OT... what IS OT?

[scottmandue]

Off thread
[rant mode on]
Okay I understand all this "we are an internet community" stuff and it is a nice personal touch when someone posts a quick note about their significant other, their job, their pets, etc.
However ultimately this is a board about cars, sponsored by a company that sells automotive parts.
I'm sure there are many BBS's where debate you political alliances.
I know there are BBS's where you can discuss your religious beliefs.
We all know there is plenty of porn on the internet if that is what you want to look at or talk about.

Do you go to an auto parts store to buy underwear?
Do you go to a pet store to buy an oil filter?

There is an old adage that goes something like "at parties or family a get together don't discuss religion or politics"
I'm pretty sure overkill never though that his post about going to war would lead to several pages liberal Vs conservative name calling, But what did it accomplish? The liberals and the conservatives still blame each other for everything that is wrong with the world and the politicians are loving it because it keeps anyone from noticing what a terrible job they are doing. "We have met the enemy, and they is us"

So I have this nutty idea that maybe we should try to keep most of our discussions here about cars.

[rant mode off]

Oh and I DO appreciate the irony that I am posting an OT thread complaining about OT threads... but then I never claimed to be the brightest bulb on the tree!

[AFJuvat]

I think a little OT on the BBS now and again is a good thing - provided it does not get out of hand. A little levity/humor/personal anecdotes from time to time lightens things up a bit.

We can't talk about timing belts and clutches and faulty fuel pressure regulators all the time.

Personally I do not see the harm in it as long as it is kept to a reasonable level (emphasis on reasonable). If I am uncomfortable about the topic, or it doesn't interest me, I don't reply to it (note my one reply in the political thread)

911 BBS is a lot stricter on OT than here - then again they get a lot more posts.

my 2¢, Your mileage may vary.

AFJuvat

[fty]

I think OT ranting, whether it be politics or not, strengthens the community not sperates it and since theres kind of a tightness to this BBS..I think its totally acceptable...It should be left alone until someone starts crying...we can count on the liberals for that..hahahah JOKING....
May the palsiness be with you...-chris

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by AFJuvat
I think a little OT on the BBS now and again is a good thing - provided it does not get out of hand. A little levity/humor/personal anecdotes from time to time lightens things up a bit.

AFJuvat

Certainly! I tried to word my little rant such that it is fun to find what other common ground we have with other automotive enthusiast.

I'm just saying (not that what I say amounts to a hill of beans) some people take the internet too seriously... and some people take this BBS too seriously... and maybe when it starts getting into derogatory terms and hurt feeling we could show a little more restraint. It is also sometimes evident that it is easy to forget common social graces i.e. you may say things sitting at a keyboard that you would not say to someone face to face.

Enough philosophy... I'm going over to look at the butt shot Todwics babe posted again.

[Z-man]

Scott: As you know, we move 99% of the OT posts over to the OT Dungeon.
The OT - Political thread was left here for now because I was hoping that the heated debate would be resolved. Honestly, when it was first posted, I choose not to view or move it. (Something about needing to get some work done here at work! ) By the time I got to that thread, it had snowballed into quite a big mess. Again: by then, I felt it was better to leave it here until the issues between people were resolved.
Had I moved it to the OT forum, many would not have read the rest of it, including my warnings to calm down.

That said, that particular thread will be moved shortly...as well as this post.

-Z-man.

[overkill]

Ummm, first the issues in the political post cant be resolved until this whole war thing is all over. I created that thread because I was nervous and i wanted to talk about it. I dont know about you guyz but I like you all!!! I think I talk and spend more time with you guyz then I do with anyone else!!! You guyz are almost like family. After creating that thread and being edumakatd about whats going on I FEEL ALOT BETTER!!! You fear what you dont know. Now that I know I am not all that scared anymore, I mean I am but hardly. All, I have to say is thanks and sorry for those that disagree I think there is nothing wrong with OT threads. They keep us coming back for more. If Zoltan removed every last OT thread it would be silent and boring. Anyways, I have alot of ON TOPIC posts coming because its time to start working on the car again!!!

[eligunn]

I think we should talk more about pornos. More porn I say!

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by overkill

snip
I dont know about you guyz but I like you all!!! I think I talk and spend more time with you guyz then I do with anyone else!!! You guyz are almost like family.

I like everyone here also...
But we seem to take it for granted that it is WAY too easy for anyone to misrepresent who and/or what they are on the internet.

