About the reptilian threads

[Takeda Shingen]

Hi all,

No, I have not gone crazy, or at least crazier than I already am. Neal and Neon, feel free to delete them, brig me, yell at me or remove my 'best of' badge or my moderator status if you feel it necessary; I won't get angry and storm off, leaving SubSim forever in a huff, nor will I say anything nasty about either of you. Any of those consequences would be well-deserved, and I did what I did knowing well that they would be the likely result. I know that this was topic spamming, and that is very wrong. My little act of civil disobedience was simply to illustrate the fallacy of the claim that 'different aspects' of the same topic are not the same topic. It is still topic spam, and if 4 threads were that annoying, please imagine the frustration that many, myself included, feel over 187 threads about the same issue. If it allows for members to stop and think before doing this sort of thing, then it would make GT a much nicer place to be, and would be well worth any consequences that I am likely about to suffer.

[Hottentot]

Well heck :o. I was wondering if I could get the local Finns in here to start conspiring by starting gazillions of threads about our coming elections (the world revolves around us after all), but I guess this spares me from getting laughed at, brigged and banned. And does it in a more classy way too.

:salute:

[Tribesman]

Hail the reptilian overlords.
I live near NASA and I shot a gun in 1984 , soory i am sober now tooo to and clerly saw someone on fox the other dasyz
INSANEEEEEEEEEEE
penguins with telescopes:up:
watch gunny take on the obamathob......http://www.youtube.com/user/gorilla199?blend=2&ob=4#p/u/30/Spvg0-i--k4

[Freiwillige]

While I agree that it becomes a bit much with the Obama threads, you have to understand that he is the most divisive president I have ever know and as he charges in uncharted directions people are gonna respond both for or against.

These topics while many are spamming repeats (Agreed), many are just as valid as they discuss new policy's, Power struggles and the future of this great nation. Now I am honestly not sure of the point you were trying to make, I mean in the forum world I know you well enough to know your a level headed guy and quite likable and I am sure you were just trying to make a point. I just hope that point is not to stifle any legitimate discussion about our prez and his policy's.

Although knowing you I don't think that is the case. I just feel like I missed something....Typical me confused as normal.

Anyway I like the job you do and I like that you seem to stay fair and balanced most of the time<---You are human after all:salute:

[Takeda Shingen]

While I agree that it becomes a bit much with the Obama threads, you have to understand that he is the most divisive president I have ever know and as he charges in uncharted directions people are gonna respond both for or against.

These topics while many are spamming repeats (Agreed), many are just as valid as they discuss new policy's, Power struggles and the future of this great nation. Now I am honestly not sure of the point you were trying to make, I mean in the forum world I know you well enough to know your a level headed guy and quite likable and I am sure you were just trying to make a point. I just hope that point is not to stifle any legitimate discussion about our prez and his policy's.

Although knowing you I don't think that is the case. I just feel like I missed something....Typical me confused as normal.

Anyway I like the job you do and I like that you seem to stay fair and balanced most of the time<---You are human after all:salute:

No, I don't want to stifle anyone's expression. I agree that Obama is divisive, and so was Bush 43. My approach to them would be the same; create a master Obama thread for all of the discussion. Hell, even sticky it. This way, the people that want to talk politics get what they want, and the people that don't want to wade through all of those individual threads get what they want. I know that this may not be organized enough to make some happy, but let us face it; political discourse is less Napoleonic warfare and more bar room brawl. Neal or Neon can make the thread easily, but what is needed is the members to go along with it. There were a bunch of threads where this came up recently, so I decided to illustrate it in this manner.

In terms of Neal, if I were him and one of my moderators had done this, I'd yank that 'best of' badge off his profile, revoke his moderator status and brig him for 10 days. I'd deserve that, I wouldn't say anything nasty about him for doing it, and I hope that no one else would either. Fair is fair. I just thought that this was an important point and issue for the community, and sometimes personal status is outweighed by the greater good of all.

[Skybird]

It is GT like it has been for ten years I "live " in here now. And I remember far worse times from back then - have people forgotten the wars that raged in this forum 2003, 2004, 2005...? Compared to back then, things are tame and civil now.

