I announced Wednesday that we are changing one of the key rules for commenting on our website, sunjournal.com.
I can now report that while we have received criticism from some current commenters, the response to the new format has been overwhelmingly positive.
The new system, to begin Feb. 1, will require people commenting online to use their real names and home towns.
Previously, commenters have been allowed to use either their names or pseudonyms. Most commenters have chosen to be nameless.
The new rule corresponds to our requirements for letters to the editor and guest columns in the print newspaper.
Since Wednesday, 273 users have applied to become online commenters under the new system and 41 of those already have been verified and approved.
We were not expecting such a large response right off the bat, and our verification process takes some time.
So, if you have not been called, don't worry. We promise to eliminate the backlog by the time the program begins in February.
Online, the reaction from anonymous commenters has ranged from supportive to withering.
The people opposed to the change make some good points. They fear personal reprisals if they say something controversial and they predict the online discussion will be timid and less colorful.
However, for many years, letters to the editor writers have had their names and home towns go online after their letters appeared in the newspaper. We have done this hundreds and hundreds of times and we are not aware of any safety problems that have resulted.
We also understand that some of the commenting may not be as dramatic or entertaining after Feb. 1.
We hope instead that the comments are a bit more constructive and thought-provoking.
Perhaps we are bucking an inevitable trend toward more and more incivility in public discourse. And, perhaps, we are being unrealistic by trying to apply old ethical standards to a new electronic delivery system.
However, the Web is still a young, developing medium. Thousands of websites are trying new and different things every day.
This is also an experiment, an attempt to build a better online community with more illuminating discussion.
With your help, I think it will succeed.
(To register as an online commenter under the new system, please go to www.sunjournal.com and click the "Register" link at the top of the page.)
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You people are bashing me
You people are bashing me because I'm Catholic? The depths you'll go in your attempts to attack me knows no boundries. Is that what YOUR churches tells you to do?
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Tron, given the consistent inappropriate nature of your posts your claim on the catholic faith is tenuous at best. Rest assured, no one would "bash" you because you claim to be Catholic. We will respond to your consistently inappropriate comments however.
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You had to leave to attend church?...a catholic one at that?.....You obviously just "occupy" a pew at church, if this is true at all...I am not catholic but I have friends that are and for you to post the way you do and call yourself a practicing catholic?...I've heard it all now..And your comment to armymom about her sons being in the army?....That was way out of line....I have asked you in previous posts to think before you write but obviously you don't take advice....this is why it is such a shock to me that you say you had to leave for church....I go to church every Sunday...and YES I practice what I hear...I take what I need and leave the rest...I take it you take nothing from the service you attend or your posts would be alot different from what they are...
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Rest easy everyone. The SJ won't start writing about anything that would draw controversy until after Feb 1.
I suppose the SJ would like us to attached our name and telephone number when we vote at the ballot box.
Can't stand the heat; get out of the kitchen.
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I am taking that to mean Brain, that perhaps it is time for those at SJ who cannot handle the pressure of more news coming out in the forums than in the articles and/or the mostly serious discussions to seek life elsewhere with either another line of work or at an organization with a less "news"driven participating readership.
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Well people, this is a day that we Catholics pray for peace and good will to all, even you guys. I've got to get ready for Mass, so enjoy the day, I'll pray for you and I'll pray you see what's right. Joyeaux Noel!
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Tron is a perfect Catholic. Spend 24 hours a day 6 days a week and 23 hours the seventh on here calling people bigot, pervert, and pedophile because they don't agree with him not because there is any basis in fact then go to mass and take communion. Spend 365.25 days a year less one hour doing his best to cause hate and discontent, stirring up ire, anger, even rage, possibly enticing someone to violance then go to Christmas Mass and "pray for peace and good will to all" even those he has been doing everything he can to for the past 365.25 days here and the rest of the community to produce to opposite. Perfect Catholic. I wonder if he actually takes the hour off during mass or he just moves his misery there?
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If the priest can't forgive you of your sins and save you and get you into heaven, then you can come to my church and Jesus can.
Merry Christmas Tron
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Remnants of the old South, some people will do anything and everything to preserve their right to hate speech in secret, since doing it in public isn't allowed anymore. It deserves to fail, time for TRUTH and JUSTICE to prevail.
