the blue, conning often large numbers of members out of thousands of dollars. And it happened *ALL THE TIME.*

So why should you get tons of interest from members after being here just over a year? Granted, this wasn't an issue you likely knew about. But now you do. In fairness, not every modder has done that. And there's no explanation as to why it keeps happening, or to nearly every modder who comes here. We just know that it does. I mean, Ancient tribes had no clue why the sun rose every morning. They just knew it did. So, it became something expected. 

Yes, some members are a bit leery. Wouldn't you be if you experienced what they did? Many still held out hope.... until the absolute biggest and most successful (as well as the most loved and respected) modder turned scammer. And after years, yes years, of appealing to him to do the right thing. It never happened. Despite all that, it doesn't change the fact that CPF's smaller community is far more knowledgable about lights than the sheer masses on FaceBook. Want to be successful? Stay here, work hard, build up a loyal customer base of repeat customers for long-term financial success. Or, just sell to the ignorant masses on FaceBook, make money in the short-run, and then go on to something else if you want long-term success.

Those few modders left on CPF who have not eventually scammed their customers and fellow members, they enjoy a massive amount of loyalty from those customers.


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## Monocrom (Jun 7, 2018)

ven said:


> Since 2013(bit before joining as well ), i cant think of a day without logging on(unless site down or emergency situation). This place is a 2nd home, full of like minded dudes which is great. Over the years i have been on a few forums(not flashlight related), only one came close on the friendly like minded type. Its good to see older members still about mr monocrom



Thank you. I still remember our PM conversations regarding watches.

As far as the Latest & Greatest go, I don't think there's much to keep up with unless someone is interested in sheer output. Awhile back, I bought one of those lumens monsters about the size and thickness of a very old-fashioned oil-can. So I've got one. I'm good. Unless it's the Blinding Output Race BOR (how appropriate), I can see how it would be difficult to find new things to discuss. However, there are older subjects that can be looked at. Getting fresh perspectives on those would be interesting.


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## Monocrom (Jun 7, 2018)

ven said:


> That seems very true, for me unfortunately the exclusivity is compromised some and pretty much any tom **** and harry ends up with certain custom lights. Then even sell on at double,triple the purchase cost.
> I do post a little on facebook, only down to knowing some prior, but other than the flashlight sections....................i hate that place! Hard to follow and keep up, not easy to find previous pics/posts due to poor UI. Long live forums i hope........



You bring up a very good point in your post above. How many of those buyers are actually going to appreciate what they've bought? No doubt many of them see what they buy as just something to flip after a few weeks for profit. Especially with the harder-to-get custom creations. And some will just say, "So what?" Well, if the ONLY thing that matters to someone is *$$$ *then okay, fair enough. Those of us who have been here for years care more about just the dollar signs. It's also hilarious that you have such people on FaceBook constantly flipping lights.

Even with the custom, hard to get models out there; by comparison this hobby of ours' is one of the least expensive in the world. If money is the only issue, the habitual flippers on FaceBook would be better off flipping houses, or cars, or practically anything other than lights.


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## ven (Jun 7, 2018)

Yes, i like my tiny monsters and large ones for sure, grins and wow factor(big kid really). But these days i am all for quality over quantity of, 100-200lm is enough most of the time and i can get it for many regulated hours. Other than little zebralights, i am enjoying older USA made lights, some incand, most triples/quads . I do love the classics for sure, be it novatac, HDS, surefire. I also enjoy reading up a lot on mr fixers and others threads /posts, old school incand lights. If anything its played a part in me going back in time a bit using incand myself. Be it swapping out a modern nichia triple for the incand p60 or E series bulb. In fact its given me a new appreciation, before this i was use to the fugly maglite bulb beam. Even today, the E series and p60 incands kick a55 in beam quality, astonishing when to think how old they are now. For 60 or so lumens, far reaching and a nice hot spot.


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## bykfixer (Jun 7, 2018)

Cosmodragoon said:


> I'm a new member and this is my first post. I find forums like these to be excellent sources of information, education, and assistance. In concert with independent product reviews and YouTube, this is an invaluable resource. It also allows those of us who don't use Facebook or have concerns over recent privacy scandals to participate in discussion with knowledgeable persons.
> 
> 
> I was actually pointed here from another forum when I asked about flashlights. I was still using my ancient (but still reliable) Maglites. I had long resisted the bright, painfully harsh, blue-white LEDs that first sprung onto the scene years ago. I figured I would see what was available these days and I had no idea how deep the rabbit hole was. I lurked here for a while and decided to join when I saw this thread. I don't know how often I'll post but hey, it's something.



Welcome aboard.

Flashaholic meetings are on Tuesdays... Wednesdays for procrastinators...
Just kidding. 

Like you, I did not know how far the LED had come (replacing a bulb'd minimag), I found this place from somewhere else, lurked a while, joined figuring on an occasional post.... but now can't I can't remember how life was before.


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## peter yetman (Jun 7, 2018)

I rarely bump into you, Mr Monocrom, but I have admired a lot of your posts. 
THis man talks a lot of sense.
P


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 7, 2018)

In light of what Mr. Monocrom stated about the history of a lot of CPF's modders, I think it's appropriate to say, 
*
THREE CHEERS FOR VINHNGUYEN54!!!! *:twothumbs :twothumbs :twothumbs 

~ CHANCE


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## the0dore3524 (Jun 7, 2018)

Disregard...couldn’t see his post for some reason and now I can see it again? 🤔


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## bykfixer (Jun 7, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> In light of what Mr. Monocrom stated about the history of a lot of CPF's modders, I think it's appropriate to say,
> *
> THREE CHEERS FOR VINHNGUYEN54!!!! *:twothumbs :twothumbs :twothumbs
> 
> ~ CHANCE



Hip, hip, hoosah!! (Thatz old school for hooray)


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## Monocrom (Jun 7, 2018)

Thanks for all the kind words, guys. 
Apparently I've gotten old and earned the title of "Mr." :santa:
All kidding aside, yes; much love and respect to those modders who deal with fellow flashaholics in an honest manner. They'll always get my money. I don't go shopping on FaceBook.


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## Gene43 (Jun 8, 2018)

Many years ago, I was selling Maglite mods on Ebay. Maybe two or three a week. One of my customers recommended that I join CPF. He said "its full of flashlight geeks, just like yourself, you will just love it." I created an account and then made a post about my mag mods. I was totally and completely ignored. I did not go away thinking what a bunch of A-holes and never come back. I used the forum as the unique reference and resource that it is, and occasionally (rarely) posted in stuff that interested me. I have always underrated my importance. I'm just another redneck in south Alabama trying to get through life.

Roll on to a year later and I had created a small website to try and sell a few things. That first year I had become accustomed to the 200 or so website hits a week. Suddenly, and I mean almost overnight my hits began to climb. Eventually, I traced it back to this forum. I had never thought to search on Malkoff before this time. Wow, I was blown away, humbled, and intimidated. I never intended to make my living with flashlights. I just wanted to build a few things for myself and maybe sell a few items for some extra cash. I still receive a considerable amount of traffic from CPF. Way more than we get from Facebook. I don't post a whole lot. In my position, I would never be seen as an objective commenter and I don't expect to be. 

I still surf here quite often. The crowd is knowledgeable and friendly. Greta and the mods are tough but fair. In my opinion, this forum is an irreplaceable resource. I won't leave unless they run me off.


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## StarHalo (Jun 8, 2018)

Keep on rockin' in the free world, Mr. M..


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## peter yetman (Jun 8, 2018)

For a funny little thread bemoaning the lack of posts, this one has bucked the trend.
P


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## Monocrom (Jun 8, 2018)

StarHalo said:


> Keep on rockin' in the free world, Mr. M..



You're a class act, S.H.

