Happy Birthday Prison Talk Online! PTO Turns 2 Years Old!

I suppose I should have had a speech ready for this date, but I think PTO speaks for itself, and hopefully I can be excused with an off-the-cuff post.. :)

Today, December 2, 2003, Prison Talk Online turns TWO YEARS OLD.. In two short years we all have come a LONG way.. :) Our community is thriving and growing at a rate that is hard to keep up with.. To say I am proud about PTO is a gross understatement..

On this date, there is a good chance that we will surpass 12,000 registered members. This is substantially more than we had this time last year, and will most likely be substantially less than we have next year. We are growing exponentially and I feel honored to be a part of all of this!

I know there are a lot of people here that associate PTO as "Fed-X's Site". I may have started it but it is certainly not "my" site alone.. It is everyone's site.. It is an accumulation of what ALL OF YOU have put into it.. Yes, a number of us help run it administratively, but without all the members, PTO would just be an empty shell. PTO is all of ours.. I consider it my online home, and I know most of you do as well.

I want to give an extra special THANK YOU to all of the people that help me to run PTO.. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes (good, bad, and just administrative) that most members never see or hear about that keeps PTO running as smooth as it usually does.. These assistants put in countless hours for no monetary gain and a truly are the hands on the wheel here. Unless you have ever run an online community of this size, you most likely do not know how much work it really takes. One person, no matter how dedicated, could not run PTO.. So, please give thanks to all who check out threads, move, delete and re-title posts, monitor complaints, investigate "attacks", ban trouble-makers that have no interest in Prisoner Support, ETC.. ETC.. Though you may not see them working, let me assure you they do a heck of a lot!!

I also would like to thank the PTO Sponsors & everyone who has donated, Darin_S for all the Server and Tech support, Laurie (Princess) for her extreme patience and understanding; all who have made suggestions & given feedback, and especially to all of you who have taken time to help someone else here, whether it has been publicly or privately. Having someone else to talk to that is supportive and may have information that can help is a TRUE LIFE & SANITY SAVER! As I stated above, PTO is what it is because of what all of you put into it! Please accept my sincere thanks to all of you!

So, how far has PTO come? Anyone interested in statistics??





Statistics of Note for the 2nd Birthday Thread:



PTO FORUM STATISTICS & INFORMATION

*PTO “Totals”*
Total Members as of Today: 12,017 (8 PM – Sadmonkey - #12,000)
Number of PTO Staff: 27
Total Posts on PTO: 348,065
Total Threads on PTO: 35,607
Total Private Messages Sent: 148,318
Total Page Views: 14,974,347
Total Thread Views: 4,824,934

*PTO has Members and Guests from 96 Different Countries

~Last 24 Hour Stats~
New Posts: 2010
New Threads: 176
Page Views: 91,321

*PTO RECORDS*
Most Posts made in one day: 2,010 (12-02-03 – Today!)
Most Threads in one day: 176 (12-02-03 – Today!)
Most New Members in one day: 85 (11-11-03)
Most Members & Guests Online at Once: 791 (12-2-03 Today!)
Most Registered Members Logged into System in one day: 1,118 (12-02-03 – Today!)



*November 2003 Totals*
New Members: 2,011
Total Posts: 43,680


*Current Averages*
Current Average New Members per Day: 67.03
Current Average New Posts per Day: 1,456
Current Average Server Bandwidth: 5.59 Gigs per day

*MISC*
* Number of Links / References in Google: 53,800
* Number of Sites Linking to PTO:
* Oldest (Active) member besides Fed-X: Kintml2u (User ID #12) Joined December 16, 2001
* Top Referrer: Fed-X (I challenge everyone to beat me!! Use your Ref. ID’s!)


