Lakewood Forum? What say you?

[J Hrlec]

Hi Jim,

This is your baby, so you are free to do what you want.

All I know is that this forum turned from a place to actually talk about Lakewood and things going on, into a 80% "Hospital and we hate Mike Summers and his cronies" forum.

I miss the old forum but understand if others don't. Personally, I wish we would segregate all the hospital/political discussion to another forum. However, it may be too late for that.

Anyways, those are my thoughts.

Cheers,

Matthew

I would certainly agree with this.

[Lori Allen _]

Jim, you asked for people's comments/opinions and we gave them to you. If you had no plans to make changes, then why even make the post and then chastise people? Just saying.

[Amy Martin]

My thoughts exactly, Lori . . . .

[Matthew Lee]

I tend to agree more with Matthew on this issue. When I first joined the Forum, we had a lot more posters, a lot of interesting posts and people who seemed to get along better with each other. I do think that the hospital issue is important, but, it seems to be a lot of repeated information and some folks in Lakewood have moved on. I feel that the hospital needs it's own spot. If people are interested, they will find it and go to it. We need to bring back variety here, and then, hopefully, people will return. I have spoken to some that feel it is no longer the Lakewood Observer, but, the Lakewood Hospital Observer.

Lori

I cannot control what people think, just as I have no interest in controlling what they say.
Actually just the opposite, if you live here, are over 18, and can prove who you are, we want to hear what you have to say.

So here we are back to the beginning, who gets to decide what is said and who can post?

Who controls that in real life?

I have bad news for everyone, the hospital is not over, and it will not be the biggest problem in the city this summer.

So should I become god, and delete comments I don;t agree with? THAT I THINK ARE NEGATIVE? WTF?

If this city has fallen that far down the intelligence chain, we are screwed.

.

Jim,

I love what you have done and accomplished with the Observer. But where, in her post, did Lori EVER suggest that you should become god and delete comments? Did I miss that in her post? All she did is say that the hospital deserved its own forum. She never mentioned you should delete comments.

Matthew

[Alex Belisle]

Thanks for the props Jim. It seems that most of my photography in some way has a tie-in with Lakewood in some way or another. It not only is an extension of "self" for me but a by product of my re-invention and evolution of self, as I try to resolve this cultural paradigm shift of major proportions. (for those who don't know me, I moved here from NYC about 1.5 years ago, where I lived all my life and was heavily involved in its culture and events as a member of the NYC Press Corps, a sports photographer with NIKE Basketball and a part time fashion photographer and lastly a HS English teacher for 36 years)

[Jim O'Bryan]

Hi Jim,

This is your baby, so you are free to do what you want.

All I know is that this forum turned from a place to actually talk about Lakewood and things going on, into a 80% "Hospital and we hate Mike Summers and his cronies" forum.

I miss the old forum but understand if others don't. Personally, I wish we would segregate all the hospital/political discussion to another forum. However, it may be too late for that.

Anyways, those are my thoughts.

Cheers,

Matthew

I would certainly agree with this.

JH

You were here when it went through the Phase 3 period.

I would agree that the constant conversation about the hospital is tiring, hard to read.

I have no problem, and it would seem that Corey is in agreement with you, When someone post a story with nothing to do with the hospital, and some connection is made, it is bothersome and makes one roll their eyes.

But let me assure you, you haven't even heard the bad news, what alone the end of it. One package record request was just delivered, 6 months after being asked. It shows many issues with LHA money and elections in Lakewood. Should I tell people it is not newsworthy? Oh, you are banned? For?

Right now there is a huge push for good news, well I understand why, we used to be "The fluffy good news site" also never true.

On the other hand, and I say it often. "The easiest way to judge how a city is doing is home values and how long to sell. Lakewood is kicking ass." Great, they get paid for it. OK how do we handle the light at Manor Park? The upcoming 2017 school levy? How the new private foundation spends our 16 million?

along the way the Deck and the paper has always had room for other conversations, this is good. Only recently is it two sides of a mutli-dimensional topic and city.

The answer is not to ban them, but to post more varied topics.

Matthew, JH, Lori others, the entire internet is filled with parrots parroting, "You are so negative..." Together let's lift it up.

If the Deck is strong to talk about what is wrong with the Observer than we should be able to handle what is right about other things.

Finally go back and look at what threads I have started, 90% positive, Alex Belisle 110% positive, Gary Rice, Steve Davis, Christine Gordillo, Dan O'Malley, and on and on.

See a negative post, mention it, wrong, hit the report button, if you liked it before, you should work to like it now.

12 years of conversations, about Lakewood, stored, for free. We do not monetize your thoughts, we only make sure you are talking with real people.

"Be the change you wish to see" Ghandi

Thanks to all for taking part. Maybe a list of people to ban? Topics we should never mention? That we scrub all bothersome topics?

