Is CE&P Getting Boring?

[Corny]

yes .. we should rename it

red vs blue

or

who cries louder

or something like that

 

[ThreeCrows]

I am not bored by CE&P. Even though I don't often post, it's probably the forum that gets my time and attention the most.

It's some of the people posting here that really keep my attention. For instance, I admire and am inspired by Jockboy's passionate and ever vigilant attention to gay rights around the world. His posts remind me to pay attention not only to my community, but the world stage and the details in the media. I admire the examination and analysis, not to mention legal expertise and dry humor, in construct's posts. His contributions remind me that there still logic and reason available in our mad world – if we choose to use them.

I've gotten to really like Kulindahr's posts. Although I might not agree with him, he usually provides reasons for the way he thinks, which allows me to view things from a new perspective.

What I am bored with is the blind ObamaHatred. I am bored and tired of reading ObamaCrat, ObamaJournalist, ObamaNation and all that. As soon as that nonsense starts I tune out, because I know where it's going. BostonPirate has repeatedly said he's independent/in the middle and has invited a fellow poster to explain their point to view, he said something to the effect of “I'm open, convince me.” CowboyBob is critical of Obama and said he's not everything we need. Unfortunately, I have the feeling that most of what Boston and CB contribute falls on deaf ears because they're labeled “ObamaCrats” even though they are clearly not.

I am bored and tired of reading “leftist wing-nut” and “progressive loon” type of posts. What that's doing is calling the person crazy. To call someone crazy is dismissive – what they think, feel, believe doesn't matter, because their very sanity is in question. It shows that you are not here for a discussion at all, just to hurl insults. If someone wants to be taken seriously, they should avoid a dismissive attitude.


TL,DR version: I am not bored by the forum's content or topics, just bored with some of the childish behavior. But I still value opinions and perspectives whether I agree with them or not, and hope people keep discussion alive.

 

[rareboy]

What I am bored with is the blind ObamaHatred. I am bored and tired of reading ObamaCrat, ObamaJournalist, ObamaNation and all that. As soon as that nonsense starts I tune out, because I know where it's going. BostonPirate has repeatedly said he's independent/in the middle and has invited a fellow poster to explain their point to view, he said something to the effect of “I'm open, convince me.” CowboyBob is critical of Obama and said he's not everything we need. Unfortunately, I have the feeling that most of what Boston and CB contribute falls on deaf ears because they're labeled “ObamaCrats” even though they are clearly not.

I am bored and tired of reading “leftist wing-nut” and “progressive loon” type of posts. What that's doing is calling the person crazy. To call someone crazy is dismissive – what they think, feel, believe doesn't matter, because their very sanity is in question. It shows that you are not here for a discussion at all, just to hurl insults. If someone wants to be taken seriously, they should avoid a dismissive attitude.

Can't say it too often or too red.

 

[bankside]

Part of the problem is the number of Americans who take to an international forum and use it, swamp it, drown it, in domestic politics of just one country.

And there is a big difference between discussing international affairs and discussing foreign affairs. "Foreign" is a word which makes sense at your local pub or your legion hall or whatever. "Foreign" doesn't exist on the internet.

There's a simple remedy:

So, Corny, what's going on in German politics these days?

Did Europride change Poland? Did it change people's image of Poland? How about Sarkozy? Off the radar a bit I think...kind of in the doldrums like most leaders it seems to me.

Did you know Europe's negotiating free trade with Canada right now?

 

[BostonPirate]

Part of the problem is the number of Americans who take to an international forum and use it, swamp it, drown it, in domestic politics of just one country.

And there is a big difference between discussing international affairs and discussing foreign affairs. "Foreign" is a word which makes sense at your local pub or your legion hall or whatever. "Foreign" doesn't exist on the internet.

I posted a thread about the Israeli Jordanian meeting a few hours ago and no one posted in it.

I guess that means that people who frequent this sub forum aren't interested. I did the same with a thread about cuba maybe a week ago... it went down the feed with little notice.

I guess it is going to be what we make it. If people don't make threads on international affairs and post in the ones that are there, then it means the denizens of this forum are just not interested in that kind of thing.

I get what you are saying and I agree.

What the solution is? there is no way to make people answer to topics that they don't feel connected to.

so I guess there's no sollution.

 

[construct]

Did you know Europe's negotiating free trade with Canada right now?

As a matter of fact I did not! What do you think the implications will be for the U.S.?

 

[bankside]

I posted a thread about the Israeli Jordanian meeting a few hours ago and no one posted in it.

I guess that means that people who frequent this sub forum aren't interested. I did the same with a thread about cuba maybe a week ago... it went down the feed with little notice.

I guess it is going to be what we make it. If people don't make threads on international affairs and post in the ones that are there, then it means the denizens of this forum are just not interested in that kind of thing.

I get what you are saying and I agree.

What the solution is? there is no way to make people answer to topics that they don't feel connected to.

so I guess there's no sollution.

Ahh, see I was at work a few hours ago and not surfing JUB on the company schilling. LOL.

Part of the "rut" is the first thing I do is look at threads I'm already subscribed to, and I tend to miss new and potentially interesting ones. So I'll go have a look.

BTW, I don't begrudge the idea of US domestic politics being discussed on here. I find it entertaining, and often relevant - we're not all that different, and we're all interconnected, so there's my buy-in. But sometimes the converse is not as well understood. To give one example, threads on marriage equality have been floating around CE&P for years, and it is only recently where I've felt the case is being made that countries who don't have equality yet should be studying countries who do have it very closely. Legal systems are different. Political cultures are different. But there is no need to reinvent the wheel in one country, when it has been done before in many places. That message seems to be a bit of a hard sell.

