Dear friends, for many reasons -some you can easily understand, others not- please do not write comments like this:
This type of commentary, even as a joke, even as sarcasm, even by those who have been in the CTH community for a long time, puts us in a very difficult position.
First, for the risk it presents in keeping this little corner of the internet discussion available. Second, because there is only so much, we can do to protect you from the outcome of your own emotional angst.
As a steward to our conversation, together with steadfast and smart site moderators, I try earnestly to intercept and mitigate all of the attack vectors that can be used by enemies, censors and those who would like nothing more than to shut us down.
We have already lost our ability to run advertising because I refuse to censor our conversations according to the dictates of Google and Big Tech. Please do not give our enemies better weapons.
A gentle reminder….
“Seek first to understand, then to be understood”
1.) First, please READ THIS ENTIRELY – and the full text of any discussion you wish to participate in.
2.) PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC – do not post something unrelated to the specific matter and content of the thread subject. There is ALWAYS a daily open thread available for any subject you feel should get attention. Never place unrelated, “O/T”, or “Off Topic” comments on a thread unrelated to the topic. It is not ok to say: “sorry, O/T but”… or any iteration therein, it is quite rude.
The Treehouse operates on the ‘old school’ standards and practices of civil discourse amid the original blogging community, long before social media took over.
3.) PLEASE NARROW YOUR THOUGHTS – Quality beats quantity. Please construct your comments to target specific areas and not broad generalizations about the discussion topic at hand. If you have four or five disconnected points, break them up into individual comments; that allows people to respond to the specifics.
4.) PLEASE AVOID GENERALIZATIONS – Do NOT speak in riddles. Words like “he, she, they, it, them” should rarely be used. Spell out “who” using the name, spell out who “they” are at the beginning of every sentence in your paragraph; so that there is clarity as to who you are talking about. Please avoid using acronyms.
5.) BLOCK PARAGRAPHS – Do not post huge blocks of text. Think of the reader, and modify your presentation for understanding, not for exclaiming. Do not write to yourself, you are writing to others, so please structure your thoughts so other people can grasp and enjoy. NEVER post massive blocks of text without paragraph breaks.
Do not post huge blocks of text
6.) PARAGRAPHS – Should NEVER be longer than two or three sentences taking up three to five standard lines of text. Again, you are writing to be understood, the emphasis should be on the reader comprehending what you are sharing.
Do not post huge blocks of text
7.) SPELLING AND PUNCTUATION – This is not school, and we do not demerit for poor spelling, nor do we allow anyone to call others out for the same. However, if your construct is too poorly written the context is lost and important details can be missed. Read the comment carefully before you send it. Proofread it again. Does it make sense?
8.) TIME – Everyone ‘s time is valuable. Many of our discussion threads are 500 to 1,000+ comments long. We try to limit the comments to 500 and then post another related thread, but with some research threads it is challenging because we do not want to break a continuity.
9) CITATIONS – There’s a big difference between an opinion and an assertion of fact. Obviously, most comments are providing opinions, the discussion expands when we hear them. However, if you are making an assertion of fact, you must attach a citation for review. If you do not have a citation – don’t post; this avoids spreading rumors, gossip and unfounded claims. Also related, do not post random links without an explanation of the reason, purpose and content that is behind the link.
10.) THOUSANDS ARE WATCHING – For every person writing a comment, there are easily hundreds of thousands of reading lurkers on every discussion thread. Do not disparage our conversation with vulgarity, profanity, or any expressions of any “ism”.
In the modern era of the internet, there are many voices who try to shut down conversation and information sharing. We put a lot of effort, more than anyone could imagine, into keeping this little corner of the internet open for you to research, share and discuss some pretty important stuff. Please do not provide ammunition to those who seek information control through deplatforming.
11.) MODERATION / FILTERING THE HATE – Because of our honest approach at seeking facts and truth, and openly discussing various analytical theories along the way, we are bombarded by those with ulterior motives which include:
- Intentional efforts to distract.
- Intentional diatribes to affix labels to our objectives.
- Intentional expressions of rabid hate, vulgarity, and threats.
- Trolling and professional obfuscation.
- Concern Trolling as a tool of distraction and derailing conversation.