You are very much okay a moderator, Tak. Stop whipping yourself - nobody of us believes it anyway! :03:

[Skybird]

BTW, the only reptile I know is the one sitting at my end of the wire. :D

[Tribesman]

you have to understand that he is the most divisive president I have ever know and as he charges in uncharted directions people are gonna respond both for or against.


The same is said after each election about each president.

Compared to back then, things are tame and civil now.


I have to agree with Sky there, this was a very ugly place when the middle eastern fiasco was kicking off.

[Feuer Frei!]

Hi all,
My little act of civil disobedience was simply to illustrate the fallacy of the claim that 'different aspects' of the same topic are not the same topic. It is still topic spam, and if 4 threads were that annoying, please imagine the frustration that many, myself included, feel over 187 threads about the same issue. Indeed, however 2 points:
1) Is it really necessary to start a thread pointing this out? That there are 187 threads involving Obama? I posted in there and to ask what the point of it was? Was it to invite 'bashing' of yubba? I'm sure it wasn't the aim to do so, however, we all realise that some will jump on the wagon and take an opportunity when it presents itself.

you have to understand that he is the most divisive president I have ever know and as he charges in uncharted directions people are gonna respond both for or against.
Exactly, it's going to happen.

many are just as valid as they discuss new policy's, Power struggles and the future of this great nation. Now I am honestly not sure of the point you were trying to make, I mean in the forum world I know you well enough to know your a level headed guy and quite likable and I am sure you were just trying to make a point. I just hope that point is not to stifle any legitimate discussion about our prez and his policy's.Or indeed about any other political figures.

No, I don't want to stifle anyone's expression. I agree that Obama is divisive, and so was Bush 43. My approach to them would be the same; create a master Obama thread for all of the discussion. Hell, even sticky it.
Good point, you have my support for that. While we are on the subject of stickys, what about the "Tribute" thread? When members post about the deceased, or a loved one for instance? There are RIP posts which could be combined into one thread. I'm not attempting to hijack the topic here, just because we are talking about stickys and combining multiple threads about similar issues into one.
This way, the people that want to talk politics get what they want, and the people that don't want to wade through all of those individual threads get what they want. Again, you have my support.
I know that this may not be organized enough to make some happy, but let us face it; political discourse is less Napoleonic warfare and more bar room brawl. Neal or Neon can make the thread easily, but what is needed is the members to go along with it. Seems pretty organised to me at least, once again, count me in!

[Oberon]

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060429235260/turtledove/images/d/df/Race.jpg

When the Fleetlord says, "The Earth is for the Race," We SSS! SSS! right in the Fleetlord's face! When the Fleetlord says, "We rule the Earth from space," We SSS! SSS! right in the Fleetlord's face!

[HunterICX]

For the reptilian matter then....

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/9797/snakesonaplanemv06.jpg

I've had it with these mothershagging Obama threads, on this mothershagging forum board!

HunterICX

[Platapus]

My approach to them would be the same; create a master Obama thread for all of the discussion. Hell, even sticky it. This way, the people that want to talk politics get what they want, and the people that don't want to wade through all of those individual threads get what they want. I know that this may not be organized enough to make some happy, but let us face it; political discourse is less Napoleonic warfare and more bar room brawl.


I would support this. I keep pushing for a separate political subforum. It is getting a bit much. I could understand if the individual threads were actual deep thinking discussions, but rarely are they. Some are simply cut and past from news services (as if we don't have the ability to read the news ourselves) and others are simply rehashing what has already been discussed on other threads.

Your idea of a Obama sticky, while a good idea, won't work because it removes the ego satisfaction of some of the posters. They don't want their opinions "buried" in some discussion form with everyone elses opinion, they want their opinions in their own thread, with their name, on the front page. To some, this is important.

This is one of the reasons I think a separate forum for political discussion would work then everyone who wants to participate by flooding new threads can do so, while the other members can still enjoy the GT forum. A win win solution in my opinion.

Politics is a very emotional topic. There is a reason why in polite conversation one never brings up politics nor religion - Many people can not discuss either without getting emotional. Let's face it, most people consider their opinion to be the "right" opinion and really can't/won't understand that others may have a different opinion.

