... and that's a serious question.

The HOTM for the past couple of months have been really slow to get updated and we're still looking at "David and Mylo" in the banner.

I've seen chatter about comments made on FaceBook, but not all of us have (or like or use) FaceBook. If the forum is moving over to FaceBook, then why not just say so and allow this place to go away - since that seems to be what it's doing anyway.

Other than telling me to shut up and go away, what can I do to assist operations here?

I have been wondering the same thing. Understandably life happens, kids, moving, New jobs have been a hot item for many older members who we look to to handle things here. I feel that it is unfair to move a site like this to Facebook. I am on another forum (cars) that did that and it was a huge turn off, disorganized, so much was lost. I think having someone who has the time to assist is a great idea. You would be great for it, al! I don't want the people who need this site and us who prefer to keep our dog's lives separate from our news feeds to lose this place.

The option to move to FB was brought up in the past and was never a popular opinion and honestly I don't want to see it move there either.

The main admins have been busy with real life things. And those others that have handled things in the past aren't able to get on the forum as freely as they once were.

I agree it may be in the forum's best interest to assign more admins but that is ultimately the owner of the board's decision.

Unless it's not something Kelly would like, I think it'd be nice for her to get a break from something like HOTM, or things of that nature, so she can concentrate on her new little person. I think it's a pretty cool little offer you put on the table, Al I think you'd do a great job too!

Al, this is a valid question. I find it redundant and stale to see the same 4 core members helping new people (btw those 4 people, that includes me are not stale or redundant), especially when you see other core members logging in but not responding. I certainly understand having a life, and well mine isn't all that hectic so I do come on and greet new people and help answer questions. But I take having no mods or admins on ever, some haven't been on in over a year maybe 2 years, to be an issue. It can be rather difficult when a new person asks a question, and no one can answer their question. How does that bode well for that new person? It doesn't so they either leave and never come back, or go some place else for help.

I remember at Christmas time, and how members were surprised at how few were participating in certain activities, but look at the bigger picture. If there are less than 10 people on posting, and some days fewer than that, how do you expect a big turnout in say card exchange? Wouldn't a new person feel awkward signing up for something and never have exchange any piece of conversation with any of the other people?

HOTM, hmmm, I love that portion of the forum. again tho, people hop on that don't appear at all the rest of the month. And to be quite frank it is a hit or miss as far as running smoothly and timely, because no one thinks about having a back up who can run things smoothly and timely. This is not at all against Kelly, Kelly should be able to spend time with her little one and not have to worry about HOTM, but as HOTM is set up, it is mainly a mod and admin only deal. A regular member can not change banners for example. In a work environment there is typically a few people who can do the same job as back up, this is not the case here. Kelly has always done a great job, and the last few months someone else should have done it, rather than expecting an expecting new mom to do it. I second Al for running HOTM if admins or mods can set him up somehow, he is unbiased, I don't think Al has ever entered HOTM, and more importantly Al is on enough to make sure things run the way Kelly has always ran things, smoothly and timely.

I do belong to a few groups on Face Book, and OMG, it is beyond hard to decipher, posts get lost in the shuffle, and really it is there to have a "Hijack" type of conversation, helping people it is not well equipped to do. I also belong to a forum that is rampant with info and people willing to help, and this forum used to be that way. The top posts of the day used to disappear off the main bored, because there was so many posts. I also belonged to another forum before coming here. It was in the depths of non existent, pretty similar to this forum. A few people on, but no where near what it had been like before. someone could  post a question and maybe 1 person would reply, and then one day poof it was gone. This site gives new husky owners a wealth of information. And in the past I would always welcome someone and say happily how many people were here to help. I don't say that anymore because it is not true. Again I understand having a life, but if core members who log in would just hop on and say hi to a new person, it really wouldn't take up any more of their time than it did to log in and see no one here. Core members are the foundation to a forum, and once the foundation is gone, the house falls apart. I really don't want to see that........

I guess this was my own little rant, probably because there are new members here everyday, but if they were like me, I wouldn't join today, because of lack of activity. Maybe people just rather spend their little time they do have spent on face book, rather than help a new husky owner? Because I do know a ton of busy non husky owners, who have jobs, kids, social life, and they do spend their extra time on face book. I'm on face book so I can correspond with my breeder, and the crap I have to wipe out on a daily basis is immense, from all of these so called busy people(my family spend an inordinate amount of time on face book, and they have the strangest need to post pics and news, that doesn't even have to do with their family, yet they are too busy to do anything, but be on face book. I am not sure how all of that works, lol).....anyways, that's the end of my rant....We need someone else to help Kelly run HOTM, I think Al would do a great job, and secondly, admins need to see this, and look at the forum, and really assess what is going on. we need people to be proactive and not just log in and see that there isn't any body on, when maybe there is someone they could help. It only takes 5 minutes of someones day, to hop on and say hi, and maybe give a strategy on feeding raw or how to get a puppy to focus, or if your dog had a similar rash...........

And obviously the question and the included offer are just going to be ignored .....

I am hoping that instead of being ignored that your offer is being considered among the powers to be in private so that the best decision for the future is made.

Al, we only have 2 Admins right now and both have recently become new parents so this is kind of to be expected at this time. And Admins are the only ones with the power to change the HOTM banner.

@Huskyluv, I was aware of one - that's part of the reason I made my comment and offer.  Possibly, since being new parents isn't something that's 'overcome' quickly, they should consider sharing their duties with others who have more available time.  Not necessarily me but my offer does stand.

Al for president! I did not know IAHT had a Facebook group? Either way we need fresh meat! A ton of people join, post a pic, get oohed and ahhed and disappear. It's frustrating!