Top 10 Posters:
1) Lulu 7896
2) Deb 7284
3) Phil in Paris 6996
4) Danielle 6842
5) Fed-X 5518
6) Chevygal55 5340
7) KRIS NC 5007
8) lovinbilly4ever 4757
9) Sherri13 4736
10) Tebkrg 4731


PTO STAFF:

-Administrators-
Bella
Fed-X
JDSwifey02
PammieK
TebKrg

-Super Moderators-
BSS
Danielle
Life2theSequel
Lysbeth
MrsDragon
Phil in Paris
Softie

-Moderators-
Amelia
B-Ray
Deb
FriscoLady
Irisheyes66
Jeni
Joy
Lucrisid
Veronica
Kintml2u

-Research Assistants-
Cheena
TNC
Abrose
E1950
Pass_48060
Roc_city_girl
Hisheartztwin
Msveggie







Ok.. I'll get off my box and let everyone else have a say in this thread. Please join me in a PTO Toast with whatever drink you prefer and a birthday song!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO.. May there be MANY more to come!

Fed-X

**For those attending the 2004 PTO Conference in Florida, we'll celebrate a belated birthday there as well! :)

Here is the link to the PTO 1'st B-Day thread:

http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=6416

There's a party goin' on 'round here....lalala
A Celebration..... lala
To Last Throughout the year... lalala

Ok, ok... I won't sing! :) (Y'all are sooo lucky) lol

Really though... two years, and growing strong! PTO has been here for me, as well as the people, and for that I am so grateful!
I'm amazed at how much PTO has grown since I joined, and I love seeing it get bigger and better as time goes by!
One more time, thank you David... for giving birth to such a wonderful place!

Now...

Lets party....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PTO!!!!!!

Well there was no where for me to post a thread, so I will do it here! Happy Birthday to PTO and many more to come. And thanks David for thinking up such a grand idea for a website. If I had known about this from the beginning I could've had support right from the beginning of my guy being in prison. It's nice he actually asks what's up on here and what is new because us Michiganders have a lot going on here lately.

TWO YEARS...HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO WE ARE AWESOME!!!!

Happy Birthday to a wonderful, supportive site!!

Happy Birthday PTO!!

"Great Job!" to David and all the behind-the-scenes people

:)

happy birthday pto!!
im not gonna say this place is my life saver but to me it has been my mind saver. if i have never found this place i probably would have lost my mind a long time ago. thanks david and everyone else. 2 years strong and many more to go.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO!!!

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY PTO!!!!!

WAO....2 Years already ??? 1 year feels like yesterday to me...

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE :)

I won't say much about what I love about this place and how fantastic it is organized, that I have never come for nothing, great people here.... The ONLY bad thing is my phonebill for all the hours I hang around and can't get off.... :( :)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU !!!!

Joyeux Anniversaire
Joyeux Anniversaire
Joyeux Anniversaire cher PTO
Joyeux Anniversaire


Happy Happy Birhday PTO !!!! :)

PTO brought so much to all of us !!! Last year I was computer
dumb and couldn't attach anything, now I know !!! So this year I'll bring the chocolates !!! :)

Happy Birthday once again, I can't wait for this celebration at the next conference !!! I'll have a glass of water with a slice of lemon !!! :D

Just Kidding BOSS !!!!! :p

Phil

PTO have been a haven for me and at the same time, a place where I have grown as a person.

PTO has brought a form of comfort to be able to display what I know (or think I know) :D in touchy areas that I had learned early on, to stay away from in the real world.

PTO has allowed what has traspired in my life to have purposs instead of something to keep bottled up.

Thank You PTO and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Wowww.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY ..WOO HOOO :D THANKS so much David !!! GREAT JOB !! I am proud to be a member here !! Ola, also over 1,5 years...D

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO!!!
There are seriously times that I don't know how I would have made it alone this far if it had not been for this site and all the loving people within...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO................... :wave: :dance:

Happy Birthday PTO......And many more to come!!

I read this...and I'm in tears....I remember feeling so lost....so clueless....then I stumbled on to this PTO thing...

I wandered here...over a year ago myself....and it's been a true God-send. I have logged on here so many times...and it's always helped in some way.

I would like to thank David, the staff, and all the members of PTO. I send everyone I can here, and I hope they find it as useful as I have. Moving forward, I can only hope I'm helping others along this road....we are in this together, and there is true strength in numbers.....

Cheers....to the PTO gang...a group I'm PROUD to call....my extended family....:)

kath

Happy Birthday PTO!!
WoW... I can't believe it's been two years. I remember when pto was just being developed and all the ideas you (fed-x) had. Congrats baby on following through with everything! I know personnally how much hard work you put into this site everyday. I also want to thank everyone who has helped develop the site... he could not have done it without you. I hope pto keeps growing and growing each day. :)

I echo all the sentiments by earlier posters and throw out my very own: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PTO! It's a shame we have to celebrate under less-than desireable circumstances but at least we are finding our way together instead of stumbling around alone in the dark hidden world of incarceration. We bring hope and support to each other and it is indeed a celebration for ALL of us. But BIG KUDOS to David and all the "behind-the-scenes" people he mentioned. Great job!
Can I have a corner piece of the birthday cake with flowers??:D

:dance: DANCIN' WITH DAVID...HAPPY B-DAY!!!...HEY...PTO IS A SAG...LOL...YEAH!!! SAG. ROCKS!!! :p

HAPPY DAY!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO!
HAPPY BIIIIIIIIIIRTHDAY PTO!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

HOW OLD ARE YOU?
HOW OLD ARE YOU?
HOW OOOOOOOOOOLD ARE YOU?
HOW OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD ARE YOU?

:D WAY TO GO DAVID!!!! YOU ARE THE BEST!!!

And here we are again at another year celebration and look how much we've grown!!!

Deb

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! WOW!!!

Thanks so much for getting this up and running FedX!!!
Only two years? What are we gonna be when we hit 5 or 10 or 15?!?! Wheeeee!!!
This site was sooooo needed!! Let's hope we can get some positive changes made over time. This site has helped so many and I hope it continues to do so!!
Caprione

HAPPY BIRTHDAY. This is the finest bunch of people I have ever had the fun of getting to know and a place where miracles happen. I love it that we're growing like an avalanche. It's like a model of a saner, safer, just plain funner world.
(some grammar from the writer lady lol)

:wave: Hey Big Daddy ... CONGRATULATIONS ...YOUR BOUNCING BABY IS TWO YEARS OLD! YIPPEEEE!

David you had a dream that in reality was all our "dream" ... of a safe place to come to out of the weather of the everyday storm of naysayers and condemners ... here in this little family we all find the nourishment for our souls, the peace of mind and the answers to make it through another day knowing we are not alone ... I know I can speak for all of when I say we have found our peace in your dream ... here's to many, many more years of peace and strength to all ...

************************************************ PTO, YOU ROCK }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

love, hugs and kisses to all of us :dance:

*PTO* ... truly, a Shinning STAR

Congrats!!! I only wish I could come to the conference to thank David and all of you who give of your time and other resources to keep this site growing, in person. I'm no computer wiz but you have to be doing something right behind the scenes to keep this many people coming here and staying. Great Job!

:wave:The short time I've been hear has helped me ALOT! So on that note thank you for the support and HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO!!! :dance:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO!!!!!!!!!
((((((((HUGS)))))))))) TO ALL THAT KEEP IT GOING THANK YOU.

I wasn't really planning to name names in personal thanks because inevitably, I would miss a TON of you but there is one person that I am going to thank by name because if anyone has had to "put up with" PTO, it is she..
My Girlfriend, "Princess"..
There have been SOOOooooo many days & nights when I have left her solo on the couch or not been able to go out because something came up on PTO.. She has been patient and understanding throughout and that is incredible..
Thank you baby!
David

