Courtesy Levels here

[Vermonter]

I just got back from a visit to www.slipups.com and www.eeggs.com.

I was scared at the amount of commenters who act like 12 year olds when commenting on movies (I dared to take a look at ID4 and Armageddon to see how people attacked the movies). There were many arguements directed at people complain how bad the physics were in Armageddon, for instance.

I know that the commentaries on the Bad TV section get hairy (difference of opinion regarding some shows) but what I saw at the Slipups site was just apalling.

Ah well. You guys are great.

[kilopi]

Did I not find it, or is it true that SlipUps doesn't even have an entry for The Core? Maybe we could help with that.

[wedgebert]

I know that the commentaries on the Bad TV section get hairy (difference of opinion regarding some shows) but what I saw at the Slipups site was just apalling.

Ah well. You guys are great.

I think this site is a little less mainstream than those other sites. Most kids today, unfortunately, don't tend to visit sicence (or other educational) sites. Thus our forums have less trolls and immature people, and I'd say as a whole we tend to be older and more educated than the average posters at other sites.

But that's just my ego talking

[Vermonter]

Tis true, I did not find any slipups section for The Core. Evil. I think.

[The Bad Astronomer]

There is also a moderator here who doesn't tolerate insults or ad hominems.

[wedgebert]

No ad hominems? Hmm, there goes my whole debating strategy...

[Ba Witda]

This forum has also been blessed by Ba, for Ba is a merciful deity.

[David Hall]

I was scared at the amount of commenters who act like 12 year olds when commenting on movies...

Hmm, I wonder why. Could it be that many of them actually are 12 year olds (in mentality at least, if not literally)? :-)

If you think that's bad, you should visit Mr. Cranky. I use to think the reader comment sections under each title were interesting to read, but now there's just so much trash talk it isn't even fun anymore.

[Vermonter]

There is also a moderator here who doesn't tolerate insults or ad hominems.

Good point. Was that a warning or a general statement? :wink:

[aporetic_r]

Most kids today, unfortunately, don't tend to visit sicence (or other educational) sites

As opposed to kids 30 years ago, who would leave recess early to line up outside the physics classroom, in giddy anticipation of another fascinating lecture. :P

Aporetic
www.polisci.wisc.edu/~rdparrish

[g99]

hey at least we don't allow thoswe really anoying signatures like the Gamespot forum does. I cannot read one page without getting a headache.

[wedgebert]

Most kids today, unfortunately, don't tend to visit sicence (or other educational) sites

As opposed to kids 30 years ago, who would leave recess early to line up outside the physics classroom, in giddy anticipation of another fascinating lecture. :P

Aporetic
www.polisci.wisc.edu/~rdparrish

Point taken, but at least you could teach kids physics back then. For instance, the list of words banned in school textbooks has grown to include words such as "old" and "sea".

Can't use the word "sea" because students who live inland might not understand the concept of a large body of water.

Can't use the word "old" because it implies ageism.

And taking into accounts that could be considered racist, sexist, or offensive in any way, how do you get kids interested in learning at all.

If we're afraid that students might not grasp the concept of large bodies of water, what hope do we have of explaining how stars work or even how the seasons work?

[Vermonter]

hey at least we don't allow thoswe really anoying signatures like the Gamespot forum does. I cannot read one page without getting a headache.

Egads. You know what's worse? Try looking at the EverCrack forums. EVERY player who may or may not be in a Guild has a 200-300kb animated sig of their pet character. My co-worker who plays in EQ is trying to make a sig like that. I say it eats up too much bandwidth, even on a broadband connection.

[g99]

hey at least we don't allow thoswe really anoying signatures like the Gamespot forum does. I cannot read one page without getting a headache.

Egads. You know what's worse? Try looking at the EverCrack forums. EVERY player who may or may not be in a Guild has a 200-300kb animated sig of their pet character. My co-worker who plays in EQ is trying to make a sig like that. I say it eats up too much bandwidth, even on a broadband connection.