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And REGULARLY calling people who have never been accused, never mind charged, prosecuted or convicted pervert and pedaphile is TRUTH AND JUSTICE, TRON? Calling anyone and everyone who disagrees with you on any and all subjects BIGOT is truth and justice, TRON? You do this every day in almost every post; if you got what you say you want, you would survive the first line of your first post.
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Sorry folks, that should have read, TRON you would NOT survive the first line of your first post. I would like to add, apparently your "vacation" was either not long enough or you need another given your earlier post calling me a pervert along with others I have read, same old, same old.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Tron, now who is a hate filled bigot?
Tron, do me a favor and don't even speak of the South because you don't know what you are talking about. Your statement is a total LIE.
Do you not realize that your statements make you the hate-filled bigot that you claim the South is? You obviously hate the South, and Southern people so that makes you just as hateful and bigoted as the people you accuse. Have you ever lived in the South? Or are you just drawing conclusions from rumors and stories that you have heard? Either way, you are telling a lie based on hatred and bigotry.
I am part black, and I grew up in Arkansas, and people treated me just fine.
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As usual, in your myopic manner you didn't want to read the most pertinent part, I said the OLD SOUTH. You know the one, where perjudice and hatred abound. I agree the South has changed for the better which is why some southerners are moving to Maine to try and save their warped way of life. Wont' work, America is changing for the better, so get out of the way!
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.BTW Tron, the 'Old south" is
BTW Tron, the 'Old south" is no different from the South today. Except we have tractors instead of mules.
But the people are the same.
So again, you don't know what you are talking about.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Tron, that's still a lie.
You base your whole perception of the South on a minority of folks that are/were bigots. I see you post all the time about people "wearing sheets". Man, that is a minuscule minority of Southerners and they are despised by mainstream Southerners. You said the other day that my battle flag represents hate and bigotry.....you couldn't be more wrong. Yes, in the 1930's some hate groups adopted the flag as their own, but that's not what the battle flag is about, and it wasn't the Klan's flag to adopt.
You can't judge the whole South by a handful of nuts. That would be like me saying that Maine has full prisons so Mainers must be criminals.
Again let me ask you to stop making false comments about something you know nothing about. You have never lived there, and I doubt you have been there, so you know nothing. I don't know of any Southerners that moved to Maine " to try and save their warped way of life". That is just another one of your lies.
I can promise you this, if you went down South, the Southerners would treat you better than the Mainers treat me. And that's a fact.
Tron, you said "America is changing for the better"......do you consider yourself an example of that change? If you do then America is in bad shape.
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while the absence of anonymity may remove some of the persistent negative comments and hate, it won't solve the problem. However, there are many members of this forum that will no longer participate that do provide insightful commentary.
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To those who are going after the advertisers of the paper, i don't feel that this is something that should be done. Remember when Imus said something stupid about a basketball team and angry people went after his sponsors (and then took him off air not giving HIM the freedom to talk about what he wants? the sponsors only care about the money, what the masses want the company's want to provide, but i would not call allstate and tell them to stop doing business with SJ, i would rather all the readers stopped giving the SJ money and the advertiser pulled out on their own. Every ad on the site is from a company that feels that the SJ reflects the people it wants to reach. If you get a relgious magazine, it will not have add for death metal bands, or adult toys. I feel that this is doing the same thing you don't want done to you. You do not want the REALNAME used, i agree, but by calling up all the sponsors you are saying i will not get allstate INS now unless you stop doing business with the SJ. So now you are trying to sway the freedom the SJ has by pulling the ad dollars. I know this seems long and drawn out im trying to make this understandable but if you are un-happy and Sj changes the format anyway, leave, stop reading SJ, i know i will, we have other news stations our there, maybe now is a time for someone to step up and create a lew/aub message board or indymeadia type thing.
anyway, we still have until feb 1st fly the flag my friends
-t
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Honestly Banner ads generally are a waste of money. I am suprised that employers use them anyway (and I would assume they were only sold by SJ sales people as part of another advertising package of the SJ). Banner ads have a VERY low click through rate of about .2 or .3 percent as users are very leary of clicking on them as they often are a hiding place for viruses and spyware. However with that being said it does help with branding and exposure if it has a good "Impression" rate, now because of the back and forths on the website it increases the "Impression" rate of the individual banners which is a good tool for SJ sales people to use when they try to sell the banner ads to advertisers. Because less people will be commenting and because the conversations will end up being "less controversial" sparking less debate, there in turn will be less impressions delivered to the banner ads, and less branding opportunities for the businesses.
