Secrets of ATS

Why dont you ask the three people that stand to make a profit from this website! Is it the only source of income for three families? If so, can't blame people for wanting to attract biz. =P make that dolla dolla bill yo!

btw wupy, I have two accounts. I KNOW two super mods have seen that. No one said a word to me =) Funny, I remember seeing something bout it being a record week for people signing up

reply to post by Skyfloating

Originally posted by Skyfloating

Originally posted by spacevisitor
Well, in my opinion is this the first one, www.abovetopsecret.com... I get the idea of a disinformer.

Thats interesting. I dont want this thread to be about flame wars and accusing people, just gentle speculation and inquisitive chit chat.

Well Skyfloating, that’s absolute not my intent either.
I misunderstood you and I see that I made a mistake by showing the specific thread name.
I can't turn it back, but I offer you my apologies.


[edit on 29/10/07 by spacevisitor]

you're right. I am really a member of the MIB's! You got me!

Interesting topic, I think tho that some people on here are actually trying to miss-direct others with claims that are in no way possible and have no evidence... Maybe they are hidden under-cover people or the government, no way of us knowing. I just come on the site to discuss my views on things and research a lot more than I post. There are a lot of people much like me who just come on here to read stuff and don't post (or like I used to), I would just sit back and read through stuff as I used to come on the site years ago. For some reason now I am getting into the discussions

As you pointed out there are ridiculous things posted which are really funny that people believe, but that's all part of it being ATS. If I see something and don't believe it then I usually just close that topic and go on to something else! Some of the Google Earth things are funny and a good example of this.

reply to post by Skyfloating


Using your own logic, I could say that you are most certainly a gov. agent. You're trying to create dissent and diversion by attracting people to this thread.

Good try but ATS'ers are too smart to fall for this trick.

reply to post by Skyfloating


I'm surprised your still alive Skyfloating. It's only a matter of time. I hope you've got your bug out bag ready and gone round to your relatives houses to steal any old photos that they have of you, so you can destroy them. Remember to max out your credit cards and cut them up after use. A word of caution you will probably get red flagged from maxing out your cards so make sure your wearing a hat and sunnies when your at the ATM. Throw parts of your phone away separately in different locations. Don't tell anyone your leaving just get up and go.

All i can say is good luck.

Originally posted by spacevisitor

Well Skyfloating, that’s absolute not my intent either.
I misunderstood you and I see that I made a mistake by showing the specific thread name.
I can't turn it back, but I offer you my apologies.


[edit on 29/10/07 by spacevisitor]

No, I think you did quite well. That was a most interesting hint!

Originally posted by roadgravel
Given to level of forum that ATS is, it most likely draws every type of posting activity know to the internet.

You struck a chord with this statement. I am so naive I never even considered that this is common practice. Certainly an area that is underreported and semi-secret.

Originally posted by spacevisitor
Well, in my opinion is this the first one, www.abovetopsecret.com... I get the idea of a disinformer.
9/11: A Boeing 757 Struck the Pentagon

And here we have a contemporary oddity... those who disagree are automatically branded shills or disinformers or worse.

While such a knee jerk reaction has been experienced within circles of those interested conspiracy speculation for a long time, it was never at the fever pitch we see today.

We who manage AboveTopSecret.com prides ourselves on our ability to tolerate and even embrace input from those who would be considered debunkers, skeptics, and yes, maybe even those who are genuinely "shills." Believe it or not, we who hypothesize about potential conspiracies need the checks and balances that contrary opinions provide. In the quest for truth, these antithetical contributions test our theories and (hopefully) allow us to refine our approach.

Over the years, AboveTopSecret.com has taken a great deal of flack for having material (like the thread referenced by spacevisitor) that debunks popular conspiracies, members that are skeptical of conspiracies, or even staff members who are critical of some conspiracies. In some cases, a few have even become so enraged over this that they create dozens or hundreds of paragraphs of lies and deception about us. However, we haven't changed a bit because we know we're headed in the right direction.

When you compare AboveTopSecret.com to the vast spectrum of other "conspiracy" or "UFO" sites on the Internet, one thing stands out and sets us apart... there is no "cult of personality." The vast majority of other sites are dedicated for a few select "leaders" or one dominant "personality" who have very clear theories and agendas. The "cult of personality" will range from subtle influence to domineering control... but it's always a major factor in editorial decisions.

Here on AboveTopSecret.com, editorial decisions are completely up to our members, even I have no input on which content rises to the top at any given time. While many staff members have contributed very strong opinions over the years, their posts have never been presented as more important than any other member's writings. The importance (or lack of) of content is determined completely by our users through flagging and replying... a completely level and egalitarian editorial approach.

And that's our secret... no editorial control by the staff. With that in mind, should you wonder about the motives of "conspiracy theorists" who cast dispersions about us? After all, why should those seeking the truth be concerned about free and open discussion? Unless, of course, their particular brand of the "truth" relies on following a particular agenda.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

When you compare AboveTopSecret.com to the vast spectrum of other "conspiracy" or "UFO" sites on the Internet, one thing stands out and sets us apart... there is no "cult of personality." The vast majority of other sites are dedicated for a few select "leaders" or one dominant "personality" who have very clear theories and agendas. The "cult of personality" will range from subtle influence to domineering control... but it's always a major factor in editorial decisions.

This is one of the main reasons I spend most of my forum time at ATS. I have viewed other forums of that mind set. At ATS all posts, I least in my eyes, stand on their own merit versus the whole community. Posting a topic here will certainly get one an opinion from many people world wide, not just a select few. Just decide what to believe and hold on to.

