Just some thoughts I wanted to write down as an 'outsider': I'm very happy to be here and the fact this forum exists.
I was quite upset about JohnnyDoe being banned to say the least. I had been lurking on OCT for a number of years until I decided to join, and one of the reasons was because of him. Someone with a lot of business and migration experience, with a sharp sense of humor and yes, occasionally someone who is no-nonsense (but that is a good thing). Eventually he grew to be a mascot/ambassador of the forum. Especially with the value he provided by sharing his real-life experiences. Super valuable. And a forum stands or falls with these kind of people. It is therefore incomprehensible that he was banned. The Administrator chose the 'money' of the sponsors, and the gossip of the circlejerk around him. Yes, it is his forum, but such choices cannot be justified by completely abandoning all objectivity. Moreover, a considerable sum of money has been paid for a gold membership.
I typed in "JohnnyDoe Offshorecorptalk" after he got bannedand by coincidence I stumbled onto JohnnyDoe's website, and now forum.
I believe in this forum and I'm hoping it has a bright future. If we give everything we have we might become a better and bigger version on it's own. Where people actually have freedom of speech.