.

I think if people are grieving for the Gus they knew online, the Gus who made them smile or think or laugh, grieving is still appropriate -- even if it's only grieving for someone who wants to withdraw from the community.

And still? Giving to a charity is never a bad thing. If everyone here had unlimited resources, they'd probably be giving to charities all the time. And the thing is, it's not a requirement -- we weren't asked, we offered.

I won't delete this, but I think I should stay out of the discussion -- I don't know anything about schmoker / anathema / other name, and it sounds like that was a rough time for this community.

Schmoker/Anathema

Can someone give me a one-sentence summary of this? I was not around at the time.

For some of us it has been shocking; for others it immediately pinged their skeptical antennae. But it doesn't have to become personally divisive.

I'm with bon bon here. Immediately, I was sad. I still am. I also think outside confirmation is a good plan, and that thought didn't occur to me right away. It makes me sad that it did at all, but I think it's reasonable that it did. I think I followed Steph's path, more or less.

So, yeah. I was crying last night. Today...I'd like to be certain.

And David's.

And still? Giving to a charity is never a bad thing.

Absolutely true.

For me, I just don't want it to be under false pretenses.

So don't chip in.

I won't delete this, but I think I should stay out of the discussion -- I don't know anything about schmoker / anathema / other name, and it sounds like that was a rough time for this community.

Mieskie was the third name that person used. Basically somebody new came online, was an active poster. Was kind of rude and aggressive. Was told to settle down in-thread. Ultimately there was a two-week suspension, which the person circumvented with a pseud, leading to our first complete ban. It was very divisive and upsetting and we did lose some valued people in our community over it.

So don't chip in.

Trudy, it's not that simple. IF this is a fake, we as a board have a right to know it, regardless of the charity giving.

Brenda has an actual history with Gus. The check cleared when her company paid him. Maybe she can scan a cleared check and link to it!

Brenda has an actual history with Gus. The check cleared when her company paid him. Maybe she can scan a cleared check and link to it!

Which would prove....what, exactly? That someone named "Guy Straley" exists/existed, and Brenda's company paid him for work in the past, and that Guy Straley existed, at least at that point in time.