- Psy-ops and intentional efforts to diminish fact-finding.
We do our earnest best to stop the agenda-horde at the moderation gates, however sometimes they get through.
If you see something untoward say something. When a new comment surfaces that we view is likely presented only to argue, we watch carefully – but we also are not perfect. You can help. There is a flag feature that helps identify trouble. Also, feel free to alert us via email.
12.) MANNERS MATTER – Simple kindnesses and courtesy should always be present in tone and content. When writing, ask yourself before you hit send: does this add value?
13.) NO PERSONAL ATTACKS – Ever. The fastest way to lose commenting privileges is to ridicule, bully or personally attack another person’s opinion or comment. Unfortunately, people, often good people, let their passion interfere with good manners and personal judgement. If you cannot be polite or respectful, pause – and – do not comment.
14.) TONE and HONESTY – Often the information and research CTH provides are about challenges we face and/or events that are hidden from larger review. It can be frustrating to see the scale of corruption; however, only you control how that information is absorbed by you. The truth doesn’t care about our feelings. Try to keep an even keel and optimistic disposition.
15.) DEVICES – It is a reality that many people use their phones to browse information and/or comment. Cellular phones and iPads are okay for reading, but also present challenges in commenting. Please make every effort to avoid the run-on issue of text from these devices. Put extra spaces in your paragraphs. Also remember your service provider (ISP) may have filters to limit the websites they permit you to view. It’s not CTH, nine out of ten issues are related to your service provider.
This control issue is worse in 2024 for obvious reasons.
SUMMARY: The Tree House community has historically accomplished a lot. Through exhaustive research and analysis our accuracy and reputation for truthful fact-finding, regardless of discomfort, is well regarded. Retain that distinction of intellectual armament.
We are The Conservative Tree House, not because of any political affiliation, but rather because the word “conservative” expresses our outlook. We would rather be deep, than wide; we would rather be honest, than popular; we avoid semantics in favor of accurately presenting both intention and meaning.
We are bold in our willingness to go into conversational places where others do not, and we are brave enough to stand firm for principles which are time tested.
We would rather advertise our outlook, so the viewer can understand our perspective on a particular subject, than deceptively claim we are something else and deliver an inherently biased view. The entire spectrum of the MSM is based on the latter.
Every reader knows where we stand on almost any issue, and our opinions -while they may be unpopular- are based on solid research and analytical insight into the subject matter at hand. This is why our predictive analysis is routinely more accurate than others.
Lastly, and most importantly, this Treehouse is a conversation. A place to connect and realize you are not alone. There really are more intellectually honest, kind and pragmatic problem solvers, than people who choose to be angry and comfortable with perpetual conflict.
Hopefully, a visit to this little corner of the internet is just like sitting on a porch with friends. And because the “conversation” is the reason we are here, this means YOU are important; do not diminish yourself.
[Remember] …” However, each of us got here, it’s probably a fact that we have the turmoil of those storms in common, perhaps some unease that we could share and always, we also find fresh ground to cover from day to day.
We’re developing valuable relationships as we trust one another in our community in the woods. The chatting in the branches encourages, strengthens and equips for some serious walking.
We think the Treehouse is a good intellectual armory for those who doing long distance walking for the sake of our nation. We hope you’ll think so, too. Find yourself a good branch….or just pull up a rock to the campfire”.
Wolverines faithfully patrol the perimeter.
Humor is also a good way to avoid fear. A laugh in a foxhole is priceless.
Be kind and please be respectful… Manners really do matter… after all, this is a fellowship.
Love to all,


Thank you, Sundance.
I’m sure no one wants to lose this open forum. Hope everyone respects and honors your well stated perimeters.
I’m under the weather so have spent a lot of time here the past few days, mainly reading comments.
My sense is that nerves are raw, because while we won the election, what happens next is not within our control. We’re hyper focused on cabinet picks right now, and there’s reason for both gratitude and concern for some of those picks.
It’s been a wild ride the past 4 years and many of us want desperately for the incoming administration to “get it right” this time. Nerve wracking doesn’t begin to cover the present moment.
Eric’s been here a long time, and while he certainly shouldn’t have made the comment, I can forgive him his tension right now. Most of us are dealing with with it in our own way.
