That would be William Refakis.
He hasn't posted in a year and his posts all show this:
wrefakis
Forum Participant with Restricted Access
BUT... he shows as having an active membership through Oct of this year. Further it shows NO vehicles.
He HAD a very nice 1970 Fleetwood Brougham, triple black, that I wanted to buy from him when he got tired of it. I haven't been all that well recently but am finally improving and have gotten back into the forums only to see a lot of bruhaha went on while I was away from the boards.
Anyway, if anyone know what happened to Bill, please let me kow or PM me. Thanks.
He's around; I've "seen" him on social media groups. Ha may have chosen not to list his cars; not everyone does.
M - Mike,
I'm interested in this - "Forum Participant with Restricted Access".
There have been some colorful things written in the past, including other members, which have resulted in sanctions, and even as harsh as threats of expulsion. (including myself)
Is this the case of angering the overlords of the forum.
Have fun,
Steve B.
I believe all users got this designation when the CLC membership requirement went into effect initially.
As I recall, all members had to update our profiles to restore normal forum use. I also remember some difficultly in getting forum privileges returned and some probably gave up. Something like this is probably what happened here.
Yes, it seems like that designation appears for any past participant, whether a member or not, who didn't re-up on the forum after the new requirement went into effect. I've done a few searches recently for past discussions, and seen that designation all over the place, including for a few people who I know are paid up.
Now let's put a finer point to the question.
What are the items or functions that have been designated to have "restricted access".
Having been chastised myself in the past by an overlord of the forum, I must believe I am not alone and the answer to the question must be known to those who wheeled the decision to restricted access.
Ah, come on, fess-up and don't be shy or speculate.
Have fun,
Steve B.
If you look up an old post from a current active user does it still give a odd message? Seems like I noticed that when looking up old topics but I could be remembering wrong. I remember thinking that was stuff from an old version of the software that got carried over so you could still read and search it but it wasn't exactly fully merged with the current stuff. I can't remember is there a date where you can't reply to a message? I know after like 30 days it warns you but does it ever not yet you?
By clicking on "Members" at the top of the page, the first of 123 pages of forum members will be shown, each page containing 100 entries for a total of 12,300 forum members- including past, present, active and inactive. In other words, everybody who ever registered to use the CLC forum.
Just by random clicking on various pages, the vast majority on every page I looked at were shown as "Forum Participant with Restricted Access" - possibly totaling as many as 10,000 or more. It would take quite a leap of the imagination to suppose that 10,000+ were as the result of disciplinary action.
Speaking for myself, it took a call to my internet provider to restore my own forum access to normal in addition to contacting the webmaster on multiple occasions. This was even after my profile was updated to the proper format.
On the member you can click on the headers and sort by the various columns. Position is where the activated member bit its. Page 11 is the end of that so just over 1000 registered members. Sure doesn't seem like there is anywhere that many you would consider active. As you scroll you can see several that don't have any posts but must have gone thought the trouble to register.
If you sort the members list by posts you can see who we lost. Sort by posts then look a the position column for the restricted members. You can see the names of the formerly active people we lost, some to the rule change and others maybe actually passed away? Reading that list just on the first page I was like Oh ya I remember and miss there contributions.
Let me clarify that to 1,045 current forum members with normal access privileges. Not to say they are all necessarily "active participants".
In any case, this should satisfy the concerns expressed by S. Butcher above.
I was just clicking on some of the people that are listed as restricted access and some of them are listed as being 'active' which I assume means logged in and doing some sort of viewing activity fairly recently. Also found a couple that have replied to posts. What does restricted actually mean?
Quote from: David Greenburg on May 05, 2025, 05:10:30 AMHe's around; I've "seen" him on social media groups. Ha may have chosen not to list his cars; not everyone does.
I'll check my older printed copies of the directory to see if he listed it before.
Just to clarify the situation discussed above, 'Restricted Access' is the status given to all forum participants that had not updated their profile with a CLC number (in the relevant field) when we changed to member only posting last year. It basically allows them read-only, the same as an unregistered guest. As mentioned in the rotating newsfeed on the Forum homepage, correcting the status for paid up members is a very simple and quick process. All it requires is an email to me, preferably with their CLC number and forum username.
I am still 'fixing' four or five of these a week.
Bill has responded he's alive and well but is experiencing difficulty with the new requirements.
Make things simpler. As we get older, our patience becomes less and less. Perhaps change is needed.
"Make things simpler. As we get older, our patience becomes less and less. Perhaps change is needed."
Tony,
An example of the revenge effect of technology. The complicating effect apparently applies to this example.
Quote from: Stefan Bartelski on May 18, 2025, 11:18:15 AMJust to clarify the situation discussed above, 'Restricted Access' is the status given to all forum participants that had not updated their profile with a CLC number (in the relevant field) when we changed to member only posting last year. It basically allows them read-only, the same as an unregistered guest. As mentioned in the rotating newsfeed on the Forum homepage, correcting the status for paid up members is a very simple and quick process. All it requires is an email to me, preferably with their CLC number and forum username.
I am still 'fixing' four or five of these a week.
Stefan, perhaps ypu can help William out by putting his CLC # in the "relevant field" . His name is William Refakis and he is paid up through October at least.
Just fixed it.
Bruce. >:D
I hope William doesn't mind my copy and paste of an answer today on a Cadillac FB site where Larry Savino asked him if he was attending the GN.
"I am really out of hobby, nothing left to hunt."
Respectfully,
Tom #6866
I think I overheard him telling someone in Albuquerque that "next year would be his last" GN.
Maybe I'll talk him into selling the 1970 FWB.
Just to clarify some issues and questions mentioned above.
- When the board wanted to restrict the forum posting to active members only, we asked all members, over a four month period in the forums, via emails, via the monthly email bulletin and in The Self-Starter, to ensure that their CLC number was entered in the relevant field in their forum profile (Many, unfortunately did not).
- About a year ago, all forum profiles without a valid (and paid up) CLC membership number were set to read-only (aka Restricted Access).
- Adding a CLC number or renewing after that date does not automatically update the forum status. Unfortunately, there is no automated link between the CLC membership system and the forums participant administration.
- The rotating News Header in the forums now indicates the process to request re-instatement, basically an email to me with CLC number and forum username. Making the change only takes a few minutes. I continue to receive a number of requests each week.
- If someone's CLC membership lapses, their forum status is set to 'Restricted' in a quarterly clean up run. If they renew their membership after the clean-up, they can easily be reinstated using the process described above.
- While 'Restricted' or as a guest (not signed in), most forums can be accessed in 'read-only' mode. Sending direct/personal messages is not possible.
- Full CLC members signed up for the forum with unrestricted status have access to all forums, except the private 'Moderator' forums.
Hope that this helps with the confusion,
Stefan
Wow,after 44 years in the CLC,I am allowed back in!
Yes i have posted to being "out of the hobby"
no I did not sell my cars,no i am not cured,but i just really do not enjoy the auction action,and i flat out hate the late model cars that are big part of hobby today.
Why?
because i was a dealer for a living,stuck with cadillac and americam makes all thru the 71-99 years,and was rewarded with ht 4100,olds deisels,ectc all the while abusing my friends for going import,and ran auctions for 30+ years
that said,I do miss chatting with richard sills at dutchland kidding about another one owner 41 fresh from the landis retirement home
I miss the cars and people,buy this is a different world
Never did find my Chateau Mauve or Spartacus blue original 70!
Will,
I share your feelings about 1971-93 cars (I like the 1994-96 Fleetwoods) and can't countenance buying anything past a 2013 CTS. They look horrible, and are worse spymasters than google of fb.