BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Peace
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 05:38 PM

Dear Ho Lee Krap, you are rite. Next, well bee speling grebulls with only one ell. Sheit.

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: GUEST,Ho Lee Krap!
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 02:44 PM

By gollies, that is one big rodent! Even Godzilla would step back before that one...BUT...

It is no hamster. It is a very fat groundhog. Note the lack of erect ears normally seen on a hamster.

I wonder if this fellow saw his shadow on Feb 2nd? Let's hope not, because if he did there's an ice age on the way!

Ho Lee

p.s. Just because certain ignorant people have created sites on the Internet spelling hamster as "hampster" does not mean it is correct to do so.

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 12:19 PM

Heads up!... HAMPSTER!!!

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Justa Picker
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 12:01 PM

What Harpy said.
Please include me in that thread with her. :-)
I wouldn't want to miss the party.

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: The Shambles
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 11:53 AM

Hey! Can you lot stop hijacking MY thread - then it would just fade away?

*Smiles*

OK so let us assume the title of this thread is in fact: "Is Mudcat over policed?"

First off does our forum need police?

Do we in fact have any currently?

If we do and if we did and these police were there only to protect us - should we not know what rules these police operated under - to enable us to be protected from our police?

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 11:42 AM

If "H-A-M-P-S-T-E-R-S" is acceptable to Chambers Dictionary (which it is), the it's acceptable to me.

wr.

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Amos
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 11:10 AM

GUEST -- I believe you are projecting again.

A

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 11:05 AM

see, Amergin...I told ya.

(wondering if Voltaire (or his ghost writer) had any comments on where it was appropriate to exercise your "right to say it", or how often.)

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 10:27 AM

Mudcat looks more and more like this place
every day.

Subject: RE: BS: Is the Mudcat over policed?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 09:02 AM

To me it felt that a possibly "sensible discussion on the wider issues" was being diverted into a manifesto about narrower issues, which would better have been explored in a separate thread. However the rather gratuitously offensive title given to it by Amergin in opening it rather ruled this thread out for that purpose.

It's always slightly absurd to suggest that a thread would be better allowed to fade away, because in the process of saying that one is refreshing it once again. But I think that it would be better off dropped out of sight.

...................

Incidentally, there seems some doubt whether Voltaire actually ever said or wrote "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it", even though some Dictionaries of Quotations do say so. But that's the case with any number of quotations - they get coined by some relatively unknown person, and then ascribed to someone more famous, which make them more convenient to use. ("As Samuel Johnson once said" is more effective than "As Charles Higgenbotham once said", and gives more weight to an argument.)

I'd doubt if Voltaire would actually have agreed with it - except insofar as "a right to say something" means "a right not to be thrown in jail for saying it". He had no qualms about verbally bullying people he disagreed with into silence. I suspect if Voltaire had been running the Mudcat, Shambles would have had much more reason to complain.

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: The Shambles
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 07:28 AM

If all that looks a little daunting and possibly a little negative - I came up with the following - back in March 2003. It could be tweaked a little or positively added to but the main idea is there. An unamed someone referred to it as the 6 ENCOURAGEMENTS

Could folk be encouraged to encourage each other to ingore subjects they do not care for, rather than the idea that these should be banned?

Could folk be encouraged to encourage others to just 'mind their own business' and not be encouraged to introduce others as candidates for censorship?

Could folk be encouraged to encourage each other to confine their requests for any later editorial changes to their own postings?

Could folk be encouraged to encourage each other to just get on with the discussion in the thread, and not to dicuss and pass judgement on everyone else's right to say what they wish?

Could folk be encouraged to encourage each other to use tolerance and self-control, rather than expecting control to be imposed?

Could folk who have the power to control, present the example and encourage each other to exert self-control and a light, preferably invisible, touch and try not to give the impression of Big Brother elite grouping of chosen ones, eager to pass their final judgements?

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: The Shambles
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 06:09 AM

For the majority of people who will have no idea what this thread is all about – the following links to these threads will explain.

This one has no contribution from me but is one thread setting the example of the 'witchhunt' I refer to.
Forums Discussion Groups

This one is where a member was (wrongly) accused (by one of the volunteers) of making anonymous abusive postings.
Guest postings

The following contains the firm evidence of two censorship actions (of non-abusive posts) - being taken based only on the arbitrary personal judgements of volunteers – without the stated required consultation taking place first.
The respect for our contributions to our forum is not being given when censorship action is now being taken without the poster's knowledge or permission on a routine basis. Mistakes are apologised for (and this is welcome) but no action is then taken to ensure that the same mistake is not repeated.
Good folk are honestly defending a system (carried out by good folk) that the evidence demonstrates IS NOT the one currently in operation and one that I suggest has proved to be counter-productive and one that urgently requires a review.
GUEST a Mudcat euphemism for …?