Anyone breathing atmosphere is “under the weather.” I wonder if you can volunteer your time to help police the CTH. I don’t even know if Sundance is looking for volunteers, but you might make the offer. I wish I could but I don’t have the resources.
Sorry but didn’t you just do exactly the same thing?
Beat me to it…but didn’t we read something above about not being able to repair low IQ?
uh … yeah
My first thought too!
There is no way to protect the page other than reviewing each and every comment. There are those on the left that relish any opportunity to throw a wrench into your works.
Thank you, Sundance. We must be better if we are to win the war, we are currently engaged in. We have triumphed in one battle on Nov 5th, but there are many more coming.
The troll near the end of this post is from, correct me if I’m wrong, ‘The Thingamajig Book’. It should be in every home with small children!
Carry on….
Not all Eric’s are to blame. That guy knew better.
damn right.
A classic case of guilt by association–I know the feeling.
I’m grateful for this site – especially for the moderation, reminders for decorum and concise communication among other things. It is lacking elsewhere.
Many blessings.
PS:…and, if any of you remember some of my posts about DJT never being elected to the presidency again…well, I was wrong.
Aye aye, Captain.
I find it very interesting that many of the Treepers were trying their best to find a way to redeem Eric instead of totally washing their hands of this person.
That is very telling of the caliber of people who frequent this website, very telling indeed.
Understanding and forgiveness, is the way of God. 😉
Eric needs to be summoned is sit down
.
For
Important topic to be sure. That comment was not of our ethos. There are people and groups who monitor and participate on any number of sites. Some have bad intentions such as besmirching a site or linking a site to a criminal act – saying the site condones and promotes that type of act. Some may lurk for a long time and even participate in an acceptable manner – then something changes. Assume it’s the same person (not hacked). Boom post comes and maybe several. Were they changed somehow (outside influence) or were they always lying in wait to attempt to sabotage a site.
Was it due to separate recent events (questionable POTUS choices) or interactions with other posters or site host – or long planned?
Hard to tell, but remember there are agencies (ABC’s Pickle Factory) and agents (philosophical extremists – hard left groups) involved in what I would call ‘interference’ with MANY sites (typically leaning right or conservative). Making extreme posts, working in concert with others to stage slides and plant extreme conversations, etc.
“Authorities” have a penchant of shaping facts and manufacturing affinities so they come after CTH saying hey you guys have violent speech threats on your site. Which could be astroturfed in or from some new visitor or an old one behaving different.
With the left going gung ho to wreak havoc and destroy right side alternative information sources + the DS going gung ho to screw POTUS –> Conservative platforms and podcasts are under fire.
Wow have we come a long way since 2012 & Trayvon! Things were so much simpler then, prol not as good for TCH but we had a good group back then as we do now with all treepers in solidarity (most of the time).
I sympathize with you and the admins in this new world in which we reside.
I appreciate & love you all.
I view posting on CTH like being invited into someones home. I don’t insult my friend who invited me in, nor do I make my friends home filthy.
And I don’t stand outside the door shouting at the neighbors.
Kinda hard to block all feds from posting I would imagine.
Leftist trolls write stupid things because they are trying to get sites as this censored or deleted.
Or worst, wants US to be put on a “List!”
That means we must be disciplined and not react to them. That is their goal, to get you to react badly and get this site shut down. Ignore the trolls. When they can’t get a reaction they will go away.
Internet Trolls Are Narcissists, Psychopaths, and Sadists
Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response
Let’s start by getting our definitions straight: An Internet troll is someone who comes into a discussion and posts comments designed to upset or disrupt the conversation. Often, in fact, it seems like there is no real purpose behind their comments except to upset everyone else involved. Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response.
The next time you encounter a troll online, remember:
These trolls are some truly difficult people. It is your suffering that brings them pleasure, so the best thing you can do is ignore them. – psychologytoday
I think that it is: “In a world of Fools, be Professional.” And, when responding, honestly weigh in: does it need a response, and can your response meaningfully contribute? Not every one does.
Yes
I would like to mention that continuously calling people who have conflicting ideas “trolls” is counter-productive. I have seen much of that recently. It only serves to foment an argument without refuting the point of the other poster. It becomes a spat between posters. Maybe there should be a definition of a troll because the insult is thrown about quite often. And who really knows for sure who is a troll vs just someone that has another conflicting opinion or idea.
