"Rules and Regs"
"SandBox Commentators is a regional news summary blog, posting daily and allowing anonymous commentary ability. We also specialize in following patterns of news topics and commentators as they thread their way into the public eye.
Founded on the reader's reality that biased and censored journalism is being practiced by some news media outlets in Colorado, a small group of individuals teamed together and decided to show that reality to interested citizens. By daily posting, in one format, various articles from outlets throughout the region (sometimes national and international) that small idea became a very popular daily stop for many. In 2011 we experimented with branching out to surrounding states. In Spring 2012 we have decided to get serious in the states of Utah and Wyoming. Trying for daily posting, we'll see how it goes.
By showing the different standards and ethics practiced out there in side by side format and tracking strong stories and news points, readers of all media benefit.
Very often here on SandBox, between the side by side comparisons and the reader's comments, important facts and truths that people should be made aware of as they trust news media's journalistic integrity come to light. Sobering to think the readers have to be the ones to make that happen. Overall, the experiment of SandBoxBlogs has been a huge success.
Thanks for joining us, here are the Rules and Regs:
"SandBox Commentators is a regional news summary blog, posting daily and allowing anonymous commentary ability. We also specialize in following patterns of news topics and commentators as they thread their way into the public eye.
Founded on the reader's reality that biased and censored journalism is being practiced by some news media outlets in Colorado, a small group of individuals teamed together and decided to show that reality to interested citizens. By daily posting, in one format, various articles from outlets throughout the region (sometimes national and international) that small idea became a very popular daily stop for many. In 2011 we experimented with branching out to surrounding states. In Spring 2012 we have decided to get serious in the states of Utah and Wyoming. Trying for daily posting, we'll see how it goes.
By showing the different standards and ethics practiced out there in side by side format and tracking strong stories and news points, readers of all media benefit.
Very often here on SandBox, between the side by side comparisons and the reader's comments, important facts and truths that people should be made aware of as they trust news media's journalistic integrity come to light. Sobering to think the readers have to be the ones to make that happen. Overall, the experiment of SandBoxBlogs has been a huge success.
Thanks for joining us, here are the Rules and Regs:
We do not require registration nor do we track your specific IP.
We do use analytics for obtaining general information that assists us in bettering our site.
We do not care what you call yourself or how many times you change your handle. We could care less who you are, where you hail from and why you are voicing an opinion online.
We believe in not only free speech, we also believe in the power of a single voice raised.
From mobiles to the dining room table and corporate boardrooms, what used to be a single voice alone now joins the power of social networking. Avatars in commentary have used the power of the blogosphere to bring positive and global change to all levels of human existence.
The folks have something to say and are no longer repressed into believing there is only the way of power demanding front and center presence before them to achieve getting their opinions heard.
At the same time, the watering hole never completely turns anyone away. Everybody gets a chance to gather. Like any social order one can count on Darwinism to keep the peace.
Where news media fails miserably in the world of online commentary is the attempt to control Darwinism.
What happens when you tell someone to not do something, not read and to conform? Why, whatever you are trying to hide becomes the worst kept secret or cause in the world.
Rather than allowing human nature to keep the watering hole in order they resort to moderation, censorship, ban practices or gluttony by forcing payment for online subscriptions while at the same time drawing in paid advertising off traffic.
For media that is in the biz of making money by what they print and how that content is accepted by readers, these types of practices will certainly end up dealing a mortal and fatal blow to success.
What happens when you tell someone to not do something, not read and to conform? Why, whatever you are trying to hide becomes the worst kept secret or cause in the world.
Rather than allowing human nature to keep the watering hole in order they resort to moderation, censorship, ban practices or gluttony by forcing payment for online subscriptions while at the same time drawing in paid advertising off traffic.
For media that is in the biz of making money by what they print and how that content is accepted by readers, these types of practices will certainly end up dealing a mortal and fatal blow to success.
But, “they’re out of control!!” – “Completely unmanageable asset!!” – “What’s next? Fire-bomb the newspaper press??!!” - "Babysitting is what we're having to do!"
And our all-time favorite: “If they have something to say, write a letter to the editor so we know who they are!!” (..a command that doesn’t change whether you buy a dead-tree subscription or not..)
Really? So that someone who buys ink by the barrel and refers to fellow human beings with such prejudice and ego arrogance as calling “them” “they” can know where “they” live??
Or maybe reader confidence really does go through the roof when readers are threatened to either conform, be banned or socially ridiculed? By someone who buys ink by the barrel, has social power in the community along with investigative reporters running around too??
Our question is simple: "Why are you trying to manage free speech?"
Or maybe reader confidence really does go through the roof when readers are threatened to either conform, be banned or socially ridiculed? By someone who buys ink by the barrel, has social power in the community along with investigative reporters running around too??
Our question is simple: "Why are you trying to manage free speech?"
Here’s the way it works in SandBox:
You're welcome here. Until you give a reason that you shouldn’t be. You’ll know when you do, because your fellows will make sure you know.
