Big Tex wrote: No knock on the new guys, but I see how fast we're growing and feel like we're quickly becoming the Village bicycle ....

Not the least bit surprisingly I absolutely and 1002% agree with Tex. I can already see how Parrot, M4rtin and several of our new recruits are going to be positive assets both in-game and on-thread. MadtotheMom...goes without saying, Anthony's been a M.O.M in my dream squad since Day One minus One. CrazyNut is...well...Crazy, and a crazy-ass good player, and comes with two thumbs up from Coop, so even though I both fear and am amused by the Nut, the fact that he goes back to the earliest days of Dogfight with B and Lt. Coop, and Coop knows him in face-to-face real-life? All spells IN to me.

But didn't I just post a big wiggy impassioned plea slash edict that we tighten up on recruitment lest we become the club that never met a member it didn't reject? Tex and I and SheiBe have been making this case for months. Lemme make it again; if we don't at least get a sense of who and what these prospective recruits are before just hauling off and saying, "I can't remember who I'm voting in, but I vote IN!" we've lost the "elite" component as well as the sense that these players even fit with our "vibe". Bopes, to his holiness's credit, did a solid background check on one recent recruit. That makes one across the lot of us.

I'm suggesting that we encourage Richyroo and Beastoftheeast to apply. Further, that we get to know the friggin' guys before inviting them into our home and showing 'em where the silver is kept. If someone has played A LOT, not just a mission or two, with Rich or Beast it's that M.O.Ms responsibility to post a report. And not merely "he seemed like a good guy". Lapa seems like a good guy to me. Tex feels so strongly to the contrary that he's threatened to quit rather than share a tag with Lapa. I'll remain friends with Lapa and do whatever needs doing to keep Tex, whom I feel is the moral gyroscope at the center of this rogue planetoid, happy. It's because I know and trust and respect Tex while Lapa...I say hi to once in a while.

Rich, Beast, understand that I'm using you as examples of a bigger issue. This in no way reflects on you. The protocol no one follows is supposed to be to invite you to APPLY, introduce yourself, tell us your name, your place, your bio to the extent that you care to share, and give a taste of what we can expect on the thread. M.O.M is as much about the fellowship here as it is about the skill in the game. Skill in the game is, however, pretty feckin' important, too. We began as a small band of "elite" pilots. Just because we're much larger in number doesn't mean our game-play standards have dropped. I can't find you, Rich, in the rankings. Which means i don't even know your in-game name! And you're already getting IN voted? How does that makes sense?

So Rich, Beast, thank you thank you and thank you for wanting to be a M.O.M. Sorry and sorry some more for your having hit us at this pivotal moment when I think the standards MUST be raised. And by no means consider this a blow off. You're still right where you were, a short step backward. Not yet fully approved but certainly not declined. Write up a bio with your name so we know what to call you, your in-game nick so we know how to look up and follow your progress and fercrissakes recognize you in-game! And where you live, family stuff, hobbies...do it all in the "voice" that's uniquely yours, don't think I'm giving you some dopey homework assignment that'll be graded on conforming to my or anyone's standards of grammar. Just, y'know, get to know us and let us get to know you, same as you'd do in any club with a shared interest anywhere in the world before expecting them to invite you in. And accept my apology for the confusion; an invitation to "apply", guys, is NOT an invitation to join. Please try to make that crystal clear when you pitch someone in-game.

Rich, Beast, I hope this'll be a story we're telling about you next week; I played last night with our newest M.O.M, Blue Max, and he gave a clinic on the art of the kill. ParrotHead is so obviously M.O.M-thread material that I knew it in about half a mission, someone else just beat me to the recruiting. I don't require that I know someone as long or as well or with as much pre-existing respect and affection as in the case of Anthony'/Mad, my first choice for "dream team" inclusion in M.O.M. But the Mads of the future are out there...and in here. I'm sure...I just want to see us all exercising more restraint and a little more "interviewing" before just helter-skelter saying "You're IN!"

