Dick,

I apologize for clogging up your board with this long winded message, but I tried your rjw@sky.net email and it came back undeliverable...at any rate here's the message I tried to email you.

...First of all I had gone back and re-read my last post and it seemed a little offenseive so I took that line out of the post. Sorry, if I sounded like an idiot.

I'd given your comments a lot of thought and my resulting change in thinking is as follows. I understand the need for Women, Couples and Families to have an umbrella from the deluge of single men, who often have more than sunbathing on their minds.

Yet I don't think that banning anyone simply for being who and what they are, does us any good. (Unless of course they are bent on harmful or destructive behaviour aimed at others.)

I am more in favor of a "Haulover" approach lobbying for a Public Venue, Sanctioned by law that allows Nude sunbathing but also offere the protrection of the Law and Law Enforcement (as opposed to being on opposite sides of the fence, granted this probably won't happen in Kansas or Misouri any time soon but unnless someone is pushing the cart it won't ever move)

I came up with a concept that I would like your opinion on. It is a Web Site, http://www.heartland.amon-ra.us/4m which can be a Content Management System in the event the community ever gets cohesive enough to make an online newspaper worthwhile, and a Private Forum.

Anyone can "register" simply by filling out the registration form. However, registration does not give you access to either the front page or the private forums. It only gives you access to one forum which tells you the forum is by invitation only and you have to "know someone" to get in or make arrangements to meet with someone who, is in.

That way the general Perv Surfers, Evangelicals and Park Rangers, don't have access to our posts.

Once you are registerd, the Admin has to "Turn On" your group membership.

There are currently three groups. (1) GENERAL MEMBERSHIP, which gives you access to the news page and the General Members Forums (all but two forums are in this category) (2) COUPLES ONLY, which may be accessed by anyone in the "Couples Only" and "Women Only" groups. The last is (3) WOMEN ONLY and as the name implies member of the "Women Only" group are the only ones who may view/post in this forum

Anyone who has viewing/posting privledges in a forum may subscribe to it and may even receive email updates to it if they so desire.

Now here are the reasons I thought this concept would have merit.

1. Not open to the General Public. (Perv Surfers, Bible Thumpers, Marketing freeks and Mr. Ranger)

2. ANYONE can participate but by requiring membership, we can weed out some of the undesirables up front and as we go on, if someone exhibits harmful traits we can simply ban them from the board.

3. Women who feel less than comfortable (whether it be talking or sunbathing) in the presence of anyone other than other women may particpate without becoming a man magnet. They may also Particpate in Couples or General Forums.

4. Couples and Families may carry on family oriented discussion without having to deal with telling single men "You're not invited" and aren't subject to the protestations of single men "Why won't you lets us participate?" and may also participate in the General Forums.

5. The General Forums offer a "Public Square" or a "Haulover Beach" if you will,... for Everyone who wants to communicate, exchange ideas, or even coordinate nature outings.

6. SORRY, if you like pop up ads and intrusive advertising displays I don't have any.

Also, members on this site would have access to free pop3 mail accounts on request (user@amon-ra.us)

So let me know what you think of my philosophy on dealing with people in general and also what you think about this web site concept and application

I have set up an Admin User Account/Password for you, send me an email and I'll give you the User/PW

Best Regards,
Mike

Mike and all

I'd like to let the larger community comment on your idea for a more protected webspace -- I don't want to throw cold or hot water on it before others have a chance to look it over and join up or see what your new site offers.

I do want to comment on a lingering impression others might come away with from your recent posts. In my reading of your messages it sounds as if I, Dick, or perhaps the Heartland club has advocated 'banning' someone from something. I haven't. The club hasn't. I don't believe I indicated that via my private email to you or in anything I've ever entered here on the message board.

I'm an advocate of an open organization - open to all. Same with public nude use areas and in that I'm in the corner of the TNS. Or maybe just "independent nudism" -without labels or superstructure.

TNS, The Naturist Society, is this country's primary advocate of free beaches and open membership clubs. The local group, Heartland Naturists, has always been a "no-quotas" type organization, affiliated with TNS. I agree with that and assume it will always continue in that vein.

I did mention the problem that presents itself when membership swings to one side versus the other - more male than female members. I believe I also suggested a solution - encourage couples and females to join and take part. Guys bring your gals. Gals bring your guys.

Never once did I mention a ban or quota. To illuminate a problem doesn't equate to advocacy of the wrong solution. So I'd like readers here to understand the Hearltand group is open to all.

Let's hear from some others among the regulars here - would a more protected webspace as Mike has set up be useful to you?

I would ask Mike to make sure there's no confusion by use of the Heartland name. Mike I don't believe is a member of the club, and the prototype board he's set up has no connection the the Heartland Naturists.

The word heartland is generic and applies to many organzations nationwide thus it's up for grabs. A clarification line might be appropriate. I always treated the Heartland website I maintained as an "unofficial" information service so as to insulate the club itself from the website. Same with this message board and I may rename it to something less identified with the club since there's not much real connection anymore - and no Board involvement. I am a member of the club - have been for probably 8 years.

So, readers and visitors, your turn -- give Mike's board a look - email him or post a note here about the project. Mike's generously offering webspace, even email addresses and continuing management of the site. No small offer as any website or board requires regular attention, maintenance and payment of hosting and domain registration fees.

I do know many are inhibited from posting on a totally public board such as this even though anonymous posts are permitted. There was a credibility issue last year when it was evident some were using that anonymous posting "privilege" to post bogus messages and at that time I instituted the very limited measure of displaying the numeric identifier associated with each post. That seemed to end the bogus posts but at the price of more limited participation. Perhaps a cloaked website available only to registered users would enable more to participate.

How 'bout it? Post your comments or email Mike directly.

Dick Williams
rjw at kcsky dot net <-- new addy spam protected

I looked at Mike's board. It is pretty slick. It's much more attractive than this one, but also not as simple. Just for the hell of it I registered. He replied that I was the first one.

I guess I do feel a little more comfortable with a "protected" site, though its not that much more protected. After all, anyone can register.

It is my understanding that there is a Yahoo Group that is protected--only official Heartland members are allowed to join-- but that it doesn't get much traffic. I haven't forked over my money yet so I'm not officially a member.

As for the separate areas for women, couples, etc... I agree with Dick's comments about openess for everyone. I think having segregated areas goes against this.

I guess time will tell what happens. Either most people will migrate to the other board or stay on this one or participate in both. There's not that much action on this board as is.

Thanks for looking in Jeff,

Yes, anyone can register, but, that gets you nothing.
Only trusted members assigned group privledges get to use the Private forums, News Page and Calendar.

Also if you want your email address hidden it remains so by a setting in your user Control Panel.

Simply by posting and adding your email address to this forum (N54) your email address is available to the general public.

As for the "women only"/"couples only" forums... I've reconsidered that an have opted away from it. The focus will be on All Naturists.