Social Groups

[songline]

Not in all cases, Song. I was a member of the animal welfare group and the recovery group. I don't remember that I was invited, I just requested to join and was accepted. And as far as I know, there was no "selection" or "agreement by others". It wasn't exclusionary or anything. Maybe some of the other SG's were.

I didn't know there were SG's about specific cases, I just thought that they were all groups for people that shared similar interests. I'm actually shocked that this has happened because the groups I was a part of, although I really didn't spend much time there, were friendly, congenial and everyone got along well. I couldn't understand how people could argue about pets, recovery, gardening, etc. Not really "hot-bed" topics in my opinion.

I don't really understand why there would be SGs about cases, when there is the main board to post on in addition to the private forums and RT's. I'm not being argumentative, but wouldn't that be enough? Maybe I just don't get it. As somone else said, when you are posting on WS, you get to know certain people, find people that share similar interests and sometimes want to take a break from sleuthing, so you get together and talk about other things. I realize that WS isn't a social club and is supposed to be for sleuthing but why can't people socialize as well? Someone else said that you can go to Yahoo groups or whatever to find people that share your interests, but for one thing, I already know the people here and don't want to try to get to know new people, alot of those groups aren't well moderated and are unruly, immature or not intelligent. (Sorry don't mean to make such a sweeping statement and apologies in advance to anyone who belongs to any of these groups that AREN'T like this. Its just what I have observed).

Anyway, that is just my two cents. I'm surprised that this has happened. I don't think its fair to get rid of SG's. I just don't understand why there has to be SGs about certain cases when there are all sorts of other places to discuss them. Peace.

BeavisMom62 Thanks for your reply, I think that all the tread do get moderated which is good, and WS has plenty of threads that are not about sleuthing, but pets, games, recipes etc....where people can and do socialize based on their personal interests and the posters they like or seem to agree with.
If you want to have privet groups about any case Do It; but call it that "Privet Club" the only objection I had was that it was supposedly done because "case sensitive" that needed less viewership. I did not buy that for one second.
I am not trying to be argumentative, or disapproving. I as always call it what it seems to be in my minds eye.
I belong to a sit where one does have to be invited, and it is about a case. But the entire site has members by invitation only.
I have no issue with the privet clubs here - I just hope in the future they are up front about it. It was not because it was case sensitive...that's all she wrote.
My best...:blowkiss:

 

[songline]

I realize I am completely out of the "loop" and perhaps not even a worthy WS member to be invited to a "social group" but I would really appreciate someone explaining to me what these groups are. I have tried to figure it out on my own by reading through this thread but I still get the impression it is a secret society and not very inclusive. Would someone please enlighten me???

travelgal, You did get it right, it is a secret group; they post amongst themselves and they are the "IN GROUP" that is the operative word. whatever....
I really do not care, I find it humorouse....WHY...They say it is posting on "Sensitive issues of the case" as if all issues are not sensitive in a murder case ...hmmmm.
It would be better for them to have a seperate site for those who are closely connected to the case and have inside information which can not leek; that I would understand because I belong to one of those sites - by invitation only.

But this is a public forum so IMHO not a social group, but a group that hold them selves as the "In Crowd" LOL - whatever...To each his own....
You dont have to think of yourself as out of the loop, and IMHO you are as worthy as the next person.
It is only in the mind of the beholder.

At the end of the day...WS is still the best site of it's kind.
So I am now going to see how the Caylee case is doing. :wave:

 

[Busylady]

With all due respect, I can only speak for myself about why I requested a social group and it had nothing to do with a private club. It had to do with the ability to sleuth the case without the RT getting shut down. Yes there was information that did not need to be all over the internet. The parking lot is not private by any means, it is quite normal for WS members to take post from the parking lot to other forums that they belong to. We could not have researched some people in the parking lot that we were able to do in the SG for many reasons. I do not know how involved you are with the Haleigh case, but the family tree and criminal records alone is mind boggling. We could not of looked into that information using names and criminal records in the parking lot. The research on the Haleigh case has basically come to a standstill, because there is no place to toss things out, no place to discuss various players and that is truly sad for Haleigh. I guess for me bottom line is if people could act like mature adults and be open for discussion none of this would of happened, and everyone would still be plugging along trying to come up with some answers.

