Is it just me?

[MartinHarper]

Perhaps someone ought to look at the people making some of these so-called attacks and who they're making them to. If it's David to Andy, or LMC to Trampy, then you won't find any of them sitting a corner going 'Bully!" and crying.

Perhaps. However, I find that such things make reading the forum less pleasant for me, even if those attacking each other are consenting adults (and they're not always).
There's an element of pet/kettle in me saying that, sure.

[Genie]

*mops Andy's brow* easy, boy. Deep breaths

I don't quite agree. LMC did come here and post a comment that some people disagreed with. Me, for example. But then, a lot of people do

The temperature hasn't risen entirely because LMC posted it Still, it is a democracy. Minorities have a voice (and like real democracy, the minorities sometimes have a louder one) I don't mind that LMC finds the forum too hot to handle. What I would mind is if those threads that she finds too heated got deleted. Then I would be upset. I might even cry. And call her a bully :cry:

[Genie]

Perhaps. However, I find that such things make reading the forum less pleasant for me, even if those attacking each other are consenting adults (and they're not always).
There's an element of pet/kettle in me saying that, sure.

Can we change his handle! To "Pet Kettle"? I like that!

Ok, so maybe we should have that section with a disclaimer. "You only enter here if you don't mind being told you're wrong." Then they would be 'consenting adults' and no one could complain any more.

[dance cat]

So what you are saying, LMC, is that because some people can't 'take a joke' the rest of the forum must stop making them?

Well I'm another person who doesn't see all of what has gone on as the inability to take a joke. People have been hurt by throw away comments and other posters have written to say they were sorry their comments were hurtful. I haven't read any of what LMC has written as a comment on jokes and she has had the maturity to look at some of her own posts and say she has made mistakes herself. I believe a little more self reflection about the content of posts wouldn't go amiss.

[Andy McGregor]

*mops Andy's brow* easy, boy. Deep breaths

I don't quite agree. LMC did come here and post a comment that some people disagreed with. Me, for example. But then, a lot of people do

The temperature hasn't risen entirely because LMC posted it Still, it is a democracy. Minorities have a voice (and like real democracy, the minorities sometimes have a louder one) I don't mind that LMC finds the forum too hot to handle. What I would mind is if those threads that she finds too heated got deleted. Then I would be upset. I might even cry. And call her a bully :cry:

[MartinHarper]

Can we change his handle! To "Pet Kettle"? I like that!

As long as I can keep my spout.

[David Franklin]

Even in a democracy a minority view is still a view, disagreeing with the majority doesn't make you a liar and it doesn't make you wrong.

Quit wriggling Andy. I'm not calling you a liar because you disagree with the majority. I'm calling you a liar because you said it was just LMC in the face of several posters saying that they agreed with her (and therefore it was NOT just LMC).

You talk about minority views. Well, as a matter of fact, although I agree with LMC, I think hers is actually the minority view. But it's a sizable minority (I would guess about 20%, though it is just a guess), so I find it rather irritating when someone, in the face of clearly contradictory evidence, insists that LMC is actually in a minority of one.

[jivecat]

The forum temperature had not risen until LMC started this thread.

The temperature of this thread did not rise, IMO, until post #6.

LMC has come onto the forum and started trouble.

Trouble doesn't usually need any starting.

Had she not posted, I would not have responded.

Why did you not choose to respond in a calm and reasonable manner? Aggressive raving tends to diminish the force of your arguments.

I am glad you're back, though. No-one can rave aggressively quite like you.

[Andy McGregor]

Quit wriggling Andy. I'm not calling you a liar because you disagree with the majority. I'm calling you a liar because you said it was just LMC in the face of several posters saying that they agreed with her (and therefore it was NOT just LMC).

You talk about minority views. Well, as a matter of fact, although I agree with LMC, I think hers is actually the minority view. But it's a sizable minority (I would guess about 20%, though it is just a guess), so I find it rather irritating when someone, in the face of clearly contradictory evidence, insists that LMC is actually in a minority of one.

Sorry, I was just being thick and didn't understand David's earlier comment as he'd taken what I said in a way I hadn't meant it. And, the way David puts it, he is right and I do sound like a liar.

However, that is not the way I meant it. So, I'm going to have to explain myself again, sorry. I'm typing this slowly so that the slower readers can understand. IMHO the upset about the temperature of the Forum is all about how LMC is feeling. She has said she's tired, she's alluded to being ignored and not contacted by other members of the Forum. When people are in this kind of mood they are more sensitive and are more likely to act in an aggressive and accusatory manner. So, I said that the upset LMC as feeling is just her - it's all internal and nothing to do with any change in Forum temperature. And I stand by that.

[Emma]

Or has the forum got really nasty recently?

I'm not sure I'd say it was really nasty, but I agree that some threads have recently had a more aggressive/combative tone.

I believe as soon as people see the same old culprits, going head to head, they just think, 'oh here we go again' I won't bother getting invloved

What worries me, (and I've been told this) is some people feel intimidated from writing at all, for fear they will be ridiculed for their opinion.

I'll hold my hands up, I feel like that. In my opinion the forum currently has one or two characters whose pursuit of a cheap laugh is often at the expense of others. This is fine if you know them and understand that they are probably joking, but can also be extremely offputting if you don't.

And I can think of no particular argument on the forum in last week or even month that could have sparked LMC's post.

