Re-Introducing Myself, ATS Blackwater Expert, and A Welcome To All New Members

I felt since I am fast closing on the three year anniversary of tenure here on ATS, as well as a few months ago ATS Administration designated I am the Blackwater Expert, it may be a good time to re-introduce who I am as well as simultaneously welcoming all the new members who seem to be coming in faster and faster by the day and I've noticed a lot of newer member stumbling and as I remember being new here, it can be frustrating not knowing your way around and from the perspective of a veteran member as well as other senior members (as in length of tenure, not the Denny's senior discount)I would love to give a few helpful hints and offer an open hand in extension of friendship.

While ATS Administration has varied views and has the open-mindedness to have a great website such as AboveTopSecret, or as us veterans here call it, ATS, I've never seen a fairer group of people who made a website when it comes to the Three Amigos, SkepticOverlord, Springer, and SimonGray.

There are Terms and Conditions :

Terms and Conditions of Use : A Word or Two From SimonGray

A Request For Civility and Decorum :

NEW : Civitlity and Decorum : A Word or Two From SkepticOverlord

And A Request For Your Input :

We Need Your Input : A Word or Two From Springer

From all three of this fine websites owners, since it is in all of our best interest to help keep things flowing smoothly, this would make things less difficult for the Three Amigos, and help give them time to add other excellent content to this rocking website.

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A few helpful hints for the new members on ATS :

1) When first posting about a topic, consider which Forum topic it fits under the best, or it might need to be moved by the Super-Moderators and Moderators, and while they do this gratis with no expectation of reward, if you post it in the correct location, this will make their job within ATS easier.

2) When you post do not forget that you can do research ahead of time to add to your content, as well as helping you to bring your point across to other members in a better and more informed manner, which adds to the overall content as well as it gains you respect through other members taking what you have to say as like you care about the topic you are posting on.

3) If you get lost along the way, ask a member who has been around the boards for a while, as most people here understand what it means to be new, and they know where to direct or even re-direct you, and sometimes you gain a friend through this interaction as well as opening dialogue where none may have existed before.

4) If you disagree with another member, remember we are all here to "Deny Ignorance", so try to remember agreeing to disagree might be the best option, rather than fighting over the differences of opinon. This is difficult to do sometimes, as any member can tell you, I still struggle from it from time to time myself.

5) Remember when you post, your title as well as the particular forum area you post it in, will set the content, bring across your intent, and will drive the basic discussion you are trying to bring about by posting on ATS. Pick your title and forum area well, it will gain both what you want to say, as well as who you are recognized, and there are even rewards to this in the form of points, other members flagging your thread, adding a star to your post within the thread, and even the reward of continued particpation by all people interested in what you have to say.

6) If you make a mistake do not panic, you can go back in and edit the thread and or post, for a short period of time after originally contributing. This makes typos non-existent if your quick enough and sometime because of the wrap-around feature, editing makes your post look cleaner and clearer.

7) If you have Microsoft Word, Word Perfect, or some other program to type within, outside of ATS, type up your post there first, save it, then post it, this will help keep a glitch from losing everything you felt was important to share with all of ATS, as well as some of those programs have spellcheck and dictionary assistance, which will help make your contribution come across better through its content.

8) Don't forget to use the resources within ATS, like as an example, our own Wikipedia, which is called TinWiki, where other contributors like myself have added to the content and you can draw from all of ATS'ers experience and knowledge.

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While on your adventure of all things Conspiracy, U.F.O., or Alternative Topic, remember that the more you add to ATS, the more you can "Deny Ignorance" and have a lot of fun in the process.

Here are a few of the threads I've created with helping out the content of this website, as well as having new members in mind when I created them :

Going To Your Public Library, Gathering Open Source Intelligence, and Surviving

This first one might help you survive both in real life, as well as your time on ATS.

The World-Wide Web of Surveillance of Your Online/Offline Activities

Everything you do online, as well as offline is literally watched by everyone now, why not know more about?

Google US Government At Your Service And Other Interesting Website Search Engines...

This one will tell you a few interesting search engines to get information to contribute more interesting content.

Remember, while on ATS, try to have fun.

[edit on 17-8-2008 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas

Would you explain how you became a Blackwater expert please? What are your qualifications?

Originally posted by Fathom
reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas

 

Would you explain how you became a Blackwater expert please? What are your qualifications?

Sure I will.

While some people like to read, I am someone extremely obssessed with reading, I have thousands of books and a library card as well. I found a book by the author Jeremy Scahill called Blackwate r: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army and began doing thorough research on the topic, and posted on it, as well as other books I read which are posted within this link here :

Blackwater : Right-Wing Conservative America, Whether You Like It Or Not...

I took the time to add content to this thread for several months, getting it a lot of attention, and a Forum Moderator suggested I should become a F.S.M.E., or Forum Subject Matter Expert, but due to the fact that it was not a Forum Subject, but a specific topic, ATS Administration as well as the Moderator decided to give me the Blackwater Expert title instead.

They took the avatar I currently had, and added the Expert part to it, designating it, so I could be officially recognized. It currently now has over 12,000 views by interested ATS'ers. I've been interested in the Navy S.E.A.L.'s and Special Forces all of my life, so having knowledge and doing research which added to the content are a large part of what got me recognized. As well as this I tried to always follow all of the helpful suggestions I gave here, and while I sometimes I struggled, I always learned as I went along on the journey that has gotten me to where I am today.

Thanks for asking, and welcome to ATS, Fathom.


[edit on 17-8-2008 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

SpartanKingLeonidas, welcome to ATS, this indeed is a great place, and we are glad you are here, if you have any questions or concerns there are a few people that you can talk to. I hope you can consider this post as your one stop shop for answers to most of the more frequently asked questions on this board.

