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From Skeptic Overlord ATS
#1
Quote:As many of you know, ownership of this site has changed hands in an anticlimactic way. The transition generated no "wealth," we waited too long to let go. It came down to finding someone to carry on.


Back in 2003, we nearly lost ATS forever due to rising hosting costs. Simon and I arranged a partnership where I would take over the technology, pay for a new dedicated server, and see if we could generate enough revenue to grow.

By 2007 we attracted angel investors, had a major relaunch party that included celebrities, and was covered by CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and the New York Times. Soon after that, the Vice President of ABC Radio was personally selling our podcast (ATS MIX) as a new radio show to ABC affiliates across the country. A best-selling author wrote an entire book, expanding on the topics found here, and Grenada TV planned to begin production of a series hosted by a celebrity that had to bow out due to a starring role in Law & Order SVU. We came close to breaking out of the web.

By 2010 Google was inviting us to their headquarters to talk to their team about our content and ad strategy. We presented the same topics for the Interactive Advertising Bureau and went to Washington, DC, three times to lobby lawmakers for online free expression rights.

Your content made the New York Times' front page (twice), prompted a press release from the FBI naming ATS, and was directly responsible for the accelerated hardening of network security in government, banking, and military (because of the leak you exposed).

You exposed frauds, championed truth, and espoused skepticism toward anything an "official source" stated. For the most part, nearly any controversial alternative concept was embraced and studied. The goal, find that which has merit and toss aside that which doesn't.

But I won't deny my dark times. Some of which I've not shared. 2015 saw a rapid decline in our advertising revenue. As I struggled to find better sources of user-friendly ads, we showed "shaming" ad-like images in the spots ads would typically appear, but for those users blocking ads. The angry outcry and uproar from members was fierce. I felt betrayed. I had to reinvent myself and find a different way to make a living, as ATS could no longer do that.

Today is a new beginning. A new shot of life. A new future.

Now more than ever, the unbalanced discourse in this country and across the world needs to be challenged. Free expression needs to continue and continue with a righteous vengeance.

This website still attracts more than 300,000 unique visitors every month. That's quite a platform and foundation upon which to seize back the reasonable and valuable challenging of the canceling and opposing of thoughts and ideas one side finds grandstandingly offensive.

You have the ball now. Make a difference. Carry on.
#2
(03-27-2021, 05:16 AM)727Sky Wrote:
Quote:As many of you know, ownership of this site has changed hands in an anticlimactic way. The transition generated no "wealth," we waited too long to let go. It came down to finding someone to carry on.


Back in 2003, we nearly lost ATS forever due to rising hosting costs. Simon and I arranged a partnership where I would take over the technology, pay for a new dedicated server, and see if we could generate enough revenue to grow.

By 2007 we attracted angel investors, had a major relaunch party that included celebrities, and was covered by CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and the New York Times. Soon after that, the Vice President of ABC Radio was personally selling our podcast (ATS MIX) as a new radio show to ABC affiliates across the country. A best-selling author wrote an entire book, expanding on the topics found here, and Grenada TV planned to begin production of a series hosted by a celebrity that had to bow out due to a starring role in Law & Order SVU. We came close to breaking out of the web.

By 2010 Google was inviting us to their headquarters to talk to their team about our content and ad strategy. We presented the same topics for the Interactive Advertising Bureau and went to Washington, DC, three times to lobby lawmakers for online free expression rights.

Your content made the New York Times' front page (twice), prompted a press release from the FBI naming ATS, and was directly responsible for the accelerated hardening of network security in government, banking, and military (because of the leak you exposed).

You exposed frauds, championed truth, and espoused skepticism toward anything an "official source" stated. For the most part, nearly any controversial alternative concept was embraced and studied. The goal, find that which has merit and toss aside that which doesn't.

But I won't deny my dark times. Some of which I've not shared. 2015 saw a rapid decline in our advertising revenue. As I struggled to find better sources of user-friendly ads, we showed "shaming" ad-like images in the spots ads would typically appear, but for those users blocking ads. The angry outcry and uproar from members was fierce. I felt betrayed. I had to reinvent myself and find a different way to make a living, as ATS could no longer do that.

Today is a new beginning. A new shot of life. A new future.

Now more than ever, the unbalanced discourse in this country and across the world needs to be challenged. Free expression needs to continue and continue with a righteous vengeance.

This website still attracts more than 300,000 unique visitors every month. That's quite a platform and foundation upon which to seize back the reasonable and valuable challenging of the canceling and opposing of thoughts and ideas one side finds grandstandingly offensive.

You have the ball now. Make a difference. Carry on.
So if I understand right only ATS can save the world, man that is one Jesus syndrome
#3
(03-27-2021, 10:03 AM)Wallfire Wrote: So if I understand right only ATS can save the world, man that is one Jesus syndrome

A website presumably created to offer an alternative slant to the machinations of Governmental control.
Well-sourced materials from reliable members and keen on probing topics the lame-stream media tend to
ignore.

