The Handler's Post FAQ
What is The Handler's Post?
The Handler's Post is here to provide a central location for communication among members (associate and regular) of the USBCHA who elect to use it. Only regular and associate members, as reflected on the USBCHA membership roll, are eligible for registration on the The Handler's Post forum (Around the Campfire). It will be, in all likelihood, the most highly focused forum in which any of you have participated. There are several other forums available where we can let our wit and frustrations amuse and be aired. Let's stay focused here. If a moderator contacts you about a post, or sends you to "The Handlers' Meeting", don't shoot the messenger. Any post deemed questionable will have been discussed among the moderators before that step is taken.
Let's make this a useful tool for all.
How is it organized?
The forum is divided into three main sections, "USBCHA Members", "Agenda Items", and "USBCHA".
In the "USBCHA Members" section is a sub-section titled "The Arguments". In "The Arguments", forum members may ask questions, expound on agenda items, make suggestions, argue opinions and positions.
The "Agenda Items" section contains active items on which the BOD has scheduled a vote. Each forum member may offer one post on each agenda item listed. That post should contain whether one is "for" or "against" the particular item, and should also contain a short statement of why. Further discussions and arguments on the item(s) should go to "The Arguments" section. There is a reason for this. Each forum member must have his/her district number included in the user name. That number allows any director to do a search, if the number of comments makes it necessary, which will list opinions only from his/her district. With one comment per member, a director can get an accurate reading on how members from his/her district feel about that item.
In the section labeled "USBCHA" are sub-sections titled "BOD Agenda and Notes", "BOD Forum Meeting Minutes", and "Archived Topics". All forum members can read these items, but only BOD members, officers, and the moderator(s) may post in the listed sub-sections.
User Tip: At the bottom of the page of any "thread" you are reading/posting to, there is the statement "Watch this topic for replies". If you click on that statement, it will activate a feature that sends you an email any time someone posts a comment on that thread.
What about "The Arguments"?
We're going to "argue" in the "The Arguments" section.
Here's "The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language" position on it:
Quote:
"Synonyms: argument, dispute, controversy
These nouns denote discussion involving conflicting points of view.
Argument stresses the advancement by each side of facts and reasons intended to persuade the other side.
Dispute implies animosity.
Controversy applies especially to major differences of opinion involving large groups of people."
We're not gonna have "disputes". We will, however, "argue" over issues that may be "controversial".
If you don't like that, don't go there (The Arguments). Just put an opinion at the appropriate place in the "Agenda" section if you want your voice heard.
Be forewarned. "The Handler's Post" forum is not an appropriate place for ill-conceived taunts and such. Supply rationale "for" or "against" whatever you think. Rational criticism only.
How do I register?
1. For forum security reasons, the following procedure will be used for registering USBCHA members on the forum.
2. Email either Amy (acoapman@karuk.us) or Gary (scottgr@earthlink.net) stating your desire to be a member, who you are, and your district number. You may include include a preferred user name and password, but the user name must be a recognizable form of your real name. We have made a very few exceptions to the "real" name requirement for user names, but other methods were agreed to so posters would not be anonymous. If you do not indicate any other preference on the user name, we will register you using your real name. We will add the district number to all user names, and that, name plus the number, will be the user name required to sign in.
3. Include in your request for membership the email address you want to use.
4. We'll then register you. You will get an email at the email address you specify in "3." above that will tell you your account is active. If you want to, you can then change your password, and/or add anything else you like, by going to the "Profile" page at the forum.