So Long, And thanks for all the fish

problem with separating the politics out is, everything tends to get politically charged.
You cannot discuss the mid east, with out politics coming into play.
The economy, same.
US issues, same.
Everything goes political it seems.

We have a section for US politics. Half the time we end up moving threads in that should be there.

Not sure what the answer is to that problem.

Mean time, see new poll.
 
I might point out, posts from people who disagree with me more often than not 1,536, my posts, 339 (with a small bump because I am on vacation). If you add in Twin fist, 730. If you want something more out of the study that you aren't finding right now, post more, join up for a life membership to help bob out and make it into more of what you want. Post in the other areas that you think deserve more attention. I know for me it is more difficult to post in the martial arts section because there usually isn't so much to say about the arts. I like this art, I like that art, what art do you do, where do you train, these types of posts just don't seem to generate a lot of repeat posting.

May I also add, if you are complaining about the posting, and are not actually paying to contribute, try joining up and helping bob out. I'm sure he wouldn't mind donations either. Like our honored vice president has stated, "put some skin in the game." Everyone here likes Bob, he's a great guy, lots of patience. Support him and his site. If you are lifetime members, great, if not try it, you might like it. If you are life time members and you go the extra step of donating, that is even better. If you don't donate, try it, you might like it.
 
For the U.S. thread, I sometimes mistakenly post in the general area because I forget to go into that seperate box where the u.s. thread is located. I just hit the add a thread, thinking it is the u.s. thread, and by the time I'm done, I can't undo it other than to go in and delete it. That might help.
 
Reply to Post #21:

Aye but it didn't used to be this way.

I have made the case a few times that the political content was driving out the MA content. It is also my belief that it is driving away new members.

The fact that the Study is constantly bubbling at the top of the New Posts lists and only appears to contain (no dig intended) extreme Right Wing political stuff means that that is what people see when they first rock up to MT. If I came across MT now, I'd take a quick browse around and move on. When I came across it six years ago it was a very different story.

How we fix it is by deciding to change. As the Cap'n says, he can't make people behave well and neither can the staff - indeed one of the reasons (ill health aside) why I stepped down from Moderator was because I felt I was attempting to herd cats without the aid of a cat herding device.

If we don't change then the site won't change in it's flavour or tone either. That way lies a 'fade to black' I fear.
 
I know for me it is more difficult to post in the martial arts section because there usually isn't so much to say about the arts. I like this art, I like that art, what art do you do, where do you train, these types of posts just don't seem to generate a lot of repeat posting.

Aye, that's something I've said myself {usually as a response to being told off for moaning about political posting but not posting a whole lot in the JSA forums :lol: :eek:}.
 
What if you didn't list the study posts in that new posts list. That might help. I have to say though, the quick run down of the threads, it isn't easy to see the study. For quite a while I didn't even pay attention to it because I thought it was more along the lines of the library thread.
 
Already have the ability to focus on the Art areas.
$So Long, And thanks for all the fish_1312749847914.jpg
 
Ahh, I thought we'd lost that with the software update :tup:.
 
It isn’t left wing or right wing, or this party or that party, it’s extremism. Where you hold your point of view to such conviction, that nothing will dislodge you from changing it one little bit, facts be damned.

We’ve had some Canadian political discussions on here, the handful of us that are Canadian and we never got that worked up about it all. Canadian politics can be as nasty and as disturbing as any in the world, so it must be how we handle it, and not politics itself. Blade for example would throw out accusations based on what I consider a skew or lack of facts on her part, I would retaliate with facts and sources to back it up. She hasn’t changed her opinions, nor have I, but she’s not on my ignore list and we chat.

As Suk says, the JSA section is very slow….but I think it has to do with the popularity of the JSA to begin with. If we have 2000 active practitioners in North America, I’d be surprised. I have no questions regarding my MA I would ask here, after 12+ years and my Sensei living 2 minutes away from me, I can’t think of the last time I pondered anything….sad kinda….
 
I believe the problem isn't so much the views held as they way they are expressed and the reactions when the views are challenged. There isn't discussion, we're told we are misguided and wrong. The posting of endless links to political pundits kills any discussion, we might not agree with the poster but how much easier is it to discuss something with someone who uses their own words. I hate to point this out but while Billcihak is being so 'helpful' ( not all of us can afford lifetime memberships but I have a recurring annual one) he has to realise this problem with the Study (I know there has been others before but not to this extent) started with him and his constant posts with links. Often these contain so much inaccurate information or even no information. what pundits say isn't the truth set in stone, there are people here who are experts on a variety of subjects, telling they are wrong in those subjects is just plain daft.. Other posters who are on the astringent side have been always been with us and it's not caused as much of a problem.
I'm sorry if that looks like an attack, it's not, it's an observation. It's not a call for banning, it's a call for the return to proper conversational debate rather than sweeping generalisations, endless comments of pundits ( who get paid to espouse causes) and the need to 'educate' everyone here.

I think being martial artists tends to mean we are all probably confident people able to speak out and stand up for what we believe in, so perhaps debates on here are always going to be 'lively', they were once, they could be again. I don't have a problem with any poster here, it's probably not that way in reverse lol but I do have a problem with the way much posts are made at the moment, it's stifling to have a link that says all socialists are violent and then be branded a socialist because one disputes this. Common sense tells us for example that all socialists aren't violent, a discussion however on whether being a political extremist encourages people to believe violence is acceptable in furtherance of political power. Stating all dictators are left wing isn't going to cut it either, a discussion on what forces are at work to enable a dictator to be one could be a discussion. Now, why don't I post these as threads? because I know what I'll get back, endless links purporting to prove only left wing people are violent and are dictators, so whats the point of posting new threads in the Study?

That's the other part of the problem, why should we start new Study threads when we know how they'll be treated?
 
then ignore him but stop trying to censor people cuz you dont like what or how he posts

No you are the one trying to censor people. I'm asking that people post their views themselves not via the professional political pundits. You post up exactly what you want to say why shouldn't he? Posting up so many links is verging on trolling.

I post up saying XX is the best thing since sliced bread, you will post up and say "no it's not because it's ....... and I think...." but Billcihak will post a link to Ann coulter saying what she thinks, which do you think kills the debate stone dead?
 
In NO WAY have I EVER endorsed censorship in any way and YOU KNOW IT. You just like to toss out lies cuz thats all you got.

He can post all the links he wants to, thats the way it is set up, an you can do the same, you can ignore him, you can not read his posts, you can go fix some damn tea, you aint GOT to read his stuff, but that isnt good enough, you are trying to get the rules changes cuz you dont like it

THATS CENSORSHIP

and you fecking well know it
 
You must actively seek out the study to get to it.
Not true. It is in my face every time I log in to the site. The majority (or entirety) of links under the "New Posts" is a list of debates about abortion, my god vs your god, my elephant vs your donkey. I'm new here so this may be a recent development. But, it appears that the most action on this site has nothing to do with training or the MA's. Maybe we can just rebrand the site "Talk" and be done with it. Or, even more accurate, "The Same Old Tired Devisive Debates Warmed Over and Wrapped Up in a Gi"...dot com.
 
you wouldnt care if it was someone you agreed with

My dear boy, throwing out insignificant insults like an adolescent who's been found smoking behind the bike sheds ill becomes you. I thought better of you, I thought you would debate the subject with the good manners Americans are known for. You disappoint me.
 
it isnt an "insignificant insult"

not even meant as an insult at all.

just as a statement of my opinion of your character.

if you think it is insulting......................maybe you should think about that

And while you are at it, ask yourself why you are ok with censorship?
 
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