Let's put Richy, BeastoftheEast, and anyone else applying, in the "pending" portion of the roster. That's what it's there for. Every single prospective new M.O.M should start there before being jumped into the roster proper, so that everyone, Star Chamber members at the very least, can CHECK PAGE ONE regularly and do a little vetting from that generally short list. SImmo, a guy for whom I have genuine respect and with whom I always, always enjoy playing, was a M.O.M for a second (my own recruit) before we discovered it was a mutually less-than-ideal fit. Now he makes no bones about being out there gunning for M.O.Ms. First instincts - even with intelligent, articulate, respectable players - aren't always trustworthy. CrazyNut we know to have been impersonating M.O.Ms and trash-talking the squad. WTF was that, Craze? Was it funny? I didn't hear it, myself, but Ender did and wasn't sure what to make of it. Are you gonna do the same once you're a member? Talk smack about your own squad mates? Or about members of other squads with which we have solid relationships? I love me some subversive humor, I've made a high profile f*ckin' career of it, but I, for one, need to know that you aren't just a reckless loose cannon who's gonna represent M.O.M as a bunch of jerks. That is in no way unreasonable to expect. Even Coop, your long time friend and sponsor here, can't guarantee that you won't go off the reservation whenever the mood strikes. Maybe it's that unpredictability that's precisely what makes you a good fit for us. But I'd like to know your intentions. Flying unaffiliated you can do what you like. Flying with M.O.M you're carrying our brand, one we've worked hard to build, and you owe it to the other hundred or so members to think about the ramifications before you go off.

More vetting.
More info from Richy, Beast, et al before I build their banners, which I'm looking forward to doing.,,in the appropriate amount of time.
Assurance from Crazy that he is going to remain a nut but isn't gonna turn M.O.M into the whoopee cushion of squads.
More involvement and investigation from the Star Chamber. That's why we restructured and formed it.

-30-

Inverted through the bridge.. Kids, do not try this at home... Extremely dangerous..

Okay, so some of my marathon rant was, I now realize once having finally caught up with today's truckload of junk, redundant. Too damn bad. I exist here as much for the redundancy as for anything else.

SheiBe Kopf wrote: Inverted through the bridge.. Kids, do not try this at home... Extremely dangerous..

Holy scheiBe, Kopf!

And in third person, to boot? That's mindblowing. BTW Have you been filching Paul's meds by any chance?

Once again, very well put Wigs. Well worth staying up til 2 in the morning to hear the wigsdom so eloquently stated. Thank you.

On a lighter note. FINALLY saw with mine own eyes Desert Rose for the first time. Now I see what the fuss was all about. Scary.

More inverted bridge flying. Jimboslice, Big Tex, SheiBe Kopf, Grey Ghost and others called a truce during a DF game to do a little showing off. The ParrotHead decided margaritas are better with salt than mind-blowing aerial stunts and attempted to record the historical event with screen shots. Here are a few ( the only half way decent ones). Some of Jimbo flying inverted down the length of the bridge and doing invert 8s around the struts. Also one of grey, invert down the bridge. I witnessed SheiBe's successful attempt but didnt capture it. His pic is much better than mine would have been anyway.










Interesting note: you can drive a tank on the bridge, but you can't soldier on it without sinking.... Strange

Yea that was a blast except the two or three turds that didn't get the memo on playing nice during
the air show here's a couple mor pics for you. Thanks parrot for playing photog!!

About to come out


Cool one of SheiBe


Mid span

I have tried explaining the errors in why I couldn't be found on stats, I feel that me joining isn't in the best interest of the entire group and I don't want to damage your 'heritage' , so I hereby revoke my application and will remove myMOM tag.

Thanks to those who supported my efforts.

Richyroo wrote: I have tried explaining the errors in why I couldn't be found on stats, I feel that me joining isn't in the best interest of the entire group and I don't want to damage your 'heritage' , so I hereby revoke my application and will remove myMOM tag.

Thanks to those who supported my efforts.

Richyroo bro, Im also new here. I was a falcon before (2nd in command for a term) anyway please dont revoke your application, if you need any help then im more than willing to help you out bro. If you need a wingman or advice or anything then that can all be sorted easily. Wig and the guys here are all big softies (dent even wears a red dress from time to time) so just ask anything and someone is sure to be there for you. Wig stated below that he wants you in and hes the guy we all put our trust in, What have you got to loose?