Above Top Secret...  friends of the FBI, the major US news-outlets, Google and now rues the lack of of income.
Does this sound like people searching for truths or a business on it's ass, to you?
tinywondering

The 'ball' was always supposed to belong to the site members
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 
#4
Yeah, the statement about feeling 'betrayed' was tone-deaf.

I understand he wanted to make money from the site, no problem.  But for all of us who unwillingly have been bombarded by corporate propaganda our entire lives on radio, TV, and now the internet ... well of course if we have a technological fix to block some of the advertisements, we're going to use it.

I would much rather that such an operation move to a subscription model ... with certain things offered to subscribers in return for their money.  Too many of the pleas for funding never consider what they should offer in return for financial support.

I dunno, there seems to be too much drama in this change of ownership.  Keeping the new owner(s) a secret is not a confidence-building approach.

Cheers
[Image: 14sigsepia.jpg]

Location: The lost world, Elsewhen
#5
(03-27-2021, 10:39 AM)F2d5thCav Wrote: Yeah, the statement about feeling 'betrayed' was tone-deaf.

I understand he wanted to make money from the site, no problem.  But for all of us who unwillingly have been bombarded by corporate propaganda our entire lives on radio, TV, and now the internet ... well of course if we have a technological fix to block some of the advertisements, we're going to use it.

I would much rather that such an operation move to a subscription model ... with certain things offered to subscribers in return for their money.  Too many of the pleas for funding never consider what they should offer in return for financial support.

I dunno, there seems to be too much drama in this change of ownership.  Keeping the new owner(s) a secret is not a confidence-building approach.

Cheers

Keep it secret, make it seen that its important and needs to protect its self from the forces of evil, but you to can join us and be part of this secret service that is moving in the shadows and doing great things
#6
@"Wallfire" 

[Image: Fruit-of-the-loom-280x300.jpg]

OH.  You said "great things". tinybiggrin 

Cheers
[Image: 14sigsepia.jpg]

Location: The lost world, Elsewhen
#7
I read the statement over a few times. Still not sure what to make of it. Some dark times? You have the ball? What does that mean? Other parts of it don't say anything at all.  

I have no problem with someone putting in time/effort/capital, trying to make some money. I understand good times and bad times come and go. 

Matter of fact, it's pretty amazing anyone can stay afloat in the "system" with and "anti-system" approach. But I imagine their are limits. Not sure if those limits include Google, the main stream media, etc.  Not sure if DC even cares about free expression. Something about barking and the wrong tree. 

Disclaimer: I am no expert on running a conspiracy website. Just a fan in the stands shouting directions. Take it for what it is worth.
#8
"Matter of fact, it's pretty amazing anyone can stay afloat in the "system" with and "anti-system" approach. But I imagine their are limits. Not sure if those limits include Google, the main stream media, etc.  Not sure if DC even cares about free expression. Something about barking and the wrong tree. "


As tech changes and people face different freedoms and circumstance, I think there are many enterprises that will not survive, outdated and irrelevant.

As far as Above Top Secret goes...  I don't miss them even a little, and they had an abundance of difficult moderators. Too many for my taste. Pluss the members, some just beastly contrarians, trolls, shills and such. I imagine the only safety there was the Mud Pit, anywhere else you were at risk of upsetting the cart and being Banned. I was. They are I'm afraid, far past their theme and usefulness.
#9
Yeah, we left after one of their "Left leaning" mods called Grace an "idiot" on his radio podcast simply because she disagreed with him, and then pushed onward with no retraction or contrition. Not even an attempt to support his argument, just some name-calling and done. I sent him a chunk of my consciousness and left. Never went back for any great length, although I did occasionally check in to see what they were up to, once or twice a year, I figured they'd ban me after I lit that mod up, but they never did. Demoted him to "member" instead, but as far as I was concerned the damage was done, and without an apology from that specific mod, I had no interest in continuing there. They had shown their hand. Name-calling is in no way "Denying Ignorance". it is, instead, promoting it when in the absence of any cogent counter argument.

It was right after we left that their revenue started declining drastically. They had just gone through another of their periodic purges, and booted a lot of the membership... some of whom found their way here. It's hard to keep a business going when you alienate the core of your customer base, AND the people who are doing most of the producing for you. Even I know that, dumbassed hillbilly that I am.

Now I have to wonder WHO the new "silent" owners are. As someone mentioned above, that does not exactly inspire confidence. Most of the furtive folk I know are not people I would choose to hang out with. Some are, but not most.

.
Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king.

Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’


#10
Yeah, I think it's weird they wouldn't just come out and say who the new owner is.  Someone even made a thread welcoming the new owner to introduce themself and....crickets so far.