As far as the SJ goes and their attempt to "better" their commenting section:
For better or worse (and trust me I sometimes detest the rants of some people) their commenting section is not broken. They sent out their little survey and yes most responders (I included) answered it would be nice to not allow people to hide their identities. In my haste in answering that question was thinking of some of the crudests and vile offenders. As they say hindsite is 20/20 and I wish I could go back and change my answer to that survey because I am not sold that this is a productive change. I am also most certainly not thinking that the SJ is "bucking a trend",
The great thing for "Smart Businesses" about social media and anonimity on commenting sections is that it is two way unfiltered communication for them. If people are dialoguing (even negatively) on your articles, then you have done your job, and most intelligent people will read through the comments and get the true picture of how that story potentially can effect them and then formulate their own opinion. Plus you are able to take the feedback you recieved and build on it with other stories, or changes. Honestly the negative feedback is really the feedback businesses should want to hear, because it is the most valuable information you can hear (if you truly want to make progress).
Scenario - You are going to buy a big ticket item, you think you have found a good deal and the item you want....you can A.) go to the store and ask the clerks opinion and get a very filtered response, b.) go to the manufacturers website and read their reviews (which are probably filtered by a moderator) and only have glowing reviews, or C.) google "reviews for said item" and read anonymous, unfiltered good and bad reviews and make your own educated decision.
Now change that scenario to a local election, or hot button issue, where you may have personal involvement, perhaps an election is coming up???? How better informed are people able to become by looking at every angle on something that can truly make a difference in our community.
Now with that being said there is a problem on here with personal attacks, but that is PREAVES job, to moderate and manage. If it is too big of a job for one person, Hire another, we are talking about a newspaper so their should be a lot of comments and maybe the job is too big for one person - but the managing of that should ONLY be used in cases of personal attacks/Slanderous attacks (i.e. bantering that leads to name calling) not negative feedback on a specific post. Or, sorry Preaves, if it is not being managed well then perhaps you need more training (I stop myself from saying this in not the job for you - as maybe because the newspaper is so slow going in the "fad" called the internet I am sure learning how to manage the swarm of activity like this was not something the SJ was not prepared to teach their moderators).
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What Survey????? I didn't get no stinking survey and this is the first I have heard of it so I would say no one I know got one either. This survey must have been sent out to a very few hand picked people. Interesting
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The survey was linked from this column dated November 16th. The original link in that column is gone now (I think), but you can still see the results page.
It wasn't sent out to a hand-picked group—anyone could respond to it, but you did have to notice it first.
In fact, as far as I recall, there was no need to be logged in, so truly anyone could respond to it, not just people registered on the SunJournal site. In addition, I'm not sure there was any protection against multiple voting. I'm not suggesting that anyone did submit multiple votes, but it is certainly possible in many non-security oriented web tools (such as the Agree/Disagree buttons in SunJournal comments.
In short, it doesn't look like the SunJournal tried to tweak the answers, but it also wasn't set up as a carefully controlled poll. The results should be taken with a very large dose of salt.
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Does Rex Rhoades smoke something? I mean the guy says the response in favor of the new rules has been overwhelmingly positive, NOT according to the posts or the advertisers. He says the response on the survey was overwhelmingly in favor of requiring full names; since when is an 18 vote difference (43% to 57%) out of 138 overwhelming? Now I would call the response of advertisers and posters to be overwhelmingly opposed to the change. I would call the "survey" inconclusive especially since it seems very few people, only 138 even new about it. I've talked to over 100 advertisers since December 22, with Christmas that really meant only talking to them the 22 and 23, not one was in favor, all were shocked by the suggestion of using real names on a website. Perhaps this needs to be taken in context with how SJ handles other news stories, events and opinions.
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I cant fully remember if it was sent out, or if their was a link on the site.....but there was definately a survey that polled readers about their commenting section. I would not assume people were hand picked because I dont have any reason to think I would be hand picked for anything like that.
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I think you missed the point with the advertisers. Here is the letter I have been sending out, less my name of course.