Madtothemom. (Anthony)

madtothebone1 wrote:

Flyingmuck wrote:

madtothebone1 wrote:

Flyingmuck wrote: Staines!? I thought you were in London, as in London , that reminds me, how's the little one, is she a baby MOM now as opposed to a baby Falcon get some pictures up here pronto.

Staines is in london (inside the M25 and now renamed to Staines-Upon - Thames, im only 200yards from the river (good fishing) but i used to live in Greenwich (when i first started playing)

I can never think of Staines as being in London, true you can't pass through rolling green fields on the way from one to the other anymore, but nope in my childhood and teen years it weren't in London and for me that's the way it stays. Gotta say if I had to choose between Staines or Greenwich....it's gotta be Greenwich.

Not anymore......Grenwich - stop at red light = car on bricks. Staines - stop at red light..........get surrounded by bentleys, astons etc, hence the name change to "upon thames" the toffs wanted it that way lol

Wow! I need to go to London more. Kinda miss the place sometimes, I lived in Peckham South London, then moved to Millhill/Barnet North London, much much nicer.

Eeeeerrrrrrr....... SE15/SE5 and you survived, surprised you have been knighted!

Richyroo wrote: Eeeeerrrrrrr....... SE15/SE5 and you survived, surprised you have been knighted!

Wasn't so bad back when I was a long haired hippy type womaniser.

nice inverted flying guys
I will keep trying

. Wigbomb wrote:

Big Tex wrote: No knock on the new guys, but I see how fast we're growing and feel like we're quickly becoming the Village bicycle ....

Not the least bit surprisingly I absolutely and 1002% agree with Tex. I can already see how Parrot, M4rtin and several of our new recruits are going to be positive assets both in-game and on-thread. MadtotheMom...goes without saying, Anthony's been a M.O.M in my dream squad since Day One minus One. CrazyNut is...well...Crazy, and a crazy-ass good player, and comes with two thumbs up from Coop, so even though I both fear and am amused by the Nut, the fact that he goes back to the earliest days of Dogfight with B and Lt. Coop, and Coop knows him in face-to-face real-life? All spells IN to me.

But didn't I just post a big wiggy impassioned plea slash edict that we tighten up on recruitment lest we become the club that never met a member it didn't reject? Tex and I and SheiBe have been making this case for months. Lemme make it again; if we don't at least get a sense of who and what these prospective recruits are before just hauling off and saying, "I can't remember who I'm voting in, but I vote IN!" we've lost the "elite" component as well as the sense that these players even fit with our "vibe". Bopes, to his holiness's credit, did a solid background check on one recent recruit. That makes one across the lot of us.

I'm suggesting that we encourage Richyroo and Beastoftheeast to apply. Further, that we get to know the friggin' guys before inviting them into our home and showing 'em where the silver is kept. If someone has played A LOT, not just a mission or two, with Rich or Beast it's that M.O.Ms responsibility to post a report. And not merely "he seemed like a good guy". Lapa seems like a good guy to me. Tex feels so strongly to the contrary that he's threatened to quit rather than share a tag with Lapa. I'll remain friends with Lapa and do whatever needs doing to keep Tex, whom I feel is the moral gyroscope at the center of this rogue planetoid, happy. It's because I know and trust and respect Tex while Lapa...I say hi to once in a while.

Rich, Beast, understand that I'm using you as examples of a bigger issue. This in no way reflects on you. The protocol no one follows is supposed to be to invite you to APPLY, introduce yourself, tell us your name, your place, your bio to the extent that you care to share, and give a taste of what we can expect on the thread. M.O.M is as much about the fellowship here as it is about the skill in the game. Skill in the game is, however, pretty feckin' important, too. We began as a small band of "elite" pilots. Just because we're much larger in number doesn't mean our game-play standards have dropped. I can't find you, Rich, in the rankings. Which means i don't even know your in-game name! And you're already getting IN voted? How does that makes sense?

