Local Rules

[Puck]

In addition to or reiterated from StarTrekVoyager.Com Forum Rules:


� World News Only

Let's try to aim more at national or international news stories, ok? If I post a Subway in Presque Isle, Maine was robbed, it won't mean anything to you. If it were the store was robbed, and several people killed, etc... maybe, but localized stories like that really cut down on the discussion that could be made.

� Straying From the Original Topic

In this particular forum, it's very hard not to go off topic. Many issues are raised in people's responses, and the topic tends to drift. So, if you'll just let a WN mod know when you see this happening, we will split it and make it a new topic. It's great that everyone feels free to post their opinions here, it makes us learn.

� Differentiating Fact from Opinion

Do not post your personal beliefs as facts, and then get angry because they're proven, by facts, to be incorrect. If you want to post here, and discuss things, prepare to have your beliefs challenged. If you post facts, please document the source from which you got them. Moderators reserve the right to delete any post that does not follow these guidelines.

� Respect

This is not a suggestion, but this is a requirement of all users of this forum, and most especially WN members. When posting anything in WN, you are required to treat others with a certain amount of respect, you are required to treat others ideas and beliefs with respect, you are required to treat countries with their due respect, and you are required to treat other ideologies with respect. We realize that in WN, disagreements are bound to arise between members; therefore this naturally means that this rule must sometimes be enforced more loosely. However, just try to be mature, and you should be fine.

� Editorials and Opinion Articles

Editorials will be allowed. As long as they follow the guidelines already set forth here in WN. All facts must be backed up, and you MUST be respectful of each other.

� Spam

If you have nothing of value to say, do not post. Contribute to the discussion, and by this, I do not mean posting things such as �I agree.� Also, as always, do not respond to spammers.

� Major Issue Articles

When posting on major social issues such as abortion, gay rights, etc., please try and check the past few pages of WN (or even Chit Chat) to see if there is not already one available.

� Thread Titles

Your opinion belongs inside the thread. Please make sure the title of the thread you create is not overly biased.

� Listen to Warnings Given by Admins or Moderators

Although not all 'warnings' given by Moderators and Admin are Forum warnings, they need to be followed. When a moderator steps into a topic and ends a certain discussion, you are not expected to continue your discussion.

A mod doesn't step in until it's necessary. Once they do, listen to them. Generally they are seeing the situation in the "big picture", and you are not.

� Being Banned from World News

BANNED from WN means BANNED from WN. If this means you, please don't annoy users with PMs, thanks!
BTW, we can shut off your ability to send PMs, just so you know.

� Posting Articles <--IMPORTANT!

From now on, users are no longer to post articles that have been copied and pasted from news sources, unless they have been given permission from the site which they are copying. You may only post the headline and first paragraph of an article. All of the news sources that are commonly used, such as CNN, FOX News, AP, and TIME, have copyrights and disclaimers that state, "All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed." Therefore, when posting articles from now on, unless the site gives you permission to reproduce its work, you should now just link us to the article that you are referencing and briefly describe what the article is about.

If you do by chance gain permission from a news site to reproduce whole, or partial articles in a post, please PM one of the WN moderators with a copy their written permission that you received. Whether or not you have written permission to reproduce an article, StarTrekVoyager.com will not be held accountable for any copyright infringement that an individual user may make.

�Provide Links/Sources

All new topics must include a link to where information can be found. Even if it is an editorial by you, we would still prefer that you include sources for your statements.

By posting in World News, all users agree to abide by these rules. We as mods are appreciative of everyone's cooperation.


[Last Updated: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 7:19PM EST]