Remember the good old days at DU when everyone was more combative?

[NNN0LHI]

WTF? Is everyone on thorazine these days or something? NSA got people too scared to post how they really feel maybe? Christ I can remember when the moderators at DU used to get into it with each other regularly here. I used to be the one to have to light a rag on fire to smoke em apart. Whats going on?

Don

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. It is kind of quiet

want to get something started?

How about this:

atheists are evil

abortion is murder

Jesus wore a thong



Discuss among yourselves.

[NNN0LHI]

5. Ruh, roh! Now you went and done it

:popcorn:

[Beausoir]

61. Don't forget circumcision.

I recently learned that I am a newbie AND a deviant just for circing my kids.

A TwoFer!

[MellowOne]

2. Maybe because it's the holiday season

Peace, love....ya know.

[benburch]

3. I dunno...

I've done MY best to say how I feel about stuff no matter how many times I get flamed or have my posts deleted...

[Pithy Cherub]

24. we now know you got absestos underwear, a tinfoil hat,

and major 'tude presents for whichever holiday tripped your trigger. :evilgrin:

:toast:

[leftyladyfrommo]

4. Yes. But you had to be the "right" kind of combative.

I asked the wrong questions and got thrown off.

[librechik]

6. It's the holiday for Peace on Earth, Don

and good will to men (and women)

Nah. people are just away from their computers, and Congress in hiding out--we'll be back next week, fussin and fightin!

Besides the best holday is still coming up: Rove Fitzmas!

:loveya:

[Cooley Hurd]

7. Hiya Don! Here's something to cure your "homesickness..."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2007923

LOTS of flames in THAT thread (just like the good ol' days!)

:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. Hey that IS a good one

Thanks, :woohoo:

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Sorry I don't agree

There were a couple hot threads here last night.

Mention GUNS or VIDEO GAMES or TOOKIE WILLIAMS.

The kooks come out of the woodwork and they are very combative.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

10. Damn! I missed it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. Damn I should have PMed you for reinforcements

It got really strange.

You know there are actually people here who think it is okay to let kids see porn? :crazy:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

25. Oh dear. That must have been wild and wooley.

[benburch]

11. Porn especially gets the kooks out!

Somehow they don't seem to understand, for example, that any information appliance onto which you can load information is capable of having porn put on it. Including a chalkboard... But that this does not indict a chalkboard any more than it does a videogame when it comes from the store with porn on it; It just means that whomever returned it to the store put porn on it, and the store was stupid enough not to wipe it off!

[crispini]

16. LOL, chalkboard porn.

what's next? etch-a-sketch porn? the horror! :evilgrin:

[crispini]

17. You can find everything on teh interweb...

[benburch]

23. OMG!

:rofl:

[crispini]

26. I especially like the fact

that it's on a heart-shaped etch a sketch! :rofl:

[Just Me]

34. Does that say, *heart* Will?

:rofl:

OMG! Remove that etch, immediately!!! :spank:

[benburch]

21. Oooh! A Challenge!!!

Now THAT would be high art!

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. Oh but Ben we wouldn't want to propose a solution

that would curtail the enjoyment of all the adult gamers, now would we? :sarcasm:

I know some day soon I will see bumper stickers with a 'cold dead hand' saying on them about not taking away video games. :)

[benburch]

30. A solution like not having any means of loading information into it?

That would be the only thing that would work. And it would render the machine useless for almost anything. Like a teflon chalkboard.

Might as well just give up on videogame machines and use a PC then. And you know what those are like with respect to porn.

What I'm saying here is that there isn't a technical solution and the STORE had the duty to make sure it was not selling a pornified machine; Same as the chalkboard! They had a duty to wipe it off.

[proud2BlibKansan]

33. I agree with you

The store screwed up.

And if this happens many more times, we all know what the solution may be.

[omega minimo]

47. wrong

"warm gooey hand"

:evilgrin:





:sarcasm: :sarcasm:
"Adult" gamers "playing with yourself."

[FlaGranny]

9. You're right.

I was just thinking a day or so ago that this place isn't nearly as antagonistic as it once was. Are we becoming civilized? Lazy? More in tune with each other? I don't know. Interesting. We still get an occasional "yes, you did" - "no I didn't" type thread that goes on for 100 posts of nothingness, though.

Some of the newer folks who think they're getting picked on should have been here from the beginning. I think the worst we ever got was after 9/11. There was some REAL nastiness then.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

12. I wasn't here then

I'll bet it was very interesting.

[FlaGranny]

13. It was so bad that I left for about six months.

When I came back it had settled down.

