I have never set out to seek a fight. But I won't back down when confronted with an injustice, either. Mr Harry Mathews operates a web forum called "Smokstak" purportedly for 'old engine enthusiasts'. However, he seems to only encourage a certain KIND of old engine enthusiast to belong there.
Several months ago, my posting priveleges were curtailed in the off topic forum by Mr Matthews for pointing out certain factual inaccuracies, and fallacies posted by a group of ultra conservative posters. This resulted in me getting jumped on by these folks any time I posted much of anything in that forum. Not backing down from my position that 'a lie was a lie, no matter who tells it', made ME the troublemaker. While I was banned from that forum, the others it seems, were not. Perhaps a positive spin on this was I was no longer able to see their partizan garbage, nor feel their vitriol. Which allowed me to make more productive use of my time.

Fast forward to January, 2011. I posted a link to a gallery of what I felt were simply very nice photos Kim and I had taken. see: http://kimandmik.deviantart.com/gallery/  - about half steam related, in his steam forum. The post was removed by Mr Matthews. Inquiring why, I was met with a very unproffessional and rather nasty response to the effect that any content hosted at the place the gallery was (the largest artist forum in the world) was unwelcome, acussing me of changing the content of the gallery the direct quote was; " I don't give a crap who runs that site or who their friends are, they will not be a part of my site. Incidentally, the artwork they presented shifted to other material from the stuff I saw when I first looked and it apparently shifts at random. Interesting too that your own photos in your link were all changed since I first looked.".Nothing was "changed", simply 2 more photos were added.  He also acused me of being "over the edge", and threatened to 'nuke' my account rather than "get in a pissing match with me". Like, huh?

I wrote him a polite reply saying I had not tried to cause trouble, but merely inquired what rule had been violated. In response, he re-instated the thread, then promptly deleted my account - and the build logs.

While the site may well be 'his property' to do with as he sees fit. It is also promoted as a public forum for old engine enthusiasts, and as such, he really needs to be more professional and neutral in his manner and decisions, or leave the moderating to those who can, or post clearly in his terms and rules that only those with conservative viewpoints are encourage there, and those daring to post opinions that he disagrees with will come under more intense scrutiny and be held to higher standards than those whom he likes. Anything less is being disingenous at best, and an abuse of trust.

Beyond that, while I care nothing for his personal political leanings,  I can only conclude that simple spite caused him to delete the build logs, since he was the one who chose to make things personal, and escalate the entire situation in the first place.. Sadly, my money was certainly green enough for him when I was an advertiser, but now my engine photos are no longer 'enginey' enough? I'm sorry, but that simply doesn't wash.

For those who were inconvenienced or confused by the disappearance of the build logs. Please accept my sincere apologies. I neither sought this situation, nor had a hand in their removal.  Please don't bother Mr Matthews over them, either. His mind seems quite made up, and endangering your status to voice your opinion is not likely to change anything. Those wishing to contact me  personally can do so at steamnut1917(at)yahoo.com., and I will answer questions about where the various logs can also be found, or on just about any other topic except smokstak.

To my smokstak friends who see this; Thanks for all the support you have shown me on my various projects these many years. I shall miss you.
Allen