Why disrespect the wishes of a thread's initiator?

Thomas I enjoyed meeting and spending time with you on your visit.

If you have the Bear seal of approval does anything else really matter?

Bush really does suck, though

I understand what Thomas is saying. I think of particular threads as a development of a research paper to which each person can or cannot contribute. For that reason, I don't often post a comment on religious or political threads, but simply read.

What really angers me are the "hot button" remarks. I find "Buschco" as annoying as "Hitlery". Instead of facts or opinions, some people like to throw in emotionally loaded phrases just to annoy people.

When one does not have anything intelligent to say, I suppose that some people throw in some tripe just to stir up the pot.

All this scientificslly demonstrates the causality implicit in Intelligent Design Theory.

I understand what you're saying, too, Thomas. And personally, I'm really appreciative when people take the time & make the effort to respond thoughtfully to a topic I've initiated. Or to others that I'm really interested in following or participating in.

Sounds to me like someone has some control issues.



ok, I hereby mandate this thread shall no longer digress, but stay strictly to the original intent.

Which was....?

Wait, let me go back and put about 10 quotes within quotes to remind us all what we are being dictated to discuss.

That'll solve the problem. Then, we can discuss whether or not when we used the word "which" or "that" so we can fully disect every nuance of meaning.

Or, we can move more naturally from theme to theme, perhaps coming back to the original, perhaps not.

I don't like wasabi either, but to tie that back it, I don't feel it's disrespectful to prefer just plain soy sauce.

I don't mind digression, but I despise derailment. Of course, after awhile, a thread will tend to go off in different directions. It is no different than in real world conversations. A discussion starts off on one subject, and as it develops and goes off in other areas. I have no problem with that, if the digression is part of the natural flow of thought amongst the members.

What I abhor, is the member, especially with reference to a serious topic, appears to PURPOSELY want to sabotage the thread.

Not even two pages completed, and obviously people either did not read, or did not trouble themselves to understand what Thomas was writing . . .



In the opening post, Thomas made it very clear why someone responding to a thread would know what the "thread initiator's wishes" were.



Yet people, with less than two pages completed, fail to understand what Thomas is saying. As i've said, i suspect that either people did not bother to read, or took no trouble to understand what Thomas wrote.



I happen to know what prompted this thread by Thomas, not simply because of context in another thread, but because he said as much in that other thread, and linked this topic. In the thread in question (a thread which i initiated), i specifically asked people to stay on topic, and when one member insisted on being obtuse, and insisted on riding his political hobby horse despite those requests, i went after him until he left the thread. Thereafter, there were " . . . naturally more on topic replies," but only to the point at which some people thought it was funny to willfully disrupt the discussion of the topic. In fact, though, the thread was started a month ago, and people might have given their opinion long ago. However, the topic was what the consequences would be if the Shrub pardoned Libby. As the Shrub chose to commute Libby's sentence, that provided good reason to discuss what the consequences of that would be. That is why i spent so long trying to get people to stay on topic. Some people did respond, and i even commented to the effect that opinion seemed to be running in a certain direction. Nevertheless, quite a few members thought they were being clever by willfully attempting to derail the thread.

People posting here may not think this is worthy of their discussion, and they may consider this to be a case of attempting to "herd cats." Nevertheless, it is highly ironic that Thomas' topic could not go two full pages without people failing to even appropriately discuss what Thomas wrote in his opening post. I'm philosophical about this, and said in that other thread that i really hadn't much hope that people would stay on topic, but would make the effort nonetheless. There is a good deal of unintentional ironic humor in these responses to Thomas.

Once in awhile, if I am starting a serious thread on a volatile subject, I will sometimes end with a sentence that outlines how I would like the thread to progress. I will write something like:

"My expectations are that people, understanding that this is a serious thread, will respect the views of other members, and limit themselves to thoughtful responses."

Am I being controlling? Yeah. If I have started something that I consider meaningful, I don't want it derailed by some clowns who think it is hilarious to make sport about something that is meaningful to other people.

There are plenty of "fun" threads, where people can be as witty, biting or downright silly as they please, and we all have fun. Problem is, some people don't know the difference.

not to "get sidetracked" or digress too much but Phoenix... bushco is not an emotionally charged remark but rather a term coined to encompass the entire bush organization.

Hitlery on the other hand is a distinct and obvious reference to Hitler.

