Wow, there are a lot of posts today from people who seem to be on the opposite side of many of the issues from me. Welcome back, it is nice to see you making comments, misguided as some of them are. I hope you keep posting. Let's have at it, shall we?
Welcome back, the left
- Thread starter billc
- Start date
Patronise much?
Actually, I could do more but I am glad to see some of the other posters back in force. It seemed like some had taken some time off for all that outside stuff like "family" and "life," can you believe that?
I actually do like to see the other points of view here, no patronizing from me.
I actually do like to see the other points of view here, no patronizing from me.
You assume though that anyone who doesn't agree with you is 'on the left' rather than a conservative. You and whoever left me a rather nasty neg rep calling me a leftie among other things assume we are on the left. There's no shades in your political views, no room for people of the same political persuasion to disagree. If they disagree with you they are 'lefties' according to you. It doesn't work that way though.
Don't look for me to be here much longer.
Steve
Mostly Harmless
what does that mean, bob?
Dude, I'm a conservative and I disagree with you
RandomPhantom700
Master of Arts
Wait, what?
Dude, I'm all over the map on the issues, but most of my friends "on the left," including my wife, the Quaker (really!) consider me to be somewhere to the right of Attila the Hun....:lfao:I just think most of your posts suck. Likewise everyone you link to.Coulter and Breitbart give conservatives a bad name....I think your posts do, too.....
granfire
Sr. Grandmaster
Indecision may or may not be your problem?
No, not quite.
5 days ago, MartialTalk officially turned 10.
10 years. 10 long years.
10 years of ups and downs.
$50,000 spent on software, hosting, bandwidth, long distance calls, fliers, business cards, tee shirts, pens, and who can remember what else.
(Yes, that is an accurate number).
We were there when Modern Arnis imploded, exploded, and erupted into war.
We were there for a dozen Kenpo feuds, as many TKD feuds, and a few dozen 'founders' of 'ancient' arts.
We've got the digital corpses of a dozen self-proclaimed fraud busters, twice as many 'experts', and 2,000 spammers moldering in our dungeon.
We were here when 9/11 happened, reported on countless wars, invasions, incursions, terrorist attacks, political hatchet jobs, natural disasters.
We've been threatened with lawsuits by convicted pedophiles, self-important blow hards and confused 'ninjas'.
We've been roasted, invaded, and kicked in the teeth by our competition.
We've seen mass exodus's of members over rules issues.
We've had to fire, suspend and ban friends.
Yet we still are.
10 years.
That's a long time.
A lot can change in 10 years. A lot has.
Some days, I wouldn't take all the Spanish Gold in the Caribbean for the site.
Other days, I'd turn the keys over for a good nights sleep and enough money hit zero again.
MartialTalk is supposed to be open to all seekers of knowledge.
It once was.
Lately, the politics have gone so far past reason, I'm hard pressed to see a reason to bother.
When a guy posting stupid pictures is the voice of reason, one is forced to question reason.
Is there a point anymore here?
Bill posts something. Someone else jumps on him. Elder posts a poem. Lather rince repeat.
TF or I post something dealing with terrorists, then he and I go round and round about muslims. Neither budging, just pissing each other off again. lather rince repeat.
I post something about cops. Each time, it follows the same pattern. Arch and I will go back and forth, a few other leos chime in, and I walk away feeling that all I've done is drive a few more leos off the site.
and so it goes on.
MartialTalk was intended to be a martial arts community. Where seekers found teachers, and teachers found seekers. Where people can swap techniques, training tips, seminar notices. Form training groups, and relax. The feeling you get after the seminar, when everyone is chowing down, sharing a drink, having a laugh. Relaxed.
A lot of days, it's like that. Some days, today, it felt like anything but.
Too often for me, lately, it's felt like anything but.
Maybe it's the weather. Been hotter n hell in my apartment. 95 some days at 80% humidity isn't good. Takes a lot out of you. Have a backlog of work as a result, and I don't get paid sitting here arguing. I'm tired, I'm not feeling that great, and, I'm tired.
So, I might not be here arguing in the near future. I might take a break. I might walk away. Forum isn't going anywhere. Not anytime soon. Server'll keep running as long as I can keep feeding the mouse running on the wheel. Mods will keep moderating too, so no one get stupid ideas. This wouldn't be the first time I walked away...just the first really mentioned time.
But, keep something in mind...it's no fun to argue with like minded people. A real debate requires research, give and take, and concession. Running the other guy off the site, isn't a win. Not for the site.
Later.
10 years. 10 long years.
10 years of ups and downs.
$50,000 spent on software, hosting, bandwidth, long distance calls, fliers, business cards, tee shirts, pens, and who can remember what else.
(Yes, that is an accurate number).
We were there when Modern Arnis imploded, exploded, and erupted into war.
We were there for a dozen Kenpo feuds, as many TKD feuds, and a few dozen 'founders' of 'ancient' arts.
We've got the digital corpses of a dozen self-proclaimed fraud busters, twice as many 'experts', and 2,000 spammers moldering in our dungeon.
We were here when 9/11 happened, reported on countless wars, invasions, incursions, terrorist attacks, political hatchet jobs, natural disasters.
We've been threatened with lawsuits by convicted pedophiles, self-important blow hards and confused 'ninjas'.
We've been roasted, invaded, and kicked in the teeth by our competition.
