Discussion begins now.  Tell me if I have offended you by even bringing up this topic, or just start spouting :P

Discussion begins now.  Tell me if I have offended you by even bringing up this topic, or just start spouting :P



You do things OTHER than 'spouting' ?    ???    :o    ::)  (Damn, that's 3 smilies already .... I'm gonna have to cut down !  :-evolving message-board .... where the standards of society at large .... that is... in the 21st century (not the 20th, or earlier ... where 'some' ... seek to take us back to ?  :-X    ::)    :-\\    has SOME input /influence on the kind of posts we see here ? Hard core porn ... will never be tolerated (  8)  )  ..... spam, etc ... but .. we're allowed to be 'naughty' / frivolous  / let our hair down.    8)    8)



Enough of my thoughts ... for now ?


8)

just spouting

http://sportzfun.com/photos/albums/swimming/whale.jpg

just spouting

http://sportzfun.com/photos/albums/swimming/whale.jpg



Danoota .. (I never knew you had it in you )      :o    :-\\      :-X




Hey ... you know we're supposed to be SERIOUS ..... DEADLY serious .... in this section of the board.  ???



However, since 'Rice' started it .... and in a light-hearted manner .... I SUSPECT ... we'll 'get away' with it !    8)












Nice pic !


:D

just spouting

http://sportzfun.com/photos/albums/swimming/whale.jpg


Offensive! :P  But notsomuch to me :D

Rice, starting this thread is not offensive.

Like Alan said, it's in the eye of the beholder (reader).

Most of the time, I think if people follow rule #2 of the forum, the majority will not be offended:

2) Don't be a jerk

I've been guilty of being a jerk in the past and have tried to lighten up a little lately.  However, *I* took offense yesterday as I feel my character was defamed to some degree.  It wasn't justified to throw out to the public forum and I believe I deserve a sincere apology for that.

If I don't see that, I apologize right now to everyone (sans the recipient who decided to single board members out at random such as myself) in advance for pushing the limits of Rule #2 and potentially being offensive.  Hopefully it won't come to that.  We'll see.

just spouting

http://sportzfun.com/photos/albums/swimming/whale.jpg
Having a whale of a time?

god help us all.

*crosses self*

...Fortunately, our lead mods / the site owner .... to some degree, have a relaxed attitude towards some of these 'sacred cows'. If they WERE to start enforcing ALL of  them ... with an iron fist ... I suspect the posting here, would start to dry up, to some extent ?    :-\\



Here is my thing:

This forum is completely different from other forum's you will find on the 'net. We have an amazingly relaxed attitude. Other forums, just posting Danoota's picture would get you a ban, some of Alan's photoshopping would get a ban, the use of the words penis or vagina would get a ban. Particularly though, the slander and defamation that has been going on here lately would have guaranteed a ban, and a deletion of everything written.

We try not to rule with an 'iron fist', because generally, our little forum gets along amazingly well. Even in the politics section. We try to understand each others points of view, taking things said with a grain of salt, sometimes even if the salt is poured directly into a wound. We are well aware that not everyone is going to get along, and we 'try' as hard as we can to refrain. Basically, that's really all we have ever asked from the members of the forum.

Of course, there are examples of those who suddenly decide that they no longer can or want to follow rules, which unfortunately has resulted in a ban, or ten. It is something that does have to be done, whether any of us like it or not.

Apologies are nice if they are honest and truthful, but don't expect one if someone is unwilling to give.


I guess 'offensive' .... is in the eye of the beholder ?


I agree with this statement.
However, the Mods and Admin have a certain limit to what is offensive/inoffensive.
If you have reported something and it disappears, then you know they have agreed.
If you have reported something and it is still there - it may be because the mods/admin don't agree.

At any rate, I personally value our forum, because I know a lot of people wouldn't get away with the stuff they do on any other site. We have great dialogue/rapport, even when we don't get along.

That's my 'peace' for right now.

Tam 8)

Apologies are nice if they are honest and truthful, but don't expect one if someone is unwilling to give.



I agree with everything else you've said in your post, Tam.  I will add that if one isn't going to be respectful towards others and reflect on unwarranted actions and try to make amends, I think they get everything they deserve in return.  Kind of like following the Golden Rule.