Dear Sir/Madame
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your staff a very happy and successful New Year. That said I would like to call to your attention upcoming changes at the Lewiston Sun Journal where you spend your advertising dollars. I believe that these changes will have a significant effect on the return you see on those all-important dollars as, in my opinion, the changes the Sun is making will drastically reduce readership and visits to their website therefore not only reducing the number viewers of your print ad, but more importantly the number of repeat views of your online ads.
I would like to begin by letting you know that I have been a faithful subscriber of the Sun for many years and a participant on their online forum since it began a number of years ago. I have enjoyed your ads and found them helpful. I particularly have benefited from your Sun Journal Website ads as have the many family, friends and acquaintances I directed to them. As you know the web is a very dynamic media allowing a small but interesting object/ad to connect/link to a much more detailed and informative website such is the case with your ad with the Sun. My friends, family and I have been able to access your information and website through the Sun Journal to gather information we needed to do business with you. Because of my subscription and participation in the forums I frequently see your ads, am aware of your business and have you always in mine when looking for what you have to offer or hear of someone who is. That is about to change.
On December 22, 2010, the Lewiston Sun Journal announced new rules for participating in the forums which violate basic safety rules recommended by every local, county, state, national and international law enforcement agency, rules that we instruct our children to follow when using any and all websites and hopefully every parent is making certain they do as their very lives may depend upon it. These new rules violate recommendations of banks, lending institutions, the Social Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security and countless other agencies and organizations. The Lewiston Sun Journal is insisting that all participants use their real names rather than pseudonyms in posting creating a tremendous threat to personal and family security and identity theft. They are insisting that age, email address, telephone number, and place of residence also be provided with only telephone number obscured from public view! They claim they will be calling each registrant before Feb 1, the cutoff date for participation using a pseudonym, to “verify” identity. A telephone call is not verification. Certainly anyone on the end of a phone line can claim to be anyone stealing another’s identity if a driver’s license can be obtained after obtaining personal information through sources such as this and using that information to gather the documents needed for DMV. Understandably the very large Sun Journal Forum Family has been deeply upset by the sun journals announced new rules which can be found in the December 22, 2010, edition article “Sun Journal changes rules for online commenting” by Rex Rhoades, Executive Editor and at the online addition at the web address http://www.sunjournal.com/city/story/956149 where you will also find expressed the intent by many to cancel their print subscriptions and depart the online forum should the Sun Journal insist on implementing these member safety compromising rules changes on February 1.
I hope that you will speak with your Sun Journal advertising sales representative and let them know that you are aware of the impending changes and drop in readership of the print edition and decline in forum participants that will result. I hope that you will advise your sales representative that you are well aware of the significant role that forum members play in your business’s success with their frequent, repeat, and extended visits each day to the Sun Journal website. I hope that you will make your sales representative aware that the loss of this significant and important readership group has a significant impact on the value to you and your business in advertising in the Sun Journal and your advertising dollars are looking for a new home where they will continue to reach this all important segment of the market should the Sun Journal insist on implementing these new rules driving out this vital segment.
I thank you for your time and consideration in this matter so important to all of us. I look forward to being able to enjoying safe participation in the Sun Journal Forums, viewing your advertising, utilizing all your business has to offer and recommending you to my friends, family, and acquaintances through your convenient link on the Sun Journal website and wish you a very happy and successful New Year.
Yours truly,
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armymom,
i did indeed, maybe not you but i thought i had read somebody with torches ready, you are very smart, and your letters is what i woudl write as well, there is a wrong was and a right way , i wanted to make sure that people were informing the advisement that by SJ doing this that you would not longer SEE there adds, sorry for my mistake very well done
-t
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I have sent nearly 100 so
I have sent nearly 100 so far, I didn't realize there where quite that many advertisers. I have been hitting them all even the pop-ups. Most are easy to find an email address to throught the link. About a dozen I have had to call, no email. I think they will be changing that. Some I have to do a search because the add is a video or something with no email so I have to find the company website. In the end I think it will be worth the effort.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.i just wanted to add my 2 cents as well
i agree, that the paper has every right do do as they want, i also think a lot of people who don't create a name leave mean nasty comments, i don't know how many times i see tron fighting, but people who use a moniker are not all bad, if you see tron, you know his/her views as a person, angelsx34eva, you also know where he/she stands on certain subjects, and you can go from there. Yelp does not require you to have a real name to review a local place, but if i hate the McDonald's up the road and tron really likes it, then it would be for you the independent minded reader to decide that tron is full of it or i am not very smart or we both are dumb and you have a better idea (then you post) and it stirs the pot and not always smart talk, but it gets people connecting. Why not put our phone numbers out and we can all have a party talk about different articles, or set up a chat room for everyone to get together and discuss the news, this seems like a step in the wrong direction. It is also not hard to get a googletalk number and have SJ call me there, so now i am Mr Mike Jones of lewiston who hates people that eat meat....in this day and age the people who are going to be jerks will be jerks anyway, but i don't want they guy posting addresses to call my work and say that i hate my company, we all keep parts of our life separate, me posting on here, is different then what i may post on another news site or views i may share with certain people.
