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Why Can't Anyone Keep A Thread OT?!?


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Sorry, I needed to vent...

 

I feel like GOING ALL CAPS HERE, but I won't.

 

Look at my avatar...yes, I'm a Christian. HOWEVER, that does not mean I try to throw that in every conversation I enter in to. While my I try to center my decisions and my life around my faith, I am not 1 dimensional. I can carry a conversation, and offer my own insights without throwing my personal agenda into the mix.

 

Occasionally, there have been topics on these forums where it was appropriate to talk about my beliefs, but rarely.

 

Please, while we are talking about the slaughter of innocent ducks, let's just keep talking about the ducks.

 

Ok, I feel better.

 

If you are ticked off at me for this, your best bet is an email. I'm going back to see if there are any new developments on the duck killers...

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what does this have to do with geocaching... :laughing:

 

Well...nothing I guess...and, if a moderator feels this is too OT for this thread, then they can move or delete it as they see fit. :lol:

 

I posted this here, because there have been a few interesting topics on this thread that were derailed, and ultimately closed in this forum due to the agendas of others. (Be that Christians, Gay rights, whatever...)

 

I was checking up to see if there were any updates on the duck killings, and there was yet another comment there. I was going to post my opinion there, but didn't want to derail that topic any further. So, I posted here instead.

 

Sorry for taking up bandwidth.

 

(That last sentence sounds sarcastic, but it isn't. I was just a little riled when I opened this topic, and can't delete it now. :D

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Proper forum etiquette is always an on-topic discussion. It is fine to point out how frustrating it can be to watch a thread you're interested in get derailed by off topic posts or other forum guideline violations. Others may express a contrary view, like a belief that the conversation ought to just go with the flow, with limited moderation.

 

That being said, I will caution everyone in advance to steer clear of discussing the *subject matter* of the off topic post that triggered the posting of this thread.

Edited by Keystone
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I think he was referring to a religious-agenda reference made in this thread: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=133403

 

Good thing...I thought he was going after me for making every thread I engage in an excuse to post one of my Micro Spew rants. :D

 

(edit: sp.)

 

:laughing:

 

No, I addressed that yesterday when I talked about when I used to walk to school in the snow, uphill, both ways! :lol:

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I think he was referring to a religious-agenda reference made in this thread: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=133403

 

Good thing...I thought he was going after me for making every thread I engage in an excuse to post one of my Micro Spew rants. :D

 

(edit: sp.)

 

:lol:

 

No, I addressed that yesterday when I talked about when I used to walk to school in the snow, uphill, both ways! :D

:laughing::D:lol:

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I think he was referring to a religious-agenda reference made in this thread: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=133403

 

Good thing...I thought he was going after me for making every thread I engage in an excuse to post one of my Micro Spew rants. :D

 

(edit: sp.)

 

:laughing:

 

No, I addressed that yesterday when I talked about when I used to walk to school in the snow, uphill, both ways! :lol:

All summer long?

 

OT - as Keystone mentioned, forum etiquette is OT for any forum.

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Good thing...I thought he was going after me for making every thread I engage in an excuse to post one of my Micro Spew rants. :D

 

Wow Drat, you're at least consistant...you've even gotten your Micro Spew rant in here :laughing:

 

I'm as confused as Cornerstone on this one...what is it about some people that makes them twist everything to be about them or their interests.

 

I'm of the belief that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, they are just not entitled to force it upon me. Basically, your "rights" end where mine begin...or something like that...

 

I think we can sum this problem up with "People are dumb!" :lol:

 

Celticwulf

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Sorry, I needed to vent...

 

I feel like GOING ALL CAPS HERE, but I won't.

 

Look at my avatar...yes, I'm a Christian. HOWEVER, that does not mean I try to throw that in every conversation I enter in to. While my I try to center my decisions and my life around my faith, I am not 1 dimensional. I can carry a conversation, and offer my own insights without throwing my personal agenda into the mix.

 

Occasionally, there have been topics on these forums where it was appropriate to talk about my beliefs, but rarely.

 

Please, while we are talking about the slaughter of innocent ducks, let's just keep talking about the ducks.

 

Ok, I feel better.

 

If you are ticked off at me for this, your best bet is an email. I'm going back to see if there are any new developments on the duck killers...

Thanks for bringing this up. I agree with you. I never mind small and-still-relevant-OT tangents to a forum topic, but I feel that the particular act done by the troll on the duck thread was obnoxious. And I too found the hijacking of the parks-as-sex-cruisng areas thread by several parties with agendas to be annoying as well.

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Forum threads are a form of online conversation. How many times have you conversed with someone and not strayed from a topic?

