JFK Forum: Rules of Behaviour and other points

[Mark Stapleton]

Like others, I'll be treading very lightly. In most cases I would expect to have no need for any 'moderator' function unless asked to intervene.

If there are cases of clearly offensive posts, then I might expect to be required to be pro-active and delete the offensive words. I do not foresee many - if any - occasions to remove an entire post.

I can say that my moderator actions will be taken in consultation with other moderators.

These actions will always be documented so as to explain the reasons for any actions, and - as always - people can bring any concerns regarding any actions to other moderators.

Edited to add:

Oh, and just so people do know where I stand... I have firm views on 9/11 and Apollo. I have no pertinent views on JFK, RFK, MLK, Watergate, etc.

Good post, Evan.

While I don't believe the moderators should be required to inform the forum of where they stand on the various issues of contention, I'm grateful that you have submitted this background information.

Edited March 5, 2007 by Mark Stapleton

[John Simkin]

I would like to thank the moderators for doing a great job on the forum. They seem to have been more successful than I ever was in keeping people from insulting each other.

They are currently trying to persuade all members to add a photograph as a avatar. I hope that all members will abide by this rule.

We expect members to add a photograph as an avatar (it helps to humanize communications):

Select “My Controls” (top, right of the screen).

On the left-hand side click ‘Edit Avatar Settings’ (under Personal Profile).

Go to the bottom of the page where it says ‘Upload a new image from your computer’. Click ‘Browse’.

(A box will appear at the top that will show what is on your computer. You now have to find your photograph (best to leave it on your Desktop – if not, find the folder where you have stored it).

Click the image and then click ‘Open’.

Now click ‘Update Avatar’. You picture should now appear on the screen. It will now appear every time you make a posting.

If you have difficulty in this, please send me your photograph by email and I will do it for you (you will also need to send me your password).

[Guest Gary Loughran]

I've now added an avatar pic and will resume posting again.

I would like to thank the moderators for doing a great job on the forum. They seem to have been more successful than I ever was in keeping people from insulting each other.

They are currently trying to persuade all members to add a photograph as a avatar. I hope that all members will abide by this rule.

We expect members to add a photograph as an avatar (it helps to humanize communications):

Select “My Controls” (top, right of the screen).

On the left-hand side click ‘Edit Avatar Settings’ (under Personal Profile).

Go to the bottom of the page where it says ‘Upload a new image from your computer’. Click ‘Browse’.

(A box will appear at the top that will show what is on your computer. You now have to find your photograph (best to leave it on your Desktop – if not, find the folder where you have stored it).

Click the image and then click ‘Open’.

Now click ‘Update Avatar’. You picture should now appear on the screen. It will now appear every time you make a posting.

If you have difficulty in this, please send me your photograph by email and I will do it for you (you will also need to send me your password).

[Guest John Gillespie]

John,

Hope you can still catch some of this. Radio host Alex Jones, from Austin, TX has St. John Hunt on right now. Hunt is talking about his father's role in JFK and in

Watergate:

http://www.infowars.com/listen.html

Regards,

JG

[Myra Bronstein]

I would like to thank the moderators for doing a great job on the forum. They seem to have been more successful than I ever was in keeping people from insulting each other.

...

Oh abso-friggen-lutely.

For example, this kind of thing...

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=10014

Today, 06:15 AM

QUOTE(Thomas Graves...

"P.S. To new member David G., if you want to find the pertinent posts between Tosh and Ms. Bee, I suggest that you simply plug in the search term "b****," because that's what Tosh called her right before he left The Forum."

...simply doesn't happen anymore.

And neither does this...

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.ph...=9964&st=15

"May 14 2007, 06:51 AM

QUOTE(Thomas Graves @ May 14 2007, 01:46 AM) *

...

P.S. Do you still think "Tosh" Plumlee was one of the conspirators? (I remember his calling you a #@&!$ in his last or next-to-last post. It made my day!)"

[Antti Hynonen]

Myra, we can not control what every individual member posts. If there are obscenities or flat out insults or other Forum rule violations we will do our best to deal with them as fast as we can.

From time to time, there may be moments when no moderators are present, like today. Personally, I will edit anything which I deem inappropriate. I will also not hesitate to send a PM to a member who clearly fails to follow Forum rules. It is likely that we will not see every issue that would need attention, therefore members are encouraged to report posts to moderators.

I have already begun to deal with this issue and the half dozen reports and PM's that I have received from you these past few hours. Sorry for the delay.

[Myra Bronstein]

Myra, we can not control what every individual member posts. If there are obscenities or flat out insults or other Forum rule violations we will do our best to deal with them as fast as we can.

From time to time, there may be moments when no moderators are present, like today. Personally, I will edit anything which I deem inappropriate. I will also not hesitate to send a PM to a member who clearly fails to follow Forum rules. It is likely that we will not see every issue that would need attention, therefore members are encouraged to report posts to moderators.

I have already begun to deal with this issue and the half dozen reports and PM's that I have received from you these past few hours. Sorry for the delay.

Well maybe, as I've told you all in the past, you mods should get in synch when there is an issue instead of everybody jumping

in and bumping into each other.

Because Antti had already handled things, very well I might add, then Gary managed to make things much worse.

I really resent his actions and words.

I do not think he should be a moderator.

Myra

[John Geraghty]

Myra,

The moderators use the same methods of contact as you do. All of the moderators live in different time zones, so it is likely that we will check private messages and respond to them before we take a look at the forum.

None of us want to see insults on the forum, but unless you suggest we take pre-emptive action, there is not much we can do apart from respond to them after the fact. I'm not planning on constantly consulting with Antti in Finland or Evan in Australia as I simply have not got the cash, so we are just going to have to live with that.