I agree with everything else you've said in your post, Tam.  I will add that if one isn't going to be respectful towards others and reflect on unwarranted actions and try to make amends, I think they get everything they deserve in return.   Kind of like following the Golden Rule.


Agreed.
If I were to come into this thread and for no reason call you a douche-bag...
I would expect to be called a douche-bag right back or asked to explain why I called you such a thing. If I couldn't explain myself and then figured out I shouldn't have said it, you would be completely deserving of my heartfelt apology. So I would apologize.... but I would have to leave it up to you to accept it or not. ;)

Did I ever mention that I love this place?

Danoota .. (I never knew you had it in you )      :o    :-\\      :-X



Really!  Then you should get to know me better. I don't know, I guess I tend to be pretty low key, but every once in a while the true me comes screaming out.  I knew I was taking a chance with that one. It takes a bit for me to feel offended, but when I am, I am sure to let the person know that I believe they have crossed the line.  I would say this is one of the better forums because there are so many members who have stuck around, gotten to know each other, and know when to take it and when to leave it go.  That is what keeps us coming back.

Kind of like following the Golden Rule.



He who has the gold makes the rules?  :-\\

;) :D ;D ;D



Did I ever mention that I love this place?



Oh man, I am totally offended by that.


j/k.  :D ;D ;D ;D



Anyway, what people said, the key is RESPECT.



Cat

Gonna drag this one in outa the Smite Club thread... Mainly because it involves a story about a teacher and a couple of F-bombs, and touches nicely on the whole issue of what constitutes appropriate/inappropriate behavior in differing social contexts.


It's difficult to describe, I can't pigeonhole it exactly, but it really just depends on the person. I think there's a clear difference between a CEO/your science teacher/a PTA soccer mom-type and the entertainer types. 


I don't know any entertainers, but I work with a good mix of geeks and PTA-types, and a couple of CEOs thrown in along the way.  Trust me, there is no difference.  I've had conversations with co-workers ten times as filthy as anything I've seen on this board.  (And I've also had those conversations stop or decrease in relative filthiness when someone says "OK gang, that's last one was over the line for me.")

Flashback to my high school days, and a moment involving a chemistry teacher, a few minutes after a student had a near-miss.  We're still all kinda stunned because a few seconds ago, we all saw our harmless teacher jump like a ninja over two rows of lab desks, grab her, dunk her head under the sink faucet for a second or two, and then haul her to the eyewash station a few seconds later.  No injury, but another 5-10 seconds could have made a very real difference in the outcome.  Now that the dust has settled, he's explaining what the hell just happened to the rest of the class.

"So if it happens and I *don't* notice it, just run to the eyewash station as fast as you can.  If you get something all over you, pull the emergency shower cord.  No shame in it, that's what these things are there for.  I've used the eyewash station a couple of times myself, and yeah, it was in class, and yeah, it was the same mistake, too.  Y'know, we're not gods up here.  We're human too.  We f*bleep*k, and some of us drink and smoke, too.  Oh yeah, and we use words like f*bleep*k, but usually only in the teacher's lounge."

Well, you coulda heard a pin drop after that one.  One of the Gods, one of the Authorities, one of Those From On High, an Impartor Of Knowledge... had just dropped the F-bomb in class.  And instead of apologizing for it or covering it up, the guy dropped another one. 

"Most of you have already figured out that we adults don't have all the answers.  Well, one of the hard parts of being an adult is accepting that it's OK not to have all the answers.  Welcome to the real world."

He didn't just have our undivided attention, he also had our respect.  Not because he dropped a couple of F-bombs and revealed that there must be some sort of ninja training that comes with a chemistry degree, but because for the first time in our school years, we'd been talked to as adults.  It was OK that the Wizard of Oz was just a dude behind a curtain, because he taught us that whatever we might need going forward, we'd pick it up along the way, and probably without ever realizing it.

^ Great Story.  Even better that all the kids were cool enough not to get anal and report him. 

That was a great story, Foo Bar.

He who has the gold makes the rules?  :-\\

;) :D ;D ;D



Everything I touch turns to gold.  8)  :D ;D


On a serious note, I've taken some time to digest and reflect on the recent events and accusations towards my character and realised those here who have gotten to know me know the real me.  I may be losing my hair :P but I'm not lying in wait at schoolyards looking to "party with/hit it" with way younger people.  ::) My offense to their stereotyping was justified in my opinion, but I've wasted too much time and energy about being angry with someone that ultimately has no significance in my life and feels the need to spew absurdity in random threads.  I have more important things to worry about.  :)

Gonna drag this one in outa the Smite Club thread... Mainly because it involves a story about a teacher and a couple of F-bombs, and touches nicely on the whole issue of what constitutes appropriate/inappropriate behavior in differing social contexts.