Not the perfect example, although I certainly understand what you're saying.

bush has made a couple of small errors in his presidency, but in these troubled times we need to support him, pray for him and love him. I suggest you follow my example in this matter.

I must protest at farmerman's glib snipe at Intelligent Design Theory. God knows how the effect of the effect can be the cause of the cause.

Nope- I have a better way of handling it. What I would say to Bush is,

"SCHMUCK! What the hell do you think you are doing!"

I am counting the days when the Bush presidency (and the attempted Bush dynasty) is nothing more than some detritus on the garbage pile of history.

I am shocked Phoenix.... why do you hate America? Don't you know there's a war on?

War on??? Sorry. I thought you said MORON!

I feel that "control" is too strong a word for adhering to a particular topic, Phoenix. As msolga and I have mentioned, we understand Thomas' original thesis, and have tried to respond appropriately. I wasn't aware that this was a political thread, and I really don't think it is.

Hey, Thomas. Where are you?

Alas, no.

(And bless you.)

Coyote was loping along the river while the hot afternoon sun baked the cactus. There was hardly a wisp of air stirring along the desert floor and nary a creature would venture out into the heat, but coyote had a mission. Along the bank of river coyote continued skipping along between the river rocks, the sage and the occasional old cottonwood tree. It would be many hours yet until coyote was home in his den and the cooler evening breeze would break the heat of the day. But, suddenly coyote heard the smallest voice coming from just off to his side. Coyote stopped instantly, knowing there could but be few creatures willing to draw his attention for he was the greatest hunter in these parts of what he claimed as his desert. With coyote's keen eye and smell he scouted the immediate area around him only to notice nothing at all. Coyote was puzzled. He stopped frozen there in his tracks soundless and listened once again for the sound he had heard. There it came again, "coyote, oh coyote". The then his nose caught the faint hint of scorpion. Back his ears went, and his forelegs stiffened with his head lowered preparing to avert the strike of that deadly scorpion tail. But again he heard scorpion "coyote, oh coyote". Then he saw scorpion under the ledge of a small sandstone rock perched like a ledge beside the river. Still alert he came closer to scorpion curious as to why scorpion would be calling him. As coyote neared the stone by the river scorpion began to plead with great pity in his voice. "Please coyote, hear me out, I have great need for your assistance." But coyote was wise to the danger of scorpion and kept his distance. "I shall not harm you coyote for I am in great need and it would be foolish for me to cause you harm." Now coyote was acutely aware of those creatures that could cause him harm. Sidewinder, Diamond back, Gila monster, Javalina and Scorpion all were to be avoided whenever possible. But this situation coyote had never encountered before, scorpion was pleading for help and coyote was caught between his natural fear and his curiosity. Coyote ventured a step closer so as to listen to the plight of scorpion. "Do not fear me coyote, I only wish for you to carry me across the river so that I might get back to my home for I was hiding in a leaf of the great cottonwood tree and a gust of wind tore the leaf from the tree and carried me across that wide river. I only wish to get back to my home and family." But coyote was no fool to have survived as long as he had in this wild and dangerous desert and he told scorpion "I can not carry you across the river for you are scorpion and you will surely sting me and I will die." "No, no said scorpion, I shall not sting you for I have great need of you assistance. I only ask that you allow me to climb up on top of your head and while you swim across the river I will be safe and dry." "But" coyote said, "you are scorpion and therefore you will sting me."
"I would be only the fool to sting you coyote, for it is I that wish to get safely to the other side of the river and I can only do so by you giving me safe passage." Coyote was puzzled by the sense of fear of scorpion and the contradiction to the simple logic that was offered by scorpion. Finally coyote resigned himself and told scorpion that yes he would allow scorpion to ride on his head while he swam across the river. Scorpion gleefully climbed up coyote's leg and perched securely between coyotes ears for the ride across the river and coyote stepped carefully into the swift current and swam easily across the river almost reaching the other side when he felt a fire blaze into his head. He cried to himself and to scorpion "I will surely die now that you have stung me and you will also die for you cannot swim and must die here in the river with me. Why, oh why did you sting me?" "Well," said scorpion,
"that's just my nature."

I'm here; no it's not a political thread, and thanks to you two for responding to the subject. The same thanks go to Setanta, Cycloptichorn, Edgar, ehBeth, DrewDad, Chumly, stuh, Phoenix, and Chai. They also responded to the subject, whether they agree with me or not.

While we're on the subject:

Steamed rice or fried rice?

Discuss.