Hello David. Are we starting? It seems others are on the other blog. Thanks for this forum! :)

Hi David

are you taking comments yet?

Yooo Whoo

Morning david, all.

Yes, we're open for business and several members of Team iReport are hear with me.

Here with me. Sorry.

Hi all! We look forward to answering your requestions.

Hi David glad this is starting..

Let's have em

Yeah. I'm here

*questions :)

It is a beautiful day here- hope there as well.

I would say my biggest disappointment lately, is to see this site become an unbalanced hate rant against a President who has been in office less than 2 months. That is unproductive and boring in my opinion.  I cannot see any value to CNN or the public in a blog like that.  Would they have tolerate reporter professing the platitudes of Ruby Ridge philosophy? , Taliban? , David Koresh?  I know some do not like any censorship but this is going in a bad direction and I have seen truly un-moderated site where bloggers call for illegal things to happen to elected officials – I do not need to be part of that. But between the metrics of how the site lifts up some posts over others and what appears to be an unbalanced system of deciding what sorts of words or actions are truly objectionable – we seem to be headed into a blog site that is listing to one side.  Posters put up posts and others go there to gang up on them. Some reporters seem to be motivated a great deal by the strokes they feel when they see they are in some category or another or have a red star by their name.

We do not need stars ratings at all

We do not seed anyone identified as a “superstar” especially when they have had ugly remarks or posts removed

We do not need a “follow” button so posters can gang up on folks.

We do need quicker removal or denial of names like “Obamasux,”  “Obamasux1234,” Obamamurders”  or any other inappropriate name regardless the target, Plain, McCain, bush –non should be acceptable.

We do need a more transparent system for why some posts and remarks are “objectionable” while others are not (I’ve read the guiltiness many times and I cannot make sense out of consequences or lack of consequences for bad behavior tabular or other means of seeing posts not unlike how they are “tagged” for politics, economy, family, child rearing, marriage, etc.

Thanks for listening.

Ok so lets limit the number of I reports one can make in a month.

Less is more.

More quality than quantity

Hi everybody! I'm just going to throw a random question out there: Why do you come to iReport.com?

I would like to know your thoughts on deactivating and reactivating. Can an iReporter come in and out at their leisure? If so, is it fair to pick up where they left off or should they have to start from the beginning? Some here are dedicated and don't leave no matter what. Some people come in and out just to comment then leave again. Just wanted to get others opinions.

Wow you've got your ideas down!

Thats good as I have some questions. Hopefully it an clear a few things up for myself and other iReporters.

Tyson.....one more thing...pay your interns....let me know if you can't come up with $6 per hour for some kid out of school and I will help out.

CNN is currently still a major Debbie Downer. In light of what a difference a day made in my life, its good to know that some things don't change in the space of 12 hours. Would it kill these people to focus on something good going on? Its not like America isn't aware that the now termed "great recession" is killing most people's savings, investments, retirements and businesses but I'm under the impression that consumer confidence is based on just that... confidence.

If major news organizations such as CNN, MSNBC, FOX and etc continue to discourage your Average Joe by constantly telling him how bad shit is out there then poor Joe is going to stay poor, not take risks, invest in a gun while he stuffs his money into a mattress and then go behind the refrigerator for a week while he sorts out his life.

Maybe I'm naive. If these stupid news anchors would start focusing on the good in the news (ie the National EMPLOYMENT RATE instead of the National UNEMPLOYMENT RATE or talk to small businesses that are actually benefiting out of the recession instead of focusing on "the big 3 idiots" and how bad their car sales are so they need more tax payer money, etc) things might have a shot at getting a little better around here a little sooner.

You can be realistic and optimistic at the same time.

Obviously, the bad things have a place in the news too. Sure, everyone wants to know where their money is going but there's no bad without the good so shed some light on some positive shit going on out there too, please. The human spirit can only take so hard a beating at such a repetitive rate.

iReport is awesome, but it needs a better metrics system! Any help here?

good question - Spon - I deactivate specifially to keep that star away from me- but others come back after a couple of days right where they were - why?

I come to Irepot to discuss solutions to problems, not complain too much about them.

@USArmy - cool idea. Tell me more. What would you like to see?

@NERanger -- Hi, I agree that we need to get away from the politics of personal destruction. I don't think it's neccessary to attack each other to make a point. There are two ways we can handle this -- everyone can settle down, or we can take a heavier hand and start banning more people.

I'd rather not have to do that, so I hope we can work it out together.

good for you jeffrey- hope you have not been hounded down yet.

I come on Ireport because it's free entertainment and it feels good to have a voice. It's the greatest creation since the internet. It's like a universal townhall meeting.

Neranger and mrfloridad I disagree with both of you, as to NE's there is more than enough negativity on what would be labeled the left.  The lead reporters are in fact the lead reporters due to this type of posting, they support both sides of the political issue and maintain their status by creating such vehement posts.  If you were to look at the number of view on each side of this issue, you will see it is the same individuals having a political chat room as to there topic, which is supported by its faction.

Mflorida dad, no reason to limit posts?

for me there is a time delay so I have to come in and out of the page here...

Let's also get rid of the super star status and start fresh.

Make it so you have to have an average number of views per story to be a superstar.  Not just because you are the most active.

Putting a star next to someone's name implys that they have something good to say.  If they just got a star because of sheer volume that is a little misleading.

at this rate- David- i am ready for a heavier hand if we keep going this direciton.

Do the people who helped put statements on tshirts get paid commission? Or, does only CNN get paid?

No superstars - what is the point? Ego?

I think we need to have a much clearer ruling on what is and isnt acceptable on iReports.

1. Name calling (unfortuenately most have done it but some much more than others and in a much more abusive way.)

2. posting the address for your own iReports without permission on other peoples. (Spamming)

3. Making inflamatory remarks that have very little to do with the reports and leaving as a way of baiting others to your own posts. (Sh!tting on other peoples reports)

How can we feel we will get fair treatment when it seems obvious some are getting away with far more than others.

I wont mention names david as we have talked with me privately on that but, if 1 reporter is removed after a handful of warnings for name calling yet another who seems just as guilty of that and in fact more then how can anyone expect to see what is and isnt ok.

Why is it acceptable behavior to have a joke picture of a person with his head up his  back-end but not for a funny picture of servers at a coffee shop – the same picture was everywhere in the mainstream media.  I am having a difficult time making sense of this.

This should not become a site of tyranny of the obsessive but it seems to be heading that direction to me, Thanks  again for listening.

@mrfloridad and really to everyone --- what iReporters do you admire and why? What are your favorite stories, and what makes a good superstar?

Thanks for the comment mrfloridad

CNN does pay some of its interns. Our summer intern program is a little different. We're not going to dump the "busy work" on our student. In fact, our intern will have a unique opportunity to learn from CNN professional across platforms. We're really looking forward to it.

Was there ever any final conclusion on the star system?

Katie, then come up with some kind of metric. 

30 Posts per month minimum

10 Extra posts for everything over 1000 views.

20 Extra posts for everything on CNN

20 Extra posts for everthing which Makes Neweist

If you have more to say than 80 I-Reports a month, they you must be retired living in a nursing home.

@poeticpices -- I would encourage you, and everyone else, to share stories about the good things that are going on in your world. It's tough out there for a lot of people, but you're right, there are a lot of exciting and positive stories that are just waiting to be told.

So should we abolish all commenting. No one can post a link to their Ireport to yours. They can however post it in the comment column. I don't see that as a problem at all. Especially if it relates to the story.

If I was to take what I see as being allowed, I would have 3 or 4 IDs, be bumping up/down the star ratings depending on my like/dislikes, making sure my comment count went up, being far more aggresive with name calling in order to bait others until I could report them when they have a go back.

