is there really a popular crowd on TPF? (I'm being serious BTW - yeah I know - not really in my nature today)
I don't really think so. I guess, it seems more that there are certain members scattered across the forum who are allowed to say what they please based on a personal friendship with a mod and that if someone disagrees with or somehow offends one of those few, the thread is suddenly closed.
I appreciate the input, Swanky, but if you were getting that many PMs about the shoe-polish forum why not pop in and say something (as I have seen you and other mods do numerous times in other threads)? Also, people are encouraged to take their issues to PM, if so many people were bothered by us why didn't a single person say anything to one of us?