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SculptedByIron.com
by Clarityandfocus and Dizzy of www.SculptedByIron.com
(For more information on SculpteByIron.com and the MOB, please click on the above banner.)
Sculpted By Iron and the MOB
I view SculptedByIron.com as a board that is open minded and balanced. The members are our first priority. The MOB is a section of forums at SBI created for board owners, administrators, moderators, and select vets which has formed a medium to share info that is important to us and the community as a whole. Our main goal: To remove the bullshit from the internet bodybuilding scene and create a safer environment for AAS users. There are now 120 members of the MOB discussing current events, debating and deliberating for just, fair conclusions or simply creating new ideas for excellence within OUR boards individually. We do not consider ourselves the judge and jury of the net. We're just a group of board staff members trying to make the net a better, safer place. And when SBI says this MOB section is for the Net, we mean it. Just recently we removed all SBI moderators permissions from the MOB. So if there is any post moved, deleted, or closed, it will be because the entire MOB agreed to do so. The staff of SBI truly believes that they are just members of the MOB like everyone else.
As you can imagine our source info is very up to date. When covering as many boards as we do, we get the latest on all the source info. Informed source checks are available through the SBI MOB. I will elaborate the details in a moment.
Also, the administration is of the highest quality on the net. I have observed many, and these guys truly care about their members. They are well balanced and never jump to conclusions. Their decision making ventures are premeditated and they hear all sides of an issue before making a judgment.
Just like FOX news, fair and balanced.
SBI's MOB is our community's NO SPIN ZONE.
Frankly, it pisses off some other board owners. The reason it pisses them off is due to the fact they are not willing to devote the necessary time to the boards they run since they have so many "irons in the fire." I am definitely a member of SBI who is devoted to quality over quantity. Yeah, it's neat to be running two or three boards on the net with several thousand members, but do you know or even care what is going on amongst them? How about the potential legal problems that go unchecked? This is a sensitive issue in our community. A good manager is deeply involved in the online lives of his members. On any given board you have a diverse population of members from all over the globe. Members have their own set of issues for joining the community. Some are troublemakers, plain and simple. This includes "scammers" out to steal your hard earned money. They pollute our community with their petty, self serving and dishonest personalities. These folks must be weeded out like lice in scalp hair. Our community's borders must remain safe. As much as it is within our control, we are responsible. For a board owner to ignore this is irresponsible and lazy. It is bad business and puts our community in jeopardy. This is one of the main reasons the MOB was formed. Our community must remain tight. Honor, trust and integrity shall be our code. Whoever will not abide by this code must go. Why is this so difficult for some to comprehend? It does not require a high degree of intelligence. They are very basic and simple concepts. The buck has to stop somewhere or we all suffer! Someone must take responsibility. With leadership and responsibility always comes flamethrowers and haters. Certain other board owners disdain us. The MOB was a genius idea. Maybe they criticize the MOB because they did not think of it themselves?
Jealousy and petty rivalry in our community is childish, immature and stupid. I don't participate in it and will not waste time for it. It makes me sad to see members of our community slugging it out, post after post. Hell, there aren't many of us in this world anyway. Why turn against each other? A house divided against itself cannot stand. This is one big reason SBI and the MOB continues to be so successful. We stand together as one. The troublemakers will be banned. The MOB originated with SBI and brings great stability and accountability to our community's leaders. It must start at the top because everything rolls downhill. If our leaders are a mess, to that degree will our community be a mess. The administration and staff at SBI knows this and hand picks it's leaders by this code of ethic. We need a plan for our internet community to survive. Tough days are certainly ahead. The quality leaders at SBI have the foresight to know we must have a solid foundation for the coming storms, whether within or against our community from outside forces. Their egos are not fragile or at stake. This makes them able to spit out what is petty and irrelevant, then move on to issues that matter. The MOB was born out of the minds of SBI Administration who care and want our community to survive. They have served our entire subculture well with such a vision. I wish all boards were run by such great morals and ethics.
I am honored and humbled to be part of the SBI staff as a MOD. Dizzy, ronb, ncsports, MysteryMeat and WHODAMAN are stand up leaders I am privileged to serve.