We have, in my opinion (which is the right opinion of course! :D) four options.

1. Forbid any political discussion on SubSim. Not a good solution. It would be one where the cure is worse than the disease.

2. Have an Obama Sticky (your idea). The discussions about Obama are too varied for one sticky. This site would have to have a number of Obama Stickies addressing the full spectrum of Obama topics from one extreme (I hate Obama because he is Black) to the other extreme (I love everything Obama touches) and everything in the middle. It would be a nightmare for the moderators to handle.

3. Have a separate political sub-forum. This the solution I would prefer. :D In this new forum, everyone could continue to do what they currently do, spamming Obama topics as they wish. Little extra work for the moderators. Any one entering the political sub-forum knows exactly what they are getting into. People who wish to post on matters political have the opportunity. People who have no interest in reading these type of posts won't have their "GT experience" affected.

4. Do nothing. The easiest solution. Most of us here are big boys and girls and we have the ability to not open up a thread. I am a big political interest guy. My interests are professional and academic. I love discussing politics! But honestly, I read the first 2-3 posts in a political thread and I can decide whether it is worth following. Most of the political threads I don't open. Sure it is annoying to see the thread titles listing yet another "I hate Obama" topic, but I am a big boy and I can simply read the threads I like and then select from the quick links "Mark forums read" to gray out the threads I did not want to read.

Censorship on the Internet Tubes is a complicated and emotional topic in itself. In a perfect world, the members of this site would decide for themselves to self manage the thread topics. But this is not a perfect world. People will post here with an agenda, with their personal biases, and even with their emotions. Remember sites like this are probably the only place they can spout off their opinions. That is one of the unintended consequences of the Internet Tubes - Every one now has an ability to post opinions. And many people really like that.

[Oberon]

I would only add my voice in support of a sub-forum (there's a pun there somewhere) for politics however I would also add 'religion' to go with that sub-forum, because if we manage to expel the Obama threads from GT they will simply be replaced with "OMFG THE MUSLIMS WILL KILL US ALL" threads.

[Platapus]

But where would we put the post on "Obama is a Muslim and wants to destroy America"? :D

[Marcantilan]

Hey, I´m the one who was running the reptilian thread!

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom//showthread.php?t=104252

You stole my idea ... you .... lizard!

[Weiss Pinguin]

My approach to them would be the same; create a master Obama thread for all of the discussion. Hell, even sticky it. This way, the people that want to talk politics get what they want, and the people that don't want to wade through all of those individual threads get what they want.
It seems to me that would be a bit like creating a shared highway for planes, cars, boats, trains, and bicycles, just to save space and make it easier for someone to get somewhere without getting lost. I understand why you suggest this, but starting a new thread kind of keeps focus, and keeps most of the discussion on that topic in that thread, instead of mixing around in other threads. IMO if you pack more than 2-3 topics into one threadi it's going to get sticky at some point, and if someone starts a new line every time Obama does something, you're going to end up with threads looking like these charts:
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/movie_narrative_charts.png
(except for the 12 Angry Men one and a lot like the Primer one)

IMO a sub-forum would be better organized than a superthread. Just my 2 cents.

[Raptor1]

I would only add my voice in support of a sub-forum (there's a pun there somewhere) for politics however I would also add 'religion' to go with that sub-forum, because if we manage to expel the Obama threads from GT they will simply be replaced with "OMFG THE MUSLIMS WILL KILL US ALL" threads.

It seems to me that most religious threads are also political threads anyway, so that's probably a good idea.

I was rather opposed to a political sub-forum, but I guess it might be a viable solution to the topic spamming. I don't think an Obama thread will survive unless the whole issue is very brutally moderated, and even then it will not work so well. So if we're not going to fix this with mock trials and execution by firing squad, I think a political forum might indeed be a reasonable solution.

[Oberon]

We've tried creating an Obama superthread but it rarely works out because people will insist on posting a new thread anyway, or someone like yubba will come along and derail a thread that has nothing to do with Obama.

So if we're not going to fix this with mock trials and execution by firing squad

You mean we're not? I thought that's how it was done in the USSA these days under Josef Obama?

