Obfuscation, bubba style.

[Mark]

Though I would hate to simply WHINE again, Jeff, I cannot apologize for the fact that I like that Bob posts this stuff, some of it rubbish, some not so, in my opinion.

I don't appear able to explain, that what I dislike most, is the nature of (in particular) Jim's and your own replies. You guys tend to insult first, and now you seem to be saying that Bobs posts are hurtful, therefore to respond in a hurtful manner is totally reasonable. I happen to disagree. Insulting your political party is not and should not be perceived as an insult on your person Jeff. You ought to know that. You deal in Law don't you?

I do indeed, often seem to be the first guy to jump on stuff I don't like, when I see it. So what? I get bent out of shape by you and Jim in particular, because it is you two in particular, that make it all personal, start name-calling and preaching from your self appointed pulpits on high.

Sanctimony. Hateful and creeps me out!

So yes it is sad (yet necessary) that we cannot all get along, all of the time, but frankly, as Keith points out above, there is clearly too deep a divide between 'us' over here and you guys over 'there'. I always thought views and opinions from outside, were a valuable reasource and could highlight issues not immediatley obvious to those entrenched in the arguments raged over decades. That should be true no matter what side of the Pond, or which Hemisphere you happen live on. In here though, clearly not so. How rare it is that we see anyone in here say, "oh my word, I hadn't considered that, thanks for bringing that to my attention", or similar. NO , just "I am right, you are all wankers", blah blah blah.

Sadly, I am getting ever closer to thinking that you guys in the USA, may as well just get on with it, on your own. No one over there ever seems to give a hoot about anyone, unless they are 100% aligned. Most of you appear to have completely lost sight of any common, middle ground and argue over bullshit, fight to discredit anyone and everyone, mis-quote people, mis-quote science and mis-represent reasearch as fact, anything necessary to be seen to be on the RIGHT side. Shame that so many of you wouldn't recognise RIGHT, even if it jumped up and ran off with your wifes.

Sad.

 

[Keith]

I have to agree that the delivery sometimes obscures the message and there always seems to be a personal jibe.

"Whining?"

Not exactly a mature expression.

What I really don't get is that the US 1st amendment appears to support the concept of free speech and yet seems to be the first thing out of the window when something is posted that "the Liberal committee" doesn't agree with.

We don't have such a rock to anchor to, and in truth, I'm glad we don't. There has been so much inflammatory crap spouted under the protection of the 1st Amendment and it has left a trail of anguish and dead bodies in it's wake since it was first penned.

Take a look at the Internet in general. Such a personally rude and hateful place to visit these days, and yet I've seen comments on this board that support such actions by saying "it's the Internet - live with it"

I don't think we should have to if it is to occupy a good bit of our lifestyle from henceforth.

And Mark may do a lot of things but whining is not one of them. That fact is pretty obvious to even the casual observer so I conclude, Jeff that by labelling him such, it was your intention to insult or belittle him which is in breach of this board's '1st Amendment'

That is all.

 

[Jeff Young]

No, it was my intent to point out that he complains about others doing exactly what he does and what he defends in others (Bob).

This is like a dog chasing its tail and has exactly ZERO to do with Americans v. Brits. Stop trying to make it cultural. It's not.

So here's an example, and an olive branch of sorts. Take this thread for example. It COULD have been a reasonable discussion about TWA 800 and the cause of the explosion. But Bob started it off by making it political, claiming either that the (Democratic of course) President ordered the shoot down of a civilian airliner full of people, or covered it up. When all he had to do was say, hey, look, here's this documentary questioning the cause of TWA 800's explosion.

So if you are interested in some of the stuff Bob posts, push him towards posting like that. I'm all for it and it would go a long way towards making the discussion from both sides far more civil.

Because when you encourage him to post the way he posts now, you are simply encouraging the very same behavior you bemoan above.

Bemoan: a more polite way of saying whine.

 

[Keith]

Yes I see that but we are not at all fooled by some of LB's wilder assertions despite the fact that we are thick helpless people of Northern European descent.

By giving him oxygen, however, you & Jim seem to inspire him to even greater heights of (in your terms) fantasy.

I've got this weird idea that face-to-face you three would actually get on... :stunned:

Yes - pretty weird... :squint:

But I am feeling slightly more positive today following a new delivery of 'calm-me-down' tabs. :laugh:

Legal Disclaimer: (no offence was legally suffered by any of the annoying French, Germans, Dutch, Belgians, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Scottish, Danish, Welsh, Irish & Outer Hebrideans who we have to put up with, by the Uber Liberal Euro-Homogenised officially approved statement of National Origins in the first para - whatever their colour).

