My Fellow Deletees and The Cyberbullied Sisters

Anonymous

How about a feature that allows you to delete your profile.  That way there wouldn't be thousands or tens of thousands skeletal profiles.

Medigal

Seafoobs:  I don't think everyone has a profile.  I didn't put one up just for these reasons.  When it comes to the internet, I prefer to stay as anonymous as possible.

1Athena1

This is a good moderation tool from nature: 

althea

I think a lot of recent suggestions would be complicated and difficult for techies to administer.  There is no single rule, or batallion of rules, that will prevent those bent on malice to cease and desist.  This, truly, is the crux of the problem, isn't it? 

I think the best we can do is make it way more difficult for the malicious deleters to create the disturbances they cause.  Place the focus on protecting the members who are valued citizens of this outstanding community.  It will be the best we can do imo.  The crazymakers don't follow the rules anyway.  There aren't any rules that can make them not be crazymakers.  On the other hand, there's a number of suggestions here that could raise the level of protection for those who become the crazymaker targets.  

ADK

Thanks, Athena!  Good to know I don't annoy you.

Anonymous

medigal - You do have a profile (you signed up as a member).  Your profile consists of Member since, Last login, board name.  There should be a feature where a member can delete their profile/membership if they chose to.

pip57

The problem is that some 'members' post and delete.  They make outrageous statements, cause trouble and then delete their accounts.   

Medigal

Althea:  The "crazymakers" (I love your new term) would have to cease and desist if they saw that what they were doing was not getting "us" deleted and banned.  That is why I think Melissa needs to find some way to keep them from playing games with the Report button.  If they can't report us, they can't get us deleted and all their power is gone!  Unfortunately, this business of the Report button being able to automatically delete and/or ban us just because some nutcase has a trigger finger, is giving the power to the troublemakers.  Frankly, even if it means more work for her, I think Melissa should be the only one who should "Report this Post".  It will mean she daily has to scroll over our posts to see if any one is getting out of hand but that shouldn't be hard to do.  When a fiasco starts over like the other night, it was very easy for anyone to see the posts. 

Take the Report this Post button out of the hands of the troublemakers and you have basically unarmed them from any power over us,imo.  They can always PM Melissa like they posted they did the other night when Lizard was playing games with us but there again, Melissa needs to contact "their" Mod and turn in the name of that person to her if she finds the troublemaker came from the other site.  We are just members of this forum and I think they gave us a Moderator so that we could have help when problems like this arise.  I just think the troublemakers made it hard for Melissa to know who they were but I do hope she doesn't delete or ban any of us any more unless she really checks out who is reporting and what is really happening in the thread.

Anonymous

Lately, I've noticed that members post something that I assume must be outrages and cause trouble.  They then leave it up just long enough for it to be read.  Then they delete it so that they don't get reported by "the community".  Very effective - like saying something in court that draws "strike that statement".  Of course the jury has heard it.  No taking it back.

1Athena1

I suppose that's the BCO equivalent of a kamikazi attack. 

Anonymous

Athena - it is the BCO equivalent of a kamikazi attack.

Medigal

SeaFoobs:  How do you know for sure these are "our" members?.  One of the problems we have is that certain ones of our members were on both this group and the problem group and I don't think they are returning here after the last fiasco.  The reason I did not like that was because they could, if they wanted to, come on here and cause outrages or trouble like you may have seen and then return to their other group.  Unfortunately, our two groups did not seem to get along with each other so I feel it's best to stick to the group you prefere. 

We can come up with all the ideas we want but unless Melissa finds a way to stop outsiders from purposely starting fights in our group and then reporting "us" we will never have peace in this group.  Just my opinion.

Anonymous

Medigal - you wrote this: I don't think they are returning here after the last fiasco. 

You're being naive.  Of course they are coming back here.  Have you even looked at their site to see the things they are posting and joking about?

Only solution:  IP addresses - though even that won't completely work.  More than one computer plus smart phone.  Public access computers.  Friend's computer.

Enjoyful

SeaFoobs -

Anyone who would be so dedicated as to run all over town to thwart the IP address detection....well, that person needs psychiatric evaluation.  JMO.

But what am I saying?  Some people have gone to the trouble to create, maintain, and track multiple user IDs just to piss people off.  Maybe the running all over town isn't so far-fetched, after all.

Sad.

riley702

I don't really have a dog in this fight. but have been reading along with interest. I admit I don't know who is doing what, but have some thoughts.

Could there be both a spam button and a report this post button? If a post gets reported as spam by 5 members, it will be deleted. If a post is reported, a flag will go up so the moderators may review and decide whether to delete it. No automatic deleting. It could still say "this post has been reported by___". If a poster uses the spam button to delete something that is not spam, the deletee could appeal to the mods. If they are upheld, the post would be reinstated and the person who wrongly reported it gets a strike. So many strikes and your account is banned.

