Side Effects of Banning Politics From Board

[haha]

You can't intelligently discuss economics or business without reference to politics. And we can no longer count on fellow posters to flag interesting or controversial news stories, because they may conflict with the sacred and likely ultimately self destructive rules. I've passed on posting many interesting links because I didn't want to hear from a hall proctor.

The board IMO has trended down toward irrelevancy other than "SOS I need help with ... Or hey, I just made a milestone!!!" These will always be here, and are important. But there used to be more.

I wonder how traffic is doing? Are current posting rates growing?

There isn't much in the way of disagreement or heated exchanges. Street grub? I'll know it's all finished when I see a thread on "Our Favorite Ice Cream Flavor".

I need to find a way to scare up some intelligent people with an intellectual bent in my daily life, because I think it is being chased out of here. I have a monthly lunch with a former college roomie which is very nice because we are allowed to discuss whatever. And in spite of the fact that the he has become a full on Demo, we don't fight. In college we were both in the Political Union- he a conservative, and me liberal. This has reversed!

Ha

 

[clifp]

So HaHa who do you think is going to win American Idol this year. I am partial to Bikini girl, she has an amazing voice.

My favorite color is blue and I think orange is ugly.

I don't understand the fascination with bacon, but I am starting to miss CFB bacon posts. Maybe we should start a thread on best street vendors of bacon flavored ice cream complete with pictures of bunnies and bacon.

God forbid we have a discussion of the tax behavior of recent Obama appointees.

 

[REWahoo]

You can't intelligently discuss economics or business without reference to politics.

Let me take another shot at this...

Discussions of economics or business which involve politics are fine. Discussions of politics which happen to touch on business or economics are not welcome.

Examples:

Want to discuss the pros and cons of the new administration's proposed stimulus plan currently before the Senate? Want to discuss what items may actually stimulate the economy and what might need to be eliminated to get buy in from the other side of the aisle? Discuss away - it is most assuredly political AND related to FIRE.

Want to discuss whether or not the new administration should appoint a special investigator to look into possible crimes committed the previous administration? Sorry, you'll have to find another forum.

I see a lot of opportunity for intelligent discussion.

 

[shiny]

it's all finished when I see a thread on "Our Favorite Ice Cream Flavor"[/COLOR]
Ha

But what about the politics of ice cream? I'm trying a more vegan lifestyle, and let me tell you, ice cream isn't free from heated views! (I'll stop there lest I get in trouble from the PETA h8ers)

Also, my eyes have been opened to the vast world of ice cream this past year and a half. Many small towns have special ice cream flavors to celebrate their local cuisines - asparagus, squid ink, lavender - those are a few I saw last summer. They are all sweet btw. (Plus I got mildly addicted to Matcha (green tea) ice cream last year)

A friend of mine's mom owns an ice cream shop in Hokkaido. We visited her in July and she mailed us ice cream when we returned. She also mailed us an ice-cream cake for Christmas, but we were not here so our housekeeper ate it.

How does Dryers make that 1/2 fat ice cream taste so rich?

Don't dismiss the limitless opportunities for conversation a topic such as ice cream can have.

 

[FUEGO]

Ice cream - hmmm.

Bovine growth hormone in the dairy. Free range grass fed organic or factory farmed? Federal tax subsidies for agriculture. Politics permeates all.

I think I want some ice cream now.

 

[REWahoo]

I think I want some ice cream now.

A double scoop of squid ink with sprinkles? Coming right up!

 

[RonBoyd]

The only intelligent post I ever made to this forum was killed by the moderators because it was deemed "political" in nature. A connection that I failed to notice until brought to my attention... and even then...

(Don't ask me what it was, I have forgotten, but I remember it was plenty intelligent.)

 

[Gumby]

We think all of your posts are intelligent, RonBoyd.

 

[CaseInPoint]

...I've passed on posting many interesting links because I didn't want to hear from a hall proctor.

The board IMO has trended down toward irrelevancy other than "SOS I need help with ... Or hey, I just made a milestone!!!" These will always be here, and are important. But there used to be more.

That's probably accurate, Ha.

I'm not brand new here, nor am I a veteran poster, but from what I've seen, this forum has changed as the economy has changed.

When I first started to visit here, I used to see many more people contemplating ER. At that time time, there was much more new blood here.

Now, as most investments are not growing as would be necessary for ER, fewer people are contemplating early retirement and the inflow of new members seems to be declining. At the same time, it looks like many forum members have gone back to the work force and don't have the time or motivation to visit here as often.

As a side-note, it seems to me that in the recent past, almost all of the regular members became moderators, something that affects things negatively, as well.

 

[FinanceDude]

Want to discuss the pros and cons of the new administration's proposed stimulus plan currently before the Senate? Want to discuss what items may actually stimulate the economy and what might need to be eliminated to get buy in from the other side of the aisle? Discuss away - it is most assuredly political AND related to FIRE.

I doubt it, that thread will be locked rather quickly.........

I see a lot of opportunity for intelligent discussion.

Based on the amount of material in the "new" section, I beg to differ................

 

[Martha]

Dude, some of the discussions with a political component are running in other forums. For example, the discussion on the stimulus package and COBRA is in the health care forum. http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/stimulus-bill-cobra-extensions-subsidies-42107.html The Fire and Money forum has this discussion on the bailout running: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/buy-american-clause-in-bailout-42243.html#post780061

The election was a sexy topic and now it is over, I think some are suffering a bit of election withdrawal. But there are plenty of government policies to talk about, tax policy, economic recovery issues, health care, etc.

