A new year and the state of BT

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

Combining Child Neuro Forums

((((((Hugs to All))))))

May I suggest that before any changes are made to the Child Neurology forum, regarding renaming and combining, that members of the Child Neurology forum are consulted?

My opinion is that we retain Child Neurology as the "main forum," using the same title for the forum (Child Neurology), with the other child-related forums as sub-forums to it.

Child Neurology

-- ADD/ADHD

-- Autism Spectrum Disorders

-- Pediatric Epilepsy

-- Tourette's Syndrome

-- Coping with the Loss of a Child

I think we should retain the Child Neurology name for the forum, as it is iconic. CN (as we fondly refer to our forum) is historically one of the most active forums on BT (then and now ~ more so then, obviously). When former members visit, Child Neurology is the forum title they seek. I don't think it should be relegated to a sub-forum category, under a different generic heading.

Let's ask our CN members for their opinion, as they (we) will be the ones affected by any changes to CN and other child-related forums.

Thanks ~

Love & Light,

Rose

[tic chick]

rose ,

i hear your concern about losing the identity of the "child neurology" forum, but actually you are now only one among the approx. 45 categories under the name "Neurological Disorders and Injury", which is a very generically titled category.

when i read your first post in this global thread, i thought what a wonderful group of compassionate, knowledgeable and experienced group of moms you were. when you said that you didn't want to see the forum "coping with the loss of a child" cut, i thought of the idea of having a childhood neurological disorders category. the category name would be completely specific to the current "child neurology" forum and other neurological disorders that are common among children but are now scattered forums in various places under different category names. i thought putting together all these separate forums under a "children's category" would give them a chance to succeed. with the knowledge you all have in the "child neurology" forum, you would be able to help any new members who ask questions about their children's neurological problems.

so now, instead of being the 11th forum under the generic title of "Neurological Disorders and Injury, you would be the first forum in the category "Childhood Neurological Disorders" (or whatever name is decided on).

Childhood Neurological Disorders

Child Neurology
Add & ADHD
Autism Spectrum Disorders (In 2013, the DSM-5 replaced autism, Asperger's Disorder and other pervasive developmental disorders with the umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.)
Children's Epilepsy
Coping with the Loss of a Child
Tourette Syndrome

this would now be the section which might draw more people who have questions about their children's neurological disorders. your forum wouldn't be lost in the 45 other forums as it is now, as it would be the first forum under the new category and would now be in it's own section (as it appears above) in the forum's title page. the "CN" forum would still be it's own forum, as the other disorders would also be their own forums.

if you click on the "Cancer" forum under the category, "general health issues", that is not what i wanted to suggest to do to the cn forum. if you look at the "Psychiatric Disorders" titled category and change that to "Chilhood Neurological Disorders" and see that each psychiatric disorder has it's own forum, which would now have the 6 forums listed above, that is what i wanted to suggest to do.

i came not to bury CN, but to praise it.

jeannie

[Eva 14]

I'll just say that I'm very thankful for the Chronic Pain forum. I've been posting on it off and on since 1998, so I've gone through many different server changes.

From my own personal experience, the Chronic Pain forum still had lots of users until Summer of 2009 (or whenever that latest server change occurred). I remember in the Spring of 2009 there were still lots of people posting on the CP forum.

Then when the server changed, the numbers of people really fell off. I was really surprised that many of the "old" people didn't follow BT to the "new" CP forum. I have no idea why this happened.

As far as people talking about something as personal as Chronic Pain on Facebook, I can't imagine doing that. I am on Facebook, but I don't use it very much. Some of my old friends from school are on Facebook, so that's the only reason why I joined FB. I would never want my old friends from school (let alone the world at large) to know the details of my chronic pain struggle. People posting with their real first and last names (and geographical location) about personal health issues? Something that anyone can access? I'd never do that in a million years.

I don't even understand Facebook very well, so I just assume that anything I write on there will be public for everyone to see. Therefore I never write anything personal on FB. I just comment on my friends' pictures of their kids and such. It gets kind of repetitive just saying "that's cute" over and over again, but some of my friends seem to enjoy posting bits about their lives and their children on FB. But it's always positive stuff that they post on FB, and never anything negative about their lives.

Facebook actually makes my friends look like they have perfect lives, with perfect husbands, children, and careers. No health woes for them. I'm glad their lives are so great, but it also saddens me that my life is filled with illness and other problems. I wonder if anyone else has this issue with Facebook, not to mention the privacy concerns.

Eva

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

Thank You!

((((((Jeannie)))))) ~

Ah! Now I get it! Thank you for the explanation and visual aid of looking at the Forum List. I am rapidly aging, and it seems, a bit daft now and again these days.

