Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => Politics => Topic started by: Paddy on September 18, 2007, 01:00:22 PM

Title: Thread drift
Post by: Paddy on September 18, 2007, 01:00:22 PM
This place is getting bizarre.  We start out on a topic and within a couple of pages everybody is arguing about something completely unrelated. And not only completely unrelated but completely abstract, too.  No offense to anybody, but there seems to be this 'libertarian' habit of substituting hypotheticals in some stretch of an attempt to draw an analogy to something somebody said.  It's like they think it's parable time or something.  Then everybody else takes the bait and argues with the hypothetical.

Can we just stick to the topics?

Thanks  police
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Paddy on September 18, 2007, 01:18:01 PM
And one more thing.  Engage the topic.  Don't just make unsubstantiated proclamations and expect everyone to accept them as fact.  They're just your opinion unless you can back them up.

Thanks again  police police
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: The Rabbi on September 18, 2007, 01:18:55 PM
You know, that's just like one time I was selling this gun.  And the guy started telling me about how he shot 2 BGs with a Colt .25acp.  So anyone who thinks the .25 isn't effective ought to see what one does at close range.
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Brad Johnson on September 18, 2007, 01:41:00 PM
And Mike locks the thread in:

Three...

Two...

One...
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: griz on September 18, 2007, 01:42:57 PM
Small joke retracted.  I forgot it was the politics place and don't want to be the cause of the first lock.

Sorry, Griz
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: onions! on September 18, 2007, 01:45:17 PM
I concour.Thread drift is a problem.

But then,sooner or later,so is continental drift.

Damn GB! angry

 smiley
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Jamisjockey on September 18, 2007, 01:52:19 PM
If George Bush would get out of Iraq we'd stop needing all this oil and Global Warming would be prevented.
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: K Frame on September 18, 2007, 02:27:38 PM
I'm far more worried about thread warming.
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Paddy on September 18, 2007, 02:29:50 PM
And Mike locks the thread in:

Three...

Two...

One...

Why would an exhortation to stay on topic warrant thread lock?  It goes to what kind of forum do we want to have; one that coherently presents point counterpoint?  Or one that spins off in tangents in every direction resulting in everyone shouting at everyone else over abstracts, like a bunch of crazy people.

Think about it, that's all I'm sayin'
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Brad Johnson on September 18, 2007, 02:35:43 PM
Quote from: RileyMc
Why would an exhortation to stay on topic warrant thread lock?  It goes to what kind of forum do we want to have; one that coherently presents point counterpoint?  Or one that spins off in tangents in every direction resulting in everyone shouting at everyone else over abstracts, like a bunch of crazy people.

Think about it, that's all I'm sayin'

Subtle humor, my dear Riley.  Subtle humor...  grin

Quote from: Mike Irwin
I'm far more worried about thread warming.

For some reason I can't quit laughing at that.

Brad
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: K Frame on September 18, 2007, 02:41:53 PM
"Why would an exhortation to stay on topic warrant thread lock?"

Uh... because I don't like you?  angel

OK, seriously.

It doesn't warrant a thread lock. Simple as that, because it's a valid question.

That said, I don't come down on drifting threads generally because I tend to be more favorably inclined towards... free range... threads.

Yes, threads that drift can be frustrating, I agree, but the entire nature of this forum is more free range than the forum that spawned it. It was designed to be that way, and I more or less favor that concept, both generally, and specifically.

Some threads will naturally maintain tighter focus, while others will spread as they may.

As long as they don't spiral into a grand pissing match I'm inclined to let them go.

I do, however, exercise the right to shut down threads that have ceased to present new information and are now just a "yes it is/no it isn't" back and forth.

I don't know how the other moderators/admins feel about that, but I'd have to say they're more along those lines, too, as no one is herding posters back towards a central point...
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Sergeant Bob on September 18, 2007, 02:42:49 PM

Can we just stick to the topics?

Thanks  police

We do have some who are able (and quite talented at it) to derail any thread with misdirection by picking apart and debating everything in a post other than the actual topic.
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Brad Johnson on September 18, 2007, 02:45:02 PM
Quote from: Mike Irwin
free range... threads.

As opposed to cooped-up threads?  If he starts talking about Certified Organic threads, I'm leavin'.

Brad
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: charby on September 18, 2007, 02:46:32 PM
Quote from: Mike Irwin
free range... threads.

As opposed to cooped-up threads?  If he starts talking about Certified Organic threads, I'm leavin'.

Brad

That has to be the funniest thing I have read in a while....
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: K Frame on September 18, 2007, 02:48:47 PM
Quote from: Mike Irwin
free range... threads.

As opposed to cooped-up threads?  If he starts talking about Certified Organic threads, I'm leavin'.

Brad

Brad Johnson, the veal of APS...
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Brad Johnson on September 18, 2007, 02:51:25 PM
Veal sounds good right now.  Lightly saute'ed and covered with cream sauce.

Plus pancakes.  Lots and lots of pancakes.

Brad
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: charby on September 18, 2007, 02:55:03 PM
Jagerschnitzel?  oh yeah!



Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Tallpine on September 18, 2007, 03:01:31 PM
I need to figure out what I am going to have for supper tonite .... ?

What if there were no thread drift Huh?
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Paddy on September 18, 2007, 03:03:19 PM
Not asking for the hobnail boot and iron fist, Mike. Just a general appeal to members to consider the value of this forum as a medium for the exchange of ideas.  It's not necessary for every thread to degenerate into an adversarial 'mine's bigger than yours' shouting match.  It's not a contest.  This is not the place to transfer your aggression.  Just because somebody peed on your Wheaties this morning is not reason to dump it on everyone else here.
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: K Frame on September 18, 2007, 03:13:43 PM
".  It's not necessary for every thread to degenerate into an adversarial 'mine's bigger than yours' shouting match."

And not every thread has. Nowhere even close to that.

I'm keeping an eye on the threads that are the most likely candidates to have prompted your appeal.

We'll deal with them if necessary.
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: onions! on September 18, 2007, 03:24:13 PM


Think about it, that's all I'm sayin'

*snicker*

That didn't last long.
 grin angel
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: roo_ster on September 19, 2007, 03:28:51 AM
Yeah, thread drift is bad.  Did someone mention veal?
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: sm on September 19, 2007, 08:33:36 AM
Quote
Can we just stick to the topics?

 Politicians started thread drift, not We The People.

Get the Politicians to give a straight answer to questions and to stick with duties they swore to do as outlined in COTUS.






Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Brad Johnson on September 19, 2007, 09:01:45 AM
Quote
and to stick with duties they swore to do as outlined in COTUS.

If they didn't, would that be COTUS Interruptus?

Brad
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Gewehr98 on September 19, 2007, 09:40:07 AM
Mmmm..... pancakes!

Sometimes I appreciate thread drift, because it takes away from what would otherwise be considered a total pissing match thread.  In that respect, I agree with Mike - the levity has value. 
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Paddy on September 19, 2007, 10:41:27 AM
Thank God he put that one out of its misery.  It was the only humane thing to do with such a grotesquely contorted chain of.........whatever it was.  May it rest in peace.
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Tuco on September 19, 2007, 04:00:58 PM
Mmmm..... pancakes!

With maple syrup on     ................    the table.
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Perd Hapley on September 20, 2007, 01:52:22 PM
Quote
Engage the topic.  Don't just make unsubstantiated proclamations and expect everyone to accept them as fact.

You mean like when someone is losing an argument, but they think they can win by saying that the Iraq war is bad?  Where have we seen that before, Mr. Riley? 
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Paddy on September 20, 2007, 02:11:38 PM
Quote
Engage the topic.  Don't just make unsubstantiated proclamations and expect everyone to accept them as fact.

You mean like when someone is losing an argument, but they think they can win by saying that the Iraq war is bad?  Where have we seen that before, Mr. Riley? 

Hypotheticals like that don't add much to the discussion either, Mr. fistful  police
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Perd Hapley on September 20, 2007, 04:09:03 PM
Oh no, it's very factual. 
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Paddy on September 20, 2007, 04:58:04 PM
Oh no, it's very factual. 

Now that's the unsubstantiated proclamation I was talking about.  You should preface statements like that with 'in my opinion' or 'IMO', or (in your case 'IMHO').  Unless you can provide a cite of some kind, it's just an opinion, not fact.
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: Perd Hapley on September 23, 2007, 06:39:31 PM
Riley, if you can't separate fact from opinion without my identifying it for you, then you may need a new hobby.  I also note that you failed to identify your last post with IMO. 
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: grislyatoms on September 24, 2007, 08:58:26 AM
Isn't that the nature of conversation? To drift gently from one topic to another, particularly if the topics have a common factor? I can't imagine a written conversation being different.

Granted, some thread drift is extreme and it can get irritating.
Title: Re: Thread drift
Post by: BrokenPaw on September 24, 2007, 09:27:57 AM
Isn't that the nature of conversation? To drift gently from one topic to another, particularly if the topics have a common factor?
You haven't fully grokked "drift" until you've experienced BrokenKid's "stack-based" conversational style.  It follows a pattern, thus:

Kid:
"I was at school today, and my friend Kara..." <push>
"...who is in my geometry class..." <push>
"...and she hates my geometry teacher..." <push>
"...who is always talking about her chihuahua..." <push>
"...why do people even like dogs like that?  They're like rats..." <push>
"...but my friend Ann has a rat, and a lizard..." <push>
"...I want a lizard, but dad won't let me have one..." <push>
"...So when I buy a house I'm going to have a lizard and a snake and a guinea pig..." <push>
"...A friend of mine says that people in South America eat their ears."
[implicitly and silently, the stack is popped 8 times]
"...She said that [something or other]."

Me:  "Who said that?"

Kid:  rolleyes "Kara said that."

The thread drift that happens here is nothing.  At least most of the posts here are, in and of themselves, on a single topic.

Oh, and, yes, that was an accurate description of BrokenKid's matter of speech.  Note the careful use of completely ambiguous pronouns, such as the "she" in a soliloquy that includes 4 potential "she"s.

-BP