If we get a run I would like to talk about these issues.
Is it wrong not using our own names online.
Or is it just wise.
Would we in a crowded bus loudly give our address to a Friend?
As we learn the dangers of spam, we protect ourselves as much as we can but we mostly know its the less careful that keep spam alive.
Is there potential for harm in web sites that allowed us to reveal too much about ourselves.
And can any of us judge by the printed word the type of person we are talking to online.
How many of us wander down the street saying hollow to every one we pass, yet we some times say too much online to strangers or do we?

another intresting topic..from the#..belly laugh..at ourselves...under our posts live flesh/blood/living huh-mans...we each are presumed to be human...we humans recognise words but poorly

we are emoting beings...we are able to feel emotions from words...me saying i will kill you...would i hope be laughed off by any that ever read my words...thus could make claim to know me...well enough that to me its an empty threat...but not so our jury of peers..[out there somewhere]...

i have had guys say they love me[others saay they hate me]..but i know its not..'me'..,.they hate..but that..the words i formed in this living moment..did say...to them..at the time of reading..[often read on the run...and not in ful context]

we all know how this thread came to be...and dont we all just wish we had the guts...to tell the piper how attractive her..on screen persona is...it is little wonder this angel of the heart..gets the unloved..to try to get yet more of her rare warmth[love]..but 'as'..you know we love you too

im needing a hug...but realise..that in written/words its only too easy to say...[and say wrongly]..in reality i know im so flawed..as a functioning human...its often more than words...said wrongway..or out of time...or place..that drive even the word of the hug away

anyhow its not important the words that i wrote...belly has sent out the topic..and i replied without any quote...[of note]..i appriciate that men are as we are...and mothers love kids...more cute than us falable..'grown-ups'...who have lost our ability at be cute...yet still knowing not a real lot..but that of being alone

ps...no emails corrospondences..entered into

say it on open forum...not in private..
never say more in private..than you would/could publicly

love you both
...but hug...hugs all round
its the untimate security..or is it insecurity...

when it goes bad its best to not say nothing...
so with a smile and a wink...say its going to be allright

It’s a funny issue Belly, given my recent interaction.

And a few months ago after an argument on another site a user rang DoCS on me and made up some pretty wild stuff. Now I was found innocent of any wrong doing but if DoCS had believed it they could have taken all the kids.

All they needed was my volunteer work, general area I am in, and my first name which everyone has. But both things could have also happened with neighbours or acquaintances back at this end of the wire.

Very few people know my last name or an address and even if I wanted to hand those out I am not allowed to given who I volunteer for. If I have their rules right I can identify myself as a foster parent but I cannot give any information that could lead to a foster child being identified or where they are being identified.

I read messages pretty much according to the mood I am in at the time although after awhile you get a feel for a regular posters usual attitude and style. Smiley faces might help.[grin]

OUG, I didn’t see your post before I posted. I blushed and had my hands over my face, I haven’t blushed in years. Husband came and read it and said “see other people understand”. Poor hubby, he’s had a lot of me trying to work out if I did wrong lately.

A long time ago when I had my little bulletin board system I had little tag lines under my messages, I only remember a couple now “Hug a Hon Today”, “Keep the Happy Thoughts Alive”. We used to often meet in person back then and they all knew they would get a hug when they met me.

But you are wrong, I see many people here as cute and I am extremely fond of you, you and Peter were the first users to take some time and answer some of my questions and teach me some important things. The people here really do stop to give support or say a kind word, even halt in the middle of a debate to say “go click on this and it will help”.

Consider yourself hugged OUG, appreciated and often in my thoughts.

Of course you all know I’m not always nice aye.

Dear Belly,

Thanks for this thread - it's an important issue
after what's happened recently. We can all learn
from it - and I suppose there was a way of
predicting it - the signs were there - if we would
have paid attention to the constant rantings. That
undoubtedly won't change.

Most of us are trusting human beings - and we prefer
to think - that most people are decent. We all flirt,
we all tease, but we don't take any of it seriously -
because - it's usually simply done in fun. This
latest episode however, will probably make me more
cautious in future.

I prefer not to give out my email.
Giving a hug on the web - is one thing, but your email?
No.

The underpinning theory behind crisis phone services is that a person will tell a stranger more than someone they know. The idea is that it is anonymous or less likely to have repercussions.
e.g. you tell a 'friend' one day you'll throttle you wife if she nags much more. In that situation you are running the risk of your friend's biases and shifting loyalties etc both have possible repercussions.
Conversely a stranger doesn't have the same knowledge based biases or allegiances.

Regarding the web what we say is determined by the readers perceptions.
On one of the three primary senses.
As was brought home to me in recent posts and experimentation with the man across the road.
I repeated the joke told here about the three women and the ducks to the point where I got the joke. He on the other hand not knowing where my mind was going sat there blank until I gave all the punch line. my point is that on the web a lot is written which is mis or under understood. We all assume that something is clear and unoffensive to us because we know what WE meant. "what we have (due to the nature of the media) is a failure to communicate" (properly).

Part of that failure to communicate is ours in that we adopt a lack of attention to what we say (a'la telephone crisis counseling).
Because we're removed from the person we mistakenly assume an unrealistic level of safety. Consequentially we often slip up and unnecessarily expose our selves to God knows what and who.

I have suggested many times in many discussions that OLO is a public discussion site not group therapy no is it particularly safe.

Publicly I am rather coy on giving too much sensitive data on me.
Yet I'll chat " some say endlessly " unidentifiable personality issues.

Even my website has levels of protection as some have found.

