If I have some very useful knowledge with regard to a Mahalo answer, but no internet source has this same info, should I omit the info?

If you have useful knowledge and can answer a Mahalo question, please do so. Sometimes the answers come from one's personal knowledge and experience and cannot be found on the internet so one cannot find a source. Other times knowledge and experience are common to society that we can find a related source on the internet and use it as our reference.

If the former is the case, just state that the knowledge is based upon your own opinion or experience to be clear. What is important is that you do your best to answer appropriately the question, that it will be helpful, not to be rude and if possible to cite a source when applicable.

Not necessarily. Although Mahalo is described as a human search engine, which assumes that the information is being searched, edited, and perhaps reformated from internet sources, there are times when you may have a source at home that is not available on line. If so, I would give the answer and tell the source.

For example: Some months ago there was a woman out west somewhere who was involved in an accident where a tree limb actually impaled her neck. She didn't have insurance, and online sources indicated that a local bank was collecting funds to help with medical expenses. The problem was that the donation information was not complete, so we couldn't find out where to actually send a donation.So I called the bank and got the address, then posted it here on Mahalo.

For a source, I put down that I had called the bank.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.