Recently I have held back sharing this site with others due to all the petty name-calling. New people who are not as ingrained in support for all things Trump can be turned off of the valuable information shared by Sundance and also the many very informed posters. That repeated type of negativity of posters to other posters and not to the points expressed is time-wasting and also not civil discourse IMO.
Maybe we need a definition of “troll”.
Agree.
The flip side, equally irritating, is to be chastised by obvious Karens. A covid legacy if ever there was one.
Appeals to authority carry minimal weight as well.
Distinguishing a string of facts from inference is also material.
In the event, while the psychological and group techniques are sometimes evident here (as they are almost everywhere on the Internet), one bedrock identity of this place remains steadfast in place: a common energy to share information and advocacy opinions with a modicum of self-restraint. The temperature elevates at times. Comes with the territory. There does not have to be consensus on every concern (a popular term of late).
And an offshoot to that is to avoid branding people as “Karens” simply because they suggest we remain vigilant in the face of a determined, capable, rabid, cornered enemy and resist the temptation to become complacent.
‘Nuff said.
You betcha! Of course, you’ve made a huge assumption since you have no clue, Einstein, vis what posting behaviors prompted my observation.
What people? All? 25? 10? 2?
I know it when I see it. Have been experiencing it ever since Covid.
I could care less whether you agree or not.
Cheers!
The post was wrong, but not to see the entire thing in context is wrong as well.
The level of self-importance and self-seriousness here recently has been pathetic. ESPECIALLY given the wonderful lack of either in President Trump.
I do not know Eric personally but his name and profile pic are quite familiar. And like me he is one of the few commenters using an actual NAME and not a made-up handle.
Also like me, Eric is sick of the doom and gloom that has taken over this board. From “the sky is falling” paranoia over Pam Bondi to laughable freak-outery over an innocuous post from Vivek R, this site has taken a wrong turn somewhere.
Eric, clearly, is making fun of all the gloom here lately…his comment is lampooning what you all are essentially implying with your criticisms of President Trump and his decisions.
In truth, it is more so coming off as sour grapes over those “cabinet proposals” not being chosen.
Remember, we voted for Donald Trump, not some anonymous blog owner. It is HIS leadership we want, and HIS decisions we must support.
Be of good cheer, people. Laugh a little. We won, now enjoy it.
I do believe the intent here is prudential: preventing TPTB from exercising authoritarian controls.
Otherwise, you are spot on.
You are of course free to start, and pay for, your own blog.
Rather than come to Sundance’s house and insult him.
The rest of us will be here not pretending.
For all those in the community….
Hover your mouse over a post and there is a gear and a flag that appears on the right.
You can flag an offensive post by clicking the red flag on the right side.
Enough flags, and the post may be reviewed by the admins.
WARNING:
Just a quick note about those warning flags. I’m using an iPad which for some unknown reason automatically triggers these flags as I scroll through the comments. It happens on both the right and left margins. It even happens within he body of the comment. I try to reverse these triggers because admin doesn’t need unnecessary flags. I’m hoping it might stop when I upgrade from iOS 15.x.
Incredible. My hope is that the person who wrote that is no longer able to post here. That is inexcusable.
Eric, that post was not GREAT. You’re slipping buddy.
First of all, Aye Aye Sundance.
Secondly, I don’t truly know what is in the heart of anyone else.
Finally, giving Eric the benefit of the doubt, I land on the side of believing the comment was mocking mimicry. Albeit – something that can be very “costly” in this day and age. This case is likely a lesson for all of us. Context is difficult in text and for wide consumption.
Perhaps we should throw Eric in a pool of water and see if he floats like a duck (thanks to MP & the holy grail)
What an awful, awful thing to post….anywhere!
Unimaginably stupid, or RINO devious!!!!!
Of course, to avoid misunderstanding I refer to the exampled sample comment quoted, above, which I had assumed this was about, reviewed, and related to.
Not trying to be a jerk? Just curious. I see multiple advertisements when I go to this site. I hope that you are getting some revenue from that.
😍
Good riddance, Eric.