It's been said many time and worthy again,

~~~behind every great man (Fed-X) there is a great woman (Princess)~~~

I want to say first off Thank You "DAVID" for this wonderful site that many of us call our second home! Home away from home! Thank you to all the admin. for the great work you do here.... And last but not lease THANK YOU to all my wonderful friends here and members for making this place a place I always want to come home too!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO

EVER SINCE I FOUND THIS SITE I CAN NEVER KEEP MY EYES OFF OF IT. AND I JUST LOVE THE PEOPLE HERE AND THERE STORIES SAD, FUNNY, YOU NAME IT. PTO HAS IT ALL

Happy Birthday PTO!
I remember my first post here, I think it was around August 2002, or something like that. It seems so long ago, and yet it seems like it was just yesterday.
PTO is amazing.
I am so thankful that David had the desire to create a place like PTO, and the computer skills to actually do it!!! :)
And what would PTO be without all of you? All of us?
I have said it a million times, but it needs to be said again.
WE ALL ROCK!
Happy Birthday PTO!!!!

Happy Birthday PTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for all you guys do to help everyone here and be there for us. I know that when Brian was in prison this last time and even now I don't know what I would do without some of the friends and support I've found here.

Heres are proof that men can give birth to a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday to PTO and thank you David

Happy Birthday PTO!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO!!!!!!!!!!!

THANKS FOR THE WONDERFUL SITE AND CREATING A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY DAVID!!!!!! ((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))
Kim

Wow! Happy Birthday PTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! David, a special thanks to you for having "A DREAM".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO

To you David, thanks for having a vision and seeing it thru. Yes, you're right all of us are what makes PTO work but YOU were the ONE who got the ball rolling and continues to keep it going. Thanks to PTO's moderators, I can't even begin to imagine all the work you must do but I do know it's ALOT!! You help to keep this a safe and welcoming place for so many.

Special thanks to David's lady Princess. Thanks for sharing him with all of us. This site means so much for so many.

I'm so proud to be a part of the celebration as PTO turns 2 ! It's been an amazing ride and the training wheels have just been taken off:p

David, you are amazing and so admired by all! Thank you for letting us all share in your dream for it means so much to so many of us!

Happy Birthday PTO!!!

Pammie:dance:

Dang....I am getting old! Shhhh

Happy Birthday PTO!

And Congrats on the 12,000 member!

You are a special person to bring all of us together like this! Lets hear it for all the future celebrations we will have with PTO!


Diane


Diane

I almost started crying reading this post! You said it best David!

This is a wonderful site and I'm thank for it and all the people who make PTO what it is!

In gratitude,
Mrs. Joe

Almost forgot!

Here at the end of this month will mark my being on PTO for a year. I am constantly amazed at how much PTO has evolved and grown by leaps and bounds in such a short time. I am thankful for all of the members who participate on the board, because all the wonderful members we have have made this site the great place it is. I am thankful for all of the incarcerated loved ones who have spread the word about PTO behind the walls almost as much, if not as much, as those on the outside have. I am thankful for the excellent folks I have had the good fortune to work alongside behind the scenes, and thankful that Fed-X had the vision he had way back when to "give birth" to PTO so that it could become what it is today. And most of all I am simply thankful for my PTO family... you are ALL awesome!

PTO has given me SO much and I can't imagine what my life would be like today had I not accidentally happened upon the site one late night last December. It has been a godsend and a gift in a world of prison mess where there just often ain't much to be happy about, much less much giving of anything at all.

Happy Birthday PTO! I hope we all grow old together!!! :)

Lys

Happy Birthday PTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers to all of you, your comments and friendship.. :)

Oh, and welcome Mr. 12,000 (member) - SadMonkey.

Statistics are NOW AVAILABLE back on my first post for those of you who would like to read up on where we stand.. :)

David (Fed-X)

