You need to ask yourself why it is that a group of members left to start their own thing. They didn't do it because they enjoy the challenge of learning a new technology or because they wanted to incur the very real costs associated with such an undertaking, or because they have extra time on their hands. They did it because they grew tired of the capricious and often absent moderating that could not deal with constructive criticism. I have watched over the past 4 - 6 months as member after member that I respected received bans, some temporary and many permanent. Let's not pretend that this started over a few members posting up a URL to another site. The beef with the direction this place has gone and with moderators on this board stretches back much further than that. Just look at the comments by Boulderbuds for an indication of the direction you have taken:

hopefully at some point things can get back to where they were but frankly, the whole forum doesn't seem to attract much these days. Even the stickies in the colorado section aren't posting much.
Bolderbuds isn't a member of a different board and his comments certainly weren't solicited. Once I found that other site few weeks back I did make an effort to pull in a few of my friends. But that is only natural and should not represent a threat to you. It amazes me that a board with 60 members could cause you so much anxiety that you would put their URL in your banned words list. Do you do this with other sites such as International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums? No you don't. Yet members here regularly post pointers to their forums.

Head over to reefer**v**.com and engage them in discussion about what went wrong. I'm sure you will get a constructive response. Post a URL pointing back here. I am certain that they will not delete it. They are about building community, a wider community and they realize that people can be members of more than one community. Heck, I'm still here, right? But OK. Out of fairness and respect I will modify my signature. That was unwarranted. It just reflects the sadness I feel for the community lost.

Concerning the under 18 policy - I have not seen a detailed or intelligent explanation for what the new policy is why the old policy was changed. I think you owe that to members. If I have missed it please point me in the right direction. Frankly, it is immoral to cater to under age members. I want no part of that. And by way of warning, do not be surprised if an irate parent with dollars to spend comes after you for contributing to the delinquency of their child. I know I would think nothing of throwing 20K at a lawyer to make you pay if I felt it was warranted.
bigsby Reviewed by bigsby on . Weiner Whacked, NOT Hacked drudge://http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rep-anthony-weiner-picture/story?id=13774605 Bye-Bye Anthony Weiner......clocks ticking and your mainstream media puppies can't save ya know. Rating: 5