It seems the forum is overrun with threads on touchy issues at the moment. It's 3am here, so I'm going to lock several of them, not because any specific one crossed the line but to stop the hemorrhaging until we can get a chance to read through it all. Some may, or may not, be unlocked upon review.
And let me stress, although I have different opinions than some posters I've got no bad blood from what I've read. I just want to give things a chance to cool down a bit.
We've stuck our finger in a bees nest here. Sometimes that's how you get honey, but sometimes it just gets you stung. Some people like taking those chances. There were moments in the discussion that I found illuminating, but what we really did is, instead of sticking one finger in one hive we all grab the nearest hive and stuck our fingers in and raised a swarm of bees.
Some lessons need relearning. Today, I relearned the lesson that when you are dealing with a controversial topic that letting it spread out across multiple threads is a recipe for bee stings. If we are heading out in the woods looking for hives to stick our fingers in, lets pick one beehive and make sure we've got everyone who doesn't want to be stung clear.
In real terms this means if there is a thread that is likely to cause things to get riled up that topic stays in that thread. You can get angry with someone, (as long as you follow the creed) and be angry as long as you are in that thread. If you feel you aren't getting heard in that thread, reconsider how you are saying it but don't start another thread on the topic until the last one is gone from the front page (and if it caused a lot of stings, wait a little longer).
I like a good debate between friends. One of the rules of that kind of debate is core to the creed- always assume that other people have good intentions. I saw some slipups in that respect. When I review I may call some people out on that more specifically, but large parts of the debate were civil, and probably would have been fine if they hadn't spilled across multiple threads.
No new threads on this topic until we get it sorted out, probably later tomorrow though. I've locked the threads that got people going for now. Until I get to read everything though, good night.
Fair enough. Having said that, I do hope that my thread does get unlocked, as I'd like to continue making my point.
There's a ton of verifiable evidence to support what I wrote - at least some of it, that which didn't strictly come out of my own neurons - and I'd like to bang on a bit more about it. Those who want to join in can; those who don't are free to ignore the thread, or take a break, as one has decided to do.
I realise that unpopular views may get people's proverbials in a twist, but, largely sitting on the other side of the fence, that's how I feel almost every time I listen to one of our carbon-copy, identikit so-called commentators mouthing off their usual cowardly PC crap on the BBC or Sky News. I can count on one hand - at a stretch, maybe two - the number of UK media pundits I have any respect for.
That's why I like to have my say. I don't expect to change a damned thing; my views are more intended to be in the nature of an obituary than a plea for change. In any case, I just enjoy the argument.
As for the creed, while I do try to respect other people - rudeness is always a mistake, even when it might be clever - I don't actually care a jot, not an atom, not even a quark about what people say to me. Sure, some folks' comments can get me riled - I'm not Mr Spock - but I've learned from this forum years ago - remember 'mickil', a username I hated - and from commenting on national rags that there will always be someone to take a cheap swipe from the sofa. That's the nature of the beast, and 'If you can't take the heat...' as the saying goes. I've learned how to deal with that. Still, I appreciate that not everyone feels that way, and I'm not the only person whom you have to consider.
Anyway, as Forest Gump once said, "And that's about all I have to say about that right now."
By the way, I don't know if you saw my mention of Peter F. Hamilton in the other thread, the sci-fi reference. You may well find it interestng.
Last Edited by HarmonicaMick on Jun 17, 2015 6:37 AM