I love ATS.  So many memories of crusing weird threads at 2am, and going down rabbit holes.  Now, threads are 90% political horseshit.
[Image: Green%20Banner.jpg]
#11
ATS was the first board I had ever participated on. I was addicted from the beginning. Things were good back then, but one had to have thick skin to take part in discussions. I was ridiculed a lot for my threads, which mostly were about UFOs and the paranormal. It was my passion back then; people were not as open-minded as they are today about those topics. 
Times, they have changed. 
There are several new websites being built now that offer FREE SPEECH and no censorship. This site and GAB are two of the best I've found so far. 
TheFoxHole.app is a new site for live streams and replays that is still improving on building up the channels, but it has excellent members so far that offer "truth". 
President Trump is building one too. I think when his is finished, that is where you'll find most all of Twitter flocking to, even the Left, because they will have to try to counter any truth with their lies.

I still visit ATS from time to time also, but I haven't posted anything in a very, very long time.
#12
Yeah, I kind of read Septic Overload's  good-byes, not really though, just a little.

That thread welcoming the new owner to introduce themselves, I asked the OP what color his nose was under his mask. That thread seemed like a brown nosing type thread, like bowing down to the new masters, like being in grade school and sucking up to the new teacher.
#13
(03-27-2021, 05:22 PM)Schmoe1 Wrote: Yeah, I think it's weird they wouldn't just come out and say who the new owner is.  Someone even made a thread welcoming the new owner to introduce themself and....crickets so far.
 
Which, to me, means it's someone or something that we wouldn't respect.   Could just be someone that really, really values privacy, but given the interaction with google, etc., I have my doubts.

I can't believe they fraternized with the enemy.   Maybe it's just as well they kept making me log on and I kept losing my password, I guess.
#14
Mainland Chinese ?



No offence Miss Guohua...!!!
#15
(03-27-2021, 10:10 PM)drussell41 Wrote:
(03-27-2021, 05:22 PM)Schmoe1 Wrote: Yeah, I think it's weird they wouldn't just come out and say who the new owner is.  Someone even made a thread welcoming the new owner to introduce themself and....crickets so far.
 
Which, to me, means it's someone or something that we wouldn't respect.   Could just be someone that really, really values privacy, but given the interaction with google, etc., I have my doubts.

I can't believe they fraternized with the enemy.   Maybe it's just as well they kept making me log on and I kept losing my password, I guess.

That's one explanation for their identity. Another is that they don't want to be targeted personally by the Cancel Culture. Yet another might be that they are Alphabet Bois, and yet another might be that they are enemies of the people of America, like the CCP. There are all sorts of explanations, few of them good.

.
Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king.

Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’


#16
I really don't care for that place anymore.  I began questioning some things in 2011 , which lead me there. It was a stepping stone for me and lead to a life changing event. 

I am forever grateful for that, but it has lived out it's usefulness. 

Later, A T S 


minusculebeercheers
The Truth is Out There, Somewhere
#17
(03-27-2021, 08:17 PM)Michigan Swamp Buck Wrote: Yeah, I kind of read Septic Overload's  good-byes, not really though, just a little.

That thread welcoming the new owner to introduce themselves, I asked the OP what color his nose was under his mask. That thread seemed like a brown nosing type thread, like bowing down to the new masters, like being in grade school and sucking up to the new teacher.


I saw your reply in that thread, and had a good laugh.  

BUT, if that brown-nosing worked and elicited a response from the new owner, more power to him.  Could POSSIBLY have been the motivation behind the brown-nosing.  I hope...
[Image: Green%20Banner.jpg]
#18
(03-27-2021, 10:39 AM)F2d5thCav Wrote: Yeah, the statement about feeling 'betrayed' was tone-deaf.

I understand he wanted to make money from the site, no problem.  But for all of us who unwillingly have been bombarded by corporate propaganda our entire lives on radio, TV, and now the internet ... well of course if we have a technological fix to block some of the advertisements, we're going to use it.

I would much rather that such an operation move to a subscription model ... with certain things offered to subscribers in return for their money.  Too many of the pleas for funding never consider what they should offer in return for financial support.

I dunno, there seems to be too much drama in this change of ownership.  Keeping the new owner(s) a secret is not a confidence-building approach.

Cheers

I envision a new site coming soon with many followers.

My thoughts,

Kind regards,

Bally. :)
#19
I'm sure it's an investment/holding firm with a portfolio of all sorts of online media crap. 

I'd be shocked to find it's an individual, especially one with a "like minded" viewpoint.
#20
Also, of all the things to happen and the years that place was around, to bring up the ad thing and piss and moan about (muh money) was pretty pathetic. 

I remember the ad issue, it wasn't that they were there, it was they were shit ads(if they were static, non moving and especially non audio) nobody would have cared. 

I pointed out in the ad discussion thread about how loud blaring ads were a huge issue and caused me to have to quickly have to grab the dial and turn it down. 

I'm not going to blow out a 500 dollar pair of studio monitors because of your shit ad, and I know damn well ATS wouldn't buy me new ones because of that.

Good thing I'm banned, I would have been a little less dick slobering in the fairwell thread than everyone else(not just the ad issue, all the "forbidden topics").


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