Poll: Should OT posts be banned from cpaptalk.com?

Did anyone else think of this song?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPrAuF2f_oI

I don't mind, as long as the poster indicates "OT" in subject line, and includes a fairly descriptive subject...

Vader wrote:those comments that I made weren't directed at Blackspinner

You are quite correct, they were directed at ems. My apologies for not double checking.

Vader wrote:(you intentionally altered the name for great "Nazi" effect) so do try again, and try to "get me" on some other "crime against humanity"

I'm not sure how mistakenly attributing your "invisible" remark to BlackWidow has anything to do with with Nazis, could you expand on that?

BTW, I'm a Russian Jew, still a mite sensitive about that whole Holocaust thing, but able to laugh at a comic character dubbed "The Soup Nazi" from the comic show "Seinfeld".

Based on a real-life NYC soup vendor, the term "Nazi" is used as an exaggeration of the excessively strict regimentation he constantly demands of his patrons.




A sample scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2lfZg-apSA


Vader, seriously, no harm intended.

Mike

Mike, having read all those prior posts, if it means anything, I didn't think you did anything offensive with the use of "Soup Nazi". