wilkes

I too agree, Otto. I do not live in Wilkes anymore and I use GoWilkes to keep up with what is going on in Wilkes. I also like to turn to the GoWilkes users for answers to questions that I have and I have never been lead astray by the answers.

Otto, your post of 2/20/06 hit the nail on the head! Who wants to read about who's cheating on wives or husbands; etc --that type of junk is just that --JUNK!

I agree with Sherrie. People here seem to just take things the wrong way. I think it's because there's no facial expressions to use as an interpretor of how to take some statements. But too, I think people just want to take things the wrong way, knowing full well they weren't meant like that.

I have seen the most innocent threads turn mean. It always seems to happen, but for that one mean comment there are usually twenty others that are positive. That is why I love this place. There is so much good that comes from it that it far outweighs the bad. I am willing to wade through the few negative posts to read the thousands of helpful ones.

Those personal attacks are really a recent thing. They come and go, and most of us know to overlook them.

I can agree completely with what you're trying to say. I, too, would like to encourage people to stop using the forum to hurt their ex boyfriends or girlfriends, and use it more often to help advance the community. But as someone who's been posting for years on here, I think that for the most part, it does advance the community.

I hope you understand, though, why everyone went on the defense. Your first post, although well intended, came across differently than you wanted it to. I'm willing to bet that a lot of those negative threads out there started the same way.

PS - 29 posts so far - and not one that bashes a specific person (other than what I wrote) - hmmmmm maybe this is the positive change - wonder if I can think of another topic tomorrow night that generates as much interest without the gossip factor...interesting.... 8)

you are correct otto, i can see where skimming over my post would give that idea and maybe I should have worded it more carefully - however if you read further - i also say:

If that is so, I say let's get back to the basics. This is a great opportunity for that! If not, I say those of us who are tired of hearing about who slept with whom and such make your voice heard - we all know Jason is interested.

I encouraged others who enjoyed visiting this site (i assume like the person who posted the "protect the innocent" thread) to help get rid of those - and get back to the basics. If something is public record - sanitation grades for example - that is fine- but how many times have we seen those threads turn into a personal attack?

To be fair, that's not what you said in the beginning. You started out by virtually calling for a boycott:

"by visiting this site now we were supporting the negative parts of it because you get to count the hits."

I agree with you that I would rather see topics of consequence and substance, but that is a matter of personal preference. If you notice, I reply mainly to threads that are political in nature, because this is what interests me. Others reply exclusively to threads about religion, weddings, entertainment, etc.

I don't think that there's a shortage of threads with substance. I post at least 2 or 3 times a week, and always find a dozen or more threads worth replying to. Like others have said, I simply overlook the ones that sound unimportant to me.

Can't you see that this is all subjective? You mentioned that a positive thread might be discussing which restaurants have a good sanitation grade. By default, those restaurants with a bad grade would consider that to be a negative thread.

We've had dozens of threads exactly like you have said, and on top of that, we've had threads that weren't quite so positive. It's just like in the real world: you have to have a few low points to recognize the high points when they come.

If the worst thread ever to show up on this forum was "so-and-so restaurant has a B grade," people would complain about it. It's just human nature.

sorry that i misspoke with the "ms" mr. no offense intended. I can see that this was preaching to the choir and I am the only person who was of this opinion - that point has been made - i call uncle.

look they aint no MRS before Happytrees.........I am the mister. Well its just the same we want to know what people have done wrong... If you run a business and do something that's not illegal but unethical or wrong we should know about it. And I think this web site is reaching its full potential. Did you know that they was an article in the WSJP about goWilkes and its users.

sorry ms happy trees i didn't read your last post before i hit reply - i am not picking out only negative posts - there have been positive posts on here - would love to see more of them - hope everyone else does too.