What about the antagonizing?  It's still going on!

Metrics deeper than single views per item. Perhaps a comprehensive total views for all stories.

@mrfloridad That's an interesting suggestion that's worth consideration. Tell me, why do you want to limit the number of posts? What's your main complaint?

David- what is the point of sharing good stories when "superstars" spam your report and bait folks into nasty wars for points? the system is reward the bad behavior.

I doubt if it will ever be a limit on posts or comments. David, please tell us all that iReports is not just a news site or not. A lot of us get the comment "this is not news".

we discusssed this in the last roundtable discussion..profiles; If a person has no profile then they cannot comment on the posts. A lot of these people comment and never post anything, then they become a group continuing to bombard posts attacking the author of the post and the others commenting.

Also, there have been several people kicked off of ireports lately and strange thing, others that post absolute disgusting things are still here! why would that be?

It sounds like the star system isn't working. What if we got rid of it and tried a different approach? Ideas for a better system.

Davidw. I'm with you on that one. It's harder to find good in the world so if you want to be a good reporter try go for the good!

Tyson Tyson Tyson Tyson......

Don't you mean the BS work.  You guys are going to beat that kid to a nub with BS stuff to do with the promise of being a PA when he returns next year.  At least make sure he/she gets a free lunch every day.

Re "acceptability"  -  a very rude comment about me personally (and my physical appearance) was left on an iReport of mine.

It was reported by me as a violation, but is still there  - a week later.

Is there a delay in checking these, please, as I am sure it would be unacceptable you?

Appreciated!

Alun

please do get rid of the star and superstar system -

@SPK -- I am fine with all of those recommendations. We can implement that on Monday, so everyone has the weekend to adjust. Bear in mind that I do mean everyone, no matter their political, religious or any other views.

Why is it acceptable behavior to have a joke picture of a person with his head up his  back-end but not for a funny picture of topless servers at a coffee shop – the same picture was everywhere in the mainstream media.  I am having a difficult time making sense of this.

This should not become a site of tyranny of the obsessive but it seems to be heading that direction to me, Thanks  again for listening.

jeffrey, when you will bait someone and leave a post address what do you think happens (When done by someone that is good at it we call it Master Baiting).

Do you think its ok to run around every report you can find spamming?

Suggestion David, take a look at the top IReporters on here, and some of the individuals on this post, and you be the judge as to which is unwarranted behavior.  Some of the complaints I see are coming from the individuals that are crying wolf and from casual observation are perpetrating the very same behavior.  Or check anyone on here as to that policy...

that would be very interrsting to see that hange on Monday, davisd- as an experiment if nothing else.

shall i apologize for typos now or later?

Sounds great david. It will be interesting to see how many disapear.

The star system is ok but it should be you have to comment in order to give a star. I don't think it's a good idea to reveal who gave what because that will open the box for an arguement if a low rating. Maybe just have one (1) star there, either it gets (1) star or nothing. Not 1,2,3,4,5 stars. Understand what I'm trying to say?

I started I-reporting to get the word out about our government wasting our money.

You try and get some sort of ground swell, your story (that you had to re-record 10 times because of your kids interupting) gets posted.....and then 50 pictures from the red carpet burry it on the 4th page after 5 minutes of being on the main page.

A littel frustrating.  The only hope is to keep putting out better stories in the hopes that one of you guys from CNN likes it and then plugs it on air.

I'm tired of ignoring antagonists who have nothing relevant to add to a post.  Disagreements are good for debate.  However, the childish berating, belittling, and questionable antics are out of control!  There's one iReporter in particular, that I refuse to ignore anymore!

well tyson there is someone who is purposely giving people one star so that the ratings are always low..personally the stars are nonproductive...I would go with a count on the number of Comments rather than stars for rating a peers post..as there are not that many peers thinking in the same mindset on here..

We have some much better in store for our intern, mrfloridad

Last summer's intern got to to do this: http://tinyurl.com/cz5bg4

@AlunHill -- I do see every comment that is flagged on the site. I read the previous day's comments when I come in in the morning. I can't remove every offending comment, because there are so many of them, but if a user is causing a problem or shows a pattern of abuse, I will either warn them or remove them from the site.

I would base the ratings on views, comments can be artificially inflated

You are right Kar. david should probably check up on the "records" of those complaining and see if there is a history there and what it is in relation to the complaint.

Unfortuenately it would probably take a lot more time.

SPK. No I do not. I was just saying, if the report relates to the article, what is the problem with posting the link in the comment bar?

I think Mrfloridad's good point would be helpd by a sytem of choosing which topics you want to read Like tabs or columns of topics. ) We mentioned this on hte last blog and I think it wold be helpful.

Re "star system" - because news (in its broadest sense) will provoke different opinions in different people, any system is doomed.

Whatever the subject, some will like it, some will disagree, regardless of how good an effort the iReporter makes in their report, so I say get rid of the star system.

If their MUST be a system, I would suggest a "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" choice, so at least surfers can get an immediate impression of other's views.

Alun Hill

Views doesnt work either Kar.

I can garauntee I could fix those if I really wanted.

when we discussed thumbs up and down on hte last roundatable,  someone pointed out you are talkng aobut a one- person difference- not helpful.

On this SPK I agree, David?  Time consuming a check of the top 20 IReporters and who ever is on this post would be a good start. Or would that be too time consuming??

Is iReports updating early in the morning? It seems it takes a long time to upload and there are 30 min between posts when I know people are posting.

@AlunHill That's an excellent point. We've discussed a thumbs up/thumbs down system, and will consider that for future site changes. Thanks for your input!

so, David- why is "obamasux" still on hder as an acceptable moniker?

@AlunHill Interesting suggestion!

David

What exactly are you implementing on Monday?  Just so we're clear.

@gilldreams -- Commenters are an important part of the iReport.com community and it gives people, who might not be willing, or able, to post a story a chance to participate in the conversation.

We don't want to discourage that.

The problem, as I see it, is people who make obnoxious comments -- whether they've made one post or 1,000 of them.

Tabs, mmm. We have all the posts under tags. It is separated there

Well if views can be rigged, comments are not a true measure, and the star system clearly does not work.  What can be done??  I dont have that answer, suggestions?

I am not saying they need to be booted for that alone- but it should not be allowed. and 30 minutes ago they were still on here despite reports.

Kar?

Why those here?

You are implying all here are guilty of something?

That was certainly not what I meant.

When a complaint comes in from 1 individual about another then the history between the 2 needs looked at.

If you will have a Witch Hunt on the people commenting here then call for it yourselve and do pull me into it.

@Spontaneous Yes, the site is up and running 24/7. There do tend to be less posts from iReporters during the late-night and early-morning times on the East Coast, so that may account for the time between posts.

I am sure as an I-report community we could come up with a standard amount of posts for a month and an incentive plan for gain more potential posts.

Also if can break up the main page, to one of Pictures and one of Video.

For those of us who put some production work into the stories to be lumped into the people who just post pictures is a little unfair.

I would have the central location set up where the average view has to choose either videos or pictures; and then they can scan through which ones they want to see.

@Spontaneous iReport.com is always on, and stories should appear on the site automatically after you upload them, but the time it takes for pieces to encode and appear on the site can vary from time to time depending on many things.

yes, Spon - but teh gags are forCNNto sort to show us what is similar. I cannot easliy say. like on news blogs, I want to go to Entertainment- or Business or... etc. Unless I am missing something.

Sorry. I'm having a hard time keeping up.

@davidw - re "acceptability" - understood and appreciated.

Alun Hill

sorry- tags - not "gags - yikes!