Thanks for keeping ATS online...

Originally posted by Observer_PR

Using your own logic, I could say that you are most certainly a gov. agent. You're trying to create dissent and diversion by attracting people to this thread.

Good try but ATS'ers are too smart to fall for this trick.

yes, no possibility can be ruled out. Even of me being the spook. (yawn).

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


I must say that this is the ONLY Forum I visit and the only forum I enjoy. The reasons for it working so well is the particular approach you mentioned. Here, even disrespectful people are met with respect. To quote someone (dont remember who):

If you dont grant freedom of speech to people you dislike, you dont grant freedom of speech at all

Originally posted by IgnoreTheFacts

There are all sorts of small groups who talk behind the scenes and coordinate their posts on certain subjects.

Really? I feel left out

But one thing is for certain, there are some serious special interest groups on ATS, who push their agenda through willingly nefarious actions.

I guess the only thing we can truly rely on is our sense/feeling of someone or some topic.

Originally posted by KTK

Watch closer and you will spot the same patterns, from the same people.

If I was their NSA bosses I would fire their arses for doing such a crap job.

Yeah...Ive been reading a hell of a lot here. And noticing. Thats why I opened this thread.

But two or more "agents of chaos" are just that. I for one am not intimidated by a group attack on my viewpoint, no matter how well coordinated. If I hadn't had a depth of conviction, I would have never posted in the first place.

If I find something I don't understand, and bring it up here on ATS, then any group that tries to twist it to a certain path will be offset by other people with a different take on it, and I'll still get a full spectrum of input from which to make my choice of what to think.

So let them do their job, if that's what it is. Maybe they'll be so busy they can't start another war.

You, know I thought about that and then.... um decided what the hell. I get to delve more into what I have been trying to figure out since I heard the reports of bombs on 9?11 and other stuff. Which led me to this site. And let me tell ya....there is a theory that makes me silly. But, keeeping to the topic.....

We really don't know. Thte US govenrment held a meeting with a few people shortly after the NAU was exposed and tried to make sure the munipulated people of the US did not catch on to the reports that they want a NAU. So, whatever the case, this satisfies my creative mind. But if everything is true.........


"Those who would give up liberty for security, deserve neither"... I can't remember who said that..... Is one of the strongest quotes I have ever heard. Great thread I give it (siskel and ebert style)

reply to post by NGC2736


I have to agree with this. If one is up to it and at ease, being attacked from all sides can be a challenge...a good exercise and remaining poised and clear headed to drive ones point home even better.

As for the wars they perpetrate on our threads: It translates into our points.

* There are cooperative posting-groups who answer to each others threads to keep them alive and push a certain subject.

This one point stood out only because many like minded people would post under topics and interest they have in common,

But you could be right.
I was at a forum where a huge number of people infiltrated the forum with a common goal, they ruined the forum, there was a lot a insulting, and anti christian, anti government propaganda going on, and they all came at the same time.
I had them pegged from the beginning, eventually they admitted it.

Once i found a forum where people planned attacks on christian sites, they looked for sites to infiltrate.
weird wild world, this Internet.
I think the Internet is a dangerous place.

People will believe anything,

reply to post by Skyfloating


The behavior is observable but not conclusive.

Consider this post a sort of pop-art-in-action kind of deal. The overall theme is that individuals do unlikely things all the time for a number of reasons. When those reasons are unknown, they can seem insidious or mysterious. When those reasons are known, they often just seem stupid or weird.

What if I have a strange side bet that involved embedding a relevant American Football metaphor alongside a reference to the X-Files in my next five posts? It's stupid, but it's entirely possible.

Assume that Joe Schmo has a membership on a sports forum, but he only likes football, and he really hates, say, the New England Patriots. So every time the Pats waylay some poor fool club 52-7, and some infernal NE fan starts a thread about how the Pats are the greatest thing to ever happen to the league, Joe responds with a contrary post. Something about those guys just really gets to him and he can't help himself -- he must respond.

This is not because he is being paid by, say, the Indianapolis Colts, but because for whatever bizarre reason, he just doesn't express himself anywhere else on the forum. No other topic provokes him into action.

On the X-Files, Mulder once referred to Occam's Razor as Occam's Principle of Least Imagination, and to some extent I sympathize with him. The simplest answer is not always the answer. But often the paranoid answer is not the answer either. In my experience, the answer tends to involve some peculiar combination of absurd items, seeming simple only in retrospect and in the light of their absurdity. Often, the answer just goes unidentified.

Ultimately, my point is that you can identify and track oddities in behavior, but they alone are not conclusive. Take this post and most of my others... I have this weird tendency to respond to a variety of threads in an attempt to widen perspective that occasionally and ironically gravitates towards the use of elaborate or whimsical metaphors. What is that about? Even I can't explain it and it's my behavior.

That being said, and now in regards to the general thread content, my personal opinion is that ATS is so big a community that it must be evolving in strange ways. Inasmuch as it is likely that there are people posting on a whim or with clear and innocent agendas, it seems equally certain to me that there are a number of people whose sole role here is to seed shady information. I believe that groups would form just as they would in any real community -- similar interests, similar behaviors... I think I'd be more surprised if this *wasn't* happening.

/tn.

reply to post by Skyfloating


had to laugh -you start the thread by saying it takes 1 to know 1 and your first reply from rigel is that he's concerned you might be becoming paranoid-----perhaps like me over the nwo etc.?