Any person here who we think we like could be a terrorist or a serial killer etc.

Ya know what scares me? We call this a community! Maybe I'm old foggie but my idea of a community is a group of people who visit each other where they live, have meals together, go to the bar for a few beers together, get together at the park for a BBQ, watch the game together, people who know what each other look like, sound like, even smell like.

This is a great place to exchange information, make contacts, and plan events. although it is just a bulletin board after all isn't it? That is what it is literally called right?

Do we consider a bulletin board at the Laundromat, supermarket, or dorm a community?

As I said "some people take the internet too seriously... and some people take this BBS too seriously... "

I don't want to be mean or rude but how do you know I'm not Sodem Hussain?(SP)

Now watch the CIA show up at my house.

[ae1969]

Originally posted by eligunn
I think we should talk more about pornos. More porn I say!

me too......... porn scares me ...and makes me uncomfortable

can we post more porn.... it may help me as well.

[Roger Hall]

Originally posted by ae1969
me too......... porn scares me ...and makes me uncomfortable

can we post more porn.... it may help me as well.

LMMFAS

[85944na]

yeah more porn!!....but seriously, I really enjoy some off topic stuff in between all the serious posts, it keeps things interesting, yet doesn't usually get too out of hand as to distract too much from the cars which is why we are here. And I do consider this a community, even though it's just a message board...it is an internet community.

[Trevor]

You aren't forced to come here and post or read others posts. I hope no one has offended you, but I think an occasional OT post is fun. I don't however think we should start discussing Joe Millionaire.

[Z-man]

Originally posted by eligunn
I think we should talk more about pornos. More porn I say!

I don't think so. Threads containing pornographic content will be deleted, and those involved with such posts will be banned. Also: posts that deal with illegal activites like copyright infringement, how to make a bomb...etc. will also be dealt in the same fashion.

That is not a threat, it is a promise. Porn has NOT PLACE here. It is illegal to post porn on such a public forum, and you can get into legal troubles as well. Not to mention the fact that minors have access to these pages: please protect them!

This is not a joke. I am not a strict moderator: I let lots of things slide, but when it comes to stuff like porn & illegal activities: that will not be tolerated. Believe me, Wayne doesn't want to have to deal with legal matters concerning this stuff: it would be a waste of time and money that can be better spent on PelicanParts and this board.

If you want to post crap, please go to www.off-topic.net.

-Z-man, moderator.

[924turbo]

I lurk on this board, and have caught unsolicited political attacks from time to time, usually having nothing to do with the topic at hand. I think some topics are better off not being brought up at all. Religion and politics, specifically, come to mind. These discussions usually turn into kindergarten shouting matches with ideologues over-simplifying complex issues into soundbytes they heard on their favorite extremist radio shows or websites. There is almost nothing to be gained from the discussion, except, perhaps, to see who not to listen to anymore. There is a time and place for such discussions, but in my opinion, it has no place on this or any other automotive-related message board.

[eligunn]

Look, I just thought it was funny that he included porno in his contention pertaining to keeping this bbs on topic, because of the fact that I fail to see that as being an everyday problem here.

Do you delete pornographic pictures on a daily basis? For some reason the comment struck me as being funny at the time. Maybe I was in a weird mood.

Keep your legal threats to yourself!

[85944na]

I thought the porn thing was completely a joke, my comment sure was, Porn certainly has no place here.

[AFJuvat]

Well, time to move this post discussing OT posts to the OT board, especially since it is getting way OT from the original topic.

(Being a former Government employee, the above sentence makes perfect sense to me)

eligunn: He was not making a legal threat. There are certain things that cannot be permited to be posted because it opens up the "owner" of the BBS to legal action. (Sad to say but it we are a litigation prone society now) This BBS provided free to us - in return there are a few rules we have to follow.

Z-Man: I do think he was being facetious about bringing on the porn.

Sometimes I think we need a collective enema.

AFJuvat

[88_944]

IBL

[Z-man]

Originally posted by AFJuvat
Sometimes I think we need a collective enema...

You're gonna stick that WHERE?

Regarding porn: joke or no joke, I just wanted to make it clear that it doesn't belong here. Sorry if I over-reacted....

Note: this thread too, will soon be moving to the dungeon....

-Z.

[1.2gees]

I went ahead and moved it, hope you don't mind...
Ahmet