Gravy
Downsitting Citizen
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2006
- Messages
- 17,078
A Problem
Howdy. One of the points I made in my CT forum analysis is that good, educational threads and posts are easily lost in the noise here. And because the search function sucks moose balls and there's no categorization by subtopic, once a thread falls off the first page it probably won't be seen by many people again. Even using Google, finding what you want here can be like looking for a needle in a haystack: and that's for experienced members who know what's behind the thread titles. I pity the poor newcomer.
A Solution
We can change that. All the hard work we've done here doesn't have to remain invisible. And we don't have to resign ourselves to frustration when a newcomer asks about a topic that we know has been discussed here but can't be easily found.
I propose that we create a 9/11 conspiracy theories Best Thread Index that will be organized by topic and date. It could be stickied here (organized by topic, sorted chronologically within topic, showing only thread description and link) as well as posted here to be dowloaded as a spreadsheet with more data that's searchable and sortable.
I did something similar in May of 2006, when I went through all the 9/11 posts and entered links to my favorites on a spreadsheet, with brief descriptions. It is searchable and sortable by topic, date, poster, keywords, etc. At that time there were about 7,000 total 9/11 posts. Now there are nearly that many threads. That project took me a few weeks, and I don't have that time now, so I'll need your help if this is to be done.
What's Needed
All the 9/11 conspiracy threads are listed according to start date in the forum archive. There are 28 pages in the archive, with all but the last containing 250 links. I'd like to get volunteers (preferably 28) to each take a page and make notes on a spreadsheet for their favorite threads. I have an Excel spreadsheet with the necessary column headings ready for you to download (most spreadsheet programs should read an .xls file). If you don't have a spreadsheet program, you can list the info in any word processing program, with the data separated by commas. I'll show you how. I'll import your data and turn the text into columns.
The Good News
You'll only have to click on small fraction of the 250 threads on your page. You'll know by most of the titles which are appropriate. Nor will you have to read far into most threads that you do click on.
Actually, if you're newer here, it may be more work. The people who've been here the longest/most will tend to know the thread titles at a glance. For that reason, I will try to assign newer people pages with start dates after their activity in this subforum began.
An Exception
The four long Loose Change threads, which for a while were where almost all the 9/11 conspiracy discussion was done, are problematic. They may need to be tackled as a similar but separate project, with volunteers pulling their favorite posts from an assigned range of pages. Or perhaps that's not necessary. We've learned a lot since those days. But it would be nice to be able to follow the progression of major discussions from the "beginning" here. Opinions?
Advice Needed
I'm open to suggestions about what to add or subtract from the criteria for inclusion, the data to enter, and the topic categories.
Criteria for Inclusion
The CT mindset and wasted youth –No
New PFT 3D animation depicts actual FDR values –No. Mostly sniping, and nothing that isn't presented better elsewhere.
LC Questions JREF credentials
Pilots for Truth: "You don't have to be a pilot to be a pilot"
peer review. –Yes
Was Jack Bauer the real mastermind behind Charles Logan?
PrisonPlanet vs Weekly World News: An objective comparison
Hay guyz, did u know that JREF is a "Government Loyalist Site"?
The Madison event
[Merged] Was Hani Hanjour really inexperienced? –Yes (terrorists, piloting issues)
Question for Mark and Others –No
James Fetzer - Past Stroke Victim?
When the Truth Movement Comes for You
What is the greatest CT Forum Thread ever, ever?
[Thread closed technical problem] 'Proof' of Time Travel
The American Truth Bad Writing Contest
I have a new theory as to what destroyed the Twin Towers...
Intel doctored Al-Quada videos/images (to some anyway) –Yes (terrorists, fakery)
Massive Truther Rally 9/11/07 in New York
What is the truther understanding of Radical Islam? –Yes (terrorist ideaology)
Question for those who live in NYC area –No
Entering the Data
Note: You'll need to click on the "View Full Version" link to see quoted text properly, as well as tags and page numbers as they'd appear on the forum. See my note about making sure we're all on the same "page" above.