 

[rareboy]

BTW,

A free trade agreement between Canada and Europe could shift the trade axis and free Canada from the protectionist behaviour in the US for corn, wheat, softwood lumber, etc.

It could also signal a change in Europe to ease off protectionist policies except I suspect they just want the little that is left of our fish.

 

[bankside]

As a matter of fact I did not! What do you think the implications will be for the U.S.?

[STRIKE]Wow so the biggest exporter of oil to the US signs free trade with Europe, and could sell their entire oil output to China at a moment's notice even without free trade, and you're still wondering if there are any impl[/STRIKE]

HEY! I see what you did there...

LOL.

 

[Spiff]

I don't come here for porn.

You don't come to JUB for anything other than incessant whining about "Obamanation". I never see you socialize and discuss anything in any of the other forums. All I see are endless posts here where you always bring Obama into a discussion, regardless of the topic. This predictable monotony you bring is a large part of the boredom that is being discussed. Rather than attract more members to this forum, it keeps them away. A nice little home you made for yourself here. . .

 

[CowboyBob]

You don't come to JUB for anything other than incessant whining about "Obamanation". I never see you socialize and discuss anything in any of the other forums. All I see are endless posts here where you always bring Obama into a discussion, regardless of the topic. This predictable monotony you bring is a large part of the boredom that is being discussed. Rather than attract more members to this forum, it keeps them away. A nice little home you made for yourself here. . .

Exactly.

And I've posted lots of pics of nekkid guys and talk about homo-type things.

Feel free to look at them and jack off if need be.

 

[construct]

nekkid guys

What?! Where?! [construct fearfully checks under the sofa and the coffee table.]

 

[CowboyBob]

And just out ..... congress is giving President Obama grief about the war:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/40302.html

“It is wrong to be borrowing money from China, laying off American police officers to train police officers in Afghanistan,” complained Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.)

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/40302.html

I agree with this. End those damn wars and bring those beautiful guys home.

 

[iman]

Yes, it's boring and this thread is a good example of why. It took only a few posts for people to turn the thread into a place to post their personal obsessions, make petty personal attacks on others and indulge in vanity posts.

 

[JB3]

At least when Alfie and those guys were here it was somewhat interesting. Sure, things got into a pissing match more often than not, but when the chips were down there was intelligent conversation beneath all that. (or at least most of the time)

 

[BostonPirate]

At least when Alfie and those guys were here it was somewhat interesting. Sure, things got into a pissing match more often than not, but when the chips were down there was intelligent conversation beneath all that. (or at least most of the time)

so what happened to all of them?

 

[Centexfarmer]

so what happened to all of them?

A good percentage of them allowed the personalities of those posting or the personalities of those moderating to get the best of them I'm afraid.

Some came back under different user names, some got bored when the political dynamics changed.

Some learned how to use the "ignore feature" and then forgot how to turn it off!

CE&P often times benefits from having a thread where everyone can vent now and again.

This appears to be one of those threads.

I've volunteered as a Moderator for CE&P for nearly 4 years now, and this forum has it's ebbs and flows, its true characters and what I would personally consider its true trolls.

How many of us can read a thread or post in this forum and accurately predict exactly what's been posted by that member before we even open the thread that they've written, or a post that they've made?



I think that we can probably all make that that claim.

And perhaps that's part of the problem; we've stopped actually reading/listening to what the other person is saying, and as a result give the same patent responses that we've always given to those posts and threads toward our fellow JUBbers.

How's the phrase go?

"Labels are for clothes?"

Talk about a Tin Ear.

Then we/they get defensive, or offensive, and the nastiness continues like a dog chasing its tail.

Let's try this! Let's try to take the individual's screen name out of the equation and read their posts like it's the first time we've ever read what they're saying.

At least on this topic, and see what we can all get out of it.

While at the same time reflecting on our own posting styles, opinions and objectives and see if we can't mix things up a bit by finding some common ground.

I'll start, I agree with most all of y'all on just about everything on the topic of this thread to a degree. No exceptions.

 

[BostonPirate]

I will admit that I can look back at a thread and clearly see where it hit critical mass.

you know?

where no matter what is said from that point forward, it ain't gonna be pretty.

the real key is knowing when that occurs as you are participating in it.

when the blood pressure is up and a few beers are in the belly... things get said that were best only thought.

mama always said wisdom is one seconds pause before opening the mouth... or in this case... typing the thought.

 

[Centexfarmer]

I will admit that I can look back at a thread and clearly see where it hit critical mass.

you know?

where no matter what is said from that point forward, it ain't gonna be pretty.

the real key is knowing when that occurs as you are participating in it.

when the blood pressure is up and a few beers are in the belly... things get said that were best only thought.

mama always said wisdom is one seconds pause before opening the mouth... or in this case... typing the thought.

Make NO DOUBT about it, I've had more than my share of posting blunders over the years.

I do try to abide by some advice that has served me well over the years (especially when I've taken it ); Think tens times speak (post) once if at all.

As a Moderator I've been around long enough to know who's posting which threads/posts to elicit a conditioned response from certain members.

It's called "baiting."

I didn't see this thread as being one of those.

 

[MystikWizard]

The trolls and the fact that nobody does anything about them, is one of the reasons I don't post anywhere near the amount of what I used to in here.

And there are several posters clearly trolling ... one has done so several times in this thread, actually. It would be one thing if they took a variety of positions, but when literally every single post they make is an Anti Obama post, and they literally have nothing else to add, it becomes very tiresome.

Even though those people go on ignore, I am so tired of seeing people take the bait over and over and over again.