I have seen a lot of strange things around here recently but that Sundance has to actually ASK that this sort of stuff should not be posted here is quite remarkable. I learned from a long time poster here – your may not remember Dutchman – never assume everyone will understand a sarcastic comment when they see it.
Turns out even on a forum such as this one with such an amazing gathering of extremely smart, intelligent and well informed people, the sarc (/s) tag can easily prevent misunderstandings.
That said I question the wisdom of writing that comment even as a snark at the concerners.
Me too. Especially since he was already shot once. Some things just aren’t funny.
Did Dutchman leave ?
Sorry I worded that wrong. Dutchman was the one who wisely advised on using the /s tag to avoid misunderstandings.
What a great sobering read.
Thank you Sundance for your tireless endeavours, and all little treepers.
Yes Sir, Boss. Nothing here but respecting manners among acquaintances. I hope the punk who wrote the ugliness had a visit from his County Sheriff, better yet, from the SecretService.
There are some thoughts that are better kept to oneself, especially the violent kind.
Violence begets violence.
Try for the sake of peace, if that is what you want, to follow the tenets of The Prayer of St Francis of Assisi.
Some comments may actually submitted by USG / contractors, counterintelligence operators doing their thing.
This understanding opens up a new view of the comments threads.
I’ve observed that one of the most effective propaganda techniques that leftists deploy is taking jokes and sarcasm out of context and spinning the remarks as being literal. I think it is imperative that everyone in the MAGA movement educate themselves about this and conduct themselves accordingly. Thanks, Sundance, for drawing attention to this.
I would urge people to regularly change their email password. I had to abandon an email address I had used for many years because it was exposed, with the password, in one the many data breaches to occur recently. My email address was used to post comments not made by me, and to take over two of my online merchant accounts. Fortunately, my credit card info was not stored there.
It is a shame that some out there just will do anything to get the likes of CTH and we followers into a potential situation that could cause major damage to our freedom of expression here. This was intentional, and we all know it. There are just those that have no decency in them at all.
That person, or AI bot, is the enemy, not merely providing ammunition to our enemies. Surely designed to bring big trouble here.
Thank you Sundance. It makes coming back to the branches of the trusted Last Refuge of us conservative misfits tolerable in the least and mostly enjoyable or even possibly exciting.
Agreed. There is no place for comments like that here, no matter which party.
Thank you for the reminder Sundance and this opportunity you give us here.
Thank you Sundance. I respect all the rules. Sad that people still in these comments continue to write 4,5,6 paragraphs. Why don’t people respect the rules?
This sill not stop people from poisoning this well. I wish I had the time and focus to volunteer to support a cause which polices this kind of thing. I hope some good people here do have the resources.
Over the years, I have learned more from this site than anywhere else on the internet. It cannot disappear.
I’m sure there are always new people joining this site and I welcome them. I think a periodic reminder of the rules is essential and probably should be re-posted every three months or so, to inform new people and remind the veterans.
I’m sure we’re all watching Trump’s every move and we’re probably all fearful of any mistakes he might make, so I understand the level of anxiety. I constantly remind myself not to worry as much and to see how things play out.
Everyone makes mistakes, but I suggest we all take a deep breath, relax, and see what comes next.
Thank you Sundance for your expert work and your guidance through the government maze.
❤️
Sundance, I feel your pain. You shouldn’t have to say this. Any person who violates the rules you have posted is a rude, inconsiderate, frightful twit. ‘Eric’ is an idiot and deserves zero resect. “May the fleas of a thousand camels infest his crotch.”
Well-written and absolutely correct. Sometimes the circumstances are so maddening that intemperate language is employed. That said, here is our most gracious host asking commenters to refrain from doing so because it hurts CTH. OK. Heard and understood.
Totally agree, I value this website and certainly do not wish to risk damaging CT’s reputation. We would be hard pressed to find another such as this. I’m very thankful for Sundance and his efforts to maintain a place we can all feel free to discuss and/or debate very important issues we are facing.
Sundance, please read how they try to ridicule you in the comments of this article:
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/11/what_you_don_t_know_and_need_to_know_about_pam_bondi.html
lol its all the same DeSantis people. People who obviously reject facts to comfort their feelings.