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I have trouble believing this. I don't have my name here, not because I don't stand behind what I say, but because it allows me to speak freely. Especially with certain topics - I created my account when CMMC first started making the paper for possible layoffs and economic problems- but the hospital made it clear to us they do not want our names tied to the hospital in public forums, for example, we were asked not to list cmmc as employers on facebook.
I agree with the safety concerns. Some of my personal information is listed on facebook, with conservative privacy settings, and that is enough to creep me out sometimes. The idea of having my information on a forum such as this is unacceptable to me and I will not be registering with the new policy.
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You may wish to speak with Randall Dustin, CMMC Communications Director. I emailed him the letter to Sun Journal Advertisers I drafted and he responded immediately asking if it was alright to use my letter in his discussions with SJ. Of course I had no problem with it. Until this all came up my name was in my profile. I am sure he would be very interested in hearing what you have to say as an employee as well.
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I have refrained from commenting on this until I saw if there were any valid objections to the new policy. I have seen none. Anyone who visits here at all knows the reaction to some of my posts, and generally they disagree, sometimes very much so. But except from a confrontations from the mentally disturbed husband of my niece, I've experience no physical threats. The people complaining are, generally, those with mean spirited views, who despise foreigners, homosexuals and the elderly and handicapped. If someone doesn't meet their idea of purity and citizenship, they they're vilified. They understand, however, that is not acceptable in decent society, so they love the anonymity to spout their hatred without being held accountable.
TOUGH!!
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You are, "in my opinion", the BIGGEST offender of all! You completely prove the point that putting your full name in your posting does not prevent the rediculousness that happens here. You continually insult people refering to them as pedophiles and perverts and even in this post refer to someone as mentally challenged.
You saying that those leaving their names out are hate mongers that are discriminatory is a complete falacy! Most informed people will leave their names off from public mediums such as this for personal protection or because they are respectful of programs that they work with, to not have their views effect them.....
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When stating your 'opinions,' at least be accurate. I did not refer to my nieces husband as 'mentally challenged.' I said 'mentally disturbed,' which is a big difference. And I didn't refer to armymom as a pedophile, I said she was a pervert, because anyone who trolls the internet, pulling people's personal identification and publishing it on line in order to make an arguement, is a perverted bully, so I called her out on it. Plus, unlike you, people know who is calling them out. I am not a coward, like you, who does it in secret.
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Call me a coward (especially since to me you seem to often call those that I percieve as honorable as cowards (i.e. armymoms sons serving our country)).....thats cool I can take it. You may try to bully others by name calling and the like, but bullying with name calling is pretty juvenile so I tend to not resort to that. People like YOU are the reason I will refrain to put my Full Name on here, not because I want to hide behind a curtain in my opinions, but more over because I have watched you trashed peoples character with unfounded claims that could be damning to not only a good person, but to an entire program!
I have watched you refer to a certain person as a pedophile in articles dating back to a cause that means a great deal to me and my family. If you want I can find the post.....
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Funny, if the cause is so near and dear to you, why are you afraid to have a full investigation into this 'certain person's' activities. Would it be better to have this 'certain person' under scrutiny, or have my 'references' ignored? And IF I called this 'certain person' a pedophile, and IF this 'certain person' was innocent, isn't it surprising that this 'certain person' has NEVER sought any legal action to clear this 'certain person's' name? Come on, let's all grow up.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Why still using the nick then Tron?
If you are so comfortable with this, why haven't you switched to using your name, Daniel N Breton of 374 Main St, Auburn, ME 04210
last four numbers of your phone would be 2653. Took me less than 30 seconds to get this information, of course I have the whole phone number. If you'd like in a matter of minutes I can do a complete background check including criminal records and have ALL your phone numbers including cell numbers. I could post every bit of it right here. Still sound like a good idea.
