BS: The Trolls and Flamers

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Sep 16 - 06:26 PM

Oh yes, we can be quite amusing. I've posted some amazing (though always second-hand) jokes on the joke threads and I can make light even of Keith and Teribus (they don't like it up' em, though). It helps to be outward-looking in order to see that this board is a minuscule part of life, and nothing to do with real life. Instead of insulting us, you could try that approach sometime.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: keberoxu
Date: 25 Sep 16 - 06:14 PM

Can you all not see how amusing you are?

"Stupid and navel-gazing thread" for a start, and that might have carried some weight if you all didn't keep coming back!

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Sep 16 - 04:56 PM

Well I personally hardly ever communicate privately with any of the other "usual suspects" so it's perfectly ridiculous to use the word "conspire" apropos of poor old me. I'm my own man and I play a straight bat, and I have had plenty of issues with the likes of Musket before now, even the odd one with Jim. I'd never claim that I'm never wrong-headed, but I resent being called a hypocrite and I should like the somewhat bilious perpetrator of that accusation to let this forum know when I've been such a thing, chapter and verse would be nice.

I care not a jot whether you hold me in "utter contempt." Rather an odd assertion, actually, as you and I have had some pretty genial exchanges over the years. You appear to have a rather worrying way of being one way this week and entirely the opposite way the week after. If Mudcat below the salt is making you so unhappy, then I'm sure you don't need me to tell you what the remedy is. Nighty night, John.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Sep 16 - 04:39 PM

I see that flaming and trollishness are going strong in this thread, as I rather assumed would be the case.

The interesting thing is where those indulging in it clearly seem themselves as opponents of these modes of non-communication...

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 25 Sep 16 - 04:01 PM

Akenaton, don't imagine for one moment that, just because I've called Steve out on his hypocrisy, I'm on the side of his regular opponents on here.

I hold all of you who form the group which has come to be known by many as 'The Usual Suspects' - Steve, Jim, Keith, Teribus, you, and several others - in the highest, utter contempt. You people, 'The Usual Suspects', have conspired to wreck thread after thread with your non-stop bickering and name-calling, following each other around and dragging up arguments from months, if not years, ago, neither side listening to the other, just repeating the same old lines over and over and over. You have driven away good people whose views many of us hold in high regard, you have turned what used to be a great forum into a vile bear-pit where, rather than encouraging real interchange of ideas, the tactic you people have employed is to stifle conversation, and gag and drive away those who disagree with you.

You people, as a group, have been, and will no doubt continue to be, the ruination of a once-great forum. A forum that, thanks to your antics, and like many others who have voted with their feet over the past period, I no longer have any interest in taking part in.

It's all yours. Have a good time.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Sep 16 - 11:49 AM

Is this thread dead yet?

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: akenaton
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 07:00 PM

Come on Greg, we all know you are going to vote for Donald...don't be so coy.   Just stringing us along eh?   :0)

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Greg F.
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 06:16 PM

Aha. A mutual brain-dead, fact-free, reality-adverse mutual admiration society.

Vote Trump.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: akenaton
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 05:50 PM

Hello again Keberoxu....thanks for the kind words.
I think you are of benefit to the forum, your threads and posts broaden the horizons here.
Sometimes a bit over my head, as Steve says, I may be a bit of an "intellectual midget"......he should certainly be able to recognise one :0)

You seem interested in Scottish culture, do you have Scottish connections?

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 05:15 PM

Akenaton, you are an intellectual midget, a homophobe, a racist and a total waste of space. Almost every post you make here confirms all those things without our having to point it out. You call yourself a socialist yet your instincts are fascist. And that's the kindest thing I can think of to say about you. I'll leave it at that. Now the best thing is for you to refrain from addressing me or commenting on me. It's a free country of course. Off you go now.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 03:43 PM

IT'S YOU!! HI THERE!

I have to 'fess up. I was talking about you earlier on this thread. You and I had a lovely exchange of posts on the subject of Para Handy a/k/a/ The Vital Spark some months ago. This is what I was talking about in my earlier post.

And I have observed with interest that you walk your talk, and you do not get all touchy and sensitive online, because what others make of your position does not much interest you. None of this "the lady doth protest too much, methinks" for you. Glad you're here.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: akenaton
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 02:24 PM

You are quite correct Backwoodsman, Steve is a phoney, he preaches about his wonderful stance against imagined racism(I have seen no racism here), yet gives away his true character with remarks like "there are forums around where the Keiths, akenatons, bobads and Teribuses are not allowed to exist"....and "Forget that tiresome Yankee crap about free speech".

