Terms & Reader Room Rules

Open discussion requires clear boundaries.

These terms govern use of the website and the private Reader Room. The goal is simple: thoughtful conversation without harassment, spam or misuse.

Last updated: August 15, 2026.

The short version

Respect people. Debate ideas. Protect privacy. Do not spam, threaten, impersonate, harass or deliberately disrupt the community. Reader Room access is reviewed and may be refused, suspended or removed when needed to protect the community.

1. Using the website

You may browse the public website without joining the Reader Room. By using the website, you agree not to misuse it, interfere with its operation, attempt unauthorized access, introduce malicious code, scrape private member information, or use the site for unlawful activity.

2. Reader Room membership

The Reader Room is an approval-only private community. Submitting an application creates an account request but does not guarantee approval. Applications may be approved or declined. Approved access may later be suspended or removed if these terms are violated or if action is reasonably needed to protect members, the website or the community.

Members are responsible for keeping their sign-in information secure and for activity performed through their account. Do not share your password or knowingly allow another person to use your member account.

3. Community rules

  • Respect people. Strong disagreement is welcome. Personal attacks are not.
  • No threats or harassment. Do not threaten, intimidate, stalk, bully or target another person.
  • No hate or dehumanizing abuse. Do not attack people based on protected or personal characteristics.
  • No spam or repeated promotion. Do not flood the Room with advertising, repetitive links, solicitations or irrelevant promotion.
  • No private personal information. Do not post another person's private contact information, medical information, financial information, identification details or other sensitive personal information.
  • No impersonation or deception. Do not pretend to be another person or deliberately misrepresent who is speaking.
  • No unlawful or malicious activity. Do not use the Room to facilitate fraud, threats, malware, illegal activity or attempts to compromise another account or system.
  • Stay constructive. Deliberate disruption, repeated bad-faith conduct or behaviour intended to make the community unusable may result in moderation.

4. Moderation

The Reader Room is moderated. Messages may be removed and accounts may be warned, suspended or removed when reasonably necessary to enforce these rules, protect members, respond to abuse or security concerns, or keep the community usable.

Moderation does not mean every message is reviewed before it appears. Members remain responsible for what they post.

5. What other members can see

Reader Room messages are visible to approved members and are associated with the member name displayed by the site. The Reader Room is not public, but it is not confidential. Do not post anything you would be unable to tolerate another approved member reading, quoting privately, or reporting to the moderator.

6. Your posts and intellectual property

You retain whatever rights you lawfully hold in original material you post. By posting in the Reader Room, you give the website a limited, non-exclusive permission to store, process and display that material to approved members as necessary to operate and moderate the Reader Room. This permission does not give Donald the right to publish your Reader Room post in a book, advertisement or public article without separate permission, except where use is otherwise permitted by law.

Books, original site copy, graphics, TTP material and other original content on this website remain protected by the rights of their respective owners. External articles and linked publications remain subject to the rights and terms of the original publisher. Do not copy or redistribute protected content beyond what is permitted by law or by the rights holder.

7. Reader List is separate

Reader Room membership does not automatically subscribe you to marketing email. Reader List consent is optional and separate. You can withdraw Reader List consent without losing Reader Room membership. See the Privacy Policy for details.

8. General information, not professional advice

The website contains fiction, commentary, articles, author material and discussion of topics that may include safety, leadership, health, family, technology and other serious subjects. Website content and Reader Room discussion are general information and conversation. They are not a substitute for legal, medical, mental-health, financial, engineering, regulatory, workplace-safety or other professional advice tailored to a specific situation.

9. External links

The website links to third-party sites such as publishers, retailers and service providers. Those sites are operated by others and have their own content, availability, privacy practices and terms. A link does not transfer responsibility for a third-party site to Donald.

10. Availability and changes

The website and Reader Room may be changed, updated, interrupted or discontinued. No guarantee is made that every page, feature or member service will always be available without interruption.

11. Leaving the Reader Room

You may stop using the Reader Room at any time. To request deletion of your account or personal information, contact don_cawsc@hotmail.com. Some information may need to be retained temporarily for security, moderation, backup, consent-record or legal reasons as described in the Privacy Policy.

12. Changes to these terms

These terms and community rules may be updated as the website and Reader Room develop. The current version and update date will be posted here. Material changes affecting membership will be presented on the site when reasonably appropriate.

13. Contact

Questions about these terms or Reader Room moderation can be sent to don_cawsc@hotmail.com.