To John Flint from the Sunday Times

Good job buddy. You think you're some hot shit reporter who did the public some good in revealing the bad part about rave culture. You know all you've done? You've increased the risks involved with drug taking. Kids are NOT going to stop taking drugs, but now THANKS TO YOU, there will be less harm mininsation invovled with drug taking. People are scared to post genuine opinions about different types of drugs on the market now, and as a result, we are less able to know which drugs are good and which are going to kill us. I HOPE YOU ARE PROUD OF THIS.

The war on drugs doesn't serve to keep young people safe from the drugs, it's to keep the cash in the taxable pocket, everything else is a secondary concern to big bro imo.

imagine if they legalised and taxed MDMA.
pills would be $20 each of excellent quality with no dangerous adulterants.
kids would be a lot less violent and destructive.
talkback radio would lose its rednecks and have to contend with people constantly calling and saying things like "PLUR Stan Zemanek, i love you and your big fat belly!".
nobody would get drunk any more.
the government could tax it to the hilt and nobody would care because it'd still be cheaper than when it was illegal.
lots of people would be *very* munted.
some dickheads would take 5+ pills in a night, every weekend, and after 3 months they'd have lost half their IQ and the ability to laugh.
and i'm bored now.

It appears theat our beloved Mr. Flint has a talent for cheesy stories... here's confirmation of the lack of talent of this reporter:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/20000217/A22394-2000Feb16.html
(Note that the format of the above link is virtually identical to the bluelight article, although the articles were composed 18 months apart. Points for originality, John.)

Just wrote to 'Letters to the Editor', at [email protected]

Dear Sir,
The article published by John Flint ("Police to act on rave", 7/10) was utterly appalling. In it, he deliberately misrepresented the New Bluelight website for the purposes of sensationalism.
The New Bluelight site exists for the purposes of ‘harm reduction’, and this is made clear throughout the site and is heavily enforced. Chat topics such as selling of drugs, sharing information on where to obtain drugs, and other information not in keeping with the harm reduction theme are quickly removed.
One example of this is the post referred to by Mr. Flint on ‘where to get crackers’ (nitrous oxide). Flint would have known when he read that conversation that it was closed by forum moderators as soon as it was discovered. A perfect example of selective reporting.
Information sources such as Bluelight are extremely important. The majority of ‘ecstasy related’ deaths and injuries are caused by either overheating, dehydration, drinking too much water, or through dangerous substitutes being sold as ecstasy.
Through the sharing of information, these deaths and injuries can almost completely, if not entirely, be avoided. Regretful is that some new users of the board come on and, misinterpreting the goals of the board, ask inappropriate questions. Important is that these are always removed as soon as they are discovered. Sadly, these few posts also make for easy sensationalism by lazy journalists.
It is a sad comment on the state of your paper that you printed such a terribly researched article at all.
Jakoz,
New Bluelight user.
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Please note that this is an open letter which will also appear on the Bluelight website.

Click to expand...

I dont expect at all that it will be published, but it is better than sitting here and doing nothing.

Ultimatly it won't matter really... John Flint is going to get the same pay check at the end of the week regardless of how many "facts" he put's into his articles...
Journalists should abide by the oath people take in court - "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth". But that's not going to happen because the truth doesn't sell papers.

Ultimatly it won't matter really... John Flint is going to get the same pay check at the end of the week regardless of how many "facts" he put's into his articles...

Click to expand...

Yeah, I know, but rather than putting Flint down, the main aim should be to point out why Bluelight is needed.
EDIT: By the way, everyone that is pissed off should consider writing a letter to the editor, at [email protected]
[This message has been edited by Jakoz (edited 07 October 2001).]

Perhaps Jase or Skydancer should be contacted in the event that we need a press-release from The New Bluelight management, rather than us prematurely leaping down the throats of the editor and journalists. Or perhaps the disclaimer quoted in each person's letter to the editor, ie:

(The New Bluelight) is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The opinions expressed in posts to this forum are those of individual members and not of The New Bluelight. The New Bluelight assumes no responsibility for how the information on this site is used. We neither condone nor condemn the use of any illegal drug, but we recognize that illicit substances will be used for recreational purpose regardless of their illegality. There is no such thing as 'safe' drug use, we are facillitating the open exchange of information so users can make more informed decisions regarding their use. This site is not to be used in any way, shape, or form to solicit or obtain contraband substances or information on how to do so, and any attempt to do so will result in cancellation of registration.

Click to expand...

