Starting an "ATS Case Book"?

What do you think of opening a new forum - maybe subforum in the forum "Aliens & UFOs" - named "ATS Casebook" to archive high-profile topics?

With such a forum we could support serious discussion of the UFO subject, and splitting them from the more "wacky" threads, that make extraordinary claims with no kind of backing evidence.

I think it is sad to see high-profile threads from members like internos being buried under the "Galactic Federation UFOs", lots of "Stunning Foto", "Best UFO Video ever" etc. where we find laughable fotos from street lights on a hazy evening or "orbs" and stuff.

When referring to threads from members like internos I mean nice researched cases with plenty of background information, witness reports and testimonies, media files like videos/fotos, news reports and so on.

It would be a little difficult which topics to move/copy into such a forum, but with constant criterias that would have to be met it would be easier to draw the line. A topic could be pinned, where new threads are linked, maybe even divided into different categories, which would make navigation a lot easier.

With an "ATS Case Book" we could provide the essentials for a serious debate on high-profile cases, thus supporting the serious dealing with the matter UFO as a whole.

What do you think about this suggestion?

[edit on 24.11.2008 by SiONiX]

reply to post by SiONiX


I think this is a great idea. And I have the first two threads for it too:
www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

A fantastic idea. I think that separating the serious ufology from the more 'out there' ideas and threads can only be a good thing. So many of threads that linger in the ufo and alien forum really belong in skunkworks.
Perhaps one way to do it would be to allow peoplw to post in this suggested sub forum and then if it turns out to be a 'junk' thread, for want of a better word, the poster could then be subjected heavy deductions. Like a deterrent to keep it serious topics only.
Things like the gfl has seriously dented ufology and we need to keep that kind of thoing separate from the 'nuts and bolts' ufology.

Good idea. Let's see if anyone buys it.

Peace.

MGGG

reply to post by machinegun_go_go


Actually, this was my original intention. In the time as a member here and the months before, I noticed that many topics are way 'out-there' (wacky...) and got aware they repeat themselves over and over and over again and therfore damage the reputation of the forum. Also I felt that a large number of threads were motivated by sensationalism. You know, serious scientific news about achievements that got us to pilot such crafts in the future isn't exactly as interesting as a galactic federation arriving with their 2.000 miles long ship. "if you want some ATS points, just start a topic about an alien base on mars or an alien invasion" -> sad, but true.

Therefore I felt the need for a place where you can discuss the subject rationally without being called 'debunker', 'dis-info agent', alleged member of various hypothetical gov't organizations etc.
I too want to find some truth, but I don't buy into every 'best video ever - undeniable proof'-thread where you can see some 'mothership' and stuff, that nobody except the OP has seen.

But to draw the line between 'out-there' and 'serious' is very hard. 10 members, 10 different opinions. Therefore it would be a nice idea, to create a guideline for high-profile threads, which have to fulfill a number of criteria to be considered as high-profile.

The ATS Case Book would be a step towards the splitting of out-there threads and cases with serious discussion and possible investigation, with the nice side-effect of having a great archive of important cases.

[edit on 24.11.2008 by SiONiX]

What criteria would/should be needed for 'ATS Case Book' threads?

The following points should be fulfilled in my opinion, please feel free to add.

• Seen by multiple witnesses, independant from each other
  
• Includes Witness testimonies (with background info)
  
• Background info available (exact date & time, name of witnesses, 'W-questions': where, when, what, who ...)
  
• Additional information is available (air traffic control reports, environmental conditions etc.)
  
• Includes Media Files (Fotos, Videos ...)
  
• Includes News reports (with video and background info like station, name of reporter etc.)
  
• Possible already occured investigations and their results are available
  
• null
  

Obviously they can not all be achieved, but this is intended. We could demand a number of at least x fulfilled points for threads to be considered as high profile. One additional criteria should be that it is considered as fact that an unusual phenomena occured, which can not be explained (Stephenville, Phoenix Lights, you get the idea).

There are possibly other cases that don't fit into this grid, but imho such criteria provide the best foundation for a serious discussion and have what we need to induce further investigation (demanding air traffic reports, maybe inviting the witnesses to join the discussion etc.).

Wouldn't this be a great way to actually achieve something? We would have the foundation for a serious discussion, which would not only increase the reputation of the forum, but the subject as a whole.

Well there was the conspiracy masters section, where the likes of internos and Mike Singh were located. I believe there i going to be a revamp of how it works eventually.

The thread about it is here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by Chadwickus


I've seen it, but it isn't exactly the same. It was a step into the right direction, but I understand that there are other members who were experts in certain matters (though I don't understand why they didn't just flag those members with the CM tag and made one forum per subject?!?).

The intention of a Case Book would be to have ALL high-profile cases of ANY member in ONE forum. So everybody with serious interest in a rational discussion can "pick the cases apart" and further investigate them to find the true core of cases, without being alleged "dis-info agents".

I think it would improve the quality of ATS without taking away the entertainment factor which keeps traffic high (I understand that alien bases, GFL etc. generate much more traffic than rational nearly-down-to-earth discussion), which isn't really helpful to everybody having interest in rational discussion. With a case-book nothing would change in the normal forum, everybody can have their say there, but the high-profile stuff can be copied/moved into the additional (sub)forum, which certainly would improve rational discussion. Also I didn't think of it like a hardcore-skeptic debunking-zone, but a place with high-quality subjects without stuff like this... (hope you get the idea)