Thanks Katie. Can someone please respond to my deactivating/reactivating comment?

mrfloridad, I like the idea of revamping the main page, and curating content in a way that is meaningful. Anyone else with ideas on improving the home page?

So when do we get a look at the new rules?

@NERanger Are you suggesting grouping stories by an umbrella topic? They are organized that way on the assignment desk visually. You can get to the assignment desk from the left rail or the below link, btw.

http://www.ireport.com/community/assignment

I too am losing track - sorry  -what "changes" "can be implemented from Monday", please?

Sorry!

Alun Hill

@mrfloridad that's a cool idea - allowing users to sort the iReports according to their media type. definitely one for the list!

Tyson, I just think making the main page toooo busy is going to turn people away or some will miss out on something, focus on one "tab". Having it all on the main page makes sense to me.

Well the individuals here seem to be involved in a big way, witch hunt is not a term I would use.  I just dont think its reasonable for David to have to check every IReporter out, and I have yet to flag a comment for his review, maybe I should start?  The issue is really pretty clear if you take the time to read some of the posts from BOTH sides, it has become highly inflamatory here, and it all centers around the left and right stance.  Ireport has become a way to vent political sides, and in reference to those type of posts yes it has become boring.  But it is equally boring from both perspectives, and the baiting, and the comments of which I have copied and pasted as a guide, rarely vary from a narrow political view...

@Lette -- On Monday, we'll get a little stricter in how we enforce our community guidelines. Particularly our rules against name calling, abusive comments.

We have let the conversations go fairly unregulated because we didn't want to restrict the conversation, but it's clear to me that that's not working for the community.

@NERanger Oh I see, didn't realize you were talking about tags. How can we make it easier for you to find content? What kinds of things are you looking for?

We should also have this meeting every day...so I can use this time to post my I-reports, while everyone is busy in here.

David suggested we post on happy things in our lives? well people do then get blasted for that too and insulted for their post! You have seen the horrible nasty comments made by some on here. It has gotten so bad now that people that used to post are not even coming on here anymore..what a shame..

It has turned into a venemous enviroment for a lot of ireporters who came on here to share information, debate, agree to disagree, but instead we get to see pictures of a man with his head up his butt etc..the President with the Russian flag and Natzi sign on a uniform, we get to see certain people refer to the president as a Marxist, Communist, then the attacks degenerate if that isn't enough, to his wife! It is really disgusting and certainly gives this website a poor quality of reporting that is more sinister than during the campaigning. Yet the people posting this stuff continue to do so, adding fuel to the fire ..I don't go to certain posts at all anymore as I learned my lesson that it's just a waste of my time.

thanks, lila- folks might still give a negative comemtns0 but rhey were lookkng for them - not ahving to scroll through hte crazy stuff.

@SPK -- They're not new rules, we'll just be enforcing our Community Guidelines a little tighter, as you requested.

Here they are, so everyone can review them -- http://www.ireport.com/guidelines.jspa

gill - that's what I'm taking about. tnanks you.

There are enough Names named and Comments pasted.

But there are a couple of Master Baiters that have done very well out of the practice whilst others calling a name or 2 have been removed.

@mrfloridad

I would "vote" for a revamped home page too - perhaps audio as well as video and pix sections - I'll admit I only recently realised that audio was acceptable...

There are likely to be situations where people can audio record their reactions / a crowd reaction to an event, where pictures are unavailable / difficult - uploading processing time would be quicker, too.

Hmm, audio isn't good TV though is it .... perhaps a pic of the iReporter?

Alun Hill, London UK (but in Norwich UK tonight - it's 8.40pm here!)

Spontaneous --

Community members can deactivate and reactivate their accounts as they see fit. When you say "start from the beginning" I assume you are referring to the "Superstar" status?

I think the bigger question is - why do users feel compelled to deactivate? Thoughts?

What about profile's with no pictures and people that do not post anything at all?

Hr. florida- agre to a pojnt but I can make sno sens eof gthe mreics behind "newsiets." this wekk my good friend. Clueball, had a post about a Bandage Barbie that was on newsirets for along time. now those are weird metrics. that was just for fun - not news. Maybr a merics for funniest -  or... well, no "america's Funniest ...."

Spontaneous, some of us put a little more effort into the stories, comentarys/opinion pieces.  We just feel that we should not be lumped into the same group who wants to report about a bird in their back yard, how blue the sky is or if its national cheeto day.  :)

Ok, david.

I just find those rather open to interpretation.

ie: Hate Speech/Racially or ethnically offensive content.

I think if that is to be upheld we cannot use certain negative terms but which.

It is such a grey area.

Tyson, ok. Some iReporters leave if they aren't getting noticed like they want or being bashed. When I say start from the beginning, I mean have no posts, have to start over. That shows dedication.

David

Thanks for the response.  Does this mean that you will monitor reports?  Does it mean you'll be stricter on comments you remove?  Does that mean three strikes, you're out?  Does that include people who clearly want to annoy you and nothing else? Just trying to get a clearer picture of how this will be achieved.

Hello Everyone!

@DavidW- it looks like you have a lot of questions to answer, but I am hoping that you received what I emailed to you this am re: pm to ireport email accounts from someone named trebbee and the inappropriate nature of it- I don't expect you will have time to answer that here, but would you please review that, as this is becoming a real problem, and not just for myself- thanks Ann

@KarmaHD -- If you see a comment that you think violates our Community Guidelines, please flag it. You will be doing all of us a huge favor. We get about 3,000 comments every day, so reading them all is tough to do.

mrfloridad, that's the beauty of iReports. They ALLOW us to post offbeat, etc. The tags are there for that.

David, that sounds like a job for an unpaid intern.......

so, right now, ireprots had a superstar that didn  not constribute at the last roundtable- they are not here now yet I went against my lenten vow (extra time at the rail0 and checkedd and 7 minutes ago she posted a reply to her own post. that is, again, whay I'm taling about- CNN is allowing its blog to be kidnapped.

@AnnNonomus -- I got the email, but haven't read it yet. I will right after this meeting.

DAvid- more than one of us falled the  picture of the guy with his hjead up his..... we are flagging them. I am not trying to be obstianate but it is getting old.

Spont, your right, that is the way right now.  Just my opinion that people putting more effort into the story, gets equal billing to those downloading 100 pictures from their black berry at the Oscars.

If I was to put up a video about the Iraq War and it was pro America, would Iraqies have the right to complain using this...

Content that advocates violent behavior

Just waht does the "discretion advised" option cover?

Again, wounded War casualties, Riots, Car crashes, footage of the KKK for an pro KKK report or an anti KKK report, etc

One thing I'd like to see is, IReport Members to have the ability to disable, delete, and approve comments before posting. Often times when some nutcase makes nasty comments online about an IReport, even when flagged as inapproiate by others, it never gets deleted. Any chance of this fantasy coming true?

Nice Question SPK

Wow - 3,000 comments a day is HARD to moderate - I'm most impressed. Genuinely!

Alun Hill

I would hate to have something pulled even though I had the warning up.

but @mrfloridad, there's a really wide spectrum of news here. in-the-moment photos of the red carpet might be really newsworthy to people who follow the awards, just as a fully produced video package about Prop8 demonstrations might be just as newsworthy to another person. I think the diversity of topics and kinds of stories on iReport is one of the things that makes it interesting

Will do David W.  I just dont want to be the thought police, as crazy as it gets on here, it is fun.  The immature behavior is pretty obvious as is the thinly veiled agenda of those individuals I personally find offensive.  I enjoy this forum, I would just like to see a more civil debate to happen, rather than the dogmatic set of ideas of the most controversial put forth, and the vehement guarding of those ideals which does become disturbing.