Rest assured you have been heard and are not being ignored.

Rumflower wrote:

Al for president! I did not know IAHT had a Facebook group? Either way we need fresh meat! A ton of people join, post a pic, get oohed and ahhed and disappear. It's frustrating!

There is no facebook IATH group - there IS an H2M2 nation group and multiple state groups.

Oh. Herpderp.

Hey guys!

So, intro for those who don't know me... I'm the forum owner.  I was one of the original three founders and I'm the other Admin who recently became a mother for the first time (see attached picture).

You are being heard and believe it or not, I have mentioned a new Admin a few times in the past several years.  However, we as a team have always less is more and we were find handling things the way they were.  At the time, I checked in more behind the scenes (I do work you guys don't see, which is fine-- I don't need to be the face of the forum anymore, that's not why I did this).  So, I'm your technical person who keeps things up and running and Chris and Kelly were the face of the forum.  That's how it's worked for the past several years.

That being said, times change and this is why we continue to bring up this conversation and I think now is a time for action.  The Forum Staff and I are discussing mods and Admins, but we've always been an open group.  If you are interested in the position or would like to nominate someone for Admin or Mod responsibilities, please PM a mod (I suggest that because they are on the forum more than I am and they have my personal contact information to get in touch with me when needed).

Unless the mods disagree, I will open nominations for a week and then the Mods and I will consider all "applications" and make a decision.  

Please note, I do not take adding an Admin lightly.  This person has technical control of the forum in VERY powerful ways and I will only add one position.  It should be given to someone who has been active for a considerable amount of time.  Mods are different-- so anyone should feel free to apply.

The Staff and I will discuss this more behind the scenes.  Please feel free to direct anymore questions to us as needed.

<3 Tori

Katarina Marie, born 12/28/15.

Love the name. Congrats, Tori!

Just FYI, moderators show up in the forum as people who don't have a "senior", "adult", "Puppy", or "Newborn" ranking over their name?

Tori - she's beautiful! Congratulations to both of you.

TwisterII wrote:

Love the name. Congrats, Tori!

Just FYI, moderators show up in the forum as people who don't have a "senior", "adult", "Puppy", or "Newborn" ranking over their name?

I agree a beautiful looking little pup!! Do I maybe detect some grandparents in the name - which is lovely, btw!

@TwisterII that's a good question and one I've wondered about. Knowing who's an active mod is not the easiest thing in the world on this forum.
If we're interested (or want to suggest someone) who would be the best person to message??

Congratulations on your new baby! and can someone tell Kelly congratulations from us on here as well

Thank you for changing the banner! I was telling everyone at work to go see my puppies on here (cuz I'm so proud! ) but they kept coming back to me saying " Dave and Mylo won" hahaha. I just said "those are my puppies though you see on there" lol.

Congrats, Tori!
Now I understand why you have been missing.

Tori, congrats she is lovely. And if Kelly and Chris see this congrats as well, pics please, lol.

Tori, also thank you for taking the time to address these issues. From what I understand mods names are highlighted in dark blue, and admins names are in red, but, yea it isn't all that clear, unless you really look and see that the rest of us are in black, unless you have viewed someones profile then their names show up as light blue, so yea, it can get confusing.

I will only add this Meredith, JenniferB, and Val are the only mods that are on from time to time, so it would be difficult for most of us to even know any of the other mods.

It's not necessarily people whose names show in blue. Dark blue, yes, but some people's names show up as a lighter or different shade of blue when you are on the forum. Renee's, Al's, Amy's, and Jimmy's names all come up blue when I am looking at the forum, though a different shade of blue, but color blind people might not be able to discern that part as well.

Mer, JennB, and Val are mods though. Tori and Chris are Admin. They show in red. There are some older members that show in green. Not sure what they are.

Let's see if I can confuse the issue, if I'm reading this right then you can see the list of Administrators (in Red) and Global Moderators (in Blue) on this page. Green appears to be subject moderators for a particular topic.

Admin
@Tika (Chris) Last visit : Tue Feb 09, 2016 10:49 am

Global Mods
@arooroomom (Kristina) Last visit : Sun Aug 23, 2015 1:40 pm
@blueeyedghost (Meredith) Last visit : Yesterday at 9:04 pm
@Huskyluv (Valerie) Last visit : Today at 9:59 am
@Jbealer (jennifer) Last visit : Today at 10:19 am

The only reason I have for putting the "last visit" up is so I could tell who might be on line to actually read a message.

So green is subject moderators.

@cmanding (claudia) Last visit: Nov 12, 2015 Subject Moderator for Nutrition
@Niraya (Ceara) Last visit: Jan 26, 2016 Not that long ago, just didn't post. Subject Moderator for Breeding
@SaraB (Sara) Last visit: Dec 15, 2015 Subject Moderator for Rescues

Subject mods are not to be confused with global mods. They aren't the same. Just putting this out there to clear up title color.

Thanks for adding that Al and Jenn, but lets be honest here, just because someones last visit may have been a month ago, doesn't mean they made a contribution. I also thought that Kristina was a training subject mod.....That's fine and dandy that they have logged in...but for example we have had a few posts lately on rescues, now I understand that first hand experience is what new people want, however, I can't remember the last time SaraB was on, although says Dec, having a mod come on that is specific to the question is helpful....Just my 2 cents, but as I said before, just because they logged in, doesn't mean that they contribute. And isn't that why they are mods in the first place? To help contribute to the running of the forum, as well as helping in a specific area?

I am around so feel free to PM me with suggestions/nominations if you wish.