Are you being manipulative, Ryan?

[Albert]

"It seems Ryan has moved chunks of the old WalMart thread here."

I am NOT going to research the accusation.

[helen]

Re: Are you being manipulative, Ryan?

To the Front Desk forum? No. I originally posted the Who Posted? thread here in the Front Desk.

[mel]

Re: Are you being manipulative, Ryan?

Several of the posts made in the old WalMart topic (that was closed last week) were apparently copied over to another topic about Heaven and Hell. Having not originally posted to Heavan and Hell, I was quite surprised to have to defend myself over there on something I posted in the WalMart topic. I don't think this has anything to do with Helen, but more so with Ryan. I think if a topic is closed, it is closed and those old posts stay as is where they are or deleted in their entirety (mainly to free up space on the server if that needs to be done). I don't like finding myself to be an unwilling participant in a topic that I originally had no intention to participate in.

[admin]

Re: Are you being manipulative, Ryan?

My apologies for those confused by the thread split.

Threads like the infamous WalMart thread, and the Heaven and Hell thread (which I spawned from it) - or basically any thread where posts begin to stray far from the original topic - are problematic. As much fun as it is to see just how many posts one can cram in or how quickly two folks who are online at the same time can ping-pong replies between each other, it hurts the usefulness of the forum overall if a newcomer - who really wants to talk about WalMart - gets lost or buried in topic drift.

In trying to salvage something useful from the WalMart thread after it went off the rails, I found a series of posts within where users started debating more existential issues. Those posts were turned into a new thread, where I figured that conversation could continue in a more focused manner. Sadly, in this particular case, it just created two places where insanity ruled.

Though the split pre-dated the closure of the WalMart thread, it is true, it gives some folks a headache when there are suddenly two conversations their messages are a part of.

Yet, splitting threads can work. It can save a computer thread from a tangent about food, or turn a provocative thought buried in one conversation into a spark to inspire more examination.

I am sorry for the confusion, and I'll try to moderate more sparingly. You can help by keeping the original topic in mind whenever you click reply. If your reply turns out to be a wholly new idea, you can create a new thread for it, and make your a reply a pointer to the new tangent.

[mel]

Re: Are you being manipulative, Ryan?

Having to respond to a topic that I had no intention of posting much less paying attention to because of somethings I posted in the old topic is kind of like throwing gasoline on smoldering old embers. Anyway, thanks for your explanation on this and I think we will all try to keep our topic posts within focus of that topic.

[Peshkwe]

Re: Are you being manipulative, Ryan?

Ahhh....I was wondering what was going on....

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Ok...I go now....
*runs away*

[kimo55]

Re: Are you being manipulative, Ryan?

Several of the posts made in the old WalMart topic (that was closed last week) were apparently copied over to another topic about Heaven and Hell. Having not originally posted to Heavan and Hell, I was quite surprised to have to defend myself over there on something I posted in the WalMart topic....

Look, I don't remember making that statement in this topic. It seems a lot of messages from the closed old WalMart topic got yanked and tacked in over here... not by me. I did not wish to participate in this topic matter.

it does not matter one iota, where you made the statement. You made it, and someone is responding to it.
IF... you lay a heap of bureaucratic bullhash on it and evade adult responsibility for your casual statements, tell us: " I evade responsibilty for my statements."


...the wm topic morphed into a heaven and hell topic.
as can be seen.
by the creation of a new topic thread.
by admin.

soooo....
I took your point to the appropiriate thread so I may be able to respond to it.

IF... you don't want your post to have any response; that is blatant authoritarianism.
and so then, ya otta post something and say:
"I play Hitler; this I state, and this I will not allow any response or discussion on..."

[admin]

Re: Are you being manipulative, Ryan?

Can we all chill, please?

Mel, if you posted something, it's open for comment. Whether or not it was good form is a matter of etiquette, and whether or not you want to dignify those comments with further responses is your call.

Kimo, unfortunately, mentioning the name of Hitler in a debate - a common sign that further reasonable discourse is unlikely - invokes Godwin's Law. Thread closed.

Tomorrow's a holiday. Let's all take a deep breath, get some fresh air, and come back in a better mood, okay?