unfortunately you would constantly have to worry about people picking pieces from you bonsai :) just kidding, I would not think about doing this seriously, but the idea is good for a few laughs.

So now there are paid advertisements as hot links in our posts??? This site has went right in the crapper in the last year.

I noticed that as well Zube, but I keep plugging away.

Marijuana will not make bonsai. It might look good for those under its influence, but as material for the unbaked it is pretty sorry.

Yeah, the hot links in posts REALLY REALLY disturbs me. I found one in a post of mine a couple of days ago. I complained to the administrators. Gives me GREAT pause about posting here anymore.

This may be one more case of urban myth. I have heard the story that some years ago one of the vendors returning home from an event at the National Arboretum in Wash DC was stopped by a state trooper who thought that a lace leaf maple in his van was marijuana. Anyone know if this is fact of fiction?

I called the new leadership idiots and mentioned another forum other than gardenweb a few days ago because of them inserting spam into our text. I received a friendly reminder from garden web to be nice and follow the rules of use. I can do that. No problem.

But what sane individual actually believes that they can insert spam into my messages and think IÂm ok with that? It comes across like I endorse that item and that is wrong. And what sane individual actually believes IÂll click on the spam and spend my money? It has the opposite effect. I will NOT spend money with spammers ever.

I feel there is no interest in the forum as a functional site for happy campers. It seems owners are only out for their interest and care little for us users.

IÂve been a member for quite a while, but find little reason to think this will get better. That is sad.

Another note: The amount of spyware my computer is receiving has about doubled since this started. Is it coincidence?

I was asked to post this last line in any messages I post to garden web now. Big brother is now watching over me very carefully. He has a great deal of interest in making sure I behave, but little interest in having a user-friendly forum. Oh well.

ItÂs quite possible this is my last post after they see it. What ever happened to free speech in this country?

randy

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING LINE IN ANY RESPONSE:
GardenWeb mail response mc205050814382522517ec rosa

It stinks when you just can't have a discussion with out being told what to talk about and how to say it.
I got myself banned from another place to talk about bonsai on the web for the most small and trivial reasons ( I thought) but since the head honcho over there takes offense at being looked at sideways, the list of those who lik eme are banned for life grows ever longer.

Besides, Marijuana is a seasonal plant. It grows with the soul
purpose of creating seeds for another generation to live on.
You can strech out the life span alittle but after awhile
the plant will run out of steam and pass.
Hal

I just realized that last line was to be used in a response to them personally, not added to all my posts.

randy

Japanese maple leaves are mistaken for schwag all the time. Not a new story...

For what it's worth, I have no problem playing by GardenWeb's rules. The thought there is free speech on a sponsored forum is a little nearsighted. This site has no obligation to carry anyone's views. It is a private site. They make the rules.

It would, however, be nice to know what those rules are. If they entail sneakily inserting unauthorized (and apparently key-word activated automatic) links into posts, then I no longer wish to play here.

Mark

I'm actually farsighted :-).

randy

Firefox + Adblock and NOTHING you don't want is displayed/downloaded by your computer. That removes any advertising or spam this site may be spewing, and the builtin pop-up blocker is pretty effective. It won't fix the problem of having your words displayed on another's computer with the spam being inserted... but ....

WF

I'm running Firefox as a browser & XP Pro as my OS. But technology keeps going forward. Pop-ups become pop-unders, and so forth. Of course, I realize that GardenWeb doesn't owe me a thing, but I've seen, I mean heard of, porn sites with less browser manipulation than this place has. It used to be great. Now it's the bottom of the barrel.
zube

I don't care if I can see the ads. I care IF OTHER PEOPLE see them in MY posts...That implies I put them there.

Chill out ,the Bush administration will not come and get ya!!

Well, I guess I have seen enough of these anti-ads in posts threads that it has peaked my interest to respond.

I co-own a webforum, unrelated to gardening...the site costs money to; host,run,market and just keep up takes a lot of time and trying to attract new members is a time consuming process. So I can see why GW would do something like this to try to make money. They are providing a service for FREE that costs someone money to run and host. Unless someone is pitching in for the upkeep of the site then I don't see how someone can complain. I don't have a pay membership here but I think there would be a way to remove the ads if you pay.