I don't know any entertainers, but I work with a good mix of geeks and PTA-types, and a couple of CEOs thrown in along the way.  Trust me, there is no difference.  I've had conversations with co-workers ten times as filthy as anything I've seen on this board.  (And I've also had those conversations stop or decrease in relative filthiness when someone says "OK gang, that's last one was over the line for me.")

Flashback to my high school days, and a moment involving a chemistry teacher, a few minutes after a student had a near-miss.  We're still all kinda stunned because a few seconds ago, we all saw our harmless teacher jump like a ninja over two rows of lab desks, grab her, dunk her head under the sink faucet for a second or two, and then haul her to the eyewash station a few seconds later.  No injury, but another 5-10 seconds could have made a very real difference in the outcome.  Now that the dust has settled, he's explaining what the hell just happened to the rest of the class.

"So if it happens and I *don't* notice it, just run to the eyewash station as fast as you can.  If you get something all over you, pull the emergency shower cord.  No shame in it, that's what these things are there for.  I've used the eyewash station a couple of times myself, and yeah, it was in class, and yeah, it was the same mistake, too.  Y'know, we're not gods up here.  We're human too.  We f*bleep*k, and some of us drink and smoke, too.  Oh yeah, and we use words like f*bleep*k, but usually only in the teacher's lounge."

Well, you coulda heard a pin drop after that one.  One of the Gods, one of the Authorities, one of Those From On High, an Impartor Of Knowledge... had just dropped the F-bomb in class.  And instead of apologizing for it or covering it up, the guy dropped another one. 

"Most of you have already figured out that we adults don't have all the answers.  Well, one of the hard parts of being an adult is accepting that it's OK not to have all the answers.  Welcome to the real world."

He didn't just have our undivided attention, he also had our respect.  Not because he dropped a couple of F-bombs and revealed that there must be some sort of ninja training that comes with a chemistry degree, but because for the first time in our school years, we'd been talked to as adults.  It was OK that the Wizard of Oz was just a dude behind a curtain, because he taught us that whatever we might need going forward, we'd pick it up along the way, and probably without ever realizing it.



http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/happy/applause.gif



Cat

He didn't just have our undivided attention, he also had our respect.  Not because he dropped a couple of F-bombs and revealed that there must be some sort of ninja training that comes with a chemistry degree, but because for the first time in our school years, we'd been talked to as adults.  It was OK that the Wizard of Oz was just a dude behind a curtain, because he taught us that whatever we might need going forward, we'd pick it up along the way, and probably without ever realizing it.


  That just smacks of common sense.  Ever consider recording motivational tapes..?

  Bravo...

 

  That just smacks of common sense.  Ever consider recording motivational tapes..?


Hey, thanks for all the compliments, but I can't take credit for the teacher's display of common sense.  It was the 80s.  Common sense rare, but still safe and legal (insert your own abortion joke here!).  At the risk of dragging decadology into this, it was a very pre-9/11, pre-Columbine kind of environment.

I've grown a little more cynical in the intervening years, and if I were to do motivational speaking for a more modern audience, I'd base it on Cormac McCarthy's The Road, and probably have half a dozen suicides in the audience by the time I was done.  Which would cut down on sales a lot, so it's probably for the best of all concerned that I never get into the self-improvement racket. 

if I were to do motivational speaking for a more modern audience, I'd ...  probably have half a dozen suicides in the audience by the time I was done.  Which would cut down on sales a lot ....





A drastic 'solution' ... somewhat akin to 'Hey ..... do you wanna lose TEN pounds of ugly fat ' ?  ???













CUT OFF YOUR HEAD !      >:(
















:P













:D                ;D

Hey, thanks for all the compliments, but I can't take credit for the teacher's display of common sense.  It was the 80s.  Common sense rare, but still safe and legal (insert your own abortion joke here!).  At the risk of dragging decadology into this, it was a very pre-9/11, pre-Columbine kind of environment.