BeavisMom62 Thanks for your reply, I think that all the tread do get moderated which is good, and WS has plenty of threads that are not about sleuthing, but pets, games, recipes etc....where people can and do socialize based on their personal interests and the posters they like or seem to agree with.
If you want to have privet groups about any case Do It; but call it that "Privet Club" the only objection I had was that it was supposedly done because "case sensitive" that needed less viewership. I did not buy that for one second.
I am not trying to be argumentative, or disapproving. I as always call it what it seems to be in my minds eye.
I belong to a sit where one does have to be invited, and it is about a case. But the entire site has members by invitation only.
I have no issue with the privet clubs here - I just hope in the future they are up front about it. It was not because it was case sensitive...that's all she wrote.
My best...:blowkiss:

 

[songline]

With all due respect, I can only speak for myself about why I requested a social group and it had nothing to do with a private club. It had to do with the ability to sleuth the case without the RT getting shut down. Yes there was information that did not need to be all over the internet. The parking lot is not private by any means, it is quite normal for WS members to take post from the parking lot to other forums that they belong to. We could not have researched some people in the parking lot that we were able to do in the SG for many reasons. I do not know how involved you are with the Haleigh case, but the family tree and criminal records alone is mind boggling. We could not of looked into that information using names and criminal records in the parking lot. The research on the Haleigh case has basically come to a standstill, because there is no place to toss things out, no place to discuss various players and that is truly sad for Haleigh. I guess for me bottom line is if people could act like mature adults and be open for discussion none of this would of happened, and everyone would still be plugging along trying to come up with some answers.

I do hear you really I do::blowkiss:
I do belong to such a group on an old case.
I still say that if you want that type of information then IMHO
that should be a separate site, all the members would be invited.

What was done here IMHO had insulted too many people that were involved with HC case, perhaps I may have been upset too if I was involved but, I am not involved with that case because for me personally while I read about it from time to time, I cant emotionally take on more then a couple of cases at one time, because FOR ME it is not healthy. JMHO
There are those who don't say anything but are in every case,
there are those who offer lots of data, or insight,
there are all kinds.
I see that you hold this case close to your heart...
((((( SENDING YOU A BIG HUG ))))):blowkiss:

 

[cajun]

Has LE come forward stating your "fruit" was productive in solving this case? Many people and the SG's have forwarded info found to the appropriate LE outlet. The attitude that only one SG had sleuthed the "truth" is part of the existing problem. NO ONE has a market on the truth...it is universal and absolute.

Guess you missed the MAYBE part, I was just relaying our groups 'fruits', I have no idea what ya'll did. I hope the rumor thread never opens up again, because there was very little truth that came out of it. One police report is all that can be found through PSCO about all of the so called stuff that Ron or his family supposedly did and a report made..just one. Now the traveling rumor show has moved to another board, same proved wrong rumors that were started here. Of course no one has a market on the truth, but some people blindly don't see the truth.

 

[Blackwatch]

Guess you missed the MAYBE part, I was just relaying our groups 'fruits', I have no idea what ya'll did. I hope the rumor thread never opens up again, because there was very little truth that came out of it. One police report is all that can be found through PSCO about all of the so called stuff that Ron or his family supposedly did and a report made..just one. Now the traveling rumor show has moved to another board, same proved wrong rumors that were started here. Of course no one has a market on the truth, but some people blindly don't see the truth.

BBM. In my opinion, this ENTIRE post exemplifies EXACTLY what went wrong, both in the SGs and the Haleigh Rumor Thread.

 

[OrdinaryLife]

Knock me over with a duck feather and call me Donald! I had no idea that there were SG forums. Not a clue. Though, after reading all these posts, for me, it explains alot of the anomosity I read at the HC rumor thread. I could never understand why it would go to hell in a handbasket so quickly. Makes sense now as an outsider of the other goings on at other places.

I do not think there is any need for SG's. It goes, imvho, against the reason so many of us joined WS's. To be part of a *group as a whole* that discusses case. The theories, the *respected* opinions of others regardless if we agree with them or not, and the not ever taking another person down in a nasty way. If this is something that is needed, must be done, take it out of here. I have no interest on reading tit for tat, trashing a fellow poster for all to read (what, are we all gradeschool kids??), and basically posting upmanship to others. No thank you.

TG did an ****amazing**** job moderating the HC rumor thread, but I do not think any mod should have to babysit a bunch of adults as she did. Over and over and over again. But, that's just me.

Just my very humble opinion.

 

[songline]

Ordinary life; I think the mods are essential.
I learned from another case that bloggers/posters can create problems for the site as well as themselves by saying things that may create a legal issue later.
As some of you know the ANS case has one blogger in jail and several more in court.

