Community Comment

Morning comment…

Posted by Dave

Dec. 21, 2009 8 a.m. • 11 comments

Good morning, Netizens…

It is grimy, gray and drip-dry outside this morning, and typically by now I would have already posted stories and comment, as that has typically been my daily regimen for nearly three years. However, those steps will be delayed today, mostly because a band of miscreants, people who were once told they were banned from the Spokesman-Review Blogs because of repeated violations of policies and procedures.

Instead of resting up for the long week ahead of us, first Jeanie and then myself began a protracted study of how several banned users were able to log on and post vitriolic messages, often posting as more than one person. We both began reviewing IP addresses for the suspected users and matching them to user names, and suddenly we stood up together, and with the assistance of Ryan Pitts, we began purging users who could not, for whatever reasons, to be honest and forthright about their identities.

As a result of our efforts, Roger_Young, Fuscia and Uptight_Spokanite all were exposed and their user accounts removed. That is only the edge of the iceberg, because if they attempt to return using different IP addresses or other user names, we will sniff them out. In fact, upon review of the policies and procedures, we may begin enforcing some new rules for those attempting to establish user accounts.

All this because of a few people. Neither Jeanie nor myself are paid employees of the Spokesman-Review but serve as volunteers. We don’t need this kind of time-consuming mind games filling up what little disposable free time we have. Nuff said.

Dave

11 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Cindy_H on December 21 at 8:31 a.m.
Thanks Jeanie and Dave.
You don’t get a cent for all your efforts at providing a place for the Community to Comment, but I certainly appreciate you both.
Milo says Merry Christmas :-)
ChefGus/ John Olsen on December 21 at 8:59 a.m.
Thanks Dave and Jeanie for all you do…. i’ve often thought that comments made by “anonymous” people are not the best thing…. that is one problem with the internet….

Cindy… nice to see your new photo….. i appreciate too all you do for our community with all of your lovely pieces in various parts of the paper and elsewhere…. merry holidays to you and yours as well… best j
Jeffrey_Grey on December 21 at 9:53 a.m.
My thanks as well, Jeanie and Dave. I know for both of you this is a labor of love and I want you to be aware of how much it’s appreciated.
Ron_the_Cop on December 21 at 12:10 p.m.
Me too!
mhibbs8 on December 21 at 1:32 p.m.
Damn! this means I will no longer be able to make snide remarks about Dave”s syntax. Sob……..
Dave Laird on December 21 at 2:44 p.m.
Good afternoon, Marty…

It is like Elnora Wilson, a former English teacher of mine in high school once said, all I needed was someone to correct my syntax and I might actually become a world-class writer someday. So by all means, let fly with snide comments where and when they apply. 8)

Dave
shanusmaximus on December 21 at 3:28 p.m.
“As a result of our efforts, Roger_Young, Fuscia and Uptight_Spokanite all were exposed and their user accounts removed.”

Lol! Well there goes 1/3 of the total regular commentors. A shame really, since all three seemed to have some good fight in them. Even if they were all the same person….lol.

“In fact, upon review of the policies and procedures, we may begin enforcing some new rules for those attempting to establish user accounts.”

Well I don’t see ANY rules ANYWHERE. That may be problem number 1. After communicating with Mr. Crooks about the rules, I was told that there were rules but there were no EXACT rules. (?????) So I typed in Blog rules and I came up with a short piece dated Sept. 12…

“What do you want from this particular blog? What restrictions or rules would you like enforced? Are we TOO restrictive? Not enough? How can we encourage communication? What would you like to see in topics? How can I make your day?”

No one commented on that blog. What rules would I like enforced…..some are obvious for a newspaper site. 1. No swearing 2. No multiple accounts 3. No threats of violence 4. No adult links 5. No name calling…..that would seem about it for me. Now you said, “began a protracted study of how several banned users were able to log on and post vitriolic messages…” Vitriol is not allowed??? No sharp, bitter or sarcastic comments? Hmmm….I am not sure I agree with that as long as they don’t break rules 1-5. I think as long as you make the rules firm and simple, not only will you save yourselves some headaches, but you will have some ACTUAL written rules you can site. (I don’t remember seeing ANY rules when signing up, but I could be mistaken. I don’t want to create another account to see….since that is against the rules.)

“All this because of a few people. Neither Jeanie nor myself are paid employees of the Spokesman-Review but serve as volunteers.”

That is mighty nice you two! Thanks. Maybe they should think about paying you guys.
spokelooneh on December 21 at 9:22 p.m.
“That is mighty nice you two! Thanks. Maybe they should think about paying you guys.”

Have you seen the financial state of the newspaper business lately?

My guess is the S/R is still losing money after all the cuts, loss of ad revenues, and is surviving on profits generated from other Cowles divisions, real estate holdings, timber and pulp operations, etc.
hhuseland on December 21 at 9:47 p.m.
My only question, is how do you force an entire generation to show class and polite behavior, when their parents taught them to rebel and sit in public buildings to get their points across. … If, in fact they had a point to get across. I don’t think you can teach adults that were raised without standards to suddenly adhere to them. They just don’t get it.
spokelooneh on December 21 at 11:51 p.m.
Herb, what’s the point of having First Amendment rights of free speech, assembly, and petitioning for redress if they’re not exercised?
shanusmaximus on December 22 at 2:25 p.m.
@spokelooneh

“Have you seen the financial state of the newspaper business lately?”

Lol! Yeah…..I am quite aware of it. But they will need somebody to do more of that kind of thing when S-R goes totally online…..My prediction is two years from now…maybe less.

Regardless….they need some hard, fast rules. Because what I am seeing around here is some blatant censorship based on a “Matter of Opinion”. I have now had ANOTHER comment erased by Mr. Crooks……and it was not based going off topic, it was not based on “inappropriateness”. It was simply based on….he just didn’t like it. It WAS in the Dec.16 Loose Thread.
It is crap like this as to why people have such a negative view of this “paper”. Trust me…..not many people I know or talk to about this “paper” have EVER had much good to say about it. But what choice do you have? Idaho….nope. Alternative newspaper (the Spinlander is spineless yuppie fodder) and the Local Planet is gone. (*sniff) I guess Tri-Cities??????