Perhaps Steve does not understand the connotations of such remarks, but I firmly believe that they illustrate a controlling and politically motivated mindset........I have always considered such people "Liberal Fascists" a state of mind which is adequately explained
HERE by Peter Hitchins.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 01:54 PM

Trolls and flamers come in many guises..... Backwoodsman... get out while you can my friend. Fun to be had elsewhere....... Don't think of it as retreating.... just making a mature move.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 01:14 PM

If you're talking about me, I always play a straight bat, thank you. You last few posts in this part of the board, not just the latest one which you embarrassed yourself with, have frequently been bitter and vitriolic, riddled with abuse and sweariness, for reasons best known to yourself. My suggestion to you is to give up reading the threads that the "usual suspects" infest. My blood pressure's fine. Do look after yours.

By the way, we're not "suspects." We are signed, sealed and delivered convicts (in the eyes of a few around here) and we'd rather have it that way. Very refreshing to have our names named, in my opinion!

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 12:39 PM

Isn't it amazing how reformed offenders are always the ones with the most 'holier-than-thou' attitude? Rather like reformed smokers who rail passionately against those who continue to smoke. And someone who used to be one of the most aggressive, rude, and vitriolic posters on this forum, now lecturing me about my language. Words like 'two', 'faced' and 'hypocrite' spring readily to mind.

Before objecting to my, admittedly unfortunate, lapse, perhaps some time should be spent in consideration of the relevance and value of the opinions I expressed in this thread, and others on a similar topic, and in facing up the undeniable, major part played in the demise of this section of the forum by 'The Usual Suspects', instead of merely seeking ways of avoiding that responibility by pointing out my own lowering of my personal standards.

I've said all I have to say, so I'm out. The Usual Suspects can do as they like - they always do.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 11:31 AM

Bloody is much worse. It derives from "by Our Lady," a horrid curse as far as we good Catholics are concerned. I had to say prick because the joke demanded it, and shit is an excellent and ancient word that has exactly the right "feel" for what it refers to. But anyway, thanks for the close attention, Stu!

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Stu
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 11:15 AM

"The worst swear word I ever use is bloody."

You used the word "pricks" on another thread, and "shit" later on in the same post.

Just sayin'

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Senoufou
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 11:10 AM

Thank you punkfolkrocker, and I do like your cool sunglasses!

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 10:06 AM

That makes two of us who think I'm attractive then! 😉

I post to threads about music, threads about the weather, threads about wildlife, joke threads and threads about all sorts of things. The worst swear word I ever use is bloody. I don't think it's ever right to let racists, homophobes and bigots hold sway, no matter how few people are bothering with them. I spent 25 years in secondary school classrooms keeping a pact with myself that I would never allow a racist comment to pass. If I see one here, and, sadly, they are manifold, why would I now? To Jeri: there is shit and there is shit. It's very disappointing that you can't tell the difference. You really need to stop complaining. There are forums around where Keiths, akenatons, bobads and Teribuses are simply not allowed to exist. In fact, of all the forums I'm on, this is the only one infested by people like that. The threads WILL be read by moderators, they ARE moderated with a light touch, often an invisible touch, and moderators, unlike you, stay out of the mire instead of making offensive and sweary remarks about people they don't care for and having the last word. If you really can't see that your attitude doesn't help, then I don't know what. Consistency and zero tolerance rapidly lighten the moderatorial burden. The ETHOS is changed. Forget that tiresome yankee crap about "free speech" (which you yanks haven't actually got - it's amazing what even your President daren't say in public) and get a grip on the bigots. There are actually very few of them and you have the power to make them go away.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 08:34 AM

.. I should add, I do have existing favourites who i enjoy reading, and who do still post [some of 'em, far too ?] frequently...

Oddly they include two known persevering mods, and BWMs above list of dysfunctional BS miscreants...

Curiously, 'notorious' personalities always seem to stand out as most interesting and attractive...???

In the best movies the baddy is quite frequently more interesting and charismatic than the good guy...????

Anti heroes are even better....!!!!




.. Special mention though, for Senoufou who is a prime example of mudcat at it's very best... 😎

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 07:57 AM

My main problem with Mudcat... and I guess probably why I come and go sporadically as my interest fluctuates, increases or wanes...

is that it seems to me there is not much else to stimulate reading here between the vicious bear pit threads and the twee happy clappy inane threads...
Back a few [but not too many ] years in time when some of my favourite mudcatters were still alive,
or the survivors still posting regularly,
mudcat used to be a far more interesting and varied forum for working and active musicians, and diverse music enthusiasts.... ???