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Tron is merely a posting name, my real name has ALWAYS been available and you are NOT the first person to state where I live, nor even publish my telephone number. Despite perverts like you, I still stand by what I say. I AM NOT ASHAMED OF ANYTHING I SAY. I just hope that your 'sons' who are allegedly in the service are not as cowardly as you. If so, this country is in a lot of trouble.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Tron, what is your problem?
My post demonstrated the point we who are opposed to the rules changes have been trying to make. Furthermore, as you said this is not the first time your address has appeared here and your number in full has appeared in the past as well. I did not print your full number, showing you that respect. So, Tron, what is with you and the name calling. In particular, what is with you and the irrelevant, inappropriate, unjustified and just plain wrong name calling, "perverts like you" I am in no way a pervert. I have never been accused of any sex crime never mind proscecuted or convicted what is wrong with you that you feel compelled to call people pervert, pedophile and other such names with no cause. You don't know me. You clearly have not found any records to support calling me this since there are none. I will not respond to your disrespectful comment on my sons other than to say they must have been raised well and cowardly not an issue having served 8 years most of which deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan on the frontlines as is the norm for their chosen specialties in the Army. What is your problem man?
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My name was in my profile from when I established the account until just a couple of days ago when reading the posts of others I realized I was breaking all the rules I had worked hard to pound into my kids' heads to never break. I then removed it along with where I live and my age. If I could have removed gender I would have done so.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.*** Will Not Work ***
With Google Voice, Skype , and Spoof Cards..... Telephone numbers mean zippo. It's soooo 1950s.
Do you actually use a real phonebook Patti?
Enjoy Xmas in your new home.
Call me. I'm the planet (somewhere).
Joy to the World ! Merry Xmas!
-- The Brain
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Bubble to Bust..
I am with armymom on this...I have done some similar things in contacting advertisers and there response has been very positive....I do use my real name...but I am unlisted in the phone book....To say that nothing happens to people who use there real name is not true...During baseball season I wrote some things about ASLL and I took a lot of heat when I was at the ball park..and it was by MEN...so don't be telling me that using your real name has no consequences...b/c it does..when I registered with SJ I thought you had to use your real name...that's why I did...and boy if I'd have known you didn't have to...I would not have...
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.It's easy to hit the advertisers
As you read and post, click on the ads. Most ads will take you to the advertisers website. Look for Contact Us. This can usually be found at the top or bottom of the page; occasionally it will be in a menu in the left or right column. Click it. Then look for the email contact option. Sometimes they are really nice and give you the email address which you can copy and paste or just type into your email window. Others use a nice form that opens when you click the "email" choice. Some aren't so convenient and try to open outlook express which is a problem for those of us that don't use Outlook. In that case, right click over the "email" option and select "properties"from the popup, and Walla you the email address pops up with a bunch of other stuff, just copy and paste into the email client you use. I wrote a letter in Word that I am sending every one. In the subject line I put Your Ad in the Lewiston Sun Journal. Then I paste my letter into the body. I am keeping a list of who I have done in Excel along with a record of replies from places like CMMC, Overstock.com, craftscars.com, and mastercard marketplace to name but a few I have had positive response from already and they are dealing with Christmas rush! Everytime I see an add I haven't done yet I send pop out my pre-written letter complete with links to the December 22 announcement from are good buddy Rex Rhoades. If I find one with a link that doesn't work I make sure to let them know about that when I call them; I call any that don't have websites or that have broken links and ask to speak to the manager. I have not found one person that has not had the same reaction we have; this aint safe! Everyone I have spoken with or who has emailed back has said they will be speaking with their Sun Journal Sales Representative immediately to express their displeasure. They all liked and agreed with my letter which was printed under Rex's good news http://www.sunjournal.com/city/story/956149. Times are tough and every dollar has to count especially advertising dollars.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Don't the Sun Journal
Don't the Sun Journal advertising sales reps get paid on commission? Somethiing tells me they are not going to be very happy come the first of the year when they a) start knocking on doors and b) start getting calls from all those customers who have been getting all those calls, emails, and letters from all of us. Having customers so unhappy with who you advertise with, that they are calling you, writing you, and emailing you about it tends get you to move your advertising.