[Freiwillige]

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060429235260/turtledove/images/d/df/Race.jpg

When the Fleetlord says, "The Earth is for the Race," We SSS! SSS! right in the Fleetlord's face! When the Fleetlord says, "We rule the Earth from space," We SSS! SSS! right in the Fleetlord's face!

Am I the only one who caught this brilliant piece of humor? Oberon you busted my gut on this one buddy.:up:

Found the orig. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MReV9dkAVhY

[Raptor1]

You mean we're not? I thought that's how it was done in the USSA these days under Josef Obama?

I don't know, it seems a lot of his most ardent detractors can be found around here, but they don't seem to be mysteriously disappearing all too quickly.

Hmm, so I guess all of them must be CIA agents sent here to find real dissidents... :hmmm:

[Oberon]

Am I the only one who caught this brilliant piece of humor? Oberon you busted my gut on this one buddy.:up:

Found the orig. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MReV9dkAVhY


All credit to Harry Turtledove and his excellent Worldwar series. :up:

[Tchocky]

I've never read Worldwar, but I've gone through Timeline-191 twice now :DL

Worth it?

[Oberon]

I've never read Worldwar, but I've gone through Timeline-191 twice now :DL

Worth it?

I think so, it's a nice twist on the traditional alien invasion stories, the technology of the Race is not all powerful and it's rather well balanced. The attitudes of the time are reflected well. If you enjoyed 191, I reckon you'll enjoy Worldwar. :yep:

[Hottentot]

I am a big political interest guy. My interests are professional and academic. I love discussing politics! But honestly, I read the first 2-3 posts in a political thread and I can decide whether it is worth following.

Well said, sums up many of my thoughts too. I'm mostly a reader, because I don't think I have enough knowledge to start debating politics of a foreign country (and not always even those of my own country either), but I like following a political discussion. And when it's usually about a subject that doesn't touch me directly (say, American health care), I just like following a good debate. Even when I don't participate myself, I often find myself learning something from both sides of any given debate. It's nice.

I still agree with this topic. The Obama threads aren't a problem. The problem is that the first page can only hold so many topics at once. While there are many valid discussions about the subject as well, they too get buried under the topic spam and get the "great, yet another Jawabama thread"-label all too easily. Agitprop benefits no one in here, but if that can't be stopped, then a sub-forum or a big thread would be nice. At least then everyone would know what they are opening.

[Rhodes]

So, those this lizards would be eating birds heads or not?









V reference...

[Oberon]

So, those this lizards would be eating birds heads or not?









V reference...

Nah, I think they're more into Guinea Pigs. :yep:

[Castout]

Snake is good for eating. It tastes like chicken.

I know this is not the thread.

[Penguin]

Wow, first I thought Tak took the wrong pills or someone hacked into his account - or the motherships landed in PA :03:

I would also like to see a seperate politics forum. My argument is that it would certainly bring more people back to GT who don't like to post here (anymore) or are po'd by politics spam. I also hope that maybe more sub-related or historical discussions would take place here. I know there are many in the many sub-forums, but I think it's a pita to read through all of them, especially of games (like SH5) which I don't play. And honestly a discussion about the different type VII's could be in any forum, that's why I would like to see it bundled somewhere - maybe even in a historical/military (sub) forum - in my perception the Sub & Naval Discussions (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/forumdisplay.php?f=186) is more about sources not so much about (military) history.

V-related: Does anybody still watch the new series? I do, though I think it's quite shallow biut I like the theme...


Well heck :o. I was wondering if I could get the local Finns in here to start conspiring by starting gazillions of threads about our coming elections (the world revolves around us after all), but I guess this spares me from getting laughed at, brigged and banned. And does it in a more classy way too.


Actually I would read one thread about this. It is always interesting to get some insight to other nation's politics. Though we just live across the Baltic, we don't get to know much about your politics - I think the Americans get even less news.
I learned more about the current US healthcare discussion here than anywhere else, or another great insight was the poster from Egypt who gave some interesting perspectives into his country at the time of the unrests.
So Hottentot, I would like to encourage you - as any poster from other countries - to open a thread about your countries politics if you feel like this. Though us damned foreigners can't bring anything into the discussion, it could be an interesting read.