Who's Drinking what? What time shall we pull the official toast?? 10 PM Central U.S. Time?

I'm drinking the juice (broth) from a can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup...it's cold outside :-)

Cheers Anyway!

MJ

Happy Happy Birthday PTO!

Happy Birthday PTO! :D Cheers! I'm drinking iced tea.

We need to have celebration party! hint

10:00PM Central is GOOD for me!

Happy Birthday PTO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and about that drink, I think I may be having unsweetened grapefruit juice...

Man, dieting bites!

WOW!! I didn't realize it's been two years!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO!!!

But Fed-X, I though I was your girlfriend...LOL!! Just kidding Princess. :)

All this talk about you giving birth David. So, did you have any Post Partum symptoms Fed?? Maybe that's why the blue screens. I do know the nursing was difficult for you and Princess couldn't help much. You should have considered bottle feeding. And those diaper changes!!! There were sure some stinking bottoms around here that needed to be wiped once in a while. Some even needed to be spanked! LOL!! What a bunch of spoiled rotten kids!! Oh well, just preparing you for real children!! You know what they say? Taking care of someone else's children is the best form of birth control.....LOL!! And we are definintely a big bunch of kids sometimes!!

Seriously, we love you and Laurie very much and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for PTO. The Admins, Super Moderators, Moderators, etc., etc., etc., are all wonderful, warm hearted, caring individuals and we thank you for all of your time and efforts as well. God bless PTO!!

This birthday celebration is a CELEBRATION for all of us who found out that "Life and Love and Friendship" does really exist after all! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I survive because of PTO ~ THANKS! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PTO!

Needless to say, I am VERY proud of my son, David, for his PTO vision and for seeing it through, with the help of so many of you. Congratulations to you all on a banner day!!

David's Mom,
Sherry :)

Happy Happy Birthday!

:dance:

Originally posted by Sherry F
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PTO!

Needless to say, I am VERY proud of my son, David, for his PTO vision and for seeing it through, with the help of so many of you. Congratulations to you all on a banner day!!

David's Mom,
Sherry :)

Thanks Mom! You were the inspiration in my "vision" :)
Everyone, please blame PTO on her too! :)

Oh, and a big CONGRATS to you Madre' for your THIRD post! hehehe I'll add that to the stats! You better have more than 6 by this time next year! (GRIN)

Everyone got your glasses ready?? It's 1 min till!

Cheers.. Bottoms up!

Happy Birthday PTO!!
I know I don't post and reply as much as I should but HONESTLY I'm not sure I would have made it without all of you PTO since I joined over a year ago!!
Thank you Thank you all for making this such a wonderful home for EVERYONE!

Love you all
Renee

Renee, you have been one heck of a main-stay here, and I promise, I will get all those questions from this years conference answered sometime in the near future! lol ;)

I can't believe it !!! It's 5am here in France, and I'm at work drinking a beer to celebrate PTO 2nd birthday !!!!

Happy Happy Birthday PTO !!!!!! :)

Phil

I need to get a job with you buddy!

Another Happy and Congrats Toast from the East Coast!

:) :) :)

Brandy and egg nog here ... with love to you Big Daddy for a wonderful dream come true ... and Miss Sherry, thanks for raising such a fabulous, caring young man ... cheers :D

Happy Birthday PTO, and you reached 12,000 members today, thats unreal.
GOOD ON YA PHIL!!!! I dont want to talk about beer... no no no.
Congrats everyone.

Oh drat...wouldn't you know it by the time I got through reading all the wonderful posts...I missed toast time...oh well the joys of living on the west coast...anyway

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PTO

Awesome job David in the creation of this awesome site. I thought it was so wonderful of you to thank Princess ...

I just finished a diet coke...better late than never

Some of us are still toasting.. ;)

I just got home from work but I wanted to toast my glass too. Drinking your 151 baby! :) By the way thanks for the sweet post earlier. I'm learning to be patient and it's been really hard to do.

You have done a good job! Believe me, most anyone else in your shoes would have walked out. ;)

*UPDATE*

We just broke 2,000 Posts for the first time today!

2,000+ posts... 12,000+ members... PTO's not a baby or a toddler anymore... it's a TEENAGER! :D

That is so unreal, I remember you were trying to break that a few days ago, they I have no concept of time lately. That is great news!!!!!! Ok, its after 4pm here now, maybe I should open that beer.

Princess ... it's a virtue, you know :D Seriously, we all know what an asset you are to Big Daddy so actually, you are to be congratulated as well for all your work and sacrifice ... thank you Princess :)

Ok.. Just did some final tally'n (Texas Counting) and we broke FOUR records tonight! And smashed through the 12k member mark too!

Here they are:

* Most Posts in a single day: 2010!! (First time to surpass 2k)
* Most Threads in a single day: 176
* Most Members/Guests online at one time: 791
* Most Members to login to PTO in a day (Reg): 1118
* Broke the 12,000 Member mark (12,017) - Aprox 2,000 members in 1 month!

These stats are great to see, but to have them all come down (record breakers) on PTO's 2 year birthday is definitely the icing on the cake.. :)

This will be a birthday that PTO remmebers forever

now that were talking all these numbers. Whos the top 10 junkies as far as daily log in hours/minutes

I don't have any way of easily determing (YET). :) The next version may (possibly) give us the ability to track minutes and such.. lol It would probably freak people out to know how much time they are spending here!
I'm sure though, it's no more than 10 minutes per day! :p

um fed..you got my #'s wrong. although i will be making it into the 4000 post mark soon. i am at like 2700...ill know once i post this. but, im surely not at 4700..although we can just pretend if you want :D

anywho, yeayyy 2 years. :dance: although i did sleep through yesterday, ill party hearty tonight. :)

Happy Birthday PTO!!!!
I missed the toast yesterday as I was out of town visiting my son. So I'll be doing that today.
Here's to PTO!!! Cheers.

I'll take a glass of "redvine" to PTO!!!

I'm so glad I found this site and my new best friend from here!!

Long live PTO!!!

# of posts?....I'm not in the top 25....yet.....LOL :)

time (minutes/hours) spent on PTO??? I'm not sure me OR MY BOSS wants to know LOL.....

here too much & loving it!
kath

Originally posted by Fed-X

I'm sure though, it's no more than 10 minutes per day! :p

I think you MIGHT have made a misnormer there buddy! HOURS more like then minutes, which I feel a whole lot of folks will agree. (but I know your comment was a mess'n with the minds) :D

Which just shows how important PTO is! IE a haven with dealing with dilemmas envoling the system.


Within PTO we find hope, we find support, we find information, and above ALL, we find.................... we are not alone!:dance:

i confess i spend more like a few hours on here...damn david..you seriously need to get an angel smilie...id wear that thing out! :D

Originally posted by lovinbilly4ever
um fed..you got my #'s wrong. although i will be making it into the 4000 post mark soon. i am at like 2700...ill know once i post this. but, im surely not at 4700..although we can just pretend if you want :D

anywho, yeayyy 2 years. :dance: although i did sleep through yesterday, ill party hearty tonight. :)

Interesting! It looks like our stats system doesn't pay much attention to the forum settings. You actully have a total of what is listed, but a number of your posts are in forums that do not go towards total post counts.. Well, in the forum anyways.. ;)

I JST WANT TO WISH PTO A BELATED HAPPY B-DAY. I'M GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE BUT LIKE SOME HAVE MENTIONED I WISH I WOULD HAVE FOUND IT 3 YRS AGO. LOL

I am as well late :)

Fedx, you done great, and brough so many people together that needs support. I am truly proud of you.

Sheesh, your mom and laurie brought tears to my eyes :) Yall are wonderful

I'm a day (or two or three) late...but Happy Birthday PTO! :D

OK I'm late too but heck I'll drink to it tonight!
Happy birthday PTO!!!
Through this site I have made some wonderful friends and I now have another big brother (as if one wasn't enough,lol)
To you Fed and all your time and thoughts for those still engulfed in this system!

Happy Belated Birthday PTO! Here's to another fabulous year!
Pass some of that chocolate cake around my way!

RATS! As usual I'm on Hawaiian Time wishing my most favorite website, it's Fearless Leader and Creator and the wonderful people that visit a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Hau'oli La Hanau ("Happy Birthday" in Hawaiian) from my heart to all of yours, especially to Fed-X for birthing and raising this wonderful love child.

P.S. Since I'm late and since I'm at my desk at a local hospital I'm going to have to keep my drink to a non-alcoholic cuppa coffee...
:)