What the forum is about

[Conchis]

I've had a look at some old threads, on which all of those mentioned by Beef Oven! contributed. Politics seemed to be at the root of most of the contention. Of late, though, there seem to have been very few political threads. Was a decision made by board admin to 'restrict' political discussions? I know we had one on the General Election which, perhaps inevitably, bubbled over with recrimination, but very little prior to that and nothing at all since.

[french frank]

I've had a look at some old threads, on which all of those mentioned by Beef Oven! contributed. Politics seemed to be at the root of most of the contention. Of late, though, there seem to have been very few political threads. Was a decision made by board admin to 'restrict' political discussions? I know we had one on the General Election which, perhaps inevitably, bubbled over with recrimination, but very little prior to that and nothing at all since.

Political discussions are now officially excluded, following the dropping (again) of the P&CA board and the closing of the General Election thread. Some forums allow politics, other don't. We now don't. It may have been a disappointment for those whose main interest was in discussing politics, but that's not really a facility FoR3 wants to offer … members also voted not to have a Religion & Ethics board some while ago when it was suggested.

[Conchis]

Political discussions are now officially excluded, following the dropping (again) of the P&CA board and the closing of the General Election thread. Some forums allow politics, other don't. We now don't. It may have been a disappointment for those whose main interest was in discussing politics, but that's not really a facility FoR3 wants to offer … members also voted not to have a Religion & Ethics board some while ago when it was suggested.

Regrettable, possibly but understandable (certainly) decisions.

The only place on the internet where I've ever found a 'civilised' political discussion was on a forum dedicated to the rock group Barclay James Harvest. Not one of my favourite bands but the people who like them are a politically varied (and extremely nice) bunch.

[MrGongGong]

members also voted not to have a Religion & Ethics board

i'm saying nowt

[Beef Oven!]

i'm saying nowt

Glory be to God!

[french frank]

i'm saying nowt

Only 60 members participated (6 of whom are no longer members), but the poll was open to all. The question was: Would an Ideas, Religion and Ethics forum be a welcome addition? A third, including me and the member who suggested it, voted it a Good Idea and I Would Probably use it.

Almost half (29) voted it inappropriate for this forum. 6 thought it a good idea but that they probably wouldn't use it. 5 had no strong opinion.

You didn't vote.

[Beef Oven!]

Only 60 members participated (6 of whom are no longer members), but the poll was open to all. The question was: Would an Ideas, Religion and Ethics forum be a welcome addition? A third, including me and the member who suggested it, voted it a Good Idea and I Would Probably use it.

Almost half (29) voted it inappropriate for this forum. 6 thought it a good idea but that they probably wouldn't use it. 5 had no opinion.

You didn't vote.

Huh?

[french frank]

Huh?

Since amended to 'No Strong Opinion'

[Bryn]

Only 60 members participated (6 of whom are no longer members), but the poll was open to all. The question was: Would an Ideas, Religion and Ethics forum be a welcome addition? A third, including me and the member who suggested it, voted it a Good Idea and I Would Probably use it.

Almost half (29) voted it inappropriate for this forum. 6 thought it a good idea but that they probably wouldn't use it. 5 had no strong opinion.

You didn't vote.

I think the irony being alluded to was that voting has a certain political taint to it.

[ahinton]

Which is the lifeblood of a forum such as this one.

To the extent that it is by definition a discussion forum, it is indeed in principle, yet it is also clear that, when it becomes as septic as Bryn suggests (by virtue of certain members' contributions frequently attracting opprobrium from a majority of respondents), such "lifeblood" could reasonably be seen to have assumed the mantle of attempted aggravation on the part of a tiny minority of members whose agenda appears to include a desire to clarify their positions as fish out of water here, from which one wonders why they join and remain members when the opportunity of sharing most of their apparent views seems to be so limited.

[Beef Oven!]

............one wonders why they join and remain members when the opportunity of sharing most of their apparent views seems to be so limited.

Different views are shared equally without quantitative limit. That's the beauty of forums such as this one. That's why people join them. You seem to think that we must all agree with one another, lest we become a 'fish out of water' (what exactly do you mean by 'fish out of water', anyway?).

[ahinton]

To the extent that it is by definition a discussion forum, it is indeed in principle, yet it is also clear that, when it becomes as septic as Bryn suggests (by virtue of certain members' contributions frequently attracting opprobrium from a majority of respondents), such "lifeblood" could reasonably be seen to have assumed the mantle of attempted aggravation on the part of a tiny minority of members whose agenda appears to include a desire to clarify their positions as fish out of water here, from which one wonders why they join and remain members when the opportunity of sharing most of their apparent views seems to be so limited.

Anyway, since you (didn't) ask, it would appear from the current Members' List that, of the five whom you mention, only Mr Pee remains although has contributed no posts for more than a year, so it may be assumed that the other four have each taken their leave at some point.

[Dave2002]

Political discussions are now officially excluded, following the dropping (again) of the P&CA board and the closing of the General Election thread. Some forums allow politics, other don't. We now don't. It may have been a disappointment for those whose main interest was in discussing politics, but that's not really a facility FoR3 wants to offer … members also voted not to have a Religion & Ethics board some while ago when it was suggested.

I find that very disappointing. I wasn't even aware that there had been a vote on ethics, religion etc., and I am perhaps also equally unaware of any recent "democratic" process relating to politics discussion on this board. I thought that the worst elements of political discussion had been curbed, and that one possibly potentially serious problem had been contained.

I would definitely have voted to keep a politics discussion area within these walls.

Since the ethics and religion ideas have also been turned down we are now presumably forbidden from discussing the ethics of holding a "democratic" vote which some of us may have been unaware of, and some might no longer be officially members, though it's possible that some who are no longer members decided they didn't want to remain in a community where reasonable discussions on such matters would be forbidden.

[ahinton]

Speak for yourself (ahinton will be on to you for using the wrong two).

Leaving aside that he wasn't onto Bryn for doing anything, isn't he supposed to speak for himself rather than for anyone else?

[Beef Oven!]

Anyway, since you (didn't) ask, it would appear from the current Members' List that, of the five whom you mention, only Mr Pee remains although has contributed no posts for more than a year, so it may be assumed that the other four have each taken their leave at some point.

I asked if anyone had heard from them, you doughnut - I can see whether they have posted or not. Anyway, why are you so interested in all of this?