[Weiss Pinguin]

Am I the only one who caught this brilliant piece of humor? Oberon you busted my gut on this one buddy.:up:

Found the orig. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MReV9dkAVhY
I got the musical reference :rotfl2:

[Skybird]

Political subforum hardly would work - it is only a question of time until it gets "spammed" with one and the same issue, and then they dfemand inside that forum another special forum for that issue.

GT is the one rumble pit where all and everything gets thrown into that does not match the other forums. Like it and enjoy it, don'T like it and stay out. That simple! ;)

[Lord Justice]

I just like following a good debate. Even when I don't participate myself, I often find myself learning something from both sides of any given debate. It's nice.

Are you French sir? or just a wise owl! :cool: @tak, if you should advance my way enroute to brig, I will throw you a ball and glove, if to be had. ;)

[Thomen]

Hi all,

No, I have not gone crazy, or at least crazier than I already am. Neal and Neon, feel free to delete them, brig me, yell at me or remove my 'best of' badge or my moderator status if you feel it necessary; I won't get angry and storm off, leaving SubSim forever in a huff, nor will I say anything nasty about either of you. Any of those consequences would be well-deserved, and I did what I did knowing well that they would be the likely result. I know that this was topic spamming, and that is very wrong. My little act of civil disobedience was simply to illustrate the fallacy of the claim that 'different aspects' of the same topic are not the same topic. It is still topic spam, and if 4 threads were that annoying, please imagine the frustration that many, myself included, feel over 187 threads about the same issue. If it allows for members to stop and think before doing this sort of thing, then it would make GT a much nicer place to be, and would be well worth any consequences that I am likely about to suffer.

I did not know that Obama was an issue. So far I thought the issues here where his different policies, politics and dreams he had for the country.

And comparing 4 threads posted within a short time with ~187 threads over.. what? 2 years or almost 3 years is rather mood, imho. Thats less than a new thread a day on average and nobody puts a gun to anyones head to post in them to keep these on the first page.

You can always tell Vendor to stop playing a news caster :D (just kidding), that will reduce the number of Obama threads on the first page drasticaly. :O:

I understand where you are coming from, and what you intend to show. However, when it comes to politics humans rarely (no matter which politcial sprectrum they are part of) are rational (no offense to anyone), and it is not going to change.

Just speaking for myself here: Yes, I do get annoyed sometimes too about all the Obama threads, all the Bush threads, all threads about how much the new patch sucks, how ****ty this (no particular) mod is, or how crappy the SH V / Ubi DRM is, but I decide if I want to read or even post in it. If I don't like it, I'll just ignore the threads.. No sweat, no lost sleep. :up:

[Hottentot]

Are you French sir? or just a wise owl!

No, I'm a Hottentot! Sorry, couldn't resist. You just reminded me where my nick comes from. We were once in France with bunch of friends (all Finns), staying in a certain place where many people from different countries were staying at and usually also accommodated in same rooms. Then this French guy suddenly barged into our room when I was all alone and asked if anyone there was French. I replied apologizing that I'm unfortunately a Hottentot and all my friends are Bushmen. Poor guy left with a very confused look on his face and later I learned that he only wanted to know what time it was.

Come to think of it, I haven't ever been called "French", "Sir" or "Wise". Even less all in the same post. I'm taking it as a compliment and hope that tomorrow I won't wake up as a Reptilian drone.

[nikimcbee]

Hi all,

No, I have not gone crazy, or at least crazier than I already am. Neal and Neon, feel free to delete them, brig me, yell at me or remove my 'best of' badge or my moderator status if you feel it necessary; I won't get angry and storm off, leaving SubSim forever in a huff, nor will I say anything nasty about either of you. Any of those consequences would be well-deserved, and I did what I did knowing well that they would be the likely result. I know that this was topic spamming, and that is very wrong. My little act of civil disobedience was simply to illustrate the fallacy of the claim that 'different aspects' of the same topic are not the same topic. It is still topic spam, and if 4 threads were that annoying, please imagine the frustration that many, myself included, feel over 187 threads about the same issue. If it allows for members to stop and think before doing this sort of thing, then it would make GT a much nicer place to be, and would be well worth any consequences that I am likely about to suffer.

