I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread on why people post on this forum. Maybe you could also suggest ways the forum could be improved.

The main reason I come here is for intellectual stimulation and to meet people from different parts of the world. I work from home but I never feel socially isolated. The forum is the main reason for this. To me it is a real community.

As an administrator I am constantly thinking of ways the forum could be improved. My main hope is that more people would post more often. Please let me know how you think this can be achieved.

I've just been wondering whether we could exploit the upload facility on the forum in the future to get more people involved. For instance we could an "Upload a teaching resource week". So long as the files aren't too large we could very quickly build up and share some excellent resources. Teachers might well be more willing to participate in greater numbers if they see an obvious reward for doing so.

Like John I use the forum to exercise my brain. I also use it to clarify and test my thoughts .

One of the reasons why I come to the forum is to meet other people and read their opinions. I work in a school but there is not much time between classes to exchange ideas, or we teachers spend that time talking about anything but our job.
So I find it very interesting and useful to read what teachers from all over the world think about education, school systems, etc.
(I must also confess that, as a teacher of English, I find the forum an excellent language resource as an example of REAL English, which is not exactly what is being taught and learnt in Italian schools at present!)

I don't know if the forum can be improved, I find it so good as it is: maybe sometimes polls on special topics could be done to involve people's participation. They would take a shorter time than a post.

____________________
I need friends who know this stuff. A community. An exchange, even a debate, but really, the sharing on the level that goes on her is just incredible. I am learning to be more moderate in the amount of time I spend here, but everything in moderation.

Dawn

Everything in moderation, including moderation itself.

Tim Carroll

Let me remind you that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.

Yes, this is one of the main reasons I'm a member too. I've been participating here since January-February, and it's been really interesting to see how we've gone through the various stages of building a community on-line. We had (and perhaps still have) the problem of people who just want to attack others' points of view (without even hearing them in full?) … the problem of men hogging the space … the problem of people getting off-topic … the problem of the garrulous (I put my own hand up here).

The important thing is that we're solving these problems too … bit by bit (and with massively important contributions from people like John Simkin and Andy Walker, such as the requirement to post a biography - and preferably a picture). You can't expect a bunch of total strangers from widely disparate cultures to fall into each other's arms right from the start … so we have to build our on-line community, based on mutual respect, the old-fashioned way!

God Jul och ett Gott Nytt År (I bet you all understand enough Swedish to fathom that out!).

I use the Forum to participate in the JFK debate. I have thoroughly enjoyed discussions and debates with some of the worlds most knowledgeable researchers and authors on the subject.

The Education Forum, together with the Spartacus web site, make an unbeatable resource for a relatively new researcher like myself.

It's probably pretty obvious why Im part of this forum. I like exchanging educational news and opinions from all over the world, and it has been a great resource to me in my job. It's just amazing to be able to ask a question and have answers from experts all over the world in a matter of minutes or hours.
It's easy to feel isolated in a place such as this, and I have always loved travelling and meeting new people and hearing about different approaches - on here you can do almost the same at no cost!! Well done, forum administrators, long may you prosper in your endeavours!

The forum is a great source for ideas,views, resources etc., etc. on the assassination of President John Kennedy.

The forum contains a good cross section of people. The people in the forum are good decent people and I am proud to be associated with them all regardless of their views.

Also the fact that Americans are not coming to Europe as much as before means that the forum is a good way of keeping in touch with what Americans are thinking.

EBC

Thanks for this thread...

In short: there's a real shortage of new investigative ideas regarding the JFK Assassination. It seems a majority of, the 'so-called' ESTABLISHED reasearch community appears interested in, nothing more than furthering individual agendas...

Perhaps a forum of this type will bring forth, NEW and exciting avenues of approach regarding the subject, both in theory and evidence... To a certain degree, it already has. To the consternation of a few, I might add. Some, even members of this forum.....

Thanks for the good work --

David Healy

This is a good point. There is a danger that recent events have separated the peoples of America and Europe. Maybe this forum can play a small part in bridging this gap. After all, we have similar objectives: the creation of a world where people can enjoy the benefits of living in a free and democratic society.

Due to the fact that this particular forum lends itself to drawing educated men and women (young and old alike) into the extremely crucial debate relating to the truth about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy I see herein the potential for awakening a world-wide quest to help rid the evil from our government. Perhaps some of you who read and post in this forum will engage in oral or written communication with others (friends & associates, even enemies) to such an extent as to one day - hopefully in the not too distant future - encourage others like myself who have themselves been involved in illegal covert operations, particularly to do with assassinations and terrorism, to come forward. Most feel more "comfortable" and safer when there are numbers of people coming out in the open with the truth. The mystery we have all come to know sufficiently as to have no doubt of the importance of its being solved is one that will only be fully exposed through a great effort of a number of honorable people. If you would like to have an insight into the next book "Devious Elite" which will follow my first 'Expendable Elite" by taking in account each and every covert operation I have personally been involved in - even prior to my joining the Special Forces "Team" simply go to my website www.ExpendableElite.com and browse through the many covert subjects covered. Please don't forget to go to www.TrineDay.com and order the latest book of truth by Kent Heiner "Without Smoking Gun. You will be astounded and further energized to demand the truth of the JFK assassination. I am blessed to be a part of this forum and the effort to surface the truth.

Was this a confession?

I'm glad to see so many of you joined for the same reason I did: the excellent forum on the JFK assassination. If informed people can meet this way and try to piece together what really happened, perhaps we'll have a more viable version of history to pass on to our children. It certainly says something about the Internet that educators and scholars can exchange ideas about important topics without the politics, vanity, and lethargy of what have become the traditional ways of "getting published."