So Rich, Beast, thank you thank you and thank you for wanting to be a M.O.M. Sorry and sorry some more for your having hit us at this pivotal moment when I think the standards MUST be raised. And by no means consider this a blow off. You're still right where you were, a short step backward. Not yet fully approved but certainly not declined. Write up a bio with your name so we know what to call you, your in-game nick so we know how to look up and follow your progress and fercrissakes recognize you in-game! And where you live, family stuff, hobbies...do it all in the "voice" that's uniquely yours, don't think I'm giving you some dopey homework assignment that'll be graded on conforming to my or anyone's standards of grammar. Just, y'know, get to know us and let us get to know you, same as you'd do in any club with a shared interest anywhere in the world before expecting them to invite you in. And accept my apology for the confusion; an invitation to "apply", guys, is NOT an invitation to join. Please try to make that crystal clear when you pitch someone in-game.

Rich, Beast, I hope this'll be a story we're telling about you next week; I played last night with our newest M.O.M, Blue Max, and he gave a clinic on the art of the kill. ParrotHead is so obviously M.O.M-thread material that I knew it in about half a mission, someone else just beat me to the recruiting. I don't require that I know someone as long or as well or with as much pre-existing respect and affection as in the case of Anthony'/Mad, my first choice for "dream team" inclusion in M.O.M. But the Mads of the future are out there...and in here. I'm sure...I just want to see us all exercising more restraint and a little more "interviewing" before just helter-skelter saying "You're IN!"

Let's put Richy, BeastoftheEast, and anyone else applying, in the "pending" portion of the roster. That's what it's there for. Every single prospective new M.O.M should start there before being jumped into the roster proper, so that everyone, Star Chamber members at the very least, can CHECK PAGE ONE regularly and do a little vetting from that generally short list. SImmo, a guy for whom I have genuine respect and with whom I always, always enjoy playing, was a M.O.M for a second (my own recruit) before we discovered it was a mutually less-than-ideal fit. Now he makes no bones about being out there gunning for M.O.Ms. First instincts - even with intelligent, articulate, respectable players - aren't always trustworthy. CrazyNut we know to have been impersonating M.O.Ms and trash-talking the squad. WTF was that, Craze? Was it funny? I didn't hear it, myself, but Ender did and wasn't sure what to make of it. Are you gonna do the same once you're a member? Talk smack about your own squad mates? Or about members of other squads with which we have solid relationships? I love me some subversive humor, I've made a high profile f*ckin' career of it, but I, for one, need to know that you aren't just a reckless loose cannon who's gonna represent M.O.M as a bunch of jerks. That is in no way unreasonable to expect. Even Coop, your long time friend and sponsor here, can't guarantee that you won't go off the reservation whenever the mood strikes. Maybe it's that unpredictability that's precisely what makes you a good fit for us. But I'd like to know your intentions. Flying unaffiliated you can do what you like. Flying with M.O.M you're carrying our brand, one we've worked hard to build, and you owe it to the other hundred or so members to think about the ramifications before you go off.

More vetting.
More info from Richy, Beast, et al before I build their banners, which I'm looking forward to doing.,,in the appropriate amount of time.
Assurance from Crazy that he is going to remain a nut but isn't gonna turn M.O.M into the whoopee cushion of squads.
More involvement and investigation from the Star Chamber. That's why we restructured and formed it.

-30-

Nicely put Wig. I agree with everything you say. Thanks for the mention, which I could see coming as your argument developed. Paradoxically, my relationship with you guys is better from outside than from within. For the record, I'm not out there gunning for MOMs in particular - I'm gunning for the enemy. As are a lot of MOMs about I often see you guys in my sights. I can assure you that I'm always happier to see blue MOMs than red ones.

I don't think we are mutually incompatible - we disagreed over a highly emotive issue that I now realise as a relative noob I was not really entitled to challenge. Perhaps things would have been diferent if my reputation and credentials had been better established.

Happy flying all.

Rob

Richyroo wrote: I have tried explaining the errors in why I couldn't be found on stats, I feel that me joining isn't in the best interest of the entire group and I don't want to damage your 'heritage' , so I hereby revoke my application and will remove myMOM tag.