In short Belly, practically speaking pseudonyms in this environment is simply common sense. Those that use Facebook openly etc are vulnerable.

its nice to be nice but niceness[damm i thought i was on the faking it thread]..but nice is a nature..[natural]..ability/gift or curse..its nice..occasionally..to switch,..the niceness...off

quote..from/under/link..<<..While being nice..sounds..like a good idea,..there’s a problem...It doesn’t work...

People-pleasers often..take care of others..at the expense of themselves...Activities..that promote health,..are sacrificed..when someone else..is in need.

Trying to avoid..or ignore conflict/..and anger..is like trying to hold a beach-ball..under water...Unexpressed feelings..can pop up as physical ailments,..such as heartburn..or depression..or back pain.

When your value..as a person..is defined by what other people..think about you,..and..feelings of..you don’t measure up,..food or alcohol[read addictions..to others or things]..medicate the emptiness.

If you’re a people-pleaser who gets sick,..the same behaviors..that got you to the doctor..in the first place may stand in the way of getting good health care.

You might not want to.."trouble your doctor"..with your problems...If you have side effects from a medication,..you might simply stop taking the pills..rather than tell your doctor that you want to try a different medication.

A cross look..from the front office staff..when you ask for a copy of your medical record..may be all you need to decide that you’re not doing that again.

The bottom line..is that being nice can be hazardous,,to your health.

It erodes your health..and impairs your ability..to get better if you’re sick.

http://www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/articles/health_and_wellness/021805_beingnice.php

but researching further i found its oppisite...no thats the wrong word..i found its mirror...
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/time-to-get-tough-how-being-nasty-can-improve-your-life-792446.html

The Nice Factor:..The Art of Saying No.

Gryzb..believes our tendency..to over-apologise..reveals..a worrying undercurrent..."If an apology isn't genuine,"..she says, ..psychologically you are saying you're ashamed of yourself...It's almost..as if you are apologising..for...you.who..your being."

..they don't want to let others,,down..its astounding. ..One scarily prevalent issue .."They become caught up in the machinery..and don't know how to get out of it...we are brought up in a culture of pleasantries.

The ethos..of the saying that it's nice..to be important,..but more important..to be nice,..is ingrained..in all of us..."There's a lot of subtle cultural messages,"..says Gryzb.

"We get it right..from birth..when we are told..good children don't cry...Parents..#["%$^()..brainwash..us..

about what makes a good-childhusband father/grandfather/mother #/politition/lawter/scientust/driver/care giver...or unionist/loyalist/follower..or leader//egsample..threatr/victim/child/adult/male/femail..and what doesn't...

What's wrong/..with crying/smiling/flirting/survivibg/loving/blushing/sharing/caring?..What's wrong/..with saying you need...something/anything/answer/or hugs?"

boy oh boy [piper]...i been busy with the last thread
http://forum.worldfreemansociety.org/viewtopic.php?f=125&t=2704&p=16406#p16406

just visited
the other topic
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=3013&page=0

poor guy

you dont realise how exciting your problems are<<...that drawing is just bloody awful..throw it in the bin immediately”..>>>is something i couldnt imagine you saying [but anthoninie could

<<<or ""I have one (no not a goldfish) who I wish would stop hugging me, another is dribbling and when grown up will be super hero called The Walking Puddle.">>>..see how amasing you are..[oh godess of the aquamarine..a hugging goldfish...thats so sureal...but i dont think its true...it sounds like faked imagry...poor anthony...thinks wakjing puddle ...not to be a child with a cxonstantly wet nappy

you got some amasing life ..between the huggy gold fish..and the piddling puddles

anthony..<<Do not you understand that with your posts you encouraged me to continue with harder one?>>>...see anthony finds it hard to use personal contexual..words...correctly...

he has a business/humanitarian patriarcal..mind..logic..right/wrong...on /off..not humanities...

thus what he writes as hard..because for him it is...mine just flows out like water at the base of a huge hill...

<<..I wrote according to my goals and your reactions.>>>he means ideals and soliciting for your emoting...your re-actions

<<The Pied Piper You are a good friend
for me and you know that , THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.>>

we love you too
give hubby some cheeky flirty intent/longing look...hes all yours..whats the guppy puddle up to...see im inept as well
to forgive is devine...at its root lies love

I am not a social butter fly, maybe a moth?
But in the mid 1970,s CB radio took hold, it went like fire until people started to meet one another.
You never can tell by voice alone what a person is.
And believe me some got hurt very badly.
The hobby died but I moved on to Ham radio, what and who you are in real life still matters but less judgmental.
I saw problem's for our mate TPP even said so.
But we learn by our mistakes, can any one say did not at some time question some of us?
Now I have been taunted to say who I am, NEVER fall for it, it is likely in time many of us will meet, but by agreement not falling for baits.
If we never meet we can still talk, OUG it is not just about that event, I truly question the many who say we are weak for not unmasking .
In time, not long away, we will know I am probably right, we do not need to, it is unwise and foolish to tempt fate.
Knowing how to protect your self and family is not cowardice.
Like spam , that dreadful crime commited against the web by senders and those who open it, we are learning the rules of a relatively new communications system.
The best protection is our own wisdom.

Belly,

No.
Wise. For many reasons.
No.
Yes and no. 'Spam' is heaps of different things. But one thing they ALL are is ever evolving and being creating continuously.
Yes.
Not really. But a few here come across as random nutters so I'm not at all interested matching up online them versus real them.
Depending on the situation, but I usually say G'day to anyone that makes eye contact. But yes, sometimes we offer too much online.

Horses for courses, I guess.