Spontaneous -- you said "Tyson, I just think making the main page toooo busy is going to turn people away or some will miss out on something, focus on one "tab". Having it all on the main page makes sense to me."

Response --

Doesn't having it all on the main page make it busy already? And what about users who post multiple times in rapid succession, filling up the home page? Would you prefer the iReport.com staff play a bigger role in curating that content? All thoughts welcome

David and other CNN staffers:

Do you have employees posing as iReporters to stir things up??

A lot is being asked here and no one will ever be satisfied. I think the major issues are revamp the star rating system, stricter on horrible comments/flags/videos and pics, and revamp the look of the main page.

hi everyone. i'm going to try and get caught up on the convo from the last 50 mins before 4 pm hits...

I agre tyson - the "tag" stuff on the right side of the screen on the homepage is wasted space - we need it when we write the post, but not alter. And it looks messy. we could have tabs instead.

@Lette CNN employees definitely do not post iReports. We have strict rules prohibiting us from doing our own iReports.

I hear you Tyson, I guess it's something I have to see to know what everyone in here is talking about. I'm a visualist. Sorry

disturbing as in my typing

good question, Lette- transparency is good.

Welcome jbjimbo!

Hi, @jbjimbo! Welcome!

On the multiple reports in quick succesion, why not sort it so your last new report shows only. That way you cant squeeze others out by posting 3 or 4 at a time.

Hi jbjimbo!

zdan

Thank you!  Just curious.

I agree Lila. Entertainment is news and I like to see it, like a lot of others as well.

It is obvious if you do not have a post on politics with an open chat room,  a headline news story that has been played, hashed and re-hashed , blood and gore, your posts are lost in the maze of rhetoric.

IReport was a site for every story, every type of post from headline to travel, to nature, to photography to civilized politics.

It is infuriating when some one says your post is not news worthy, especially if they have no posts of their own.

So many excellent reporters and photographers gone, or rarely posting, because their reports/photos are lost. They are one starred immediately.

Star ratings serve no purpose, you might have five 5 star ratings and one star will knock your post into oblivion. It not so much as ratings, as it is having your report buried.

As far as superstar status, I think you are pointing the finger to all on main superstar page, when it is only a few that spread the hate and discontent.

Can we delete and come back? Yes we can, at least right now.

After I read all the dislike of so called superstars, or what ever it might be, and come onto ireports to find nothing but hate filled blogs, I do delete.

I delete to come down off the board, I delete to have the star removed from my icon.

Why should I have to start all over, if I choose to activate?

I have been here since the beginning, since the day you had to work and earn the title.

Original posts, photos and videos. Very view cut and pastes, unless it was from our local paper that had to do with headline news.

Superstar means nothing anymore, it is a tool for further meanness and discontent.

It is a shame it is that way.

All of you can say it doesn't mean anything to you, that you just want to get your story or point of view out, well I say once you get that star, you chuckle  a little to yourself.

I say do away with stars, do away with superstar.

Maybe there will be some peace on the site again.

@Lette -- No, we do not stir things up. CNN employees are  forbidden from participating in a discussion, or from posting a story on iReport.com. We do occasionally post a comment, to point out that an iReport is used on CNN, but we will not make editorial comments.

If anyone tells you that they are an iReport employee, please let me know.

thanks for clarifyng, zdan

Technicaly I would imagine that only needs the list to be checked to see if the new items auther's name already has an entry and if it does to replace it rather than show 2.

@DavidW- thank you so much- and also what is the policy about  spamming many posts, which was happening again, last night- is this allowed? Their topic is generally way off base and serves no purpose.  Is this considered a violation?

thank you-Ann

spk there was a post from China today..it has been on ireport before..most likely from the same person..it has the disgression advised on it..hey come on people are going to look..humans are curious..get real...so anyway I know from the title stating they eat babies in China that is was a post from before..pictures very graphic and they don't leave out anything. so to me this is not freedom of anything, it is a type of let me see how I can shock people..it is a very sick and twisted post..I flagged it and have no idea if it's still on or not..

You have ireporters who know better and have been on this site way longer then me and a lot of us, that post hate, hate towards President Obama, hate towards everyone that is not just like them in their thinking..then they go from post to post spewing out this crap! which has nothing to do with the topic of the post! Because they might not get enough points or hits or whatever it is they attack others in order to stay at the top! The top of what?? This is unacceptable to alot of people on here, not just me..

On the "Superstar" board, I think it would be a good idea to have the pictures move around and rotate non-stop like the "Newiest" so people won't think this is a dog-eat-dog competition.

david and zdan - i dsonlt know if anyoine has told us that as much as trying to figure out how some reporters stay on here in sote of bad behavior. that is all for me, anyway.

@Ryn Hello! Thanks for joining the conversation. You're right, original photos and video are a valued contribution to iReport.com. When those submissions relate to what we're looking for during the day (the top assignments on the Assignment Desk) they certainly catch our attention.

@SPK - you said

"On the multiple reports in quick succesion, why not sort it so your last new report shows only. That way you cant squeeze others out by posting 3 or 4 at a time. "

That's an interesting idea, thank you!

I would do away with the superstar board entirely- what is the point? rewards? Ego? Not important. Think of the room you will save!

Lila, Yes.  But this is CNN.  The leader in News.  Maybe I am a little old school.  But Shows Like Extra and "E" and Entertainment tongiht, and for that matter Show Biz tonight, falls under the gossip heading.  I don't care what Brittany wore.  I would much rather hear stories about how people are helping people to make the world better.

Than Hollywood BS

@everybody -- Just to be clear, we have just started adding comments to add a little context to stories we have approved -- such as an extra nugget of information we may have learned by talking to the iReporter. We will not however make inflammatory comments to try to stir up a debate.

good repsone- tyson! good idea SPK

@SPK - So I love the suggestion and I'm maybe not sure I understand it fully. We would love to hear more. What are your ideas about how to better display and sort content on the site?

David

Thank you, I will!

I would have to agree with RYN, discourse is rewarded rather than content it appears.  My goal was to post some of my photographs, then I found out what IReport had to offer.  I refuse to post any topic just to draw attention, IE head up the butt picture, of which was used by a staunch left view as well as a staunch right view.  Hopefully we can get to the point we all can be better at what we deem as news, and improve how we present that news, that is my only goal on here.

How about making it easier to find the answer to a post once you put it here. I feel like it's an easter egg hunt to find mine. lol

Tyson Great Idea or maybe expand it to say every 6 hours.

If your report is good enough, people will want to see the other stuff you wrote.

There is a flame attack iReport against me personally accusing me of being a male named Roger and trying to convence people I work for CNN and personally read others PM and exercise the power to ban people.

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-225643

Would you take a look at the behavior of this iReport author and set the record staight? Most of the attacks on me have subsided but this is a rebirth of attack modes of the past.

Thanks

That was my point gill.

If I used the "Discretion Advised" do I also need a disclaimer on the article.

eg: "If you have no sense of humour, are esily offended or Republican, please do not watch this video as it will offend"

Would that cover me?

Didnt take long. MEMEMEME!

@Spontaneous --

The "Superstar" board is automated. We are planning to rework the algorithm to make it more in tune with recent activity, as well as some other changes. We hope it will make it more meaningful and absolutely less of a "dog-eating competition"

@SPK -- I want to make sure that everyone knows that setting up multiple accounts to manipulate the ratings system or post abusive comments is a very good way to be banned from the site. It might take a while, because tracking IP addresses is fairly labor intensive, but when we catch someone doing it, we ban them and do our best to make sure then don't come back.

