Apologies for the length of this post. There are lots of quotes to support my points.
I would guess that most Stormers now come to this forum rather than SICAG for information.
Opinion only not fact. There is no evidence that can either support or disprove this statement. The statement is not one of definitive fact which is why the addition of the words "I would guess" are important. People reading it need to read the whole sentence (not just the end) to see the opinion and then try to make a judgement as to how much value they should place on your statements. (This is true of any statement one reads anywhere.)
There have been over 200,000 visitors to this thread.
That does not equate to 200000 individual people. It is views. Since one person can view the thread more than once in a day it doesn't necessarily mean it is being viewed by hundreds of thousands of people.
That is because viewers of posts can be assured of fearless correct and true comment.
Sorry GG but that is not correct. If it was true, it would mean that all of the information on the thread is true and correct. That cannot possibly be given the wide variety of opinions that are exhibited on the thread.
There are posts on this thread are correct and there are others which are hugely inaccurate and full of comments which are so inaccurate that they border on defamation and libel. There are a number of posts here which would be viewed dimly by legal processes and it could be argued, appear to breach ASF Terms and Conditions (esp Dot point 3).
There are certainly many many comments that are hurtful and nasty and probably written to provoke others. Those posts probably breech the ASF forum Code of Conduct (particularly rule 2.)
There are some posts that are supportive and seek to help people learn from their experiences and the experiences others have had. This is one of the reasons the thread is valuable (when you discard the stuff that is of no value.)
It depends on why you come to this forum as to which posts you will value and which you will not. I would suggest that posts such as Solly's research on current media are considered very valuable to most people. I can happily state that they are one of the main reasons I keep coming back - despite the trashing that some members of this forum seem to love to dish out regularly. (That and the fact that I have pretty thick skin!
)
Googling "Storm Financial" put ASF 5th on the list, I didn't see any mention of SICAG.
That is very easy to explain. SICAG and Storm Financial are not the same. It is like googling "banana" and expecting to see an audio file of a whale song appear. They aren't the same thing. Do a better google search and you will find them eg "Storm action group" comes up with pages of links where at least the first page is full of direct references that can be used to link to SICAG. Incidentally SICAG comes up as the 4th or 5th link (at this point in time.)
Gee isnt it coincidental that after 100 odd pages - quite a few of them discussing SICAG up pops Big Max the media director.
Is your name and position listed on the website Big Max for public record?
Yes it is. Have you looked?
What directed you to this forum to defend SICAG when a media professional should know that anonymous internet forums dont really cut it as a reputable source of anything?
I would guess that most Stormers now come to this forum rather than SICAG for information.
...
That is because viewers of posts can be assured of fearless correct and true comment.
So we can see here an example of the wide variety of views that I was discussing earlier on this thread. Farencue thinks the forum doesn't cut it as a reputable source however GG has been agitating for some time now to try to get someone from SICAG to talk here.
Where were all the SICAG people in the opening pages of this thread?
Are people only allowed to be involved if they were here at the start of the thread?
Your first post to this thread was 17th-March-2009, 02:50 PM. You weren't here then (at the start of the thread either). Mine was 24th-January-2009, 09:57 PM (I wasn't here at start either). If I was here before you does that make my right to communicate on the forum stronger than yours? Of course it does not.
The important point is that Big Max is here now.
Um, Big Max, first you suggest to Bunyip that he needs to get with it or something, then you suggest you agree with Ironhalo who has strongly supported what Bunyip said!
Either you don't know what you want to say or you're trying to have a foot in both camps.
Julia, There is another explanation (many actually). One of the most obvious ones is that people don't read posts properly and in detail and tend to read only the bits they want to see. Then when they process the information and comment about it they communicate misunderstanding and misinformation.
When you read the information again carefully, you will see that Big Max agrees with particular points that Ironhalo has made not with his (Ironhalo's) whole post.
Ironhalo has on a couple of occasions communicated that he sees good in some of the work that SICAG does. Bunyip has also expressed that view at least once.
Iron Halo, you are right on the money. the ASIC and Joint Parliamentary Inquiries will answer all these and many more questions. Bring it on!
Bunyip, when are you going to smell the coffee. SICAG has done a power of work - much of it behind the scenes - for its 1500+ members. To suggest that it is some sort of front to EC/JC has got to be a joke.
I agree with most of your comments, Iron Halo.
Well said Maccka. I can't knock SICAG's efforts in keeping Stormers sane and giving them some comfort and relief, I think they have a great thing going in terms of moral support.
I have no doubt that from a social perspective, SICAG have done a world of good for the Storm investors who rallied to their flag and trumpet calls. I will never take away from the fact that I am sure there are a number of Stormers who have taken solace in the group. If that saves them from doing something rash, then it has served its purpose.
Personally I think SICAG is a great idea and I'd certainly be a member myself if I was a Storm casualty. Even without being a Stormer, I'd go to a meeting if I lived anywhere near one of the venues.
I don't doubt you for a moment when you say SICAG has done a power of work behind the scenes for its members. Not only that, but it must be of immense value in providing moral support and a social network for a group of people who are clearly under a lot of emotional and financial stress.
But what SICAG needs to do to enhance its credibility ...
Julia, there is another explanation (many actually). One of the most obvious ones is that people don't read posts properly and in detail and tend to read only the bits they want to see. Then when they process the information and comment about it they communicate misunderstanding and misinformation.
In my opinion, this confused reading and processing happens often and is seen regularly on this thread. (I have been guilty of miscommunication myself when I gave Julia the impression that I was underplaying the role of the financial media.)
People need to read and post with care. Buyer beware applies in opinion forums like this one just as it does when dealing with finances.
People have asked questions about SICAG - questions that people obviously want answers to. Big Max has come to answer them. What I would ask people in this forum to accept is that once you get the answers you have sought (from the source) perhaps you might need to open yourselves to the possibility that there may be truth in what they say. Find other reputable sources and then evidence to use to verify the answers you have been given (as either as true or untrue).
If you find it to be untrue (with credible evidence) then find a credible way to expose the information for everyone (outside this forum) to see - perhaps write to the Parliamentary inquiry (I have seen submissions go up within a couple of hours of receipt in Canberra) or talk to financial media with a good reputation.
If you decide it to be true please stop trying to damage the reputation of a very hard working group of people doing it tough. It is not Australian or fair.
cheers
Maccka