Posted by Michelle Smith on 4/28/07 12:36am
Msg #187644

Reprint (please really consider how you treat others)

if you TRULY are interested in making this one of the best and most-used notary forums.

REPRINT OF A POST SOMEONE ELSE WROTE (I feel her pain) :

I certainly may be a little dumb or naive or both, but I don't really get what the uproar is about. I read the posts on NotaryRotary and I think I deciphered the point the was being made. My opinion is that if Scott makes some money off the site, fine. I would have expected it. I don't know too many people who would take on such a project for purely altruistic purposes.

For me personally, I have definitely gotten my money's worth from this free site. This can be a lonely business at times. I'll admit I have been an NNA mushroom since I became a notary 14 years ago. Any info I didn't get from them; I had to figure out on my own. This site has allowed me to meet some really cool notaries that I otherwise would not have. I have learned a ton from the questions, answers and opinions posted here. I've learned about others' business practices and about other notary sites that I hadn't found previously. I don't hang around other forums because the personalities and drama are serious turn offs for me. The atmosphere here has been extremely friendly.

In my humble opinion, this site has been awesome and I will truly be sad if everyone leaves.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 4/28/07 1:06am
Msg #187651

Michelle, I really don't understand why you keep flogging

Scotts site. Are you a mole. There is more to life than just being nice. There is work to be done and professional standards to be maintained. If being nice means that I have to give you my hard earned contacts, that is not being nice that is being stupid. I know that you found the infomation you said you were looking for but yet you come back and post this. Are you a shill for Scott and his "Nice" site. Some of us may not fit your definition of "Nice" but what we say comes from experience and experinece is rarely "Nice" You may not like what I say but if you ask after having at least tried to find the answer I will answer and I will answer to the best of my ability or leave it for someone who know better than I to answer. But this is getting rediculous. Now that you ahve found out what is going on quit flogging the other site!

Reply by Michelle Smith on 4/28/07 1:32am
Msg #187655

Re: Michelle, I really don't understand why you keep floggin

I wasn't talking about you. I don't want you to hand anything over to me. I don't think I have asked you for anything, have I? (Other tan proof of a claim, which I was more than happy to share when I found it.) I don't understand.

I'm posting because everyone is coming over here to discover the truth as we speak. If you already know the truth, you don't have to read the post. Others are not convinced......... and I am trying to convince them. Why? Because I simply WANT to.

Reply by Michelle Smith on 4/28/07 1:08am
Msg #187652

Clarification" People are leaving another site, not this one

In the above post, the person is NOT speaking of leaving Notary Rotary. He/She is speaking of another site, in which the owner was not truthful.

(I confused someone and had to clarify, sorry.)

Reply by Charles_Ca on 4/28/07 1:14am
Msg #187653

Re: Clarification" People are leaving another site, not this one

I wasn't questioning who was leaving what. I am questioning you motives in continually bringing up the other site in the context of how poorly people are treate here. I know that it was revealed to you what the situation was why do you continue to promote the other site???

Reply by Michelle Smith on 4/28/07 1:28am
Msg #187654

Re: Clarification" People are leaving another site, not this

Charles, it wasn't directed at you. it was posted because I received PMs where someone wanted to know what was wrong with THIS site and why people are leaving THIS site. Sorry for the confusion, but I didn't want any more PMs about it (or worse, so someone NOT to seek clarification.)

Reply by Tim_Mphs/TN on 4/28/07 2:26am
Msg #187656

In the light of all the controversy over Scott's site, you may find it of interest that he has posted an explanation on that site about the ad you found. He states that he is working on a different ning site that will be for profit and he insists that the one y'all are so incensed about is just for fun. This is essentially what he told me last week when I asked him point blank what he was up to; the same thing I posted here at the time.

Let me make this clear. I do not know Scott personally. I have no vested interest in promoting him or his business. I used to have a link to NotaryOne dom com on my notarylink page, but I took it down when I found that he no longer offered free listings for those who were linked to him. Also, I think his notary database model is seriously flawed -- he offers exclusive listings - as in one per area. The SSes and TCs will not come back more than once or twice to a site that does not have multiple listings for a given area, IMO. So, it makes no sense to me to pay to be on his NO site.

Even so, I still want to give him the benefit of the doubt here because the "Proof" does not show what ning website he was seeking to hire someone to work on. It has been suggested by others here and there that it has to be the one he already has up and running -- but I just created one and it took less than 30 minutes -- so, why would he need to hire someone for that?

Bottom line on all this to me is that some of you people have gotten downright uncivil just because you suspected Scott of doing things that you don't like. You have no actual proof of anything -- you have some evidence that could be interpreted more than one way. Against that, you have his statements in explanation of that evidence and NOTHING that disproves his explanation.

This whole controversy started because someone here who states she is an expert on search engine optimization warned us to avoid posting on sites owned by SSes because they would then get better google ranks and it would pull web searchers away from sites like NotaryRotary. Scott has repeatedly stated that he has done nothing to optimize that site for the search engines. He has also stated that his SS is now just a pale remnant and is truly just 4 people working in Seattle. No one has even suggested that they have so much as a single bit of evidence (let alone proof) to the contrary.

Every step of the way, the controversy has grown on the basis of supposition and hearsay and refusal to believe what "the accused" has stated. Scott may not have done a good job of explaining the local SS thing and this latest page does make you wonder -- but without some sort of proof of wrong doing, I say leave the man alone !

And the saddest thing about this is that it has been pushed along by some folks whose advice I still respect a great deal. Why you all see nefarious conspiracy when I see typical young business guy, I don't know.

So, I have set up a new ning social network site, unaffiliated with any of this. It is called the Traveling Notary Public Network and, in respect for the rules about promoting other sites here, you can PM me for the website address.