The person doing their own post should have the option of deleting nasty comments from their own post?? As these comments made by people who won't stop it, just keep on doing it..So either allow the comemnts to be deleted or...please have a place to click on the commentn with the commentors name attached so it is highlighted..if the person continues to abuse the post them flag them and they would automatically be deleted from the post???? can this be done ??? some how??

4 Viewable I-Reports on the main page sounds like a good deal.

Every report still gets viewed, except people will have to hunt for it.

This will allow people to post their standard 20 I-Reports a day and will allow other people to get their stories viewed by more people without being burried.

@VotingFemale That user isn't here any more. That is unacceptable.

One thing I've been delighted with is seeing the "on CNN" banner appear on my iReports.

One problem, which could perhaps be easily solved by a comment from the iReport team, is where on CNN (which program) it was shown (or first shown, if it makes multiple programs).

CNN here in the UK is a little different from the US version - and I'd love to know where one of my iReports in particular was shown (and the person I interviewed keeps asking me!).

It's http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-217516, if anyone's interested - and that's not a plug - just an explanation of the slightly unusual iReport I made.

Would it be easy to add a comment saying "shown on (news)" etc, please?

No problem if not - I do enjoy making my films for iReport!

Alun Hill

That is the problem, david, time.

I suggest a log file with connected IPs (I realise that is huge) with a damned good database of offending IPs and an automated search function.

That would probably cut your time down.

I was stuck with an rtf IP/User list and manual search for my chat rooms but it did work and was reasonably fast.

thank you dear...

HMMM why limit posts in any way as to number?  What is the motive of that?  Seems like that is a motive behind that Mrfloridad?

david - what did you just say?

why would anyone think that about you Votingfemale?

that attack iReport is still here though...

@David- how mnay times can a reporter tell someone to go ... well procreate with himslef and still be a "superstar?"

@everybody -- Let me also just stress that VotingFemale does not work for CNN, have any moderating powers or have any special influence with team iReport.

I have seen people say that she has gotten people kicked off the site, but that is not the case. If someone reports a problem, we will look into it and take appropriate action, it doesn't matter who they are.

but just as she compain about a repotr- she has one with my name in it - dost she portest too much?

Okay Hi Team iReport...thanks..there are quite a few of you here and it is a good thing to see the support as the ireporters who post here can sure use some ..thanks..

David and the rest of the IReport team thank you I have to get back to work, I believe you can see what the issues are and hope to see some sort of difference on Monday.  Thank you...

Votingfemale- your attack on me is still up as well.

thanks Team!

@AlunHill

Great suggestion. This is something we have been struggling with. It's common these days to see many incredible iReports used across all CNN platforms - from CNNUS, CNNI, HLN, CNN Radio and CNN.com. And it's been tough keeping track.. We're doing our best to keep up - and when we do see them used on the air or online, we're going to do a better job of letting you know, either via comments directly to your stories or on our blog.

We're also looking into ways we could automate that process. We would love the community's help as well.

@everyone I'm heading out now. Thanks for the great conversation! We look forward to continuing to improve the iReport.com experience.

Have a great weekend!

Thanks all, lots of great comments made; great ideas. Signing off.

Bye now - enjoyed chatting with everyone, and look forward to implementing some of the new ideas here.

Karma, have you seen some of the dribble that comes out of the Pro Democrat Pro Republican crowd.  They go back in fourth like is a summer time barbicue and they are all drunk.

30 If you have not made your point after 20 comments I think that you will never will.

All politicians are spending our money equally.  8000 earmarks in the last bill.  It was almost a 50/50 split.

Given certain reporters actions and the ammount of warnings that seem to be dished out before they are removed, I do find it strange david that a certain 1 or 2 are still about.

This was why I was after clarification on the rules as from the outside it does look like there has been a certain ammount of bias in the applying or defining of the rules.

Thanks for the great suggestions, everyone! See you around.

Davidw,

Can we look forward to a weekly meeting on Friday?  I need more than these sameday notices : > (

Thanks iReport Team!!

Later. Looking forward to seeing your iReports!

@NERanger -- To answer two of your questions:

1) I would prefer that no one post pictures of anyone with their heads up their own behinds, but it has been used to portray President Obama, President Bush and Sen. McCain. It is, however political speech that we have traditionally allowed. Perhaps we shouldn't.

2) No one should be telling people to "go procreate themselves," so lets stop that.

Thanks for giving us a chance to talk guys.

Oldschool61 checking in

Another option, if I may, david, would it be possible to have any video sent up to load up as paused until the play button is pressed.

I have to go. Back later if there is still chat going on.

Hi David and staff!  There are an awful large number of accounts going blue lately the last of which was Em1ly.  She posted something about VotingFemale being a Fox/CNN entity by the name of Roger.  Any truth to that?

I think the site is great and it seems to be growing all of the time. There's no suggestions here as the site seems to be managed fairly well for the increasing volume of IReporters. I'm supprised at how professional some of the reports are for being an amature reporting site.

@SPK -- I won't deny that I have been lenient in the past. I really hoped that y'all would be able to sort things out without major intervention on my part. What I'm hearing is that that's really not working any more.

Starting Monday, I will be sending out a lot more warnings and acting on those warnings a lot faster until things stabilize.

Great to be able to make suggestions - thanks for the opportunity.

Alun Hill

David what SPK is saying is a concern to me too. Please I hope this will also get clarification soon ...thanks for putting this discussion on. I don't think there is another website that would do this..but I don't know that for a fact as this is the first website I have ever participated in with these live debates on posts..I appreciate this place and I hope it will really get alot better..thanks to the team too..

@KevinJCruz -- That's an excellent way to end this week's discussion. We are blessed to have such a talented and creative community. It really is an honor to be able to share y'all's stories through CNN.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Maybe IReporters should be required to use their real identity so there are no more questions about accountability for comments or posts. I don't know. If it really is a legal matter... of course nobody wants their identity stolen on the internet but I guess that's all the more reason to use the real one.

DAVIDW,

This session was missing your core of iReporters.  Try giving us atleast a 24 hour  notice of the next roumntable discussion.. believe it or not, some of us have a life out here that doesn't inclued cnn.

I just happened to find my answer in the thread.  Never  mind.

David, I'm wondering if the star rating system shouldn't be overhauled.  If someone likes your post they can rate it with a star.  If not they don't rate it at all.

lady he did give us all a heads up -yesterday.

DAvid- RE: your comment to SPK- I welcome it! Ad hope you also got teh message- we doc not need the star / superstar rating system.

thanks again for your time.

DAvid- just saw your creplies to my commetns - I have only sen hte recent "behins" pictures. Can ghey be removed- I agfee none are appropriate.

aso- the person who told me that - I reported igt, it as removed, they "apologized" in a verty snide way - and they are your biggest superstar. Fair? I do not get it.

david, hoe are you, thanks for a great forum, take care, best wishes, no complaints from me now, no more stalkers following me, thanks david,

larena

David- I am vey sorry for my bad typing- so here it is cleaned up:

David- just saw your replies to my comments- I have only seen the recent "behind" pictures. Can hey be removed ?  I agree none are appropriate.

also,  the person who told me to go procreate with myslef, I reported it, the comment was removed, they "apologized" in a verty snide way - and they are your biggest superstar. Fair? I do not get it. 

Superstar? Not in my book.

  Your comments

David - How about upping the minimum age from 13 to 18 and making a section just for teens? It seems some of the comments are so childish and poorly written, maybe this is part of the problem? At times the personalities seem to change, like a kid has taken over the parent's account.

It is a shame it is having to come to that david but as I said, there is much unrest about the pervieved unfairness of treatment from 1 individual to the next.

That has certainly caused a certain ammount of bad feeling.

