How can I remove my account?

[Shawn Juris]

I'd hate to think that I could be called a terrorist at some point. What do I need to do to remove myself from the Member list?

[Jim O'Bryan]

I'd hate to think that I could be called a terrorist at some point. What do I need to do to remove myself from the Member list?

Shawn

In the profile section.

But ponder the question of what I would had been liable for had you been the one that did not feel safe. You demanded some kind of action because you feared someone. This was not a random moment. And it was not done without a wanted result on Stephen's part. I have spoken with him face to face. One of the reasons this name thing is supposed to work, is for a way to secure a person's security.

In all of the discussions you and I have I can maybe think of two times we even remotely agreed on. We have even had some pretty heated moments. Did I ever raise this "specter"? Do you really think I posted any of this lightly? Do you really think this is political, or some feud?

.

[Steve Hoffert]

Had my grandfather been computer literate he might have said:

Don't let the firewall hit you in your IP address!

[Grace O'Malley]

Is it manifesto time?

On almost every board there is always the drama of someone who claims they are offended and decides not to participate any longer.

Instead of just leaving, they write length diatribes about how they were wronged, how so and so is a real jerk, how the moderators are unfair, and blah, blah, blah. And instead of letting it go at that, they usually continue to debate ad infinitum why they are "leaving."

If you aren't interested in participating, just restrain yourself and quit posting and reading. But, that's hard to do, isn't it?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Grace/Steve/All

Here we are again.

None of us should be happy when anyone leaves. We should even be more upset when they have to be set down.

The process was built for all attitudes, all ideas, good, bad.

I value many of the things Shawn has brought to this project. If fo no other
reason that to be counter to mine, or pro for everyone else.

We should be working towards a time when all feel safe and appreciated enough to participate.

We must not allow a few, to cause the collapse of a free and healthy civic
project.

FWIW


.

[Will Brown]

Perhaps the surest bet one could make would be that someone who posts that he won't make anymore postings will.

I don't understand how making posters use their real names gives them any security; it would seem that policy would have the opposite effect. If I post, using my real name, that I have a neighbor that never cuts his grass, it would seem that it would be very easy for him to identify me and burn down my garage, assuming he can read.

I thought that the policy might prevent people from being rude and crude, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Some of us appear to lack the thin veneer of civilization.

[Jim O'Bryan]

If I post, using my real name, that I have a neighbor that never cuts his grass, it would seem that it would be very easy for him to identify me and burn down my garage, assuming he can read.

Will

You just made the case.

First, the thought that "faux names" make you secure or non-tracable is wrong.
ip addresses are the new addresses, and computers, routers, providers, etc..
This past year were three lawsuits where people using faux names were sued
for attacks, and lost. So if it makes you think you are safe, but does make
you safe. That is not very safe at all.

But when you use your real name, then real laws apply. Some
of it can be as easy as the laws that protect whistle blowers, can affect
the civic whistle blower. So why wouldn't you want a very public record
of any possible conflict between you and your neighbor, or whoever.

One could argue that just keeping quiet would be safer, and that is true.
But we are not looking at ratting out our neighbors, or anyone else. I
would hope a majority of the discussion is about ideas, and the discussion
of those ideas for better or worse. If we use this for ratting each other out,
I doubt I would stop by that often. If we use it to empower individuals, save
money, track and discuss success, look deep into failures to not do it again.
Publicize non-profit events, and even profit events. Help business make
money and find Lakewood. Attract quality residents to Lakewood. Make
our lives even a little better. Than it might not be such a bad place.




.

[Mark Crnolatas]

Sometimes, I feel a subject might not belong "on the net" so I decide to take matters in other ways to be solved, FWIW. but I'd rather do that and skip a few things rather than just totally abandon the Deck. "Course" thats just me.


Mark Crnolatas

[Gary Rice]

It is true that using a false name in a chat room will not protect one's privacy.
As anyone who has ever watched a TV "police" show can attest, and as many who have used the internet on company time have discovered...the net is not a confidential private medium of expression. Conversations can be traced, hard drives can apparently be opened even after erasure,(or even before, with spy equipment) and on and on. Your life can then become an open book for all to see....
As one who has been involved in employee/employer issues in the past, I've seen internet issues come into the workplace, and endanger reputations and jobs.
The internet is also forever. What you put on it, is on it, and on it, and on it.....
Another issue would be that you have no idea who you are dealing with on the other end of your keyboard. It's been my experience that so many net chatterboxes act as if they have just had a shot and a beer. People can be so brazen and impolite, perhaps never realizing that virtually every thing about their private affairs can be out there for all to see.
I also had an interesting discussion with an attorney friend of mine yesterday about the whole slander/libel issue and the internet. It is common practice to understand that a "public person" has the expectancy of fewer privacy protections than a private citizen does...but what if that citizen becomes a "public personality" by putting it out there on the 'net? Do they then become a "public person" and therefore lose a reasonable expectation of privacy? That would probably be for a court of law to decide.
Of course, all of this goes back to who you are as a person.
If we simply remember the lessons (hopefully) taught to us when we were young about civility, courtesy, listening skills, and that yes, that there is indeed a right and a wrong....
Then things come into focus.
Kinda makes one want to give up posting for Lent...

