Permits - Original thread closed under false pretenses

[gollwoods]

Flowery prose

[rocketsocks]

Flowery prose

did you mean lack there of?

[Coffee]

I like the letter. Straight forward and to the point.

[10-K]

Laurie - have you all had a look at the PCT long distance hiker permit? No need to reinvent the wheel.

[T-Rx]

it's pithy

I agree LW. Technically the definition may not reflect negativity but I thought the intent was as stated here. I apologize if I misjudged your intent bemental.

[bemental]

No worries, if I got offended easily I'd stay off the Internet :-P

Thanks for understanding!

[Tundracamper]

At least you didn't pay anything for that tag - so you shouldn't be too disappointed in what you got.

[bemental]

At least you didn't pay anything for that tag - so you shouldn't be too disappointed in what you got.

I know, right?

But the ATC *did*. I'm just curious as to what it's for. I'm sure Laurie will get back to us.

I'll dig around the ATC website as well.

[bemental]

WHAT ARE YOUR BENEFITS WHEN YOU REGISTER?

Voluntary registration allows you to:
-Help reduce crowded GA conditions for you and others during the peak start period (March 1-April 15)
-Receive information to help improve your experience

Receive special bonuses:
-Your Trail Name (if you provide it) listed at appalachiantrail.org
-Commemorative 2015 A.T. LNT tag you can hang from your pack, with Official 2015 A.T. length (mailed to you - may take two weeks to reach your address)
-Free electronic ATC membership
-ATC Member discount at ATC’s Ultimate Trail Store
-Personal satisfaction of knowing that you are helping preserve the A.T.’s natural environment
-Provide the ATC with data on the number of hikers starting in Georgia each day to help improve support for the trail.
-Enable ATC to better understand what factors lead to successful thru-hikes and pass that on to others.


http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hiki...sked-questions

[bemental]

Looks like it's all there if you just read the instructions :-/

[Coffee]

Seems to me that people registering are getting more than they should expect including a free electronic membership including member discounts? Many of us pay for the same benefits! Some people will complain about everything.

[bemental]

Coffee, who's complaining?

I still have no idea what I signed up for. I merely found out the ATC was doing a trial run of a registration system and am genuinely confused as to the purpose and benefits.

No one's complaining about 'the getting', we're merely commenting on the process.

[Coffee]

Sounded like a complaint to me but it doesn't really matter to me. It's all very clear from reading the website.

[Rain Man]

My thread was closed ...?

3. Topics that have been closed, deleted, or moved by an Administrator or Moderator have been done for a reason. Users will not open new threads on the same subject or continue to make posts about subjects that have had these actions taken. Failing to comply with this policy can result in being placed into moderated status.

Seems you have quite a problem abiding by the terms you agreed to to be a part of our community. First you asked about doing illegal activity. Then you posted another thread on the same topic. Seems the mods have bent over backwards to tolerate the several chips you have on your shoulder.

Make the best of their graciousness would be my advice.

[Tundracamper]

WHAT ARE YOUR BENEFITS WHEN YOU REGISTER?

Voluntary registration allows you to:
-Help reduce crowded GA conditions for you and others during the peak start period (March 1-April 15)
-Receive information to help improve your experience

Receive special bonuses:
-Your Trail Name (if you provide it) listed at appalachiantrail.org
-Commemorative 2015 A.T. LNT tag you can hang from your pack, with Official 2015 A.T. length (mailed to you - may take two weeks to reach your address)
-Free electronic ATC membership
-ATC Member discount at ATC’s Ultimate Trail Store
-Personal satisfaction of knowing that you are helping preserve the A.T.’s natural environment

Except for the discount, those aren't very quantifiable benefits. "Personal satisfaction" and "receive information" are pretty vague.

[mtntopper]

Seems you have quite a problem abiding by the terms you agreed to to be a part of our community. First you asked about doing illegal activity. Then you posted another thread on the same topic. Seems the mods have bent over backwards to tolerate the several chips you have on your shoulder.

Make the best of their graciousness would be my advice.

Maybe Whiteblaze should treat all posters the same!!!! I am sure that You do know that they don't!

[bemental]

Maybe Whiteblaze should treat all posters the same!!!! I am sure that You do know that they don't!

Topper, I'm not sure exactly what world you live in, but in reality everyone is not the same.

I can't speak for the moderators, or your situation, but in life(?): people typically get treatment, within the letter of the law, according to how they act.