I post here under the name by which I'm known in my community, and under which I trade commercially. It's no secret that I'm a member of the Qld Greens, and that I live in rural Southern Qld. Anybody who wants to locate me and is a little bit savvy can do so if they wish. Indeed, I'm very well known in our community.

Perhaps I'm lucky to be in a situation where I don't care who knows what I think about the stuff we discuss here - my partner and I are own bosses, and we don't owe anybody anything. I don't express any ideas here that I wouldn't in my local pub, although of course there people are somewhat more polite and there are various issues that just aren't discussed in casual conversations.

There are only a few users here whom I wouldn't give my personal email address if they asked. However, in several years of participating at OLO nobody ever has.

Certainly, I think that everybody should be careful about what they reveal about themselves online, but - as someone implied above - not much more so than would do on a crowded bus, or indeed a pub.

I have fences I must remain inside.
I can not be a spokesman for my union.
I must not say any thing that a boss or another union can use against me.
Yet I am Belly, every one knows me by the name, it is on my shirts, my house, Belly's hideaway, some say its my cave.
I could handle unwanted contacts, no fears there.
My defenses are in place, but some can not.
And on the web, not just here real people get real problems by being too open.
Side issue but maybe it counts, a workplace issue saw me inform a boss he was a maggot, never understand why I felt the need to praise him, it was praise .
Friday saw my phone nearly useless, he gave the number to some real filth who rang for hours.
So yes be careful but understand some do not have our radar our ability to see a nut long before others.
And that the web is like a light to moths to them.
CJM Yes from information you give here I knew most of that about you And only a few would not get my e mail if asked but not in print not for the few we all should avoid.

A suggestion.

One way that any two OLO users can have an 'off air' conversation without sacrificing their anonymity is to use a private messaging facility.

The OLO Forum does not have this facility, but many other fora do.

The two users come to an agreement via publically viewable posts to OLO as to what other forum having the facility of PM (private messaging) they will use. They then register on that forum in much the same way as they would have on OLO, with a real email address as any forum requires, and establish a userID. Their privacy against being publicly identified is as secure as that forum's policies and ethics provides in relation to disclosure of email addresses and any subsequent connectability of those registration addresses with userIDs.

For example, should Belly want to know the steps I took to find out why he had dropped off the radar a while back, he could simply register on the Ubuntu Forums under whatever userID he could establish. I am a registered user of the Ubuntu Forums, and post there under the same userID as here on OLO. Once he had familiarised himself with the UF and its PM facility, he could post a PM which only I (apart from the UF administrators) could read. All he would then need to do is alert me in a post to OLO on a thread to which I had posted that there is a PM for me on the UF and what his userID is on that forum, and sooner or later I would read it. I could then choose to reply or not.

No email addresses or other identifying information need be exchanged. If both parties nevertheless wished to exchange such information, only they would get to see it: it is not publicly viewable, and does not involve OLO staff in having to act as intermediaries. All both parties have to do to keep such a channel of communication open is to observe the UF rules.

In all practicality, communications would be as secure as the parties' passwords and computers.

Morning OLO. Hey I was going to say, and Bronwyn pointed it out, that I do have good support at home. Also I’m not a complete twat (maybe just 50%) and besides an e-mail address there was no full name, no telephone number given and no postal address. I’m not normally that sensible but I think I did get a “feeling” early on that something wasn’t quite right.

But it leads to a completely different point, although Forrest’s idea of an alternative site to meet on with private mail is all good it doesn’t really help when someone goes a little off the tracks like what happened recently to me. You can choose not to read them or you can delete them or whatever but it is a very strange thing knowing that something written exists or existed and was directed at you in such a way.

It was only in e-mail, I cannot imagine what it would be like if I was a single person living alone. I think it would have been scary.

Thank you OUG, advice all taken on board and acted upon. And because you are interested in the very human side of humans I will share that I couldn’t read all of what was written to me and I couldn’t read them when the little kids were around because they would make me feel bad (never felt before whatever the feeling was, just felt really bad – grubby would be the closest word I have to the emotion).

PP,
I have suggested to GY that on the next major update he should include chat rooms in which the participants have the ability to exclude/include who they want.
I also suggested a threat/sub thread system that would allow side chats without breaking the flow of the original thread.
He has said he will consider them in due course.

Other like requests would help
He is limited by what the users inform him of what is needed/expected etc.
Over all he is better than most editors...trust me would I lie to you...hmmmm? :-0 don't answer that I may cry.
Cheers

it should be remembered the transmission of unsolicited sexually
explicit emails is a crime punishible with imprisonment under federal
communications laws.

as for me, my hobby is designing and implementing an equal rights
republic and i'm all over the net and easy to find, even though Belly
apparently still thinks i'm female.
so any excuse to set the record straight and promote my hobby will do.
i put this together for the last election in which the Prime Minister
was dumped in his own electorate by a woman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCYlv6AUdMY&feature=channel_page
(apologies to the u-tubeless)

Belly, patriarchy has brought humankind to the brink of extinction
such that the provision of an equal rights republic with law enacted
by agreement between women's and men's legislatures is a matter of
male survival.

hey whistler your a guy
he me too

im lesbian
just cant stand men
with their thingies sticking their thing into womans business

nor do woman

if woman chose to look good or bad thats their choice

as they say
what
gives you the right to speak for me...

im dressing for me not you

i thought you a pimply faced germain greer

hey egsaminator
great idea
PAID CHAT ROOMS
..[to pay for live monitoring for mutual saftey]
special pin admitance

Hey Examinator, if Graham had chat rooms on here and private mail would he then be responsible for the content? Like if something came up within private mail on OLO he would be able to take a complaint and do something about it or would that be like an ethical problem as the word “private” implies?

I think the one thing that makes the forum, threads, and posts here something unique is the lack of busyness. It feels very tidy and ordered to me. I wonder if having sub topics/threads would maybe clutter it up. But on another site I’m on they had this little side comment facility, little instant message thing would pop up for additional (usually flippant) type stuff. It was kind of cute and would kind of roll over and disappear while leaving the normal message and I just lost my train of thought.

PM would be great though, me having such a messy computer and e-mail folders all in disarray.

I didn’t know it was illegal Whistler... that’s one of those dilemmas. I can hope I was the first and last or try and ensure I was. Oh damn I am going to not get that one out of my head until a decision has been reached and well, yeah damn.

Belly back when I had my little BBS a lot of the users were also into CB radio stuff and it seemed a natural type progression from one form of anonymous social interaction to another.

At least you have a more or less common name, I’m careful because as Col has mentioned about himself I also have a very distinctive last name. Hey I have many relatives with your last name, on my mother’s side.

Thanks Forrest and examinator, I do not use other forums but will look that one up, I now only use this name.
I have used PM on another forum, one I truly liked but left because a few posters in my view went extremist.
It was the your rights at work forum, I posted there as mainstream unionist.
I wounder if GY has concerns about PM on this site?
If we look not too deep we an find tales about people being hurt by wrong contacts on the net.
Truly I am not afraid of such, I am careful and do not present a harm to anyone, but some do, and some are too trusting.
FG I think I know you tracked my call sign, lets leave it at that I would have zero fear in contacting you at some future date
regards all

PP
My concept would be like face book. You would be able to not respond to requests for a chat...restrict who have access to you and who to ban.
Un wanted attention would mean that as whistler says is actionable by the police etc.
As things stand now the little person Icon alerts the moderator to a situation ...you have space to write your complaint.
The moderator then checks the alleged offender's posts, history etc and then makes a judgement. I'm comfortable with GY's judgments on these issues even if it meant I get warned,time outed or banned etc.. Of course all people have bias'.

Belly
I like the layout of 'Unleashed' on the ABC.
But all posts are vetted a bad or over-the-top one just doesn't appear.
Some topics are interesting and some posts but tend to be deep or heavy going. consequently it tends to be structured and no where as spontaneous as OLO.
note the way sub threads are handled I love it if not the site as a whole. I think if GY introduced a similar dot point system it would be easier to follow threads that interest you. You have the option to address the primary thread or a person's comments directly. Take a look.

Hey Exam,

Oh Facebook, nup still haven’t worked facebook out. But a little window pops up bottom right hand corner every time I go near the place and there is my daughter saying “Hey mum…” drives me crazy but yes would be a very cool thing to have on here as long as Graham promises to never allow my daughter on OLO.

So private mail would be like public as far as you can complain about any unwanted stuff.

And way back when I had my “board”; we had subboards (topics) and you could click on “thread” and then you would get all messages just in that thread within the subboard – would only show “replies” to that one message and the next reply all along the “thread”. So you could choose to read all messages or just the ones in a thread that interest you.

Is that what you sort of mean by the point thing?

Vetting or moderating messages is awful; there is something very unsatisfying about not seeing your message turn up in public when you post it.

On Facebook - I actually find it quite useful, mostly for staying in touch with my kids, but also to hear about political stuff. If you pay attention to the security settings and avoid obvious traps like the quizzes, I'm reliably informed that it's as secure as most public websites - assuming, of course, that you also have strong resident Internet security running as well.

In a truly postmodern moment earlier this year, I first learnt via Facebook that my eldest daughter was engaged - and on reflection it was great to hear it pretty well as it happened. Also, they did much of the organisation of the guests, sharing of wedding photos etc on Facebook. All in all, I thought it was pretty cool - and I'm by definition an old fart as the father of the thirtysomething bride :S

Mind you, if I was a young person at the start of my career, I'd probably be a bit more circumspect on Facebook than my kids are. Even in my relative dotage, I don't give too much info away on that site - although I'm registered there in my real name, like here.

I posted on a great site I think was called Australia politics.
Very much without my spell check.
[Never stop thanking the bloke who showed me that]
It had the things we needed but mainly younger posters, and it died closed down over night.
Truly think this is the one for me.
Not on face book, do not have that freedom, I have seen some foolish things done there just in my family.
I am an old fart to CJM and while continuing to learn have done no formal training in PC think the boss would pay?
I have little doubt we could tell of harm done needless by too much openness on the web.

Hey Belly, was just thinking about security and stuff online and it all sucks really aye. Like yes if you get bothered by someone something officially can be done etc but it stops us being honest because of the same threat. We can’t really state what is going on in government… might get done for liable or something.

It’s anonymous only to the extent someone higher up doesn’t want you to shut up.

Morning CJ, I do know DoCS staff were told to get off facebook. I just can't work the place out. But if anyone does find me the first thing it says in that little profile thing is "I'm The Pied Piper".[smile]

G'Day All,
How are you all out there all well I hope.
With this web I know that I don't really give to much thought to the privacy thing as what I have to say behind closed doors I am prepared to say publicly the only thing wrong with this is that you have to be sure of the facts. People need to remember 2 points "I may not like what you have to say but I will defend your right to say it" & "the truth hurts but it is the truth"
A lot of the people out there are not in the position to be as exposed as I am but from the life I have lived I really don't worry about things that way.
The thing is you have people who really try to help & are concerned for others (like many on this forum)that there are bastards out there that would take advantage of that "goodness" & would destroy the very essence of these people & the caring & kindness of these people.
All I can say is I thank you all that you have given me the opportunity to join your topics & to post my own. Thanks to all but just be bloody careful AYE(for TPP).God Bless & have a happy day from Dave.

'It's no secret that I'm a member of the Qld Greens,'

That's way more embarrassing than anything Antonios has said.

I'm learning much much more, that OUG makes twice as much sense as examinator.

'I have suggested to GY that on the next major update he should include chat rooms in which the participants have the ability to exclude/include who they want.'

I knew you'd be all for cliques!

I fear this little episode has been blown out of all proportion. The high and mighty love a case to feel indignant about, they appear twice as affected than the actual participants (one wonders the goal/payoff) and OUG has exposed a truer meaning for us all to take away.

Too much in this life the 'think of the children' (not you Piper, you do it rather than yell it), gated communities crowd want to close any avenue for random shenanigans down. Change the Forum they cry! Involve the police they cry! Take away any risk that this could happen again they cry! Lets change the face of OLO with as many rules as possible, weeding out all but the most hum drum of conversation.

These little episodes enrich your lives, as evidenced by the fact you have all had much fun tooing and froing the whole lot. Stories to tell you grandkids and all that.

Life is risk and risk is life. On the web, as in life, you expose yourself as much as you feel comfortable in doing, there are misunderstandings, you meet people who just don't 'get' ya.

Aw Huoel, I did like the private mail idea and a little chat thingi for fun. Maybe a few select smilies just for the “general section” of the forum.[grin]

I lived in a compound for awhile – people with guns at the gates, mirrors on sticks to check for car bombs – never felt so unsafe in my life. I was always happier out cruising through the open markets with all the terrorists up close and personal.

Dave baby, I promise to be carefuller. Yeah my spellchecker says that isn’t a word. I heard someone instructed quite clearly to remove stuff from a myspace page on Friday, not even parents can put up a photo of their child even if they have the kid in their care while it is still officially under DoCS custody.

I am all for protecting a child from the public eye. But it leaves the parents lacking any avenue for any public support. No one ever gets to tell a full story.

'Maybe a few select smilies just for the “general section” of the forum.[grin] '

Hey how do smiles work with deadpan humour?

Most of the funniest comedy is said with a straight face. I think having emot-icons is like those stupid background laugh tapes used in sit-coms that tell the stupid audience when to laugh.

Also for those above w%nking on about facebook, I'm reminded of this article every time someone older than say... me, talks about facebook...

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/being-in-24hour-electronic-contact--its-like-so-totally-yesterday-20090710-dfz9.html

'The way that we - we the media, we the people over 30 - jump on any story that has these buzzwords in them reminds me of the way a painfully out-of-touch mum or dad would seize on the name of a new pop star and brandish it, too frequently, as evidence that she or he is down with the kids.'

'Still transfixed by the novelty of unmediated communications, sensing its own ghost in the room, the media run stories about it. It's kind of embarrassing, like making a big fuss about using a fax machine.'

'Younger generations might be quick on the uptake, following their friends who flock to MySpace or Twitter or Facebook, but they don't use new gadgets or applications for long unless they find continued utility in them.

But grown-ups, panicked by the sight of history's back end trundling away from them at speed, either form steadfast loathing based on blind ignorance - or panic, then scramble to the bandwagon.'

All smilies aren’t smiling, jeez Houel catch up.[sarcastic sneering face]. Plus it’s the use of expression I like just so the tone is better understood.[face with tongue poking out] I don’t think they’d suit OLO – they would have to be very grown up professional looking smiley faces, not a lot of colour [one of those faces with the big eyes and the pursed lips].

And you just shuddup Houel cause I heard you were on OUG’s list.[serious face with squinting eyes]

Am I older than you? I’m practically ancient according to everyone under 18 that hangs around my house. They make fun of me not understanding bebo, facebook, myspace, titter, OLO, mobile phones, txt messages, and mixing tobacco with marijuana.[deadpan face]

H,
What part of my post didn't you understand perhaps an explanation might clarify ? or was it just a general spray in which case "I hope you feel better".

Everybody
Contrary to H's broad over spray claiming that it's all some form of technophobia experience tells me it's quite the opposite.

It is often the lay back or young that are victims but not exclusively.
Cyber bulling, unwanted emails, malware, bots, identity fraud et al.
are more common than you would think. Not as bad as the media over state it however they are are a factors.
I think you would be amazed how lacking in security consciousness people are. And how little it takes to make oneself a target. The practical reality of life is that it's a compromise. There is a middle ground between being locked away and being unnecessarily vulnerable, particularly on the net.

Facebook if not operated with some care can supply all sort of information that might be of interest to others FOR THE WRONG REASONS.

I professionally know of incidents: one where an 18 yo girl was stalked and her friends were harassed sent bogus intimate photos by an unknown(s) simply because she put too much info on F/B TOO EASILY ACCESSED and was SLOPPY WITH HER SECURITY. (someone she knew got her address book with all her contacts and when added to the details in F/B page)

The original culprit was caught but she had to close her page, change her mobile and so did some of her friends. Weeks later her mobile old number, name and car reg. turned up on a male toilet wall … at the uni which she attends. You can imagine the rest. That 'grot' is still out there the police suspect 'revenge'.

Old age paranoia, SEP (somebody else's Problem)? Maybe, until someone steals your identity or invades your privacy.

Be aware not silly.

examinator - I don't pay too much attention to Howler. His participation here is always negative and mostly narcissistic wankery that is almost a caricature of 'Gen-X' nihilism.

He only ever posts his snide drivel during office hours - I just really hope that he's not some miserable public servant wasting time on taxpayers' money.

It is clear that it is not advisable to use your real name on the Web nor give out your email address.

Examinator is correct about the growth of cybercrime, cyberstalking and identity theft.

New technology always advances more quickly than the necessary tools to handle the implications of greater access to information.

Pelican:”It is clear that it is not advisable to use your real name on the Web nor give out your email address.”

Well there is the quandary Pelican because that is just how I met my husband about 16 years ago (NO I AM NOT LOOKING FOR A NEW ONE EVER! Sorry Pelican, was just in case...) and some very good friends around the same time that remain friends. Family members, neighbours and people on the street have caused me more pain and anguish to date.

I wonder if I have an identity worth stealing. What do they do with them? Just asked hubby what it was about – apparently my identity has little worth – phew aye.

CJ:”examinator - I don't pay too much attention to Howler. His participation here is always negative and mostly narcissistic wankery that is almost a caricature of 'Gen-X' nihilism.”

I disagree, he’s been nice to me (I know – don’t even go there because I really do understand how pathetic that sounds), but have to mention I just love the way you write sometimes. I am so taking that w word but you can keep your identity for now.

Exam that’s awful bullying – you checked out that doglist site? I saw it mentioned in some paper ages ago and went and had a nosey, absolutely disgusting. People named, photos, numbers etc – seems to be young people. The dude who ran it was gloating that the police couldn’t do anything.

http://www.youngandgrumpy.com/2009/06/doglist-whozadogcom-andrew-pallant.html

CJMorgan:"His participation here is always negative and mostly narcissistic wankery"

Coming from OLO's "finest" exponent of leg-humping, crotch-sniffing, "give me a pat, aren't I a good little fella" me-tooism that comment is too funny for words.

Mind you, it does show yet again your pathetic command of the English language, little fella. Whilst you've provided lots of evidence that you're a great exponent of wankery in all its expressions, it's certain that none of them are anything other than entirely narcissistic, Onanism being entirely self-directed, even when it involves humping legs.

Charming. Thanks for the gratuitous insults, Antiwomen.

What is it with you and your obsession with "leg-humping" and "crotch-sniffing"?

Given that I'm in a loving relationship with a beautiful woman and you live alone with your dogs, your comments about onanism are quite droll.

Have a great, sexually frustrated day, old chap.

CJMorgan:"Thanks for the gratuitous insults, Antiwomen."

LOL, too funny for words, little fella.

CJMorgan:"Given that I'm in a loving relationship with [myself]"

Yes little fella, we know.

Ooh so uptight CJ. Still fumbling over my cake mathematics it seems.

'His participation here is always negative and mostly narcissistic wankery that is almost a caricature of 'Gen-X' nihilism.'

Yeah that's pretty accurate. What of it. I'm a taker me. I take all your time and words, and give you nothing in return. That's why I'm smilin'. Although I do provide a service for the chronically anal retentive types like yourself to let off steam and feel superior, not a feeling you get very often in real life I bet.

'He only ever posts his snide drivel during office hours'
Yep, that's because I have a life. What's wrong, do you miss me on the weekends? I can log in just for you if you want.

examinator,

It's not about you, get over yourself. It's an article about the media thinking anything is 'news' if it happened on Facebook. Stalking is stalking, bullying is bullying, identity theft works pretty well purely via use of discarded bank statements, and you don't need Facebook to do any of it.

Man you and CJ are pretty sensitive about your age.

I'll wager my generation are 100 times more tech savvy that you old boy.

I'm sure you're one of these people who bought your wireless router from Harvey Norman and set it up without encryption. I can look into the next door neighbours computer any time I like or use his download quota, as I'm sure I could yours if I knew where you lived.

Hey did you know paedophiles can get control of your computer and make the keyboard set off fumes that make you feel... 'suggestible'

Houellebecq

<< I can look into the next door neighbours computer any time I like or use his download quota .. >>

<< I am bored at work. Sometimes any distraction beats actually doing work. As to those that 'inhabit' OLO (ie those that have no life and post on the weekends in their own time when they're not being paid) .. >> (Posted on "Why do we inhabit OLO?")

Your generation might be "100 times more tech savvy" than ours, Houellebecq, not that anyone but you would really care.

Most of us though could certainly teach you a thing or two when it comes to ethics.

Yeah thanks mum.

ethics? Don't talk to me about ethics. I own most of it.

I said 'I can', not 'I do'. Also, I don't smoke and I don't drink tea or coffee, so I waste no more time than the average office worker. You're a public servant anyway, you're in no position to talk about wasting time. I'm paying your wages so sod off.

I see the trend here after yours and CJs comments. This Gen X crowd, they have no ethics! This Gen X crowd, they're so cynical and a bunch of nihilists!

Whining Baby Boomers. Full of their own self importance they are. Woodstock was just a f$cking concert man. Who made Gen-X cynical huh? They were brought up by you lot. Think about it.

Now run along and tell all your stories about how everything was better in the good 'ol days, when the flowers smelt nicer and everyone said hello to each other when they passed in the street.

I have your back Houel, except I drink coffee, tea, smoke, and would so break in to the neighbours computer if I could and I look for new and better ways to waste time every day. I say hello to everyone I pass and if they don’t say hello back I abuse the crap outta them, I cry when I think about how I was too young for Woodstock.

I treasure anyone older than me; ditto fat people, ugly people, stupid people and dwarves. I love them all. They make my look young, skinny, pretty, smart and tall.

And I have missed a comment trend?

OLO so needs its own gossip column, a thread with one person who can regularly report on what is happening with the users.

Who hates who, who is stalking who, who made up recently and how they were brought together by lashing out at a third party.

Who stepped in and defended them and who went home crying.

Who is new and what kind of user they seem to be and are they playing their cards close while fence sitting or have they launched in swinging and already mentioned which church they attend.