 

People generally do a very good job of staying on topic here, but there are bound to be a few tangents now and then and some threads will stray from their original subject.

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And I too found the hijacking of the parks-as-sex-cruisng areas thread by several parties with agendas to be annoying as well.

 

That was one that I was really annoyed with. There were lots of interesting opinions going back and forth, but some just kept pushing down a side path, and it was eventually closed. :laughing:

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Forum threads are a form of online conversation. How many times have you conversed with someone and not strayed from a topic?

 

People generally do a very good job of staying on topic here, but there are bound to be a few tangents now and then and some threads will stray from their original subject.

 

It's pretty easy to recognize an attempt to hijack a conversation or discussion, though. The new topic has only a flimsy connection to the original; is inflammatory; and probably wouldn't be permitted as a topic for a standalone discussion thread. And if the track record of the hijacker is known, the new topic just happens to be one of their pet agenda items.

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Some folks just like drama and want attention. It is a shame, because they often derail useful conversations. I think the worst offenders at delibrately getting threads off-topic are the ones who consistently try to stir up trouble. If there aren't any contentious threads going at the time, they will start one.

 

It's interesting to look up the posting history of some of those negative types. Page after page of the same old ranting. If my posts read like theirs, I would put myself under mouse arrest.

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THE TERM IS ----Thread Drift Like continental drift it is a natural progression.

 

The Geocaching forums have very little thread drift. I participate in another forum where the thread drift is a thing of beauty. :laughing:

People actually come for the lively slice of life conversations that cause the drift.

Edited by Packanack
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"I have a question"

"Here is your answer"

End of thread.

How Boring.

 

Seriously, if all this forum was allowed to be is like the first three lines of this post, then most of the people who make this forum helpful and answer wouldn't bother showing up and this forum would suffer for it.

 

A forum is an online community and if you remove the community from the forum, you have nothing.

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So, does this mean I shouldn't post my "Nuke a Gay Whale for Jesus" campaign here in the forums? :lol:

 

As long as you start a separate thread for it, and don't hijack another thread...be my guest. :laughing:

 

Actually, my research shows that threads about gays, guns, religion, a woman named Mitsuko, and the cryptic statement "DO.NOT.ACCEPT.FOOD.FROM.THE.PIG" show far more activity than all other threads combined, and such threads often grow to 3+ pages in 24 hours. Thus, I plan -- one of these days -- to start a thread entitled:

 

Ex-Mormon, Ex-Islamic, Turned-Hindu, Turned-Buddhist, Then-Turned-Christian-Convert Gay Pagan Sex Cruisers Who Carry Guns and WILLINGLY.AND.EAGERLY.ACCEPT.FOOD.FROM.THE.PIG. and Who Secretly Desire Mitsuko and Who Cross-Dress on Friday Nights

 

But not today. I am too tired. . .

 

LATE EDIT: Oh. I guess I wasn't too tired. I did it. I created the thread. Uh oh. . .

 

BTW, I never mind mild and somewhat-relevant OT tangents on forum threads -- they are part of life and they keep things fun. Rather, what tends to irritate me -- as I wrote earlier -- is people with an agenda who try to hijack threads and who have to inject their positions and their venom (and hostility) into the matter, till it is hopelessly off-topic and filled with angst.

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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...angst.

 

Heh, heh, you said angst!

 

I guess that's why I can't keep a thread on topic. I notice things like that and like a good debate on top of it.

Was that on topic or off? Hard to tell in an off topic post that drifts on topic which way the post truly leans.

 

I don't think topic drift has really ever been a problem for the mods. And the worst thing done about it was nothing more than the usual 2am 'Last call!'

 

throwing the topic off a cliff by some troll....hmmmm...

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THE TERM IS ----Thread Drift Like continental drift it is a natural progression.

 

The Geocaching forums have very little thread drift. I participate in another forum where the thread drift is a thing of beauty. :sad:

People actually come for the lively slice of life conversations that cause the drift.

 

Cool new term for me. Thread Drift, and Godwin's Law, all in one week! :o

 

(To clarify: I had never heard the term "Godwin's Law" before this week either...I wasn't trying to invoke it here!)

 

I actually enjoy the "thread drift" for the most part. It's a natural progression.

 

My beef was with purposely inflammatory comments, or someone continuously bringing up the same issues, when they don't contribute anything...to the OT, or the drift...

 

 

(Edited for clarification)

Edited by Cornerstone4
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Some folks just like drama and want attention. It is a shame, because they often derail useful conversations. I think the worst offenders at delibrately getting threads off-topic are the ones who consistently try to stir up trouble. If there aren't any contentious threads going at the time, they will start one.

