Rules of the Site:
Casual visitors to the Site are most welcome. There are
however a couple of limitations that should be noted:
* Webmaster will be happy to post any short note (up to 500 characters) as long as it's relevant to the topic of this site and in accordance with the rules listed below.
* For articles longer than mentioned 500 characters and accompanying photographs and/or graphics you must be a Member in order to submit them for publication. (Membership of the SiteO is free, but brings certain responsibility towards colleagues at the site. Please see details.)
* The Webmaster reserves at all times the sole right to accept or reject
any material submitted for publication. For any (or no) reason.
* International Intellectual Property Laws must be respected. Any
material that is not your own must be duly acknowledged, and
permission of the Owner or Copyright Holder for you to use the material
must be obtained, BY YOU, - prior to publication. The Webmaster and
Officers of SITE O accept no responsibility for your failure to do so,
and legal liability for any resultant Damages will rest solely with
you.
* No material of a political, ideological, racist or religious nature
will be considered for publication. ( If you've got a "barrow" to push,
- please go and push it elsewhere!).
* You will not knowingly submit any material that is infected with
"electronic viruses", "trojans" - or "spyware".
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Notes for "Beginners"
Please don't be "put off" by the above. Historical research and writing can
be immensely rewarding, but it's the old story, I'm afraid: - "What you put
into it is what you (and your readers) get out of it".
The following are a few tips that will help you "get off on the right foot":
* Do your research well. Use authentic documents from Government
Departments, Local Bodies, Public Archives, Libraries etc...as your
source material. Accuracy is all important, so try to avoid simply
quoting previously published authors on a given subject. (it's all too
easy to end up just "parroting" the errors of someone else's "less than
thorough" research).
* Avoid "like the plague" hearsay, rumor - and "local legends". Treat
with caution what (you think) "late Uncle Fred" told you on his knee -
35 years ago, when you were 6!
* Quote all your sources, and give file references etc...wherever
possible. If your source is "anecdotal" or "verbal" - say so.
* We all have an in-built tendency to make "assumptions" - especially
when we're frustrated, and can't find the "hard evidence" to back up
our conclusions. DON'T DO IT! At best, you MAY guess right. At worst,
you'll simply "get it wrong", fuel another "local legend" - and totally
mislead your readership.
* Seek "peer appraisal" of your work. This is where SITE O can be
especially useful to you. It provides a source of contacts with others
doing research in the same field. There's a LOT of experience out
there, and most of your fellow researchers will be only too pleased to help. Make use of them!
Good luck!
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Disclaimer:
This Site contains links to many Web Sites that detail the location
of places you may wish to visit.
By their nature, Military sites can be VERY DANGEROUS places to visit. If
you choose to do so, you must rely on your own "common sense" to keep
yourself safe. The Webmaster and Officers of SITE O can accept no liability
whatsoever for accidents, loss, injury - or death, that may result.
Our advice is: Unless you are properly prepared, and 100% happy with what
you are proposing to do, - KEEP OUT!
It's up to you!
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Visiting Military Sites:
Assuming you DO choose to visit Military sites, here's a few tips that can
help to keep you safe:
* Kids: DO NOT visit ANY Military site, - unless you are accompanied by a
responsible adult.
Sadly, the DANGER of the site itself is not the only thing you have
to worry about. These places can also sometimes be visited by PEOPLE
who can be DANGEROUS to you, as well.
* Do your "homework". Research where you want to go. Find out about the
topography of the area. Is legal access allowed? Are there obvious
physical hazards with the site?
* Many sites are located on "Public" land, - but others are not! DON'T
TRESPASS! - If the site you want to visit is on Private or Government
Property - get the appropriate permission's first. (This is important:
Quite aside from the legal ramifications for you, trespassing simply
"stuffs it up" for your fellow enthusiasts when they seek permission
for access. It also gives the lot of us a "bad name").
* We rely very much on the "goodwill" of Private and Government land
owners in obtaining access to sites. "Abuse it, and you loose it".
* Don't ever be tempted to "break into" structures that are locked,
sealed - or otherwise secured, in order to satisfy your curiosity.
Doing so is an act of Vandalism, (possibly also constituting "Breaking
and Entering"), - which is guaranteed to get you into trouble with the
Law.
* Make sure someone else knows where you are going, - and preferably
DON'T go alone. (Many sites are in isolated areas. You need backup if
something goes wrong. As stated above, these areas can also be magnets
for "undesirables").
* There are physical hazards that can hurt you: Crumbling masonry that
can fall on you, exposed shafts you can fall down - and proximity to
sheer cliffs. (Don't under-estimate the latter - a number of people
have been killed in New Zealand by simply "slipping over the edge").
* If you are going underground, take at least 2 light sources with you.
Use electric torches, - NOT "naked flame". Don't light a fire
underground - under any circumstances, and be aware that some "deep
underground" complexes MAY have pockets of "bad air". If it doesn't
"smell right", or you start feeling strange - GET OUT!
* Watch out for debris on floors, missing drainage hatch covers, open
shafts and missing cable channel gratings.
* Beware of corroded metal fixtures, such as hand rails, ladders and
gratings.
* Remember, your cell phone won't work underground, and the site may well
be outside of the coverage area anyway. Another good reason to "take a
buddy" with you.
* Beware of flooded areas. The water may be only ankle deep, but is there
a shaft in the middle of the room? - or an engine bed or cable channel
that could trip you up? (The latter are really good for breaking ankles
in!).
* Unexploded munitions: - Not a problem (usually) in Australia or New
Zealand, - but a REAL issue on many Pacific Islands (or at SOCA - ISONZO frontline in our case!!!) that were part of
the "War Zone". The rules are simple:
A) - DON'T TOUCH IT.
B) - Get away from it.
C) - Report it to the Authorities.
Unexploded munitions are lethal. A rifle bullet can blow off your hand, (or
worse), - and anything bigger can literally "vaporize" you, and kill or maim
anybody else within a considerable radius!
* Finally, DO NOT be tempted to take "souvenirs". Removing artifacts from
historic sites is a serious Criminal matter in most jurisdictions, and
quite rightly so. "Take nothing but pictures - and leave nothing but
footprints".
Good luck - and happy and SAFE exploring!
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The rules and advises listed above were compiled and written by Alistair Scadden, the Regional SiteO Director for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Since they are equally applicable in Central and South East European area as they are "Down Under" or anywhere else I'm thanking him for allowing me to use them for this site as well.
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