The forum moderators are quite friendly people, they are here to make sure you enjoy your time on this site. If you have any questions make sure to shoot off a U2U to any one of them for an answer. Also members like myself your ATS Concierge, or enjoies05 are also very helpful and will be glad to try and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to shoot me a U2U whenever you need a helping hand. I am always glad to help

Many of your questions can be answered by visiting this thread; Index of Important Website Related Threads *Read First* This thread is invaluable for all the frequently asked questions about this site and what you can do here.

the ATS Handbook can answer a lot of your questions about the site as well, it's quite informative and helpful if you have questions regarding your Avatar, Signature, or purchasing perks in the ATS Store.

Points are a valuable commodity around ATS and some members want to know how to gain points quickly. There are several ways to do this. One is to podcast, Podcasting if you don't already know is kind of like making your own little radio show about some subject that you’re interested in. Also contributing to TinWiki is a great way to make some points in a big hurry. Also by joining up with Twitter, you can get a lot of points right of the bat.

In BTS (our sister board) one can also find fun games and contests that are happening now, and also get you those points. By signing up with ATS you are automatically signed up for BTS as well, all you need to do is log in and join in the fun with the rest of us.

One should also familiarize themselves with the Terms And Conditions Of Use for proper ATS etiquette and site rules, this helps everyone avoid problems.

Again welcome to ATS and I hope you have a great time around the site, if you have any questions and have met the requirements to do so, please feel free to U2U me anytime about any questions you might have. I would love to be able to help you whenever you need it.

reply to post by whatukno




Thanks for the warm welcome and assistance, whatukno.

What interesting links you provided, for me to peruse and help myself, as well as other new ATS'ers.



For the new people who don't know it, this is WUK's idea of being funny, and picking on me.



Some of us around here are here for serious topics, and some are here to be the local clown.

Thanks for the addition to the thread, whatukno.

whatukno bring's up something through this post, I can add to the new ATS'ers attention, as he is one of the people I have added as a Friend, and now I am considering changing to a Foe.

No, he's a good friend, and I'm only joking.

On ATS, there will be people who like what you have to say, and you and them might become friends, and there is a Friend button on the bottom of their posts.

On ATS, there will be people who do not like what you have to say, and you and them might be at odds, all the time, and there is a Foe button on the bottom of their posts.

[edit on 17-8-2008 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

Yes, how ever these are "respected foes". A title that says we may not like what they have to share here at the ATS community, but for some reason they keep reading the contributions made.

With that said, let me bring it to the attention of those who may wonder. SKL caught my interest with the extremely thorough and indepth material he posted detailing BW. It was some thing which appeared as more of an obsession from my perspective, but it was a step above what most members have done.

It was on par with what I've seen in the Research Forum, and an idea occured to me. How could we reward and distinguish members out side of the applaud and other standard system.

It was after conversing with other staff and admin the decision was to try unique tags. Some thing which may be come more common, if earned by ATSers.

SKL did a great job in compileing a vast resource about Blackwater, and I felt someone that dedicated deserved a unique reward. One well earned and I highly suggest anybody with questions or suspicions about BW contact SpartanKingLeonidas as there is no one on ATS who knows more about BW.

It would take some one from that group, which obviously they would have an inside knowledge, to know more.

Thank you SKL for the outstanding contribution and perhaps the most indepth reference on Blackwater.

Well is nice to see some other people with the same interest on what is going on in this nations private mercenaries.

I have been keeping an eye on this group myself for a long time and the reason is because I don't trust them and I don't trsut the agenda behind them.

Glad to see we have now an expert in the matter.

ADVISOR and marg6043, thanks for the added support, and kind words.

Blackwater is being talked about over on this thread here as well :

WyrdeOne's ATS Thread : Blackwater Rent-A-Soldiers To Be Indicted?

Obsession, huh ADVISOR?

Not so much an obsession, but since I've been interested in the Navy S.E.A.L.'s all of my life, it's been something I follow all the time, even into Blackwater, Greystone, and T.I.S.

[edit on 17-8-2008 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas

okay, i thought maybe you work for them or had worked for them at one time.
so you just read some books, cool.

reply to post by whatukno


whatukno, may we know your qualifications as theladiesman, perhaps some references?

SpartanKingLeonidas..hi..please make yourself at home..when i get to know you i will find a more fitting name for you, i already have one in mind... you seem familiar, have you modelled im my favorite mag???

Would it be ok if I asked a few qualifying questions to determine the level of expertise SKL has on BW?

I'm going to assume the answer is yes and ask anyways. I'm sure they wont be very difficult for him to answer since he is the BW "expert".

SKL:

The interior corridor leading to the H.R. directors office is painted what color?

Which side of the Moyock compound is the armory located?

The name of the master armorer in IL is?


I await your expert responses.

Click here for more information.

Click here for more information.

[edit on 18-8-2008 by justamomma]

reply to post by justamomma


I wont be holding my breath for any answers. The answers to those questions arent found in Scahill's book, or on any pretend to be a Seal forum.

reply to post by Scorched Earth


Oh, I'm holding my breath darlin'. I KNOW he knows because there is NO *WAY* ATS would label him expert if he wasn't really an expert and an expert would have the direct and correct answers to those questions.

*waiting*





*5 hours later* ...........*still waiting*




*5 weeks later*........... *still waiting*

reply to post by schrodingers dog


It was decided through a contest in BTS ....and The Ladies Man of BTS is? (Contest)

Thanks but this thread isn't about me, it's about SKL.

I guess some need to go back and re-read the Terms & Conditions of use for ATS.


Please remain on topic and post in a civil manner.