Homework for April 2025 - Forum Friend or Foe?

[Shelley Hansen]

Hi All

Apologies for my lack of contributions again of late. Life is complicated! Anyway, here's a "day in the life" of an ABPA Forum moderator ...

FORUM FRIEND OR FOE?
(c) Shelley Hansen 2025

I moderate this Forum site. You'd think that it's a breeze
to check in on participants and posts. "A job of ease!"
I hear you say. And so it is - or rather, it should be,
if not for what goes on behind the scenes, that folks don't see.

You see, my email's linked to Forum messages that come
from members needing access, or for techno help for some.
And though I'm very wary and security is strong
with passwords, there is always just a chance things might go wrong.

An email from the "president" says, "Urgent you make task".
"I wonder why he's moved to live in Senegal?" I ask.
For that's the message origin - and so I hit "delete"
and trust our "president's" request may now be termed "complete".

Investment opportunities invite our modest cash -
just transfer to a bank account in Cuba for a stash
of bitcoin that will make ABPA a global star!
Delete! I think our members' fees are better where they are!

Some messages arrive in the Cyrillic alphabet
and some Chinese. I haven't mastered either of them yet.
Perhaps I'm missing notices of massive lotto wins
and legacies from royal aunts who've paid for all their sins!

We've always had our scammers who were never ridgey-didge.
Some tricked naive investors into "buying" Brooklyn Bridge!
And Lawson wrote of Steelman and his whingeing sidekick Smith
who separated people from their moneybags forthwith!

But now it's more insidious, with higher dividends.
Though they may masquerade as such, the scammers aren't our friends.
So if you send a message on this friendly Forum site,
make sure it's Aussie English! Chances are, you'll be alright!

[Maureen K Clifford]

Oh well done Shelley with this fabulous write - you absolutely nailed it girl. I do hope that life's complications ease up for you - I know only too well how wearing they can become. Sending warm hugs your way.

[Catherine Lee]

What a nightmare, Shelley - it is most certainly NOT a breeze to moderate such a Forum, and so time consuming! I really enjoyed this write though, and you hit things on the head, keeping wry humour at the same time as listing these irritations. Well done!

[Shelley Hansen]

Thanks so much Maureen for your kind wishes. Hoping for less complicated times ahead!

Thanks Catherine - and it's interesting to interlink my poem with Gary's comments on your post. I also noticed the unbelievable number of "hits" on it and also on Gary's thread. And my April homework poem just posted has supposedly already received thousands of views.

I think not. Something is obviously going on behind the scenes so I will send an email to our technical wizard David and see if he can wave his magic wand - or at least check it out.

Cheers
Shelley

[Maureen K Clifford]

I'm easily sucked in I do believe