[uday]

I work here. The Gaza thread had, imo, devolved into something that was not worth preserving. I have moved it out of reach. I'm only sorry I didn't notice it until this point.

Some topics are guaranteed to raise hackles. Polls I'd hate to see in BBO

"The middle east - who is at fault?"
"God vs Evolution - what is the truth?"
"Abortion - choice or murder?"
"Should the GCC allow a 1D call to show spades?"


OK, I just tossed the last one in there for fun but the first three are real examples of topics that just won't work on this site.

[1eyedjack]

Wow. Does anyone these days really get offended by the God v evolution debate? Or do you ban it just because it is boring (which gets my sympathy)?

[Walddk]

The moderators have the power to remove threads they find inappropriate. Uday found the tone in the Gaza thread inappropriate. His call. One's got to accept that.

Roland

[PassedOut]

Walddk, on Feb 3 2009, 09:32 AM, said:

The moderators have the power to remove threads they find inappropriate. Uday found the tone in the Gaza thread inappropriate. His call. One's got to accept that.

Roland

Yes, you can see this coming when large, red fonts mix with a lot of bolding.

[kareemo]

deleted: uday ( vinegar-laced speculation as to why thread was removed )

[fred]

Kareem,

I also work for BBO and I must ask that you stop making posts on this subject.

If you do not stop we are willing and able to stop you. You may find that you get barred from BBO in the process.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[uday]

Evolution vs. religion is not banned. It is, however, one of the topics that tends to get people angry, which leads to venom ( which is what I try to eliminate )

U

[JLOL]

Please just ban system regulation posts! lol

[kareemo]

fred, on Feb 3 2009, 09:45 AM, said:

Kareem,

I also work for BBO and I must ask that you stop making posts on this subject.

If you do not stop we are willing and able to stop you. You may find that you get barred from BBO in the process.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

wow, what a manifestation of double standards u made here, is that what you call freedom of speech ?![/URL]

[Codo]

1eyedjack, on Feb 3 2009, 11:21 PM, said:

Wow. Does anyone these days really get offended by the God v evolution debate? Or do you ban it just because it is boring (which gets my sympathy)?

Just for the record: I felt offened, so I stopped to post on this kind of threats.
(This is no reason to ban this threads, I answered just because you asked.)

And to Fred and Udays descission: I think you use your power as little as possible, so I will always support your descission when you at least think that a thread is worth closing.

[Winstonm]

A good friend once told me, "Sometimes you're the hammer, and sometimes you're the anvil, and you need to know which is which."

Posters are always the anvil. If we wanted to post what we pleased we could go open our own blog.

[hrothgar]

I'm going to repeat a comment that I made in the Gaza thread (right before I stopped reading/participating in it)

I am normally very opposed to locking down/removing threads.
(I also suspect that I am one of the more vocal supporters of the Palestinians on these forums)

I thought that the Gaza thread should have been locked down a couple weeks back.

It was pretty clear back then that this wasn't going any place good...

[DRWTAHOE]

GET A ROPE

[keylime]

I agree in full with hrothgar. With the passions of both sides, it was bound to be ugly.

[matmat]

DRWTAHOE, on Feb 3 2009, 10:39 AM, said:

GET A ROPE

now there's a comment

[jdonn]

uday, on Feb 3 2009, 09:12 AM, said:

I work here.  The Gaza thread had, imo, devolved into something that was not worth preserving.  I have moved it out of reach.    I'm only sorry I didn't notice it until this point. 

Some topics are guaranteed to raise hackles.  Polls I'd hate to see in BBO

"The middle east - who is at fault?"
"God vs Evolution - what is the truth?"
"Abortion - choice or murder?"
"Should the GCC allow a 1D call to show spades?"


OK, I just tossed the last one in there for fun but the first three are real examples of topics that just won't work on this site.

Definitely a good call on the Gaza thread. As for the topics you list,
1. Reasonable I suppose
2. I don't understand? That hasn't led to anything particularly nasty, and in fact generated a lot of interesting discussion and debate.
3. Duh
4. DUH!

kareemo, on Feb 3 2009, 09:54 AM, said:

wow, what a manifestation of double standards u made here, is that what you call freedom of speech ?!

LOL, yes obviously you can say anything you want on any public internet forum owned by anyone.

Please don't cry 'freedom of speech' if you have obviously done zero research about the history and legal restrictions that apply.

[mikeh]

kareemo, on Feb 3 2009, 09:54 AM, said:

fred, on Feb 3 2009, 09:45 AM, said:

Kareem,

I also work for BBO and I must ask that you stop making posts on this subject.

If you do not stop we are willing and able to stop you. You may find that you get barred from BBO in the process.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

wow, what a manifestation of double standards u made here, is that what you call freedom of speech ?!

Kareemo: think about what you are writing.

This is a BRIDGE Base Forum. It is about BRIDGE.. which is a GAME.

I suspect that many such single-purpose sites would have a rule that restricted postings to the subject-matter of the site. BBO has allowed and catered to a wide range of opinion, on a wide range of subjects... subject to a modest degree of oversight.

This is a PRIVATELY owned and operated site.. the owners have an absolute right to limit comment they find objectionable.. and none of us has an unfettered right to post whatever we want.

You are free to set up your own website.

[ASkolnick]

I understand it is the BBO's right to close whatever forum they want to, but as I said before, I am one of the people who actually like to hear dissenting opinion from mind.

It seems we have a lot of intelligent people here with all different sorts of backgrounds/opinions which makes for a much more balanced perspective than from what I get on the news in the US. It seems to me that no news outlet is unbiased anymore.

So, I did not see it necessary to close anything, but it certainly within your rights.

[Winstonm]

Quote

It seems we have a lot of intelligent people here with all different sorts of backgrounds/opinions which makes for a much more balanced perspective than from what I get on the news in the US. It seems to me that no news outlet is unbiased anymore.

Those who take the time to learn to play a rather intellectual game like bridge tend IMO to be of bright mind, and when you add to that the worldwide nature of the posters afforded by the WWW it does indeed bring a quite wonderful variation from the staid - and that is what is attractive about the water cooler.

Idiocy is easy enough to find on the internet. Thoughtful - though at times heated - dialogue is still rare.

[jtfanclub]

Interesting. The Watercooler was originally created so we had a place to put hot-button topics. Apparently, they aren't allowed here either.

I think the Gaza thread had run its course. I saw several people modify their views based on some of the things in the thread, which to me means it was productive. But it doesn't really bother me that it was closed.