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 06:28 AM

And I suppose, John, that your name-calling and effing and blinding at me and about others is your version of "reasonableness." Good to see you have a sense of humour.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Senoufou
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 06:18 AM

Sadly Backwoodsman, I suppose the only recourse is to look for a site where this is less prevalent. Although my young nieces tell me there are trolls and vicious posters everywhere nowadays. What a sad situation!
I sometimes look at Mumsnet, although I don't post there. It seems that anyone being overly rude or insulting, or as they put it, 'not in the spirit of Mumsnet' has their post deleted, with a short explanation as to why. And the other posters tend to 'report' nasty posts and get them removed. But of course that's a huge commercial site with massive resources, and not in the same league as Mudcat.
I feel very sympathetic to the Moderators here, and grateful for their time and input. I'm sure they sometimes feel like chucking it in; I know I would.
Thank you Moderators!

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 05:44 AM

When reason and reasonableness constantly fail with these people (as they invariably do, Eliza), and they just stick their fingers in their ears and sing "La-la-la", or tell everyone else not to open the multitude of threads they've taken over and wrecked (as though they're completely innocent and it's our fault for looking, what else is left?

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Senoufou
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 04:54 AM

None of us 'owns' this site, and as such we are all guests here, even though we may be 'members'. In my view, one's behaviour online should mirror one's behaviour in real life. One would never go to a public meeting and let fly with abuse and insults such as we see on here. If that happened, one would be chucked out. In the pub, one may even get thumped.
I agree that potential new members might be put off by the vituperative and rude comments from some posters.
Surely, points of view can be expressed without insulting another's stance?
Rudeness and insults are indeed childish and belong in the playground.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 04:31 AM

The most ridiculous thing is when the A-holes start to try to justify their stupid, childish, OCD behaviour by attempting to shift the blame for their Shit-Fests on to everyone else - instead of shouting 'STOP OPENING THE THREAD', Steve, why don't you bunch of shit-for-brains fuckwits GROW UP, AND STOP FUCKING THREADS UP?

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: DMcG
Date: 24 Sep 16 - 03:40 AM

Repetition has a place in the world; there are long established family jokes and references, nursery rhymes and songs in general, soothing sick people and summarising what has been said so far, for a start. So don't assume I am simply opposed to repetition.

But I have three main problems with Repetition in threads.
The first is that the poster does not appear to be listening to what other people say.(Normally they claim others in the thread aren't listening to them, which is often true but doesn't invalidate the observation.) In The Monstrous Thread referred to above I looked at the last 50 posts - that's my preferred approach an long threads - a day or two before I was out of the country for three weeks with very limited Internet.   When I came back I was surprised to see the thread still on the go.so looked at the last 50 posts again. And as far as I could remember it had not progressed in the slightest; same people, same specific events being argued about. Just a roomful of people all not listening to each other.

The second is like the first: there is so much ego in the postings that they assume they are the only ones who can see a flaw in an argument. If I happen to say something imcorrect to someone, it isn't always necessary for then to point it out. Allow for the intelligence of the other readers; most of the time it will be as obvious to them as is it to you. That's why I try to stick to the post-clarify-shutup model for any given point.

But the third reason is the most important. The world is full of wonder and people are marvellously complex. I hate reducing people to 'the one who is obsessed with X'. The more energy people pour into narrow topics the more they reduce themselves. For illustration I pick Teribus at random. I know his political stance so well I can predict how he will react on any remotely political topic. Buy beyond that? I know nothing of the guy. What sort of music does he like? No idea. Does he play an instrument and if so what? Pass. As seen through the posts this fully fledged real and complex person with live and interests is reduced to a single note. And that is not gooď.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 10:09 PM

Also, for the record, the moderators are not "obliged" to read anything. Some have disappeared, and personally, I hardly ever open the threads I loathe. Life is too short. Somebody else may wish to, but since BS has gone to members only, I don't care about that side of Mudcat so much. "Law of the playground" or something.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 10:02 PM

Nope, Steve, it's shit. The forum is also for everybody, including first timers who think that's what Mudcat is. So who does Mudcat belong to? People who don't like the shit, or those who enjoy rolling around in it?

