SoMa Lounge

Hi all,

I'm a licensed Master Plumber and was blocked from SoMa lounge a year or two ago for posting what the moderator perceived to be self-promotion posting. If you've been following me the last decade or so you probably know my schtick: I post answers to people's boiler, heating, and general plumbing questions and once in a while I throw in a little creative writing on the very same topics which are a good exercise for me. It was the unsolicited posts that they objected to and one day I found the page unavailable. For what it's worth, with Gateway transitioning to Toro, I'd like to solicit the Moderator(s) to let me back on. I've been getting some emails from people saying there is a lot of boiler/heating chatter going on over there with lots of bad unprofessional advice being passed around. I've always gotten great feedback from people who's questions I've answered and helped out over the years. Does anyone know the person to speak to or have contact information? 

Very best,

John Cataneo


MP's input into plumbing issues over the years is invaluable.  Please do not block.


I sent you a message with a name.  Good luck.  You are missed.


If you don’t have any luck I can also message the moderators on your behalf. 


bub said:

MP's input into plumbing issues over the years is invaluable.  Please do not block.

 Too late. Blocked. Thanks though for the very kind words and support. 


I sent you a message with the name of the person who crated the Facebook Group.  She would be the best person to contact.  She is also a long time MOL poster and should be aware of the value of your posts.


joan_crystal said:

I sent you a message with the name of the person who crated the Facebook Group.  She would be the best person to contact.  She is also a long time MOL poster and should be aware of the value of your posts.

 Thank you, Joan. She doesn't see it that way, but I may reach out. 


master_plvmber said:

joan_crystal said:

I sent you a message with the name of the person who crated the Facebook Group.  She would be the best person to contact.  She is also a long time MOL poster and should be aware of the value of your posts.

 Thank you, Joan. She doesn't see it that way, but I may reach out. 

 If you don't reach out, you will have achieved the same result as if you reached out and received a negative response.  However, there is always the possibility of reaching out and receiving the response you are hoping for.  Give it a try.  You have nothing to lose and the possibility of a gain.  Option would be to start your own Facebook group.


Good luck; the lounge admins take their roles way too seriously. 

If it's any consolation, the lounge threads have very little longevity. It's the nature of Facebook, and also members don't search the archives. You may post a long, detailed message explaining the intricacies of steam heat, but if it's toward the end of a thread's life cycle, nobody will see it, and three days later someone will start a new thread with the exact same question and your useful answer will be gone forever. Lounge is good for fleeting information, but not for long-term reference. I think you would get tired of trying to participate. I loved the MOL plumber threads in the olden days. I learned so much from you guys.


Thanks to all of you for the kind words. I sent a message to her earlier today, she read it, and didn't reply. I guess I have my answer. All good. Let me know if I can help anyone with anything. 


We had a plumbing issue recently, but we're in Hong Kong and you'd have to quarantine for two weeks before looking at what turned out to be a simple issue.  

You're welcome here, of course.  In the virtual MOL and in Hong Kong when the plague is over.  


If it’s any consolation, i was blocked from SOMA at Home (I think) and I don’t even think I ever posted. People were recommending me for interior design projects and a client asked me why I wasn’t in the group as she tried to tag me.
Luckily I get lots of personal referrals anyway. 


dave said

You're welcome here, of course.   

 Thank you, Dave. I feel better already.


master_plvmber said:

dave said

You're welcome here, of course.   

 Thank you, Dave. I feel better already.

 I've missed your more frequent postings here, so just spend more time on MOL!


You are in great company. I know people who were trying to find homes for cats and dogs who were blocked.

Stay with us on MOL or find us on FB. Or join Nextdoor.

Some admins are the hall monitors of cyber space.


Yeah, well, the moderator read my message over a week ago and ignored it. So that's that. I guess the potential risk of self/business promotion outweighs the benefits of 35 years of professional experience of a frequent topic. 


Have you tried joining MAPSO Rocks Lounge on Facebook?  Kind of a counter SOMA Lounge group with 1.1K members at last count.  Heavy emphasis on helpful information posts.



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