Also, my lack of a raging ego is telling me that "Mr. M" is our good buddy Gene. :twothumbs


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## MikeSalt (Jun 8, 2018)

Definitely the right amount of new posts for me. They tend to be quality posts on CPF, usually worth reading.


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## etc (Jun 8, 2018)

Gene43 said:


> Many years ago, I was selling Maglite mods on Ebay. Maybe two or three a week. One of my customers recommended that I join CPF. He said "its full of flashlight geeks, just like yourself, you will just love it." I created an account and then made a post about my mag mods. I was totally and completely ignored. I did not go away thinking what a bunch of A-holes and never come back. I used the forum as the unique reference and resource that it is, and occasionally (rarely) posted in stuff that interested me. I have always underrated my importance. I'm just another redneck in south Alabama trying to get through life.
> 
> Roll on to a year later and I had created a small website to try and sell a few things. That first year I had become accustomed to the 200 or so website hits a week. Suddenly, and I mean almost overnight my hits began to climb. Eventually, I traced it back to this forum. I had never thought to search on Malkoff before this time. Wow, I was blown away, humbled, and intimidated. I never intended to make my living with flashlights. I just wanted to build a few things for myself and maybe sell a few items for some extra cash. I still receive a considerable amount of traffic from CPF. Way more than we get from Facebook. I don't post a whole lot. I my position, I would never be seen as an objective commenter and I don't expect to be.
> 
> I still surf here quite often. The crowd is knowledgeable and friendly. Greta and the mods are tough but fair. I my opinion, this forum is an irreplaceable resource. I won't leave unless they run me off.



Great. I am trying to spread the message way outside the CPF community. Which it already has.


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## scout24 (Jun 8, 2018)

Gene- I just installed my second 2c LED Mag module from you- the first light is no more. One of my favorite lights. I don't have the Malkoff collection anymore some here do, but I try not to look at my purchase history on your website...


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 8, 2018)

Monocrom said:


> You're a class act, S.H.
> 
> Also, my lack of a raging ego is telling me that "Mr. M" is our good buddy Gene. :twothumbs



This place is big enough for two Mr. M's. When a member with over 15,000 posts keeps providing interesting content, well, that makes him a Mr. in my book.

~ Chance


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## tab665 (Jun 8, 2018)

I dont get all the pics of pocket trinkets and pimped out pocket clips on FB. dont get me wrong, theres a couple makers that look like they might make a good product. but until i see a review of one of the "other" custom maker's here on CPF by a legit user, i will never give a serious thought at purchasing one. i feel there is a certain prestige of a maker having a CPF sub-forum.


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## peter yetman (Jun 8, 2018)

They certainly open themselves up to public scrutiny which must hopefully show an amount of integrity.
P


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## ven (Jun 8, 2018)

Most are closed P, or i would not go on them. Did i mention i hate facebook! So closed groups for me only(only member see basically). 

But yes, i do admire some amazing lights on there, but it also get very VERY samey with hankies and custom lights on them..............ti tuesday and all that. Same week in week out and it for me anyway is boring. I dont even think most get use, took out of safe for a pic and put back in. Not for me to judge, each to their own of course. Certainly some out of this world lights, all be it too fancy for me (and expensive). I must be jealous, no $5000 rolex, no $3500 light and $2500 knife to lay out on a $50 hanky  Still kitchen roll and ultrafire works the same................just not as classy


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## peter yetman (Jun 8, 2018)

$50 for a hanky, WTF!!!!! My nose isn't worth that!

I was on about the Manufacturers Forum on here, not FB.
Went there when CPF was down and could not be arsed. Plus most of the posts are one liners, or even worse - one syllablle.

Six exclamation marks, I must be gobsmacked.
P


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## ven (Jun 8, 2018)

:laughing: Not to be sneezed at................or on!


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## Monocrom (Jun 8, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> This place is big enough for two Mr. M's. When a member with over 15,000 posts keeps providing interesting content, well, that makes him a Mr. in my book.
> 
> ~ Chance



Fair enough. 

Thank you. Ironically, I don't go out of my way to be interesting. Just seems to happen.


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## tab665 (Jun 10, 2018)

ven said:


> Most are closed P, or i would not go on them. Did i mention i hate facebook! So closed groups for me only(only member see basically).
> 
> But yes, i do admire some amazing lights on there, but it also get very VERY samey with hankies and custom lights on them..............ti tuesday and all that. Same week in week out and it for me anyway is boring. I dont even think most get use, took out of safe for a pic and put back in. Not for me to judge, each to their own of course. Certainly some out of this world lights, all be it too fancy for me (and expensive). I must be jealous, no $5000 rolex, no $3500 light and $2500 knife to lay out on a $50 hanky  Still kitchen roll and ultrafire works the same................just not as classy



i feel as if some new group of "high-end hipster" has been created on some of those FB groups. no group photo is complete with out a snot rag that cost as much as a blanket, some fancy looking trinket to open their craft beer bottle with, and a several hundred dollar knife that probably will used for nothing more than some tape on a box. oh, and lets not forget key fobs. lots and lots of key fobs. im mean, in college i was an art major, i can identify the whole functional art aspect. also in college i was in a fraternity, so i can also identify general douchery. pretty sure were dealing with a new wave of high-end hipsters.


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## nbp (Jun 10, 2018)

Great post, I LOLed. Well done. 

I don’t bother with FB or IG for mostly that reason: I think they’re generally a place for people to brag on themselves and make it seem like their lives/friends/material things are amazing, and then wait for others to come and validate them with copious ego-stroking.

CPF and other enthusiast forums have a sense of community and camaraderie you won’t get there.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 10, 2018)

Please be mindful that we here at CPF have members that share some very high end lights and such. It'd be a mistake to lump all of anybody in one pile. 

~ Chance


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## bykfixer (Jun 10, 2018)

I use fakebook selectively. Friends list is short and stays that way. Folks I stay in touch with who I'd prefer to see in person at times but live far far away lives. It's cool to see their lives sometimes in ways they'd never brag about. 

True friends and not a collection of hundreds of lemming knuckleheads trying to outdo each other. Well, half are family so there is that. And the knucklehead lemming family members aint on my list either. 
People I'd let in my home when I'm not there type folks, know what I mean?

Twitter, Instagram etc don't appeal to me. I don't even get the point of those.


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## nbp (Jun 10, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Please be mindful that we here at CPF have members that share some very high end lights and such. It'd be a mistake to lump all of anybody in one pile.
> 
> ~ Chance



I did no such thing. Our high end collectors here are generally also positive contributors to the community. I was trying to make that distinction.


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## Monocrom (Jun 10, 2018)

bykfixer said:


> I use fakebook selectively. Friends list is short and stays that way. Folks I stay in touch with who I'd prefer to see in person at times but live far far away lives. It's cool to see their lives sometimes in ways they'd never brag about.
> 
> True friends and not a collection of hundreds of lemming knuckleheads trying to outdo each other. Well, half are family so there is that. And the knucklehead lemming family members aint on my list either.
> People I'd let in my home when I'm not there type folks, know what I mean?
> ...



Agreed.

All of my _real_ friends have my phone number.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 10, 2018)

nbp said:


> I did no such thing. Our high end collectors here are generally also positive contributors to the community. I was trying to make that distinction.



If I thought that's what you had done, I would have sent you a pm. Please notice I didn't quote any post. Merely a reminder for all, including myself. 

~ Chance


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## nbp (Jun 10, 2018)

Gotcha. :thumbsup:


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## ven (Jun 11, 2018)

Agree CG, there are some cool dudes on FB for sure with some awesome gear. Some funny posts here and there to, I just prefer it here. Just can get a bit repetitive at times, then older stuff hard to track down. 
Maybe what gets me is the layout, just don’t find it enjoyable. Here just works so much better for me, each to their own though. Some are use to FB and nothing else, maybe forums feel old hat to some. Long live CPF I hope.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 11, 2018)

Hey ven, I'm with you. I've spent a little time on FB..... can't make hide nor hair out of it. 

