The Uzumlu "tazzer" topic caused much disagreement, and I would like to take time to explain the problems such topics cause us.
Whenever a sensationalist hearsay topic with no hard facts is posted the first thing I do is look left, to see how many posts the member has made. Almost invariably it is very few. This is because new members do not know the history on CBF of dozens of hearsay posts that ultimately nobody could corroborate in any way at all. The reaction is predictable, members reply with a sighful tone, in the "not another hearsay post" style. I believe it is not meant to be a put down, it is actually trying to relax everyone - a don't worry and don't take this as gospel yet message. Things may well not be as bad as this suggests. That was certainly my motivation for posting about the 'gas through the aircon' hearsay of a few years back. The moral of the story I was giving was that we shouldn't let a good story get in the way of the truth. 'Sleeping' gas through split unit aircon systems is impossible, but you wouldn't believe how many times I was told it was being done in the Fethiye area.
The next stage in the hearsay sensationalist topic is other inexperienced forum members jump in and aggressively defend the original poster. In this example the knight in shining armour was one 'lanky' - a CBF member who in his 6 months membership has never found a restaurant so enjoyable that he wanted to share it with CBF members, nor a funny story that happened to him, or indeed ANYTHING other than 19 posts all about burglaries (actually 18 plus on one occassion managing to crowbar into a topic about noisy builders that Uzumlu is a crime hotspot).
I genuinely do not believe that anyone who replied to the original post was rude or aggressive about it. I'm sure the poster was quite hurt because the reaction wasn't panic filled, but calm and questioning. So why is it acceptable that because I set up CBF to help people that it (and I) are fair game for aggression and attack? If I charge you all £10 a year to be members I might see it but not while I do it for nothing. I don't vet every post before it is added (the facility is there mind you) - but I do believe adults should behave as adults and not act like Mr hard man because it's only a computer! It doesn't matter who you are really, CBF has done more good for the area than you.
I'd hope we can advise newer members in a better way that hearsay posts aren't going to carry much weight here until some facts, dates and names are added to the bones. CBF is here primarily to help and advise each other, it isn't a team of moderators telling you all how things are. If you think certain things could be done differently or better, let's hear it. But if you simply want to insult CBF and the people that provide it, you won't be staying. Simple as that.
Thanks.