Is It Me or What

[Doc Crow]

It seems that there is not a lot of discussion here???? Not that is all that I look for but seems like 90% of what hits the board is News Paper Articles. Do not get me wrong but I was expecting some good debates from time to time

[Sparrowhawk]

News that is of national security and of Marine interest are collected and displayed here for us to read, if we chose to read them.

I glance at the heading and if its of an interest to me, I read them, if its something I want to respond with a statement I do that as well.

---

But, what did you want to discuss?

Start a tread on what you would liek to discuss! It's that simple.

[thedrifter]

Well Said Cook.....

Most of the folks come in to read.....If they have something to say they do so....
If someone that knows more on the subject...we Welcome their views......or true sea stories......
If you have something that is up for debate all you have to do is start a thread......



Sempers,

Roger

[TracGunny]

Doc:
Post an opinion and see what turns up... I am sure if you hit a nerve, someone will reply...

Old Proverb: "When you throw a stone into a pond full of ducks, it is the duck you hit that will make the most noise".

[greensideout]

Doc, I go the the FORUMS section each time I come in and will find all the discussion I have time to read and respond to besides catching up on the news and sharing my humble comments.

[vision836]

I have something to say. It's damn cold!!!!

[thedrifter]

vision836

I concur with you....on that......and on top of it we got snow last night......

9 degree and still dropping at this hour.....and that isn't counting the wind chill factor yet...:eek:

Stay Warm Folks.......

Sempers,

Roger

[TracGunny]

vision836; thedrifter:

...today's high 65...low 54...partly cloudy...

...as a Florida native I cannot even imagine what you are going through...

[wayne553]

was -15 friday morning hi of 6

[garryh123]

Freezing ice and snow today.....what a thrill..........AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!

[greybeard]

Originally posted by Doc Crow
It seems that there is not a lot of discussion here???? Not that is all that I look for but seems like 90% of what hits the board is News Paper Articles. Do not get me wrong but I was expecting some good debates from time to time

No Doc, it's not you. I've noticed it too, even posted a thread about it a few nights ago, but decided it wasn't worth it. But since I see all the mods have urged everyone to post what they feel, I will.
Websites rely on hits, or a heck of a good sponsor or private backing to pay the bills. Bandwidth isn't cheap. That means you have to have activity. People looking in to see what's happening. Hits.

If you look at the thread indexes, one thing is glaringly apparent. The vast majority of the replies come from threads of original content, such as this one. The long 'copy & paste' threads make up the proponderance of the content, but almost all slip off into oblivion without a comment at all. Some appear to have replies, but if you look closely, the replies frequently are merely pg2 of the original post. I'm guessing the word length would be exceeded if it were all in one post.
The most active forum here is Open Squad Bay. Let's look at it.
25 threads/page-as of 0045 19 Feb 04
pg1-17 threads with 0 replies, or replies only as a continuation
pg2 10 threads with 0 replies, or replies only as a continuation
pg3-14 threads with 0 replies, or replies only as a continuation

Of the total 75 threads, 41 threads have no replies. Nearly 2/3s.
They all have one thing in common-copy & paste news articles. I noticed someone said these are articles of natl security or articles of interest to Marines that are posted. How much interest are they generating if no one feels moved to even make one comment on them? 10,000 members and no comments? okay...
National security-personally, I don't see those threads faring any better. Most folks see that live when it hit's the TV.

Views Here's where it gets tricky. Those same threads with 0 replies show a good # of views, but are they being read- or merely clicked and exited, once the reader sees they are news articles?? Hard to say. I can only speak for myself. 99% of the time, I'll click on one & leave it without reading further, because I've already heard it elsewhere-TV, Radio, Newspaper, or other web based media. Now, On the rare occurance where a copy/paste thread actually has generated some replies, I will read all the replies, and may comment myself. Rare tho.

It's not just here at Leatherneck. Popasmoke's NOTAMS board has gone to this copy/paste format, and is slowly dying.
Participation has dropped dramatically. Want to see an extreme example?
http://www.hmm-363.com/theden/
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron's website. Click on the memberlist & see who is posting. About 4050 threads. 4000+ are by the moderator, with the remaining 50 by individuals. Almost all of those 4000+ moderator threads are copy & paste articles with 0 replies. Hardly anyone bothers even going there anymore. Sad really.

Do I appreciate the moderator's efforts here? Sure I do!! Occassionaly, I see something of interest and comment. But far and away, I am more prone to both read and comment in threads of original content, & I believe most others are the same. I've never read the mission statement of Leatherneck.com, but I suspect it is something like this: (excuse my poor grammar & syntax)

"To provide a meeting place for all Marines present, past, & future in order to promote comradrie, espirit de corps, entertainment, support and to dessiminate information."