H,
Of course it's not about me everything you write is about you, we all know that. As I've said before OLO isn't group therapy... it's a discussion site nor is it a graffiti wall.

Any similarity between you, your skills(?)and the real tech heads of your or any generation is affectation at best.

Ho,whatever you are unlovable beggar, aren't you?
Yes put the verbal boot into me too.
But may I request if you intend playing verbal tennis you select a racket with some strings in it?
Yesterday a long day heard a lot about privacy on the web.face book it seems has a problem.
We all know we are our own best defense or worst enemy here.
And truthfully most of us are going to be ok.
However some just can not resist self harm.
We will see much harm done to those for ever on the web.

pontificator,

'Of course it's not about me everything you write is about you, we all know that. '

Yep, that's the difference between us. I write about what I know; Me. You write (and pompously judge) about what you have no knowledge of; Others.

'As I've said before OLO isn't group therapy...'

Have you broken this news to Fraccy? She'll be devastated!

' it's a discussion site nor is it a graffiti wall.'

I'm pretty sure you said it was a dinner party actually more than once. It's a graffiti wall, make no mistake. I am entitled to spray as much rubbish on it as I like.

That you think in general that your generation has more tech skills than later generations just proves that the rubbish you spray is no better than the rubbish I spray.

Piper,

'Who hates who, who is stalking who, who made up recently and how they were brought together by lashing out at a third party.'

It's funny aye. When I decided that all the posters really were talking crap and had more stupid solutions than I could come up with for all the worlds problems, I decided the most entertainment on here is with the various characters. That they cant understand that I'm just messing with them just makes it all the more fun.

'And I have missed a comment trend?'

I don't think anyone could miss the trend of the pontificator, with his public service announcements denigrating the IT skills of the young, while grandstanding about his supposed skills, and projecting them to his whole generation who are generally lucky to be able to work a VCR. He's also the most altruistic counsellor too you know. Then he's the amatuer anthropologist, ah, there's so many strings to his bow. He's the examinator, examining everyone to see if they come up to his lofty standards.

Belly,

'whatever you are unlovable beggar, aren't you?'
I try. Let's not forget my only crime really was posting and quoting an article from the paper about the media's overuse of facebook and the like.

Houel is in the house!

Morning baby, have a good day at work.

“It's funny aye. When I decided that all the posters really were talking crap and had more stupid solutions than I could come up with for all the worlds problems, I decided the most entertainment on here is with the various characters. That they cant understand that I'm just messing with them just makes it all the more fun.”

Some solutions are good, no I can’t think of any and have a ton of laundry to fold today. One thing I do really enjoy is that it isn’t a site with a theme where like minded people gather – far too many of those.

Ones I really cringe around is the supportive mother sites. They are practically dripping syrup and user names like Lovemybabies …

“my darling daughter poked her tongue out at my most beautiful baby boy today, do you think she is jealous, have I failed in some way?”

“Oh most definitely you should give her another cuddle and spend more time with her, maybe put baby in daycare once a week so you can have mother daughter time. We all have no doubt you are the best mummy in the world though and we all love you very much, we will now send you many a smilie face…”

My answer would be more along the lines of “shut the hell up and get a grip you pathetic wench”.

I briefly got in to an argument with one mummy who was defending DoCS then noticed on her tagline that she was breastfeeding a two week old baby – well sod that, any woman breastfeeding has a brain deficiency until it’s all over anyway.

I was often supportive and nice on those sites, they kind of demand it and moderators kept telling me off.

I was told quite a few times that other stuff going on in the world was not relevant to parents. I told them they were insular and then we all kissed and made up. Phew aye.

Top o the mornin' to you too Piper.

Hey that reminds me of The Simpsons when Marge had a magazine called 'Fretful Mother'.

I read those sites you know! Don't knock em! It took me a while to work out what DD and DH were. (It's dear husband and Dear Daughter, it helps them to patronise and slag their family off while using these abbreviations to prove they're not really a witch) and Miss 3 etc. When I worked that all out and wiped off the vomit and tears from my face.... oh I suppose mothers do need support, and some chicks lap that stuff up.

Basically if you're a guy and you drop in, they love you just for being there (Most fathers aren't 'dedicated' enough and don't understand apparently) but like to try and patronise you at the same time. Pity help anyone who admits to not breast feeding their kids to at least 2 years old that's for sure, or you'll get a hammering.

My missus has a friend who always has user names like 'sparkles' and lives on sites like that. No prizes for guessing what I think of her. I have a mild case of tourette syndrome, where whenever I hear about tarrot and astrology reading and stuff like that I shout 'f*ckn Id1ot b1tch!'. I'm a lover of people, that's for sure!

What star sign are ya? kehe:-)

Well that’s why we get on so well Houel, our acceptance and love of all souls within humanities collective aura.

I’m crap (and Libra) I thought it was ‘darling’ daughter and ‘darling’ husband. Yep I have seen a man drop in to these sites and say “hi” and suddenly womp. The poor buggers, no wonder they don’t last long.

I so know a Sparkles on a bubby site. You get trapped taking on a different personality on sites like that aye. I’m happy to be supportive and help anyone out if I can but with those sites it’s like they’re inventing problems. I’ve gone back and come across an old message from myself and shuddered.

They are evil sites that change who you are and should be destroyed immediately.

The only thing OLO does is limit my words because (believe it or not) I am inclined to rabbit on a bit.

So Foxy is away for a week and I can’t find Fractelle on the radar. I’m a little worried about what could happen now. The shift in dynamics could be startling.

