Newbies introduction

[zefrank]

hello and welcome to the board. the recent influx of people has already been met with a few complaints from the existing community so i consider this to be a trial period for all of you that have recently joined.

i'm glad that you took the time to come to fast chat to introduce yourselves, it may seem like a slight formality, but without doing so it appears to be more of an invasion than it does an influx of new perspectives.

regarding new perspectives: i am not keen on the idea that you are already warning this crowd of bad tempers and "biting" before you have unpacked your boxes. if you want to stay you'll have to earn your keep, and that means being respectful of the people who have been here long before you.

this forum encourages different points of view but it is not a free-for-all free speech zone. for example equating carter with the nazis post after post is not the start of a discussion, but rather goading and bullying by using idiotic generalizations. if that sort of thing happens then banning will become commonplace.

i hope this forum can accommodate you guys, but i am leery of a crowd that is retreating from somewhere else.

[nowhereman]

Originally Posted by zefrank

hello and welcome to the board. the recent influx of people has already been met with a few complaints from the existing community so i consider this to be a trial period for all of you that have recently joined.

i'm glad that you took the time to come to fast chat to introduce yourselves, it may seem like a slight formality, but without doing so it appears to be more of an invasion than it does an influx of new perspectives.

regarding new perspectives: i am not keen on the idea that you are already warning this crowd of bad tempers and "biting" before you have unpacked your boxes. if you want to stay you'll have to earn your keep, and that means being respectful of the people who have been here long before you.

this forum encourages different points of view but it is not a free-for-all free speech zone. for example equating carter with the nazis post after post is not the start of a discussion, but rather goading and bullying by using idiotic generalizations. if that sort of thing happens then banning will become commonplace.

i hope this forum can accommodate you guys, but i am leery of a crowd that is retreating from somewhere else.

It is your board and you can do as you wish. I came here on the premise that this board was filled with nice and open minded people. Do you have an FAQ that lays out what can and cannot be said on your board? Without it, people are kinda posting blind here and I don't want be walking on egg shells fearing that what I say just might offend someone. So I think it's only fair to lay out your ground rules for the new people.

[zefrank]

Originally Posted by nowhereman

It is your board and you can do as you wish. I came here on the premise that this board was filled with nice and open minded people. Do you have an FAQ that lays out what can and cannot be said on your board? Without it, people are kinda posting blind here and I don't want be walking on egg shells fearing that what I say just might offend someone. So I think it's only fair to lay out your ground rules for the new people.

i also think this is a place filled with open minded people, but i can't say the same about some of the folks that have recently been posting in curent events - and that is what led me to post.

as for rules, there are a few big ones:

no spam
no pornographic images
no images or comments that disparage people with disabilities
no threats of physical violence towards anyone.

beyond that, think of it as you would a dinner party - generally no rules are printed out, but it becomes apparent when things get out of hand. arguments are fine, but if a fight breaks out, or the converstaion turns to factional name calling - someone has to leave.

[nowhereman]

Originally Posted by zefrank

i also think this is a place filled with open minded people, but i can't say the same about some of the folks that have recently been posting in curent events - and that is what led me to post.

as for rules, there are a few big ones:

no spam
no pornographic images
no images or comments that disparage people with disabilities
no threats of physical violence towards anyone.

beyond that, think of it as you would a dinner party - generally no rules are printed out, but it becomes apparent when things get out of hand. arguments are fine, but if a fight breaks out, or the converstaion turns to factional name calling - someone has to leave.

I can handle that. I just hope you deal with the individual misfits and not lump everyone new that just recently arrived as trouble makers. Yes, I can see where you are coming from though.

[zefrank]

Originally Posted by nowhereman

I can handle that. I just hope you deal with the individual misfits and not lump everyone new that just recently arrived as trouble makers. Yes, I can see where you are coming from though.

i won't lump.

[nowhereman]

I see you banned the Duke. He is a nice respectable person among many people. He doesn't bully or attack people.

[katemced81]

Hello

I'm a newcomer too, I've never really frequented forums but registered for this thanks to zefrank.com. I'm from Dublin, living in Cork at the mo. I'm going to Florence this Tueday for a couple of days - can anyone recommend things to see in a very short time? I'll have a day and a half to wander aimlessly through the city.

Kate

[zefrank]

Originally Posted by katemced81

Hello

I'm a newcomer too, I've never really frequented forums but registered for this thanks to zefrank.com. I'm from Dublin, living in Cork at the mo. I'm going to Florence this Tueday for a couple of days - can anyone recommend things to see in a very short time? I'll have a day and a half to wander aimlessly through the city.

Kate

florence, italy?

i' recommend two things - one is to wait until it gets to be evening and then follow groups of people as they go out. i did this and it led me to these hidden piazzas with live music and open air bars, that i wouldn't have found otherwise.

the other suggestion is to rent a car and go to http://www.borgoargenina.com/ for a couple nights...or if you have only a day visit the brolio castle winery http://www.ricasoli.it/ in the heart of chianti.

[Bickering]

Hello, I am Bickering. I hail from the lands of the Canucks.

I have done a few posts. I like to pop in now and again on chat boards to see what sort of feedback individuals have on current events. Taking in the perspective of many usually leads to a larger understanding of the issue as a whole.

[Veruki]

^^

Originally Posted by zefrank

... if you want to stay you'll have to earn your keep, and that means being respectful of the people who have been here long before you...

I think that if we are respectful then all rules will fall in the their proper place.

[zefrank]

Originally Posted by Veruki

^^

I think that if we are respectful then all rules will fall in the their proper place.

i agree. there is an obvious political tension between the existing folks and the new arrivals. not to descend into chaos in the current events forum will be the biggest challenge.

[brightpearl]

Originally Posted by zefrank

not to descend into chaos in the current events forum will be the biggest challenge.

I almost never go in there, not even just to lurk. I still haven't recovered from the schism on the Show forum.

This has been a fun place for me so far, however, and I hope it continues to find its way relatively easily.

I think it's okay to be who you are, you know? But there's no reason for incivility. Let's go for Jon Stewart talking to John McCain rather than Tucker Carlson.

[Veruki]

^Brightpearl I agree with you whole heartly. I wander in there once in a while, but the tension is thick. I my opinions are typically very strong, so I usually think better then to post something that might cause someone to lash out at me. I rather not say anything at all.

[12"razormix]

Originally Posted by zefrank

obvious political tension between the existing folks and the new arrivals

once again i have a slight problem with this. new arrivals are existing folks too, no? why do we always have to label people and establish some kind of crazy-arse "ranking"?

if people are complaining about new members flooding the board (which admittedly they are doing and, yes, they are getting on my nerves as well!), maybe the people that are already on this board are the ones that are creating a problem and not the new ones... i am glad to see a few new faces, even if they make me throw up my arms in despair sometimes. i prefer that to endlessly treading in the same old place.

[Veruki]

Originally Posted by 12"razormix

once again i have a slight problem with this. new arrivals are existing folks too, no? why do we always have to label people and establish some kind of crazy-arse "ranking"?

I don't think it's about ranking... I think it's more about more about attitude. When new people come in as if they know everything they tend to rub the older ones the wrong way. I think what Ze is trying to say is... please proceed with caution.