Fundamentally, the objectionable stuff has found a home here because, unlike usenet or other places on the internet, people just go elsewhere and ignore the fuckwits instead of flaming the holy hell out of them. They just STOP OPENING THE THREAD. They give up.

As for the admonition to stop opening threads that piss you off, could you tell that to the 5 or 6 people who are keeping this monstrosity going. While Max has made it possible for you to engage in such games, you have to realize people will develop an opinion of your intelligence and niceness based on you doing so. Every now and then, we're likely going to bitch about it, but you're free to not read those posts.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 07:47 PM

'troll' is not a word I care much for, and I can't help being deeply suspicious of folks who resort to using it too easily and too often...

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 06:00 PM

Well Pete, you may be utterly amazed to read that I agree with almost all that! When I'm discussing politics with my 92-year old dad (best avoided but what can you do!), repetition is the name of the game. I'm sure I've made the same telling points to Mrs Steve a hundred times (she lets me know in no uncertain terms, actually). Yes, a troll isn't just someone who takes exception to your views. A troll is trying to get you to react emotionally, a ploy that trumps any genuine effort to debate. Where I would disagree with you is when you say that abuse means it's time to wind it up. No it isn't. Abuse means that it's time for you to STOP OPENING THE THREAD. Just leave 'em to it! They have precious few listeners and can change nothing. It is irrational to let them get to you. DON'T OPEN THE THREAD!

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Pete from seven stars link
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 05:40 PM

If the discussion is civil, does it really matter if it goes on , or even repeats points? I can appreciate though that if it descends to abusive language it may be time to wind it up.      It does seem though that some peoples definition of a troll is really, someone who they take exception to because of their different opinion and viewpoint to their own

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 05:09 PM

Well I may well be one of those "fuckwits"/flamers/trolls/shit purveyors in someone or other's eyes, but let me just finally, hopefully definitely finally this time, tell y'all this much.

Ahem.

There is NO RULE around here that obliges you to open a thread. If you are of the opinion that a thread is populated only by several repetitive and obsessional bigots, you have formed that opinion ONLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE REPEATEDLY OPENED THE THREAD. There is no other way that you could possibly arrived at your opinion.

Now there's nothing intrinsically wrong with doing that. You may be wanting to study the antics of the truly insane, for example, for your next thesis. Good for you. But if you repeatedly open a toxic thread JUST SO THAT YOU CAN GET YOURSELF INSULTED YET AGAIN, or BECAUSE YOU'RE WANTING TO FEEL ALL PREACHY AND SANCTIMONIOUS, then you are mad. More mad than the denizens of the thread you are pretending, in your spasms of self-righteousness, to hate so much.

It's really simple. Open threads only on topics you want to talk about. If you open a thread that you can see contains bile, NEVER OPEN IT AGAIN. People who deliberately upset themselves are insane. Simple. You can discuss stuff with the missus or with your mates down the pub. You can write letters to the Guardian or join a political party. But why hurt yourself by opening threads that you find insulting? Are you stupid or what?

Naturally, the guardians of the forum, the moderators, are obliged to expose themselves to all sorts of bile. What a pity that they refuse to sanction the real trolls here, the Keiths, the cheating bobads and the akenatons of this world. It could just be that some of the obsessives you're moaning about (moaning only because you're stupid enough to keep opening those threads, remember!) are actually right-minded people, not purveyors of Jeri's "shit" after all. So they're wasting their bloody time and no-one's listening to them. So what? WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH YOU! Leave the silly buggers to it and look up at the stars instead!

Or play a tune!

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 03:01 PM

I think BS threads should be closed after 256 posts. (256 is the square of 16, so it's musical.)

It's easy to tell people to ignore flamers, but the problem is that few Mudcat flamers are stupid enough simply to insult somebody. It's easy to ignore somebody who merely posts, "You blatherskite, you got mugwort in yer cerebellum!" And yes, catters often do ignore such posts.

But when I see a troll insulting a youngster, humiliating a beginning musician, needling an Aged P or smearing an innocent third party, then I feel the need to Say Something. The best thing is usually to post something for the OP which is so gracious, so helpful, so cultivated, that the troll looks like a complete fuckwit.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Ed T
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 02:21 PM

"Come on, men! They can't shoot straight at this dis..." 
―last words of  unknown military commander

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: DMcG
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 01:35 PM

Now THAT'S an image I could do without.