This one contains some poetry.
On the cowardly nature of GUEST postings

This one is (mostly and so far) a sensible discussion on the wider issues.
Are we having fun as Fascists yet?

A word of warning: all of these threads contain personal abuse and strong language - although not from me. Perhaps the witch hunt is now getting a little out of control?

As Voltaire said: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". Although I don't think that he was ever a member here - it is a principle that I had always believed was shared by many contributors………..Perhaps it is far later than we all think?

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 11:13 PM

Righto Little! I was so worked up I could only imagine the locals in Cambden... Maybe the reggae folks are hempsters...
ttr

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Peace
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 10:33 PM

Hampster, hampster. Got it LH. I'm with ya.

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 10:28 PM

"Hampsters"?????? It's HAMSTER, fer Chrissake! Hamster. Got it?

Regarding this thread and its general subject I have something I have to say...

BLEAUGH!

Also...

P-P-P-PP-P-P-F-F-F-F-L-L-L-P-PP-TTT!!! (sound of a big raspberry)

Not that I'm criticizing you for starting it, Amergin, that's just my reaction to the whole general subject, that's all. Take it as you will.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 09:39 PM

Nathan, try to grow up a bit, please? Shambles, I have no prob with you or your threads. Now, when you and Joe O get into it, I might just tell you both to shut up. (grin)

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: harpgirl
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 09:37 PM

While you're at it give Amergin his own thread so he can dump on all the people he doesn't like in one thread....love harpgirl

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 09:33 PM

I haven't run into what you all are referring to, but from the title of this one, I thought I might join in and whine about the seeming lack of creativity in BS threads, titles at least; haven't had time to look into all of them, but also haven't wanted to. Just seems to me we could find better things than another thread about not posting or posting, etc. **bg** Guess that makes me one of the old ones around here who waxes on about how it usetabe.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 09:32 PM

Yes,... McGrath............... put the blush on me, y doancha?

Really though... hanging someone's name up with the hampster postings... it was just too much for me to take. Not even in the same league with lumping all GUESTS into the same coward's dustbin... I mean so?... who cares if some aspiring new folksingers are turned off forever from traditional music because of my choice of thread headings? Oops! Sorry, Oh well... couldn't be helped...

But seeing The Shambles up there with the hampsters was more than I could stand...

;^)ttr

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 09:00 PM

Nathan,

:~(

'T'were better not.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 07:40 PM

It really is a good idea to think twice before naming a thread in a way that is likely to offend - isn't it, Thomas?

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Gareth
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 07:39 PM

I can live with "Shambles" rants. At least he is honest, and 'is heart is pure, even if a touch misguided.

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 07:27 PM

Very juvenile thread... purposely intimidative and abusive... Amergin, I know you can do better than this... take it outside or sumpin... or then again,... snap out of it!

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Peace
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 06:34 PM

Maybe personal messages would be better for this, no?

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 06:23 PM

Round up the usual suspects!

Subject: RE: BS: Is Mudcat over policed?>
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 05:58 PM

Now the idea of a separate thread about the concerns raised by Shambles might make sense, but the heading by Amergin is pointlessly provocative. The paradox is that this is just the kind of thread title that tends to get threads yanked, but clearly Shambles would be against that happening.

However I think the heading I've put in over this post would be an improvement. (And my answer to the question I raise there would be "No, but it's not a silly question")

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Bill D
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 05:53 PM

Amergin..that's hardly a constructive way to cope with the issue. Various people have presented their opinions...including me...but more threads we don't need.

Subject: RE: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: The Shambles
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 04:51 PM

The following link is a list of all my 6258 'hijackings' to The Mudcat Forum - since 24 August 1998. So you can read all of these and then judge for yourself if these are positive contributions. Or are - as described by my friend here.

The Shambles

Subject: BS: The Shambles Whine About Mudcat Thread
From: Amergin
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 03:16 PM

Just thought I would create a specific thread for Shambles to piss and moan in...instead of his hijacking interesting threads. Here ya go, Roger. Have at it...