I say we found our new FFL football commish.... for the next 10 years.:haha:

[Lord Justice]

Come to think of it, I haven't ever been called "French", "Sir" or "Wise". Even less all in the same post. I'm taking it as a compliment Then a toast my good man! To duty, and manners. Good day. :woot:

[Weiss Pinguin]

No, I'm a Hottentot! Sorry, couldn't resist. You just reminded me where my nick comes from. We were once in France with bunch of friends (all Finns), staying in a certain place where many people from different countries were staying at and usually also accommodated in same rooms. Then this French guy suddenly barged into our room when I was all alone and asked if anyone there was French. I replied apologizing that I'm unfortunately a Hottentot and all my friends are Bushmen. Poor guy left with a very confused look on his face and later I learned that he only wanted to know what time it was.

Come to think of it, I haven't ever been called "French", "Sir" or "Wise". Even less all in the same post. I'm taking it as a compliment and hope that tomorrow I won't wake up as a Reptilian drone.
This is exactly what I'm talking about! If you try a superthread for something like politics, you'll have people going off on tangents left and right just like this, and it'll be more foncusing than just having a thread for each line of thinking :smug: ;)

[Hottentot]

I'm sure the musical reference on page 2 was relevant, though.

[Sailor Steve]

We've tried creating an Obama superthread but it rarely works out because people will insist on posting a new thread anyway, or someone like yubba will come along and derail a thread that has nothing to do with Obama.
The only possible way to make it work would be to instantly lock any new thread and brig the creator for some time. Sooner or later it might sink in. Or not.

You mean we're not? I thought that's how it was done in the USSA these days under Josef Obama?
:rotfl2::rock:

[gimpy117]

hey I'm with you takeda.

funny articles are much better than "obama this" "obama that"

[Weiss Pinguin]

I'm sure the musical reference on page 2 was relevant, though.
Oh yes very :haha: :salute:

[Gargamel]

Political subforum hardly would work - it is only a question of time until it gets "spammed" with one and the same issue, and then they dfemand inside that forum another special forum for that issue.

GT is the one rumble pit where all and everything gets thrown into that does not match the other forums. Like it and enjoy it, don'T like it and stay out. That simple! ;)

My .02

Having been a mod on another sizable forum before, the GT type forums are there for a reason. We have our SH3, SH4, SH5, etc threads, and people get branded as trolls for even considering crossposting there.

The GT forum is like herding cat's. You have to allow just about anything that isn't covered elsewhere on the site, but you also have to keep it reasonable. You just have to direct the flow, and hope it stays in the right direction.

So what if there's a bazillion Obama threads? He (the POTUS, maybe not him in particular) is historically (recent) regarded as the most powerful man in teh world. I would like to think he would get some attention. And each thread usually has a different topic about him or his actions. Yes they'll get ugly and the same argument over and over, but each started with a unique discussion.

That's what GT is for. To allow for the free flow of discussion of various topics. If there starts to get obscene duplication of topics, then the mods need to step in, add redirects, merges, locks, etc. I've usually found this to be self policing here, as most duplicate threads get redirected by the members, and one dies off. But if the mods do want to step up, then a simple redirect link and a lock would suffice.

[Onkel Neal]

Ha! I guessed correctly. ;)

[Freiwillige]

Ha! I guessed correctly. ;)

I had guessed that you had guessed, What are we guessing again?

[Bubblehead1980]

Hi all,

No, I have not gone crazy, or at least crazier than I already am. Neal and Neon, feel free to delete them, brig me, yell at me or remove my 'best of' badge or my moderator status if you feel it necessary; I won't get angry and storm off, leaving SubSim forever in a huff, nor will I say anything nasty about either of you. Any of those consequences would be well-deserved, and I did what I did knowing well that they would be the likely result. I know that this was topic spamming, and that is very wrong. My little act of civil disobedience was simply to illustrate the fallacy of the claim that 'different aspects' of the same topic are not the same topic. It is still topic spam, and if 4 threads were that annoying, please imagine the frustration that many, myself included, feel over 187 threads about the same issue. If it allows for members to stop and think before doing this sort of thing, then it would make GT a much nicer place to be, and would be well worth any consequences that I am likely about to suffer.