I suggest that we simply drop the issue, as there is not going to any resolution as long as people consistently engage in ridiculous arguments. I suggest that people (whoever) take the high ground and walk away from this matter. Give me a PM if you want to discuss it further.

I just want to see a resolution to this by the end of the day, whatever time zone we are in.

All the best,

John

[Myra Bronstein]

Myra,

The moderators use the same methods of contact as you do. All of the moderators live in different time zones, so it is likely that we will check private messages and respond to them before we take a look at the forum.

None of us want to see insults on the forum, but unless you suggest we take pre-emptive action, there is not much we can do apart from respond to them after the fact. I'm not planning on constantly consulting with Antti in Finland or Evan in Australia as I simply have not got the cash, so we are just going to have to live with that.

I suggest that we simply drop the issue, as there is not going to any resolution as long as people consistently engage in ridiculous arguments. I suggest that people (whoever) take the high ground and walk away from this matter. Give me a PM if you want to discuss it further.

I just want to see a resolution to this by the end of the day, whatever time zone we are in.

All the best,

John

Make sense. Thanks John.

I guess I would only ask that moderators monitor insults and harassment with as much vigilance as they do swear words.

[John Geraghty]

Indeed we will Myra.

All the best,

John

[Myra Bronstein]

Indeed we will Myra.

All the best,

John

Indeed you did.

Thank you for taking the time to put your foot down in the JFK Lancer thread John.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.ph...10218&st=15

[Thomas H. Purvis]

As I always do, I will begin by saying that this is an extremely good forum. I am very pleased by the diversity of the topics presented. There is certainly something here for everyone, and I have learned alot by reading these posts.

And as well, I am certainly impressed with the membership we have. Some of the greatest researchers in the world are actively contributing to the inquiries of others.

However, it saddens me greatly when I find that a debate has turned "sour', and has become a personal argument in which the information originally presented becomes secondary to personal attacks.

These are good people, who, for one reason or another, become angry and openly create a situation that becomes vitriolic, and the effect of the positions debated is lessened.

I can certainly understand the frustration, as I have been in much the same situation, but this still does not excuse the behavior.

I am also bothered by the fact, that when it is brought to one's attention that he/she is overstepping bounds, that no thought is taken of that observation, and it continues.

And then, on the other hand,there are those who would be more noble--that retract, that rethink-- thank you for this on behalf of the Forum. It shows a level of magnanimity. These are worthy of more respect. (I do not need to name you.) It takes alot of courage to apologize,or to retract one's wording, especially when seen by so many.

Perhaps we are reacting too quickly in our responses, and we should take a moment to consider a better way to respond. I am hopeful that we can better fight our positions, as positions, and keep a level of respect for each other.

This is supposed to be a research resource ,and

I am absolutely amazed at this!!! Forgive me if I read this wrong but we have to "be nice and play along " so he will deliver? Heck, no!!!!Not me!!!!

Mr. Dolva, I have read many of your posts, and for the most part they are well thought out and fairly logical (with a few, here and there, that I just didn't understand, but they looked really good.) For you to have to watch what you say, and ask us to do the same,for we might upset the old boy, (and you won't get your map)is ridiculous. Since when are we less than he?

Compartmentalising??????

If you didn't have such an interest in this map, I don't believe you'd cater to him like this.

This is not a mental health forum, and I lack the expertise in creating an enviornment that Tom won't be compartmentalized and will be "encouraged to grow" in.

I leave that to you. I'm done.

Kathy Beckett

An interesting philosophy!

Even more interesting when one actually practices what they preach.

Since most of those attachements, which include virtually every aspect of the Time/Life Survey Plat; the US Secret Service Survey Plat; the FBI Survey Plat; as well as the later WC Survey Plat; and finally, the last FBI Survey Plat;, to include tremendous amounts of information relative to the survey notes of Mr. West, were provided on this forum long prior to your short visit, and since you did not bother to even check this information out prior to "launching" your erroneous statements, then:

Could one expect some magnanimous gesture on your part?

Perhaps we are reacting too quickly in our responses, and we should take a moment to consider a better way to respond.

A response, which has a basis and foundation in fact, is usually the best type of response.

[Antti Hynonen]

I am asking members to use the "Report" function, found on the left hand side of each post, that is when they deem that there is something inappropriate in a post. It is a huge task for moderators to carefully follow and read each post, therefore I am officially requesting the help of members in "monitoring" posts.

Thank you.

Edited October 26, 2007 by Antti Hynonen

[John Bevilaqua]

On the 12th November I posted a message about the behaviour of members.

John,

Would it be possible to ban the common practice I have observed here

that I refer to as "Grafitti Tagging"? That is the practice of constantly

adding the last quoted posting to a larger thread which only consists

of a few critical lines or negative comments. For instance, asking for a source

when that source obviously is the poster or a personal opinion or observations

of a poster, correcting a spelling, quibbling with the actual date or time an event

happened, when it is clearly indicated in the posting when it occurred,

twisting words or changing meanings or inserting inflammatory statements,

designed to derail a thread, etc. Like "criminal knowledge", etc.

We both know who the frequent offenders are and we can only speculate

about their intentions, but their goal is quite clear. To deflect, defray, or

derail a posting from a path they disagree with entirely.

Thank you,

John Bevilaqua

[Antti Hynonen]

On another thread I recently made a post asking members not to threaten other members on this Forum. I particularly mentioned the types of threats that were recently visible on this thread.

The consequence I said, would be that I'd send a request to John Simkin to have any such members placed on permanent moderation.

This request, I have now put forward.

I repeat, do not threaten fellow members or anyone else on this Forum.