I think the whole notion of "this board" and "people from the other board" is a nonstarter. For better or for worse, if someone signs up here, they ARE of this board, no matter where else on the internet they choose to post. And IMO it's ridiculous to expect Melissa and the other mods to waste their valuable time trying to talk to another moderator of another board that may or may not have members in common. If someone is mocking your posts from here somewhere else, your choices are to ignore it or join the other board to defend yourself. Don't drag the fight back here.

Edited to add that I didn't address the libel issue, because I don't have an idea to address that.

1Athena1

I believe that any reforms have to be realistic and address what can be addressed, knowing that there are limits to what can be done. 

There is nothing that BCO or Melissa, in particular, can do about another site or the fact that people from here may belong there, or that there may be two camps, etc.... That is each person's responsibility. 

It isn't Melissa's job or BCOs to police discord itself or to influence other web sites. BCO can only try to provide a measure of transparency and efficacy HERE. The best way to not be affected by goings on elsewhere is to honestly resist the natural moth-to-flame temptation of going elsewhere. I know that in some cases that may be hard if a person has already posted there, or if the person believes she is being harrassed or accused falsely.  

However, IMO no moderation reforms should ever be seen as a substitute for the adage "don't feed the trolls" and that applies whether they post here or whether they come from elsewhere. Whatever problems exist between people  are just that.

Similarly, no reforms should undermine ther other saying of "if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen."  

motherofpatient

Medigal - I don't get your point. The possible scam I am talking about is a couple from a Katrina scam investigation who are now stalking breast cancer patients with their new "charity" as Advance Cold Caps. The following info is to verify the investigation is real and to alert BC members to be on the lookout. They are now in Marietta,Ga and trying to get into hospital around the metro area.What I object to is that their web site had a How You Can Help section to get friends and family to donate and we see how they handle donations apparently.

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Coastal Outpost Directors Mike Sweeney and Sandra Molenhouse are under investigation by the Secretary of State and Attorney General’s office for allegedly using donations earmarked for Katrina victims in Hancock County and South Louisiana to fatten their own pockets.

 

The organization, which has been operating out of Kiln since a few months post-Katrina, billed itself as a charity — vested in hosting and directing volunteers and “managing a rebuilding program” — however, Sec. of State Delbert Hosemann said this week, the group never registered through his office……

 

While tracking down the nearly $5 million the organization has accumulated through various donations from people around the world, the secretary of state says, a major portion apparently didn’t go where it was earmarked.

 

After investigating the charity’s books from the last two years, Sec. of State Delbert Hosemann recently told reporters nearly a million and a half dollars are unaccounted for.

 

Hosemann’s investigation did find more than $80,000 was spent on multiple vacations, including cruises and ski trips, for Sweeney and Molenhouse which were not for any charitable purpose; nearly $50,000 was spent on meals and other personal expenses, such as lawn care for Sweeney and nail care for Molenhouse; and Sweeney and Molenhouse both took home a monthly salary of more than $7,500, according to the report by WLOX.

 

Three years to the day after Katrina, Hosemann’s office issued a cease and desist order to Camp Coastal shutting them down.

 

Camp Coastal’s website portrays the events leading to the closure quite differently. Camp Coastal Director Mike Sweeney offers the following explanation in an update on the website dated July 1, “It is with humility and gratitude we announce the closing of Camp Coastal Outpost in August 2008 …“Several factors contributed to the decision to close the camp. Some are obvious. Three years after Katrina the community is rejuvenating and becoming capable of rebuilding itself … The less obvious factors — exhaustion of the leadership, political and cultural dynamics, greed vs. need attitudes, facility maintenance, so many factors — combined to support the decision to … let the community heal itself.”

 

Sec. Hosemann’s Communications Director Pamela Weaver said Camp Coastal, or Sweeney and Molenhouse, had until Sept. 29 to request a hearing with the Secretary of State’s office to answer the allegations of misuse of the charity’s funds. Weaver said an “intent to impose administrative penalties without benefit of input from Camp Coastal” would be issued by Hosemann’s office if the two did not schedule a hearing before the deadline.

 

Weaver said attorneys for Sweeney and Molenhouse contacted Sec. Hosemann’s office Friday afternoon to request the hearing which will be open to the public. The hearing date has not yet been set.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 3, 2009

 

CONTACT: Pamela Weaver, (601) 270-4100

Camp Coastal Hearing Cancelled

 

Jackson, MS—The Secretary of State’s office has confirmed that Camp Coastal operators, Mike Sweeney and Sandy Molenhouse, have filed for bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. The bankruptcy petition automatically postpones the administrative hearing scheduled for June 10, 2009 by the Office of the Secretary of State.

 

“We are obviously very disappointed by this development in the Camp Coastal case,” says Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann. “We were hoping to come to a quick resolution on this matter for Gulf Coast residents. We will be closely monitoring the progress of the bankruptcy case in Louisiana and plan on rescheduling the hearing as soon as the bankruptcy judge removes the stay on the proceedings.”

 

As you may remember, an examination into Camp Coastal revealed the organization operated as a charity without registering with the Office of the Secretary of State, and investigators found what they believe are records of donated funds expended for personal use.

