...for locking the other thread. Some folks don't understand why it's important to expose these weasels for what they are--but they got a little sample of weasel tactics on the now closed thread. The latest D&D trick (Dennis and Dovelos) is to post fake posts under the name of the head of my church body. The fact that my church superiors heartily approve of my (minimal) contributions to fostering DL and whacking millists and shills, and that the Spokane Raid stuff has given many hours of merry reading to many of my bruvver clergy, has no effect on their silly stuff. The fact that D1 took it upon himself to investigate genealogy--looking for what? Jews?--shows the idiocy of these people. If it upsets anyone here to read about this junk, I'm genuinely sorry. But just in case any newbie is SO brand spankin' new as not to understand--and I say this with hearty respect to Lawrie Miller, Johnnie Liu, Jason Baker, and other runners of genuine specialty DL boards, whose work I fervently applaud --DEGREEINFO IS THE ONLY HONEST GAME IN TOWN. Hey there greenhorn! Get it? Got it. Good!
Oh, yeah, I forgot. Bruce, if you wanna lock this one to keep the weasels off, go ahead. Bless you, me boy.
I'm actually interested as to where this thread may go. I should mention that I think all the people you named (Lawrie Miller, Johnnie Liu, and Jason Baker) run 100% honest websites, and I've referred MANY people to all of them. They do lack the interactive capabilty of DegreeInfo, so while I know it wasn't your intention to imply they were less than honest, I wanted to clarify things. DegreeInfo, in my (admittedly biased) opinion, runs the most honest interactive board, in regards to DL and non-traditional education.
clarification welcomed Right you are. I have the highest regard for the speciality DL boards I mentioned. Miller, Liu, Baker et al. run eminently ethical websites. There are certainly others whose proprietors' names don't come to mind just now. I applaud them vigorously. But for general DL forum purposes, untainted by serving as a portal/lackey for psycho fora or as a playground for Untermenschen, DEGREEINFO IS STILL THE ONLY HONEST GAME IN TOWN.
Oh, maaan! I missed all the fun. After reading this thread, I had to poke around other threads around here for a minute or two in order to figure out what thread you guys were talking about; and by the time I found it it was, of course, closed; and I realized that I've not read anything in it for a while so I completely missed sunshine's (or John Dovelos's or Dennis Ruhl's or whomever he really is) psychotic attack on me and am now unable to respond... or to get into the fray in whatever other fun and intereresting ways might have been possible if I'd just been more on the ball. I hate it when that happens. Of course, as to everything Janko, Bruce and Abner have said so far in this thread, ditto.
Feelings of Inadequacy DesElms, Yabbut YOU at least attract frequent, vituperative, genuinely hateful, lengthy, foam speckled posts on the "other" board. Imagine MY chagrin when I found myself mentioned less than half a dozen times, only TWO attacks, both puny, halfhearted efforts, and only ONE of which was actually designed to lie about me! (Canadian history, if anybody cares; my posts were deliberately edited to highlight my admitted ignorance but conceal both my ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and SHAME at my own ignorance.) I just don't MATTER to these people, I guess...or maybe they think I may have to DEFEND one of them one of these days? (Heavy sigh.)
Bruce, Degreeinfo has been one of my most useful professional resources for current information on distance learning and related issues (e.g. accreditation, degree mills, etc.). As I have said many times before, distance learning is a large part of my job and Degreeinfo is a source of current information that is often unavailable from the other scholarly and professional resources upon which I rely. The public nature of Degreeinfo allows for a vibrant community of practitioners that contribute regularly via alterting us to website links, news articles, magazine and journal articles and personal experience that is invaluable to someone like me. The fact that Degreeinfo and many of those who post here are targets of negative attacks is evidence that it must be succeeding in its objective. If Degreeinfo was not making a difference, then why have a few people made so much effort to set up forums dedicated to little more than bashing Degreeinfo, and launching ad hominen attacked at certain regular posters? There is a definite culture apparent at Degreeinfo that favors regionally and nationally accredited colleges and universities above unaccredited one (as does the US government). There is also recognition that degrees from nationally accredited institutions, such as DETC (as contrasted to professional accreditation such as APA) has less overall utility that regionally accredited degrees. There is research to demonstrate this. The idea that Degreeinfo promotes "RA or no way" or "RA or the highway" is proven false by anyone willing to spend more than a few minutes on this forum. Bruce, thank you for providing a forum where professionals, hobbyists and information seekers can meet together virtually and for a community of practice. I am sorry that you and others are the object of such hatred by those who have a different philosophy and agenda. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), I have plenty of experience with those who have a different faith and choose to express it through acts of hatred toward those of my faith (thankfully, I have received none of this hatred on Degreeinfo--quite the opposite in fact). I think that your decisions regarding the closure of certain posts have evidenced a good deal of consideration. Moderating this huge thing certainly cannot be easy--especially considering the salary that you receive for it All the best...Tony
What he said! Dr. Piña, I have read your entire post twice - your whole prior post, not just the snippet that I quoted - and I agree with each and every sentence of yours, even the bit about the (to me, quite) humble even if small, Church of Latter Day Saints. Thanks for writing (or saying out loud) what many of us in here feel and cherish about DI and its hard-working moderators, experts and contributors. If I can add one thing, it is this: Newbies: Welcome! Degreeinfo (DI) is a treasure find, a superlative diamond-in-the-rough, an inexhaustible compendium of info on courses, degrees, programs and schools, both B&M and DL. Dr. Piña is correct in stating that several of DL's acknowledged world-wide experts are here. They post here, frequently, or with some regularity. Dr. Bear is our "Patron Saint" if I may so, and it is quite sad that there are others on some other fora, who, at times, thank him and at other times, denounce him and some who post here. You have come here because clearly you value the expertise, the integrity of the information, the sincerity of most contributors here. Think accredited (USDOE/CHEA-recognized RA or NA or PA or mGAAP) and stay the course - you will do just fine! Thanks again, Dr. Piña, for your wise words.
