Heads up everyone - please read this note:

[southlandshari]

Hi friends!

I wanted to check in with everyone today and see how folks are feeling after a difficult week for you on DU. I also wanted to address the issue of complaints about your treatment in the larger forums.

No one empathizes more than I do with your frustrations over the past two weeks here on DU. I have followed things here and in the larger forums closely, and tried to help take out the unnecessary sniping aimed at British people, authorities and culture in general. Your alerts and PMs continue to be very helpful to me and Lithos, and the other mods and admins. Please continue to let us know how we can best serve you and this forum.

That said, we ask that everyone - no matter what the group or forum - keep in mind the purpose of the state and country forums. These are places to share information and discuss issues with folks from your area or country free from disruption from those who don't have the benefit of perspective of one living in your area. The discourse here will often be very different - and more relaxed, we hope - as a result of carving out this space for you.

We've had problems in the past with a few of these smaller forums turning into mini echo chambers that have the opposite effect than that of a "safe zone". Instead they can turn into a place where folks come to complain about treatment in other forums, which can, unfortunately, lead into something worse - a staging ground for counterattacks against perceived attackers in the larger forums. This is most likely to happen in times of great stress for the members of a particular group or forum - like now.

I and many others are big fans of the state and country forums, and would like to preserve them as positive places where we can enjoy the company of our neighbors, outside of the large and much more anonymous general forums.

Our admins have spoken to this subject in other groups and forums in the past, and have made it clear they do not wish smaller forums to be used to emphasize the negative about other posters or forums. I am asking that we all make an effort to keep it from happening here!

I welcome your comments here or via PM. You guys are a wonderful part of the DU community and I want you to know your voices are heard!

Thanks!
Shari

southlandshari
DU Moderator

[Guy_Montag]

1. That's really nice, Shari

I have a surprisingly warm & fuzzy feeling after reading this - urggh it's not natural, I'm normally satisfyingly bitter & cynical.

[southlandshari]

3. Thanks.

I really appreciate your response. I did not want to sound like I'm coming down hard on our members here - far from it. I'm actually trying to prevent future problems for my transatlantic friends!

:hi:

[fooj]

2. Thanks for taking the time...

Peace.

[southlandshari]

4. Peace

right back at you!

;-)

[beam me up scottie]

5. Thanks for the friendly reminder.

Have a Mars Bar!



(psst ! Don't take any Snickers bars from Anarcho Socialist, I think he may have done something "funny" to them)

[mr blur]

7. Of course Snickers are really Marathons,

but there you go :9

[beam me up scottie]

8. I've never met

a chocolate I didn't like.:D

[mr blur]

10. You need to try the chocolate

at the Swiss Centre, in Leicester Square. You know, next time you're by there.

Ruinously expensive of course, but...

[beam me up scottie]

11. My dad used to send the most wonderful

Belgium chocolate to me when they lived in Brussels.
I found one place in Canada that sold it but since I moved to Kentucky, I haven't found another source.
I could order it online, I suppose.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

12. I don't care, I'm not sharing my chocolate

:9

[beam me up scottie]

13. Your chocolate is icky anyway.

:evilgrin:

[Anarcho-Socialist]

14. OK, I'm telling on you

:P

[beam me up scottie]

15. What are they gonna do,

kick me out of the sandbox ?

[Anarcho-Socialist]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules. :P

[beam me up scottie]

17. Oh no!

Somebody thought we were serious.

I hope things calm down soon, I'm getting gun shy.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

18. Look at the "deleted message" more closely

:)

[beam me up scottie]

19. I'm telling on you!

Impersonating a mod will get you 5 to 10 !

[D-Notice]

20. Are you referring to the fact

that your name is still visible, when deleted messages have the names removed?

And the fact that there's a :P after it?

[Anarcho-Socialist]

21. erm...

...yes. :)

[mr blur]

6. Thank you, much appreciated!

We Brits are resilient types, but sometimes when attacks come from unexpected quarters they can be hard to accept or deal with. I like to think we resisted the temptation to take the attack back to "them" because, however angry we might be, what's the point?

[southlandshari]

27. I know all about resilience!

Any of you who follow U.S. politics beyond the national level will understand my point when I say that resilience is a way of life for us progressives living in states like Alabama!

I really appreciate your comman sense reply, mr blur.

:hi:

[Anarcho-Socialist]

9. Thank you for the post, Shari

:hi:

[southlandshari]

28. You are most welcome!

Most welcome, indeed!

:toast:

[lockdown]

22. Got to say

I'm getting a bit sick of people presuming to speak for "UK DUers", especially when they're demanding a thread be locked because it makes our country look bad. I posted that in LBN and I'm in the UK, please stop trying to speak for me.

Also, people who go on about the stupid things Americans think about Britain, surely you realise we all have our misconceptions about other countries? Before sneering, maybe you should bear in mind you're a guest on an American board?

Shari, if I'm out of order feel free to delete, I won't mind. I realise it's a difficult time, just think it needs to be said.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

23. It wasn't the thread subject per se

It was the fascist-baiting by some respondents. The thread was perfectly news-worthy but unfortunately some people got carried away.

If I hold misconceptions about the U.S. I hope that well-meaning people will always correct me on them.

[lockdown]

24. But you'll always get people making extreme statements,

especially on such an emotive subject. If someone finds a post objectionable they should alert on it, rather than kicking up a big stink and making things worse.

[southlandshari]

29. Not out of order at all

And I really appreciate you posting your comments in this thread. I want to be clear that my original post was in no way a criticism of the thread you started in LBN or any other specific thread in the larger forums. It's been a tough couple of weeks for all British DUers, no matter what your feelings about recent events may be.

Thanks again for your response - I value your comments AND your honesty.

:thumbsup:

[lockdown]

37. Thank you Shari

Kind words as ever.