Checking up on your source
By the Mob (Moderators from other Boards)
When ordering gear, it is highly recommended you follow a few simple guidelines outlined below. These guidelines are borne of the experiences of seasoned veterans. These guidelines are designed to protect you and the community as a whole. Adhering to them will ensure a safer and more economical experience for the buyer. Also, it will bring down the costs of living for everyone. This includes board owners, legitimate sources, sponsors and members/buyers. The "trickle down" effect produced by adhering to these protocols is obvious: A smoother, more efficiently run global community. The end result will be a richer online experience for everyone that will directly impact life in the real world.
When you receive a source, the first thing you want to do is ask some questions.
1. Where does the source ship from? If he ships from outside your country you'll need to know if he has a resending policy in case your package is snagged by customs. Some sources will re-ship the entire order if you can provide a customs notice stating your gear was confiscated. Some re-send half the order. One thing you don't want to do is get caught losing some money because your package gets snagged and your source does not have a reshipping policy. So...it doesn't take much. Just ask beforehand if the source will resend upon customs seizure.
2. What mail service does the source use? This is important because you usually don't want to sign for an order. Signing means taking responsibility for and can be used as acknowledgement of what is inside the package. On the other hand, some sources send EMS, which is a faster international mail service that provides tracking. However...you have to sign for it. If the tracking says something strange like "being held by customs" then you know not to go sign for the package if a delivery attempt is made.
If it sits in customs too long, then you know something is up and you can close your PO box.
3. How is the source's packaging? A lot of sources shun this question or flat out lie. However, it is a valid question and should be asked. Normally a source will say his packaging is impeccable if it is so. Of course you will hear from references and source checks details about the packaging.
3. Does the source provide references? Most sources include references in their lists, but sometimes you may need to ask. And this is MOST important. If the source will not give you a list of references for you to check...forget him. It's not worth the risk at all. Some sources may say that they're so good they don't need references, or that their references don't want to be known. They probably don't have any references. A good source will have people that will gladly say he is a good source. Do keep in mind that just because someone says the source is good, or has been good to them, doesn't mean they should be held responsible for someone turning scammer. Unfortunately, it can happen at any time. When checking with a source's references....it's a good idea to actually go to the board where you know they post and PM them. It is a popular trick for a source to give out imposter emails that may resemble or have the references' names somewhere in the addy.
Another thing you want are references that you know and respect. If the source gives you a bunch of references you've never heard of, just go straight to people you know and ask about them (which you should do anyway as you're about to see).
Doing Random Source Checks
After you've checked everything out with your source you need to go straight to people you respect, or who are respected in the community, whose' opinion you trust such as mods, admins, vets, your friends, etc. How many of these should you consult? As many as possible! It also wouldn't hurt to email a mod with a list of the source's references to see if they're all legit. You can never be too careful...this is your hard earned money you're sending off to someone you don't know. A perfect way to get a good source check done would be with the MOB at SBI. In the "Ask the MOB" forum you can start a thread that only you and the members of the MOB can see.
There are around 120 members of the MOB. Moderators, administrators and vets from all over the internet community gather there. You'll have access to a wide base of knowledge.
Also, you'll be helping us. By bringing sources to our attention with a good or bad experience, in turn you are helping even more members in our internet community not get scammed. Remember to keep up with your source checks too. Just because a source was golden a month ago...doesn't mean he couldn't possibly have turned scammer. It can be a tedious, but worthy endeavor if you value your money.
Other Random Rules for Dealing With a Source
Never order from an online pharmacy that turn up on search engines. There are so many scamming sites it's simply not worth it. Never use a source that contacts you (or spams you his services). If you didn't ask for the list, you don't want it. There are plenty of scams set up that way. IMO, it's also somewhat rude...lol If you find good sources, stick with them. It can be dangerous jumping around from source to source if it isn't necessary, from everything to getting busted to getting scammed. This means bargain shopping too. If you find a source that you really can't find that much info on, but his prices are really good, you're rolling the dice, my friend. Pay the little extra money for a source who you KNOW delivers.
Members of SBI have access to a special forum entitled "Ask the MOB/Source Checks/1on1." This forum is devoted to our members safety when choosing or interacting with a source. Buyers, please use this valuable tool. Our well seasoned staff offer a plethora of wisdom and experience. Please read the forum guidelines such as "Rules" and "Important" threads or "Announcements" before proceeding.
* Article by Clarityandfocus and Dizzy of www.SculptedByIron.com.
* Back to Issue #7 Frontpage
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