[Shawn Juris]

I'll leave the diatribes and melodrama to others.
I've gone to the Profile section and don't see a delete account option.
LO Admin,
Please remove my account or provide specific instructions so I can.
Thanks,

[Dee Martinez]

Shawn, people sometimes take this much much too seriously.
Neither the LO nor its competitor have shown much ability to influence events.

Mostly there platforms for gasbags, self promoters and concern trolls. I guess I am in the first group.
Even with our rich history of fact based repartee, Mr Call and I have never been invited to debate by the city or school powers.
In short I dont think you have a lot to worry about with posting here (or not posting for that matter) The number of people who truly care is pretty small and their power one way or the other is even smaller.

In the end it is all for fun.

[Gary Rice]

Shawn,

I respect your decision, but I wish that you would reconsider staying on 'deck.

I've thoroughly enjoyed your discussions over the years, as well as your point-counterpoint with Jim from time to time.

It takes exceptional caring and involvement to bet involved with these kinds of things. As was pointed out, there are not many yet who are willing to come online to do this.

In the past several days, a number of people have considered withdrawing from the 'Deck; myself included, to be honest... :shock:

But we need this forum. We need each other.

As far as I can understand, Jim is responsible for this electronic "talking-over-the digital" fence creation here. As such, he seems to have been far more tolerant, on the whole, than I might have been with all of this.

I think I would have been sick with worry, had I anything to do with owning this thing.

But...irrespective of whose creation, or overall responsibility it is to run the 'Deck, I would still probably want to support it, though.

It's become a real asset to Lakewood.

Just look at the great conversations we've all had, the people we've met, and the back and forth fun that we've had with this, under our real names.


Shawn, you and Jim have both worked so hard in your respective spheres of influence, to build our city.

It is my fond hope that one day, we can all appreciate all of you hard workers all the more for all that you have done.

[dl meckes]

Using real names has helped people get together to further an idea.

Real names have meant that when someone from the city answers a question, we know who provided information.

Ditto asking questions of and getting answers from members of the school board.

I would assume that if your neighbor had grass that was too high, you'd ask who you should call in the city about it. Some of these things, including homes you know are empty, should be communicated to your ward police officer.

The use of real names has also made some personality quirks shine through. Some have been good and some not so much. We have attempted to keep away from a situation where people have signed up for multiple accounts.

Sometimes we learn more about people and their opinions.

Sometimes we need to step away from things and take a breather.

This is a discussion area. It was offered so people who felt like discussing ideas could do that. That's it.

Save the drama for your mama.

[Will Brown]

I agree that if you just use a stage name, you can be traced. However, few people have the technical ability to do the tracing, so for practical purposes you can post without fear that someone will identify you. If you are serious about achieving anonymity, it is certainly possible, which is why the authorities almost never catch most of the more adroit hackers, despite what you see on television shows. In case you didn't realize it, those TV police shows are fictional entertainment, with no basis in fact; the stars, and villains, are actors, not police and criminals; and the people you see getting shot to death don't really die.

So few of us are serious about securing our computers that it is fairly easy for a hacker to break into your pc and use it to send his stuff, without your knowledge.

As to ideas, an idea should stand or fall based on its own merits, not based on who posted it. In fact, knowing the poster can stand in the way of your own evaluation of an idea as, for instance, where you have concluded over the years that someone is half-witted, and they happen to post a good idea.

I seem to recall that a poster reported that someone living nearby was a drug user. Now the question of what you can do if a neighbor presents a danger is a good question, but I think it is a little less likely to be posted if there is, in your eye, a good possibility that posting it with your name will put you at risk. Similarly, if someone's daughter cut LHS over ten times in one term before the magnificently talented house principal noticed, I think that would be useful in discussing how effective our schools are, but the parent would most likely refrain from posting it, not wanting to embarrass his daughter (nor himself), so pertinent evidence would be withheld from the discussion.

I think allowing usernames (assuming that they are controlled by the sysop) would allow more freedom to post pertinent information, while at the same time allowing the users to form opinions as to the biases of the poster. Readers could evaluate my postings as accurately if I used the name Prince Charming as they could if I used the name Will Brown. And if they want to meet me, they can be ignored using the PM button no matter which name I use.

[Greg Morley]

Take a look at the boards on WTAM under the Bob Frantz page. They do use screen names. Anyone can and will say anything they want. A good discussion can turn into a barroom brawl in one post. And for that matter, take a look at some of the topics…….. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
This experiment aka “The Deckâ€￾ is a lot more informative and entertaining than the crap over there. I tip my hat to Jim and the Board for managing to keep this up and running. Does anyone really think that you’ll agree with anyone 100% of the time?!
It seems to me that every time someone announces that they are “taking their ball homeâ€￾; they have just come down on the losing side of a discussion. Let me explain for those that can’t read into that statement……losing meaning you’re in the minority even if your idea or opinion makes total sence. Grow a pair and have the courage to stick around. People actually respect that even if they’ll never admit it.