Real avatars and fake ones

I found it strange that the forum staff made up an avatar called "mythoughts" rather than just put "no longer a member" after my LindaS avatar. They decided to make up a fake avatar because they don't have a way for people to get off the membership list and still keep that person's posts up on the forum. That's not my problem, I am not selling advertising I just wanted it to be clear that I wasn't a member with logging in and private message ability. I just wanted people to know that I wasn't planning on posting. Yeah I'm back now cause I think the fake member thing the forum managers made up is just so weird that it's interesting.
Very convieniently this method of making up a fake avatar in place of the once real member makes it look as if the membership is larger than it is.
I didn't make up the name "mythoughts" I just wanted off the members list and was told by Ladyhawk that they didn't have a way to remove me and would have to figure something out. No one had ever been removed before I guess.
Now Ladyhawk tells me that much of my behavior was inappropriate.
I just wonder how many real members there are.

Let's see if I'm reading this right. If you want off the forum and want your posts deleted - it can't be done. If posts are deemed offensive by moderators they can be deleted? Who sets the standard for deleting posts? I remember a past post concerning the health care bill posted by one of the leading posters on the forum that mysteriously (and immediately) disappeared after a quick Google search led to a Snopes review discrediting the entire post. Interesting how some posts stay and some posts go. Fake avatars and new member names supplied by the administrators-doesn't quite seem truthful does it? Maybe everyone should have a couple of user names and avatars-one for the "truth" and one to stir the pot.

Let's get back to reality here. As I understand it, LindaS said she no longer wanted to be associated with her own posts on the Web. She wanted the administrator to go through and delete all her posts ("Peel me a grape!"). The administrator declined, pointing out that she could do her own housekeeping and delete her own posts (which she could do easily by managing her account to show all her posts together.
Did her mother not teach her that she is accountable for what she puts on the internet and sends on her cell phone? She can join by choice and leave by choice -- it's all in the wrist and the fingertips.
The administrator followed your stated intent, since you couldn't be bothered to delete your own posts -- you didn't want your name associated with your posts...so she changed it!
Hard to find a conspiracy behind your own laziness, but that's what you and Jorge have done -- it's a plot to inflate the membership of the forum. EXCUSE ME? The name trade was one for one -- LindaS became a different name.
It has been my experience that people who accuse are very often guilty of their own accusations. Gaming things a little on your own, are you?
Just so we get back on point here, since you gamed it by removing yourself from the original thread on this topic, let's revisit Lady Hawk's setting the record straight -- Here's her post again --
\

LindaS, sorry you are not happy with our policy but let me set the
record straight. You stated you did not want your name on the site and
didn't care if your posts remained but to remove your name. You never
gave any indication as to what was supposed to replace your name. If
you wanted your posts to say "no longer a member" then you were free to
do so.

There are some other points to be made here.

1.)
This site doesn't make rumors...it exposes them. If you know of a rumor
on this site then please correct it. To my knowledge you have never
complained that there was any rumor about you on this site. Therefore I
can only conclude that there is are no unfounded rumors here.

2.)
We do not allow phishing. If you see any phishing on this site then
please report it. Everyones participation in guarding against phishing
is appreciated.

3.) Anyone is free to edit or delete their own
posts. People usually want to update old information or correct errors.
I don't know what bothers you about that.

4.) You are
responsible for what you write on the internet. If you don't want
people to read what you write then don't write it.

5.) There are
no fake identities. You came on and posted. You wanted your name
removed. Your request was complied with. Does that make you a fake?

5.)
As far as some members wanting an answer when members get out of hand
they will be warned or banned. This site is civil in it's dialog. If
something is inappropriate then hit the report button.

6.)
There are some people who do not like to hear the truth and so instead
of recognizing the error in their argument they go after the messenger.
As far as "name calling" and "rumors" you have been near the top of the
list for inappropriate behavior. If those kind of things bother you
then I would suggest you don't do them.