David - Regarding the ranking / star system, I work hard on my posts and see people who do nothing but go around and "trash" others' posts but somehow attain a similar ranking. I see others have expressed similar feelings that someone must post on a regular basis to get some kind of "star" ranking.

David, another suggestion I forgot earlier.

This is something I learned way back in the days of DOS.

Rather than deleting a file (I assume you cannot delete a file from your server) you could potentialy copy a "Censored" image over the offending image when reported.

That should work as you are not removing the file.

Just a thought. If not can you find another way of making the image unviewable without the whole report going if it is the image that is found to be offensive.

I have a few suggestions:

1: Ask President Obama, besides taxing people over $250,000 a year to get revenue. What will you do when the people they work for is no longer in business?

2. With all the bailouts and more coming;Are the Bonds to the Market being sold International first? or they being put after all the Bills and Budget being passed?

3. Why haven't they asked all the Banks just to Click The Spreadsheet-Pull all Properties in Default and causing Problems?

4. Find why roperties were priced (worth) properties, were the Inspectors playing fair or cheating the system Nationwide?

I have a comment on the story that Gerri Willis reported on a short time ago, about software engineers retiring in California and that there were opportunities for people to move into these positions.  Well, I'm a software person in CT.  I was out of work for 4 months.  Being in IT isn't the answer to every question.  Plus, with the market getting hit, people will need to keep working.  So I don't see people retiring and making room for the people coming out of school.  Also, being in IT means you have a pretty good chance of your job getting outsourced.

I see some people worked out the point of this place.

so team - since "Obamasux" is still allowable if a very evil person decided to put up a moniker like, let me see.... "votingfemalesux" would that be allowed?

David, just finished rading all the comments.  I love to debate with people and find that most are capable pf debating without resorting to name calling.  When I have been on the recieving end of the offensive comments, which has happened on most of my posts, and on the posts of others as well, I will usually ignore the poster.  However, there are some on here who will hound and heckle and just will not back down and will continue a one- sided tirade of insults, even when ignored.  Those are the ones that need a serious look.  That being said, I truly enjoy ireports and I read much more than I comment on.  If I find the report offensive, I leave and don't add my two cents, even though it is hard sometimes.  I have even made a comment, opened a new tab, gone to another report, and then gone back and reread my own comment before posting.  Most times, if I do that, when I come back, I delete the comment before posting it, as I find that the report is just not worth commenting on.

It would seem so NER.

Again the what we can and cant do has to be based on what has and hasnt gotten people removed as the Rules do seem grey and open to interpretation.

I seem to have sort of gotten answers tonight or at least a bit closer.

I think as it is still a bit grey I could email CNN with the intention behind anything I do so if I am removed I can point to my email and wether I got a reply saying it was ok or not.

That would seem a bit time consumeing for them and me.

I will think about it and see what happens over the 1st week of the clamp down.

March 6th 2009

My name is Barry and I bought and now own two very valuable domain names that may help that Mullah or any other match making Mullah in IRAN and surrounding countries that may want to improve their matchmaking business!

They are www.mullahmatchmaker.com & www.mullahmatch.com  A Mullah matchmaker in IRAN is doing an incredible business as per the CNN news broadcast and there is room for another matchmaker or two with these two valuble domain names. So Calling all Mullaha's if you desire these valuable domain names to improve your business please contact me { A Nice Jewish Boy} with your serious bid in the USA at 1-970-259-3998.

Barry

LadyHood, we did have plenty of notice. Check the blog.

Could ireport give me the ability to block some from commenting on my posts.  Could ireport give a running tab of my posts-videos/pictures, views and comments on the posts?

Just heard about this dialogue a few minutes ago--will try to participate live this week; have to say there's a palpable jousting tone among some of the posts today; i can understand people not wanting to be rudely spoken to, although i'd say it may come with the territory when you are exposing your views to the world; there is a tone of competition (stars, ratings, whatever)which some may find confusing or even annoying, but competition can drive positive behavior, too, don't you think? good job to the iReport team for this effort today.

Darn it! Missed it again. My fault. I just want to say that I have enjoyed ireports very much. I believe CNN has done a great job.

I pop in a few times a year for a short duration of blogging and the star vote system is a drag. Real drag. The only input a blogger should have is leaving comments and engaging in convo. The star system is used and abused and it sends ideologically opposing reports straight in the trash. That's why I spend more time on other blogs, especially on UK and Canadian domains. Another issue I'd like to point out are the organized hit jobs by Ireporters on other reporters. It's an out of control community. Some organized attacks are so well planned that targets lose cool and violate community dialogue/language guidelines for giving as good as they get. I've seen this dozens of times. Also, net boards consider IReport the Oval Office community water cooler for lack of policing and the lack of keeping the Ireport community under control. Last point, if you upload opposing view points against the majority ideology, your article won't get posted. I've call CNN in what, GA numerous times with complaints and by the time I'm off the phone, my articles are posted. Coincedence? I think not. That's why when I'm on here, I don't stay long.

What I don't want is for CNN to censor to the point of making this forum moot. There are haters of equal ilk on both sides. As to some of the references to President Obama...it seemed to be perfectly OK for people here to slam and defame President Bush on a regular and routine basis with impunity.

My point exactly. But whoa no, heaven forbid you cast aspersions on our current president. You're voted on and your report gets burried so deep that it goes out with Thursday's trash.

Readers should not have any control over where another reporter's article ultimately ends up. And the point is, readers who are not owners of the original content, do.

Long time coming. It's good to see all this now.

2 thumbs up!!!

Lastly, and sorry for the typos (I need an editor), CNN should offer revenue sharing for televised and promoted articles. Otherwise, it's CNN extending it's reporting arm without absorbing the cost of paying staff reporters. Pretty slick. They futher maintain their ratings by extending their coverage-reach for free without paying people who are responsible for reporting and sharing coverage.

Dang!! I'm marking the next meeting on my calender!! I was online too and forgot about it being today...

Neranger...Sooo sorry you found the photo of the head-up-the-butt offensive. I think it represents most of our politicians right now. Seems one of 'yours' really liked it and decided to use it too in her ireport, but changed the wording into a "Nazi Hate theme"...hahaha

Lucky you didnt have the copyright then.

It would be great to have the ability to have our own blogs next to our videos on the same page. When people would see our profile they could read our latest as well. All the major players offer video or text but no one has combined them effectively - aside from stand-alone blogs.

sp Lida- you could be the better person and have the offensive picture removed. Do you have the guts?  I have not rd the post- found the picture repulsive and IMO violates the community gudleines.

David

As usual, Thank you for having us in this community and for putting up with us. I think of Ireport as 'therapy for my soul".  :-]

The only thing I have to complain about is the recent "HATER CLUB" personal attacks. Seems if you do not agree with the ideology of a certain group of people, you have been marked for derogatory and/or personal hate attacks.

Thus far, I've not flagged them, but my patience grows very thin and I'm at the point of not caring 'WHO" it is or how established they are here, those attacks are fixing to start getting flagged.

Sorry I missed the meeting. :-{

Lisa

David

As usual, Thank you for having us in this community and for putting up with us.

The only thing I have to complain about is the recent "HATER CLUB" personal attacks. Seems if you do not agree with the ideology of a certain group of people, you have been marked for derogatory and/or personal hate attacks.

Thus far, I've not flagged them, but my patience grows very thin and I'm at the point of not caring 'WHO" it is or how established they are here, those attacks are fixing to start getting flagged.

SPK

THANKS FOR THE GREAT DISCUSSION!

Next week's session will be Wednesday, March 11, at 12 p.m. ET

David,

Midnight?? ET time??

Works both ways that.

There was me thinking this was supposed to be positive feedback or at least a Q&A thing rather than the old MEMEME again.

