[computerworks]

Sometimes...as a baseball game progresses, the lines around home plate have been scuffed away, and have to be re-painted. This is an attempt to repaint the batter's box here.

Let me be blunt and get right to the point with some perspective...

Quite a lot of money has been spent to build this 'place' we all visit. A few of us spend an awful lot of time keeping it running and presentable....because we like what it offers and we want to be sure it provides the best opportunity on the Internet for the Cobra community to congregate, communicate, learn and socialize.
..and we have been successful in that goal.

We don't contribute all these resources to allow discussions to deteriorate into hateful, childish, vicious, spiteful or prejudiced arguments.

Lately, some threads look like train wrecks. This really cannot continue. Just as an unscientific observation, it is taking less and less pages of a controversial thread before it gets personal and mean-spirited.

There is an integrity issue at stake here... I would rather ClubCobra be known as the best place to visit to talk about Cobras ... instead of being a drive-in movie, that is the home of the marathon, juvenile pissing contest.

Brent's philosphy for the forum has always been one of open dialog and no censorship. As such, many times, things go a lot further than many would want... but the concept of self-moderation by the group at large is always in play, and the moderators often take a step back and let the topic run it's course. Unfortunately, a few, now, are not ending in a timely fashion.

Lately, it seems 'fashionable' to jump on a thread and go right for throat, rather than add some value to the topic. If anyone finds the lost concept of mutual respect, let me know.... I know it's around here somewhere.

I'm not singling out any one thread or any specific post here... just a general "feeling in the air", if you will.

A discussion is "an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic", according to the dictionary.... when it gets to name-calling and personal slices of hatred... it is no longer a discussion... and no longer has a right to reside on this forum.

Keep this in mind as you hit the "Post Reply" button.

You may have noticed that no post gets deleted unless it is obscene or out of the boundaries of Forum guidelines... this will continue. However, "popcorn" threads will get warning posts by a Moderator and, unfortunately, will be subsequently locked down if the particpants cannot get it back on track in a civil manner.

It really is simple.... have fun, talk about what you want, put topics in the appropriate forum, respect your fellow member's opinion, be kind to newcomers and contribute to make this a better place.

...anything else? Well, it may not belong here to begin with.

Ron
ClubCobra Moderator