Those 45 forums will be honed down to a lesser number, once the inactive forums are removed. I think the Childhood Neurological Disorders category should follow next.

The title of that section should be one, which a parent would typically use for a Google search. CN members could be helpful in naming the section, since we're the ones, who ended up searching and finding BT/CN.

I apologize if I sounded defensive, which I probably did, because I'm a Mama Bear about CN! And, I was personally feeling a little sad, since two of my favorite and most relevant forums on BT, Child Neuro and Coping with the Loss of a Child, were facing changes or potential banishment (Coping). So, I was having a kind of "Hey, wait a minute, y'all" moment.

Another thought ~ Do we need the lengthy descriptions of each forum on the Forum List? Might we condense that information? Perhaps put the blurb on the top of the Forum's page? That would certainly shorten things in the scrolling department.

Thank you, Jeannie, for your thoughtful suggestions, and for the compliment of our CN members. And I enjoyed the nod to Bill Shakespeare!

Love & Light,

Rose

[agate]

As far as people talking about something as personal as Chronic Pain on Facebook, I can't imagine doing that. I am on Facebook, but I don't use it very much. Some of my old friends from school are on Facebook, so that's the only reason why I joined FB. I would never want my old friends from school (let alone the world at large) to know the details of my chronic pain struggle. People posting with their real first and last names (and geographical location) about personal health issues? Something that anyone can access? I'd never do that in a million years.

I don't even understand Facebook very well, so I just assume that anything I write on there will be public for everyone to see. Therefore I never write anything personal on FB. I just comment on my friends' pictures of their kids and such. It gets kind of repetitive just saying "that's cute" over and over again, but some of my friends seem to enjoy posting bits about their lives and their children on FB. But it's always positive stuff that they post on FB, and never anything negative about their lives.

Facebook actually makes my friends look like they have perfect lives, with perfect husbands, children, and careers. No health woes for them. I'm glad their lives are so great, but it also saddens me that my life is filled with illness and other problems. I wonder if anyone else has this issue with Facebook, not to mention the privacy concerns.

Eva 14, I think you've called attention to a huge difference between Facebook and a board like this one. Also, comments on Facebook tend to be short--there's not much of a chance for a real discussion to be carried on.

Do we need the lengthy descriptions of each forum on the Forum List? Might we condense that information? Perhaps put the blurb on the top of the Forum's page? That would certainly shorten things in the scrolling department.

Rose, I for one am glad you made that suggestion.

[Mike Weins]

alex: I'm not the one that got screwed by JL, it was all of you :( I will admit that there were a couple of times over the last few years that I was a little burnt out. However I knew it was only going to be a temporary thing, I intend on being here for quite some time still :)

tic chick: I think "Children's Health" would be a good Category title. Not sure how many forums we'll put in there just yet.

Bou: Welcome back :) Yes MGH still has some very old links, I keep sending them messages with the updated links so I don't know why the old ones are still there.

Rose: What do you think about the category name "Children's Health" ? Anyone posting in CN can chime in with their ideas as well. This is a global thread so everyone can read and reply to it without leaving their "home" forum :)

Eva 14: For the most part anyting posted on FB is public. They have some settings where you can hide a lot of it from anyone not on your list, but FB has peaked and is on a downward slope with regards to usage and popularity.

With regards to the forum descriptions, once the list is reduced we'll take another look at them. If they appear to be too long, we can probalby just post the info in a sticky in each forum.

The General Neuro forum is the fall back forum for folks with questions that don't fit within another forum.

[funnylegs4]

funnylegs4: Yes the forums appear to have a lot of views, however 81.3% of those views (on average from all visible forums not just those being cut) are from search engine bots. This means that no human is actually visiting the threads. We can't move BT to a free or cheap host, our bandwidth is too vast for them, and they don't offer us the control we need to make BT thrive.

Thanks. I understand. What is a search engine bot???

Do we need the lengthy descriptions of each forum on the Forum List?

I personally like the long descriptions because a lot of the conditions here were conditions I knew next to nothing about and they were very helpful to me. Maybe just cut them down by a few sentences if you have to but definitely keep the descriptions. In regards to the Child section,do we want to include Cerebral Palsy in that section since Cerebral Palsy happens before and during birth in most cases??? I like the name "Child's Health" very much! I might set things up like this:
Child Neurology
ADD & ADHD
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Children's Epilepsy
Cerebral Palsy
Coping with the Loss of a Child
Tourette Syndrome

I realize that adults with CP may not want to be lumped with children on the forum but it is just a thought. Whatever you do PLEASE PLEASE DON'T CUT THE CEREBRAL PALSY FORUM! It has a special place in my heart for many reasons(I know it has quite a few threads so I am hopeful it won't be cut). What will happen to the Computer and Tech forum? I really like that one too. I agree that posting about health issues might be way too personal for Facebook.

