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Oops. If I rephrase that "by subscribing to several states" does that make more sense?

I mean, if you are flying a WI flag, you are subscribed to the WI state (which is a topic within the forum.) All threads posted to WI state (the topic) are listed in the sidebar as a function of being subscribed to a topic.

Let's walk through an example.

Somebody posts a thread to News/Current Events titled "Ament files lawsuit against recall drive". Somebody sees that Wisconsin residents would be interested in this thread, so they "Click to Add Topic" and add in the Wisconsin state topic. From then on, Wisconsin subscribers (all those who fly the WI flag) see "Ament files lawsuit against recall drive" in their sidebar.

Nice thought, but once the state topic is reduced to a sidebar, how many people are going to scroll all the way through the sidebar, then open up each thread to see which ones are new?

There's 2 big advantages with the state boards as they're constructed now: if something new is on there, we know without having to scroll through umpteen sidebars; and it's highly informal. While you could code it so that the new topics are noted, I don't see any real way to recreate the informalness of the current boards.

As long as we're looking at beta stuff, when are style sheets going to make their return <VBG>?

Just because I'm here, John, I'll say I think that's grand, but not a substitute for the WI forum as it stands. If it's too expensive or difficult to maintain the state forums, I'm sure we'll all understand, but if we can, I think many of us would rather retain the State forums as they are. We in the WI forum are getting to know each other, and the forum lets us get "up close and personal" as well just keeping informed. The WI forum is much more than just reading articles and replying. We also initiate discussion and personally reply. So I think we want to continue this community forum, if we can. This is different than the general Free Republic form of posting articles and replying. In my experience, this is something relatively new but important to the spirit of Free Republic. The real movement has become local, and keeping the local forums, in whatever means, and as simple as can be, is as important as it can be. IOW, John, we don't just need articles. We need to *TALK.*

With all due respect, John, you're STILL missing the point. You have to know that you'll have some interest in that topic. I may be lurking around and see the topic "Recall of Tom Ament"...if I don't know who he is, or have any idea of the issue, I'm not going to care and will simply move on.

The open State boards provide the opportunity to glance at ALL the info on ALL the issues and then the individual is able to decide if this is a topic for which they intend to become involved.

I can 100% guarantee that the recall effort in Milwaukee (from a FReeper's standpoint, an important standpoint to consider since some of the instigators were FReepers) would have been ignored by many Wisconsinites past earshot of the Milwaukee area had this open forum not existed. It is my understanding some of them became involved and donated money to help the recall.

I will repeat again...the majority of people will follow the path of least resistance...your forum will simply be stop signs in that path.

Does selecting my locale make me a subscriber as I have a flag flying on my profile page?

Further, I belong to about three chapters and I don't know if they coordinate with each other and besides, I contact them more than they contact me usually when I have interesting info to pass along. I don't know if they use it or not. Some contact should be from the top down with input from us prn.

I think in Florida, if we are going to help the local candidates and Jeb Bush, we better start working together as one at least as far as Jeb is concerned.

We need people researching the opponents, people studying Jeb's hot button topics, I am running a monthly Jeb photo thread like Dubya's Daily Dose. And, I am really disappointed that even though we've tried, there aren't enough Jeb bumper stickers in Tampa Bay. My car alone is not going to get the job done.

Florida is going to be the race to watch and we just aren't working together for Jeb. It's not sewn up either. Do we need state governor's race pages that we can regularly visit for the latest info set up by already existing chapters? Looking for separate chapters is harder than looking for a singular governor's race page for activism with maybe an actual calendar on that particular State page so we know when and where to go for rallys or to peacefully assemble with clever signage. Thanks for reading all of this. floriduh voter creator of McBride = McLawyer. It's catching on...

and then the question arises, how long will that topic remain on the sidebar at the present rate of new threads? I get upset, at what I call poachers, other state visitors posting in my state area. Most of them are worthless at best and spam at worst. There just happens to be an example of this on the SD board as we speak right at the top of the list.

South Dakota has been taking care of its own business, and frankly, I like it that way. If there is a SD relative post on the main board, someone sees it and posts a link, or if it is really important, we will get individually pinged by other state members, not the present "gang ping" who think it is important, and while we are on the subject of ping, I wish you could see the pings vs my posts or others to me. They are way out of proportion, and there ought to be a way of separating what I post and what returns to me from the thousands and thousands of pings that just muddy the water. I don't like the idea of having to control what ping lists I am on by mailing someone to be on or off their ping list.

I am not sure I like the idea of dual, triple, or multiple state membership. In fact the above poacher name refers to anyone posting stuff on someone elses state board. We have seen enough spam to know this is a bad idea IMHO. Real South Dakotans ought to be able to police their own board, and not be bothered having to police outsiders as well.

Just my humble opinion and thanks for the opportunity to sound off. You know I love FreeRepublic, the concept, the people who make it happen, and the Freepers, most of the improvements have been outstanding, in fact I was thinking just the other day, regarding beta testing of software, from an historical standpoint those who love to remember "the way it was" we could have reverse beta where each version of "freerepublic" software, would be available for use, seamlessly integrated with each other and with the present version, so those who like one over the other could stick with the old or new as they wish. Now how much trouble and bandwidth would that involve? It seems like things were so simple "in the beginning".