Thanks to those who supported my efforts.

Richy, I hadn't seen several pages of posts when I entered mine. There's no keeping up with this thread. There's also no control over who happens to be stuck in the waiting room a little longer when so much rabid recruiting is going on. There just wasn't going to be a time when I reiterated the need for less zealous recruiting without some two or five players on the point of being approved. As I tried to stress, it was nothing personal, I'm sorry it had to be you and Beastoftheeast (and probably three other candidates I can't recall) and my post was not a rejection, merely a request to be patient. The only other way to handle it would have been to shut down all recruitment while we sussed it out. That, I felt, would have seemed much more like a rejection than to say, "The squad needs to slow down...you aren't declined...please give us a minute to get these guidelines and practices in place, starting with you."

I don't know if having you in M.O.M would prove damaging to our "heritage". My guess is that it would not. In the time it took me to write that post there was quite a bit more from you on the thread that I hadn't yet seen. And with as much daffy dreck as blows by on this thread I still don't remember much of what you shared. I'm looking at ways we can organize information, refer back to it without having to scroll countless pages through pure guesswork, save ourselves time and headaches and do justice to each applicant. Do, please, try to understand; we began expressing concerns over this rampant growth back when the squad had sixty, maybe seventy members. Now we're well over a hundred and nothing has changed. So...I may build a free standing M.O.M web site. I may just create a direct email application form. In either case a player will be able to submit all the info we need, because it will all be indicated on the form. I can throw the form in a folder without having to root around on the thread, find the facts in bits and pieces, retype it all in some format I can save.

Indulge me if you would' even if it seems you've already done so, slap together a post with the following:

-First name

-in-game name

-Forum name

-Rank

-Location (city, state/county/province, country)

-Age

-Bio (a bit about yourself like what you do, family, hobbies, the usual stuff.)

-"Why M.O.M Wants Me as a Member But Isn't Smart Enough to Know it Yet"


If it's all pulled together in one post, and it gives the fifteen of us the chance to read it in one piece, it should make things considerably easier. I'd regard it as a favor since it'll serve as a test case for how this email form idea might work.

Evan though i can't vote. Due to being a British citizen. I vote Wig for President. Ur the man wen it comes to posts

Hello WigMan,

Sorry I provoked such a time consuming reaction, I wasn't trying to sound like 12 year brat! I just didn't want to cause internal wars or tension

My name is Richard

My forum and game name is Richyroo

I'm level 12 going on 13

I'm in Essex UK and I'm 27 years young.

I'm a motorcycle mechanic, currently out of work due to testicular tumor, I'm married with one and a half kids, my step son is at the joyess age of 12 and my son is 3 and a half. I had a fireblade and sold it for an engagement ring. I love bikes, bike racing and fighter jets.

"Why M.O.M Wants Me as a Member But Isn't Smart Enough to Know it Yet" There is no reason and I shouldn't be a MOM, I should start my own squadron called GYM Grumpy Young Men!!!

Hope this helps as a trial but as I've said I will remain unaffiliated for now, thanks.

Simmo wrote: For the record, I'm not out there gunning for MOMs in particular - I'm gunning for the enemy. As are a lot of MOMs about I often see you guys in my sights. I can assure you that I'm always happier to see blue MOMs than red ones.

I don't think we are mutually incompatible - we disagreed over a highly emotive issue that I now realise as a relative noob I was not really entitled to challenge. Perhaps things would have been diferent if my reputation and credentials had been better established.

Thanks Rob. You were a newer player, we were a much younger club, who knows how differently things might play out now that we all know what we know?

I don't have the impression from playing with you that you're "gunning for M.O.Ms", I based that solely on a post you left on the Falcon thread recently. "All for now...I have MOMs to hunt." or something along those lines. Harmless, even flattering, and not anything I took as a swipe at us.

To be honest I'm not sure if the issue to which you're referring is that of spawnkilling or the veracity of Duckwing's credentials. Spawnkilling, I assume, since that immediately preceded your leaving the squad. It's still a hot-button topic but one we'd probably have different views on now. I know my attitude about it has changed, even as a Moderator, and I can't recall the last time I saw or heard of you tanking a base. The game itself is evolving and we've naturally grown and shifted with it. I'm much too busy trying to give the boot to as many teamkillers and hate-ranters as possible to even give a thought to spawning.