Some of the mods do take it to far and stir, but most of them here are really looking out for the longevity of this site, and for that we must respect them.
I do not call it baby sitting us, I call it keeping us on the straight and narrow.

I once was banned here because I told too much truth, I did not know that it may be an issue at all. I am not sure it was handled the way I would have handled it, but the MOD's jobs are really to make sure that this place does not become a nasty environment, or a spill of information that may cause a legal issue.
I received e-mails at home inviting me to other sites, one of those sites is privet, the others I never liked as much as this site.
So if this site wants to have a privet side to it fine, let it be known that there are requirements, and members are only invited after a certain amount of time. I think they have a right to view who they want as a member.

 

[OrdinaryLife]

When it has come to certain threads, the Mods have had to babysit those threads. I have nothing, but *HUGE* respect for every Mod here. They have the patience, wisdom, and strength to deal with all these forums and who knows how many WS's members. However, they should never have to deal with the aggravation of childish posting. Of course the Mods are essential! My apologies, but I'm not sure where it came across that I thought they were not.

As I mentioned before, I had no idea there were SG's here. In my opinion, where many members were not privy to other discussions being held in those forums, it was difficult to read where I would read/ post and wonder what the heck was going on between others. It became more personal than it should have been, but how would anyone know what was going on behind the scenes regarding the topic you were interested in if you were not aware of what was occuring somewhere else here? It hurt the thread and the topic that was important.

 

[stilettos]

Guess you missed the MAYBE part, I was just relaying our groups 'fruits', I have no idea what ya'll did. I hope the rumor thread never opens up again, because there was very little truth that came out of it. One police report is all that can be found through PSCO about all of the so called stuff that Ron or his family supposedly did and a report made..just one. Now the traveling rumor show has moved to another board, same proved wrong rumors that were started here. Of course no one has a market on the truth, but some people blindly don't see the truth.

We agree on that point. What we do not agree on....is that it is not my right, nor yours to try to force our perception of the truth on another. Believe whatever you choose...that will harm no one. Since when is it harmful for another person or group of people to have a differing opinion? You perceive Ronald Cummings an innocent man. you have a right to that. I have a right to weigh the arrest record and behavior and view him as at the minimum guilty of transgressing the statutes of law in the state of FL.

 

[Nana46]

I was never invited to a social group and was only mildly aware they existed..I guess I assumed my few posts were not interesting enough to be asked to join one,lol.
I so miss the RT on the HC case even though there was baiting and bickering...I am also wondering if the answer to the RT could be a separate thread for sleuthing one side of the family and another thread for sleuthing the other side of the family...this way anyone could read but really not post in a thread they don't believe in....this way each side could sleuth to their hearts content...if someone entered that thread and posted something tacky it sure would be easy to identify them at the onset. But why? Why would anyone waste their time trying to win someone over to their way of thinking? That is what makes each of us unique....you could always read the other side's views and who knows you might actually change your pov. I am surely not trying to do anything here as this is the greatest place ever with the most wonderful mods especially Top Gunner for her tireless effort to keep it between the ditches.......we need to sleuth the HC case and it does not appear anything is happening upstairs so maybe one day the RT could be opened if only temporarily.............I can dream can't I?:crazy:

 

[OrdinaryLife]

We agree on that point. What we do not agree on....is that it is not my right, nor yours to try to force our perception of the truth on another. Believe whatever you choose...that will harm no one. Since when is it harmful for another person or group of people to have a differing opinion? You perceive Ronald Cummings an innocent man. you have a right to that. I have a right to weigh the arrest record and behavior and view him as at the minimum guilty of transgressing the statutes if law in the state of FL.

I hope you don't mind my using your post to extend my point that I posted previously, Stilettos.

This is where I'm coming from. If there are SG's that discuss a case only between only invited participants, this is where, imvho, a discussion difficulty begins with the rest of members posting. No other poster has any idea what is going on between a group. So, if something comes up that a Joe Schmoe questions regarding what others may have talked about between them, it is addressed not in the most polite of ways. Well, from what I have witnessed, anyway. That is unfair to other members involved in a case. If any person chooses to talk about a case outside, cool. Personally or somewhere. Great. I have absolutely no problem with that. Honestly, I don't care. But, when it is within our own "house", I have found it seems to cause more problems than help others.

