As many of you know, I have been banned by Saeed Al-Maktoum from the Accurate Reloading Forums. I was a member there since 2002 and wasted way too much time there with several thousand posts.
Many people have emailed me and asked “What the Hell happened?” I said I would get back in touch in a few days. Really AR is history now but I think an answer is called for. This is not meant to create a war between AR and NE.com, but one must eventually answer some of the lies, innuendo and one-sided criticisms.
Also a number of members of AR have proclaimed “that if you are rude to your host, what do you expect?!”
An analogy of that comment to put it in its correct context. If you are invited to a dinner party and during the middle of the dinner your host whispers in your ears so only you can hear it some nasty stuff, insults. You mostly try to ignore the little nasty host. Then he starts to make the same jibes in loud conversation looking at you.
Well I think unless one is spineless sycophant, you would either leave the dinner party, say something or maybe break his over-sized nose. If given the choice I would choose the last.
How did all this start?
Well originally there was a “Carmello photo thread”. No need to go into all the details unless necessary. Some of us got blamed for that thread, yet behind the scenes Don Greenbaum and Saeed discussed it and intentionally let it continue. Their intention was to completely destroy what remaining reputation Carmelo had. Maybe they even instigated the photo in the first place as they seemed to have a very good knowledge of it the instant it appeared.
Yet publicly and hypocritically criticise the thread.
I was actually originally asked to post the photo someone else had created. Why? I refused to post it.
The Ray Atkinson / Pierre Van Tonder / Sheephunter War
As everyone knows the details of this fiasco safari no need to reiterate, but Atkinson and Pierre van Tonder were friends of Saeed Al-Maktoum.
Maybe he has looking for some payback somewhere.
17
Terror Suspects Arrested in
This was the start of the PMs from Saeed, basically indicating I should leave and trying to insult me to leave.
The thread titled “17 Terror Suspects
Arrested in
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/3611043/m/259109363
(now located on the miscellaneous forum since being moved by Saeed)
It basically had a link to a news story of
seventeen Muslim terrorists being arrested in
“Tex21
Posted 08 November 2005 10:27
17 Terror Suspects Arrested in
Not related to hunting in
Jason”
About fourteen posts followed, with general discussion, mostly regular Aussie members and a few Americans. Nothing was very inflammatory.
A while later I planned to read what new posts had been made on the topic and it was nowhere to be seen. So I started the following thread:
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/5621043/m/489107663
“"TITLE:
What happened to the ..... ?
NitroX
Posted 13 November 2005 17:26
What happened to the "17 Terrorist suspects arrested in
It seems to have disappeared. thumbdown"”
Shortly after I received the following Private Message from Saeed Al-Maktoum. As to those who do not think a PM should be revealed under any circumstances, well if you are insulted and provoked on PMs maybe then answering in kind starts to look more reasonable and indeed expected. Should a host be allowed to whisper insults in a guests ears, and then be shocked when the guest makes the insults public?
PRIVATE MESSAGE FROM SAEED AL-MAKTOUM TO MYSELF
“Host: Saeed 1 participant
Active: NitroX
Saeed Posted 15 November 2005 23:17 15 November 2005 16:47
I've found it on the miscellaneous forum.
I guess the "topic" contained the words "muslim
terrorists", which seem to be taboo subjects.
Seem to be a lot of other off-topic subjects on the Australian Hunting forum
which also have nothing to do with hunting and shooting but yet are not
touched!
John,
I did not to answer your very stupid remark on the forums.
What you have posted is either of very poor taste or due to lack of manners.
That subject has absolutely nothing with hunting in
And to say that it was moved because it was about Mulsim terrorists is beyond
belief!
Check out the Political Forum, we do not stop people from saying whatever they
wish.
Let us hope this does not turn out to be just like one of the Carmelo threads,
in which you were a major player.
We have forums for practically everything, and you can post whatever you wish
in the relevant forums. Anything that does not fit anywhere, you can post on
the Miscellaneous Forum.”
MY REPLY
“In reply to:
NitroX Posted 16
November 2005 00:07 15 November 2005 17:37
Saeed
Fair enough.
I am sorry you were upset by my comments.
I did not start the "offending" thread. I just found that one thread
disappearing (I did find it in the end) among so many other off-topic threads
on the Australian Hunting forum being irregular. Half of the topics on the
Australian Hunting forum are about telephone lines being down, cars, someones
new bush block home, the weather, snakes as pets, etc etc. Most Australian
hunting and shooting forums have a lot of chit chat. Many members realise this,
myself included and TRY HARD to occasionally actually put some hunting/shooting
content in.