[HellBoundTroll]

Thanks. I understand. What is a search engine bot???

For technical details see: Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

But for a basic idea, that might be a bit mushy on hard facts, but is basically correct:

Basically when "searchbots" such as Google, Bing and Yahoo (internet search sites) go adventuring out on the World Wide Web, they visit millions of sites and "see" what is there -- so dozens and dozens of them come to the braintalk community many many times and "see" all the discussions.

Having a much better memory than myself, they remember pretty much everything seen, ever since the site has been around.

So, Google (and all the rest of the bots) remembers funnylegs4. It remembers "john lester." It remembers when someone posted "my dog died."

Then, it reports it back to Google headquarters.

One morning I awake and have a hankering to see any Web page that has the term funnylegs4.

So, I go to Google and type in funnylegs4.

Google says, oh yes, searchbot found that on 1,670 different Web sites (it did). So, the site on which it appears most goes at the top of the list Google returns to me. The site on which it appears second goes second on the list and so forth....

For fun, here are the top few results that a search for funnylegs4 shows:

Cerebral Palsy - BrainTalk Communities 10/2006-8/2011 Archives
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
funnylegs4. 08-03-2011 ... funnylegs4. 07-22-2011 01:36 AM by funnylegs4 · Go to last post · 0, 262. anti-spastic meds can make you hyper??? funnylegs4.

Cerebral Palsy on BrainTalk Communities | BoardReader
boardreader.com/fp/BrainTalk.../Cerebral_Palsy_96745176.html
7 posts
Started 1 day, 21 hours ago by funnylegs4 - 1 post. Show more thread info funnylegs4 - BrainTalk Communities: thread profile. Thread: Show this thread (1 post)


Moro reflex - BrainTalk Communities - AllMedicals
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
((((((funnylegs4)))))) Welcome to CN! I hope that someone with knowledge of the Moro Reflex will drop by with information for you. Unfortunately, I am of no help.

Twitter / Funnylegs: Sanpellegrino, Filodoro u.v.a ...
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
FunnyLegs @Funnylegs 4 Nov 09. Sanpellegrino, Filodoro u.v.a italienische Marken erhalten Sie jetzt bei Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register.... Reply; Retweet Retweeted ...

Mulletover, Man Like Music, Tayo: 'Eastern Electrics' at 29 Great ...
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register... › Club
Dec 22, 2008 - ... the name given to this brand of stocking? A: 1) The Cuban Heal .2) Nylon .3) Funnylegs .4) The Nylon Wonder Dream //////////////////////////////////// ...

Thoughts on Physical Therapy by Stitchthebest36 on deviantART
stitchthebest36.deviantart.com/.../Thoughts-on-Physical-Therapy-32644...
Sep 10, 2012 - I posted this exact same post on a forum called "BrainTalk" a few years ago(I go by funnylegs4 there). Braintalk is now having server issues so I ...


Verbosity and Nurse - Reviews - Treato
treato.com/Nurse,Verbosity/?a=s
His nurse was quite cautious, and she ...since she's been a nurse for 35 years, and ...giving thanks. ((((((funnylegs4)))))) Celebrating my verbosity! I remember.

[SalpalSally]

WOW, big brother is watching us all!!! I hate it.. Grrrrrrrr!!!!

[Mike Weins]

WOW, big brother is watching us all!!! I hate it.. Grrrrrrrr!!!!

I agree, however without allowing them to do so, it would be extremely hard for anyone to find us

[Mike Weins]

I'm currently running into a strange issue that even has the vB guys stumped. I can't get the test forum working without it fudging up the main forum. Hopefully we'll find a resolution soon and I can get it set up to show it off

[funnylegs4]

For technical details see: Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

But for a basic idea, that might be a bit mushy on hard facts, but is basically correct:

Basically when "searchbots" such as Google, Bing and Yahoo (internet search sites) go adventuring out on the World Wide Web, they visit millions of sites and "see" what is there -- so dozens and dozens of them come to the braintalk community many many times and "see" all the discussions.

Having a much better memory than myself, they remember pretty much everything seen, ever since the site has been around.

So, Google (and all the rest of the bots) remembers funnylegs4. It remembers "john lester." It remembers when someone posted "my dog died."

Then, it reports it back to Google headquarters.

One morning I awake and have a hankering to see any Web page that has the term funnylegs4.

So, I go to Google and type in funnylegs4.