Oh, and spelling counts! We don't want a search to miss a thread due to a spelling error. Use spell check, and be sure the thread starter's name is correct.
Here are the spreadsheet column headings I've got:
Category # / Thread Description / Date / Thread Starter / # Pages / Keywords / Link
So, for this thread, I entered this data (without the forward slashes, of course):
23 / Oklahoma City bomb coverup? / 041206 / Conspiracybeliever / 09 / OKC blast Partin seismic / http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55243
Notes:
The category numbers are listed next to the categories (see below) on a tabbed sheet on the spreadsheet. If you're not going to use a spreadsheet I'll send you the final numbered list.
The description may simply be the thread title, but in many cases it will be helpful to be more specific. Keep it very short though.
The date is in U.S. format, month first. The above date is April 12, 2006.
Number of pages in thread? Might help browsers decide which to read for a quick fix and which will probably require more time to glean the info they need. So we're all on the same "page," in the forum menu, go to User CP/Edit Options/scroll to "thread display options," select "Use forum default"/Scroll to bottom and click "Save changes."
Keywords can be the same as the thread tags, but those often are very generic. Omit "9/11" and other non-specific tags. Quickly scanning the OP should give you all the keywords you need. Names of participants are particularly helpful.
Important: Some threads encompass more than one topic. You can, and should where appropriate, enter a link multiple times with different category numbers.
These are the 24 categories I've got. Suggestions?
Updates
Won't be done by me, buster, bustress! I think it will be a very useful resource as is. But anyone is welcome to update it.
So, who's up for saving this subforum by raising our hard work and brilliant ratiocinations from the murky depths?
..
Howdy. One of the points I made in my CT forum analysis is that good, educational threads and posts are easily lost in the noise here. And because the search function sucks moose balls and there's no categorization by subtopic, once a thread falls off the first page it probably won't be seen by many people again. Even using Google, finding what you want here can be like looking for a needle in a haystack: and that's for experienced members who know what's behind the thread titles. I pity the poor newcomer.
A Solution
We can change that. All the hard work we've done here doesn't have to remain invisible. And we don't have to resign ourselves to frustration when a newcomer asks about a topic that we know has been discussed here but can't be easily found.
I propose that we create a 9/11 conspiracy theories Best Thread Index that will be organized by topic and date. It could be stickied here (organized by topic, sorted chronologically within topic, showing only thread description and link) as well as posted here to be dowloaded as a spreadsheet with more data that's searchable and sortable.
I did something similar in May of 2006, when I went through all the 9/11 posts and entered links to my favorites on a spreadsheet, with brief descriptions. It is searchable and sortable by topic, date, poster, keywords, etc. At that time there were about 7,000 total 9/11 posts. Now there are nearly that many threads. That project took me a few weeks, and I don't have that time now, so I'll need your help if this is to be done.
What's Needed
All the 9/11 conspiracy threads are listed according to start date in the forum archive. There are 28 pages in the archive, with all but the last containing 250 links. I'd like to get volunteers (preferably 28) to each take a page and make notes on a spreadsheet for their favorite threads. I have an Excel spreadsheet with the necessary column headings ready for you to download (most spreadsheet programs should read an .xls file). If you don't have a spreadsheet program, you can list the info in any word processing program, with the data separated by commas. I'll show you how. I'll import your data and turn the text into columns.
The Good News
You'll only have to click on small fraction of the 250 threads on your page. You'll know by most of the titles which are appropriate. Nor will you have to read far into most threads that you do click on.
Actually, if you're newer here, it may be more work. The people who've been here the longest/most will tend to know the thread titles at a glance. For that reason, I will try to assign newer people pages with start dates after their activity in this subforum began.
An Exception
The four long Loose Change threads, which for a while were where almost all the 9/11 conspiracy discussion was done, are problematic. They may need to be tackled as a similar but separate project, with volunteers pulling their favorite posts from an assigned range of pages. Or perhaps that's not necessary. We've learned a lot since those days. But it would be nice to be able to follow the progression of major discussions from the "beginning" here. Opinions?