I've grown a little more cynical in the intervening years, and if I were to do motivational speaking for a more modern audience, I'd base it on Cormac McCarthy's The Road, and probably have half a dozen suicides in the audience by the time I was done.  Which would cut down on sales a lot, so it's probably for the best of all concerned that I never get into the self-improvement racket. 


  It's true.  There was a shortage of educated, ambitious, young teachers then.  The field didn't attract the best and brightest.  As a result, child self-determination seems to have been the order of the day and I'm not quite sure what to think of that...

  In any case thanks for not selling out... :)

  It's true.  There was a shortage of educated, ambitious, young teachers then.  The field didn't attract the best and brightest.  As a result, child self-determination seems to have been the order of the day and I'm not quite sure what to think of that...


Now there's a TTT-threadworthy topic.  The cult of self-esteem.  As an old fart, I subscribe to the notion that it must be earned, not granted.  The real world doesn't give you a medal for showing up.  You win or lose on your own merits.  ("You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake...")

(Even the Congressional bailouts aren't accidents.  Not everyone gets rewarded for their business failures.  You only get the bailout if you're willing to put up the millions of dollars in lobbyist funding, and put in countless hours of schmoozing and sleazing at cocktail parties.  It may not be productive work, but it is work.  And while it may not be the same game as free enterprise, it's still a game in which there are winners and losers.  That's a subject for the politics board, but I'm pointing it out here because it's not a counterexample to teachers who seem to believe that a ribbon with the word "Participant" on it is just as good a reward as one that says "1st Place".)


In any case thanks for not selling out... :)


You're welcome... I think. :)  The worse the economy gets, the more I realize how useful it would have been to have had an army of fanatical devotees, or even just a bunch of yokels I could fleece for donations. 

Your offensive thought for the day:  "it's not selling out, it's buying in".

Now there's a TTT-threadworthy topic.  The cult of self-esteem. 




Sounds interesting / intriguing even, I dare say (?)  .......... we look forward to YOU starting it ?    ???       8)









As an old fart







Poo Bar: profile:

Age:  N/A



Guess I'll have to take your word for it .... as for the 'fart' ....... hopefully, not too unpleasant ........ but it matters not.


I generally go around with one of these ........












http://bestanimations.com/HomeOffice/Fans/Fan-07-june.gif       

Battery operated ones too ......... blows 'em right away !    8)















:D

  It's true.  There was a shortage of educated, ambitious, young teachers then.  The field didn't attract the best and brightest.



Always been that way  :(

You know, maybe I'm missing the boat completly here, but in terms of what people do and don't find offensive, I get confused.

The way I see it is all humor inevitably has somebody as the fall guy, even if you're not making fun of someone for being a mick, spic or prick, you're still finding fault with somebody, so straight away, all humor is offensive to somebody.

Then simple conjecture, once again, if you have an opinion, somebody will be offended by it. For instance, I don't think we should send millions of dollars to Ethiopia in aid, guy next to me says "Hey, my wife is from Ethiopia and her whole family died you insensitive bastard!" so straight away, without even trying to, I've been offensive.

Hell, I offend people without trying, quite often without realizing it. True story here - I'm a stage hand and when we work most shows we get shirts. I worked a Slayer show a couple of years ago and was wearing the shirt, on the back is a pentagram and something along the lines of 'Slayer Local Crew 2006' (whatever it said is besides the point), anyways, I'm wearing this shirt at work, without even thinking about it and some lady throws a fit. She was one of those Christian nuts and found the shirt offensive. Now to me, she's just an annoyance and my boss, who has some common sense, comes over and just says "Rocko, turn the shirt inside out till the Jesus F**k leaves." But regardless, without even trying, I'd offended this lady.

So the way I see it is this. If you talk to me, come over to me, ride in my car, come to my house or invite me to yours, you accept a certain level of risk. You're obviously not going to do any of these things unless you know me and even if you don't, any guy with a mullet, wearing toe cap boots and blue jeans isn't going to be high society, you can probably guess at the level of discourse. So there it is, what is offensive? Different to everybody. You'd have to go a long way out of your way to offend me, but do I care if I offend you? Of course not, you can all blow me.... (a kiss to say you love me!)  ;)

I find very little offensive on its face.  Mostly what offends me are deliberate attempts to hurt/humiliate others.  Beyond that, I tend to be rather forgiving of the human condition, since I are one.