Google says, oh yes, searchbot found that on 1,670 different Web sites (it did). So, the site on which it appears most goes at the top of the list Google returns to me. The site on which it appears second goes second on the list and so forth....

For fun, here are the top few results that a search for funnylegs4 shows:

Cerebral Palsy - BrainTalk Communities 10/2006-8/2011 Archives
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
funnylegs4. 08-03-2011 ... funnylegs4. 07-22-2011 01:36 AM by funnylegs4 · Go to last post · 0, 262. anti-spastic meds can make you hyper??? funnylegs4.

Cerebral Palsy on BrainTalk Communities | BoardReader
boardreader.com/fp/BrainTalk.../Cerebral_Palsy_96745176.html
7 posts
Started 1 day, 21 hours ago by funnylegs4 - 1 post. Show more thread info funnylegs4 - BrainTalk Communities: thread profile. Thread: Show this thread (1 post)


Moro reflex - BrainTalk Communities - AllMedicals
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
((((((funnylegs4)))))) Welcome to CN! I hope that someone with knowledge of the Moro Reflex will drop by with information for you. Unfortunately, I am of no help.

Twitter / Funnylegs: Sanpellegrino, Filodoro u.v.a ...
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
FunnyLegs @Funnylegs 4 Nov 09. Sanpellegrino, Filodoro u.v.a italienische Marken erhalten Sie jetzt bei Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register.... Reply; Retweet Retweeted ...

Mulletover, Man Like Music, Tayo: 'Eastern Electrics' at 29 Great ...
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register... › Club
Dec 22, 2008 - ... the name given to this brand of stocking? A: 1) The Cuban Heal .2) Nylon .3) Funnylegs .4) The Nylon Wonder Dream //////////////////////////////////// ...

Thoughts on Physical Therapy by Stitchthebest36 on deviantART
stitchthebest36.deviantart.com/.../Thoughts-on-Physical-Therapy-32644...
Sep 10, 2012 - I posted this exact same post on a forum called "BrainTalk" a few years ago(I go by funnylegs4 there). Braintalk is now having server issues so I ...


Verbosity and Nurse - Reviews - Treato
treato.com/Nurse,Verbosity/?a=s
His nurse was quite cautious, and she ...since she's been a nurse for 35 years, and ...giving thanks. ((((((funnylegs4)))))) Celebrating my verbosity! I remember.

Ok that's just creepy and disturbing but at least it means people can easily find my films. Now I see how the NSA can easily do data collection. ugh. LOL. Hope you can get the technical issue sorted out.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((HUGS to All)))))) ~

Thanks HBTroll for that interesting and rather unsettling information. When our friend first set us up on the Internet, she said, "The minute you go anywhere on the Internet, you're privacy is gone." That was 1998. Before My Space (remember that?) and of course, pre-Facebook.

Yesterday, a friend and co-worker, with whom I've been out of contact for 15 years, called me. He found me by asking his assistant to look me up on the Internet. My phone number is unlisted, but he still found it, along with the 5-10 spam callers we get per week, even though we're on the Do Not Call Registry. Ha! That's a joke!

I NEED A REFRESHER COURSE ~

Mike ~ Today, I went to the CN archives, and it suddenly dawned on me that those are from 2006, when you set up this forum, to 2011. It appeared that we were pretty active during those 5 years.

What happened to cause the closure of that forum and opening of our current one?

I can't remember! Jon was in crisis a lot during that time, and I just can't remember.

How many forum members did we lose in that transition? Is there a way of determining that in numbers, or percentages?

Is there anything we can glean from that transition to help us to understand better why we lost members?

Just pondering ...

Love & Light,

Rose

[HellBoundTroll]

Hey, Angel, sorry to upset some folks, but you should know that things that took a trained investigator some time and effort can now be accomplished in a few moments by almost any person with a computer.

I was an "arson investigator" for decades before my spinal injury (unfortunately, in my region, that still required I be an active firefighter, which my spinal disorder pretty much killed). And, I was skilled in finding personal information. But in the old days, that was phone calls, favors, "locked" databases.

No longer. Friends come to me to find "old friends." In most cases I can do that in a few minutes USING SOURCES EVERYONE can access. Rare occassions require more. On those occassions, I call in favors, or not. It is not complicated, although it does require a bit of Web smarts.

[Mike Weins]

The three main reasons we moved were:

#1 Dr. Hoch could not continue to pay $200+ a month for the old dedicated server that BT had been on for a decade.
#2 the host at the time was inadequate and had trouble hosting BT.
#3 the old software was so outdated and vulnerable to hackings we had to upgrade, which the server at the time couldn't handle (it was older than the forum software and was way to expensive to upgrade).