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Hmmm, I was about to say something deep and meaningful , but local time it is10.40 pm. And I have had too many of South Australia's finest Shiraz .
Suffice to say because of Mark, Jim, Doug, Jeff, Keith,Lonesome, and sadly to a lessor extent lately David M, all old white guys except for Soul man according to LB,
The Paddock is the first place I visit when I fire up the computer in the morning
Bloody sad really, but then I'm retired and have the time, also sad. But I digress
I love the shit, Jeff's acerbic comments, Keith's dry sense of humour, lonesome s
Shit stirring, Jims paranoia and role as statistician, Mark's undoubted common sense and also tongue always planted deep in cheek, David's often philosophical and knowledgeable, comments interspersed with acidic fuckyouness.
And my brothers in arms, you know who you are.
I love you all, so keep up the shit and go forward never retreat or life will become boring.:laugh::laugh::stunned:

 

[Keith]

Hey! That kind of works Pete :thumbsup:

I don't believe you are drinking ENOUGH Shiraz mate.....:happy:

 

[Jeff Young]

Three observations:

1. Shiraz fixes everything, but even so, good post by Pete.

2. The Northern Europeans I've known on the whole tend to be much better informed than most Americans.

3. It's not that Bob's fooling anyone, it's about the character of this place. There are some days you come to the Paddock and the listing of topics is about 90% Bob and 90% stuff like "DemocRats Endorse Beastiality." Don't know about you guys but I don't want this place to be perceived as some neo-Nazi cesspool.

Now if Bob will simply tone down some of what he posts, we are all good to go.

Especially if we drink more Shiraz.

 

[Bob Fechter]

Again, Where has anyone, other than jeff, mentioned anything about clinton ordering the shooting down of Flight 800?

The history of the regime so taints the thought process that even its supporters jump to that conclusion.

 

[Jack]

Although there appears to be some personal attacks occurring in the paddock, we all have the choice to respond or not. Yes, there will always be differeng opinions and I encourage everyone to voice them. More "We agree to disagree" in a polite manner should be displayed here. If you don't like something, don't participate. Simple, really.

 

[Mark]

Good banter wankers!

Seriously, I echo Pete's post. The ritual here is, wake up, do the variousthings we all do, make coffee (grind my own beans of course, because I am worth it!), go to Man Cave, log in to the Paddock to shock the brain into (or often out of) action, ready to take on the world in the office.

To develope Jeff's olive-branch notion, how about Bob doesn't put anything obviously nasty in the actual subject lines of his topics? That way the Forum will not appear to be full of Nazi Hatred (I think that's what Jeff said?). However, in the body of the posts therein, I fully endorse Bob saying whatever and however he chooses. Then, onto our sparing as usual! What say you Bob?

 

[Mark]

By the way, although I echo Pete's most recent post (it's sentiments especially), I need to clarify, that the 'Mark' he mentions, is not and of course could not be this Mark. Clearly he is refering to an other. Just so we are clear!

 

[Keith]

Me?

WTF?

 

[Jack]

Only the Shadow knows, Keith!

 

[Jim Craik]

"go awy and play, we adults are talking" is such utterly crass, bollox, I nearly puked when I read it.

So accusing a US President of covering up a mass murder with absolutly no evidence.....................that OK with you!

Accusing a US President of Murdering Vincent Foster with absolutly no evidence........................thats OK with you!

But calling someone childish for making those accusations, that makes you want to PUKE?

Really?

 

[Jeff Young]

Mark, that (the political stuff in the titles) would be a great start. Good idea.

Jim let's ratchet it back a notch and see if we can make some progress on civility.

 

[Mark]

Using web speak badly: Rolling on the floor laughing my fooking ass off!

How the hell do you arrive at any of those conclusions Jim?

What rhymes with conclusions and is poetic coincidence? That's right... DELUSIONS.

Where and when did I say that I was OK with any of those suggestions? There once was a plot, but you me ole cocker have lost it! Go back to google and grab a few bar charts for us to laugh over.

 

[Mark]

Jeff, thanks, but lets not get too touchy-feely now or the natives shall surley revolt!

 

[Steve]

Me?

WTF?

I liked Phred much better....

 

[Bob Fechter]

This whole "regulation of what we want people to do" stuffs reminds me of my area where a commercial building becomes vacant and the surrounding neighbors start writing letters to the editor saying, "I want them to put in a nice restaurant there."

If you want a nice restaurant there, buy the building and lease it to a great chef. If you don't like the business that is there, don't go.

 

[Mark]

I am not suggesting we regulate the Paddock. Don't fall into the 'let's make everything and everyone's comments extreme' camp.

Consider the whole GT40sdotcom forums are run by someone else for the benefit of us all. That person may not wish this place to be seen as supporting a racist, bubba, old white guy, a nazi or a equally, a samaritan.

Sticking up threads with titles that are (and you know it you mischievous little tike!) overtly inflammatory, could easily make the whole forum look like it is a place frequented by extreme activist types. (I don't think any of us here are extreme activist types by the way).

I think that would be unfair to continue unchecked. :thumbsdown:

Why not be just as inflammatory, without being so damn obvious about it? As an added bonus, those too dumb to see the stick poking them, may not bother to pop in and start spouting their usual crap, hailing themselves as the defenders of the faith and all things virtuous. Others will continue to 'debate' in our usual manner. :thumbsup:

I am merely suggesting, that you say whatever you like inside a thread, offend, deliberately or otherwise, inside the thread. BUT, lets stop looking like extremists to the outside world or casual viewer that may happen simply to drop by.