~ CG


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## Hogokansatsukan (Jun 11, 2018)

I take care of the HDS Systems, Inc FB page. I set it up so other people can't start posts. More of an educational FB page. I jump on the HDS EDC FB page as well. Otherwise, I mostly just hang out here on the HDS page. I rarely post in other threads anymore. My personal FB is my dog's diary and if I'm not related to you or are a good friend who I can call, I don't accept requests... but like I say, it's just my dog's diary... well, what I would imagine my dog would write... sort of like Longman and Shorty, but a dog. Run the Thor's Hammer FB page as well. With all of that, it takes enough of my time just to keep track of it all.


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## heelsthrow (Jun 12, 2018)

I want to see mo recent posts too.


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## bykfixer (Jun 12, 2018)

heelsthrow said:


> I want to see mo recent posts too.



Says the guy with an average of 9 posts per year.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 12, 2018)

OUCH! That left a mark. oo:

~ Chance


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## bykfixer (Jun 12, 2018)

I suppose mr throw was saying, "well heck if nobody else is gonna post I suppose I will then"....


Meanwhile somewhere in Virginia it's raining again.


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## StarHalo (Jun 12, 2018)

Practice your product photography


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 12, 2018)

That is some funny excrement, that right there is. Where the heck did you get that, and what is she, other than articulate? :laughing:

~ Chance


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## RedLED (Jun 13, 2018)

For 27 years, I have worked as a photojournalist national, and worldwide. I have agents in Beverly Hills, New York, Paris and Germany. In addition to my photo work, I give motivional talks on what it has been for me to work in H'Wood, DC, a large Fortune 100 photographer, and as a military contractor. I do these presentations to corporate meetings, and trade associations a key note speaker. I also do photo instructional seminars. 

I just returned from a nation wide tour of events, and, yes I have a different agent for this work. My wife, being friends With a local high school principal, who then asked if I would put on a presentation to the school...well, of course I would, free of charge. 

This is a huge school with 3000 students, and I did Three days in their large theater. I brought some of the most exotic equipment to date and gave them a run down what it is like to move with the president, celebrities, shoot major sporting events, be embedded with the military as a contractor. 

Then with the first of six goups over three days, I asked them what they thought of FACEBOOK! The response from all of them was we hate Facebook, and only a hand full of them, 30 total in two days raised their hands in support of FB!!!

They hate it! Now these are not millinneal's who are Gen. Y, they are Gen Z, and they all hate Facebook. I was amazed, and, loved it as a Facebook hater I felt wonderful that they will not have the next generation of, at least the USA, the most coveted. 

I quized each group with the large audiences I had and they all said basically the same thing...we don't want to be where grandma, mom and dad are. The shouted out a decentralized stream of sites I have never heard of. 

Also, they knew of FB's crooked BS. Can't wait to see Zuckerberg be eight homeless compared to his 20. 

So as I told my friends and colleagues years ago, generational change will get FB, look at how popular MySpace was, now no one really knows what it is. 

So, good luck Zuck!


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## RedLED (Jun 13, 2018)

Now on to the Facebook flashlight page people. On a recent post in the McGiz. sub forum, they were all boasting about clips with skulls, dragons...stupid things like that. (GO check it)!

If You are 12 or younger, that junk is fine, however as an adult, for me to have a skull clipped to my pocket would be noticed, clearly by USSS, CEO's, publicists Executive VP's, and many high level people. They would not get it, and I could loose six figure projects because of something totally unconventional in the real world. 

No serious high level people would understand a grown man with credentials with a skull, or worse, a dragon or Templar cross clipped to their pocket. Just DUMB in my opinion. 

Frankly, it could be embarrassing, and frowned upon by people's employers, and they would not even be aware of it. If nothing else as stupid, could lead to no promotion for you, even in a low level position. 

But, hey...good luck!

One fool replied he wanted to add a "little death" (On the McGizmo forum) to his light! First, I don't get the concept of adding death to a flashlight? Makes no sense. And this past week, I lost a USAF Master Sgt., who I was friends with for 30 years, and he helped give me the greatest honors of my life and with that made my business flourish beyond what I could ever imagine. 

I lost a dear friend of mine, last year, and who was Sinatra's, dear friend, who made me Sinatra's photographer for the last years of his life. And a friend of my wife and mine is dying. Also, a friend from JHS in 1973, I have known for 45 years, has cancer, had a heart attack, then had his brother killed himself by blowing his head through the roof of his car with a shotgun. Safe to say I'm sick of death. Infact, my entire family is gone, Vietnam, old age early illisnesses.

So this Cat can take his death wish skull clip from FF FB and....you figure it out where he can go!!!! 

I'll never go on FB!! 

RL


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## the0dore3524 (Jun 13, 2018)

RL, I think your post comes off as both disparaging and pretentious. 

Our own flashlights are our own flashlights: we should be free to decorate them as we so choose. While perception of the clips you mentioned may play a factor in the real world, the reality is that many people use the clips you have condemned. In other words, you are effectively putting those people beneath you. 

The user you called a “fool” was simply being playful IMHO, hence the emoji. I dislike how the original topic of this thread has been equivocated; I don’t normally speak up on matters like this but felt that something should be said.


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## xdayv (Jun 13, 2018)

the0dore3524 said:


> RL, I think your post comes off as both disparaging and pretentious.
> 
> Our own flashlights are our own flashlights: we should be free to decorate them as we so choose. While perception of the clips you mentioned may play a factor in the real world, the reality is that many people use the clips you have condemned. In other words, you are effectively putting those people beneath you.
> 
> The user you called a “fool” was simply being playful IMHO, hence the emoji. I dislike how the original topic of this thread has been equivocated; I don’t normally speak up on matters like this but felt that something should be said.



I just want to second to this comment before this thread gets flagged down. HGR my friends! Take care.


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## jackchen (Jun 13, 2018)

Everyone comes in reply and there are more people posting


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## Bullzeyebill (Jun 13, 2018)

RedLed, please walk away from this thread. Your contribution here is not appropronate, and is disruptive re the theme of this thread. 

Bill


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## TheShadowGuy (Jun 13, 2018)

jackchen said:


> Everyone comes in reply and there are more people posting




:welcome:

New members are welcome and do mean more posts!


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 13, 2018)

This one's for you, Red. 

 

~ CG


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## Greta (Jun 13, 2018)

Bullzeyebill said:


> RedLed, please walk away from this thread. Your contribution here is not appropronate, and is disruptive re the theme of this thread.
> 
> Bill



Yup - this. :shakehead

I don't want to shut down this thread and won't unless it goes TOTALLY off the rails. So far I think it has been interesting and even fun at times! Posts like RedLed's are NOT the kind of posts CPF really needs or wants in ANY of it's forums. The reason I have not deleted them is because they are a good example of why sometimes fewer posts is actually a GOOD thing... :ironic: Self aggrandizing posts that are little more than a quite boring and inflated CV that also belittles and insults others are not what CPF is about... and never will be. We've had this conversation before RedLed... let's not have it end the same way it ended before.


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## StarHalo (Jun 13, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> That is some funny excrement, that right there is. Where the heck did you get that, and what is she, other than articulate?



That's Vanna-chan, my product model. She poses with all my completely normal non-themed lights..


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## ven (Jun 13, 2018)

Would just like too add, there have been quite a few more regular posts recently(or more so after the search work was finished by Greta). That is what stumped me, sure this thread was started prior and when the search was not available. I am on here every day.............several times a day(its like home for me). So as i use the search with the "new posts" section, i am always seeing new threads or posts popping up.