One of the benefits of a forum is education. People can learn things. Let's start this post off with identifying what we are talking about.

1) "AVATAR" is the picture that the member uses to express themselves. By the way LindaS i like your avatar. A very pretty blue flower. My Avatar is a matronly chicken. It suits me.

2) "ID" is the name that the member uses. It is how they are to be addressed. My ID is Lady Hawk, and your ID is LindaS, jorge016 and Zorro are the ID of two other members in this particular thread.

Both of the posts above by LindaS and jorge016 appear to impune the honor and integrity of this site. It is a common malady for some people to cast aspersions on others in an attempt to discredit them because they are in the way or any other number of reasons. The attempt to discredit falls far short considering the facts in the case.

jorge016 wrote:

Fake avatars and new member names supplied by the administrators-doesn't quite seem truthful does it?

jorge016 avatars are digital images. Everything on the internet is digital. Would that make everything on the internet fake? LindaS mentioned "avatar" in the singular. You now mention "avatars" in the plural. That is how easy rumors get started. jorge016 and LindaS have given us a wonderful opportunity to see a wild rumor budding. Let's nip it in the bud here and now. LindaS requested a name change. jorge016 if you don't think LindaS is being truthful by wanting her ID changed you can take it up with her.

The truth is that LindaS wanted her name changed and she didn't want to do it herself. There was no new member being made. She was informed that she was free to do so and she instead insisted that the administrators take care of it. Then, after her request was complied with she comes back on the site and starts implying that things are not real. Some people would call that a set-up to first make someone do something for you and then come back at them and accuse them of making things up, after you were the one to tell them to do it in the first place.

Consider this. If all LindaS wanted was to let people know she was no longer associated with the site all she had to do was to write a post stating that fact and be done with it. People do it all the time in the newspapers. LindaS stated she no longer wanted her name on the site and wanted the administrators to do something about it. She never asked them to put up "no longer a member" and when they tried to be accommodating she turned on them and used it like "a stick to break their backs" and comes out casting aspersions on the integrity of the site. What would motivate someone to do such a thing.

Let's consider the following facts. LindaS has been on this site with a very strong pro-CAFO opinion. Recently the Grant County Commissioners have appointed an new Task Force to look into the issue of setbacks. My understanding is the Task Force is made up of the following people:

2 members who are Grant County Commissioners.
2 members who represent the CAFO's
2 members who represent the citizens wanting the setbacks
1 at large member who is impartial and not affiliated with either side.

The person appointed to the "at large member" of the task force is LindaS. I find it curious that LindaS wanted her name removed from her opinionated posts and after some people noticed the name change she came back on and casts aspersions on credibility of the website. Some people have attempted to make this website the issue. It is not. This site is here for people to talk about and search the truth in local issues. Continued attempts to change the subject and go off on rabbit trails are counterproductive. People are interested in the issues and can see through the repeated finger pointing at the new media by disingenuous people.

And that's the rest of the story.

Lady Hawk wrote:

Both of the posts above by LindaS and jorge016 appear to impune the honor and integrity of this site. It is a common malady for some people to cast aspersions on others in an attempt to discredit them because they are in the way or any other number of reasons. The attempt to discredit falls far short considering the facts in the case.

jorge016 wrote:

Fake avatars and new member names supplied by the administrators-doesn't quite seem truthful does it?

jorge016 avatars are digital images. Everything on the internet is digital. Would that make everything on the internet fake? LindaS mentioned "avatar" in the singular. You now mention "avatars" in the plural. That is how easy rumors get started. jorge016 and LindaS have given us a wonderful opportunity to see a wild rumor budding. Let's nip it in the bud here and now. LindaS requested a name change. jorge016 if you don't think LindaS is being truthful by wanting her ID changed you can take it up with her.

Nobody's impugning anybody's "honor or integrity". There were questions over how the site is administered. You know full well I've had questions about that from the start. This is your site-you can administrate as you please. That's your business. It would be nice if you would quit looking at anyone who questions anything on this site as somehow being a threat. How do you get "wild rumor budding" out of either of the posts in question? Wee bit paranoid?