There is a moderator. She does have the power to ban you if you are an outright bully who just does not get the message from your peers. It takes an awful lot to find yourself under her personal scrutiny. You must have done something really over the top if you land there. She knows you were raised better than that and she trusts that you know better. She also fiercely protects her time and her privacy. She would by far prefer to see happy 'kids playing' well in the sandbox together than expend her energy getting in the middle of bullies and victims.
With that said, she does watch over how well everyone is playing in the SandBox. Please follow the few rules we have.
Here is how you can get along well with your moderator:
Unwarranted personal attacks are not tolerated, though she recognizes that there are some individuals who simply never will get the point unless they are spoken to in a way that they can hear. Nor does she like endless rants that have nothing to say and border on the offensive. She also finds arrogance that is not satire or strong, firm and necessary to topic moderation; especially distasteful.
Please be advised that she also has an inherent zero tolerance quirk that champions an underdog.
Simplistically, play nice when you are here or you are going to find yourself pulled aside for a chat.
We’ll talk about you and what might be going on in your world that is at the root of your behavior.
Make a plan for the future and discuss the possibility and need for you to get a life.
Basically amounts to an individual time-out with the end result being a mutual agreement to do better or leaving you free to go elsewhere.
We’ll talk about you and what might be going on in your world that is at the root of your behavior.
Make a plan for the future and discuss the possibility and need for you to get a life.
Basically amounts to an individual time-out with the end result being a mutual agreement to do better or leaving you free to go elsewhere.
She has also been known to call global time-outs on hot and sensitive topics. Put the brakes on comment ability for a piece and suggest everyone go take a little nap, maybe a meditative walk in the woods, have a beer and a shot or a fortifying cup of tea.
Sometimes, she will steer and offer input into a thread. Usually because she has seen something in her daily reads that is relevant to the direction the thread is taking. Her avatar is ‘ab22’. Sometimes ab may just serve as a reminder that ‘by now’ commentators should know the sensitivities of their fellows and not squeeze what should not be squeezed.
You will find a higher level, for the most part, of grown-up dialogue throughout SandBox.
More often than not, that dialogue will show up as mixed in with satire, pointed words and seemingly nonsense bantering. After awhile, you will, just like any other social order, get to know the thought processes and ways of your fellows.
Therein, revealing the success of the SandBoxBlogs format. Darwinism at its finest. Here’s to the little guy. Let freedom ring.
More often than not, that dialogue will show up as mixed in with satire, pointed words and seemingly nonsense bantering. After awhile, you will, just like any other social order, get to know the thought processes and ways of your fellows.
Therein, revealing the success of the SandBoxBlogs format. Darwinism at its finest. Here’s to the little guy. Let freedom ring.
Worth:
News media has a point that it costs them money to put on an online edition. They also have a point that they own the site.
Where they again fail, is in the logic that they need the additional compensation of online readers being paid subscribers. The fact is they’re already making money off your traffic. They are selling banner advertising that gets viewed every time you go online. Advertisers are buying the visibility ahead of their sales.
If they were only doing what blogs and some other domains are doing in just using affiliate marketing banner ads, then they may find success in asking for paid online subscribers. The double-dip is what online junkies disagree with. Even more so when said media claims they are going for paid online subscribers in order to clean up commentary. There goes that social arrogance and power/control thing again.
Eventually, maybe they will get it figured out that there is great business success to be found online if one doesn’t insist on trying to put a square peg into a round hole. Say thank-you to Microsoft and Google for changing the way the world thinks.
Here on SandBox, we do not sell advertising. We only use affiliate marketing where we are paid a commission on every sale you make with the companies we represent. Affiliate commissions and sales are anonymous. We have no idea who buys or what they buy. We get paid after the fact.
It is an exceptionally competitive world out there in affiliate blog marketing. If every person who faithfully follows SandBox would buy their daily coffee or tea from one of our affiliates, we would be recieving modest pay for the time in.
Please think about that if you like the site and come here often. When you check-in, please remember that this is hard work out here and your purchasing what you need from our affiliates is a great way to say thank-you. If you would like to just make a donation to our time in, then feel free to email Nanny and she will tell you how you can do that. commentator999@gmail.com
It is an exceptionally competitive world out there in affiliate blog marketing. If every person who faithfully follows SandBox would buy their daily coffee or tea from one of our affiliates, we would be recieving modest pay for the time in.
Please think about that if you like the site and come here often. When you check-in, please remember that this is hard work out here and your purchasing what you need from our affiliates is a great way to say thank-you. If you would like to just make a donation to our time in, then feel free to email Nanny and she will tell you how you can do that. commentator999@gmail.com
Our theory is simple. We hold the fully unique content of our avatars in commentary. Please join us and become part of that unique content.
We welcome you here. Welcome to the SandBox."
We welcome you here. Welcome to the SandBox."
