Sensitive Articles

Post by **Big Boy** » Thu May 04, 2006 6:51 pm

Several weeks ago (mid March), I found an article in a local Westcountry newspaper that I thought might be of interest to the HH community. However, I also knew the content could be a bit sensitive.

Not wanting to offend anybody, I sent a PM to the NEWS Moderator, ATA Admin, questioning the article's suitability for the forum - surprise, surprise, it hasn't been opened yet.

I would appreciate some advice on what I should have done in such a situation e.g. should I simply make a posting (although still on the net, its too late to post the article in question now), and wait for a Moderator to edit it/slap my wrists if it is inappropriate? Maybe I'm too sensitive, but I would rather get it right first time.

Obviously the 'nice' approach did not work.

Should I find further 'sensitive articles, what is the forum protocol that I should follow please?

Post by **Kraka's Dad** » Thu May 04, 2006 7:35 pm

As someone once said.
"Publish and be dammed!"

What else can you do in view of your experience ??

Post by **Wanderlust** » Thu May 04, 2006 8:41 pm

Big Boy,
I understand your dilemma, and i am surprised you didn't get a response to your PM. However in future I think you could ask any of the moderators, as we can always communicate with each other about it in our own forum. I think you probably know who the most active mods are so that is a good place to start. Alternatively PM Lev or buksida as they are pretty close to the top of the food chain in here so you would get a definitive answer. The Terms and Conditions are also pretty specific about what is and isn't acceptable as well, so it is always worth consulting them first. From the way you have worded your post though it sounds like it is something not covered there, so if you want to PM me with some basic details of what it was I can give you an idea if it would have been acceptable or not. My initial thought though is that if a West country newspaper printed it then it can't be that bad!

Post by **STEVE G** » Fri May 05, 2006 3:33 am

Wanderlust said;
My initial thought though is that if a West country newspaper printed it then it can't be that bad!

Well put, in the normal run of things once something has been published it becomes public domain, you just have to attribute the original publication.

Post by **Burger** » Fri May 05, 2006 8:59 am

My initial thought though is that if a West country newspaper printed it then it can't be that bad

Those bloomin cats just can't stop getting stuck up those trees, can they.

Burger

PS: Give us a hint of the general topic here Big Boy, you've got us all interested now ...........

Post by **lomuamart** » Fri May 05, 2006 9:30 am

BB,
Certainly PM either Wanderlust or myself. I'm in town at the moment, although I know a couple of mods aren't which is why you might have not received a reply.
If you feel the subject is sensitive, then the sensible course of action is to bounce it off one of us first.
We appreciate the fact that you thought of doing so first.

Post by **Big Boy** » Fri May 05, 2006 1:59 pm

Wanderlust/lomuamart,

I have sent you both a PM on this subject. Unfortunatley, I can not find a record of either message on my PM options. Does this mean that you've already received the messages, or have they disappeared in to the ether?

Post by **pommy** » Fri May 05, 2006 8:26 pm

Sooo exciting waiting to see what has been printed

Post by **Big Boy** » Fri May 05, 2006 8:31 pm

Well guys (all of you who PM'd me wanting to know what was so sensitive), here is the link:

http://www.westpress.co.uk/displayNode. ... ebarsearch

The reason for my hessitancy was that I was unsure if there was a deliberate news blackout on the late Toby's murder.

I was a personal friend of both Toby and his wife when they lived in the UK, and it was them who introduced me to HH.

The above link is obviously outdated now - does anybody know if there's been any update on the case?

Apologies for the cloak and dagger stuff - just didn't want to upset anybody.

Post by **Wanderlust** » Sat May 06, 2006 3:06 pm

Big Boy,
I did not get a PM from you, but now I have read the article there is no need to try again. This forum was awash with requests for information at the time of Toby's disappearance, and there was plenty of discussion about what happened after as well. Although you are right about it being a sensitive issue, there is no need to worry, unless you were intending to put your own editorial slant on anything you posted, but I don't think that was your intention. Most of the moderators and many members on here knew Toby, and we were all shocked and angry about what happened, and we all want the criminals prosecuted to the full extent of the law; however many on here do not have much faith in the Thai legal system. However this is the first news of the legal proceedings actually taking place, so if you want to add anything more that you discover, please do so, as we all want to know what happens to these animals.
RIP Toby.

Post by **Big Boy** » Sat May 06, 2006 9:17 pm

Wanderlust,

Thanks for your reply. I don't know what happened to the PM, but lomuamart also requested a similar PM message which I sent, and that also disappeared in to the ether - probably something I did wrong. However, I was being inundated with PMs at the time - members wanting to know what was sensitive - all of my negative replys got through to them.

lomuamart actually gave me the go ahead.

Anyway, I'm pleased to know that there is no deliberate news blackout.

Reading the article, the trial should be well underway at the moment - if anybody can advise how its going, or (if its finished) what the outcome was, I would be very interested.

Post by **Guess** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:40 am

It seems like your local has better sources of information that we have here.

I sure everybody would appreciate it if you see any update in the press.

Post by **Big Boy** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 3:35 pm

A bit late, but I've just found this update on the late Toby's murder trial http://www.westpress.co.uk/displayNode. ... ebarsearch

According to the newspaper article, the trial should have ended, and sentence should have been passed.

Is there any more information from the Thailand end?

Post by **Norseman** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 10:40 pm

The only thing I've heard about this is that they all got sentenced for life in Phetchaburi and their (good) relatives wishes that they all commit suicide behind the bars.
We all knew Toby, and we all miss him!!!

Post by **Big Boy** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 3:58 am

Norseman,

Thanks for the update. I hope you don't mind me asking, but is that fact, or still hearsay at the moment?