Takeda, I like your sense of humor but you are incorrect in wishing for a "master obama" thread and starting a "reptile" thread is a terrible, but humorous way to try and prove your point.Although posting various reptile threads over the course of a day as opposed to 2-3 years worth of threads that concern issues related to obama somehow proves your point, well that is just crap honestly.

Most threads are in fact more about the issues but since obama is president and usually the one pushing certain issues, the discussion seems to be about him, more than the issue.Once again, thread concerning healthcare should not be merged with a foreign policy thread simply because obama is president and will prob be discussed in the thread, that makes no sense.The particular thread annoys you? Ignore it, just like you turn the channel and do not watch a tv show that offends or annoys you.

[Bubblehead1980]

The only possible way to make it work would be to instantly lock any new thread and brig the creator for some time. Sooner or later it might sink in. Or not.


:rotfl2::rock:


Yea Steve, lets just shut down members freedom to post subjects they wish on the board simply because a few A...well not so jolly individuals get their panties in a bunch when someone posts a thread cocerning issues related to the president.I would be for going after people if TRUE topic spamming were going on, but there has been not true topic spamming as claimed by those who wish to stifle discussion because this dislike it.The issue is simply, some people are annoyed so they complain, they have a right to, however they don't have a right to shut other members down for posting things they don't like.People post crap that I dislike all the time, I ignore it, pretty simple.

[Takeda Shingen]

Takeda, I like your sense of humor but you are incorrect in wishing for a "master obama" thread and starting a "reptile" thread is a terrible, but humorous way to try and prove your point.Although posting various reptile threads over the course of a day as opposed to 2-3 years worth of threads that concern issues related to obama somehow proves your point, well that is just crap honestly.

Really? I only say because I think what I did was pretty spot-on. Of course, I didn't suspect that you'd like what I had to say, and that's alright. It's not uncommon to have three or four Obama threads on the front page at any time, so I think that having four similarly-topiced (not a word, but whatever), albeit very silly threads on the forum all at once was a pretty good quick simulation of the kind of annoyance that it is to wade through a single spammed topic to get to the threads that interest you. And that's what the topic spamming rule is all about; not stifling speech, but extending a common courtesy to your fellow members. Frankly, if we can't even do that, then we're no better than a collection of boardhogs. I like to think that we are better than that.

[Onkel Neal]

Yea Steve, lets just shut down members freedom to post subjects they wish on the board simply because a few A...well not so jolly individuals get their panties in a bunch when someone posts a thread cocerning issues related to the president.I would be for going after people if TRUE topic spamming were going on, but there has been not true topic spamming as claimed by those who wish to stifle discussion because this dislike it.The issue is simply, some people are annoyed so they complain, they have a right to, however they don't have a right to shut other members down for posting things they don't like.People post crap that I dislike all the time, I ignore it, pretty simple.

Not to impair anyone's FoS but we have a rule about topic spamming:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/faq.php?faq=vb_faq#faq_new_faq_item_language

We are not shutting down anyone's discussion, but these similar topics belong in the same thread.

[Sailor Steve]

Yea Steve, lets just shut down members freedom to post subjects they wish on the board simply because a few A...well not so jolly individuals get their panties in a bunch when someone posts a thread cocerning issues related to the president.I would be for going after people if TRUE topic spamming were going on, but there has been not true topic spamming as claimed by those who wish to stifle discussion because this dislike it.The issue is simply, some people are annoyed so they complain, they have a right to, however they don't have a right to shut other members down for posting things they don't like.People post crap that I dislike all the time, I ignore it, pretty simple.
And you're so full of yourself you didn't even notice that I didn't advocate this, I merely pointed out that there was only one way it could work if it was done. I don't think it's a good idea, but you couldn't see that.

The problem is that you don't post issues, you post attacks. You don't discuss issues, you preach one-sided holier-than-thou arrogance, and can't even see yourself doing it. You only have one agenda, and it has nothing to do with Subsim, or even General Topics. You hate Obama. We get it. What you don't get is that your same diatribe over and over gets old. You may not sink quite to the level of trolling, but you do sound like a broken record.

