Publisher's Notes: What About Bob?

We do have a lot of new members stepping up.

Patriot Dan anyone? His writing got a relative of CHIEF ANDERSON to come and talk on the site.

And the scanner news. That's still pretty cool.

Here's a thing I've learned about online communities - you do get burned out. If that happens, don't bring your negativity to the site. By all means, take a break, walk away for a bit (ala Captain Jack ;) and come back to us refreshed and ready to take Anderson's number two site for news and information to the top. 

2009 can be our year. The Holidays here at AFP can be pleasant.

NO mention of the cute little Turkey or new colors for AFP? ;)

I'm smiling. We're at a crossroads, but maybe I've caught it in time and can lead AFP (us, the community here) down the right road... the one less traveled, of course. :)

Ok, another thought.

Would anyone ask Sippy to stop posting crusty feet? Well, I think I tried that. Heh.

Did anyone ask Irish to stop with the Anna pics? No, that's what he brings to the table - well, that and his biting irish wit. Heh.

So, should we ask Bob to stop bringing what he brings to the table at AFP?

Granted, it's politics and that's best kept away from the dinner table. Maybe I need a better analogy.

I don't know. I just think that Bob is a positive aspect of AFP (especially the letter he wrote for AFP print...maybe I should repost?) I hate to ask anyone to stop being who they are.

Ok, I'm about done. I'm trying to revive some good ideas and might throw some new fun out there. I'm thinking positive and it will spread. 

To start with, I don't think you are looking at your role on this site properly.  Essentially, you are an administrator/moderator.  And that is actually a position that can be dealt with behind the scenes.  An administrator never has to post on the site except to share important information concerning the site.   Decent respectful posters can police themselves on a properly run forum. 

You can't realistically ban someone for exercising their freedom of speech, when it does not impede the freedom of speech for others.  You have rules, you have terms of service.  If they are broken then you suspend or ban a member of the site.  But the question of banning shouldn't even come up just because other members don't like the perfectly legitimate subject matter. 

I don't understand the use of the term 'leader' coming from you. Are you supposed to be our role model, mentor, general or something?  You have already set down the territorial rules, if people choose not to follow them, you take them into private and deal with the situation.  I'm not sure where the leadership comes in.  I don't feel led by anyone on this site. But now I wonder if I'm supposed to be looking to as a leader, because maybe I don't know how to take care of my own words here.  What do you actually see your role as? 

My goodness.  I really did not know I was a situation.  That is the last thing I would want.  Perhaps, I am posting too much.  I will back off a bit...

What I hoped to to was to start a discussion.  However, it is impossible to have a discussion with one who sees your observations as "shit." 

Don't stop posting Bob, your blogs take me into areas I might not venture into otherwise.  If I agree with what you write, or I don't, makes no difference as long as it makes me think.  And when you make someone think, you have done well.

Thanks, 442. I'd load you up with points if I had more at the moment.

I'm still waiting to hear from rusty. That was like a sniper attack. We hear nothing from rusty for a long time then BOOM all over Bob. 

In any case, I've heard from Bob and he's going to let more people post blogs in between his posting of his blog. So, you other bloggers out there, get blogging if you have something to blog about.

Kpaul, 

I don’t think anyone wants Bob Hertzog to leave AFP; however its threads like these that tend to make someone out to be a villain. Just as in everyday life; it’s not a matter of being right or wrong, there needs to be balance to make any relationship, machine or web forum function properly. Earlier last month when it seemed apparent that politics were effecting daily posting I started an on-line poll something along the lines of, “Do you think the politics have effected AFP” and within a matter of a few days you started another poll, “Should politics be banned at AFP” with only two choices, yes or no, you sure didn’t leave a lot of gray area for the voters. You’ve done that or something similar to me on a few occasions, which resulted in me defending myself and I didn’t appreciate it but this thread topic isn’t about me so I digress. 

Getting back to Bob’s blogs, are they a blog or an opinion editorial? If they are indeed a blog; by CC’s definition, they are a personal diary. Having stated that, most people don’t allow others to leave comments in their diary but if we adhering to that same definition of a blog, it doesn’t prohibit Bob or any other “diary” writer from allowing everyone to read their thoughts. On the other hand if it is meant to be an opinion editorial piece; which I believe is the category that Bob’s postings resemble, they are supposed to be thought provoking and open up civil discourse. The problem is not Bob’s Op Ed postings, it the lack of an opposing viewpoint. The closest any of his posting came to reaching that goal was the posting regarding the second amendment and that was essentially Bob and myself going back and forth for several pages ending with Bob realizing we had reached an impasse on the subject…a point I think we both knew before the discussing began. Maybe in the future Bob shouldn’t engage in any discussion once he posted his Op Ed piece and allow him a final thought on the subject matter. I don’t hold myself out to be a journalist but I think you need to decide which category Bob’s writing fall into, a blog or an opinion editorial piece. I believe you’ll have a difficult time finding an opinion editorial piece or a thought provoking editorial cartoon where the writer returns to have any discussion once they’ve completed their task, whether it is in print or electronic media. On the other hand, it’s quit common for those who disagree with the piece to let the author have a piece of their mind but it doesn’t and shouldn’t cross the line and turn into person attacks and on that rare occasion the administrator might need to step in and delete a post, not lock a thread. Again, this is just my opinion, one that I have shared with you in private for several weeks. While you do pay for and keep the forum up and running, as long as you have posters that attract visitors and posters; it’s really only your site because several of us chose to help you build it as opposed to starting another public forum, so please don’t forget how and when AFP really took off or Sippy, Irish and myself might take you for a canoe ride and you do have a pretty mouth!! 

Okay, I’m finished with this post….let the crucifixions begin!

I believe they are blog entries because they are in an area that is called 'blog'.  Every single place that I have posted blog or journal entries, there is the possibility of receiving comments (the blogs are designed to allow that).  Sometimes, but not usually there may be a need to respond to those comments. Though I don't believe they need to turn into actual discussions.  When I post a blog, 9 times out of ten it's going to be based on my opinion.  Or the way I see things in my world.  Even when it's a story such as I just posted today, at the end I left something that was from an opinion I have, and I did so in hopes that other people would look back at the stories in their life and see how these things that happen to us, are part of who we are or who we become.  In my instance, remembering my daughter stupidly, yet boldly going back into that house to help her father put out the fire showed her bravery, and how she will gladly stand up to take care of her family, even at 11 years old.  This is the person she is today, and I realized while writing that it was there that many years ago.   Is it an Op-Ed piece? No, it's a blog entry, a journal, a diary.  Do I expect anyone to comment?  Not really, but if they do, I might want to acknowledge their response.  To me it will still be a blog, and it will still be what it was intended.  Thoughts from my head that I wanted to write down and hope someone else will read and perhaps stir something in them that was stirred in me.

I still wanna know how kpaul sees himself as our 'leader'.  ;)

leader as in man behind the curtain maybe? ;)

haven't had time to respond yet. i'll do another blog post about it eventually maybe.

blogs, really, are what you make them. the definition is sort of loose...

Why is it when you say man behind the curtain, I keep thinking of the Wizard of OZZ...