Praise in public, reprimand in private.

[mtntopper]

Topper, I'm not sure exactly what world you live in, but in reality everyone is not the same.

I can't speak for the moderators, or your situation, but in life(?): people typically get treatment, within the letter of the law, according to how they act.

Praise in public, reprimand in private.

My comment has to do with TOS of white blaze. Some posters get by with talking about illegal activity on here without their thread being closed while others get theirs closed. Is this not what this thread is about? I realize that everyone is not the same. I don't have a situation. I am not speaking about the letter of the law. I am not seeking praise nor am I seeking reprimand. This has to do with Whiteblaze TOS. They own the sight they can do what they please. The OP has a point about his post that was closed. I stand by my comments and I don't intend to defend any further. Just maybe you would be wise to check the world that you live in. Just sayin.........

[4eyedbuzzard]

My comment has to do with TOS of white blaze. Some posters get by with talking about illegal activity on here without their thread being closed while others get theirs closed. Is this not what this thread is about? I realize that everyone is not the same. I don't have a situation. I am not speaking about the letter of the law. I am not seeking praise nor am I seeking reprimand. This has to do with Whiteblaze TOS. They own the sight they can do what they please. The OP has a point about his post that was closed. I stand by my comments and I don't intend to defend any further. Just maybe you would be wise to check the world that you live in. Just sayin.........

Well, having been a mod in the past, things do fall through the cracks at times, and judgments as to what is and what isn't within the TOS can vary, just as strike call in baseball - "Yesterday it was a ball, and tomorrow it may be a ball - but today it is a strike." The different forums aren't moderated by the same person, especially from day to day or even hour to hour, and there are often multiple mods for a big forum. And you never know which mod, if any, is keeping up with all the posts (this is a very active website). Reported posts tend to get much quicker attention as automatic emails to mods are generated. The mods can talk to one another on a hidden board, so often the decision is a consensus one, particularly in borderline calls - "Hey, what do think about this?" But, sometimes you just have to make a quick call yourself based on gut feeling. As you note, the overall record of the member may have some bearing on how it all goes down as well, but I've seen some of the most prolific and even some very polite members called out, put in time out, and even banned. And yeah, some of these people even have personal relationships that extend beyond this website. It isn't perfect, because humans are involved. But it's a thankless "job", and the mods really do try to be fair.

As to the OP, discussing illegal activities (like stealth camping above treeline in the Whites, or smuggling dogs into Baxter, or in this case avoiding getting GSMNP permits), even when shrouded by oblique wording, is simply not allowed, likely for reputation, liability, and just plain old ethical reasons. So, in this case, the right call was probably made, regardless of whether or not someone else didn't "get a ticket" in the past.

[mtntopper]

Well, having been a mod in the past, things do fall through the cracks at times, and judgments as to what is and what isn't within the TOS can vary, just as strike call in baseball - "Yesterday it was a ball, and tomorrow it may be a ball - but today it is a strike." The different forums aren't moderated by the same person, especially from day to day or even hour to hour, and there are often multiple mods for a big forum. And you never know which mod, if any, is keeping up with all the posts (this is a very active website). Reported posts tend to get much quicker attention as automatic emails to mods are generated. The mods can talk to one another on a hidden board, so often the decision is a consensus one, particularly in borderline calls - "Hey, what do think about this?" But, sometimes you just have to make a quick call yourself based on gut feeling. As you note, the overall record of the member may have some bearing on how it all goes down as well, but I've seen some of the most prolific and even some very polite members called out, put in time out, and even banned. And yeah, some of these people even have personal relationships that extend beyond this website. It isn't perfect, because humans are involved. But it's a thankless "job", and the mods really do try to be fair.

As to the OP, discussing illegal activities (like stealth camping above treeline in the Whites, or smuggling dogs into Baxter, or in this case avoiding getting GSMNP permits), even when shrouded by oblique wording, is simply not allowed, likely for reputation, liability, and just plain old ethical reasons. So, in this case, the right call was probably made, regardless of whether or not someone else didn't "get a ticket" in the past.

I do agree that the right call was made according to TOS. That is not in question as far as I am concerned. What I questioned and you answered it perfectly is other post that discuss illegal activity are not closed. Thank you for the explanation and your work as a mod in the past. I do hope that going forward that the current mods will be more consistent with their rulings.