But I am with Backwoodsman. Once people have clearly stated their view and taken an opportunity to clarify it, there is no need to repeat the points again. I'm happy enough to let everyone else read the points of view and make their own mind up. If they agree with me, fine. If not, well, they don't and that's fine too. There is no obligation to have the last word.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 01:18 PM

It mostly is. Suck it up.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 12:54 PM

It might not be shit.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 11:08 AM

Well, Leeneia, I guess that's a primer on what people should do if they want to troll you. ;)

I just give up on trolls these day. They'll go away if you ignore them, but I've been on Mudcat for years, and I've never EVER seen that ignoring thing happen. Too many people enjoy having their buttons pushed.
Then you have these 1,000-plus threads that wind up being the same 5 or 6 people posting hundreds of posts because they just never get tired of saying the same shit over and over, and don't care how stupid and annoying people who AREN'T involved think they are. There are people who I once though of as friends that I don't want to be anywhere near. Not because of their opinions, but because they don't care what their volumes of masturbatory argument do to Mudcat. It's like "fuck you if you don't like it -- it's my narcotic and I have a right..."

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 10:43 AM

Here are some other kinds of posts which irritate me:

1. The person who asks for help, then never comes back to collect it and thank those who helped.

2. The person who asks about origins and is never happy with an answer. Always comes back with "Yes, but was there a version before THAT?" Me, I figure that if we know that a song was published in 1812 (say), that that's old enough.

3. The person who demands to know what supposed secret meaning is buried in a nonsense refrain.

4. A post like this:

Does anybody know the guitar tuning that Algernon Frogg uses for "The Sow beneath the Silo"? (THBTS) I don't mean the well-known tune for THBTS, I mean the other tune.

5. A person who pretends to be knowledgeable about the Irish language, but actually all he can do is sound pompous about getting fadas to show.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Greg F.
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 04:22 PM

I recall a member who seems (seemed) to be under the impression that the person opening a thread has some type of ownership/control of it,

And this member is.......?

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 03:13 PM

Yeah, I know that, Mike. It doesn't hurt to point it out occasionally though! 👍😎

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: MikeL2
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 02:28 PM

Hi Backwoodsman

<" Their intelligence, sadly, doesn't extend to the understanding that, if you ignore a troll/flamer, he (almost invariably a he, but occasionally a she) will eventually bugger off.">.

Couldn't agree more. But I don't think anything will change - they are not intelligent enough to see it.

Cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Ed T
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 02:17 PM

I recall a member who seems (seemed) to be under the impression that the person opening a thread has some type of ownership/control of it, and also the posting content. If challenged, or if someone posted something in disagreemt with he/she posted, the auto response often seemed to be to call the poster "a troll".

Quite odd, "I say" - if not very far off the mark.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 02:09 PM

Rap for emperor -- ooops sorry that's a different BS thread

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 10:48 AM

I rather like navel gazing. Mine was just a standard inny until I had it pierced. Yes! By a doctor, who was repairing a bilateral hernia. Now it has a nice scar that I can tell people was achieved when I tried to protect a kindly old nun who was collecting money for food for the poor orphans when she was beset by a gang of drug-crazed punk rocker bikers when I came to her rescue and while defeating the whole mad mob was stabbed with malice aforethought by one who when he realized what he had done immediately converted and now is a plainsong chanter in a cloistered monastery in the Pyrenees.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: DMcG
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 07:57 AM

And if six pounds here or there greatly concerned me I wouldn't look at threads from abroad either. That was not the point
Going further than saying that would risk flaming, so I'll leave this precise point here, but may post on other stuff that arises elsewhere in this thread.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: Teribus
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 07:34 AM

Well said Keith, totally agree. If someone puts up information or presents a poor argument then anyone should be at liberty to challenge it.

DMcG, concerns for you being able to follow it all on your mobile phone while abroad do not interest me or influence me in the slightest.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: DMcG
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 06:35 AM

In case anyone thinks the data charges comment is silly, my account used abroad has a daily charge of £6 a Mb for the first 5Mb. While a 50-post block is usually only a few 10s of Kb, it is happenstance if that crosses a boundary and so clocks another £6 on the bill.

Subject: RE: BS: The Trolls and Flamers
From: DMcG
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 06:14 AM

no one else has to look at it
That's only partially true. Certainly we can ignore the thread in its entirety. But if the thread contains something that is interesting as well as a whole lot of "wind and fury" it does take some effort to disentangle them. Even if I ignore by certain people in the thread, it messes up the paging and such like by making so many post irrelevant. And since each new post resets where the blocks of 50 are counted from, it can still be an irritation that gobbles up my data allowance on the phone for no value to me.