 

The public will be notified immediately of any further developments.

 

Camp Coastal Investigated For Misusing Funds

Posted: Sep 18, 2008 6:33 PM Updated: Sep 18, 2008 7:42 PM

Ambulance and truck collide in Ocean Springs

Moss Point police still investigating nightclub shooting

 

By A.J. Giardina - bio | email

 

KILN, MS (WLOX) - WLOX News began getting complaints about Camp Coastal in Hancock County early this year. As Action Reporter A.J. Giardina investigated the claims, he found the Secretary of State, which regulates Mississippi charities, was also checking into claims that Camp Coastal's directors were using some of the millions donated to rebuild homes for large salaries and expensive trips. In an exclusive interview, the Secretary of State told A.J. that Camp Coastal is out of business and the search is on for the missing money.

 

For nearly three years, Camp Coastal Outpost on Highway 603 in the Kiln raised money and coordinated volunteer labor to rebuild homes in Hancock County and South Lousisiana.

 

Though Camp Coastal billed itself as a charity, Secretary of State Delbert Hoseman says it was never registered with his office.

 

"It received a significant amount of money. In the five million dollar range we believe, from various sources from the United States and from around the world to help citizens in Mississippi get back on their feet and rebuild their homes," Hoseman said.

 

Hoseman says his office has spent months investigating complaints that Camp Coastal Director Mike Sweeney and his assistant Sandy Molenhouse were misusing funds.

 

"As we looked into the books and records over the last two years, we find that approximately $270,914 dollars was used as personal salaries to two individuals in Camp Coastal. Their personal transactions involved in this account, approxmiately $131,016. And we had travel and marine of approxmmiately $83,000," Hoseman said. "These included trips to Belize and the Bahamas, on cruise lines everything from bar bills to individual nail shops. The total is approxmiately a half-a-million dollars spent of money that was donated." (See below for detailed spending)

 

WLOX News reported on several of the building projects started by Camp Coastal, but Hoseman says his office hasn't been able to get an accurate count of how many houses Camp Coastal actually built.

 

"Some of that was obviously used for that purpose, but a good bit was not," Hoseman said.

 

The Camp Coastal Outpost on Highway 603 in the Kiln is empty now. Hoseman's office issued an order on August 29th, the three year anniversary of Katrina, shutting down Camp Coastal's operations and fundraising.

 

As for the people who ran Camp Coastal, Mike Sweeney and Sandy Molenhouse, the Secretary of State wants to hear their explanation of how close to a million and a half dollars was spent.

 

 

 

leggo

Athena wrote:

In fact, I can think of only one poster that I think would easily get reported under option four, and that person has caused havoc in some corners of this BCO earth. Only one, and I do explore different BCO threads with some frequency.

I can't help but wonder if we're thinking of the same person. Sometimes all it takes is "one" to ruin it for everyone else.

leggo

riley702: I like your idea of two seperate reporting buttons. I think MOST members use the "report this post" button as it was intended. That could cut down on work for the mods,.

BarbaraA

I like it, too, Riley. It would be easier for the mods to manage, I think. I still think requiring a person to checkbox which rule(s) a post is violating is a good idea.

apple

Also...Melissa, while you are talking to the techs... it would be nice if there were a quote function so members could refer to post or partial post and respond.. if that's not too much trouble.  One can do it by hand of course.

leggo

Yes Barbara, I think riley702's idea combined with yours might be a good start.

riley702

Thanks, ladies! I would see one person wanting to eliminate the report button and someone else saying, "No, we need something to deal with spammers", so I thought it might actually be better to have separate buttons for spam and offensive posts.

I agree that a quote function would be nice. I'm used to it on other boards.

leggo

We used to have a quote function. I don't know what happened to it.

riley702

We have "post a reply" button on each post, but all it does is take you to the bottom of the page to post.

rosemary-b

The fact that some people seem to be afraid of having the names of reporters posted reveals a lot to me.

BarbaraA

Hmmm, Rosemary. I didn't think of that. You may be onto something.

leggo

On the other hand, I guess there's nothing to stop someone from abusing a second button either. Probably best just to have to give your id when reporting. Quite the pickle the mods are in. This must be so much work for them.

Edited to add: maybe "This post was reported by __________ because ___________. At least the mods would have a starting point.

riley702

I thought your ID was automatically recorded for the mods to see when you report a post. So they'll know who is reporting posts for no reason. I suggested a limited number of strikes for false reporting before the reporter is banned themselves. I have no problem with posts reported for any reason automatically listing the IDs that reported it. Or why, for that matter.

ETA that I was thinking that this would eliminate posters getting posts that they don't like automatically deleted. You're probably right that they'd simply falsely call it spam, so maybe we're right back to listing who reported it and why. I would strongly urge penalties for falsely reporting posts, though.

leggo

I think they can "ban" someone all they want. As I understand it, that doesn't prevent them from coming back with a new id using a different e-mail address. Therein lies the problem. I could be wrong.