RD.net to be re-revamped!

[Gallstones]

"We'll make things better" doesn't quite cut it. It's like Richard dealing with a student who has been failing in all areas and shows no signs of latent ability - and when reprimanded, the student just smiles weakly and assures him that they promise to do better. It's not good enough

Well,, what is Richard suppose to do? Start pulling his hair out about it? In your example above, it's the student's responsibility to get his/her grades up not the teachers. In the case of "who's going to make RD.net" better," maybe nobody. And maybe it will fade away and something new will come out of it with different inspirations.

We can't always get things done on our time table as we demand it especially if we demand our vision to be performed by "other" people. It just AINT gonna happen that way.

rationalskepticism

[Svartalf]

Dunno, I never hooked on RatSkep... it lacked a soul.

[kiki5711]

Dunno, I never hooked on RatSkep... it lacked a soul.

Me too. Argggh I get aggravated just thinking about that place.

[hadespussercats]

Dunno, I never hooked on RatSkep... it lacked a soul.

Me too. Argggh I get aggravated just thinking about that place.

I tried again recently. Still didn't feel a hook.

[lordpasternack]

they're putting out books, connecting with other like minded men and women, having speaches, networking globally. etc....etc...

the only thing they don't have is the 'FORUM" like we had before and I think that's part of the resentment.

The Foundation is not putting out books. They are advertising particular authors' books. They are indeed having speeches, every-so-often - but I have not seen enough evidence that they are achieving those other things in any real way. 

On their website, their last listed projects are still from 2009. In my six weeks of prodding them, this has remained the case. Also, that is the US branch of the charity. What about the UK branch?

They are simply not being upfront or transparent at all about what they are doing and how they are striving to achieve their goals - and they are being far too coy for decency about my query. Even if it were a 'stupid question', they should have found it within themselves to respond professionally in some way as my tone and firmness has gradually ramped up in the past weeks. 



And is what they're doing worthy of having charitable status? I'm not convinced. They are consistently failing to convince me. It's your privilege to see it another way, but I doubt the Charity Commission will be particularly impressed, either, to be frank.

[lordpasternack]

Not long sent:

[kiki5711]

LP

please calm down. take a xanex or something. you're getting all worked up and pretty soon (if not already) they will not take anything you say seriously.

A real true investigation takes time and goes through proper channells. Takes Time, as in "years" not days, hours, or months.

[lordpasternack]

Is it too much to ask for acknowledgement of my query, and assurance that it is being passed through appropriate channels, and will be dealt with professionally? No - no it isn't. It is literally the least I should expect.

And the 'investigation' will be passed along to the Charity Commission, as I escalate my particular issue to them. I don't think they will be much more impressed than I am, in all honesty.

[Jay G]

LP,

Have you never dealt with an organization before? Do you really think that repeated, threatening emails is going to get you a positive response? Your posting of long chains of emails is starting to make you look a bit foolish. Take Kiki's advice to calm down.

[lordpasternack]

JayG - Have you ever been in an organisation? When somebody makes a valid complaint or query, it is in your interests to acknowledge the correspondence as soon as possible, and assure the person that it will be dealt with in due course. People get angry if they feel they are not being listened to, especially when they feel their grievance is reasonable. It is your job as a professional to try to avert that, or nip it in the bud as it starts to emerge.

I started off perfectly politely and congenially. I had reason to nudge them. I got more firm. Still nothing. It has been six weeks with no adequate response. I have informed them - not threatened, informed them - that I will be escalating this shortly to the Charity Commission. And again, I really don't think the Charity Commission will be particularly impressed - either with what they have (not) been doing, or their handling of my query.

[lordpasternack]

Also, they threw a sop at me in the form of reinstating my posts - which I thanked them for. I said it was encouraging. It was - past tense. I also rightly told them that it still wasn't an adequate response to my query - and they've now redacted that sop. That's not encouraging.

J'ai raison.

[Robert_S]

I'm not very familiar with any of the folks at RDFRS.

Is this the first organisation they're running?

[klr]

I'm not very familiar with any of the folks at RDFRS.

Is this the first organisation they're running?

Let us put it this way: Both of those words should be used advisedly.

[Rum]

Government (including local government) have to conform to the freedom of information rules. I know as I often received requests through our system. There were timescales, deadlines and consequences if you didn't comply. Its odd that charities do not appear to have the same standards to conform to.

Having said that don't get your knickers in too much of a twist. Its a small organisation after all and not very well organised, as we also know.

[lordpasternack]

Rum - the absolute very least they should provide is acknowledgement of my query. I'm sorry, but this is beyond the pale.

They might have retracted the sop they threw at me because they felt a bit put out that I wasn't quelled by it, that I didn't grasp their olive branch with both hands, cheerfully. But just let me put it this way - the vanishing of my posts was a minor issue - a minor issue that simply compounded the extant problem, and threw up more red flags about their incompetence and puerile spite. Reinstating my posts was nice - but still not an adequate response.

Would THEY be impressed if they'd been prodding an organisation for six weeks, and had stuff deleted spitefully - and the sole encouraging response from said organisation was to reinstate said stuff? What would they do if the organisation's response to being told "thanks, this is nice, but it's still not enough" - was to take the huff and re-delete the stuff? What message would THEY take away from that?

And I'm honestly not all that bothered about the posts - so they can thumb their noses like that if they like. Again, it was just one particular straw on the camel's back - removed and and then spitefully put back. I didn't ask them to do it. I didn't suggest that that would suffice as a response to my query. I thanked them for it for what it was worth - but it still isn't a response. Who gave them the impression that it should be?

Let me tell you - you can reinstate my posts; you can start sending me love letters; you can turn up at my door and offer to clean my house for me; you can buy me a car and park it at my front door; you can pay an incredibly handsome and talented man to come around and fuck me till I squeal; you can offer me a free trip to Disneyland; you can send me that free pony I keep going on about… That's really, really nice of you, and I appreciate the offer - but you still haven't answered my question or resolved the issue properly.

And let's not pretend that I asked for much. I still don't want that pony. I asked you what it is that you DO - and requested either a simple straight answer - or a genuine admission that you regret that you cannot provide this at this time, but are taking real steps - which you can tell me about - to ensure that this is rectified. You haven't done this. Fiddling with my posts is at best paltry and a bit besides the point - and only exacerbates my lack of confidence in your competence.

I don't care that much about my damn posts and I SHOULDN'T be impressed by that sop. How clearer can I make it that this ISN'T about me, and whether you want to be kind or unkind to me. This is about love of truth. This is about principle, and integrity, and confidence in your competence. This is serious. Do you get that? Do you get how messing about with my posts isn't helping?

By all means thumb your nose, and spite me as much as you can muster. It won't help, it is making matters worse, and the joke will be on you.