Maybe you're right about our relationship being better since the "divorce", just so you know that it's players like you - mature, respectful, articulate, here to participate in the fun and not to ruin it for others - that light the fire under me and the other Mods to clean up the game as best we can.

The challenge admissions-wise seems to be to try to strike a good balance between, on the one side, the squad's fun approach to rules/non-rules and apparent lack of bureaucracy (which seems to be one of our biggest selling points) and, on the other side, having just enough structure in place without it being too off-putting to potential new members. This is either like the Federalist/anti-Federalist debate that resulted in the US constitution, or it's like Goldilock's debate over the soup. Take yer pick!

I know/don't know what the right balance is. I'm just glad we've got as far as we have in this rickety old crate without any major catastrophes, thanks to our very own Jefferson and Madison, Wig and ScheiBe. But as the squad and the thread continue to expand, I'd be open to anything that would make their lives easier. Would having a website do that?

bopes wrote: The challenge admissions-wise seems to be to try to strike a good balance between, on the one side, the squad's fun approach to rules/non-rules and apparent lack of bureaucracy (which seems to be one of our biggest selling points) and, on the other side, having just enough structure in place without it being too off-putting to potential new members. This is either like the Federalist/anti-Federalist debate that resulted in the US constitution, or it's like Goldilock's debate over the soup. Take yer pick!

I know/don't know what the right balance is. I'm just glad we've got as far as we have in this rickety old crate without any major catastrophes, thanks to our very own Jefferson and Madison, Wig and ScheiBe. But as the squad and the thread continue to expand, I'd be open to anything that would make their lives easier. Would having a website do that?

Bopes, I always/not always agree/disagree with you/not you.... I found another component of, THE MOM THEORY.... THE GOLDILOCKS PRINCIPLE..

The Goldilocks Principle states that something must fall within certain margins, as opposed to reaching extremes. When the effects of the principle are observed, it is known as the Goldilocks Effect.

I believe this is a vital component of MOMism !!

SheiBe Kopf wrote:

bopes wrote: The challenge admissions-wise seems to be to try to strike a good balance between, on the one side, the squad's fun approach to rules/non-rules and apparent lack of bureaucracy (which seems to be one of our biggest selling points) and, on the other side, having just enough structure in place without it being too off-putting to potential new members. This is either like the Federalist/anti-Federalist debate that resulted in the US constitution, or it's like Goldilock's debate over the soup. Take yer pick!

I know/don't know what the right balance is. I'm just glad we've got as far as we have in this rickety old crate without any major catastrophes, thanks to our very own Jefferson and Madison, Wig and ScheiBe. But as the squad and the thread continue to expand, I'd be open to anything that would make their lives easier. Would having a website do that?

Bopes, I always/not always agree/disagree with you/not you.... I found another component of, THE MOM THEORY.... THE GOLDILOCKS PRINCIPLE..

Da**, I am feeling more boringly lukewarm by the second...

Hey Parrot, were gonna have to do this again soon. That was fun. Even with all those crashes i did! (2). Lol

Next time we get better shot done. But please tell me in advance, ill wash my filthy plane first. Lol

Ayoop! Master wig, I just pm'd you.

From now on I'm gonna say msgd, pm always makes me think of something else and those of you in long term thing y's with our (tongue in cheek) better halves will know what that means to our sensible well ordered lives.

Just thought I'd say a BIG thanks/Not thanks for the bottom kicking received/given by some of you today, been very funny

MOM's do that, make em laugh, they can't fly straight then, mind you not many of them can anyway.

The recruitment clusterflunk is solved.

I need preferred email addresses from all Star Chamber (look it up) members asap. Send 'em via private message or, if privacy's not an issue, post here on the thread.

Full details later tonight...

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thanks,
Paul
Ps:Parrot....that is the most sincere, succinct, creative, masterpiece of an avatar ever created! The work of a GENIUS!