NEW: Civility and Decorum are Required

reply to post by apc

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My local Pizza Hut takes points. Two large one toppings only cost 500 points.

Seriously. I too have been guilty of emotional response. Not to the point of calling anyone an idiot or telling them to just shut their pie hole, but guilty nonetheless. Point removal is just a way I see for the offense to be more than just a "raised eyebrow" event to most people.

There's no need to call anyone an idiot, just show enough valid reasons why they are, and let everyone draw their own conclusions.

reply to post by apc

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You've got a very good point there. I notice that the same group of people who get red flag warnings which comes with a 500 point deduction also tend to repeatedly break the T&C and get more warnings. Negative points mean nothing to these people.

All I can hope is that eventually they get the banning hammer. Others have been banned for much less...

reply to post by apc

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It's an attention getter. Warnings can be applied or followed up with if necessary. As with all of the things we do, they are tools to have people engage in discourse politely.

Civility and decorum required, I certainly agree with that. What of posts with inflammatory titles like " US: thanks for destroying our world!" Is that not baiting Americans to issue a strong reply?

You can't develope a "strong reply" without civility or decorum?

reply to post by intrepid

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I guess I get that. Warnings definitely make sense. I never knew they docked points also but the good old 3-strikes rule is pretty universal. Just seems to me that the use of points in this manner would be better suited if either an accumulated of docked points explicitly resulted in a warn or other action, or if the points themselves were assigned a true value. Say XXXXX points gets a free ATS t-shirt (plus $4.95 shipping and handling) or something like that. Probably a topic for another thread though..

[edit on 18-12-2007 by apc]

reply to post by TheAvenger

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yes is is! you bet! It was my counter to that thread that has lead to 2 threads of mine bieing removed and this civility warning. I asked for fairness and that was deemed knuckle dragging and partisan. But, that extreamly insulting thread remains on the board.

I agree with this..100%, Iam just afraid Iam going to lose some more online friends with this....that is a harsh reality.
But Bill, know that I do understand your point, completely.We must keep the standards high here.Sometimes that requires tough decisions.
AD

reply to post by rockets red glare

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Would you also be one to refer to the French as "cheese eating surrender monkeys?" I've seen that one too often here. It's interesting what we decide to get upset about.

i suppose it would. but nothing like the US is detroying the world. or bring up If the "Continent not allowed to be mentioned" nearly destroyed the world twice in the 20th century.

Yup that covers it... Its hard not to... gotta slap my wrist...

But most important for me... it takes away valuable time hunting more info...



Great move... hope the message gets home

Happy Holidays all

I could probably do that. As it was, I found the title so insulting that I didn't read the thread at all, I have no posts there because of it's obvious attempt to bait Americans and to cause trouble in general. Childish is the word that comes to mind.

It might be... and if the thread actually contained baseless accusations, would be a candidate for removal or other action under the guidelines stated here and elsewhere. However, the content of the opening post, within the Fragile Earth Forum, seems completely relevant and timely. If you're unable to respond to such information with reasoned rebuttal in a civilized way... perhaps you may be among those for which ATS is not appropriate?

Maybe it would be best for you to read something prior to offering a critique as to the intent of the thread.


[edit on 18-12-2007 by SkepticOverlord]

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

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Sir, the title in and of itself is insulting and infuriating!

Only you can control those emotions. No one else can. S.O. has explained the validity of the thread, he's American btw.

If you can't control yourself, don't read the thread.

Now back to the purpose of THIS thread, Decorum and Civility.

Sorry, but I don't see it that way. Taken in context with the content of the opening post, it's relevant.

I can certainly understand how some "blinders fully in-place" ultra-patriots may be somewhat offended... but only if they never read contemporary headlines and articles from a broad range of diverse sources.

However, the key issue here, and the subject of this thread, is not so much what you think, but how you react.

Only to a certain type of person...

You know that thread did not start out in the Fragile Earth forum and when I first saw the title I wondered...

... is this about the US starting illegal wars in the middle east?

... is this about the US financial black hole (with its 9 trillion dollar debt and out of control spending) system imploding?

... is this about the US military industrial complex with its 800 military bases deployed around the world?

... is this about US imperialism and hubris whereby every tin-pot patriot assume that the US can do no wrong trying to impose their idealised views and the rest of the world?

... etc.

There's so many options to choose from that I think the only thing wrong with the title is that it's not specific enough as to which US led grievous cause of the world's destruction is going to be talked about.


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reply to post by SkepticOverlord

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This is way off topic..

But since we are talking about warnings, banning, whats good whats not..

ATS waves the red flag for a "warn" to publicly display the bad going ons of a member, and links directly to what they did to deserve the red flag......

Why then, is there not a flag for Applauses in the mini profile, just like the red flag, and link directly to the post which warranted an applause?

It would be nice if not only the bad was publicly displayed but also the good. And not only that, but it would be nice to see what posts the mods feel are worthy of an applause?

Just throwing ideas out there, if we put the spot light on the bad, why not the good?

Mr. Overlord sir,
the point of the thread was to accuse the U.S. for the problem of global warming. that is baseless.

a quote from the OP