[TahitiNut]

14. Well, hurling personal insults, no matter how snarky, isn't being ...

... "combative." I recall when Carlos was the benchmark of how snarky one could get without being banned. ("You just don't like him because he's Jewish.") Altogether too many folks have gotten to the point that they don't even make a pretense of arguing/discussing the issues or positions raised in a post ... and merely make some shit-for-brains personal remark about the poster.

[FlaGranny]

22. Carlos,

Poor Carlos. I actually used to like the guy. He was sincere and he was persistent with his beliefs - one might say irritatingly stubborn. He was also a bit immature. He must have brought out my mothering instinct. He was a Democrat, but he was a Joe Lieberman Democrat. That didn't set well with a lot of people here. I'll bet you he still votes a Democratic ticket, though. I never did see his post that got him banned.

[TahitiNut]

35. "persistent"?? Well, that's one word for spamming a thread ...

... with endless repeats of the same simple-minded crap. Rarely did he form a syllogism or seek common ground or express sincere respect for an opposing position. Instead, he'd filibuster and disrupt threads with nearly endless repetitions of mere ASSertions, no matter how frequently and completely countered. The forum was littered with folks (including myself) who attempted, to no avail, to offer a more mature perspective in a friendly and supportive fashion - who he then just blew off with some snarky remark.

[FlaGranny]

37. Yes, I can understand how you feel.

He could be very irritating and immature. He had a childish way about him. I always felt that he was sincere, but misguided. I corresponded with him once for a short time, trying to get him to lighten up a bit. He did improve for a time, but then he was right back to his rigid style. I don't usually take the time to correspond with people on message boards, but I guess "the devil made me do it." ;-)

Edit: I think he just, for the most part, had very poor people and communication skills. I felt sorry for him because of that. His personal life seemed to be a mess also. I think he was very insecure.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

38. Carlos got banned?

That's not right! I never ever agreed with him but it was so much fun putting "Ralph Nader" in a post just to see how long it would take him to find it and flip out. He should never have been banned. He was a die hard Dem and sincere in his convictions. We should find him and ask him back.

[FlaGranny]

39. Yes, he did. I never saw the post that got him banned

though. He may have "lost it." He was going through very bad times - moving to Miami, getting mugged, and then his house broken into, all his belongings gone, not being able to find a job, and having to move in with family.

I think he had a "Linus complex."

[OffWithTheirHeads]

45. Yeah, I knew he had some personel problems

Didn't know it was as bad as all that.

I don't think someone should be banned for having a bad day and flipping out though. Hell, you aint nobody here if you havent had a few posts deleated and we all have bad days. With Bush in power, everyday is a bad day.

[FlaGranny]

48. I don't doubt he would have been allowed back

if he had apologized and asked. This place is like that - unless, of course, he REALLY lost it. I don't know because I didn't see the offense.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

52. How sad

Like I said, I never agreed with him and he was constantly flaming me for being a Green, but he was one of the charactors that spiced up the place. Guess I've just got a soft spot in my heart for eccentrics.

[Lars39]

51. Carlos was a repug.

I think folks have seen his posting elsewhere,iirc.

[SkiGuy]

15. More fun to be combative on freak republic

well, at least get that one post in before they ban you.

[NNN0LHI]

41. I am very combative when I post at Freerepublic and haven't been banned

I end all my posts with "God Bless George Bush" though so they will never consider banning me.

Don

[SkiGuy]

44. Wow!

I went on once to debate about the immorality of torture. Was banned after 2 posts and I never even mentioned being against Bush or the war.

The second time banned...well...it was "deserved"

[Crazy Dave]

18. Here ya' go!

Maybe not combative but it always starts up some sh*t! ;)

[proud2BlibKansan]

29. Oh how dare you taint that gorgeous body

with that hideous head. LOL

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

19. Those days are still here...

...I had someone lifting their hind leg, looking for a fire hydrant, just the other day in one of my threads.

Actually, TWO people in the same thread. The first one said something like "WOW...don't you think your views are a little EXTREME?"

The second one high-fived that remark and said "YEAH...this post is no better than something you'd find on Free Republic."

I cried into my pillow for a couple of days, and ya know what?

I GOT OVER IT.

:evilgrin:

[Just Me]

31. Don, ya' just have to find SOMETHING to bitch about,...doncha'!!!

}(

Here's a :hug: you can scream invades your personal cyber space!!! :7

I'll throw in a PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWILL TOWARDS WO/MEN, too! Just for you! O8)

[TahitiNut]

32. My nomination for the "Combative Post of 2005" goes to ...

I've never before seen any post by a long-time member of this community that so succinctly symbolized the tone and tenor of respectful discussion and interchange that makes DU so attractive. I think it's wonderful that we're all doing our part.

Forum Name General Discussion
Topic subject Shut up, crybaby
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5325562#5333519
5333519, Shut up, crybaby
Posted by ******** on Fri Nov-11-05 01:33 PM

Go cough up blood and die.

