Topic Poll

It's possible I missed a post on another thread, because I can't keep up with this board anymore, but I was referring to Gull's comment on this thread about the intervals being too long, which I didn't think was an attack at all, just kind of dry, and even self-deprecating. I certainly take him at his word that he didn't mean it as an attack. (post #40) Now the Geek is a whole other story! :eek: Sometimes I can't tell whether he is being provocative-humorous or provocative-mean or just plain stirring the pot. But he seems to me have mellowed out a lot from when I first joined. Of course I have too. And we haven't discussed transexuals lately :D Personally I don't see private messages as a license to be any less civil than in public, just as a way to avoid taking a thread off topic or taking up board space with something that is only of interest to one person. I have found it to be a good policy not to say anything in email or private message that I wouldn't be ok with the whole world seeing. I don't think that keeping "abuse" private is a good idea in almost any context.

Personally I don't see private messages as a license to be any less civil than in public, just as a way to avoid taking a thread off topic or taking up board space with something that is only of interest to one person. I have found it to be a good policy not to say anything in email or private message that I wouldn't be ok with the whole world seeing. I don't think that keeping "abuse" private is a good idea in almost any context. Lindsay I don't have a beef with you. I'm not sure that PM should be made public though. In this very thread and others we are told to take it to PM or "get a room" because people don't want to see it. I think that goes for more animated discussion too. I try not to fling poo because someone flings it back and in the end we all just end up stinking. I try not to upset people but of course you cannot please everyone all of the time either. I'll be anyone's friend if given the chance. As for keeping things ordered, which I know you like, I think a few more "back on topic" comments in a thread that's getting a little diverted would go a long way for some on the spot remedial action. Rather that than lying in the culvert of the forum to jump out and attack posters on a clearly labelled light hearted thread. Or even PM the offending party to explain the issue and see if they'll edit themselves. A quiet word in discreet fashion is more likely to work than a confrontation...not that I am a politician by any stretch. Lastly, my comments were not directed at you either Lindsay, just trying to capture the issue and offer some hopefully beneficial analysis.

keep it swimming related.

I meant to click the third option but clicked the second one by accident, just realized that and I can't fix it.

And on this wonderful note, and with the help of our 4600 yard practice, a fine dinner of jerk shrimp and fish fritters, and a 12.5 mg Ambien CR, I am heading off to bedtime, no fluffer in sight, confident that when I wake in the morning, I will hear the ever so faint singing from the far corners of our great nation... faint, ever so faint, but wait! The words, the words! I'd like to give the world a coke, and perfect harmony! And all acrimony will be replaced with a thirst quenching cold beverage, all happy and cheerful now, toasting one another with a myriad Saluds! Until, that is, some gruff and churlish fellow, his lips curled in enmity, says, "Hey, you! Yeah, you! I wanted a Pepsi." And this is how the end of the world begins.

Wow! I read many posts on here and took them as attacks on my big sister, who if we never discussed anything outside of technique, wouldn't be my big sister. Some banter and NSR is great, it builds community. I would NEVER want to work in an environment where people walked in, closed their doors or stayed in the their cubes and never interacted. Getting to know your coworkers makes work more enjoyable. Getting to know your teammates makes practice & meets more enjoyable. I love my teammates, I go to practice to get a good workout in and to see them. We banter plenty, and trust me our conversations can be much more inappropriate. Getting to know other posters makes reading these forums more enjoyable and makes me want to go to meets like Nationals all the more. Does the off topic posting get a bit out of hand from time to time? Probably. If you are all SO concerned about staying on topic & keeping the forums pure, then post topics and make comments about technique. We might want to refrain from injury talk though, because that is personal. And since technique becomes personalized that might as well go, too ... There are plenty of ontopic posts to read and add to ... As for the nasty PMs, Fort isn't alone in getting them. I've received a few myself, because like my sis, I stick up for myself and will not just roll over for the "big boys" of the forum. And for the last time LIGHTEN UP, life is too short to be taken seriously ... this is a swimming forum, swimming is supposed to be FUN! :banana: As for the flirting, dear me, I'm sure many fingers are pointed at me for that, trust me when I say I am in no way, shape or forum actually flirting with anyone on this forum. It's called a joke, some here may want to research jokes, I hear laughing is a good thing ...

Jim: That was one of the most well sounded posts defending both sides that I have read in a long time (and I was around a few years ago when this become an issue). It's human nature to fight and try to establish dominance and a swimming forum seems to be no exception. I gladly join you in the Bohemian group! (I actually just admitted to my mom tonight I was of the hippy pursuasion.) Far Out Man!!!

What is striking to me in this debate is that all the women seem to me, at least, to be reasonable. The most poignant things I've read on these threads lately are 1) Beth's daughter's healthy diagnosis, 2) SeaGurls isolation somewhere out in Oregon/Washington State, where she swims by her self and this is as close as she can find to true team camaraderie, and 3) the twin sisterhood of Beth and Fortess (I am an identical twin myself, so I feel for anyone who wants to have such a wonderful relationship.) The people who want to control things--and correct me if I am wrong--have all been men, It breaks my heart to think that SeaGurl is out in the boonies of the wild west, surrounded by Aryan Nation Posse Comitatus training camps, swimming by herself, and having no place in the world besides right here where she can catch up on the catch up stroke drill as well as fluffing techniques. As to that first sentence, I consider this a direct personal attack involving the most insidious sort of stereotyping. :rofl: :rofl: I have really enjoyed meeting and chatting with my twin, who is like me in so many ways. (With the very notable exception that her right shoulder is sore whereas my left is. But it means we can swim the 50 fly together.) My baby sister too! When we actually meet in person, there will be much :hug: . Thank for you giving Kyra a :hug: hug too. It was kind. No need to eliminate kindness from a forum. As to the control issue, I have noticed it is usually men who say "OK, time to move on to another topic" now (like Geek did here) and we are all supposed to comply like little lambs. It's happened on many threads. Sometimes, it's probably better to do so as the discussion has petered out and there's nothing constructive or silly left to be said. (This was Peter's point, I believe.) But other times it's just annoying. No 4600 for me today, Jim. I'm drawing the line at 4,000 max. I'm a real slacker.

Two points: I draw a distinction between "private and confidential" and "said while no one else was around". If someone privately tells me something confidential I will do my best to keep it confidential. If on the other hand someone calls me nasty names while no one else is around to hear it I don't feel any compunction to treat the fact that they did so as confidential. The idea that because I choose to abuse you private message does not earn me any right to your silence in my opinion. Just my :2cents: So we should then publicize hateful PMs? I agree that the hate bomb tosser doesn't earn or deserve the respect of silence. But maybe the rest of the posters here do? Do we want the hatefulness splashed across a serious thread or a new thread dealing with the abuse? How will that help our overworked moderators? I think it's better to respond privately in a non-hateful manner or ignore it completely. PMs should be private. I should clarify that I have only received hateful PMs from two posters in October of last year. I don't think anyone would really have cared to read them. I sure didn't. I'd much rather read a Geek zing interrupting a seemly thread. Your second paragraph is well stated. But perhaps the PM debate should be the topic of a separate thread. ;)

Your big sis pointed out that Rob Copeland said you had just as much right to post as other dues paying members of USMS. So if you don't fall into the authoritarian/propriety/religiosity spectrum as the "big boys," who cares? Carry on. You do good work here too. Thanks Batman, I appreciate that. I'm all for a nice balance of hardwork and FUN! OR in this case serious talk and fun talk ...