Hey question to supportive and helpful peoples, if you e-mail someone to do with work and they say they have forwarded it on to the appropriate person who has to deal with it and then you never hear back… Do you go back to the first person or follow up with or the person they forwarded your e-mail to?

Yes within a government department.

The Pied Piper, i recently spat the dummy and went public after
receiving two form letters from one bloke, four similar from another
and an additional couple, also from blokes, over the past few months.
eight all up. http://2mf.net/advice_improper.htm
if the matter is not urgent you might perhaps try contacting the
original someone one more time.

TPP follow my advice you may not get the answer you want but you will have fun.
Contact the first bloke again.
Tell him you went to the bloke he sent you to.
He said its not my job go back to him we are sick of him getting us to do his work.
then ask in your e mail who his boss is, fake it just may work, PS change your e mail address if it suddenly gets spam, he may be as slippery as me.

Whistler I am in a typical situation where I know something is all wrong, other caregivers are telling me they wouldn’t tolerate it but whenever I say anything I either get nothing at all back or told something has been forwarded to the person or team that needs to deal with it.

Thing is the people I talk to or e-mail are supposed to be my support – or support for carers. My advocates as it were. When your own advocates wont advocate for you it sort of leaves you feeling pretty unheard, useless and well… like pooh really.

No chance of a story leaving the confines of the department, the punishment for getting stroppy is pretty unbearable. I can’t threaten with anything – same unbearable consequences.

Every single person involved is a female and each situation to do with children. I liked that site though and am going to check it out further.

Belly I’ll go back to the first one asking what their job is supposed to be because if it is supporting me I actually need them to bloody step up and not pass the buck.

Jewely old mate you are between a rock and a hard place, you can not win.
The reason I am getting out the door so early is because I am dealing with 3 government instrumentality's.
You can not win, white wash is the only tool they use.
truth reason add up to nothing, self protection rules.
Fight only battles you can win.
Find an independent person to fight for you, BUT not in a way you can be blamed or hurt for actions they take.
You however prove my long held view, DOC,s are useless, not every one, just too many, just those with the real power.
Life can be interesting if we consider this threads title and intent.
Protect your self, ALWAYS but never ever give in, for my victims of government funded stupidity, I am the independent person.
My job? to NEVER let them take the blame for my actions even if they drove them.
And never ever let wank word bingo rule, get issues to the front.
Protection first remember to always be aware of that, great people, good people fall victim every day to government slothfulness.

piper quote<<..if you e-mail someone to do with work and they say they have forwarded it on to the appropriate person>>logic idicates you keep them 'informed'

so the form seems to be adress your next email to the person concerned[or rather to their supervisor[or over sight body]...as well as the one addressed...the one advised to adress[in short what was a single recipiant becomes a web of people getting the info

logic wqould deem that contacting the person its been handed off too ..asking them if they have the full facts [or just a brief...including the copies of the full fact...just in case

this beuro-roc-rat paper shuffeling is what the beurocracy does best...that and handing info over to people about to retire or go on long service

<<who has to deal with it>>....is the dept/head..its on their head

<<and then you never hear back…>>.thus the need to keep the contact going between the expanded group...ask for the new contact..to confirm the old brief...or their understanding of it...but its important for both to know eavch is sharing the heat and the knowing [of that issue..about which your complain/reveale/expound...raise]

<<Do you go back to the first person or follow up with or the person they forwarded your e-mail to?>>>BOTH...[and their minester and atourney general[state and fed]...form,..a possie...where your the sherrif..thus law in this matter...

you are not a serf begging the master....but the master..demanding govt...servants..give real true/....service...not sir-vice..for your wards/charges..children

G'Day All,
How are you all today well I hope.
The white washing by Government Departments is definitely imbedded into their system.
For the last 12 years the Director-General has been asked by all & sundry to reply direct to me in relation to my Son's case but who do I get? the very same people that I am complaining about.
This is the way their mentality works, I have a complaint with you so I go above your hedad & that person gives the complaint back to you to investigate that complaint, while the one above you write & say my concerns aere being addressed.
Then after you investigate the complaint about yourself you say that there is no basis to my complaint. This just goes around & around. Then they say that I am just an angry & violent man.
I suppose I am after my son is removed by an allegation that DoCS say that they never believed in the first place but my child is still locked from me.
Thanks All for your time have a great day from Dave.
One before I go, If you are an Aussie before you go into the toilet & you are an Aussie when you come out of the toilet. What are you in the toilet. Urapeeing(European) told by a 10 year old to the my ex

Okay Belly and OUG, I just go back to everyone, find out who was forwarded my e-mail (I was told a team – no individuals) and then keep at all of them. They are masters of not replying until they need you for something. And yeah I bet I am being too nice about all of it AGAIN. I kind of always start with the Hi how are you... hope your week is going well… could you help me with this I am a bit worried…

I’m a pansy.

Dave any letter from a Dir-Gen will probably leave you enraged. They write stuff like “we look forward to your continued support” even when you have just made a formal complaint. You get no answers and I heard the one in your state was even worse. And yes the people you complain about usually end up in your home explaining policy to your face.

I have had numerous e-mails and meetings about children, ridiculas amounts of time taken up and they absolutely do not mention the actual children. They will talk policy and what in general is put in place in different situations but they will not talk about a specific situation. You sit there thinking “Oh my god they seriously believe I have the IQ of a small shellfish, they think they are appeasing me”. Along with thoughts of “this is why hubby pays tax?”.

Whistler will like this one, last situation I was in dragged on for months until Hubby stepped in and with one fax from him I was acknowledged, another stupid meeting ensued and I got a decent letter that directly addressed what I said.

oneundergod@myspace.com
with love in my heart