I can think of several, but it's all a matter of opinion, isn't it? I guess the idea is that everyone is entitled to their own.

[LMC]

So what you are saying, LMC, is that because some people can't 'take a joke' the rest of the forum must stop making them?

(and other stuff)

No. I'm all for free speech and said ^^^ up there that I think the idea of a separate section for heated stuff is a good idea so those who don't want to play can easily avoid it. The line between joke and insult is finely drawn and in different places for everyone (did I say my area of specialist and particular expertise is "The bleedin' obvious"?). This means that people who *want* to complain might not do so for fear of being seen as unreasonable or over-sensitive.

Over a year ago I some photos of me removed. Before they were posted, I had specifically said to the taker that I hated them and asked them to delete them from the camera. Whether I'm a minger or not, those photos made me look like one. I admitted several months later that I had more than slightly over-reacted (which I had). Whether I was justified or not, some people's response to the removal was appalling - not "I disagree with you/your action" (fair) but "you are a sad whining wrong person" (bullying). I still don't really like photos of me being available to complete strangers via the internet. But I'm in way too small a minority on that one and just can't be bothered to fight it any more. Swimming against the stream is not easy: it's all very well you saying that we should all behave like adults - but does everybody, always?

I believe a little more self reflection about the content of posts wouldn't go amiss.

IMHO the upset about the temperature of the Forum is all about how LMC is feeling

This thread certainly started out like that - which wasn't my intention, but then it's difficult sometimes to tell how people are going to perceive things . Sorry. However, please believe me when I say that I *didn't* intend this thread to be "all about me" but about the forum - and yeah, my experience on it, but also other people's - hence (I'll say it again) the question mark in the title. Apologies for being unclear. To be fair to me, I wasn't involved in and hadn't seen DJ's forum temperature thread, so it seems I've just opened the can of worms again, not created a new one.

[David Franklin]

However, that is not the way I meant it. So, I'm going to have to explain myself again, sorry. I'm typing this slowly so that the slower readers can understand.

Well, if typing slowly means that what you type is actually what you mean, that might just work - although I'm not sure the problem is with the readers.

Looking down at other posts: flippin' 'eck - a moderator is saying she feels intimidated about posting and you don't think there's a problem with the atmosphere?

[Andy McGregor]

Well, if typing slowly means that what you type is actually what you mean, that might just work - although I'm not sure the problem is with the readers.

Looking down at other posts: flippin' 'eck - a moderator is saying she feels intimidated about posting and you don't think there's a problem with the atmosphere?

Please note, I'm still typing slowly (I've noticed I make less tpyos that way too). What I'm saying is that how LMC is feeling is all about her. So my answer is that it's "just her" being her and feeling the way she does at the moment rather than any change in the forum.

I don't think Lory would really be intimidated by anything anybody posted. She's a very confident woman. And she could always delete anything she didn't like

[Trouble]

The temperature of this thread did not rise, IMO, until post #6.


Trouble doesn't usually need any starting.

u got that right but im enjoying sitting out of this one.

[dance cat]

I
I stick to my opinion. The forum temperature had not risen until LMC started this thread. LMC has come onto the forum and started trouble. Had she not posted, I would not have responded.

If this were the case then why is there a thread about the forum temperature which pre dates this one with comments both for and against the opinion LMC is putting forward? I don't know any of the parties involved in our thread so I have no axe to grind, but having read previous threads I don't see how LMC's post is responsible for another rise in temperature.

[David Franklin]

I don't think Lory would really be intimidated by anything anybody posted.

I was referring to Emma. I'm not sure if she's an active moderator anymore, but if it's even an ex-moderator saying that, it's a bad sign.

[Gus]

My own opinion is that the forum goes through ups and downs in terms of arguments. And I can think of no particular arguent on the forum in last week or even month that could have sparked LMC's post.

Andy, though I tend to agree with you more often than not, my personal view is that you are miles offside on this. THe common consensus is that LMC raised a vaild observation that you slammed into. To state that there has been no untoward arguments recently is surprising. After been on the receiveing end of The Ass's comments over the last month or so I would have to disagree strongly with your comment.

So, I agree with LMC, debate is fine, but things have got decidely nasty of late All hail the great 'igbore' option which has made the Forum palatable once more

[Andy McGregor]

So, I agree with LMC, debate is fine, but things have got decidely nasty of late All hail the great 'igbore' option which has made the Forum palatable once more

However, taking a longer term view, the forum has had asses come and go for ages. Remember Chris? And there have been others who've raised the temperature so, overall, on average, taking everything into account, the forum temperature is pretty much unchanged, IMHO.

[jivecat]

What I'm saying is that how LMC is feeling is all about her. So my answer is that it's "just her" being her and feeling the way she does at the moment rather than any change in the forum.

So what about all the other people who said that they felt the forum had changed? Can their views be discounted by saying that it's "just them"?

I don't think Lory would really be intimidated by anything anybody posted. She's a very confident woman. And she could always delete anything she didn't like

It was Emma who said she felt intimidated from posting on the forum, not Lory. However I'm sure she's very confident as well.

[Andy McGregor]

It was Emma who said she felt intimidated from posting on the forum, not Lory. However I'm sure she's very confident as well.

Not only is Emma confident. In the flesh she's quite scary too - but in a nice way