Kings Road teatime fights......

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 24 May 2005, 17:30

Are you talking about a cross-generational dialogue or something exclusive for young people? If the former, then Portobello Online has always been open to people of all ages, though I get the impression that we don't have too many members under the age of 20 (or 30 for that matter) and I'm not sure how we go about changing that.

The latter? I've always considered this a bit of a minefield. You would need a lot of controls in place and I'm not sure how it would work.

On the other hand, maybe these young people would be easier to manage than some of the 'adults' on this board.

Brian McCrow · Post by **Brian McCrow** » 24 May 2005, 17:36

I think a separate Youth Forum would be excellent. They can police it themselves. Can you discuss this with your contacts at PHS?

Novastar · Post by **Novastar** » 24 May 2005, 17:45

25

Bob Jefferson wrote:though I get the impression that we don't have too many members under the age of 20 (or 30 for that matter)

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 24 May 2005, 18:26

I know that all primary school kids have access to a UK-wide chatroom, which is very carefully monitored. I don't know if secondary school pupils have something similar, but certainly the older kids are quite capable of setting up and running their own forums without any help from us. It's not something I want to be responsible for, it's fraught with problems and I think that schools are much better placed to manage this sort of thing.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 24 May 2005, 18:46

Brian and Porty are you prepared to monitor a Forum for possible 'groomers'? I'm certainly not

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 25 May 2005, 06:47

Marya wrote:As for whether some kids are born 'evil'? Well, studies of identical twins who have been raised separately, have shown that nature often dominates over nurture.

Recent research on genetic influence on anti-social behaviour:

Antisocial behaviour 'inherited'

Zargonian · Post by **Zargonian** » 25 May 2005, 09:01

Good points raised by "Novastar".
But Novastar, two pints of "bitter" in the Forries and you become invisible, telepathic and have the ability to scale large buildings......not.

Brian McCrow · Post by **Brian McCrow** » 25 May 2005, 12:25

Bob

The research you mentioned stated that the genetic influence would affect only a very small proportion of the population. So the conclusion must be that environment is the strongest influence on the criminal and vandal.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 25 May 2005, 14:57

Bob Jefferson wrote:On the other hand, maybe these young people would be easier to manage than some of the 'adults' on this board.

I doubt it, I think we should mis-trust all youths from the outset. We need special immediate super controls to keep them at bay. Let them know that they can have their own forum but make no mistake we will be watching them and coming down hard on anything that we find slightly unpalatable.

We adults are already controlled aroiund here with the farcical profanity inanity. Why should kids have more freedom? they better not start talking about penetrative sex or STD or drugs, they don't do that at home do they? Lets alienate the little b astards before they start. How about a posting curfew where the forum closes down before the 9pm watershed?

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 25 May 2005, 16:51

Marya wrote:Brian and Porty, are you prepared to monitor a Forum for possible 'groomers'?

Either of you like to answer my question?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 25 May 2005, 16:56

I would be happy to assist anyone who wished to set up such a forum with details of free software and cheap web hosting and domain name registration. I'm sure you're right Porty and I'm probably exaggerating the difficulties involved.

Please form an orderly queue.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 25 May 2005, 17:03

May I also take this opportunity to remind everyone of the following extract from our posting guidelines:

Offensive language is not acceptable and you should not attempt to circumvent the profanity filter.

It's not big and it's not clever.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 25 May 2005, 17:11

How could us older persons monitor a youth forum anyhow - they write in that incomprensible and highly irritating text speak!

But then again maybe we should have voted in Death Dungeons & Taxes as that party's policy would have dealt with the youth 'problem' at a stroke

those guilty of improper use of mobile text abbreviations will be disembowelled

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 25 May 2005, 17:15

Marya wrote:
Marya wrote:Brian and Porty, are you prepared to monitor a Forum for possible 'groomers'?
Either of you like to answer my question?

I would have no problem volunteering. However, I dont see why we need even more moderators than we have at the moment. Why assume we need more/tighter rules?

In any case I think its unlikely we could establish a youth forum on POL.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 25 May 2005, 17:17

Bob Jefferson wrote:I would be happy to assist anyone who wished to set up such a forum with details of free software and cheap web hosting and domain name registration. I'm sure you're right Porty and I'm probably exaggerating the difficulties involved.

Please form an orderly queue.

I meant a forum as part of POL? Are you suggesting the youth of Porty should be isolated elsewhere?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 25 May 2005, 17:19

Bob Jefferson wrote:May I also take this opportunity to remind everyone of the following extract from our posting guidelines:

Offensive language is not acceptable and you should not attempt to circumvent the profanity filter.
It's not big and it's not clever.

Agreed, its infantile, Victorian, faithless and dumb. We don't need it and there has never been a shred of evidence to support its existence.

Post by **wangi** » 25 May 2005, 17:30

Of course anyone that wants to can already join POL - on registration there's only a check you are 13 or older...

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 25 May 2005, 17:42

wangi wrote:Of course anyone that wants to can already join POL - on registration there's only a check you are 13 or older...

I know, I suggested a seperate forum for youths as an incentive for them to join in. Think it would be really hard to establish tho'. And I'm nowhere near convinced that we could. I would expect a good cross polination if we could establish such a thing.

It does seems to have freaked the powers at be, somewhat. So the scum win again.