.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Thanks for the props Jim. It seems that most of my photography in some way has a tie-in with Lakewood in some way or another. It not only is an extension of "self" for me but a by product of my re-invention and evolution of self, as I try to resolve this cultural paradigm shift of major proportions. (for those who don't know me, I moved here from NYC about 1.5 years ago, where I lived all my life and was heavily involved in its culture and events as a member of the NYC Press Corps, a sports photographer with NIKE Basketball and a part time fashion photographer and lastly a HS English teacher for 36 years)

Alex

No, you totally get it. Yesterday you proved to me you get it more than most.

As for the images, they are always appreciated as are your views as someone who chose to move here.

You more than most are looking for positive tones in Lakewood, but you have also found out, there is so much more than meets the eye.

Thanks man.

.

[J Hrlec]

Hi Jim,

This is your baby, so you are free to do what you want.

All I know is that this forum turned from a place to actually talk about Lakewood and things going on, into a 80% "Hospital and we hate Mike Summers and his cronies" forum.

I miss the old forum but understand if others don't. Personally, I wish we would segregate all the hospital/political discussion to another forum. However, it may be too late for that.

Anyways, those are my thoughts.

Cheers,

Matthew

I would certainly agree with this.

JH

You were here when it went through the Phase 3 period.

I would agree that the constant conversation about the hospital is tiring, hard to read.

I have no problem, and it would seem that Corey is in agreement with you, When someone post a story with nothing to do with the hospital, and some connection is made, it is bothersome and makes one roll their eyes.

But let me assure you, you haven't even heard the bad news, what alone the end of it. One package record request was just delivered, 6 months after being asked. It shows many issues with LHA money and elections in Lakewood. Should I tell people it is not newsworthy? Oh, you are banned? For?

Right now there is a huge push for good news, well I understand why, we used to be "The fluffy good news site" also never true.

On the other hand, and I say it often. "The easiest way to judge how a city is doing is home values and how long to sell. Lakewood is kicking ass." Great, they get paid for it. OK how do we handle the light at Manor Park? The upcoming 2017 school levy? How the new private foundation spends our 16 million?

along the way the Deck and the paper has always had room for other conversations, this is good. Only recently is it two sides of a mutli-dimensional topic and city.

The answer is not to ban them, but to post more varied topics.

Matthew, JH, Lori others, the entire internet is filled with parrots parroting, "You are so negative..." Together let's lift it up.

If the Deck is strong to talk about what is wrong with the Observer than we should be able to handle what is right about other things.

Finally go back and look at what threads I have started, 90% positive, Alex Belisle 110% positive, Gary Rice, Steve Davis, Christine Gordillo, Dan O'Malley, and on and on.

See a negative post, mention it, wrong, hit the report button, if you liked it before, you should work to like it now.

12 years of conversations, about Lakewood, stored, for free. We do not monetize your thoughts, we only make sure you are talking with real people.

"Be the change you wish to see" Ghandi

Thanks to all for taking part. Maybe a list of people to ban? Topics we should never mention? That we scrub all bothersome topics?

.

I think the point to take away is that that particular "hospital" topic is overtaking the Lakewood General Discussion, so I would agree a separate topic may be appropriate. It's not about like or dislike of a topic or removing posts... it about the fact that there is much much more about Lakewood which is being drowned out.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Jim, you asked for people's comments/opinions and we gave them to you. If you had no plans to make changes, then why even make the post and then chastise people? Just saying.

Lori

We are revamping the Deck, and all the Observer projects, they are in a state of change. We have more going up this summer and fall.

I had no plans to do anything but clean up the topics so they are easier to find. Things looked at, one topic, refile later. So they site and move to "hospital section" So when someone mentions that, I am throwing in what we have found or thought. I would call it a discussion. Right now, it would seem things are split on more sections or less.

While other groups seem excited to edit and delete posts, I am not. I am not comfortable saying your words are worth more or less than Corey's, or Mayor Summers.

Lori, a massive amount of complaints I get on the street are about that damn Lori Allen, I got one at lunch today. The fact is for the many varied, and sometimes emotional posts, you come up with some pretty amazing facts. Talking with you and your son was fascinating. So do I boot you? Corey? Me? Markling? Essi?

No, I told the person, "Lori has really got me po'ed a couple times, but she owns what she posts, and she has a knack of coming up with amazing things. I'm glad she posts"

I am hoping this is not a one time topic, but an ongoing topic a running conversation.

So to make sure we understand, Someone says, "No hospital talk anymore" OK, how do we do it?, how do we decide what topics? Is it sustainable?"

.

[Jim O'Bryan]

OK, EVERYONE READING THIS GO LOOK

Right now 30 topics page 1...

5 topics on Hospital
2 topics on City Hall doing bad
19 topics that are positive for community
4 angry threads

Do not believe the hype, the Deck is much more positive than "positive haters" saying it is negative.

It is all an effort to control the message, only one group trusts Lakewoodites enough to moderate themselves.

A bet, I am still willing to make.

.

[J Hrlec]

OK, EVERYONE READING THIS GO LOOK

Right now 30 topics page 1...

