An Open Letter to the Site Owners... From one who resides in the community you have built

While I'm sure that there was some personal interest in the central theme of this site, you started this with the intention of starting a business to make money. With the use of advertising, you found a way to turn a buck. This is fantastic. It is the American way. But what you did was so much more than just create a business, you built a community...

As assuredly as if you went out and bought up a large tract of land, cleared it and built houses, shopping malls, roads and bridges, police and fire stations, and a complex infrastructure to support it all, you built a community. You built a community that spans the globe with it's residents. You built a community that spans almost every concievable socio-ecomomic boundry. You have built a community that spans every interest and background. You have built a community of Mothers, Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, Sons, Daughters, Grandparents and Grandchildren. You have built a community that is very much like a family. We argue and bicker on some things, then band together on others. We exchange serious ideas and opinions on the main forums of ATS, and then joke and laugh with each other on the forums of BTS and in Chat and Mutter.

You have wisely chosen some of the best and the brightest to moderate your community. At times showing the patience of Job, they keep this community from falling into chaos and anarchy.

If you ever have any doubts as to what kind of community you have built, just go pop into mutter, or go give this thead a read: ATS Member and Friend jkrog08

So while I wish you the very best in regards to this business venture called AboveTopSecret.com, I wish to applaud you for building and providing a community for me to spend my free time, in that recent events have proven to me is alot more important to me than I realized. THANK YOU!

Hey, you're right Jaxonroberts.
These site owners could have done a bunch of other things, rather that create a site for a bunch of nutjobs, myself included.

I'll join you in saying thanks to the site owners, and mods, for giving me a place to waste countless hours of my life.

Thanks guys

Very well said. I agree with you completely. I love this place. I spend so much of my time here. It's awesome to find other people asking the same questions. I sometimes come to find thoughts on one thing, then spend a whole day going down different "trails" of thoughts.

I think we sometimes take this stuff for granted. But thanks is definitely due.

So I stand beside Jaxon and the countless others here:

Thank you all.

Definitely gotta give credit where its do. Not only can I reside with my fellow man and actually find common ground but you have shown a great benefit to capitalism. So heres to you.... ::::::

Explanation: Flagged!

Here is my small Tribute to the ATS Site Owners [AKA The Three Amigo's]



The Ballad Of The Three Amigos [lyrics]

One for each other
And all for one
The three
Brave Amigos are we
Brother to brother
And every one
A brave Amigo
We're fighting
For justice
And liberty
Wherever you find us
Is where we will be
For the three
Brave Amigos are we

We are the three Amigos
We are the three Amigos

Over the mountains,
Across the plains
The three
Brave Amigos are we
Stamping out evil
'Til none remains
The brave Amigos
The three brave Amigos
Wherever they need us,
Our destinies lead us
Amigos
We're always together
And wherever we go,
We're three brave Amigos
And we'll be
Amigos forever

We are the three Amigos
We are the three Amigos
We are the three Amigos
And Amigos forever
We'll be

*********************

And I provide here a mp3 link of the above Ballad [8th link on linked webpage: or search for Amigos] for those without youtube access!

The Three Amigo's mp3 [moviethemes.net]

Personal Disclosure: OL The Three Amigo's!

Edited for clarity.


[edit on 11-3-2010 by OmegaLogos]

Well said JR. This place is the very first site that I have gained knowledge about TPTB, the NWO, Monsato and other numerous problems that plague us today. Flag from me as well and continue the good fight.

reply to post by JaxonRoberts


G'day JaxonRoberts

I must agree.....well said

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

I would also like to thank the owners for providing us with hours of information ad great discussions. I stumbled in while hunting information on the whole 2012 thing and just could not leave. Although I can't partner up with the site or pay a membership fee I will continue to click the ads.

I would like to thank not only the site owners, also the community, for giving me peace of mind, insight, knowledge, and countless other tools that I can use in my life. I appreciate it, mildly put.
Godspeed to all of you, from all of me.

Joe

Being honest - i use this site as one of my primary news sources.

I've known this site to get news quicker than the BBC .

Psychiatric institutes the world over owe you a debt of gratitude for keeping members at home on their computers!
Saves taxpayers a fortune.

Very true! It surprises me how some people are against the owners making money, as if it takes away from the site or its integrity. The way it is set up now so that the majority of ads are reserved for visitors and registered users only see a couple of ad blocks is perfect. Major contributors are even exempt from ads.

I will even click on ads that interest me. Not that I will ever buy anything but I may so I will check it out. This helps with revenue I'm sure also because clicks get more money than views. I'm not suggesting blind clicking for the sake of revenue but if you see an ad that may interest you, whats the harm in clicking?

I hope the 3 amigos are able to make a great living from the ads on the site and whatever else is available to them considering the time and effort they put into the site they deserve it.

Call me a butt kisser or whatever I don't care, just speaking my mind.

Nicely said.

I would like to point out one little bit regarding your opening though...

Originally posted by JaxonRoberts
While I'm sure that there was some personal interest in the central theme of this site, you started this with the intention of starting a business to make money.

The site was not started with the intention of a "business to make money" at all. ATS started simply as a place to discuss alternative topics. Due to the talent and quality put forth by staff and members alike; ATS eventually grew to the point where ads were needed to help pay the substantial costs of keeping ATS up and running without the need for subscription fees, or paypal-type donations.

The Amigo's put a lot of their own money into keeping this site alive for years before finally making the decision that ad revenues were needed to keep the site alive with the size it had grown to.

That said, yes, we've got quite the community here.

I dont think the site was originally set up as a business :p


If you go to web.archive.org... and type in abovetopsecret.com as the URL to search for, you can see a history of the site all the way back to the 90s.

Works for nearly every other website too!

[edit on 11/3/10 by dawa]

[edit on 11/3/10 by dawa]

This is fantastic. It is the American way.

I could have sworn it was founded in the UK, but I might be wrong!

reply to post by JaxonRoberts


You are right again JaxonRoberts. Thanks for articulating this for me. I spend more time here than I should but it is stimulating and enjoyable and everyday I learn something new. So thanks to the owner and admin and mods who give their time ...from me too.

I would say that the best way to show your appreciation for ATS is to contribute quality. Although I am sure that the sentiment of your thread is appreciated by those you are applauding, I am not sure a thread that is essentially blatant butt kissing is "quality" ATS style.


Everyone who spends a significant amount of time here, and genuinely tries to contribute the the quality of ATS, (yes even those who start fantastical but popular threads) appreciates the work done by the owners and the mods. You dont appreciate it more simply because you choose to make yourself known for it.

What will continue to make ATS great is to foster an environment where new comers feel welcome, and content that will draw them here. Not content that makes ATS look like a clique with petty infighting and jockeying for favor.

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander


You don't think that sometimes just saying 'thank you' is due? Why would any of us kiss butt? lol That's absurd. I personally just wanted to show my gratitude so I posted as well. I gain nothing from kissing any butts.

And it's entertaining, never a dull moment, much more fun than watching TV, the snacks are first class, and the women.....woo woo!!

reply to post by EagleTalonZ


I think "thank yous" are appreciated, and they can be accomplished in private U2Us or threads clearly titled that they are public thank you's.

Much like applause to individual posters are privately sent in U2Us.

Maybe I am just too much of a conspiracy theorist, or maybe I have just been around the block a few times, or maybe I am just cynical, but when people make a big show of giving praise, or donating to charity, it usually isnt really about the person getting the praise or the charity. Its usually about self aggrandizement.