Advice Needed
I'm open to suggestions about what to add or subtract from the criteria for inclusion, the data to enter, and the topic categories.
Criteria for Inclusion
- Thread should be about a significant topic.
- Thread should ideally contain solid arguments that aren't wallowing in a sea of irrelevant or bickering posts.
- Threads about personalities, truther events, and joking or mocking threads are out: this is about the events of 9/11 and the examination of conspiracy claims, not about Dylan Avery or a silly YouTube video.
- Thread should present new information. Again, you don't have to read every post, just enough to get the gist of it.
- If you've got two or more threads that cover the same ground, prefer the shorter. But err toward inclusion: I can always delete redundant links when I assemble the master list.
- If you happen to come across a post within a bad thread that stands out and absolutely deserves attention, feel free to list its link as a thread.
The CT mindset and wasted youth –No
New PFT 3D animation depicts actual FDR values –No. Mostly sniping, and nothing that isn't presented better elsewhere.
LC Questions JREF credentials
Pilots for Truth: "You don't have to be a pilot to be a pilot"
peer review. –Yes
Was Jack Bauer the real mastermind behind Charles Logan?
PrisonPlanet vs Weekly World News: An objective comparison
Hay guyz, did u know that JREF is a "Government Loyalist Site"?
The Madison event
[Merged] Was Hani Hanjour really inexperienced? –Yes (terrorists, piloting issues)
Question for Mark and Others –No
James Fetzer - Past Stroke Victim?
When the Truth Movement Comes for You
What is the greatest CT Forum Thread ever, ever?
[Thread closed technical problem] 'Proof' of Time Travel
The American Truth Bad Writing Contest
I have a new theory as to what destroyed the Twin Towers...
Intel doctored Al-Quada videos/images (to some anyway) –Yes (terrorists, fakery)
Massive Truther Rally 9/11/07 in New York
What is the truther understanding of Radical Islam? –Yes (terrorist ideaology)
Question for those who live in NYC area –No
Entering the Data
Note: You'll need to click on the "View Full Version" link to see quoted text properly, as well as tags and page numbers as they'd appear on the forum. See my note about making sure we're all on the same "page" above.
Oh, and spelling counts! We don't want a search to miss a thread due to a spelling error. Use spell check, and be sure the thread starter's name is correct.
Here are the spreadsheet column headings I've got:
Category # / Thread Description / Date / Thread Starter / # Pages / Keywords / Link
So, for this thread, I entered this data (without the forward slashes, of course):
23 / Oklahoma City bomb coverup? / 041206 / Conspiracybeliever / 09 / OKC blast Partin seismic / http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55243
Notes:
The category numbers are listed next to the categories (see below) on a tabbed sheet on the spreadsheet. If you're not going to use a spreadsheet I'll send you the final numbered list.
The description may simply be the thread title, but in many cases it will be helpful to be more specific. Keep it very short though.
The date is in U.S. format, month first. The above date is April 12, 2006.
Number of pages in thread? Might help browsers decide which to read for a quick fix and which will probably require more time to glean the info they need. So we're all on the same "page," in the forum menu, go to User CP/Edit Options/scroll to "thread display options," select "Use forum default"/Scroll to bottom and click "Save changes."
Keywords can be the same as the thread tags, but those often are very generic. Omit "9/11" and other non-specific tags. Quickly scanning the OP should give you all the keywords you need. Names of participants are particularly helpful.
Important: Some threads encompass more than one topic. You can, and should where appropriate, enter a link multiple times with different category numbers.
These are the 24 categories I've got. Suggestions?
Updates
Won't be done by me, buster, bustress! I think it will be a very useful resource as is. But anyone is welcome to update it.
So, who's up for saving this subforum by raising our hard work and brilliant ratiocinations from the murky depths?
..
Last edited:
