Skunk Works Name Change Possible?

While responding to a thread in the Space Exploration forum of ATS, who's subject was highly speculative with no supporting evidence, something occurred to me.

In my time here on ATS, I've seen a lot of "highly speculative" threads posted in forums that do require some supporting evidence of some kind. Many times, when mods are "alerted" with the suggestion that the thread be moved to Skunk Works, it is......or sometimes not.

I had noticed also that in many cases where a thread does get moved to Skunk Works, I end up seeing posts from some members which tend to read like this:

"Finally your thread has been moved to Skunk Works where this non-sense belongs!"

With the infliction that Skunk Works is some sort of virtual trash can, and anyone, who's threads end up there should not be taken seriously at all, or should be ignored.

I'm pretty sure that one of the reasons the forum is called "Skunk Works" is due to Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, and also because of the origination of the words:

Skunkworks Project

A skunkworks project often operates with a high degree of autonomy and unhampered by bureaucracy, tasked with working on advanced or secret projects. These projects are often undertaken in secret with the understanding that if the development is successful then the product will be designed later according to the usual process.

And of course when we look at the logo for the Skunk Works forum we see the actual Logo for Skunkworks for Lockheed Martin:



However, when we click on the ATS Skunk Works forum.....it's name changes to "Highly Speculative Conspiracy Topics" with the following definition of given whenever any thread is clicked on:

ATS Skunk Works: This forum is dedicated to the all-important highly speculative topics that may not be substantiated by many, if any facts and span the spectrum of topics discussed on ATS. Readers and users should be aware that extreme theories without corroboration are embraced in this forum. Discussion topics and follow-up responses in this forum will likely tend to lean in favor of conspiracies, scandals, and cover-ups. Members who would seek to refute such theories should be mindful of AboveTopSecret.com's tradition of focusing on conspiracy theory, cover-ups, and scandals.

It seems to me (in my humble opinion) that what Skunkworks is and what ATS Skunk Works is, are not the same thing, and only very loosely related, which is:

"operates with a high degree of autonomy and unhampered by bureaucracy"

Meaning that OP's do not have to proved corroborating evidence or sources only.

But I think the name itself may be a good reason why many members, especially newer members do not start a thread there: Skunk = Stink or Smelly

Would it be possible to do one of the following?

Change the name of the forum from ATS Skunk Works to something a bit more friendly sounding, and doesn't conjure up images of someone being sprayed with a very nasty smell? When we click on the forum, the name changes anyways.

or

Can we educate more members about what a "Skunkworks" is? Maybe if they understand a bit better, they would feel that it has less of a bad rap.

or

Help educate more members in understanding that if they are going to create a thread, and they need to think through what they are posting. Is it highly speculative because there is a very clear, or utter lack of supporting evidence? If so, then you thread may be better suited for ATS Skunk Works no mater what the subject is about (IE Politics, Space, Earth's environment, etc, etc, etc).

Just an observation from me. I only think of one forum here on ATS as the "trash bin" and that's the "HOAX" forum.

reply to post by eriktheawful


I think it is more about "it" being ....

On the nose.

You seem to be reading way too far into a forum name.

There are many threads in forums that don't belong so do you suggest they change those forum names too? I can think the same thing about the Grey Area if I wanted.

I think Skunk Works is just fine the way it is.



If you don't like a forum or thread why read it? Don't let it get to you, it's just the internet!

Originally posted by mblahnikluver
You seem to be reading way too far into a forum name.

There are many threads in forums that don't belong so do you suggest they change those forum names too? I can think the same thing about the Grey Area if I wanted.

I think Skunk Works is just fine the way it is.



If you don't like a forum or thread why read it? Don't let it get to you, it's just the internet!

Please do not misunderstand me: I know full well that I do not have to read a thread if I don't like it. And yes, I do utilize the Alert button to make a suggestion for a thread to be moved (sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't, it's up to the mods and I accept that just fine).

No, I do not suggest a name change to forums because threads that are in them are "off topic". If you go back and re-read my OP, you'll see that I'm discussing what seems to be a misconception about the name itself: Skunk. That, coupled with the fact that I have seen over and over, people responding to a thread being moved there as through it's been thrown in the trash can, or the misconception that because it's posted there it shouldn't be taken seriously because it's highly speculative.

I've asked people privately on here through U2U's about this. They almost always give the same reply:

Skunk Works = Garbage.

I personally feel that is very unfair to the OP's (even though some of the OP's I see make me chuckle, or have me pulling my hair out in frustration).

And last, but not least: as I said in my OP, the name of the forum DOES change when you click on it. When you're IN the forum, it's no longer labeled as "ATS Skunk Works" but "Highly Speculative Conspiracy Topics".

Originally posted by eriktheawful
And last, but not least: as I said in my OP, the name of the forum DOES change when you click on it. When you're IN the forum, it's no longer labeled as "ATS Skunk Works" but "Highly Speculative Conspiracy Topics".

Good point.

If however the forum displayed the name "Highly Speculative Conspiracy Topics" in the forum list, that would be the longest forum title displayed there...would it fit?

If so that name change would be OK with me since it's already called that after you click it as you say. Maybe they just needed a shorter name for the forum display? I'm not sure...I don't know what thought process went into having two different forum names displayed like that...it's interesting.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


I was thinking something along the lines like:

"Thought Provoking"

Or

"HSCT" (we already have one acronym forum, RATS for Really Above Top Secret).

Or

shorten it to just "Highly Speculative Theories"

Not all threads that are there are about Conspiracies. Many are just highly speculative or thought provoking is all.