5 topics on Hospital
2 topics on City Hall doing bad
19 topics that are positive for community
4 angry threads

Do not believe the hype, the Deck is much more positive than "positive haters" saying it is negative.

It is all an effort to control the message, only one group trusts Lakewoodites enough to moderate themselves.

A bet, I am still willing to make.

.

I hope it's getting better as you kind of show in your point-in-time comparison. All I know is the general discussion has on many occasions over the last several months had the top 5-10 posts dedicated to hospital or something related. Heck, I know because that's when I would move on to something else.

On the other hand, maybe I misunderstood the post...I thought it was about a topic consuming a general discussion area and asking if it should be separated. There seems to be some other stuff thrown in for the sake of it, such as removing posters and editing items?

I would also probably add that the counts above and their "type" of posts there are could vary on person "observing"

[Dan Alaimo]

I said awhile ago the hospital topic would quiet down in March, and it did. Now I say it will heat up again as the November referendum approaches, then really quiet down. Jim has been hinting that something big is coming in the summer and that sounds like a big deal

On sections, when only 6-10 topics are active most days, there's no need for different sections and they just hinder discussion. It's pretty easy to ignore what you don't want to read.

[cmager]

I said awhile ago the hospital topic would quiet down in March, and it did. Now I say it will heat up again as the November referendum approaches, then really quiet down. Jim has been hinting that something big is coming in the summer and that sounds like a big deal

On sections, when only 6-10 topics are active most days, there's no need for different sections and they just hinder discussion. It's pretty easy to ignore what you don't want to read.

LIKE

[Jim O'Bryan]

I said awhile ago the hospital topic would quiet down in March, and it did. Now I say it will heat up again as the November referendum approaches, then really quiet down. Jim has been hinting that something big is coming in the summer and that sounds like a big deal

On sections, when only 6-10 topics are active most days, there's no need for different sections and they just hinder discussion. It's pretty easy to ignore what you don't want to read.

Dan

What happens will happen. The hospital will reignite before November, without anyone local controlling the conversation. Lakewood has many other things on the horizon, not hospital related that are not cheerful. I wish they were. There is good news too. At the same time Lakewoodites, were always able to talk about the tough stuff and joke about it and talk about other things. Recently it has it taken on a WAR LIKE STRUCTURE. The Lakewood Observer is not a gang, we don't work together, we don't think the same thing. We don't wear our T-Shirts and.. we talk about Lakewood. We believe our conversations can help others understand what is going on, and who we are.

The "Deck" was merely the VFW Hall The BuildLakewood Gang and Save Lakewood Hospital Gang had their gang fight in. Which is fine, we handled it, cleaned up. This has happened three times in recent memory, oddly enough same names all three times. Doesn't matter we have lived through it.

For every person that tells me the Deck is dying, there is someone saying topics move too fast. I say the same to both, "It just is." It's not fake, it's not artificial, it's not staged, There is no moderator having talks with 5 version of himself to make others think it is "happening." it is just here for anyone to use, if they are willing to put their name behind their words. If not, read away we hope our words educate, entertain, and give insight.

It is not rocket surgery.

All, there is a button on the top of the directory that says, "New Posts" when you click on that, you only see new posts. Since day one of this site, everyone had ways to block people they do not want to read, no one has ever used it, and why would you.

.

[Lori Allen _]

Jim, you asked for people's comments/opinions and we gave them to you. If you had no plans to make changes, then why even make the post and then chastise people? Just saying.

Lori

We are revamping the Deck, and all the Observer projects, they are in a state of change. We have more going up this summer and fall.

I had no plans to do anything but clean up the topics so they are easier to find. Things looked at, one topic, refile later. So they site and move to "hospital section" So when someone mentions that, I am throwing in what we have found or thought. I would call it a discussion. Right now, it would seem things are split on more sections or less.

While other groups seem excited to edit and delete posts, I am not. I am not comfortable saying your words are worth more or less than Corey's, or Mayor Summers.

Lori, a massive amount of complaints I get on the street are about that damn Lori Allen, I got one at lunch today. The fact is for the many varied, and sometimes emotional posts, you come up with some pretty amazing facts. Talking with you and your son was fascinating. So do I boot you? Corey? Me? Markling? Essi?

No, I told the person, "Lori has really got me po'ed a couple times, but she owns what she posts, and she has a knack of coming up with amazing things. I'm glad she posts"

I am hoping this is not a one time topic, but an ongoing topic a running conversation.

So to make sure we understand, Someone says, "No hospital talk anymore" OK, how do we do it?, how do we decide what topics? Is it sustainable?"

.

Thanks for that. Over the years, I have learned that when people don't like you, especially City Hall and the powers that be, it is to be considered a badge of honor, not an insult. Usually when people get mad and/or defensive, it is usually because you are exposing something they are doing that is wrong/controversial/immoral.

On the other hand, in the interest of accountability, it would be nice to name the person (s) have an issue with me and/or my posts.

Thanks.