Also keep in mind that until Jase/Skydancer become involved that your points of view represent your own opinions, and we can't presume to speak on behalf of The New Bluelight itself.
I applaud your attempts to ensure that both sides of the story are told. Take care with your words - just as the website can be misquoted/creatively quoted, so can your letters to the editor.
BigTrancer
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Load universe into cannon. Aim at brain. Shoot.

This is a fine example of why i want to get into Journalism. We need a voice that protrays us truthfully, and i hope that one day in my own small way i can help us (ravers, mdma users) get the respect we deserve.
Good work guys.
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Oh the pain, oh the humanity...

De Quincey, excellent and correct move, however pride and lies would put a stop to that since it'd be an admittion that our health was never the main concern at all; from the very start!But that's the truth, they don't give a FUCK about us.
It's all just a mess of weakness and banding together with opinions and telling people what they want to hear and need to know, and deeper, more basic human issues. Shit fucken people and world!I'm ashamed to be a part of the human race, shit weak fucked up lying greedy tricky bastardz.
The only thing good about life is freewill and pro choice, but even their still limited, I mean I don'thate individuals and care about life but youv'e gotta admit, no one lse created these problems. Fucked up world gives me anxiety and panic attacks.
Thse may nor reflect the opinions of the noo bl obviously as the wise BT has said.

Flaming the reporter on here is rather pointless. So is sending an abusive email.
If you have something intelligent and constructive to say, such as BT and Jakoz then by all means mail it!
Remember that it's up to the paper whether or not they publish it, so maybe you wan tto keep them onside a little. Ideally they should post any critisism of their articles, however they do have space restrictions and well... what would you print?
[This message has been edited by entropope (edited 08 October 2001).]

ummm.
I breifly spoke to Jase and Skydancer about this whole thing.
I beleive they are considering enforcing strict rules about what is said on BL.
Which I agree with.
Anyways... they are aware of whats going on.

I've been keeping quiet all week due to the weekends events but have been thinking a lot about what went on and after much though I beleive what happened is probably for the best.
Bluelight has beening slipping a lot in the last year and had come to a point where people were completely thoughtless with their posts and having no consideration to who might be reading bluelight and what the information posted could be used for. What John Flint has done is given us all a good kick in the ass and its made us open our eyes and actually stop and think. Since Sunday bullshit posts have been reduced to zero and the greenlighters are even thinking a tad more before they post something.
I relise some of the things I may have posted previously may not have been well thought out before I hit the submit button and I'm confinced a lot of Bluelighters have been thinking the same thing as I have noticed a few posts here and there dissappearing and a lot of Profile and Post editing going on.
Maybe this will be the start of a new era of Bluelight and we will go back to being a soley harm minimisation site and now the wider community will realise this. The Sunday Times article has obviously brought a lot of new people in to read through our thoughts so now we can show them all the good that this site can acheive. People will always be using drugs so a site like this one is providing useful information to a huge number of people.
So I thank John Flint for kicking me in the ass and I hope the rest of the Bluelight community will learn from this incident and we can all provide much more life saving information and a lot less bullshit

yeah.. i think more mods for the aussie forums would be the key?
so that an active person can be online at all times to make sure nothing 'incriminating' is said..

Totally agree Fry-d-
Looking back, the 'old school' bluelight was something that we took for granted. Johnboy once reminded me of a term - "samizdat" - which fit Bluelight particularly well. It was like a safe haven where, out of the public eye, we could swap ideas with a like-minded clique and find people to discuss commonly taboo topics like drug use, drug abuse, and health issues surrounding the recreational use of illegal substances. This kind of conversation is actively discouraged in the wider society, so Bluelight had found a niche and served our community well.
Move forward to today, and bluelight has evolved, and so must we. Bluelight has become many things to many people now, and has generated a huge following. I like to think that the 'wheel we re-invented' is now rolling along with considerable momentum. We present a professional face on the internet that people have come to rely upon as a resource for all kinds of information, and use as much more than a gathering place to discuss drugs.
This increased popularity and broadening of scope brings with it increased scrutiny. The nature of our main discussion topics is such that there will always be people who are opposed to such ideas, especially presented in the way they are here. As the popularity has grown, so has our indifference to the sensitive nature of our topics, because we have become used to chatting about these issues. Apparently this has overstepped the mark, and some of our people are being targeted.
The next necessary part of our evolution that I can envision is for us, as Bluelighters (or users of Bluelight) to step up to the challenge that we have created for ourselves. With our enthusiasm and efforts we have created an information resource of inestimable value. Now we have to protect it by becoming more professional in our posting, and being as careful at shielding our personal details as we are at delivering quality information.
So, here's the upshot - when you're posting, NO PERSONAL DETAILS, read the rules, be discreet. If in doubt whether to include something, ask yourself if you'd tell it to a policeman who already knew your name and address.
Dragnet's Sgt. Joe Friday says - "Just the facts, Ma'am."
BigTrancer
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Load universe into cannon. Aim at brain. Shoot.

couldn't have said it better myself.