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Based on the posted responses of participants, many of whom I had never seen post before, you are in a fantasy world if you actually believe, "the response to the to the new format has been overwhelmingly positive." Also you made your "public announcement" 3 days before Christmas when your advertisers and your readership would be least likely to be online or reading the paper being overwhelmed with holiday preparations and their businesses, which would tend to dampen the response. However, I suspect that you may find that will change very soon. Thus far, I personally, have contacted 40 of your advertisers either by email or telephone to inform them of your "rules changes," the implications to participant safety both physical and Identity-wise (being business people they are way more savy on ID theft than you are), and the effect all of our leaving and therefore not seeing their ads repeatedly every day can be expected to have (kind of reduces the value of an ad with SJ don't ya think), along with canceling of our print subscriptions which is of less value anyway since it is a scan and toss deal. The response has been amazing. My phone conversations have been met with shock that you would not be knowledgable in internet etiquette and security, placing top priority in protecting your readers, their patrons, from physical harm and the likelihood of identity theft. Some also weren't to happy when I told them I was calling because their link didn't work, the link to their website they pay you for. Most I emailed and dispite this being the busiest time of the year, I have gotten several return emails from your biggest advertisers including one asking permission to use my letter in contacting you. They aren't happy with your planned rules changes.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Ridiculous!!! You would have
Ridiculous!!! You would have to be an idiot to post on the internet with your real name on any controversial topic!! Writing one or two letters a year to the editor is one thing posting your opinion on a daily basis is very different!! People if you post a comment on here under your real name be prepared to have to defend it every where you go, your friends, Neighbors, co workers and family will I am sure at the ready to hear your explanation or justification for your comments!!!
The Norman Rockwell painting "freedom of speech" of the town meeting was a nice touch to letter. However There's an old saying that you should never discuss sex, politics or religion in polite company, and that's what's discussed on this blog everyday. I don't discuss religion or politics with my clients for a very good reason, OK mostly because offending one or some could cost me some real money!! That being said most people will not speak their minds if they can be called out for it at the grocery store, ball game or around the water cooler!! I am not talking about the Jackwagons that get on hear and throw insults and ridicule slandering anyone they can, Those people will still be here because that's what they do that's who they are. It's the regular folks that like to put their Two Cents in from time to time that will be lost to this blog!
Guys like Ben Harrison and if you are still wondering that is in fact not my real name but I don't hide behind anonymity on here I shield those whom I respect and care about in my real life that I would never give my real opinion on certain topics to because it would ruin friendships severe business connections and so on. And at the end of the day I thought that's really what blogs like this were supposed to be in the first place, a place where one could post their opinion on even the most sensitive of topic (Muslim relations, President Obama, The health care takeover, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan) without fear of repercussions, for having an unpopular opinion.
I could not be more against this, it discourages posters from expressing their true feelings on a topic without fear of reprisal. Opening up this blog and exposing the posters real identities ensures posters will censor their comments for fear of offending a neighbor a business associate or even their boss. It ensures that the third grade teacher at Montello wont comment on a Somali article for fear of being called to the principles office, it ensures that the used car salesman wont comment on a political story for fear of losing customers, it ensures the cop on the beat wont comment at all!! It ensures that local political figures will keep their two cents to themselves, it ensures that most of us will stop bothering to air our opinion on here all together!! L/A is a small town we all know each other we don't always agree with each other, but most of us are respectful to our friends and neighbors. Removing the anonymity of this blog takes away the posters ability to say what they really think and feel!! Believe me their are some people on here I would really rather not have to read their nonsensical ramblings however their are also some great comments and great points of you from time to time, that I am sure will go away. Sun Journal reconsider don't ruin a perfectly good thing!!! MY two cents!!!
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.273?
Would that 273 include mine, my son's, and my husband's along with our many friends and relatives who submitted to your request immediately upon receiving your email without thinking through the consequences and then removing the information? Does that 273 users who have "applied" include all the people who just attached the message I drafted and posted with the objection or a personalized version in the profile explaining why this is such a bad idea and how it violates the recommendations of every credible orgnaization and law enforecement agency out there, used "0000000" for telephone number, "no town" or something else for town and in place of name something like "see profile below" which points you to the message cited above and then, checked the box we where submitting for verification?