Also many of the Australians and Kiwis don't visit the "Political
forum" as it is an absolutely aweful forum. If I visit it once a quarter
it is too often. It is close to impossible to have any sort of meaningful
discussion there.
Did any member actually complain about it? Lots of complaints are made about
threads where there is no action, but this one?
As for the Carmelo thread, this is a little ancient history. I know the thread
was purposely left up by the AR administrators to completely destroy Carmello's
reputation, and I always suspected he was not the only target. Maybe I am
wrong? Wouldn't be the first time.
I am sorry too if the "Sheephunter" thread is causing problems for
your friends. What a mess. But easily avoidable as well.
BTW good luck with your new investment. It is a fine magazine. I hope it is a
grand success. Truly meant by the way.
In any case, as I now know the topic moved is a touchy subject, I will avoid it
somewhat in the future.
Actually that was a discussion I had with a friend today, talking about
avoiding controversial subjects in future. I wish.
Regards
NitroX”
TO CLOSE THE MATTER OFF I POSTED ON THE “WHAT HAPPENED …” THREAD ON THE FORUMS DECIDING TO DROP THE MATTER
*(1)*
“
NitroX posted
Posted 16 November 2005 07:17
I received a PM from Saeed where he informed me it was shifted to the
Miscellaneous Forum and that is the appropriate place or the Politics forum for
these sorts of off-topic threads.
Some other things in poor taste were said which I have decided to take no real
offence from, so I will leave it at that for now.
I didn't start the original thread nor add much to it, just questioned where
and why it had been shifted and speculated. At least half to three quarters of
the posts on this forum are off-topic.
As Saeed wrote those sorts of discussions are acceptable on the Miscellaneous
and Political forums.
Enough said by me so hopefully I can bow out of this thread.”
AND AS A RESULT GOT THIS INVITATION TO LEAVE FROM SAEED AL-MAKTOUM
**
“In reply to:
Saeed Posted 25 November 2005 16:35 25 November 2005 10:05
John,
If you feel so upset about the way I run this site, why the hell are still
here?
location:
Now I don’t actually belong to the AR site to talk to Saeed at all. I belong to it to chat about mostly hunting and shooting with its members!
So I replied:
“In reply to:
NitroX Posted 25 November 2005 20:24 25 November 2005 13:54
Saeed
Do you live by your own rules?
Or are you above them?
***
I visit your website to chat with friends and acquaintances. I don't have to
converse with the guy "owning a pub, to visit it and chat with its other
customers."
Almost December, Merry Christmas to you.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: NitroX, 25 November 2005 20:33 25
November 2005 14:03”
Saeed Al-Maktoum continues. He was upset by my fairly neutral post on the public thread above - see *(1)*
“In reply to:
Saeed Posted 25 November 2005 20:47 25 November 2005 14:17
John,
When I come to your site, and behave like spoilt child, you can treat me any
way you wish.
Frankly, you are becoming more and more like Carmelo.
I sent you a PM about that thread I moved out of courtesy. If I had wanted all
that on the forums, I would have answered you there. What ever is said in a PM
is supposed to stay there.
Obviously, that is not what one can expect from you.!
Location:
OK so it is fine to send nasty insulting PMs but try to appear as a gentleman and good host in public.
However I decided to be conciliatory and try to bring the matter to a close, so
replied with this PM:
“In reply to:
NitroX Posted 25 November 2005 21:36 25 November 2005 15:06
Saeed
I will leave those comments lie for now. I think the insults on these PMs are a
means to an end for you, or you are not yourself at the moment.
I want to save my private messages as some of them have contact details of
people, useful information etc. I think you are building up to ban me, and of
course I can nothing about that if that is your wish. Before that happens I
will see if I can save the Private Messages if you will.
I do prefer you really tell me what the true reasons or problems are. As I
suspect there are deeper reasons. Maybe the problems can be worked out?
Please do not compare me to "Carmello", if I was posting on a heavily
censored and controlled website what he posts about me and
"500grains" , about you, then that would be an understandable insult.
ie slander about paedaphiles, homosexual, poaching, etc etc
These attacks are from what happened on AR, indeed a lot of them were due to
one comment from me
"Oh My, "
which set the maniac off.
Instead I have always encouraged people not to rubbish other websites or
members on them, to leave arguments where they occurred.I have defended AR as a
good site to visit and privately asked people like Mike375 (McGuire) not
criticise AR on NE.com.
I also unlike Carmello have never operated a dozen different aliases, never
posted ad nauseum on the same topics hundreds if not thousands of times in a
few days or weeks, I have not caused even a single SPAM email to be sent out
from ANY domain (stolen domain name) let alone many thousands in two or three
days.