Such is the way of things. When the freedom becomes so obvious and the lack of constraints so great, order and restraint must take place. From the chaos of a single isolated idea, by the introduction into a great whole, the fuzzy chaos is forged into a more bounding and controlled idea. Bluelight, now more than ever, will be conditioned by the views of a greater audience.
It may be unfortunate for some, but such is the evolution of things. Chaos into order, then back again.

Set strict rules?
Set fucking strict rules, and let the conforming remains sink n die along with this site.
There are enough rules, you ask too much of people and they'll fuck off. Especially when you've asked them to all promote your ideals of harm minimization, which they all do very well as far as I can see, and if you can't harbor a bit of the young free spirit we're entitled to, and deal with the scrutiny MEdIA coughs up about that, then your hopeless, and I've over estimated you, and perhaps didn't even conceive the ideas I've given you credit for.
Goodluck making the right decisions...

Fry-d: i was thinking the exact same thing as you lately.
Remember when teknoscape had pill reports and drug discussion, which was so factually deplorable it was scary. Members of BL criticised it to no end, and it was unquestionably deserved.
Thankfully that site has done its best to steer clear of that type of discussion. In light of the recent articles i was shocked by what many members of that site now thought of us.
Whilst i dont take much notice of what is said by members of teknoscape, we still must ask ourselves why they accuse Bluelight to be nothing more than innane babblings about the ABUSE OF drugs, by individuals who are completely drug fucked, and whose life exists of nothing else.
Recently the type of posts and threads which would draw such criticism have become more common and seemingly overshadowed the wealth of INVALUABLE information on this site.
As someone said; its not only visitors of this site who learn, but friends who get passed on this information by a previously ignorant user of some of the worlds most powerful drugs.
I for one am disturbed about the increasing number of younger people using such substances. Whats more shocking is that when u question them, u realise they know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about what they r doing.
Bluelight imo is first base; not only must we educate, but (this will sound corny) we must set some form of example.
As for pill reports, i think they should be brought back to what their purpose is. To give other bluelighters and idea about the effects of these tablets of unknown; through the subjective experiences of SOMEONE or the objective colour change of a test reaction. Where u were, who u were with, where u got them from, how many there are and how many u have left, dont add anything to the purpose of a pill report.
Concerning the more humourous threads on drug use, i dont have a problem with those; i often participate of course. But we must be careful not to cross that fine line resulting in it again becoming innane babbling about drug abuse. And also remember that people who read it, whether they r inexperienced or totally ignorant, may not understand the subtle humour which we r playing on. Hence it may draw certain incorrect inferences about our own values and attitudes towards drug use.
Maybe i am biased but the scientific and harm minimisation aspects of bluelight defintiely must be seen to be at the forefront.
Niqu3lord: i understand what u r saying and slightly agree with it; but there is a point when it becomes clear people are practising harm maximisation, and while its there choice to do that, they dont have to tell the world through the medium of bluelight.
Maybe more Moderators are needed. Or perhaps we should have senior Bluelighters (maybe anyone who has joined for over 12months, or those who a moderator feels would fulfill the desired roll).
This would give some of us a bit more standing to comedown on the types of comments which dont add anything to this site, other than drawing unwanted criticism and attention from the police, the media and even other people within our scene.
While i am not trying beat my own drum, a few of us have been here a lot longer than the majority and probably do remember what it used to be like; Johnboy certainly would; would he be impressed?
Anyway the bottom line is, as Fry-d said, this should be viewed as a big nudge to get the now massive Bluelight train back on track.
[This message has been edited by Biscuit (edited 10 October 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Biscuit (edited 10 October 2001).]

More moderators is an interesting idea. Our mods here and in the social forum are excellent (and in my opinion, the best on the board), but there is a huge number of posts, and its kinda unfair to expect them to do so much, compared with smaller forums.
On the other hand, if they needed it I guess they would have asked for more, and its probably not my business anyway