[Rilder]

I suggest that Neal implement a new censor that changes "Obama" into "Our Reptillian Overlord"

[Molon Labe]

An Obama "master thread" would be completely useless. It would amount to a single thread covering every US political subject that the President might weigh in on. It would be overcrowded, cacophonous, and impossible to have a discussion on because of all the overlap from issue to issue.

Put another way, just because many topics degenerate into Obama-bashing does not mean that they are not separate topics.

[NeonSamurai]

I also do not think that one single massive Obama (or Islam, or whatever) thread would accomplish much.

That said, Tak's point is quite valid and I agree with him that the spamming of particular topics is getting rather old. Particularly considering that the odds of changing anyone's opinions seem to be around nil here, no matter how solid the counter argument, or how thoroughly the original argument is ripped to shreds. This is one reason why I do not bother commenting on all the posts I disagree with, as I think it is largely a total waste of time on my part.

Anyhow I guess I shall have to get a bit more aggressive regarding the topic spamming rule. So I would suggest that people lay off the topic spamming, as I will eventually get annoyed with merging threads, and will start handing out infractions to repeat offenders. This doesn't limit your freedom to discuss (rant is probably the better word), but it does mean you should try to find a topic that is related to what you want to talk about in the first few pages of the forum before starting a new one.

[Onkel Neal]

Topic spamming, imo, when I see 4 or more threads on the same subject on the same page. I don't read all the Obama basjing threads, no more than I read all the Bush bashing threads. But if the same guy makes multiple posts on the same topic, in a short span of time, he is abusing the forum, and the topics can be merged. It's simple common sense.

[ReallyDedPoet]

But if the same guy makes multiple posts on the same topic, in a short span of time, he is abusing the forum, and the topics can be merged. It's simple common sense.

And I think issue a warning or better yet one of these:

http://www.theoffside.com/files/2010/11/red-card.jpg

My .02 :yep:

[Bubblehead1980]

And you're so full of yourself you didn't even notice that I didn't advocate this, I merely pointed out that there was only one way it could work if it was done. I don't think it's a good idea, but you couldn't see that.

The problem is that you don't post issues, you post attacks. You don't discuss issues, you preach one-sided holier-than-thou arrogance, and can't even see yourself doing it. You only have one agenda, and it has nothing to do with Subsim, or even General Topics. You hate Obama. We get it. What you don't get is that your same diatribe over and over gets old. You may not sink quite to the level of trolling, but you do sound like a broken record.

short answer time......I do post issues, want a discussion, the trolls come in and it often degenerates.I do hate Obama, with good reason.I do not post the same thing over and over but I do often respond to various posts, my opinions don't change thread to thread, sorry.Yea I can be a little arrogant but does not bother me.

I did take it as you advocating locking threads.....which made me go :damn: misunderstanding on that part.

[Growler]

... considering that the odds of changing anyone's opinions seem to be around nil here, no matter how solid the counter argument, or how thoroughly the original argument is ripped to shreds....

I've heard it said that one should never discuss politics or religion in polite company; I think that a corollary to that is that people will speak until they've heard everything they want to say.

I admire the community here on several levels, not the least of which has been the ability for it to remain, on the whole, functional and fairly tolerant despite the widely varying differences of opinion on widely disparate topics.

That said, I've also thumped my head on my desk in frustration when I see the same old chestnuts being dragged through the same old fires time and time again. It doesn't help when attitudes turn condescending and patronizing from one side or the other - that demonstrates a lack of respect for the other guy, and, in my opinion, is antithetical to how this community operates.

For the most part, I've felt comfortable here; I've had discussions in public and private with members whose opinions diverged from mine, only to find the differences weren't quite so vast as they initially appeared - but that can only happen when there's a willingness on both parts to meet somewhere on the bridge and talk it over. When condescension and arrogance move in, reasoned discourse moves out.

Rather than address the multitude of similar topics, I would respectfully suggest we all stop and take a look at what we're posting from how it may appear to the guy at the other end of the 'Net. I'm not suggesting self-censorship, but perhaps a little self-reflection.