Maybe next week it will stay on the useful stuff.

Neranger

I am so sick of your whining. You seem to find everything that opposes Pres. Obama offensive and I think you need to toughen up and stop acting like a 'victim' when you dish out what you reap.

LisalnTX

I am so sick of your whining. You seem to find everything that says good things about  Pres. Obama offensive and I think you need to toughen up and stop acting like a 'victim' when you dish out what you reap.

I thought it was just the Liberals that whinged.

Gov

You getting worried yet about the IP's getting zapped?

IDK...poor guy.

Why? You think I will get zapped?

David

As you can see...part of my 'fan' club that is now currently taking my reports and 'putting their own spin on things'...hahahaaa....It's so NICE to be loved and copied. ;-}

You mean like another reporter who would take a single comment from another reporter and use it to repackage a story and put it up again?

Great stuff.

But anyway, I am off. Thanks again david but you really need to try and stop these people making veiled threats about removing us.

Roger, Over and Out.

spk

As to 'copyright' I  know that if I post a report, it belongs to CNN. I have NO problem with that at all, unlike someone else I know of. ;-}

You would like to explain that?

SPK

Are you saying, that I'm getting personally attacked because of what SOMEONE ELSE did? Now that makes perfect sense to you I'm sure, but not to me. But it's really no skin off my back...the little red button awaits those that continue these attacks.

Folks, the exchange between Lisa and Ranger is precisely the point I'm making. There's no love lost between the two in the pit either. If Ranger doesn't like the photo guess what, he doesn't have to look at it. But instead, folks vote and vote and vote away until reports that people deem newsworthy are reduced to ashes while voters self-justify and scream community guideline violations. Folks, it's a non-starter. If you don't like an IReport, guess what- that's what your browser nav bar is for. I seriously don't know where some community members get off. Lisa's report photo is offensive to whom? To Ranger? To Obama? To you? To me? Maybe so. Maybe not but that's not the point. The point is if you cast aspersions on someone's favorite player, you can bet someone out there is going stomp their feet, scream and yell, game the system, vote you into oblivion and claim violation of community guidelines. Count on it. If you don't like an report, for God's sake, voice it and move on but don't game the system. If I don't like an report I may or may not say something and I move on. Rarely do I ever vote a one star. If I can't vote a five, I don't vote period. Folks, this is not grade school. Grow up.

Now you are just talking nonsense.

Is that deliberate so you dont have to answer the question?

If you want to start something especialy here then please take it to its conclusion.

I have 20 minutes before I have to go, so make it snappy.

You would like to 1st explain the copyright thing as it looks like you are saying you understand it perfectly but someone else doesnt. Who exactly is this someone else?

Since I laid it out on the line, someone will run through and lay down a one star vote on all of my reports just for spite. Folks, this is the fine print and the bottom line.

Hi all!

Smoo, you wont be alone. The 1star Bandit has been doing it to everyone. In fact 1 reporter who had a relatively non political report up commented somewhere in a way that contradicted others.

Their report that until then had only 5 stars suddenly got blasted several times with 1 star. No comments, nothing. All in about 5 mins.

It seems to happen.

You're not kidding SPK.  Many times I'll vote a five on reports that have a rating of one or two stars just to give it a boost, give it a chance at more exposure and make it harder for others to vote it into oblivion.

Seems to be the way it is at the mo. It was obviously setup to do good but that isnt working. It is probably best removed. We must wait and see what CNN do.

Follow-up: The most recent reports I've posted just got dropped back a notch with some nasty comments. Just Like I said. These snot nose kids are screwing up this site so bad you can't even operate. I've had it.

I completely overlooked your post about the round table. I would not have missed it. That I did miss it. The fact that I missed it brings me to my point as someone who helped web page design in a large pharma company. It is hard to navigate through CNN's site generally and through eReport in particular. In the search box top right, if you type in the name of an iReporter, it should not take you the ireport and ireporter radio buttons next to another search box that says below it that the search term does not exist (ie the ireporter). It should somehow pick up on that ireporter's name and ask only if you want to see his/her bio or the iReports or perhaps just take you to one or the other. Then there is the visual pollution and the constant change in the location on the main page of items we iReporters look for

Well twitter works as I just found the discussion! But the big news around here is SMOKE and Coffee..... Is there a idea for a Story there? Could be but have to let the dog out. I am fearful of looking at the stock market. I am kind of a creature of doing the same thing every morning?

All social networking sites have to do now is figure out a way to make a profit. Myspace losing money, facebook losing money, twitter losing money.

Social networking applied to industry, hey, there's an idea. Seems this site might be on to something.

Sorry I missed this, simply didn't make it in time... again!.  I also won't be able to make the next one, but here are a couple of things I wanted to mention that others have not already covered.

1) Often I come across a post that I really like, informative, beautiful picts, interesting point of view.  The post however has been overlooked and I would love to promote it somehow.

possible solutions:

1) Promote button in addition to star rating.   There is an added section just for this, if 5 people promote the post it is added to that section.  In that section it gets a keep button.  If 5 people click that it stays there and then as more people click keep it gets bumped up (but this is only for 24 hrs after that the post will be removed from that section.. ireporter choice section?

or

2) Staff picks (these would be posts that don't meet the critera to be 'on CNN' but that the staff likes and feel should get more visibility) again each post lasts 24 hrs in this section and it is sorted based on positive responses to the posts.

I would also like to echo the 'sections' ideas mentioned a couple of times above.  There are too many tags to keep track of and the busy ones move just as fast as the main page. 

I would love to be able to go into a images section, a humor section, or even a odd news section and just browse in there. 

At times I feel that I am just reloading to get past all the car picts, or Barbe picts just to find new articles that I enjoy.   When those floodings (and if they are something I enjoy I do follow them so I don't want them to stop) happen it would be nice to be able to just go into one of the sections and wait for the flood to ebb.

I had to ruin my 700 credit score on purpose to get a little help. I wasn’t behind on my mortgage and I paid my credit card bills. I didn’t have enough debt to qualify for any help! I owned my starter home for ten years before moving up and was ready to sell my home to get the new one. But a mortgage broker told me it would be in my best interest to keep my old home and rent it out because property was a good investment. He told me to get a interest only on it to bring down the payments (had a 30yr 5.0 rate) for 5 yrs then I could refinance or sell if I still wanted too. So after three years I wanted to refinance, and take out 20.000 equity to pay off some debt and start a project only to get denied, so I went to the home I live in and was denied! That’s how I knew I was in trouble and was going to lose everything I worked for my entire life. No one would refinance me. My home went from 1,015 a month to 22,000 a month and my rental went from 650.00 to 1,115 a month! And everyone keeps saying I wasn’t responsible! I had a 740 credit score, was never a debtor and trusted a realtor! So in order to get help I had to stop paying my bills, it killed me! Every call and letter I got from collectors. I had to max out cards on purpose to qualify and now it’s over and I still have too high of payments (Froze on my home, but not on rental) and a bankruptcy on my credit. The funny thing is I WOULD HAVE SOLD THE STUPID HOUSES and cut my losses if I could have. No one would help. So now we have government help and I don’t qualify because I’m bank rupt.

Well,I needed to put a topic that I just saw online about the President applying his order on stem cell research. I do not understand with the way this country has come into existance how one person can just make a decision like this. WHAT IS LEFT OVER EMBRYOS? Why should we as human incourage the use of life that could exist be killed? I do not understand why does he have the decision to make the outcome of life a decision.