 

It's interesting to look up the posting history of some of those negative types. Page after page of the same old ranting. If my posts read like theirs, I would put myself under mouse arrest.

 

There is more truth to this than you might know. In my office, there is ONE individual who enjoys 'stirring the pot' in an almost arcane sense. You can guarantee that at LEAST twice a day, he will come back spouting off some garbage relating to either sports or politics. You can shoot him down on facts over and over, but it doesn't matter.

 

And has been demonstrated in the thread in question, some people just cannot help but interject their opinion into a conversation, regardless. And if you ask me, when they go as far as to post *TROLL ALERT* above the offending section, I have to ask myself why they didn't just hold their tongue and not say it at all...but again...they HAVE to interject their opinion. It's been my personal opinion that people with these kinds of tactics actually do more HARM to their cause than good; it's just too bad they can't learn that.

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It's been my personal opinion that people with these kinds of tactics actually do more HARM to their cause than good; it's just too bad they can't learn that.

 

AMEN! That is the truth right there.

 

Think about it...when you see real in-your-face activists for any cause, they are many times on the fringe of whatever group they claim to be speaking on behalf of. And, like you said, they usually do more damage for the cause as a whole.

 

For example, the topic that set me off was the Pro-Life comment in the other forum. Now, the guy in the news that kills the abortion doctor in the name of the Pro-Life movement...how contradictory is that.

 

I'd wager 99.9% of the people that actually support that movement would find that behaviour completely unacceptable, and the action damaged thier reputation.

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Sorry, I needed to vent...

 

Please, while we are talking about the slaughter of innocent ducks, let's just keep talking about the ducks.

 

Ok, I feel better.

 

Can ducks actually be innocent? That implies the knowledge of right and wrong...

 

Threads are hijacked because people have an agendum, or more than one agenda.

 

I can understand where some people are coming from. Others seem to be totally off the wall. I can respect the one, but not the other, whether or not I agree.

 

Following the thread of your 'innocent ducks' (and glad that I have not met any guilty ones):

New Jersey seems to have an overpopulation of black bears. Nature seems to indicate that x number of bears can inhabit y square miles of territory. There is a limit, after which the stronger bears chase the younger ones off into new territory. So, with the bear population explosion, (we have over 3000 bear in New Jersey!) younger bears have been seen in such places as downtown Newark, and Trenton. Those two have been euthanized by the local constabulary. A small but vocal letter-to-the-editor writers decry this as murder. I have a dictionary, and am not afraid to use it! Only human beings can be murdered. Bears can be killer, or euthanized. They cannot be murdered.

 

This is not an concept or idea that I can understand or relate to. Argument requires logic.

So, what were the ducks innocent of? What were they charged with?

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I actually enjoy the "thread drift" for the most part. It's a natural progression.

 

My beef was with purposely inflammatory comments, or someone continuously bringing up the same issues, when they don't contribute anything...to the OT, or the drift...

(Edited for clarification)

I agree! Normal thread drift is, well, "normal". But when out-of-control people must inject inflammatory comments, that does not contribute to their cause or to any cause. Rather, it just feeds their inner need for drama and pathos. Back when I trained in graduate school as a clinical psychologist, our "street name" (versus the technical jargon from the DSM-IV manual) for these types of people was "drama queens".

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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Actually, topic drift IS cool in normal conversations and few normal (informal) conversations end on the same note they began. But too much "drift" (also called "digression") is unacceptable in formal or semi-formal communications and is a sign of lack of talent and/or training.

 

Ferinstance, a preacher would not be considered very skilled if his or her chosen (and published) sermon topic was "salvation" and by the middle of the sermon he/she had "drifted" to abortion or gays or such.

 

Basically, the audience "paid for" (came in expecting) the salvation sermon, and they got something off-the-wall instead.

 

Likewise the forums are a semi-formal comm medium. The topic posted "advertises" or sells the topic to the reader. The reader has a right to be disappointed if the topic listed is not the real topic.

 

Therefore topic "drift" should be limited so that the readers get what they "pay" for.

 

OTOH I think people get upset a little too quickly in these forums when "drift" occurs. Just because someone goes a little ways down a side road does not mean they "hijacked" the thread.

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"drama queens".

I think this term belongs in your new thread. :sad:

Please feel free to go ahead and inject the term there! BTW, I am enjoying that thread! Everyone so far is keeping it light and warm, and no one has tried to hijack it with some hostile tangential agenda. :o And, even when people have used "labels" they have used them in a light-hearted way. Fun! :o

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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....Likewise the forums are a semi-formal comm medium. The topic posted "advertises" or sells the topic to the reader. The reader has a right to be disappointed if the topic listed is not the real topic....