Regards
NitroX “
To last week.
Peter Bird also known as Balla Balla, posted a thread asking where or when Atkinson and JudgeG were returning.
I posted a comment about Commander McBragg still dropping in to read but not post. He had been seen several times in the members online section. But had second thoughts so changed the name to Atkinson.
MacD37 posted
“Posted 20 January 2006 00:31 20 January 2006 00:31
How
many Kangaroos does it take to make up a judge , and
Jury in a kangaroo court?
Evidently only one! 
All the evidence, needed, seems to be the opinion of the Kangaroo, to be
decided either way! 
“
Now I have had many friendly chats with Mac and I thought this was aimed directly at me, considering I was the only Aussie posting on that thread. So I sent Mac a PM politely asking “Mac, are you aiming that at me?” Not much more. PMs like that often avoid a lot of misunderstandings.
Mac said no, and it all ended up amicably but unfortunately he decided to post about it on the public board.
An opportunity not to be missed by Saeed Al-Maktoum
“Saeed
Administrator
Posted 20 January 2006 20:59 20 January 2006 20:59
Gentlemen,
Ray, JudgeG and Pierre are gentlemen to the true
meaning of the word. To those of us who know them well enough.
Mac,
I think some of our members from Down Under have an inferiority complex, hence
their childish behaviour.
I would not pay too much attention to them if I was you.”
The language is exactly like his last PMs to me, and as Saeed can read PMs and almost certainly does, this was directly aimed at me.
I may have over-reacted and posted this:
“
NitroX
one of us
Posted 21 January 2006 08:02 21 January 2006 08:02
[quote]
Originally
posted by Saeed:
Gentlemen,
...
.. some of our members from Down Under have an
inferiority complex, hence their childish behaviour. [/quote]
Of course everyone here is aware one member from
The rest of us are just mere peasants to his royal highness. But the internet
I'm afraid is democratic, something that hopefully will spread around the
globe, especially the middle east.
When talking about friends look at how he talks about and treats his
"friend" Walter!
Personally I consider that treatment of a friend in public and so
disgracefully, very nasty and "childish".
Probably time for another light hearted humourous
nasty little story about a good friend to take the heat off, hey?
Maybe time for a
“
I
got banned as a result. Yes I was rude to the “host” but the host is just as
responsible for provoking his “guest”.
Some explanations to the comments in that post.
- “Benevolent Dictator” - this can hardly be an insult, as it is
direct from Saeed Al-Maktoum's mouth. He once
posted he regarded the best form of government was a “benevolent
dictatorship”.
But what happens if you disagree with a dictatorship or their actions?
I think I have proved the result you can expect.
A ‘kangaroo court’ pretty well goes with a benevolent dictatorship.
- “Poor Walter”
“When talking
about friends look at how he talks about and treats his "friend"
Walter! “
Now this one confuses me a bit. Some people have accused me of insulting Walter. Where? When? I have for a long time been posting “poor Walter” after many of the Walterhog stories. One or two of these stories can be funny but so many about the poor guy!.
Looking back to 2002 these stories were much nicer back then.
If this comment especially upset Saeed well then I would like to withdraw it. If they truly are good friends then they can sort out that relationship themselves.
- Someone on the AR boards suggested I was banned for attacking Saeed Al-Maktoum for his defending Atkinson and Van Tonder. Maybe they are confused with Mike378, as I am certain I have never posted anything of this sort on the forums. If Saeed can recommend these guys then that is his business and reputation.
- I would mention that Saeed Al-Maktoum did allow me access to my PMs for a couple days after banning me. I had a lot of contact details, hunt information, travel information on PMs and it was appreciated being able to access them. BTW the PMs on this document I already had saved in November.
Thank you for the temporary access.
Lastly don’t you find it co-incidental that I was banned, the owner of the first and only dedicated Double Rifle Forum on the net, the same week as Saeed Al-Maktoum creatrd one on AR?????
My policy at NE.com has always been to discourage any criticism of AR. And over time there has been many private comments, especially with all the anti-American political posts there by the two administrators. I have always replied, anything to do with AR can stay on AR.
Anyway that is that. Most of the story as I see it.
Read it and judge it anyhow you want. AR used to be an open forum with good behaviour, good discussions. Nothing was ever censored, next to no one was banned …. If you believe Greenbaum about only three people being banned you have to be joking. Maybe three only this month.
Did I want to write all of this. Of course not. But being banned allows only one side to comment.
I will now spend my efforts concentrating on more productive pursuits.
Good Luck and Best Regards
NitroX