I don't know about you guys but whenever I log into the WCG and want to catch up on events / post some comments, I just check 'Most Recent Threads'. If any threads interest me (irrespective of the Forum they belong to), I'll read them & may even post on a few. It may be to help a fellow cruncher, to congratulate another team, to recruit for my team, ask for help, voice my comments .. who knows.

I may be wrong but I don't think most of us check if we are posting in the 'correct place' .. most of us post in response to an existing thread / post, with broadly appropriate comments, which sometimes do go off in different directions .. but isn't that the same with any conversation amongst a group, especially on the net? If the forum rules / the CAs are saying we can't do this, I agree with Beren's sentiments (although not his language ) .. WCG will fade away very quickly .

Most of us who frequent the WCG forum are from teams, most of the 'live' threads are started by team members and either begin on a team theme or end up that way .. you can't be surprised at that . If 'Team Threads' and team activity in general is causing issues, why don't you guys create a separate area (on the WCG site) for such activity, for Teams & Chat? .. don't be surprised if all activity ends up there though, cause that's where people will hang out .

Whilst I understand comments regarding posts on other team threads, surely there must be a level of such postings allowed. I've lost count of the threads that only get 'noticed' because of a bump or post by someone in a different team. One idea may be to give the team captain (if it's a team recruiting thread) or the author of the relevant thread, the ability to REQUEST either the removal or editing of any inappropriate posts on that thread. I'm not saying give rights to remove / edit a post by another person. If the team captain / author sees an inappropriate post on 'their' thread, they could request the person who posted it to either remove or edit the same, within a set time. If this is not done, the team captain / author can request a CA / WCGA to 'adjudicate' and if appropriate remove the same &/or stop that person posting on that particular thread.

I know neither of the suggestions are full proof .. for eg, I can start a thread, have a dig here and a jab there at say TW and then prevent responses I didn't like .. as I said just ideas .

Beren - hey man, thanks for the earlier comments about my post .. and hey, I think julied was just trying to wrap up the whole episode .. c'mon a MOTer couldn't give too much credit to one of you from the 'dark side'

Have a great weekend all of you ..

Good morning, honey. I am glad to see you back in your normal mode. I was beginning to worry that you had gone MOT on us.

If it makes you feel better to admonish me for "kissing nelsoc's ass," no hay problema. (Although personally I think you are just being a bit jealous and petulant.)

Your personal opinion's and words are irrelevant to me - per-se. What is extremely relevant, however, is your absolute right to say them. That and the absolute right of TW, or any other group, to be openly accepted into this forum as equal and valuable human beings, regardless of the "unique" manner" in which they may choose to express themselves. So long as these behaviors do not GROSSLY violate the forum rules.

So, as I applaud your decision to state your perceptions honestly without feeling constrained to be politically correct, this doesn't mean that I agree with you.

The facts as I see them.

In my opinion, to have continued the posting that was occurring on Team Canada's recruiting thread would have been a breach of the forum rules and unfair to Team Canada. That is why (if you noticed) I never posted on that thread.

But once I saw an opportunity to post on topic, while staying off of TC's recruiting thread (RT), I jumped on it.

Since the discussion had already moved to a different thread, I felt that it was none of anyone's business what was discussed. The subsequent complaints by Team Canada at that point seemed unnecessary and a bit overly sensitive. And the intervention by WCG Admins appeared to me to be unjustified (apart from reinforcing the rule that a Team's RT must be respected – within reason).

So I posted to that effect in a manner that I beleived would be the most effective in stating my opinion while promoting an open, yet friendly forum.

I then just tuned the noise out. It seemed a waste of time. From time to time I would drop in to quickly browse through the posts, just to see how things were progressing.

When I read the Daoust post I was furious at the obvious manipulative and divisive intent of this "smurf." It was important to me to expose this destructive crap for what it was. So I turned my attention to responding to him in my free time.

When I returned and browsed quickly though the posts by you, Graham and nelsoc it was clear that the time was right to get some closure on the whole ridiculously overblown incident. SAKU was right on the money when he pointed out, "and hey, I think julied was just trying to wrap up the whole episode." Or, Beren, do you really want to draw this asinine garbage out even further?

From my perspective, you guys proved some important things that would be useful if brought to the attention of the other forum members:

One, free speech is not the enemy of productive cooperation. It actually facilitates it.

Two, no matter how different people may appear to be, left to their own devices, good and decent people will always find a way to work things out to everyone's satisfaction.

Three, while TW can be a big pain in the ass; they also are sharp, insightful and have a great sense of humor. Their members are every bit as human as the rest of us. They simply choose not to wear their hearts on their sleeves: (Which, frankly, is a welcome breath of fresh air to some of us).

Four, if you don't actually take the time and effort to get along with other people when you have differences with them, then when do actually start "walking the talk."

Fifth, not everyone who kisses your ass is your friend. And not everyone who pisses on your shoes is your enemy.

Speaking of which . . .

So, when I posted I had not read anything that had been posted in between: (I just couldn't bring myself to do it).

What I noticed was that nelsoc was behaving in as "ideal" a manner as any forum participant could possibly hope for. I had no idea why, but I was both glad and inspired.

People always find it easy to freely criticize someone else when that other person acts imperfectly. But why is it that these same people rarely take the time to give that other person the credit that they have justly earned when they find a way to "really do it right?"

Is it patronizing to affirm that if we want the Techs to treat us with respect, then we must also treat them with respect? (If, that is, you are not playing the TW/Borg role at that particular moment.)

Yes, Beren, I was making it a point to tell the Techs that I sincerely appreciate it when they act in a manner which seems fair, courteous and respectful to the forum members.

If I say this primarily for effect: If my words are insincere: Then I am indeed guilty as charged of "first-degree ass-kissing."

No matter what, this story has gotten so old that I forgot what I am posting about.

Juilied -

After careful review of your posting style and personality, TW would like to invite you to register on our board (once the admins pull their collective bung finger out).

You seem like you are a prime candidate for the attention that only TW can provide. Of course, the possibility is high that you will run away screaming with your feelings hurt. However, this is a small price to pay for the entertainment value that throwing you to the wolves will provide.

So, bate your breath and await the Grand Re-Opening of TW. You will know the gates are open when the wizard behind the curtain stops making mad fapping noises.

What no invite for me

You won't be able to handle the smilies anyway ..