This site is set up so people can get their voices heard! With the restrictions in media today, it is HARD to get different vies and opinions. It seems the same old people control what gets printed in the press or shown on the news. THIS WEBSITE breaks those barriers, and enables you to get your voice heard, not just by the few people who read the opinions section of the newspaper, but by THOUSANDS every month.
This is very likely the most widely read and influential public discussion sites in southeast Idaho! And it enables people who don’t usually have a voice to be heard by the masses. But the website is ONLY VALUABLE TO THEM IF THEY KNOW ABOUT IT!
That’s why starting today I’m inviting you to take 7 minutes and send a message to everyone you can from your contact list and invite them to come read and/or join in the discussion!
Family members, work associates, professionals, church members, drinking buddies, girlfriends, boyfriends, teachers, invite them all! It will give them a chance to share their opinions, give you something to talk about when you’re together, and help support the community by bringing in views, opinions, and ideas that can make a difference.
A simple message like:
- “Hey, I found a great website that you should check out: www.IdahoFallsToday.com ”
Or whatever you’d find appropriate.
But whatever you do, TAKE 7 MINUTES RIGHT NOW AND EMAILS AS MANY PEOPLE YOU CAN THINK OF who has an opinion about anything (which is everyone!). Encourage them to get involved.
You can make a difference – to them and the community. Get the word out today! And thanks for supporting the community.
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It WAS all he had to say about it!
:@:)
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Great idea. I just sent out my email – 150 people.
How did you come up with 7 minutes Joe? What if I only have 4?
Seriously though….what you should do is come up with a flyer in PDF form so people can click on it and a new window pops up with an IFT flyer. Then each person can print out the advertisement regarding IFT and hand them out to friends, family, mailman, mall-walkers, fast food drive-thru window employees, etc.
Joe,
I’ll be declining your invitation, and won’t be inviting my friends or family.
Some thoughts about your site. As I see it, you had a pretty good thing going here for awhile. And then you let it get out of hand and let the looneys start to run the asylum. A lot of your regular and good posters (ie, boomer, Nemesis, Bundy …, etc.) moved on when bullys were allowed to reign.
When there acutally was moderation (which there wasn’t for a very long time) moderators did not do their jobs; a lot of people were inappropriately outed and abuse was rampant. It has been and will continue to be a problem that you allow anonymous posters, because you will continue to experience hit and run trolls.
If’n you want a place where people want to come, you need to control the environment a little better. Just my .02 cents.
boomer, Nemesis and Bundy were anonymous posters, were they not? I certainly don’t know their real names.
Moderation / censorship is the last thing we need right now.
Uh, boomer just posted in the Q&A section – no biggie but “think about it” should note it – also T.A.I. – if you posted your past user name, we would understand better how you played a role, or not, in the things you are accusing others of.
Keep moving on everyone! I like the flyer idea CR. Also, Joe E. – if you created a little “business card” template, I have lots of blank avery business cards I could print out and leave in my travels around town, offices I have business at, etc.
Think about it raises a valid point… however, even if you use a name and address to identify yourself, you can still make up any information you want and still be totally anonymous. That’s the beauty/curse of the internet. If you are bend on being obnoxious, it’s also not hard to use different IP addresses and simply keep posting when you’ve been banned.
Moderation is a tuff job, you need very cut and dried rules and your moderators need to stick by them implicitly.
I’ve had 2 different blog/chat sites. I had to close them both due to bullies… well, one particular bully. This person was not only unbearably rude, but made personal comments about people on the sites showing how much he/she knew about the people participating, things that this person should never have known. Once these sites were closed down, none of us heard from this person again.
At this point, the sites are saved indefinitely on a personal server , as suggested by the IFPD, in case this person decides to surface again.
The “bullying” you’re seeing here seems juvenile at best, used by people with something to say, but without the vocabulary to describe their opinions.