We can all be proud!

[Just Me]

40. I hope no one here wishes me dead just 'cause I smoke.

Geez.

Why otherwise generous and compassionate and concerned people would be condemned in such a way,...due to that particular vice,...is completely beyond me.

I almost wish you would not have posted that, TahitiNut.

Yet, yours is a confrontation I can handle,...confronting the lack of tolerance. ;( After all, intolerance is as vicious a vice as any human weakness.

Yuck,...I feel sad, now. :-(

[pitohui]

36. i'm combative

i wake up mad every day but i am trying not to break the rules of civility, sometimes it's hard, i think some (prob. most) people banned who have hi post counts were banned wrongly and it's hard to understand why one person is allowed to be grouchy & another not

to be honest i don't even think threads like this are allowed and i expect it to be locked as soon as it's noticed w. a note to ask the administrator or whatever, yeah, right, like they have nothing to do but answer emails all day

i don't care if the NSA knows how i feel, if they really want to know, they can just read my letters over the years to my senators

[Connie_Corleone]

42. It'll pick up next week. It's the holiday season.

2006 will be one hell of a year.

[LWolf]

43. No.

I find DU just as combative as it ever has been.

When the primary wars were over, all that aggression has redistributed itself. Now you have different factions battling:

the "progressive purists" vs the DLC shills

the Kerry lovers vs everyone else who didn't help nominate him

those who place issues first vs those who place party first

the idealists vs the "win at any cost" group

the pro-impeachment vs the anti-impeachment people

the independents vs party loyalists

Pick an issue; you'll find a scrap about it here somewhere.

[Desertrose]

49. I'm with you LWolf...DU still has the battles & flames

Not too hard to find some scraps around here....

BTW :hi:
DR :)

[LWolf]

60. Hey, DR!

:hug:

It's almost become the place to stop by when you're in the mood for scrapping, at least for me. ;-)

[Desertrose]

62. Yeah.. heh heh...I know what you mean

:evilgrin: Always someone up for a good scrap around here.

But then there are good friends here too...:hug:
DR

[sui generis]

46. the hell they aren't

I think I have a hate fan club here. All I have to do is post ANYTHING in GD and the bastids crawl out and circle and take potshots. I've been called spineless, a liar, a blonde white chick hating fruit, offensive, and someone recently invited me to dig up tookies corpse and suck his cock. What a bunch of meanies.

Guess I just have that effect on people! :shrug: I love it.

:evilgrin:

[Cults4Bush]

50. Wow Tookies cock?

I hurl some pretty vindictive shit from time to time, but oral necrophilia! Never. If what was just regular old fashioned necro stuff well than thats ok, thats tradition and what not, but to orally copulate a corpse tahts just republican... ermm I mean repugnant(I keed)... sorry.

[bigtree]

53. fuckin combative! great!

that's what you want? It's not what I want. I just want a few supportive words and some insight. I don't need some jackass backbiting me because we disagree. I believe in treating folks with respect and expecting the same.

You know snarky gets more hits. Why? Sick bastards with an axe to grind. But, WE are not the enemy. WE need to find common ground. WE need to be united.

[ContraBass Black]

54. What? You want to start something?

Bring it, fool!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

55. I blame the "Alert" button. It's too easy to dismiss someone that....

...disagrees with you.

[wadestock]

56. Much less relevant focus, too much nit picking

It's not a matter of unwillingness to fight but less and less ability to reach a real consensus on what matters.

The research forum was a good idea...but still there is no real consensus here on the most important topics of:

1. Getting Hillary out
2. All out assault on Limbaugh and the demonization of liberals.
3. Exposing how bad the economy really is....in clear consistent embellishable format that people can appreciate.
4. Exposing how there is no real "WAR"...but only a failed REGIME CHANGE.

[Nevernose]

57. Back in 2001, I was "Argumentus"

But when the name-change amnesty was offered, I took Skinner up on it. I just don't have the energy anymore to spend it all arguing. Maybe the occasional intelligent discussion, but I'm tired of the "we have no common ground! I am right and you are wrong, and if you disagree with me you are a fascist loving Bush supporter!" thread wars.

DU is a mentally stimulating place. The sheer volume of knowledge the members possess is remarkable, plus the plethora of opinions presented always keeps me open minded.

Maybe I, for one, just mellowed out, or maybe we have some new membership, or maybe the rules have gotten too restrictive (personally I don't mind), or maybe it's just Christmas vacation and the kids have nothing better to do, or maybe it's all in your head. Shit, I don't know :)

[gulliver]

58. Shut the hell up!

:-)

[WI_DEM]

59. Just wait until the next presidential election and it will get combative

again.

[Rex]

63. No I don't remember those days and I think you're lying!

;) Feel better?