Jorge
I'm sure your left-handed non-apology is adequate.
The "save face" tactic of throwing out the "paranoid" card is pretty light stuff, for you. Maybe you're attention is elsewhere.
You remain, in my observation, a very manipulative, aggressively domineering trouble maker. I wonder if you treat anyone decently who isn't either cowed by you or cut from the same cloth. I hope at some point you will find a new awareness of your own behavior and a respect for people.

Zorro

Zorro wrote:

Jorge
I'm sure your left-handed non-apology is adequate.
The "save face" tactic of throwing out the "paranoid" card is pretty light stuff, for you. Maybe you're attention is elsewhere.
You remain, in my observation, a very manipulative, aggressively domineering trouble maker. I wonder if you treat anyone decently who isn't either cowed by you or cut from the same cloth. I hope at some point you will find a new awareness of your own behavior and a respect for people.

Zorro

A fine angst filled post and free psychoanalysis. Hope you got it all off your chest. Would you like to comment on how my "paranoid" comment differs from you throwing out "manipulative, aggressively domineering trouble maker" and questioning my treatment of anyone who isn't "cowed by you or cut from the same cloth". What cloth do you think I'm cut from anyway. I've taken issue with the way the site is administered and how individuals have been treated on this forum. You don't like it-that's fine, but I've never shown you any disrespect-I've taken issue with others posts that I find deserving. The "new media" is full of discourse and conflict. That's the nature of the media-that's the current nature of our society. Do you think for 1 minute that this forum would have as many readers as it does if Mouthpiece and LadyHawk didn't have the exceptionally dysfunctional Ortonville political scene to hammer on? No way. You don't like the conflict-I haven't like the way Mouthpiece and LadyHawk have personalized their posts at time. They (like all) who post here are free to post as they see fit. There are exceptional posters on this forum (joelie hicks comes to mind) who do this this community a great service with informed and informative posts. There are also those who post opinion pieces and uninformed and inflammatory posts. Shouldn't someone (in this new media) take them on if they have different opinions. Again-you don't like the conflict and now you've personalized that dislike by questioning my character even though you know nothing of me but what you know of a few posts on this forum. Go to some of the other political blogs on the web and you'll find that what you read here (and what you just posted) is pretty tame. Maybe you should start a Facebook page-that gives you full control over who sees your posts and who can post. Conflict free-seems like that's what you would like.

jorge016, you have made a fine observation that what goes on this site is tame compared to what else is out there on the web. We have gone to great pains to make it so. Your opinion is welcome and appreciated and even sometimes has had a positive effect on my responses. You have taught me some things and for that I am grateful. Perhaps you have not noticed it but for the past few months my style of writing has changed and I do seek to temper my comments. For the most part when one reads posts there is a theme you can pick up on. You can take peoples posts and usually read enough to see the things they are interested in. When you read my posts you see I am interested and informed about Ortonville government, Mouthpiece is passionate about economic development, law enforcement and farm issues, Jolie is informed about CAFO's and local foods, and the list goes on etc.

With all these fine subjects available to discuss with the public you seem to have only one passion and that appears to be defend Vicki Oakes and find fault with this site. Flamers, Griefers, and Trolls are not welcome on this site. Artie Arndt already found that out, (twice) along with a few others.

You are welcome to use this site to promote the food group or be for or against the CAFO's or talk about your political views etc. If you were so inclined you could use it to help benefit the community. That was the purpose for which it was created. I am sure that you have a great deal to offer this area. If you have a concern about something on the site you may contact an admin. If you have an opinion on a given thread then please share it. If people are addressed in their professional capacity, not personal, then please do not assert it is personal without evidence. If you continue to assert that a professional comment is personal it will be viewed as griefing and or flaming or trolling. Please keep your comments within the guidelines of this site for the enjoyment of everyone.