We've seen mass exodus's of members over rules issues.
We've had to fire, suspend and ban friends.
Yet we still are.
10 years.
That's a long time.
A lot can change in 10 years. A lot has.
Some days, I wouldn't take all the Spanish Gold in the Caribbean for the site.
Other days, I'd turn the keys over for a good nights sleep and enough money hit zero again.
MartialTalk is supposed to be open to all seekers of knowledge.
It once was.
Lately, the politics have gone so far past reason, I'm hard pressed to see a reason to bother.
When a guy posting stupid pictures is the voice of reason, one is forced to question reason.
Is there a point anymore here?
Bill posts something. Someone else jumps on him. Elder posts a poem. Lather rince repeat.
TF or I post something dealing with terrorists, then he and I go round and round about muslims. Neither budging, just pissing each other off again. lather rince repeat.
I post something about cops. Each time, it follows the same pattern. Arch and I will go back and forth, a few other leos chime in, and I walk away feeling that all I've done is drive a few more leos off the site.
and so it goes on.
MartialTalk was intended to be a martial arts community. Where seekers found teachers, and teachers found seekers. Where people can swap techniques, training tips, seminar notices. Form training groups, and relax. The feeling you get after the seminar, when everyone is chowing down, sharing a drink, having a laugh. Relaxed.
A lot of days, it's like that. Some days, today, it felt like anything but.
Too often for me, lately, it's felt like anything but.
Maybe it's the weather. Been hotter n hell in my apartment. 95 some days at 80% humidity isn't good. Takes a lot out of you. Have a backlog of work as a result, and I don't get paid sitting here arguing. I'm tired, I'm not feeling that great, and, I'm tired.
So, I might not be here arguing in the near future. I might take a break. I might walk away. Forum isn't going anywhere. Not anytime soon. Server'll keep running as long as I can keep feeding the mouse running on the wheel. Mods will keep moderating too, so no one get stupid ideas. This wouldn't be the first time I walked away...just the first really mentioned time.
But, keep something in mind...it's no fun to argue with like minded people. A real debate requires research, give and take, and concession. Running the other guy off the site, isn't a win. Not for the site.
Later.
Perhaps we could all agree on a moratorium on political postings for an agreed length of time for everyone to get their breath back, let the heat die down and get some martial arts discussions going?
I expect it's the same in the States as here that this is the school holiday time? Thats' when kids drive parents mad lol but it's also a time for spending with families etc not time to be spent arguing over politics so how about we don't post on anything political for the weeks the summer lasts (as agreed by everyone as summer here tends just to be a couple of days now and again lol) and we agree 'schools out'?
I expect it's the same in the States as here that this is the school holiday time? Thats' when kids drive parents mad lol but it's also a time for spending with families etc not time to be spent arguing over politics so how about we don't post on anything political for the weeks the summer lasts (as agreed by everyone as summer here tends just to be a couple of days now and again lol) and we agree 'schools out'?
Bob perhaps I guess this is one of those posts where you will at some point look back and think, man, I was p'd off at that point when now everything is one of those "Spanish Gold" days. And then there will be days beyond that when you will look at this post and think, man, different faces and but same old chestnut arguments rattling around and around and around, lather, rinse, repeat, if contents get in eyes, wash out with plenty of cold water etc. And I think that is the whole point of this, it is just a mirror of the cyclical swings of everything from the economy to politics, we go at it from one direction then chill for a bit then go at it from the other direction.
You say that MT is supposed to be open to all seekers of knowledge, well never has any knowledge been gained without pushing the boundaries of already existing knowledge, no? In the case of the forum, it is the duty almost of posters seeking new knowledge to ask with open minds and to test the limits of each other's views and tolerance and but *to do so with a mindset of respect*. Disrespect requires moderation. And the best moderation is imo gained by attracting members with a mature, respectful, open-minded attitude to their posting. And imo, as a site owner, pretty much all you can do is your best to attract respectful members - perhaps incentivise or make more public shows of support (little banners or whatever) for who you as site owner / staff or whatever deem to be your best and most favoured posters, weekly, monthly or overall or whatever. That way, you project a more immediate public persona for the site for anyone not familiar. Just a thought
Anyway, regarding your above list of ongoing battles, personally I think some arguments are best not fought at all, though maybe it is a guy thing
I suggest Bob that you go to a different part of the forum as though on holiday. Visit the less trafficked sections and take a vacation there. It is very quiet and peaceful in the countrified Aikido section where people sit on toadstools and debate semantics with theirselves. It is well away from the forum tourism of The Study with all its gaudiness, intolerance, its pimps and its dealers. I wandered there lost the other day and someone robbed me of my beliefs and vandalised my opinion as I was walking it down the street. Never again So yes, take a vacation in a nice part of the forum perhaps that is an idea Jenna
Steve
Mostly Harmless
I wandered into the aikido forum and Steven Seagal broke my wrist. But the worst part is that he made me listen to his country music. It was... *shudder* awful. I will never go into the aikido forum again. That place is scary!It is very quiet and peaceful in the countrified Aikido section where people sit on toadstools and debate semantics with theirselves. It is well away from the forum tourism of The Study with all its gaudiness, intolerance, its pimps and its dealers. I wandered there lost the other day and someone robbed me of my beliefs and vandalised my opinion as I was walking it down the street. Never again