Only one of those can be accomplished without member contribution & participation. Information dissimination. The rest depend on participation on a more personal level. Original content, or at least a personal perspective at the end of the cut & paste article by the threadstarter would go a long way toward livening things up and generating interest.

These are my opinions,and there's a more than even chance I'm wrong, but I'd really like to see more participation and interaction around here. Or, I may reconsider, and pickle this whole post

[reddog4950]

Just maybe because most Marines are not as good in writing as they are in fighting, is the reason you see the copy and paste. In the Nam you either used hand signals or just knew what the others thought, here we have to strain the brain sometimes to just get a reply. I feel it is not anyones fault, remember it's just another day. That is my person opinion. Never take it personal!
S.F Bro's Reddog4950

[yellowwing]

Things usually liven up when politics is discussed. I don't always jump in even then, thanks to the poor selection of Democratic candidates. It hard to ante-up when you only have a pair of 5s or a busted flush!

[Sophora]

Originally posted by yellowwing
Things usually liven up when politics is discussed. I don't always jump in even then, thanks to the poor selection of Democratic candidates. It hard to ante-up when you only have a pair of 5s or a busted flush!

You gotta admit it's interesting seeing how they are carrying on ...gotta vote for the lesser of the evils. I'm leaning to voting for Kerry, actually I'll vate Sharption before I'd vote Dean...he comes across as arrogant and snobbish. MHO.

[Deduke]

OK. How's this:

For 34 years, my Dragon kicked my ass. My Dragon was huge. He
smelled like death, he breathed fire, and last week I faced him. Oh,
he had me in the early stages of the fight, but I came back.

I went to the CAP Marines reunion in Washington. Meeting up with a
buddy from boot camp, we picked up the conversation where we left it
in 1969. If Dale hadn't gotten so damn old, I would have expected
the DI to come storming into the squad bay for some quality time.

It was good to put faces on the names I've seen on the web site. By
the second day, everyone looked and acted like I should have
expected them to.

Being in D.C. for the first time- hell, being around more than 2
Marines for the first time in a long time- we visited the memorials.
When I walked up to the Iwo memorial, I could feel the brotherhood
welcoming me back. 228 years of Marine tradition smacked me up side
the head and reminded me of what made me a Marine. As she looked
into the faces in the Iwo memorial, my wife said to me, "Their
families must be very proud of them". Just before I choked up
completely, I managed to say to her, "We are".

That is when it hit me that I am still a Marine. No matter where I
go, my brothers will be there. Somebody has my 6. And I have theirs.
That is when I knew my Dragon's ass was as good as kicked.

The first time we went to the Wall was in daylight. We were in a big
group with wives and even a few kids. Several of the guys had
prepped me for the wall, and had given me some pointers about the
Dragon's weaknesses, but it was still my Dragon, my fight; it was up
to me to face him.

As we neared the Wall, I could smell him and feel the heat from the
fire he breathed. When I got to the center, I made my stand. That
****ing Dragon was everywhere. He stood 10 feet tall and went as far
as I could see in either direction.

The Dragon drew first blood. As I stood there facing him, he cut me
deep. I thought he was just going to stomp me into the mud. Then, at
the last minute, Gunny put his arm around my shoulder. Mike was on
my other side. 36 hours earlier I had never laid eyes on either of
them, and now they were on my flanks. There was no way I could have
let them down. They had my back and gave me the stuff to fight back.
Since Gunny's always know what to do, he asked the volunteer to make
a rubbing for me. I gave her the name and location of my A-gunner.
As she was on a ladder making a rubbing at the top of a panel, I
stared at the panel in front of me, and there it was. My name jumped
out of the granite and punched me harder than my DI ever could.
Admittedly, I have a very common name and it can be found just about
anyplace. But it was right there. The only name I could see. I have
known all along that I should have been on the Wall, and there was
the proof. The Dragon had taken his best shot and I was still
standing. True, I was still standing because Gunny was holding me
up, but aren't we all? Ira Hayes and Doc Bradley are still standing
because we are holding them up. We are still standing because Ira
Hayes and Doc Bradley are holding us up. But we are standing.

I went back to the Wall the next day and killed that son of a *****
dead. I found way too many names and made rubbings of them,
including mine.

The next time I went back was late at night. It was a very different
place. No fiery breath, no smell, just soft lights on a perfect
night. I talked with all the guys on the Wall and apologized for
being on this side while they are on that side. They told me not to
worry about it, it don't mean nothin'. The night closed around us and
it was quiet.

**** you, Dragon.

Semper Fidelis