12 Years of The FF - Happy Anniversary, Pirates!

[Riddick]

Twelve years ago yesterday, the FF debuted - how the time flies, eh...?

Cheers & congrats to all the pirates who help to make the place great!

As my celebratory contribution for the occasion, here's
"The Anniversary Song" by the Bedrock Piano Quintet


Dialup Link

[Dale O Sea]

A dozen years...that's something to brag about.

How much is that in internet years?

I think we've had a longer run than Gunsmoke.

[HB3]

I remember the Rowland Art Bell message board, which turned into this....can't remember exactly why, but it was probably the usual....probably because Art quit. The FF started during the period of rotating hosts, before Mike Siegel was hired as his (first) full-time replacement.

[Diogenes]

I remember Mike Siegel - now that was painful:(

[megman]

Been a helluva ride.

[Dude111]

Happy,Happy FF

[SquidInk]

12 years and nearly as many hosts!

Related: showthread.php?threadid=15567


Also Related: showthread.php?threadid=6423

[Bobbi Snow]

Truthfully, don't remember when I joined, under a another name and avatar. It was probably close to our original anniversary, but I truly don't remember.

I was attacked by many of your current and past members for my personal views, so I quit. YEARS ago.

Linnea advised me to change my name and wait 2 years to come back, which I did.

Seems some of the ones who attacked me are still here, even though most have you have gone to a different forum which still trashes George Noory, and still exists. Think those of you who are crossing over, should make your choice - this or or the other one.

I have no desire to disclose my previous name, but I'm still loyal to THIS forum. Just wanted you all you know this.

P.S.

I'm NOT the one a lot of you think I am.

I make certain I post entirely different than I did before. I don't follow my same mantras. Mantras don't matter. What I believe really is the crux of my thoughts.

I still believe much as my dear friends believe... I'll leave that to you to figure out, if you ever can.

But I have been loyal to this forum since near your beginning. And I'm proud to her here.

Please DON'T try to learn who I was... It doesn't matter. Too many of the original posters are still posting on both forums. I want to be judged on what I think now, rather than who you might think I used to be.

still believe... still believe that this original forum is the BEST. I'm sorry Noory has not figured out that the ones who are promoting and getting the credit on his call-outs are the ones who still bear him the most malice.

I have two lunches with GN, and he's a genius person, even though he is NOT Art Bell.

Art's current wife, being Catholic, has changed his points of view. We all grow, and we all digress - whether it's right or wrong.

AArt Bell is being changed by his current influences, and his current growth. He has to make is own decisions, and confront his own faith-related fears. One day he might come back to the reality he shared with us... and if he doesn't, he's still the founder of Coast to Coast AM, and he must always be given credit for the pioneer he was... He LAUNCHED C2C on AM radio, and he is our godfather of the truth.

Please do NOT hold GN to the same standards. He's a totally different Art was, that was long before his other wife passed away.

He now has a new daughter, A Catholic wife, and he has grown exponentially, on his own. We can't fault him for that. We just have to accept that he has CHANGED. He is still a wonderful human who gave us the best that he could, in the early days.

Now C2C has GN, Geroge Knapp, John Be wells, Rob Simone, Ian Punnett, Robert Simone, and they are good hosts, as well.

There are some I prefer...but Coast to Coast STILL gives us the most broad guests we can hear ANYWHERE. We must consider ourselves LUCKY to still have open-minded hosts who are willing to put up with the idiots, as well as the truth purveyors..

If we cannot stand a particular guest, we can turn the show off... and re-listen to some show with which we agree.

We should ALL be thankful for being allowed the ability to decide which is truth... and which is someone;s delusions.

I'm not into people quoting Bible Scripture. Some of it makes sense - some of it is pure bull****.(Excuse my honesty). Perhaps the Bible was not all God-given truth, but signs given to those whose books and chapters were just decided to be included, because they were true psychics... not necessarily inspired by God, but just truths being given to normal people being given sight into future situations, god=inspired, or not... Not every good psychic is from God; some are just good, regardless of their sources.

We have those people today... some are frauds; some of gifted. WE have to be wise enough to allow our heads and our guts to decide who is real, and who are scammers.

Anyway, Fantastic Forum is still awesome - even though we've lost some who are/were stellar, and some who have stayed behind in spite of Linnea's devastating loss to us, and our floundering can only make us work harder to make this forum as bright, current, and wonderful as it was....

[Raggedyann]

Great post Bobbi!

I couldn't begin to figure out who you were back then. Lots of folks were planked or left on their own for whatever reason.

I registered in 2003 under another name. Got banned after 3 years of posting nicely. I seriously lost it one day and got chucked in the drink. I waited a few months and re registered as RA. I'm sure Linnea knew who I was and monitored me to see if I would blow it again. I grew to have a great fondness for her. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her posts. I admired her intellect and gentle nature. She displayed a patient kindness towards me on numerous occasions and I will not forget this, ever.

