https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2013/07/12/19/24/sapling-154734_960_720.png

What can I say?  I like milestone posts.  You know there are lots of delegations happening on Steemit, but the Minnow Support Project is nearing 50% of all delegations happening in the community.  Well, that's not 50% of the delegated steem by the way, it's just 50% of all the delegations that have happened... I mean.. we're minnows here.  The whole point is these guys don't have much steem, but by working together and forming a community they start looking like a dolphin or whale.

## 3500 People  <h2>

It's kinda  shit ton.  We've slowed down a bit with the price of BTC falling, but now that steem is picking up steam we're seeing the number of new members rise up again.  We'll likely be at 4000 by the end of the month.  They aren't all active community members by any means, but we're also picking new witnesses, whales, and dolphins in the channel almost every day.  We're spitting out new witnesses by the dozen it seems.  Every day another minnow wants to be a witness.  I take a lot of pride in that. 
 Good to see these folks want to give back.

Somedays I just sit back and watch the general chat fly by and get a warm smile on my face and think "I helped make this!"  I mean, how many people can create a 3500 person organization and keep folks engaged and moving.

## Moderators <h2>

We added a few more mods and will continue to do so.   Having thousands of people kinda does that to a place.  You know the mods aren't supposed to be heavy handed ban hammer tossers.  It's the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network.  You know, we like peace, abundance, and liberty.  So, yeah, abusers get banned and hammered, but people that can follow like the 2 rules we have do fine.  1.  Don't post your steemit shit in General.  2.  Follow community standards and don't vote porn.  3.  Don't make a million alts and spam vote yourself.

##  We busted some kid from the Phillipines <h2>

We're at a stage where we have enough people from the public to start doing bad shit.  I think it's a stage of growth kinda thing.  Or a numbers game.  Eventually gonna have a few bad eggs.  The fact it took 3500 people before we really started having some bad actors should say something positive about us and the system we got.

So, what?  Should we nuke his account?  Should we ban all Fillipinos?  Nope.  We're gonna work with him to try to teach him about peace, abundance, and liberty and to not be a theiving douchbag.  He seems amenable.  Kinda seems like a kid with some tough luck and bad decisions.  But I'm not gonna nuke him if he's playing ball and trying to make amends.  His first pass may have been a little weak, but he's got a lot to learn.  

My wife told me a long time ago when I was having trust issues with her because of an absolutely insane ex-grilfriend (the end of that story was my mother ended up driving her to a pyschward while I was out of state).  Anyways, my very patient wife says to me "I'm willing to wait with you, but not willing to wait for you."  It's one of the best pieces of advice my ears have ever heard.  to mean it means accept the flaws of those around you so long as they work on them with intention.  Kid seems to have positive intention even if his execution needs work.  That's enough for me.

## World Economies suck <h2>

Some of this is because world currencies are manipulated.  Right, like, should I ban everyone from third world countries the USA proxy controls and makes have shit values to their currency?  I'm thinking no.  We just have to realize there's a lot more incentive for someone without running water in their home with a currency where 8 billion zimbabwebucks still doesn't get you an apple to game a system that can print enough USDs with just 2 votes to meet their daily income from 8 hours.  Honestly, these are teh people we want to help, but we gotta make sure they are playing fair for the sake of all the other fucked over people of the world who would like bigger or more frequent uvpotes but don't because they follow rules.

So, yeah, third worlders who look different than me are still gonna be welcome.  That's part of the whole Peace thing: Accepting "the other."  My faith has lead me to a place where I believe we're all interconnected souls here.  We're all one being fractualized and embodied in different meat sacks.  I'm only hurting me when I don't show peace, kindness, and love.  It's especially important when I'm personally at risk.

## I'm sure some of you just think I'm getting played here <h2>

Maybe... I hold that open as a potential, but I wouldn't be a good teacher if I didn't expose myself to some risk.  I wouldn't be a good leader if I flogged and banned every dipshit that makes a mistake or does the wrong thing.  I come from the judeo-christian community where forgiveness is kinda held sacred.  I'm down with that.  I'm an N+1 sorta person.  Show me some effort I'll match it and raise the stakes.  The kid seems to be trying, but has a life time of mistakes to overcome.  I want to be there to help because it's through each one of these one off changes that our world will eventually shift.

Did I want to smash his face?  Yeah.  Do I consent to that?  No.  So, I gotta do this the right way.  

## Growing Pains <h2>

I continue to think that Minnow Support Project is actually doing some extraordinary things.  That we're doing something that actually will have positive ripples throughout the world.  I think we'll teach more people about peace, abundance, and liberty.  I think we'll help this platform grow, and I think we'll help it to moon. 
> "We're all gonna be rich boyz, we're all gonna be rich."

Anyway, we continue to grow, and it's mostly amazing and positive, we now have grown to the point where we have some bad actors, but we're working to clean it up and prevent it without losing our values of peace, abundance, and liberty.

All in all, it takes a lot of time, but this shit means the world to me.  Thanks for being on this journey with me.  Love to the Pond.


## Ocean <h2>

I'm overlooking the ocean at my family reunion and I'm going for a dip.  Responses will be delayed an hour.  Thank you for your patience.  I'll high five some dolphins for you.