Big Beautiful Dreamer
ridiculously contented
By my count, and I am admittedly bad at math, I've had to close four threads in the last few days. I think three of them were related to the verdict in State v. Zimmerman that was decided in Florida recently.
I'm not power=mad. For the record, my evil laugh is lame in the extreme. My job as zookeeper here is much easier for everyone when I can skip merrily through the threads and the lively discussion stays lively ... on topic ... and without resorting to name-calling.
Lately, though, the name-calling, bickering, and assorted ugliness has gotten so out of hand that I had to check my calendar to make sure we weren't in an election season.
In no way to I want to dictate, condescend, or suppress. In a former life, for almost 20 years, I was a newspaper journalist. I am an unrepentant news junkie, electoral geek, and wordsmith, and I enjoy nothing more than a lively discussion, especially among those with whom I disagree. Some of the most interesting, healthy and brain-stretching conversations I've had have been with those on the other side of the socio-political fence.
That's part of why I love to police the playground here. But my preference is a minimum of handing out red cards, pulling people over, and putting folks in the Timeout Corner. And it's getting deep in here.
Please, please do everyone a favor and re-read the guidelines and rules stickies at the top of the thread every so often, including the one that says something like, "When the moderator urges you via private message to cool it ... cool it."
I'd much rather speak to people privately, with everyone's dignity intact, than plow into threads blowing my pretty silver whistle and windmilling my arms (is that how I hurt my shoulder?).
Since Dimensions is age-appropriate, we're all over 18. Some of us well over 18 (ahem). Please, remember that this is no more than words in cyberspace, and that sometimes the best response is taking a deep breath and putting down the mouse.
Now. Who wants chocolate-chip cookies?
I'm not power=mad. For the record, my evil laugh is lame in the extreme. My job as zookeeper here is much easier for everyone when I can skip merrily through the threads and the lively discussion stays lively ... on topic ... and without resorting to name-calling.
Lately, though, the name-calling, bickering, and assorted ugliness has gotten so out of hand that I had to check my calendar to make sure we weren't in an election season.
In no way to I want to dictate, condescend, or suppress. In a former life, for almost 20 years, I was a newspaper journalist. I am an unrepentant news junkie, electoral geek, and wordsmith, and I enjoy nothing more than a lively discussion, especially among those with whom I disagree. Some of the most interesting, healthy and brain-stretching conversations I've had have been with those on the other side of the socio-political fence.
That's part of why I love to police the playground here. But my preference is a minimum of handing out red cards, pulling people over, and putting folks in the Timeout Corner. And it's getting deep in here.
Please, please do everyone a favor and re-read the guidelines and rules stickies at the top of the thread every so often, including the one that says something like, "When the moderator urges you via private message to cool it ... cool it."
I'd much rather speak to people privately, with everyone's dignity intact, than plow into threads blowing my pretty silver whistle and windmilling my arms (is that how I hurt my shoulder?).
Since Dimensions is age-appropriate, we're all over 18. Some of us well over 18 (ahem). Please, remember that this is no more than words in cyberspace, and that sometimes the best response is taking a deep breath and putting down the mouse.
Now. Who wants chocolate-chip cookies?