 

Whoah there. Drift happens in topics and conversations. It's a casual thing that the participants willingly do and do it naturally. The active participants don't get upset because they were there when it happened.

 

Evesdropers and Lurkers have no right to get upset if the flow doesn't go their way, they didn't participate.

 

If a person who starts a conversation can't handle drive and stops their feet and goes away mad in a real conversation, they won't be having many and if they do, well. they won't drift becaus all the answers will be "yes" and "no'. once people get to know the sourpuss.

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Look at my avatar...yes, I'm a Christian. HOWEVER, that does not mean I try to throw that in every conversation I enter in to. While my I try to center my decisions and my life around my faith, I am not 1 dimensional. I can carry a conversation, and offer my own insights without throwing my personal agenda into the mix.

Nope, I don't believe you ... in fact, I smell a troll. Um, strike that ... it was my shoes, I must of stepped in something. Sorry ... carry on.

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I think you are referring to my post in the duck murdering topic right? It just really peeves me off when I see people going ON AND ON AND ON about these poor little ducks that got killed, when you know as well as me that the majority of the people shedding tears over the little ducks are "PRO CHOICE", or in other words "PRO ABORTION".

 

I wrote on the topic because like I said, it makes me upset. Same thing with the people who think that a spotted owl is more important than human life (or at least they act like it).

 

YES, it's sad that a poor little ducky got abused and killed, but what about the 1 million babies that are killed every MONTH. That's all I'm saying. I just wanted to put the "Shed a tear for a duck" conversation in perspective.

 

The post was on topic in my opinion. Go back and read the duck conversation with what I'm talking about here and maybe that will help you put it into the proper perspective. And keep in mind that the majority of people posting in that thread probably would tell you that abortion is "A choice", whereas the duck murderers ought to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Anyone else smell the hypocrocy here?

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I think you are referring to my post in the duck murdering topic right? It just really peeves me off when I see people going ON AND ON AND ON about these poor little ducks that got killed, when you know as well as me that the majority of the people shedding tears over the little ducks are "PRO CHOICE", or in other words "PRO ABORTION".

 

I wrote on the topic because like I said, it makes me upset. Same thing with the people who think that a spotted owl is more important than human life (or at least they act like it).

 

YES, it's sad that a poor little ducky got abused and killed, but what about the 1 million babies that are killed every MONTH. That's all I'm saying. I just wanted to put the "Shed a tear for a duck" conversation in perspective.

 

The post was on topic in my opinion. Go back and read the duck conversation with what I'm talking about here and maybe that will help you put it into the proper perspective. And keep in mind that the majority of people posting in that thread probably would tell you that abortion is "A choice", whereas the duck murderers ought to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Anyone else smell the hypocrocy here?

Did I just hear someone say "Troll"? Or did they say "Drama Queen"?

 

Oh... :sad::o

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I think you are referring to my post in the duck murdering topic right? It just really peeves me off when I see people going ON AND ON AND ON about these poor little ducks that got killed, when you know as well as me that the majority of the people shedding tears over the little ducks are "PRO CHOICE", or in other words "PRO ABORTION".

 

I wrote on the topic because like I said, it makes me upset. Same thing with the people who think that a spotted owl is more important than human life (or at least they act like it).

 

YES, it's sad that a poor little ducky got abused and killed, but what about the 1 million babies that are killed every MONTH. That's all I'm saying. I just wanted to put the "Shed a tear for a duck" conversation in perspective.

 

The post was on topic in my opinion. Go back and read the duck conversation with what I'm talking about here and maybe that will help you put it into the proper perspective. And keep in mind that the majority of people posting in that thread probably would tell you that abortion is "A choice", whereas the duck murderers ought to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Anyone else smell the hypocrocy here?

Whether they do smell it or not, it isn't the right place to discuss it. Go to Off Topic and make a thread.

 

/Pro-life.

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I think you are referring to my post in the duck murdering topic right? It just really peeves me off when I see people going ON AND ON AND ON about these poor little ducks that got killed, when you know as well as me that the majority of the people shedding tears over the little ducks are "PRO CHOICE", or in other words "PRO ABORTION".

 

I wrote on the topic because like I said, it makes me upset. Same thing with the people who think that a spotted owl is more important than human life (or at least they act like it).

 

YES, it's sad that a poor little ducky got abused and killed, but what about the 1 million babies that are killed every MONTH. That's all I'm saying. I just wanted to put the "Shed a tear for a duck" conversation in perspective.