It's a raw issue and I delivered a couple of low blows myself yesterday, if I offended or hurt anybody I apologise for my tone. Important issue, but self-righteous anger doesn't help.

Anyway, off me lurker soapbox for today. :hi:

[bennywhale]

25. I didn't appreciate the "they" in

everything when referring to Britain or the British.

There seemed to be this "rest of the world" place where shit happens and it can all be explained through the prism of some people's personal views.

I mean do we really want to be known as the place where people believe the British blew themselves to pieces to help Karl Rove?

[southlandshari]

30. I understand your perspective completely.

As someone who has lived in Africa and the Middle East and been quite enlightened as a result. Quite enlightened.

:D

[bennywhale]

33. Good to know Shari. Perhaps you and other of your

enlightened kith could intervene to perhaps (without patronising) correct some assumptions and tones.

I was on one thread about the Balkans a couple of weeks ago which was embarassingly ill informed.

[non sociopath skin]

26. Hi Shari! Been a little out of the loop over the last few days ...

... Tall Ships Festival in Newcastle and the Skin is One Hopeless Ship Geek (grin).

Appreciate your sentiments. Thanks for the firm-but-fair moderation.

Bugger the chocolate. Enjoy this bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale, with the Skin's compliments ...

The Skin

[southlandshari]

31. Now there is a Brit that knows the way to my heart!

There once was a day when I could drink with the best of you. I may be a bit rusty now, but will never turn a bottle of Newcastle down!

:toast:

[Anarcho-Socialist]

32. I used to love Newcastle Exhibition ale

A very tasty, creamy, ruby-red ale.

[bennywhale]

35. A nice Ale only topped by "radgy gadgy" by Mordue brewery in Wallsend

[bennywhale]

34. Sadly Skin, its dropped the "ale" and is now brewed in Dunston. The

brewery site now going to be a shop/office/leisure/luxury complex/development. (forgot to include "exciting!" at beginning)

[Anarcho-Socialist]

39. I think this is one of those things that could only happen in the

U.K. Forum. A moderator posts a thread asking for calm and we hijack it into an ale appreciation thread. :rofl:

[evermind]

38. Up here in the North East, are you? I did see a few

short-haired people on the quay last night - about 25,000 in fact ;-)

Good fireworks, eh? Just been down to the front to see them off this morning...

[non sociopath skin]

40. Yes Mrs. Skin and I were there ... couldn't stay for the fireworks ...

... had to get the bus back to Ashington. I was the shaven headed lad holding hands with the 4'2" red-headed Bette Midler lookalike and drooling over the Kreuzenstern. Man, what a ship!

Was down there this morning again too: got some canny photos!

Yes, chaps, I'm aware that thanks to the evil machinations of the Stinky-poo men at S&N brewery, not only has it become Dunston Broon but the previous owners of the Dunston Brewery, the Northern Clubs Federation Brewery, is disappearing and I'll be reduced to drinking bloody John Smith's in the Club. My dad must be turning in his grave ...

Can I say also that I like Mordue's Workie Ticket even better than Radgy Gadgy.

Another, Shari...?

The Skin

[bennywhale]

43. It was pissing down.

And i could see sod all

[non sociopath skin]

44. When and where was that, Ben?

I did intend to go down to Tynemouth for the start of the race but on the Lunchtime telly news, Colin from the Beeb was standing dripping wet pointing out to sea at some far-off blobs of white scarcely visible in the rain & sea-fret.

At which point, meeting Mrs. Skin after work for a pint or two of fine ale at the Gosforth Hotel seemed a better way of bidding adieu ... and so it turned out...

Cheers!
:beer: :beer: :beer:

The Skin

[bennywhale]

46. I went for about 1.00 and realised the coast road coming back towards

thhe toon was packed.

Got to Tynemouth saw one ship through the rain snapped a picture and sat in traffic for an hour eating chewits.

[non sociopath skin]

48. Next time, join us at the Gosforth Hotel. A pint of Workie Ticket....

... beats a poke of chewits anyday!

Cheers

The Skin.

[bennywhale]

49. Is that the Gosfooorrth park hotel or the Gosfath hotel?

I didn't know either had Mordue ales. I usually drink them at "The Bridge"

Cheers:toast:

[non sociopath skin]

50. Whadda ye think? Wa not snerbs, bonny lad!

The "Gosfath" has a good selection - as well as Mordue's, there's Black Sheep, London Pride, Marston's Pedigree, Timothy Taylor's Landlord & Draught Bass - and the staff and the crack are pretty good.

Like the Bridge too BTW. And the Crown Posada. Tend to use the Hotspur most - good ale, near the Bus Station, not too crowded except on match days and the landlady looks like Eliza Carthy.

The Skin

[bennywhale]

51. Aah. you'll be pleased to know that Bar Oz (an abomination) has reverted

back to its original "Crows Nest", if you drink up Percy street

In the age of MNC's and franchised chain "pubs" and drinking halls it is a surprise and a joy to see a "Bar" become what God intended it to be, a Pub.

It serves cracking Ale and if you look above the doorway you'll see "Crows Nest" actually carved in the original stonework.

Good 60 shilling at Hotspur (Bring back the farmers rest and long live the Porcy...wor lass gans mad when one teks hor in there)

[T_i_B]

36. You have a difficult task at present southlandshari

We don't envy you. We are glad you're here though. :-)

[non sociopath skin]

41. Hear! Hear!

The Skin

[southlandshari]

42. You just made my day!

:D

[LeftishBrit]

45. Thank you southlandshari!!!

I love this forum, and would like to say thanks for everything!

[demobrit]

47. Thanks

This site can only go from strength to strength when difficulties are recognised , free speech is a wonderful thing but misinformed free speech is another thing.