 

[kumquat]

I was a little leery of starting the 'Bailout' thread, but so far, I think the discussion has remained economic.

 

[Nords]

All those posters yearning for the days of headline political soapbox threads can get more than their fill at Morningstar's "Politics" forum:
Politics

Or maybe you should appeal to Andy R to start a "Politics" forum somewhere else on SocialKnowledge.net, along with members of the other SK forums. And if you play your cards right, you might even get to be a moderator!!

 

[Free To Canoe]

You can't intelligently discuss economics or business without reference to politics. And we can no longer count on fellow posters to flag interesting or controversial news stories, because they may conflict with the sacred and likely ultimately self destructive rules. I've passed on posting many interesting links because I didn't want to hear from a hall proctor.

The board IMO has trended down toward irrelevancy other than "SOS I need help with ... Or hey, I just made a milestone!!!" These will always be here, and are important. But there used to be more.

I wonder how traffic is doing? Are current posting rates growing?

There isn't much in the way of disagreement or heated exchanges. Street grub? I'll know it's all finished when I see a thread on "Our Favorite Ice Cream Flavor".

I need to find a way to scare up some intelligent people with an intellectual bent in my daily life, because I think it is being chased out of here. I have a monthly lunch with a former college roomie which is very nice because we are allowed to discuss whatever. And in spite of the fact that the he has become a full on Demo, we don't fight. In college we were both in the Political Union- he a conservative, and me liberal. This has reversed!

Ha

I agree.

I thought that the Soapbox was a good solution. If the thread goes off topic, put it in the Soapbox.
It is like TV, if you don't like what's on, switch the channel or turn it off.

Do you really want to create your own Truman Show?

Free

 

[Bestwifeever]

....I have a monthly lunch with a former college roomie which is very nice because we are allowed to discuss whatever. And in spite of the fact that the he has become a full on Demo, we don't fight. In college we were both in the Political Union- he a conservative, and me liberal. This has reversed!

Did you guys live next to my roomie and me? Because that describes us too! Although we aren't allowed to discuss everything--certain escapades may never see the light of day again....

 

[FIREd]

I don't know if traffic is down, but I have noticed that the number of postings seem to be way down from last year. We seem to have waves of postings, early mornings, lunch time and early evenings with sometimes hours in the middle of the day without a single new posting, so I figured that with this crummy stock market everyone went back to w*rk!!!

 

[bbbamI]

We seem to have waves of postings, early mornings, lunch time and early evenings with sometimes hours in the middle of the day without a single new posting, so I figured that with this crummy stock market everyone went back to w*rk!!!

 

[donheff]

I somehow missed the demise of the Soapbox. I thought it was a good compromise to allow a little bit of flame without impinging too much on the other parts of the forum. This struck me as a better group to discus those things in. We are very eclectic. Posting in most political forums is like playing with yourself.

 

[REWahoo]

I somehow missed the demise of the Soapbox.

You can catch up here. http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f32/turning-over-a-new-leaf-in-the-soap-box-41262.html

Be careful when you read the thread - don't get caught playing with yourself...

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

I have the opposite problem. I work full time + study, so by the time I make it to the forum, it's usually after 9 PM. The last thing I want is another pissing contest because I already did that for the previous 10-12 hours. However, for those who do want more heated discussions, I can see it would be nice to have a special pee in the corner of the pool area.

 

[ls99]

I can see it would be nice to have a special pee in the corner of the pool area.

Easy there fella, peeing in the pool anywhere is still pee in the pool.

Now irrigating the flower bed next to the pool is a bit different.

 

[Nords]

Easy there fella, peeing in the pool anywhere is still pee in the pool.
Now irrigating the flower bed next to the pool is a bit different.

This metaphor has a lot left to mangle!

"It still marks territory, kills off the flora, and leaves a stench that makes the gardeners grumpy..."

 

[ls99]

This metaphor has a lot left to mangle!

"It still marks territory, kills off the flora, and leaves a stench that makes the gardeners grumpy..."

All of that is true.

Well then, we can keep the gardeners happy by erecting a pi$$ing wall like the French used to have.

OTOH politics reminds me of old Singapore, with open sewers next to nice multi story apartment buildings. That was long before Singapore became a "fine city".

 

[yakers]

That's probably accurate, Ha.

At the same time, it looks like many forum members have gone back to the work force and don't have the time or motivation to visit here as often.

.

Not back to work yet, retired Mar08 and too soon to tell how things will go. But as best I can remember I was on the board a lot more when I worked and was dreaming about ER than after I retired. Too busy now.

 

[FinanceDude]

The election was a sexy topic and now it is over, I think some are suffering a bit of election withdrawal. But there are plenty of government policies to talk about, tax policy, economic recovery issues, health care, etc.

I am electing not to participate in the "FIRE-related" political topics because its an oxymoron. It looks like we are "allowed" to talk about the bill, but NOT tell how we feel about it. That defeats the purpose, it is a form of censorship............

It is interesting that the Soapbox was allowed to run RAMPANT, and then it was cut off at the very time that it was settling down and the flamebait posts were dropping exponentially. That seems quite convenient........