Dont have all the stats, but wonder if during the summer(i know its not everyone's summer) or lighter evenings/nights, posts are not as frequent. Then come winter(fall), posts build up with the darker evenings and when maybe more of us get to enjoy our portable illumination tools of various flavours. As i use lights regardless of the time of year , daily in work, i still get good use out of them all year round. What does frustrate me though, is more limited use around the house in the evenings. As its not even dark fully when i go to bed..................:mecry: I tend to be in bed for 10 ish or not much after, up at just gone 5(light then as well).


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## bykfixer (Jun 13, 2018)

So thaaaaaaaatz how you spell aggrandizing. Remember Robert Vaughn (as Chalmers in Bullitt) used that term to Steve McQueen (as Frank Bullitt) when he found out Steve had hidden the star witness against 'the mob'? 

I just figured folks with skulls on their clips roads Harleys and wore black leather and the flashlight was an accent to all that stuff.
Live and let live I say. 

But regarding fewer posts, it seems to be an ebb and flow thing. And I definitely agree the Malkoff thread is sucking up a lot of posts.


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## Kestrel (Jun 13, 2018)

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?447929-Malkoff-threads



bykfixer said:


> [...] And I definitely agree the Malkoff thread is sucking up a lot of posts.


This is an interesting topic in itself;

I have split off this topic into a standalone thread *cited above*, at the beginning of this post.
(copy & pasting isn't working well for me at the moment)

Thank you,


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## knucklegary (Jun 13, 2018)

Steve McQueen collected and rode antique motorcycles. Regularly seen around m/c swap meets, I don't remember seeing any iron crosses mounted on his Indian Chief.. Well except for in the Great Escape m/c chase scene!


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## Monocrom (Jun 13, 2018)

StarHalo said:


> That's Vanna-chan, my product model. She poses with all my completely normal non-themed lights..



I think she would look better in a *little* red dress, while modeling.


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## Monocrom (Jun 13, 2018)

Regarding skulls on clips: They'd make my Cold Steel Rajah II stand out _just_ a bit too much for my taste.


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## bykfixer (Jun 13, 2018)

Lets turn this one into "the Malkoff Junkie now flashlight junkie post thread" ....

In this one we've covered facebook, steve macqueen, skulls and nearly the kitchen sink of why or why not people post or don't. Only thing missing is Greta's grandson pix....


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## StarHalo (Jun 13, 2018)

I’m still stunned you sat through all of Bullitt; everyone knows you skip to where the jazz music starts, then turn it off after McQueen puts it in the ditch.

Nowadays we just watch Gymkhana:


----------



## Greta (Jun 13, 2018)

bykfixer said:


> ...... Only thing missing is Greta's grandson pix....



I will have brand new ones on Friday when I get to hug and kiss on him in person!!! :kiss::grouphug:

And then we're going to Comic Con on Saturday where he will get his picture taken with his namesake actor Alan Tudyk! .... Added bonus: Mom and Mimi get their picture taken with Jason Momoa!! :huh::kiss:


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 14, 2018)

Have fun, sounds like it's worth waiting for.
P


----------



## scout24 (Jun 14, 2018)

I'll have a picture of a new stainless steel farmhouse kitchen sink in about 6 weeks for you... 



bykfixer said:


> Lets turn this one into "the Malkoff Junkie now flashlight junkie post thread" ....
> 
> In this one we've covered facebook, steve macqueen, skulls and nearly the kitchen sink of why or why not people post or don't. Only thing missing is Greta's grandson pix....


----------



## markr6 (Jun 14, 2018)

StarHalo said:


> I’m still stunned you sat through all of Bullitt; everyone knows you skip to where the jazz music starts, then turn it off after McQueen puts it in the ditch.



LOL!!!! Great movie! And not as much cheese as you would expect from a late-60 movie.


----------



## TheShadowGuy (Jun 14, 2018)

Greta said:


> And then we're going to Comic Con on Saturday



That's exciting! Have fun!


----------



## bykfixer (Jun 14, 2018)

Steve MacQueen, stainless kitchen sinks and grandson pix....

Nice


----------



## scout24 (Jun 14, 2018)

What was our topic again??? . (Guilty as charged...)


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 14, 2018)

The propensity of some of us to go completely off piste (me included) is what I enjoy so much about this place. It would be very dry indeed without.
P


----------



## bykfixer (Jun 14, 2018)

scout24 said:


> What was our topic again???



Very few new posts about...





Flashlights

And grandkid pix...





And kitchen sinks....









And Steve MacQueen


----------



## markr6 (Jun 14, 2018)

We'll need to start a thread called "Flashlights, Man"


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 14, 2018)

That is one GREAT idea.
What about a complete forum just devoted to flashlights?

Nah, it'd never take off.
P


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 14, 2018)

markr6 said:


> We'll need to start a thread called "Flashlights, Man"



Yep! "Cars, Man" is easily the Cafe front runner with 546,318 views and 2,456 replies. 

However, the Malkoff Junkie thread is quickly approaching 1,808,000 views and 15,000 replies.  

~ Chance


----------



## StarHalo (Jun 14, 2018)

scout24 said:


> What was our topic again???



Toys flashlights cars man?


----------



## Kestrel (Jun 14, 2018)

... and also Firefly; "This hat is sorta fetching, dontcha think ?"

Edit: had to check, oops;
"How's it sit ? Pretty cunning, dontcha think ?"


----------



## bykfixer (Jun 14, 2018)

Meanwhile the new "Malkoff threads" thread here in the lounge is beginning to make that sucking sound the junkie thread started making in 2016. :thinking:


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 14, 2018)

Man o man, I love me some Firefly! It's a shame it had such a short run. 

~ CG


----------



## StarHalo (Jun 14, 2018)

Sci-fi is on a different level now..


----------



## Greta (Jun 14, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> ... and also Firefly; "This hat is sorta fetching, dontcha think ?"



Why yes! Yes, it is!


----------



## TheShadowGuy (Jun 15, 2018)

> I don't care, I'm still free, you can't take the sky from me...



Firefly is great. I wish it didn't end. :mecry:


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 15, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> ... and also Firefly; "This hat is sorta fetching, dontcha think ?"
> 
> Edit: had to check, oops;
> "How's it sit ? Pretty cunning, dontcha think ?"



Here ya go. - 



~ CG


----------



## Greta (Jun 16, 2018)

Wash meets Wash 💞.... click on https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156391501244643&set=a.412302429642.187619.520009642&type=3 

you don’t need a facebook account to view the photo.


----------



## Greta (Jun 16, 2018)

And of course, Mom and Mimi got their thrill for the day too... https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156391101454643&set=a.412302429642.187619.520009642&type=3 OMG!!! 😍😍😍😍


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## ven (Jun 17, 2018)

Very cool pics! thanks for sharing


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## peter yetman (Jun 17, 2018)

Just looked up Alan Tudyk on Wikipedia, now i understand what you've all been talking about for the last week! It was all a complete mystery.
Nice pics.
P


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 17, 2018)

Greta said:


> And of course, Mom and Mimi got their thrill for the day too... OMG!!! 



 It's hard to tell which of you girls was leaning-in the hardest. Friendly competition, I guess. [email protected]@Ks like y'all had a great time. :twothumbs 

~ Chance


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 17, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> Just looked up Alan Tudyk on Wikipedia, now i understand what you've all been talking about for the last week! It was all a complete mystery.
> Nice pics.
> P



So, are you going to watch the show? 