Also I think I saw a post somewhere in another forum here about how you can turn off the ad links in posts. I think maybe some people should just relax and take it easy. Anyone with two brain cells should be able to tell the difference between an ad link to one a post author would use. Have you noticed the ad links are green?

Mr.BrownThumb,
Of course the owners of the site have the right to do as they see fit. Advertising is necessary. However, if it isn't done in a reasonable manner, no one will remain here to see it. Where does that leave the site? And this doesn't even begin to address the smarmy method in which many of the 'hits' are being delivered to the paying advertisers. Not much of a service, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I don't lie awake at night worrying about it. I just mostly go elsewhere these days, as does Mark, and quite a few others that used to hang out here. This used to be one of the best little bonsai (and gardening) sites on the web. It no longer is.
zube

It is a co-incidence that Lay's Chips are being pushed at the top of a Dope thread? This is REALLY my last post here...

Y'all know where to find me...

Fly.

I see the anti-pot banner at the top of the thread. Now how appropo is that! LOL

Bill

I write for a living--have for twenty years. This kind of mixing editorial and advertising is creepy.

It's also insulting to anyone who posts here.

Sure, the site has a right to pay for itself. It also has a choice on whether to value the posters (who are the primary attraction here, not the site itself) or treat them cynically.

They've chosen the cynical route.

Injecting advertising into posts without the author's consent shows how much they value the people that are providing the information the site runs on. This tactic smells of desperation on the site's part. I will not return here...

Mark,
I don't think it's just this site. I suspect it's a new Microsoft feature because suddenly I've seen a number of sites with the same thing. For some wonderful reason the "links" don't show up on my computers at work. They must be blocked by our firewall/blockers/filters.

Bill

hmm...well I for one am not bothered by it and think the site is good and can over look the ad thing. From my searching of the web, other forums that were similar to this one wouldn't even allow you to read the threads unless you were a paying member.

The site is free to join and use and whatever they need to do in terms of ad revenue is ok with me. I know that sites like this cost money especially when they offer you free image uploading to ask your questions or show off your plants.

I guess anyone new here might have your enthusiasm. It would be like someone in the ghetto playing in a mud puddle in a dark alley. If itÂs all they know, itÂs heaven on earth.

Garden web over the past few years is slipping into the mud.

There are a number of free sites out there that have much better formats than gardenweb. They evolved into more user friendly sites, gardenweb didnÂt. ItÂs that cockroach/dinosaur thing.

randy

Mark said "Sure, the site has a right to pay for itself". Fair enough, but to hijack ones thread by injecting hotlinks onto the body of one's post goes too far.

Randy,

Its not like I am new to the internet or forums. I use another free gardening forum that is part of a larger site, I also use/used various other sites and this one is better compare to so many others. I like that information is easy to find and the people are eager to help, unlike somewhere else where people are regularly ignored and out right attacked for not knowing or being new to gardening.

This place is heaven on earth compared to some of the war zones I have seen. And if something like some easily identifiable links detracts so much from the sense of community and the free exchage of information then I think the problems really are something else.

People "endorse" things all the time. From the food you buy to the car you drive you are carrying a logo and advertising for some large company. And in those instances you are paying them to be a walking billboard, you just have to put things into perspective.

Feel free to e-mail me with those sites that have grown into something better than this, because this is the only site I could find that was free and had as much information for so many various aspects of gardening and areas of the country and nice people.

Mr.BrownThumb, if you are happy here, that obviously is all that matters. But this certainly isn't the only free bonsai site. BonsaiTalk and IBC are both free, you merely need to register, the same as here. I preferred this site for it's simplicity. It was a fairly close-knit group. Almost all of the regulars have moved on. Along with Mark, I believe this will be my last post here.
Take care,
zube

P.S. This place hasn't always been 'heaven on earth'. The biggest donnybrook I ever saw occurred right here. Ironically, the topic was 'marketing'.