Judging by the response of participants posting to the December 22, story you are in a fantasy world when you say the
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I'd hate to call you a liar Mr. Rhoades but you're really pushing the envelope with this one. I'd say that the majority of the feedback in the forum on your last notification of the new rules was negative. I realize that this is a privately owned paper and you have the right to run the business as you wish but I really think that you're making a terrible move with this whole thing.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I’ve said it before and I’ll
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, because it seems there are some really, really naive people here. (Including the Sun-Journal editorial staff).
Internet Rule number 1; Never, EVER post your personal information online.
You don’t even want to know what folks like me could do with as little as your first and last names.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.I can now report that while
I can now report that while we have received criticism from some current commenters, the response to the new format has been overwhelmingly positive.
Once again the Sun-Journal is oblivious.
Funny, their “positive responses” did not take place in the public forum, rather the private registration process. Being an active part of the original thread I can assure you there were very few people who spoke in favor of the change. We actually convinced a mother to remove her personal information, realizing what threat it could pose to her and her family.
Good luck with your future ventures Sun-Journal. My letter has been sent to your sponsors, as have other’s. May your Love Parade continue to march its way to P.C.ville.
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My hearty approval for the change in policy. I have been using my real name in comments all along, and for those who are scared, nothing bad ever happened to me or my family members as a result. I don't hesitate to express controversial opinions. The only people who attack me for it are the anonymous ones, and they do it on line. I'll be glad to see an end to the ugly, irresponsible comments and a switch to a responsible forum among people who stand behind their words.
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This posted has been edited as its content is in violation of the Sun Journal's commenting policy.
It is interesting that ArmyMom, who worries that her own personal information posted online may endanger her or her family, seems to have no problem posting the personal information of another person who has applied for verified status.
Judith Meyer
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This post has been edited as its content was in violation of the Sun Journal's commenting policy.
Judith Meyer
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This posted has been edited as its content is in violation of the Sun Journal's commenting policy.
Judith Meyer
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Of course someone with an
Of course someone with an agenda (a book to sell maybe) would want to post their real information. Does the Sun-Journal know they are giving you free advertising?
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RR: ... we are not aware of any safety problems that have resulted.
Last March I notified you of exactly that. Here is your response:
On Mar 8, 2010, at 9:05 AM, Pattie Reaves wrote:
> I would suggest that you don't share comments in our community to which you would not want your name attached.
To which I responded:
Just over three months ago, my last published letter drew a similar cowardly, anonymous off-line response. In fact, stuff like this has happened often enough that my letter frequency is way down from previous years.
I don't mind having my name attached to an on-line comment and I'll debate it with anyone out in the light. But I don't have the resources to protect myself and my family from off-line threats and abuse from some in the community who operate only in the dark. There is accountability on one side only.
Forum anonymity encourages participation by people who might otherwise fear private retaliation from those who don't share the same public opinions. An obvious example is a whistleblower in a public position.
Exposing personal information encourages blandness and/or participation reduced down to the those who just don't care what happens on- or off-line.
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"those who just don't care what happens on- or off-line." Or, how 'bout those not ashamed to identify with their beliefs?
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Mark I completely disagree, How are things over their on Allen St in Wilton, For a good time in Wilton Call ### 3005. I am getting my Christmas Gifts together and was wondering if you would prefer subscriptions to gay porn or regular porn, If you would like crank calls or just signed up on every mailing list call list I can find!!! Now I am not making a real threat really, I am only proving a point , With just your name and town it took me only Two minutes to get your home address and phone number!!! Merry Christmas all!!!!
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.You didn't read my post, Lilly.
Nothing new there. I'm happy to identify with my beliefs - until the low-life, knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathers start playing games off-line.
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You mean like Ben, below?
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Now, Please Dipense With the "Editorial Board" byline
As a poster who has been signing my posts for quite a while, I would suggest that the undefined "Editorial Board" now be eliminated and Sun-Journal opinion pieces now by signed by the person, or persons, authoring them.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.That's because all the
That's because all the members of the editorial board "sign" their names to editorials. The editorial board is on the masthead on the editorial page, and consists of James Costello, our publisher, Rex Rhoades, our executive editor, and Judy Meyer, our managing editor.
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well said.
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Were you reading comments at http://www.sunjournal.com/city/story/956149 ? You have a mighty low threshold of overwhelming.
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