As far as the court dockets published in the JP - those are public record -anyone can get those anytime they want. If you commit a crime that is fair game.

well, i guess after 22 posts - the public has made their voice heard - not one other person who said they wanted to see this board reach it's full potential for the public good - but quite a few who were concerned with censorship. No one asked for censorship - only that users use it wisely. Thanks and good night!

Once again its life, we are humans we like to read about things like that...My lord do you read the JP it has the same type articals, and its a NEWS PAPER......you you dont think so look at it and see the court doc. thats printed with everones name what they did and how they was punished... And gowilkesuser LOOK AT THE POSITIVE POST...you are picking out the ones you are wanting and not admitting that they are goods ones.

does anyone who has taken the time to read or respond to this realize that not one person has had anything positive to say? Not one person has said - hey I would like to read more posts that had to do with everyone instead of a few - like what restaurants are smoke free - or which ones have an A rating instead of all the ones that have a bad one - or which schools are doing positive things with their students instead of which ones have whatever kind of students they have - or what businesses are offering specials this week instead of what business are owned by people who's marriages are falling apart? Did anyone get that that was the point to begin with? If not, continue on with the Springer show - bash this thread and any others that you choose - and the world will continue to spin as it was.

its never ceases to amaze me how people always try and control others and what they do. we lose more freedoms everyday for this simple fact. people want to control others and what they do. it may not cost them a dime but they still want to complain and control what others want to do and say. i for one want all the freedoms we use to have.

do you know i was told that you can't even use the woods for an occasional mother nature call . there are laws against it i was told. this came about where timber was being harvested . whether its the truth i was told that by a man who was cleaning up his land by orders if epa or some official. now just how stupid it that and who cares if you have to runs to the woods. think of all the wild animals and domestic animals.

its control, control, control because some little group don't like something. well if they don't like it them start one of their own and hush about what someone else is doing.

i think its called freedom of speach. we do not live in a dictatorship yet. its a lot more that now than it was once but i don't think everyone sees that. i hate to think what it will be like in 20 or 30 more years. laws are passed everyday because someone doesn,t like what others have done. alot of it comes for the rich wanting to control more and more. if you think about it is that not a form of slavery. think about it. you do what they want because they lobby and pay money to get things done their way.

i think this is a good site and if you don't like some of the threads then don't read them. don't click that little button on your mouse. that is your choice. make you choices and read only what you like to read and let others make that choice for themselvers. stop trying to change things to jsut your liking. people like different things

for the last time -it was not a forum - it was discussion among individuals - and this is a prime example of what i was talking about - geesh.

First off let me say LIFE IS NOT PERFECT. as the them song from the Facts of Life say "YOU TAKE THE GOOD, YOU TAKE THE BAD....yada yada yada.... THE FACTS OF LIFE." you get the point. I for one would like to say thanks to all that makes this web site what it is. Its boldly unique, and interesting and informative. NO CHAGE SHOULD BE MADE.....I think the whole "negativity" concerns may be hitting close to home and that why you said what you did....And by the way what kind of forum was you at that goWilkes was the topic...i think we all might would like to hear more about that...

Again...and again....and again....never questioned what kind of job Jason is doing. I enjoy the positive aspects of the site. Everyone who visits could make it so much more.

There is a very simple solution to the question that "it doesn't matter that I do or don't read the negative threads - my visit to the site is still counted even if I don't visit those". Don't come period and you won't be counted and that way you don't have to worry about appearing to support the negativity.

As I said earlier...you can't have it both ways. You say that you don't want censorship but at the same time you want to only see puppy dogs, butterflies and daisies by people not being negative.

It is all a matter of perception because what you might view as "negative" someone else might not - i.e. see all of the religion threads. If your view is different from another poster then of course it is going to be perceived as negative by you.

Sorry it doesn't fit the mold of what you want but Jason does one hell of job keeping this site up and running and keeping the playing field level.

Thank you Allie - I really didn't want to turn this into a bash session on anyone -especially myself - LOL - just wanted to let my voice be heard.