Well hope you guys/gals enjoy where you all land. Maybe I'll see you guys around BT sometime.

P.S

I got an email from someone here who was lurking and my reply couldn't be delivered. So I will just paste what I was going to reply;

"Hey,

Thanks. Actually when I was looking on the net I was looking for a general gardening site and a specific bonsai site, since I want to get back into the hobby. I signed at BT before I signed up on GW I just don't have much of a reason to post yet, as my info is rusty and hasn't been put to use in a few years. But thanks for the info."

BTW, I was really just kidding with this whole post, I remembered what my roomate did and wanted to have a few laughs about it. I am disappointed that this has turned into a serious discussion about spam.

Mr Brownthumb

It was not my intention to imply you're a slacker as to internet know-how or that you lack wisdom. It was my intention to point out you are on the tail end of a once flourishing web site. 4 years ago a post on the gallery rarely stayed on the 1st page beyond a day. If it did, it was because of responses in the 40-50 range or more. I can remember a few that went well over a hundred in a few days. The same was true for this side of the forum as well. There were quite a few wise old veterans posting and helping others. Garden web was a great place to hang out years ago.

Now a post on the gallery may stay on the main page for a month or more. Very few get more than 2-3 responses.

I guess I'm glad you like it now. The current state of affairs is rather sad to me. There are better and less intrusive ways of generating income than what the ownership has done here.

As I said before only a fool thinks the average person is ok with altering posts with spam and then thinking everyone will rush to do business with those spammers.

IÂve stayed here a couple posts too long.

randy

LOL,

Randy it's ok you I didn't take it that way. I've noticed it's kind of slow around here and I guess from what you tell me that it may be the reason. Oh well, I've been late to many parties in the past-why should this be any different.

Good luck all, maybe I'll see you all around the BT forum.

ok...i'm new here, but i feel pretty calm @ the links within the text....i know what they are, if i don't touch them, they won't hurt me (like many things in life), and i find them helpful for my "info surfing" fix....but hey, i sure don't deny some online naievete'. plus i figure if i REALLY want "big brother" out of my business, then i stay off the web altogether. as for the sensi bonsai....smoke em' if you got em'!! ;)

Thats crazy, but I bought a tree at walmart claims to be a bonsai but it looks like marijuana, its wierd , very similar.

You guys in VA behind? We've all bought our weed at Wally World since they built it here.

It's Likely Dizygotheca elegantissima, aka Schefflera elegantissima, common name false aralia.

Al

Here is a link that might be useful: This look familiar - a close relative?

Might have a go at this with the hemp from fishing shops, as it looks like a proper pot plant, but has been treated so it isn`t intoxicating.

Interesting.

Dave.

Marijuana plant is not bonsai plant,the two are different but it just looks same as bonsai.so,people taking it and saying bonsai,the bonsai is which it grows shallow and small in size,where we can keep it in our house.
=========================
miker

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.marijuanaaddictiontreatment.com

Mine look really good next to my bonsai cocaine plant and bonsai heroin poppy.
That's sarcasm.

I know of a guy who hedged his marijuana amongst tomato plants, and then added red fishing bobbers to the marijuana plants. Grew them around the perimeter of his backyard, and never had a problem. I'd never recommend such a brazen maneuver, however.

I also know of a family who'd been growing opium poppies for quite some time, right out on an open hillside, harvesting the plants, and making "tummy medicine." That just about cracked me up. So innocent. They are immigrants, and so I kindly suggested that this could jeopardize their status.

Josh

this is a silly post in the begining, but. I have read many articles on the possibility that marijuana can be kept alive at the size of bonsai, but because they are a fruit they loose just about all their plants leafy matter after the winter and they die back(I.E.-they have exhausted all of their energy by this time) they cant be kept for any longer than a single growing season. Also they are not hardy enough to live through a frost.

How about basil?

This is no joke.I'm worried that my young Papaya plants growing in a climate where nobody but me would even try,will be mistaken for the wacky tobbacky.

i think marijuana should legalized in some more country

Here is a link that might be useful: Medical Marijuana Colorado