I didn't always agree with some of the reasons people were planked but then a mods job isn't easy and this place was a busy bee hive. Politics was a crazy time during that decade and there was much fear and frustration. She had her hands full!

Forums were new then and a huge novelty. People came in droves and they overflowed with enthusiasm and joy at having a vehicle to instantly express themselves. Folks could suddenly interact with people of like mind, or not so like mind, from all over the place. And they could do it with anonymity. A wonderful new found freedom! An explosion of thoughts, ideas, opinions, anger, laughter, tears, stories, sadness, confidences, sympathies, losses, gains and new found friendships.

There were so many great posters and I often wonder where they are now. I suppose many just wandered off and found a comfortable niche somewhere. Perhaps to places more tailored to their own individual interests.

This place is a historical treasure to behold!

[Fan]

Happy anniversary FF. Thank you to Linnea and RC for making this place great, I only hope we can pay proper tribute to it by keeping it going for another 12 years (at least).

Thanks to you all who come here every day and make the place worthwhile. If not for the great posters it would not be a great forum.

Yaaar Mateys!

[Dale O Sea]

That truth serum I slipped into the icing on those Pirate cookies is having a better effect than I'd hoped!

I'm a late arrival - April 2003 - as my profile says. Linnea won me over immediately also. I came for Art, stayed for her. We weren't as close as many here were, but we had a connection. I feel the vacuum created by her death every time I log on here or go to the Coast site. She was always there for us..not many of us can claim that we were as solidly there for her.

Looking back at these past (almost ) two years I see Fan as the best thing that could have happened to this place, especially considering the alternatives on the table then. If we could just get a few more, new or old, posting here again it sure would spice it up.

As for Coast, I haven't been able to listen for a few reasons and GN is the main one, with the ads, guests and how they (post Art Bell) treated Linnea etc compounding that. I still love the topics and find many sources online to fix my paranormal/ufo/conspiracy jonez that have fewer ads and no George.

And Bobbi, I don't fault you or anyone for having the current Coast mc as your source at all. To each their own. He's not to my taste but must be to others' or he'd not still be hosting, correct? I have two shows I watch/listen to in my top 10 that I know would offend many here.. Don't judge me, bro!

Also, these are just shows and people should never be judged by their taste in entertainment, especially such widely accepted..infotainment. I'm completely sidestepping the catholic, religiosity commentary tho. Again, to each their own.

Anyway, here's to ten or twelve more years - and make them interesting.

[Diogenes]

"still believe... still believe that this original forum is the BEST. I'm sorry Noory has not figured out that the ones who are promoting and getting the credit on his call-outs are the ones who still bear him the most malice."

Bobbi,

You know every time I hear that shout out from George to the FF2 I am thinking the same thing - I guess having that connection/distinction is so important to some they will put up such a childish pretense and be so phony otherwise.

It's too bad because the group he should be promoting is the original FF.

[Raggedyann]

Looking back at these past (almost ) two years I see Fan as the best thing that could have happened to this place, especially considering the alternatives on the table then. If we could just get a few more, new or old, posting here again it sure would spice it up.

Couldn't agree more!

[Riddick]

Y'know folks, there's no denying the FF has had a goodly share of heated disagreements over the years, but I just wanna say so far as any 'Noory bashing' goes after instigating the infamous "Julie" incident (with what I thought was a pretty good joke about GN winning the "No-Bell" Prize) I decided if ever I'd be critiquing him from thereon, I'd refrain from smart-alec remarks...

IMHO and generally speaking, NOT making personalities themselves involved the issue in discussions can help prevent escalation of hostilities among forum members - as does agreeing to disagree, unless the issue IN question is whether or not the questioning of one's opinions on issues is tantamount TO a personal attack!

[Raggedyann]

George Noory has improved a lot over the years IMO. I seldom listen though because I too get fed up with commercials and subject matter that has nothing to do with the mysterious.

Years ago there were a couple of threads here that were OTT in critiquing Noory. Linnea took the fall for this and he even threatened to sue her at one point. It's one thing to state that a particular host isn't one's cup of tea and quite another to launch into tirades of hate, page after page. The disappointment and resentment of losing Art for the umpteenth time, may have prompted this. Dunno...

I have to admit that I was reluctant to stay here before Fan took over because I thought this place was going to be populated with the same posters who had another site that sure as hell wasn't my cup of tea. Some others did too. I believe it was shut down. After reading here for a few weeks I could see this site wasn't going to go down that road.

I will always post here, as well as other forums. I go where the mood takes me at any given moment. I would love to live my entire life doing that!