I see no reason for any groups here. Way back when, there was a forum shut down because it got ugly and to be sure, that was never suppose to be a forum for attacks. However, it happened and it was painful to see, read, and witness. WS's, fwiw for me, is a site for all. Discuss, debate, agree, disagree, make friends, or not so much. But, at the very least, we are *all* on equal posting ground. That is important to me. Not just as a poster, but as a poster who believes this "home" can be more than so many others out there in website world. Frankly, there are too many out there that scare the bejezus out me. That is one of the reasons I love WS's.

Ramble over....

 

[stilettos]

I hope you don't mind my using your post to extend my point that I posted previously, Stilettos.

This is where I'm coming from. If there are SG's that discuss a case only between only invited participants, this is where, imvho, a discussion difficulty begins with the rest of members posting. No other poster has any idea what is going on between a group. So, if something comes up that a Joe Schmoe questions regarding what others may have talked about between them, it is addressed not in the most polite of ways. Well, from what I have witnessed, anyway. That is unfair to other members involved in a case. If any person chooses to talk about a case outside, cool. Personally or somewhere. Great. I have absolutely no problem with that. Honestly, I don't care. But, when it is within our own "house", I have found it seems to cause more problems than help others.

I see no reason for any groups here. Way back when, there was a forum shut down because it got ugly and to be sure, that was never suppose to be a forum for attacks. However, it happened and it was painful to see, read, and witness. WS's, fwiw for me, is a site for all. Discuss, debate, agree, disagree, make friends, or not so much. But, at the very least, we are *all* on equal posting ground. That is important to me. Not just as a poster, but as a poster who believes this "home" can be more than so many others out there in website world. Frankly, there are too many out there that scare the bejezus out me. That is one of the reasons I love WS's.

Ramble over....

:blowkiss: I appreciate you sharing your POV. I too believe that we can share and sleuth and disagree fairly and openly. It was when that was stifled in the thread that the beginnings of the SG came about. I hope that we can all agree to follow the decisions of the Admins and Mods and peacefully coexist here at WS. I miss the RT and not so surprisingly, I miss even those that I disagreed with. And cajun, I miss your whacky sense of humor. You are very funny.

 

[JBean]

I don't follow the HC case nor did I read the HC RT. So my question is this, why was the RT thread busy and the public forum not so much? Are there no facts to investigate? The rumor threads are a relatively new concept that we have never used before and I am still perplexed as to their function exactly. For that reason I have asked other moderators to watch the RT's that are in my forum. I don't follow any of the RT's.
What is the line between speculative gossip and rumor type information? There is no hidden meaning or anything else in this question and I don't have an opinion of them yet because i don't understand them.
Is the fact that the RT's are busier than the fact threads telling?
Is the information gleaned from RT's good information that we want to use here at WS?
Again, these are not loaded questions I am asking because I genuinely don't know but want to.

 

[stilettos]

I don't follow the HC case nor did I read the HC RT. So my question is this, why was the RT thread busy and the public forum not so much? Are there no facts to investigate? The rumor threads are a relatively new concept that we have never used before and I am still perplexed as to their function exactly. For that reason I have asked other moderators to watch the RT's that are in my forum. I don't follow any of the RT's.
What is the line between speculative gossip and rumor type information? There is no hidden meaning or anything else in this question and I don't have an opinion of them yet because i don't understand them.
Is the fact that the RT's are busier than the fact threads telling?
Is the information gleaned from RT's good information that we want to use here at WS?
Again, these are not loaded questions I am asking because I genuinely don't know but want to.

I think these are valid questions. In the RT for HC case, there were family members and locals that chose to come to WS to share information. They felt comfortable and safe here. They and others are not accustomed to giving a link for each and every statement that they make. Some would not know how to include a link in a post. Giving them and others a venue to post opinions and source information was both a blessing and a curse. Some took advantage, some were hurt by vindictive behavior from those with opposing views and some brought forth valid and truthful information that has the potential to help LE in the case.

Personally I think it is up to the staff at WS to decide if the RTs are a good thing or not. My opinion is yea...for what it is worth.

 

[JBean]

I think these are valid questions. In the RT for HC case, there were family members and locals that chose to come to WS to share information. They felt comfortable and safe here. They and others are not accustomed to giving a link for each and every statement that they make. Some would not know how to include a link in a post. Giving them and others a venue to post opinions and source information was both a blessing and a curse. Some took advantage, some were hurt by vindictive behavior from those with opposing views and some brought forth valid and truthful information that has the potential to help LE in the case.

Personally I think it is up to the staff at WS to decide if the RTs are a good thing or not. My opinion is yea...for what it is worth.