 

The post was on topic in my opinion. Go back and read the duck conversation with what I'm talking about here and maybe that will help you put it into the proper perspective. And keep in mind that the majority of people posting in that thread probably would tell you that abortion is "A choice", whereas the duck murderers ought to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Anyone else smell the hypocrocy here?

Whether they do smell it or not, it isn't the right place to discuss it. Go to Off Topic and make a thread.

 

/Pro-life.

 

Being that this topic was created in reference to my post, I think I am allowed to defend my post. I think when people are being dope, someone needs to point it out. Blah blah blah

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I think you are referring to my post in the duck murdering topic right? It just really peeves me off when I see people going ON AND ON AND ON about these poor little ducks that got killed, when you know as well as me that the majority of the people shedding tears over the little ducks are "PRO CHOICE", or in other words "PRO ABORTION".

 

I wrote on the topic because like I said, it makes me upset. Same thing with the people who think that a spotted owl is more important than human life (or at least they act like it).

 

YES, it's sad that a poor little ducky got abused and killed, but what about the 1 million babies that are killed every MONTH. That's all I'm saying. I just wanted to put the "Shed a tear for a duck" conversation in perspective.

 

The post was on topic in my opinion. Go back and read the duck conversation with what I'm talking about here and maybe that will help you put it into the proper perspective. And keep in mind that the majority of people posting in that thread probably would tell you that abortion is "A choice", whereas the duck murderers ought to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Anyone else smell the hypocrocy here?

Whether they do smell it or not, it isn't the right place to discuss it. Go to Off Topic and make a thread.

 

/Pro-life.

 

Being that this topic was created in reference to my post, I think I am allowed to defend my post. I think when people are being dope, someone needs to point it out. Blah blah blah

I disagree that that thread was a proper forum for discussing the issue. There is good cause to be concerned with idiots who cruelly & illegally harm animals for fun. They need to be stopped and evaluated psychologically.

 

Additionally, your assumption that that topic starter and teh subsequent readers are pro-choice or pro-life (and therefore hypocrites of some kind), is just that - an assumption. Unless you know them personally, you're stabbing blindly.

 

Thirdly, labeling your own post TROLL ALERT automagically makes you look like a firestarter, and thus not worthy of paying attention to - you hinder your cause rather than rally support.

 

Finally, arguments are rarely won over teh interwebs. More often than not it becomes blowhards yipping like dogs back and forth, saying nothing constructive (and doing both sides harm).

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I think you are referring to my post in the duck murdering topic right? It just really peeves me off when I see people going ON AND ON AND ON about these poor little ducks that got killed, when you know as well as me that the majority of the people shedding tears over the little ducks are "PRO CHOICE", or in other words "PRO ABORTION".

 

I wrote on the topic because like I said, it makes me upset. Same thing with the people who think that a spotted owl is more important than human life (or at least they act like it).

 

YES, it's sad that a poor little ducky got abused and killed, but what about the 1 million babies that are killed every MONTH. That's all I'm saying. I just wanted to put the "Shed a tear for a duck" conversation in perspective.

 

The post was on topic in my opinion. Go back and read the duck conversation with what I'm talking about here and maybe that will help you put it into the proper perspective. And keep in mind that the majority of people posting in that thread probably would tell you that abortion is "A choice", whereas the duck murderers ought to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Anyone else smell the hypocrocy here?

Whether they do smell it or not, it isn't the right place to discuss it. Go to Off Topic and make a thread.

 

/Pro-life.

 

Being that this topic was created in reference to my post, I think I am allowed to defend my post. I think when people are being dope, someone needs to point it out. Blah blah blah

I disagree that that thread was a proper forum for discussing the issue. There is good cause to be concerned with idiots who cruelly & illegally harm animals for fun. They need to be stopped and evaluated psychologically.

 

Additionally, your assumption that that topic starter and teh subsequent readers are pro-choice or pro-life (and therefore hypocrites of some kind), is just that - an assumption. Unless you know them personally, you're stabbing blindly.

 

Thirdly, labeling your own post TROLL ALERT automagically makes you look like a firestarter, and thus not worthy of paying attention to - you hinder your cause rather than rally support.

 

Finally, arguments are rarely won over teh interwebs. More often than not it becomes blowhards yipping like dogs back and forth, saying nothing constructive (and doing both sides harm).

 

Who said I was trying to win something? I was posting my opinion. All the whining about the poor ducks set me off. I'm not saying who was or was not pro-choice or pro-life, but if you go by percentages, one can make certain assumptions. YES, I even told everyone I was trolling. Like I said, "BLAH BLAH BLAH"

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