Sad state of affairs

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FrankNSharon

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when we can not have a civil and respectful discussion without it deteriorating and ending up locked.
 
Any discussion involving religion or politics will eventually deteriorate.  It's a law of the internet :)  At least we don't suffer from Godwin's Law (look it up).
 
FrankNSharon said:
when we can not have a civil and respectful discussion without it deteriorating and ending up locked.

As Ned says, when it does not involve politics or religion.  (Religion includes the relative merits of Ford, Chevrolet, and Chrysler.)

Actually, the Forum does pretty well with the discussions.  I used to sysop on a CIS political forum.  Those discussions would blow right thru Godwin's Law like an ICBM.  However, this is a RV forum and we want to keep our heated discussions to vital matters like TT vs 5th wheel and crock pot cookery.  So we make sure that the politics are headed off before the flaming begins. 
 
This is the most civil of all forums I frequent. There is basically no trolling, worthless posts, or e-fighting. I find it refreshing. The mods do a great job of nipping any developing tension early so it does not fester into ugliness. The board is full of wealth of great information by well informed posters.
 
Caution this post contains FOWL language!!!

Many of the folks here in this forum go back to the days when access was like $30.00/hr days and six bucks an hour at night at 300 baud, High speeds cost more.  This price structure does not encourage name calling and other forms of flaming.  Hence this forum is rather civil.  Plus a lot of us know each other, have eaten at the same table, and so on.

However one of the major issues with th einternet is the anonymity of a screen name.

Some TURKEY who would never say a word if his name were known because he'd be too CHICKEN and afraid he'd have to DUCK the reply least his GOOSE be cooked.. Posts the most amazing blather you have ever seen and of course then when people tell him he's nuts.... He resorts to name calling and other "Flaming" Behavior.

Oh, when I typed FOWL, did you think I meant Foul?

 
By far this forum is one of the most comfortable forums I have read. Even the recent locked forum was VERY tame compared to some other forums. There are some forums I no longer go because they arent' moderated very well. Politics and religion are topics that can bring the worst out in people.

 
We appreciate everyone's understanding. It's a tough call, knowing when to let a discussion self-correct vs stepping in and calling time out, and we don't always get it right. It's always a judgement call, and we're sometimes accused of over-moderating and even censorship. But, as comments here confim, the result is a more harmonious forum, with energies focused on solving problems and enhancing folks' RVing experience.

In this case, I believe the staff member made a good call, and stepped in before things got bad.

BTW historically, there were 3 subjects that our forum members voluntarily stayed away from - religion, politics and firearms, because they always seemed to bring out extreme, polarized views.
 
We appreciate all you do to keep this forum tension free.  Your track record for deciding when to lock topics is exemplary.  Good job, guys!

Margi
 
Tom,

I have no problems with the moderators, it is us that I have a problem with. The moderators are doing what must be done, the sad thing is that it must be done.

And I don't find saying this is a good place to be acceptable, that the moderators must step in is a comment on each of us.

Frank
 
Thanks Margi, but please don't downplay your role and that of other long-time forum members in helping shape our culture. I've personally received a few bruises from the 2x4's, but I've always appreciated the private counseling from our wise members.

When I took over the reins from Ed Juge, one of the nicest folks I've ever met, I promised Ed that I'd run the forum for the benefit of the members. I try every day to live up to that promise, and I'm grateful to the entire forum staff for providing the support that they do.
 
Note to sysops:  Thank you for locking the thread that I started in the Shade Tree where I was comparing our countries income/expense budget to an individual's household income/expense budget. 

I thought (silly me) that it might give us some prospective because really big numbers (lots of zeros) are sometimes difficult to grasp.

I started the thread and now ask that you completely remove the entire thread from the forum.  What I wanted to compare turned into a political platform.  It did not do what I intended

JerryF
 
It is refreshing to visit sites that are so well monitored as to not disintegrate into mean spirited exchanges.  I read a long time ago that on RV forums guns, politics, religion and Dolly Parton are forbidden topics as they always disintegrate.  Personally, I miss a good discussion about Dolly Partton.
 
John From Detroit said:
Caution this post contains FOWL language!!!

Many of the folks here in this forum go back to the days when access was like $30.00/hr days and six bucks an hour at night at 300 baud, High speeds cost more.  This price structure does not encourage name calling and other forms of flaming.  Hence this forum is rather civil.  Plus a lot of us know each other, have eaten at the same table, and so on.

However one of the major issues with th einternet is the anonymity of a screen name.

Some TURKEY who would never say a word if his name were known because he'd be too CHICKEN and afraid he'd have to DUCK the reply least his GOOSE be cooked.. Posts the most amazing blather you have ever seen and of course then when people tell him he's nuts.... He resorts to name calling and other "Flaming" Behavior.

Oh, when I typed FOWL, did you think I meant Foul?


How could you possibly know, without any doubt, which moniker is real which is not?  e.g., "Tiger" (Woods); Lady Gaga;  Queen Latifa; John Smith; Barack Obama; Wolf Blitzer; ????
 
maverickbbd said:
Personally, I miss a good discussion about Dolly Partton.
There's a hilarious scene where Johnny Carson is interviewing Dolly.  He states "I'd give a years pay to peek under there."  Dolly just laughs as does the audience.  "I cannot tell you how tacky I feel right now ...."
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3nwtn_johnny-carson-s-famous-interview-wi_fun
 
Speaking of Dolly Parton, have you ever noticed how tiny her waist is?  Oh yes, well maybe not.  But in case you have, it's no wonder "things" have gotten to the state they're in.  You cinch my waist up that much and...well, it's gotta go somewhere.
 
Now I know why maverickbbd put two T's (or is that T-Ts) in his second spelling of Dolly's name. ??? :-[
 
I do believe that you old coots have done the downhill run on a Dolly Parton topic in record time -- at least for a bunch of old coots anyway.    ::)
 
Tony_Alberta said:
There's a hilarious scene where Johnny Carson is interviewing Dolly.  He states "I'd give a years pay to peek under there." 

Dolly should have taken Johnny up on the offer. His annual salary would have made an awesome donation to a favorite charity.

Wendy
 
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