Thanks Stillettos. How is it determined what is valid and useful? Again, I don't want my questions to be taken any way except for what they are at face value, trying to get educated on the inner workings of the RT's.

 

[mommyofthreekidz5]

I was never invited to a social group and was only mildly aware they existed..I guess I assumed my few posts were not interesting enough to be asked to join one,lol.
I so miss the RT on the HC case even though there was baiting and bickering...I am also wondering if the answer to the RT could be a separate thread for sleuthing one side of the family and another thread for sleuthing the other side of the family...this way anyone could read but really not post in a thread they don't believe in....this way each side could sleuth to their hearts content...if someone entered that thread and posted something tacky it sure would be easy to identify them at the onset. But why? Why would anyone waste their time trying to win someone over to their way of thinking? That is what makes each of us unique....you could always read the other side's views and who knows you might actually change your pov. I am surely not trying to do anything here as this is the greatest place ever with the most wonderful mods especially Top Gunner for her tireless effort to keep it between the ditches.......we need to sleuth the HC case and it does not appear anything is happening upstairs so maybe one day the RT could be opened if only temporarily.............I can dream can't I?:crazy:

I had asked TG about seperate threads for the RT but she said that it probably wouldn't work . I wish we had it back in that way . I used to spend countless hours as many do, now its hard .

 

[OrdinaryLife]

I don't follow the HC case nor did I read the HC RT. So my question is this, why was the RT thread busy and the public forum not so much? Are there no facts to investigate? The rumor threads are a relatively new concept that we have never used before and I am still perplexed as to their function exactly. For that reason I have asked other moderators to watch the RT's that are in my forum. I don't follow any of the RT's.
What is the line between speculative gossip and rumor type information? There is no hidden meaning or anything else in this question and I don't have an opinion of them yet because i don't understand them.
Is the fact that the RT's are busier than the fact threads telling?
Is the information gleaned from RT's good information that we want to use here at WS?
Again, these are not loaded questions I am asking because I genuinely don't know but want to.

Personally, I think rumor threads are a mistake. There is absolutely nothing to have a fair discussion for all parties that are part of a case or the members here. I have found it fuels tension among many. Big time. It should never be about a poster having to prove who they know regarding a rumor. Where they live regarding a rumor. The case gets completely lost because so many have to argue/defend themselves. Forget about have an opinion. It also causes personal issues that never should happen to such extremes on a thread. HC got lost in the RT. I lost count how many times, I know I posted, "where's HC". TG did a phenomenal job as Mod for that thread, but I do not believe *any* Mod should have to go through what she did. The case gets lost when it could be a case discussion of the "who, what, where, and when". As it should be. For the victim. Not a discussion regarding fellow posters. We posters are not the case. I think that gets forgotten in many heated moments on RT's. It should not be that way, imvho.

Cases that many posters are participants of already know that it can get testy, verbal, and the discussion may be one you have to walk away from at times. Why have RT's that do that almost automatically and the victim is lost because of tit for tat from fellow members?

I may be waaay off base here, I admit that. I just hate seeing fellow members getting to a place they need to go/be in and that the case is secondary.

Off my cracked and turning into kindling wood soapbox.

 

[JBean]

I had asked TG about seperate threads for the RT but she said that it probably wouldn't work . I wish we had it back in that way . I used to spend countless hours as many do, now its hard .

We tried separate threads one time and that was for Caylee alive posters. Tricia really wanted to provide those posters with a place they could feel safe in posting what was clearly a different pov. As it has been mentioned it went over like a lead balloon. There was much resistance to allowing one mindset to post without challenge.
I understand what the original goal was for those posters, but I also understand that allowing us vs them in any way shape or form is not constructive here on WS. Having separate threads for each pov would be exactly the same thing as the Caylee Alive threads, so experience shows it doesn't work. This is my personal opinion.

 

[MagicRose99]

I thought "social groups" were for, well, social interaction - not case discussions. When they first started, you had "dog lovers group", "the Garden Club", "soap opera addicts", etc. I think it defeats the purpose to have case discussions as "social groups". I also believe social groups should be open to all, not private.

If social groups are being abused, they should be abolished. The main boards at WS is where the case discussions should be discussed. If you want fun threads, well, isn't that what the Jury Room is for? The Book Club? The Game Room?

As for rumor threads, there's really no purpose in those either. It's a place to gossip and spread lies, IMO, and that's not what WS is all about.