I've always liked Rudolf Augstein's quote about the JFK assassination. He was the editor of the great German magazine DER SPIEGEL and died in 2002. He said, "The assassination of JFK is the most important political assassination since Julius Caesar."

Good post!--except I believe many members of the Forum would agree that the assassination of Abraham Lincoln ranks up there too!

Hi -

I'm brand new here, but not brand new to the JFK assassination debate.

ICW the Lincoln assassination, I think the controversial parts of that that remain to this day are twofold: was Booth really killed or did he get away? AND how much were the South and/or political interests in the North involved?

I've read most of the books on the JFK assassination and even scanned a lot of the Warren Commission Report. I don't know if David Wrone is a member of this Forum but he did a great job on summing up where we're at in his recent book: "The Zapruder Film." I've always held the WCR to be bad science and bad logic, but now some of the motives are clearer. And some of the other name brand books on the assassination are truly "off the wall."

I've just ordered the digitized DVD version of the Zapruder Film. I want to see what I can see on it. I'm particularly interested in frame 225; there's a nearly invisible streak downwards towards JFK and Gov C. It's probably an artifact in the printing in the book, but I want to see if it's on the digital film version of that frame.

This sounds like an interesting forum, and I will be back often.

Regards,

Dave

David Bodner
Manlius, NY, USA
crumblinggorge@yahoo.com

I am only just a new member, but I enjoy coming here to read others opinions, and for some mental stimulation.

Hi all

I am glad Steve Turner issued an invitation to a number of those of us who are interested in the Whitechapel murders to come over to Education Forum. Having done so, I find there is much more here that interests me besides the always lively debate on Who Was Jack the Ripper? -- a question that in all likelihood will never be satisfactorily settled. Namely, I have been able to think about other problems in history such as the JFK assassination, and, as I have just posted on, whether to celebrate the Battle of Trafalgar... to which I, as a military historian (as well as a Ripperologist!), say, yes, most definitely, because all history is important, and all history holds lessons for those who follow.

In terms of the JFK assassination debate, by the way, I have some opinions on those photographs that were taken, allegedly in daylight, in the Texas Book Depository with the blacked out (night time?) window, and I have been looking for the thread to post my ideas. Could someone please direct me to the thread, which I believe had links to a site with the pictures taken of Oswald's supposed "sniper's nest" in the Depository. Thanks!

All my best

Chris

Chris, start a new thread on this topic.

I joined the forum primarily for the discussion on the JFK assassination and I find it a great resource for a young person such as myself beginning to fathom the political climate of the 60's .
Because of the forum I have come to learn that an interest in the assassination is not enough to solve it, but to truly understand you must learn about the culture and politics of the time which to me now seems a million miles away.

I return every day because there are so many interesting and intelligent people discussing topics that may bore others but are genuinely fascinating to those who take interest in the assassination.

The forum has come to shape some of my political views and is also a place to vent my frustration at the world!

John Geraghty

The only way to do that is to design a process where recruiting never stops.

Leadership by example is critical. The forum leaders by virtue of their existence as the leaders inadvertently set the tone of the forum based on the quality of their posts and replies -- with the attitude behind their posts and replies being the most critical factor.

Having an off-topic section seems to help, a place where members can chit-chat after hours. Encourages free-style writing, which keeps your team loose, which is what you want on game day.

Personal attacks need to be erased, and disinformation artists need to be banned, no exceptions.

As a corollary to that, a solid registration process controls the point of contact between the front door and the outside world.

Finally, begin with the end in mind. Any successful team is based on a core of key players surrounded by an outer layer of interchangeable players. Building your memberlist to that point of self-aware perpetuity is the key, and it's the key in any team situation, not just forums. The reason "in any team situation" is because the human element never changes. Simple.

Simple but not easy.

Hi all,

The reason why I wanted to be a member of this forum is because I'm passionate about trying to set up a teacher's organisation in Australia. What I'll like to set up (with others) is a resource centre where teachers can share materials, experiences and discussions with each other: a bit like what this board is doing but have a facility where people can upload/download materials they use in the classroom easily. I want to also create an avenue where teachers can get useful training which they can use towards ongoing professional development / accreditation. The avenue can also be used for teachers to express their opinions of how they think the teaching industry should be heading. This will also be leading towards recognising dedicated/great teachers through awards and hopefully renumeration. Within this organisation, it is hoped that a tutoring facility will be set up so this can be available for all students and teachers who want to earn some extra money.

It's still in the very early stages of development but that's the major goals. It will be great to hear some of your inputs as to what you all think of this. We wish to create something which is useful for all teachers.

This sounds like a great idea. In fact, Andy and I have always wanted this forum to become a place where teachers can upload and download teaching materials.

This is probably not the best place to discuss this issue. I have therefore reposted it in the E-Learning section.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=8654

It has been a long time since I looked at this thread. I am surprised that so few JFK assassination posters put down their thoughts here.

I joined this forum to expand my own knowledge and to expand my own community and have been very successful in this. I have made several very close friends here on the forum. One was just here for 8 days- Terry Mauro, who introduced me to another researcher pal who was here 5 days (Scot Myers). We got in a lot of music, but even more conspiracy discussion.

I love that this forum is international and that so many people in many across- the -pond countries are so astute in their opinions/knowledge of this case.

I have also enjoyed seeing new members add new information from which I have learned a lot. My only regret is that since joining the forum over two years ago I have only read two books on this subject. I need to change that.

Dawn