Reply by christiSocal on 4/28/07 3:07am
Msg #187665

I want one toooo

If websites earn all this money I want one too! I'm not quite sure what "ning" means, but I want it! Now, I just did my nails so I REALLY can't google or search to learn anything about this, so if you smart savvy web geeks (oops, I mean nice people) could just give me all the info you've learned thru the years, and yes, I do want it on a silver platter. Actually, it would be super if you could just do it all up for me and just give me the money. WOW, this place is just super! Maybe I should do an infomercial???
PS. this isn't directed at you Tim, you just got my imagination running.

Reply by Tim_Mphs/TN on 4/28/07 3:23am
Msg #187667

PM sent to you... I see the winking n/m

Reply by hcampersFL on 4/28/07 9:06am
Msg #187671

Tim for a guy that doesn't even pay for a premier membership here you really push the envelope.

All you do is tell everyone how Scoot isn't doing anything wrong etc etc etc.

Are you one of the investers he has been looking for? Maybe you have a intrest other than good will? You keep posting all the information that Scoot has put out there. I guess you really want to be right don't you?

Reply by Brenda Stone on 4/28/07 9:11am
Msg #187673

A Nefarious Conspiracy Theorist Speaks...

***********
Every step of the way, the controversy has grown on the basis of supposition and hearsay and refusal to believe what "the accused" has stated. Scott may not have done a good job of explaining the local SS thing and this latest page does make you wonder -- but without some sort of proof of wrong doing, I say leave the man alone ! And the saddest thing about this is that it has been pushed along by some folks whose advice I still respect a great deal. Why you all see nefarious conspiracy when I see typical young business guy, I don't know.
***********
Tim,

This is a place where we exchange opinions. As long as Harry allows it, we are free to state them.

My observation: It is interesting that you are pro-the other place, don't like what is being said here, yet you come here to tell the NR posters how they should think and behave in reference to that other place.

You hardly ever posted here until this debate began.

It's kinda like which cable news channel am I going to watch? Do I want to hear the liberals that day, or the conservatives? I make a choice...CNN or Fox. Same here. You can tune this out just like I tune out the other site's discussions.

I had a longer-winded post to make and decided to s-can it. Here are two points from that:

This is not heresay: He's still using a signature as late as April 26th on the digital point SEO/geek site which says "mobile notary nationwide signing service"

This is not heresay: His content on NO is built on nationwide content articles--not on his regional signing service area.

Since his *original* argument is built on the premise that he no longer operates the SS....

I'll just stick to the NR site where I know without a doubt that the owner isn't dabbling in SS work.

Reply by Tim_Mphs/TN on 4/28/07 12:36pm
Msg #187710

Re: A Nefarious Conspiracy Theorist Speaks...

Brenda,

I am not pro the other place. I am just willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. NO is not the site everyone has been carping about - it is the MNN site.

You know what ? I am not going to rehash all this here yet again. I have stated my position on this and you have stated yours. We will just have to agree to disagree.

Meanwhile, I invite those who like the social networking platform (ning.com) to join me on my site there (PM me for the address) or to create their own.

As for my posting here, I have posted about other things, too. And if the folks on NR are going to use NR to trash another site when we are not supposed to be "advertising" other sites by even mentioning them here, well, you can expect some of those who like those sites to come and defend them. I like the MNN site, so I posted here in response. I also like the Famous Message # 33325, so I posted an update to it -- and got trashed for the cardinal sin on putting it in the wrong thread here (and for having the gall to suggest that I might know something of use to those who keep referring newbies to it).

I keep coming back to this forum because most of the posts are not trashing others. But those posts that do keep causing me to ask why so many NSAs seem to be angry at other NSAs instead of at our common enemies.

And, the really funny thing is that I believe in conspiracies. I believe that most if not all history is just the PR spin put on the results of battles between competing groups to control the public. My thing is that I have found that being paranoid in general does not mean I have to be paranoid in every specific instance.

Can we drop this subject now?

Reply by ZeeCA on 4/28/07 10:28am
Msg #187681

Michelle: It is the BEST, so why are you unhappy with it? n/m

Reply by Michelle Smith on 4/28/07 2:15pm
Msg #187749

Re: Michelle: It is the BEST, so why are you unhappy with i

Im not unhappy with Notary Rotary or with Harry. This is truly the best directory out there - even my clients will tell you so. (They'll tell you that other sites are too slow, don't contain enough info, etc.)

What I'm unhappy about is that those who claim to be loyal to Harry actually thwart his efforts to grow membership by scaring them by treating others so poorly.

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/28/07 3:14pm
Msg #187764

What I am unhappy about...

**What I'm unhappy about is that those who claim to be loyal to Harry actually thwart his efforts to grow membership by scaring them by treating others so poorly. **

What I am unhappy about are the free memberships, but here's the deal...Harry is a smart businessman. He's doesn't need me or you, Michelle, putting our two cents worth in **repeatedly** on member behavior or how things oughta be. JMO. Harry's a big boy. He is taking care of NR just fine without us telling how to operate.

I think I see what Charles is seeing in your behavior. Keep talking about how poorly people get treated here and they'll start to believe it no matter what.

You have mentioned this plenty and you just can't seem to get past it. If you stop bringing it up a lot of controversy will settle. However, you seem very invested in making sure there's a new leaf turned over on behavior 'round here and you're even starting new threads on it. Now I understand what Charles was getting at. By golly, you want change and you are going to see that change happens.

I could keep talking about how unhappy I am about free memberships and access to this board by non-paying people who gripe a lot, but I suspect Harry would shoot me an email and tell me if I didn't like it to take a hike. It would be very negative and destructive.

You don't have to take the health of NR onto your own shoulders, Michelle.

Harry's on it. I guarantee you...he's on it.