(obviously, my vocabulary could also use some work lol)
Maybe I’m unknowingly reading a different site but it’s been great around here for a long time. We’ve had loads of new topics and some great discussions. It got a little heated during the election but that’s politics for ya. Anytime you discuss politics, religion or any hot button issue such as those the debate is going to get out of hand from time to time. I’ve been online since ‘91-’92 and there’s never been a blog, chat-room or discussion forum over the years where every single person got along and agreed with everyone else. People have different opinions about everything in life and that’s what makes each one of us unique in our own way. And that’s the beauty of the blog. To be able to voice your opinion and hear others, whether you agree with them or not. You’re not going to find a site online that’s all roses and lollipops. But if you do, please tell us about it. I’d like to visit this zanadu sometime.
CR67: I’d visit the Zanadu, but I wouldn’t want to live there. Bets are it would be reeeeeealy boring.
Allow me to explain the difference between Pseudonymous writing, Anonymous writing and using your REAL name.
**Marcus (I think) uses his REAL name, which is quite admirable in my book.
**boomer, Sisyphus and Idahogie use pseudonyms (not their real names, but they are consistent in always using that name in their posts here and elsewhere). Check it out by googling their pseudonyms. This is also brave, and intellectually honest, because their writings can be evaluated and criticized.
**Anonymous blog sites, like IFT, allow users to come in and post without even registering. Today I can be “Visitor;” tomorrow, “Anonymous”, and the next day “Guest”, etc. I am posting this as “Visitor” to make my point. I’m not even required to leave an e-mail address to post in the chat box, or to leave a comment. This is a problem, in my opinion, and encourages people to abuse each other and the site. A lot of sock puppetting is the result. Marcus mentioned awhile back in the chat box that he think there are only 5 people here who actually post …. they’re just posting under different “anonymous” names. He could be right, and I actually suspect he is right.
Pseudonymous writing has a long and noble history: example: author Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens. As long as pseudonyms are used consistently, writings done under a pseudonym are easy to evaluate/criticize.
Anonymous writing, in contrast, is unattributable and often irrefutable because an anonymous author can change positions and arguments at any time without having to maintain intellectual honesty or consistency. Anonymous writers can, and often do, say nasty, harsh and ugly things to other users without fear of recrimination or criticism “sticking” to them. This sort of posting is generally rightly seen as cowardly and unpersuasive.
Anonymous, and pseudonymous writing have their place, and some would argue that freedom of expression demands that all be allowed. It is my opinion, however, that anonymous writing has been a downfall of this site, and I suggest that Joe should at least require visitors to register and sign in before they post. It won’t stop the problem entirely, but it will curb it a little.
I believe we’re all aware of pseudonyms. And I can respect your opinion regarding this issue. But it is also MY opinion that the site is just fine the way it is. People have been complaining about this issue since Joe Vandal first started the site and as you can see the site is doing just fine and is actually stronger than ever. Traffic and participation on this site has risen over 10% over the past few weeks alone (according to Mr.Eagle) and I think that’s great.
As Alice noted above, it doesn’t matter if you are required to sign in or not, people will still use screen names as opposed to their real name, they’ll still use multiple email addresses and they’ll still use multiple IP addresses. So your beef with this site really doesn’t make much sense. But again, that’s just my opinion.
Yep, my name. Though how wise it is to be using my name when commenting on touchy subjects is debatable… I guess it forces me to practice some restraint when commenting.
In other words, she (or he) wants it cloned like eagle rock talks, city data forum, or post talk?
I completely understand your point vistor/think about it, but the few people who keep coming back to criticize this site, is just plain silly. Why do you suppose there is such a powerful need for you/them to continually do this? What do you wish to prove?
Also, just because some have to sign in, or use email addresses, doesn’t mean other users won’t challenge him or her when they post crazy arguments and crap anyway.
The beef you have with this site has become so personalized that none of us can fix it, sorry.
Anything can be made up, CR. Even Joe’s “stats.”
http://www.statbrain.com/www.idahofallstoday.com/
Great stuff, Marcus! Thanks for the link.
That’s pretty cool Marcus. Even though it’s just an estimate, that’s not bad for a Monday. lt would be interesting if it broke it down by vistors per week, over the past month, etc etc. (But Joe can see all that anyways) And it’s not like Joe is going to lie about how many visitors are coming to his site. I imagine it’s up quite a bit from last year, especially from all the advertising I’ve been hearing on the radio.