No way we could risk a trial either as the Internet Gestapo or the invisible non-posters would be down on us like a ton of bricks. Who are these people?

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 25 May 2005, 17:46

Novastar wrote:I don't think these kids would go to any kind of facility that was given.

I think a line has to be drawn between kids in general or who are just sitting in an area doing things everyone their age does and kids who are causing trouble. Beside changing society (which as much as I'd like to do from a forum I think is doubtful) the only other way I can see this is via a deterent - ie more police.

What's everyone else think?

I think you're 100% right. The ones who want to cause trouble will do it wherever they are - they're hell bent on spoiling everybody's fun. If it wasn't for the persistent troublemakers then there would be loads of cafes/youth clubs etc. One of my points at the recent meeting was that we have to try not to fall into the trap of not doing anything at all because of a minority of kids (who mostly don't even come from Portobello) who might cause trouble. Our community is more or less being held to ransom by a bunch of children that the Police don't seem to be able to do anything about

Had something been done about a certain gang several weeks ago then maybe there wouldn't have been a murder?

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 25 May 2005, 17:48

Novastar wrote:I don't think these kids would go to any kind of facility that was given.

I think a line has to be drawn between kids in general or who are just sitting in an area doing things everyone their age does and kids who are causing trouble. Beside changing society (which as much as I'd like to do from a forum I think is doubtful) the only other way I can see this is via a deterent - ie more police.

What's everyone else think?

I think you're 100% right. The ones who want to cause trouble will do it wherever they are - they're hell bent on spoiling everybody's fun. If it wasn't for the persistent troublemakers then there would be loads of cafes/youth clubs etc. One of my points at the recent meeting was that we have to try not to fall into the trap of not doing anything at all because of a minority of kids (who mostly don't even come from Portobello) who might cause trouble. Our community is more or less being held to ransom by a bunch of children that the Police don't seem to be able to do anything about

Had something been done about a certain gang several weeks ago then maybe there wouldn't have been a murder?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 25 May 2005, 17:49

Do you think he/she is 100% right?

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 25 May 2005, 18:02

Porty wrote:It does seems to have freaked the powers at be, somewhat. So the scum win again.

Would you like to clarify who exactly you mean by 'scum' Porty and why you think they have 'won', lest I misinterpret your post.....?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 26 May 2005, 09:44

Marya wrote:
Porty wrote:It does seems to have freaked the powers at be, somewhat. So the scum win again.
Would you like to clarify who exactly you mean by 'scum' Porty and why you think they have 'won', lest I misinterpret your post.....?

I didn't mean powers at be were scum, that's for sure.

And I meant that the minority who "may" cause issues on a POL youth forum, have won, I'm basing this on Bob's suugested offer to lend software and it can happen elsewhere.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 26 May 2005, 11:56

Porty wrote: I didn't mean powers at be were scum, that's for sure.

Phew! So it's not the end of a beautiful friendship

after all.

Porty wrote:I meant that the minority who "may" cause issues on a POL youth forum, have won,

Unfortunately, you could be right and that this is a case of the tail wagging the dog, but never underestimate the average teenager is my advice

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 26 May 2005, 12:25

Marya wrote:the dog, but never underestimate the average teenager is my advice

I never do, i always think of them as average. In fact I find it difficult over or underestimating average things.

Novastar · Post by **Novastar** » 26 May 2005, 14:30

Porty wrote:Do you think he/she is 100% right?

I take it you mean me

It's a he
a most definate he

Post by **wangi** » 26 May 2005, 15:33

Got a comment left on my photo which caused me to stop and think for a bit:

I hope the people responsible for his death are some day able to appreciate what a horrid thing they have done...

I think that's spot on.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 26 May 2005, 16:34

I take it you are aware you are posting links to profane language. INBAINC

Post by **wangi** » 26 May 2005, 17:03

Porty wrote:I take it you are aware you are posting links to profane language.

Sure, my choice of appropriate language on my site.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 26 May 2005, 17:20

What is amazing is that the flowers have been left alone and not been vandalised by idiots who don't realise or care what someone being killed actually means. I hope that means that there really are more good people than bad in the world.

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 27 May 2005, 10:17

wangi wrote:Got a comment left on my photo which caused me to stop and think for a bit:
I hope the people responsible for his death are some day able to appreciate what a horrid thing they have done...
I think that's spot on.

I'm glad you posted this here, Wangi. It's not the same thing - I'm still here -, but having experienced violent crime myself, ten years on I met the perpetrator who acknowledged what they'd done and apologised. It doesn't fix anything, it can't bring back what's lost, but the fact that people can come to the full realisation of the horrors they've committed is a glimmer of hope when something like this fills us with despair. It's still not much to hang onto though.

BB

Zargonian · Post by **Zargonian** » 01 Jun 2005, 08:59

Novastar wrote:
Porty wrote:Do you think he/she is 100% right?
I take it you mean me

It's a he
a most definate he

Zargonian · Post by **Zargonian** » 01 Jun 2005, 09:07

He / She ? Tis a matter of opinion....
Keep on convinvin yourself J.

Novastar · Post by **Novastar** » 02 Jun 2005, 11:35

Zargonian wrote:He / She ? Tis a matter of opinion....
Keep on convinvin yourself J.

Cheeky *!^%

Talk Porty ~ Portobello

Kings Road teatime fights......

That's a matter of opinion.

Do you mean me?

Re: Do you mean me?