~ CG


----------



## Greta (Jun 17, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> It's hard to tell which of you girls was leaning-in the hardest. Friendly competition, I guess. [email protected]@Ks like y'all had a great time. :twothumbs
> 
> ~ Chance



LOL - Actually no competition at all! He pulled us both in... We just went with it! 😍 (And let's face it... She is my daughter and gets her beauty from me after all so there really is no competition  )


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 17, 2018)

Greta said:


> LOL - Actually no competition at all! He pulled us both in... We just went with it!  (And let's face it... She is my daughter and gets her beauty from me after all so there really is no competition  )



Yep! The Lovely Mrs. Gardiner and I were just commenting on how much you two [email protected]@K alike. 

~ CG


----------



## bykfixer (Jun 17, 2018)

Holy Crap!! Were yall sitting down? Or is that just a ginormous fellow? Wow!


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 17, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> So, are you going to watch the show?
> 
> ~ CG


Maybe once I've worked my way through the rererereruns of ER.
P


----------



## Greta (Jun 17, 2018)

bykfixer said:


> Holy Crap!! Were yall sitting down? Or is that just a ginormous fellow? Wow!



Well I’m only 5 ft. tall and my daughter is 5’2”. But he’s also a pretty tall guy. One would have to be pretty big to play Khal Drogo and Aquaman. You should have seen his bodyguard!! My mouth literally fell open! He was a very big and very beautiful man. I asked if I could have my picture taken with him... he told me to move along - lol


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 17, 2018)

The man has no taste.
P


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## KITROBASKIN (Jun 18, 2018)

Hey Peter Yetman,
If you have any appreciation for science fiction/cowboy-comedy then start on the first episode of Firefly and see every episode until the last. Then if you dare to get the socks scared off your feet, watch the concluding episode/movie called “Serenity”. 

This thread clearly needs some of that bats-in-the-belfry crazy HDS criticism. The kind that comes out of nowhere from a CPF member who seems to be otherwise sane.

Love the grandchild picture running with the USA flag. The boy's got focus. A person can see his grandpappy in him too.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 18, 2018)

Ha! The Lovely Mrs. Gardiner and I started watching it for the fourth time last night. Thanks for the reminder. BTW, We never watch something four times. Yes, Firefly is that good. 

ER ........ where's that ignore option? :nana:

~ Chance


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 18, 2018)

Just on the left on your Settings Page....
Looks like it's Firefly next, if I can find it over here. If there's a hint of violence Mrs Yeti will be hiding in the corner with the beagles.
P


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 18, 2018)

KITROBASKIN said:


> Hey Peter Yetman,
> If you have any appreciation for science fiction/cowboy-comedy then start on the first episode of Firefly and see every episode until the last. *Then if you dare to get the socks scared off your feet, watch the concluding episode/movie called “Serenity”. *





peter yetman said:


> Just on the left on your Settings Page....
> Looks like it's Firefly next, if I can find it over here. *If there's a hint of violence* Mrs Yeti will be hiding in the corner with the beagles.
> P



Peter, What part of get the socks scared off your feet did you not understand? :eeksign:

~ Chance


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 18, 2018)

When we had the restaurant, I used to live on Indian curries at 2 in the morning. Pant poohing was a way of life, I miss it now.
P


----------



## aginthelaw (Jun 18, 2018)

Greta said:


> Well I’m only 5 ft. tall and my daughter is 5’2”. But he’s also a pretty tall guy. One would have to be pretty big to play Khal Drogo and Aquaman. You should have seen his bodyguard!! My mouth literally fell open! He was a very big and very beautiful man. I asked if I could have my picture taken with him... he told me to move along - lol



This is how I felt when I went to a George Clinton concert. The group naughty by nature came in and sat beside me. They were escorted in by their bodyguards. It was like a total eclipse when they walked in. They were the largest human beings I’ve ever seen. And I’m 6’3. At the time I was solid muscle and worked in a prison!


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 18, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> When we had the restaurant, I used to live on Indian curries at 2 in the morning. Pant poohing was a way of life, *I miss it now*.
> P



:thinking: The restaurant or the Indian curries? :laughing: 

~ Chance


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 18, 2018)

aginthelaw said:


> This is how I felt when I went to a George Clinton concert. The group naughty by nature came in and sat beside me. They were escorted in by their bodyguards. It was like a total eclipse when they walked in. They were the largest human beings I’ve ever seen. And I’m 6’3. At the time I was solid muscle and worked in a prison!


 
I'm almost 5'9. A few years ago I was walking into Fred Meyer when I saw the largest man I'd ever seen up close and personal. He was probably 6'8 and I'd guess 350lb. Oh, and he was black. Brother must of felt me staring at him because he turned around and looked at me right in the doorway. I smiled and said, "Your momma should'a named you Eclipse, cuz your shoulders are blocking out the sun." Stupid me, it just popped out. He smiled, then he laughed and said, "Yeah." That Dude was a mountain of a man.

~ Chance


----------



## ven (Jun 18, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> :thinking: The restaurant or the Indian curries? :laughing:
> 
> ~ Chance


Or the pant poohing


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 18, 2018)

Well I don't miss the restaurant.
P


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## Kestrel (Jun 18, 2018)

Kinda wish there were some new posts that I /would/ miss ...


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## Greta (Jun 18, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> .... Oh, and he was black. Brother must of felt me staring at him because he turned around and looked at me right in the doorway. I smiled and said, "Your momma should'a named you Eclipse, cuz your shoulders are blocking out the sun." Stupid me, it just popped out. He smiled, then he laughed and said, "Yeah." That Dude was a mountain of a man.
> 
> ~ Chance



So was the bodyguard! I told my husband it was like coming face to bellybutton with a giant Moorish God! I really wish I'd have come up with something as clever as you did instead of going all gape-mouth and having a Tourette's episode and blurting out that I wanted my picture taken with him too...  - Yeah... it was a very lovely day overall. And Alan Tudyk was really such a _NICE_ guy! It was a total pleasure to meet him... and he ain't hard on the eyes either...


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## StarHalo (Jun 18, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> Kinda wish there were some new posts that I /would/ miss ...


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## KITROBASKIN (Jun 19, 2018)

We've got to cut ven some slack. Remember he has young-uns. Excrementary humor abounds in my eight year old son, nothing unusual.

Many of us won't miss those posts about the totally fictional comic book heroes, with the vigorous dispute that Catwoman could not possibly be able to do some super human feat but Batman could.. something like that: that was an Amazing Jaw Dropper.

Going into Pagosa Springs Colorado, the first bike rental-raft trip-camping/fishing store has a manager there who was standing behind a counter. I walked to the side to confirm if he was standing on something. The good looking white guy smiled and shook my hand when I explained my actions. He must have been 7 foot easily. He gave me permission to bring my dog in the store to see such a big human. Met a friendly black fellow years ago in Louisiana whose nickname was Six-Twelve. 

Speaking of Pagosa: The sulfurous hot springs there do a body good. An excellent option is if a person/family gets accommodations at the establishment, 24 hour access to the multiple pools is allowed, ranging from about 98F to 110F. 3:45am was an excellent time to do thrower-flashlight fun, casting down and about the river, skirting the rising water vapor.


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## markr6 (Jun 19, 2018)

KITROBASKIN said:


> Excrementary humor abounds in my eight year old son, nothing unusual.



Put me on that list too...but I'm in my late 30's


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 19, 2018)

As far as very few new posts goes, I wonder if members being snarky has anything to do with it. :thinking: 

~ Chance


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 19, 2018)

Greta said:


> So was the bodyguard! I told my husband it was like coming face to bellybutton with a giant Moorish God! I really wish I'd have come up with something as clever as you did instead of going all gape-mouth and having a Tourette's episode and blurting out that I wanted my picture taken with him too...  - Yeah... it was a very lovely day overall. And Alan Tudyk was really such a _NICE_ guy! It was a total pleasure to meet him... and he ain't hard on the eyes either...



I searched for a picture of the Moorish God, but was only able to find pictures of the internet having a field day with the two bodyguards that were so much smaller than Mr. Momoa. 

Sorry, Greta, I tried. 

~ Chance


----------



## Kestrel (Jun 19, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> As far as very few new posts goes, I wonder if members being snarky has anything to do with it. :thinking:


I've been snarky since 2007, that didn't seem to slow anything down, lol.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 19, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> I've been snarky since 2007, that didn't seem to slow anything down, lol.



Are you sure? Is there an algorithm that can be used to verify your assumption?  

Truth be told, I didn't consider #216 to be snarky. :shakehead Just thought you were trying to keep the bar at a respectable level. I believe I was the first to lower it. That lapse has been corrected..... kinda sorta. 

Bygones. :laughing:

~ CG


----------



## KITROBASKIN (Jun 20, 2018)

maglite mike said:


> Something has changed recently. I noticed no one was replying to any of my posts...



Wish I could blame the forum for my snarky, pseudo-erudite behaviour here, killing threads and activating ignore buttons. 

By-the-way, a person/family could go the zero outlay option by going to "Hobo Hot Springs" on the other side of the river from the park east of the primary facility in Pagosa Springs. The water really helped an overused knee.


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## Greta (Jun 20, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> I searched for a picture of the Moorish God, but was only able to find pictures of the internet having a field day with the two bodyguards that were so much smaller than Mr. Momoa.
> 
> Sorry, Greta, I tried.
> 
> ~ Chance



Aww... you're a true Prince, Chance... thank you for trying... :kiss:


----------



## search_and_rescue (Jun 20, 2018)

recDNA said:


> Am I missing something or do we have way fewer posts than normal per unit time throughout the forum. It is very fast now so where is everyone?


Technology of $100-$300 lights seem stuck. The excitement of the Olight X9R and Acebeam X70 is dampened by steep pricing at $600 and $649.90 respectively. Surefire’s flagship UDR Dominator is $1,370 and uses the Luminus CBT-90 which is four-year old technology.

Honestly, the only flashlights in the affordability range of $100-$300 that utilize the current technology are Sky Lumen lights. U22vn just as one single example. 21700 battery paired with either the Oslon Flat Black or the Luminus SST-40.

I have searched extensively and there is nothing, other than Sky Lumen flashlights, that excites me and worth my sweat, blood, and tears.


----------



## markr6 (Jun 20, 2018)

search_and_rescue said:


> Technology of $100-$300 lights seem stuck.



So all that's left is for manufacturers to add ridiculous features for the marketing guys to pump up. Trying to differentiate. Trying to add new products. The hell with functionality, tint and runtimes. Very unfortunate.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 20, 2018)

search_and_rescue said:


> Technology of $100-$300 lights seem stuck. The excitement of the Olight X9R and Acebeam X70 is dampened by steep pricing at $600 and $649.90 respectively. Surefire’s flagship UDR Dominator is $1,370 and uses the Luminus CBT-90 which is four-year old technology.
> 
> Honestly, the only flashlights in the affordability range of $100-$300 that utilize the current technology are Sky Lumen lights. U22vn just as one single example. 21700 battery paired with either the Oslon Flat Black or the Luminus SST-40.
> 
> I have searched extensively and there is nothing, other than Sky Lumen flashlights, that excites me and worth my sweat, blood, and tears.



You'll get no argument from me concerning vinh. He's produced many a treasure and is a standalone modder, all things considered. 

While not in the same category, the new offerings from Jason Hui / Foursevens / do have me excited and at under $50 they're a real bargain for my hard earned legal tender. 

~ Chance


----------



## TheShadowGuy (Jun 20, 2018)

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> As far as very few new posts goes, I wonder if members being snarky has anything to do with it. :thinking:
> 
> ~ Chance



I'm pretty sure the Internet's been snarky forever and that hasn't slowed it down.


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 20, 2018)

It stops me posting. One snark and I'm out. So that obviously wasn't a full snark - maybe a 40% one.
I come over here for fun, if I want a fight (which I don't) I'd go to the pub when there's soccer on the TV. Actually, I'd go and visit my Brother in Law and tell him I'm a Socialist.
P


----------



## bignc (Jun 20, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> It stops me posting. One snark and I'm out. So that obviously wasn't a full snark - maybe a 40% one.
> I come over here for fun, if I want a fight (which I don't) I'd go to the pub when there's soccer on the TV. Actually, I'd go and visit my Brother in Law and tell him I'm a Socialist.
> P



SOCCER? You mean futbol. mate? I have literally never heard a Brit say soccer. Or seen them type it without derision or as part of an argument... So cheers to you as you are either not British OR you are a vary accommodating British fellow. I often enjoy your posts- so really mean no snark- just had to point it out. also COYS!


----------



## Kestrel (Jun 20, 2018)

Warning: *snark alert*, lol

I happen to be a British national & I do not like soccer.


----------



## bignc (Jun 20, 2018)

See, I get you are being careful but I sensed no snark there. But my wife at times refers to me as Sheldon ( as in the socially awkward and oblivious Dr. Cooper.)

I don't like the flopping that is pervasive in (seemingly) every level of soccer now. But I loved it as a child and loved watching my boys both play. 

Kestrel, did you ever play? If so, what turned you off? If not, do you like it in person but not tv? Just wondering. I hate baseball EXCEPT in person. Same with Basketball really...


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 20, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> Warning: *snark alert*, lol
> 
> I happen to be a British national & I do not like soccer.




You and me both.
P


----------



## Monocrom (Jun 20, 2018)

Anyone up for tennis?


----------



## scout24 (Jun 20, 2018)

Table, grass, clay or whatever? Or senior citizen tennis- Pickleball! I saw it first in Florida- basically "real" tennis on a really small court so nobody really has to run. Or move their feet...


----------



## Monocrom (Jun 20, 2018)

scout24 said:


> Table, grass, clay or whatever? Or senior citizen tennis- Pickleball! I saw it first in Florida- basically "real" tennis on a really small court so nobody really has to run. Or move their feet...


Clay.

Though I do like the idea of a smaller court. :huh:


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 20, 2018)

Grasscourt season over here, wall to wall tennis. Two TV recorders so Mrs Yeti doesn't miss a ball.
I find the sound of it very relaxing.
P


----------



## bignc (Jun 20, 2018)

FAST courts only for this 6'7" tennis playuh! Grass, carpet, hard, synthetic. Even Green clay (gasp.) Back in the H. S. days, I could baseline bash on red too (and moved faster with 75 fewer pounds ((300lbs now but still moving ok!)) Since I will hit 40 next month, I can still appreciate an Stefan E S&V game but I know it is all about the aggressive groundstrokes these days. I never could get out of my impatient head long enough to win singles tournaments but I loved doubles!


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## bykfixer (Jun 20, 2018)

The other day I entered a porta-john. Some one had written on the wall "toilet tennis, see other side"... thinking I'll bite, I looked at the opposing wall. Sure enough "toilet tennis see other wall". 

Well being there wasn't much else to do while...eh-hem... you know, I found myself entertained by toilet tennis until I was done eh-hem.... you know-ing.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 20, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> It stops me posting. One snark and I'm out. So that obviously wasn't a full snark - maybe a 40% one.
> I come over here for fun, if I want a fight (which I don't) I'd go to the pub when there's soccer on the *TV*. Actually, I'd go and visit my Brother in Law and tell him I'm a Socialist.
> P


 
 TV? I thought all "you guys" called it, *the telly*. :laughing: 

~ CG


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 20, 2018)

bykfixer said:


> The other day I entered a porta-john. Some one had written on the wall "toilet tennis, see other side"... thinking I'll bite, I looked at the opposing wall. Sure enough "toilet tennis see other wall".
> 
> Well being there wasn't much else to do while...eh-hem... you know, I found myself entertained by toilet tennis until I was done eh-hem.... you know-ing.



Toilet tennis, or as it's called in the Far East, ping dong. 

~ Chance


----------



## tab665 (Jun 20, 2018)

ehhh, I might have started the snarky vibe against Facebook groups...


----------



## KITROBASKIN (Jun 21, 2018)

Looks like we're making another visit to Pooptown. 

Peter Yetman, thank you for your good hearted participation here. Bykfixer, you are our very own Candlepowerforums Will Rogers.

And thanks to so many other members as well as the forum boss and her party whips. Just so grateful for getting so much.


----------



## StarHalo (Jun 21, 2018)

Every little thing is gonna be alright


----------



## markr6 (Jun 21, 2018)

Great thread!!!!


----------



## KITROBASKIN (Jun 21, 2018)

A little blast from the past (well, mid April '18) from our beloved member markr6:

*Re: SEARCH TEMPORARILY DISABLED!*

I finally realize that the "New Posts" button is more important to me than air. 

Totally took that one for granted.​
GOOD TINT!​


----------



## search_and_rescue (Jun 21, 2018)

OMG I just got lulled into reading a few New York Times articles on my iPhone. Two was on the immigration and a third on AA personality admissions at Harvard. Ouch dude! I need to stick to flashlights, CPF, cleaning my cat’s litter, and maybe watching FIFA Mundial on Telemundo! No more NYT for me!! lovecpf


----------



## ven (Jun 21, 2018)

markr6 said:


> Great thread!!!!



Hair we go again............


Hope all is well Edward, now this thread needs a pic or two, care to share any v54 big boys with the boys


----------



## markr6 (Jun 21, 2018)

KITROBASKIN said:


> A little blast from the past (well, mid April '18) from our beloved member markr6:
> 
> *Re: SEARCH TEMPORARILY DISABLED!*
> I finally realize that the "New Posts" button is more important to me than air.
> ...



HAHA YES! Glad to have it back. It was just too much work browsing each subforum manually.


----------



## Kestrel (Jun 21, 2018)

... harder to keep an eye on the troublemakers as well; none of the posters here, of course.


----------



## TheShadowGuy (Jun 21, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> ... harder to keep an eye on the troublemakers as well; none of the posters here, of course.




Hard to be a troublemaker when you disappear for years at a time. :naughty:

@StarHalo: That picture gives me ideas... Wait, maybe I am a troublemaker.... haha! :devil:


----------



## Monocrom (Jun 21, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> ... harder to keep an eye on the troublemakers as well; none of the posters here, of course.



Yeah, none at all here.


----------



## StarHalo (Jun 21, 2018)

Wonder Woman will tell us; if you're trouble and you know it, say boo-yah..


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 21, 2018)

Oh, I'm trouble all-right! 

 

~ Chance


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 21, 2018)

"So, you wanna come over and see my Foursevens flashlight collection?"


----------



## Kestrel (Jun 21, 2018)

Am thinking that this thread has served its primary function by now & may have run its course ...


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Jun 21, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> Am thinking that this thread has served its primary function by now & may have run its course ...



Good thinking.

Bill


----------



## Random Dan (Jun 21, 2018)

If people are still posting and having fun (and not breaking any rules) then why close? More threads get shut down here than any other forum I've been on.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 21, 2018)

Random Dan said:


> *If people are still posting and having fun (and not breaking any rules) then why close?* More threads get shut down here than any other forum I've been on.



My thinking and question also. Why? 

~ Chance


----------



## StarHalo (Jun 21, 2018)

Yes, a thread complaining that there are too few new posts, which is generating new posts, should be closed so fewer new posts are created.

I'm going to go start a thread on threads that delete themselves before they are created, watch black holes form..


----------



## KITROBASKIN (Jun 21, 2018)

Already getting nostalgic for Pooptown.


----------



## search_and_rescue (Jun 22, 2018)

I thought it was so cool that at 9:00PM there is still a small amount of light. Happy Summer Solstice!


----------



## bykfixer (Jun 22, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> Am thinking that this thread has served its primary function by now & may have run its course ...



Boooooooooooo!!!!


----------



## peter yetman (Jun 22, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> Am thinking that this thread has served its primary function by now & may have run its course ...


It may have well served its primary function, but its secondary function is quite entertaing. I promise not to talk about bottoms again if you let it stay live, please?
P


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 22, 2018)

:hahaha:


bykfixer said:


> Boooooooooooo!!!!


 Oh my! That's quite funny. :laughing: Thank you for my first LOL of the day. 

~ CG


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## markr6 (Jun 22, 2018)

search_and_rescue said:


> I thought it was so cool that at 9:00PM there is still a small amount of light. Happy Summer Solstice!



Sun is still over the horizon at 9pm here. Still some faint light close to 10pm. Sure beats those deep winter days of walking out of work in the dark at 4:45pm! Not bad for flashaholics, though.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 22, 2018)

Sunrise is 5:13 am - Sunset is 9:08 pm - Flashaholic eagerly awaits the arrival of four new offerings from Prometheus Lights/Foursevens. Hey! It's still dark in the back of the closet and under the couch 24/7.

~ Chance


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## peter yetman (Jun 22, 2018)

4.30 and 21.30 over here.
My favourite place in the daytime for lights is my coldroom wth the door shut and the lights out. Shall we start a new thread "Where do you play with your lights in the daytime?"
P


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## StarHalo (Jun 22, 2018)

[faint news station on small radio in background]


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## Monocrom (Jun 24, 2018)

In before the Lock. lovecpf


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## bykfixer (Jun 24, 2018)

I was just getting ready to type "hey, very few new posts for two days".... "threads still relevant"... 

Or "in before close" but you beat me to that one Mono.


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## nbp (Jun 24, 2018)

StarHalo said:


> Yes, a thread complaining that there are too few new posts, which is generating new posts, should be closed so fewer new posts are created.
> 
> I'm going to go start a thread on threads that delete themselves before they are created, watch black holes form..



Hey don’t knock it til you’ve tried it. You might like Locking or Deleting threads more than you think! [emoji6]


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## archimedes (Jun 24, 2018)

nbp said:


> Hey don’t knock it til you’ve tried it. You might like Locking or Deleting threads more than you think! [emoji6]


When spammers start causing problems around here, @nbp is all, like ...


[emoji14]


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 24, 2018)

nbp said:


> Hey don’t knock it til you’ve tried it. You might like Locking or Deleting threads more than you think! [emoji6]



What's that axiom concerning power?  

~ Chance


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## nbp (Jun 24, 2018)

It’s way more difficult to wield than people think... We always know the best thing to do when we aren’t the one who has to do it.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 24, 2018)

nbp said:


> It’s way more difficult to wield than people think... We always know the best thing to do when we aren’t the one who has to do it.



Yeah, I knew you were kidding. Not all of us think it's easy, or enjoyable for that matter. I bet it's kida like playing cards with your brother's kids, or somethin. Nerve racking.

~ Chance


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## Monocrom (Jun 24, 2018)

bykfixer said:


> I was just getting ready to type "hey, very few new posts for two days".... "threads still relevant"...
> 
> Or "in before close" but you beat me to that one Mono.



Yeah, while everyone is trying to get past the Bouncer at the front door, I'm heading in through the side after bribing a member of the kitchen staff. 

_*Let's Rave! *_


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## scout24 (Jun 24, 2018)

This IS the Café... Maybe we need kitchen staff. Now I'm hungry...


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## bykfixer (Jun 24, 2018)

Me too







Dead bird: it's whatz for dinner


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## archimedes (Jun 24, 2018)




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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 24, 2018)

Pass the ketchup.


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## Kestrel (Jun 24, 2018)

A bit late to the prior conversation; but plz keep in mind that the more power you wield, the more pesky PM's you receive as a result, lol.