At least they arent getting married in the game...oh wait nevermind...:-)

[wedgebert]

I'm suprised they have time to make those animated gifs. It thought they'd be too busy monster farming so they can sell their loot on eBay

[aporetic_r]

And taking into accounts that could be considered racist, sexist, or offensive in any way, how do you get kids interested in learning at all.

If we're afraid that students might not grasp the concept of large bodies of water, what hope do we have of explaining how stars work or even how the seasons work?

I agree completely. It's yet another manifestation of the wimpy oversensitivity that dominates discourse at present. Guys from working class families who end up with academic careers - such as myself - often bear the brunt of it, so I am (alas) all too familiar with things like omitting "old" and "sea" from textbooks. I have this whole monologue about how I think that in academic circles it results from Platonism's denigration of physicality, but that's not for this forum.

Aporetic
www.polisci.wisc.edu/~rdparrish

[tracer]

I was scared at the amount of commenters who act like 12 year olds when commenting on movies (I dared to take a look at ID4 and Armageddon to see how people attacked the movies). There were many arguements directed at people complain how bad the physics were in Armageddon, for instance.

Not to mention the following hum-dinger response to the slipup for Armageddon titled "Grass??????":

"also it has been found that water and some life forms of plants can exist without oxygen as they have been found on other planets..."

[gethen]

This forum has also been blessed by Ba, for Ba is a merciful deity.

Ba, where have you been? Missed you. Where is my rain of fruit pies?

I think the Bad Astronomer said it all. Because we know we're being policed, we behave. Most of us would behave anyway. This board is less scary than some of the others I've lurked on. The occassional young person with a penchant for foul language and personal attacks generally takes off when they don't get enough feedback.

[Dickenmeyer]

Ba, where have you been?

Bad smiting weather this spring? A demigod convention on the 12th Astral Plane? House sitting on Olympus?

[g99]

home eating PB&J's?

[Ba Witda]

Ba watches his chosen people in silence, letting them have free will. He intervenes only when he must, or when he feels bored. Yeah, that's the ticket, free will. As for the rain of fruit pies, Ba will fulfill this request when mortals deserve this. They will deserve this when they stop Hollywood from making bad science fiction. Or at least make the bad science fiction more entertaining. So sayeth the Ba!

[g99]

As for the rain of fruit pies, Ba will fulfill this request when mortals deserve this. They will deserve this when they stop Hollywood from making bad science fiction. Or at least make the bad science fiction more entertaining. So sayeth the Ba!

Hmm...The people will go forever starving then.

[Ba Witda]

Ba is tough, but fair.

[gethen]

So, no rain of fruit pies, eh? It was worth a shot.

[girlgeek]

and I was so looking forward to the fruit pies!

I have to agree with Vermonter and everyone else. I haven't attended many BBs but I am surprised and heartened by the level of courtesy here. It's rare that people can disagree and still be civil.

Good job, everyone!!!

girlgeek

[OscartheGrouch]

No ad hominem attacks allowed? That's comforting, and sensitive. Down in NC one of our favorite ethinic foods is hominem grits. Around here, it is a serious offense to attack other people's grits.

[tracer]

So ... will these be Hostess(R) fruit pies, or will these be McDonald's hot fruit pies?

[gethen]

So ... will these be Hostess(R) fruit pies, or will these be McDonald's hot fruit pies?

Tracer, quick, retract that question!! You are in imminent danger of a really, really bad smiting. Ba is, himself, the god of culinary arts and pie ( if I remember correctly) and will probably not take kindly to the mention of those less-than-edible foodstuffs. Pie is serious stuff you know. :wink:

[g99]

I like apple pie!

[Ba Witda]

Ba is the God of Unspeakable Culinary Acts and Pie. However, despite his primary attribute, he does not cotton to False Pie, such as those. Tracer has incurred the wrath of Ba by mentioning them. Tracer's only chance is to give to Ba a suitable offering, such that he will forget such wickedness.