WHY ARE THE REPUBLICANS ACTING A FOOL NOW. FOR 8 YEARS REPUBLICANS SET BACK WITH THEIR HANDS FOLDED AND DIDNT SAY ANYTHING. NOW THERES A DEMOCRAT IN OFFICE THEY GOT SOMETHING SAY. IF REPUBLICANS HAD ANYTHING TO SAY WHY WASN'T THERE SUGGESTIONS AND OPINIONS VOICED 8 YEARS AGO. WHY START NOW?! THE BEST THING TO DO IS COME TOGETHER AND DO WHATS BEST FOR THE COUNTRY NOT YOUR DAMN SELVES.

From Article I Section 9:

    No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.

Why do Americans accept Knight Hood?  The Emolument Clause prohibits Congress from granting any title of nobility. In addition, it specifies that no civil officer may accept, without the consent of Congress, any emolument, office or title from a foreign ruler or state.

I live in Las Vegas Nevada and I'm closing on a bank owned home next week. I'm getting a house that was worth $300K two years ago for $160. I have very little pity for the people who foreclose on their upside down loans. I've worked my butt off for the last 12 years and I simply couldn't afford to buy a home until now. I plan on paying off my 30 year loan in about 10 years, and if I lose my job I will have money saved up to cover payments for at least 6 months. All these people who foreclosed should have been more responsible and had money saved up for tough times instead of getting a bunch of home equity credit trying to inflate the price of the homes even higher. These are the same people that prevented me from buying an affordable home for all these years, and I think there are a lot of people out there that have jobs and just couldn't afford a house.

Being upside down on a loan is only temporary, and the markets will pick up soon. For this exact reason, there are no voluntary home sales now. It's the equivalent of buying a bunch of stock at a decent price, and then selling it all off when the markets bottom out, it just doesn't make sense. I have no doubt that the markets will pick up and when they do, everyone who was responsible, saved up money, paid more than their minimum payment every month, and didn't buy a house they really can't afford will be in the green again. Their homes will be worth even more than they did before.

People have to take some responsibility for their actions and we have to stop feeling sorry for those who are irresponsible. If you make $1000 a week and your mortgage payments are $2000 a month, then you don't deserve the home. Also if you got an ARM loan and had no down payment because you wanted to flip that house and make some money, you also deserve what happened to you. Most of these foreclosure happened because people were completely unrealistic and bought houses for profit

I believe they should be held accountable because their actions are impacting my parents' retirement funds and now my tax dollars are going to be paying for their greed

Teddy7X,

Do us all a favor and try not to break your arm patting yourself on the back?

You are the best person in the world and we should all bow to your greatness.

What a pleasure it was for you to share your story.  My life is so enriched because of it.

If I had to guess, if you held up your hand and counted your friends you would have a few extra fingers.  Just a guess.

I also noticed that you said "you" were closing on a home and not "we" are closing on a home.  Just another single that I think you will be eating Tuna Fish out of the can in a few years in your beautiful home.

Congrats.

I would very much like CNN to go back and do some justice on the story Channon Christian & Chris Newsom these two were murdered and no media covered it cause it was a black on white crime.  Unless you really believe Anna Nicholes death was more important I implore you CNN to keep face and revisit this, remember you are the nations eyes and ears if your not reporting the news your creating propaganda.

I'm blown away by the lack of intelligence and utter disinterest over the direction we are heading,,,socialism, we fought war's against

socialist,,,it's a shame so many have forgot our countries founding principles :(

The men who have died in the name of capitalism are rolling in their grave's.

rhetorical question : Who votes for something they have not read? our elected officials and the president, what are they doing in DC?

Just because one's a good speaker does not mean he's a good thinker

The government can't even handle Social security, how do they plan on paying for nationalized health care?

we need jobs, "we need a hand-up,,,not a hand-out"

Sorry I missed the show. But I have a question to someone in here. OCGirl, don't you have two accounts??? OCGirl AND RobinS???

i am really concerned about people that are here just to place comments, and they are bullies, i know is hard to keep track of them, why not start asking for id´s licences etc so we can feel free of people that join CNN IREPORTS just to make fun or nasty comments, please this i think would help, screen them when they join before accepting them screen them thanks larena, and where funnygirl11 go, she is no longer here on CNN

thanks

david i forgot to say hello and thanks to you and this great forum, best wishes me larena

Hello David...

I am so sorry that I missed this discussion and the last. I had stitches in my fingers and hands and could no type for a while.  I certainly hope that programs are being implemented to bring unwarranted attacks under control.  I am being attacked as I write this on my current post.  The usual name calling.  I certainly hope not to miss the next Round Table Discussion.

Really this cnn ireport is great Opportunity democoratic socity In the wolrd and its agreat Pillar according to reports the first webpage iopen  in pc is in ireporcnn,its fun and intertainment

realy its good  and iam thnk my freinds in ireport like lady hoodjnl  she encourage me to be great ireporter thks  lady hood

MY freinds In Ireport iwant submit u story conceirning issue between two countries, somalia, and somaliland they are diffrent, please read this articlesMain article: History of Somaliland

In 1991, after the collapse of the central government in Somalia, the main part of the territory asserted its independence as the Republic of Somaliland on May 18, 1991. It regarded itself as the successor state to the briefly independent State of Somaliland, but did not receive any international diplomatic recognition.

The economic and military infrastructure left behind by Somalia has been largely destroyed by war. The people of Somaliland had rebelled against the Siad Barre dictatorship in Mogadishu, which prompted a massive reaction by the government.

The late Abderahman Ahmed Ali Tuur was the first president of Somaliland. Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal was appointed his successor in 1993 by the Grand Conference of National Reconciliation in Boorama (Borama), which met for four months and led not only to a gradual improvement in security, but solidified the fledgling state.[6] Egal was re-appointed in 1997, and remained in power until his death on May 3, 2002. The vice president, Dahir Riyale Kahin, was sworn in as president shortly afterwards, and in 2003 Kahin became the first Somaliland president to be elected in a free and fair election.

The 2006 War in Somalia between the Islamic Courts Union and the forces of Ethiopia and Somalia's transitional government has not directly affected Somaliland.

edit Politics and government this encyclopedia somaliland  plase  click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somaliland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SomalilandMain article: Regions of Somaliland

Regions in the Somaliland macro-region of Somalia:

Awdal

Maroodi Jeex

Saaxil

Togdheer

The main cities and towns in Somaliland:

Hargeisa (Hargeysa), capital

Burco (Burao)

Berbera

Boorama (Borama)

Ceerigaabo (Erigabo)

Laascaanood (Las Anod)

Gabiley

Baligubadle

Zeila (Saylac)

Odweyne

Freinds somaliland realy occupied all the conditions as goverment  But the only thing they need today is recognition from international community please comment discuss this issue

Recent AIG frustration is being displaced. Certainly, everyone is upset for the bonus payouts happening. However, a ground swell of frustration ought to be placed on our government and their failure of due diligence in protecting the American people. Grass roots frustration should be overwhelming on the blogs, ireports,etc., so that the media focuses attention in the right direction, and stop playing on the emotions of the public. Satuate the internet accordingly until the mainstream media can't help but to cover it. Our government needs to be held accountable and until pressure comes from the grassroots they will simply continue to fail the people.

Most Americans are pretty upset about AIG paying all these huge bonuses to the top executives. One thing i don't understand and noone asks that, these top execuitives were getting paid salary, besides the bonuses. I wonder how much were their salaries.

Hello,

My wife is from Tawain and her friend use to work for AIG and was let go. She received $10,000 from AIG. How much money is going to foreign workers? 170 Billion in wasted money, AIG is out of control. It's our money that is paying for all this. Where's our hand out? I live (Indiana) where the unemployment is over 15% and we will be the last to see happy days again. AIG is a sham... Somebody needs to shut this company down and sell them off piece by piece.