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## Kestrel (Jun 24, 2018)

Like, getting grumpy and moving those 'food' posts to the appropriate thread.
Off-topic, you're all banned, that sort of thing; would probably get pm's from the whole lot of ya.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 25, 2018)

Kestrel said:


> *Like, getting grumpy *and moving those 'food' posts to the appropriate thread.
> Off-topic, you're all banned, that sort of thing; would probably get pm's from the whole lot of ya.



Perhaps a Snickers bar is all that's needed. You're not yourself when you're hungry. 

~ CG


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## ssanasisredna (Jun 25, 2018)

The "hobby" has been dying a slow death for many years. For me, it peaked in about 2008-2012 (at the latest). Since then, LED improvements have been incremental. I used to own a ton of flashlights, now I can find 3 or 4. It's enough. If you own 5 variants of the same thing, then you are collecting art, not technology and you don't need a website like CPF to promote art. 

You can walk into a mass market retailer today and get a multi-mode flashlight with 500 lumens for <$20, something that runs on a single AA or two AA for less than that, with probably 100-200 lumens, or more than enough for 95% of all uses. My local outdoor shop has way way more variants in headlights than flashlights and yet that's a fairly non-busy section on here. High end flashlights are a niche ... always have been, and with the performance of run of the mill so good today, it's a niche that is getting smaller and smaller. When you are paying $100 and trying to get 100-200 lumens, ordering online with painful returns, then people will do research. When it's $20 and I can return it no questions asked if I don't like it ... well ...

CPF used to have a lot of leading edge information as well, people who really knew there stuff, and while there are still a few around here, I can't say I have really learned anything on CPF ... in a very very long time with the exception of Osram Black LEDs. 

Add in the old-adage, grow or die. Once you fall below critical mass, where you are not creating enough new content to pull new people in and keep old users coming back, then it is a slow decline till an eventual death. One person posted about selling CPF. Merging it with another site, converting exclusively to FB, etc. are all possible avenues for long term survival.


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## KITROBASKIN (Jun 25, 2018)

ssanasisredna said:


> ...then it is a slow decline till an eventual death...



THE feel-good post of the year.


https://www.embracepossibility.com/blog/why-old-people-have-a-hard-time-learning-new-things/

Some go with Eeyore, some go with Tigger. I'll take the latter.


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## peter yetman (Jun 25, 2018)

Nuffin'
P


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## KITROBASKIN (Jun 25, 2018)

peter yetman said:


> Nuffin'
> P



[video]//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB-Sd0qRL-Y[/video]


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 25, 2018)

Snickers.......? Nothing? Boy, tough crowd! :sweat: 

~ CG


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## scout24 (Jun 25, 2018)

I'd never snicker at Kestrel! He'd have me on Spam patrol or worse!!!  :banned:


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## ven (Jun 25, 2018)

Well thats sure food for thought scout....................


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## nbp (Jun 25, 2018)

Snickers ‘n SPAM. Sounds like something you’d eat at deer-camp. Lol


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## HighlanderNorth (Jun 26, 2018)

nbp said:


> It’s way more difficult to wield than people think... We always know the best thing to do when we aren’t the one who has to do it.



Like being president, or CEO of some mega-corporation. Or the concept of socialism/communism in general. We all occasionally think that, "if only It were me in charge, _I_ would make things turn out wonderfully. Unlike that long list of previous leaders/dictators who messed things up, or killed so many people". Sounds pretty narcissistic when you think of it....


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## HighlanderNorth (Jun 26, 2018)

nbp said:


> Snickers ‘n SPAM. Sounds like something you’d eat at deer-camp. Lol



I abhor Spam! My mom used to cook it somewhat frequently. But I remember reading about how we sent literal boatloads of Spam to the Russians as part of lend-lease during ww2, and the Russian soldiers supposedly liked it for the most part...... Yuck! If you are being bombed, shot at, forced to retreat, while freezing your butts off, AND while hungry, I guess Spam could seem like a well seasoned, grilled ribeye.


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## peter yetman (Jun 26, 2018)

KITROBASKIN said:


> [video]//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB-Sd0qRL-Y[/video]


How clever of you to guess that Winnie the Pooh is still my favourite book.
I used to commute into London to work, while all the others were buried in The Times or Financial times, I was reading WTP. Didn't even hide it inside something else. Still I always got a seat to myself - WIERDO!
My Nuffin' was to replace an inappropriate post.
Am I the only one that posts and then 5 minutes later comes back and erases it?
I think my Smartarse Alarm needs new batteries.
Whoops, I've started talking about posting again.
P


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## ssanasisredna (Jun 26, 2018)

KITROBASKIN said:


> THE feel-good post of the year.
> 
> I'm beginning to think this member legally had his name changed to Anders.
> 
> ...




When someone moves your cheese, you can pretend they didn't, but it does not change the fact they have.

Lead, follow, or get out of the way. 

I will see your link and raise you ..... https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/...ranoid-survive-by-andrew-grove/9780385483827/

https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/candlepowerforums.com

https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/budgetlightforum.com


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## Kestrel (Jun 26, 2018)

As with this particular example; each of us as individuals, define & demonstrate how we want to relate to others.

I truly believe that the reason we're all here is to be a community of flashlight enthusiasts, and to share our enjoyment of the hobby.

Our doors are open for that purpose - staff members are all happy to be here, to facilitate and support quality discussions toward that - myself included.

I'd like to think that all of us who want to participate - members and staff - are proud to be CPF members and really do enjoy this community & conversation.

Sincerely yours,


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## peter yetman (Jun 26, 2018)

Well said K, I don't know what that guy said, but your response was brilliant.
P


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## KITROBASKIN (Jun 26, 2018)

From a recently begun thread:

A CPF member recently posted this:

"When someone moves your cheese, you can pretend they didn't, but it does not change the fact they have.

Lead, follow, or get out of the way. 

I will see your link and raise you ..... https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/b...9780385483827/

https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/candlepowerforums.com

https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/budgetlightforum.com"

And while the book hints at great information, it is just shocking, and embarrassing that a member of such stature should then post what he has railed against for years: distorted presentation of data to skew perception for one's own aggrandizement. Presenting 30-day website traffic at a time of technical difficulty then comparing it with months of traffic (without interface issues) on another website was clearly impaired.

Looking at the numbers, it very probable that flashlight interest on social media is at an impressive high. And judging by flashlight sales, the news is even better I'll wager (figuratively).

Are quite a few longtime enthusiasts in something of a lull? Possibly, but for anyone to attempt a bestowal of wisdom here on this forum, trying to drag down other people's interest because things are not as thrilling as yesteryear for them personally? Well...

Let's hear what perceptions are out there. Images of food are OK.

*Then Kestrel gets all dignified and noble*


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## peter yetman (Jun 26, 2018)

My favourite food photo from our restaurant days...







P

Just found this down the dusty end...


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jun 26, 2018)

It's been my experience (on more than one occasion, due to being a slow learner) that it's best to just move on when someone's post rubs you the wrong way. But gosh-darn it, something's wrong on the internet, and I must address it!  

What did Forrest always say? Oh yes, "If I was a smart man....." 

Dear Fellow CPF'ers, From this day forward, I Chauncey Gardiner promise to try to do better. Serenity now. Serenity now. - Walks off mumbling.... Serenity now.

~ Chance


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## Empath (Jun 26, 2018)

This thread has attempted to usurp the authority and purpose of the  "AND THE OFFICIAL THREAD KILLER IS ....." thread. More than one meandering, random thought non-specific thread is not needed, particularly when the limitations and expectations are outlined in that thread. Be sure to read the first post there, in order to familiarize yourself with the "agreed-to" conditions of posting there.

You're not losing this thread; you're only being redirected to the proper thread for posting.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?378381-AND-THE-OFFICIAL-THREAD-KILLER-IS


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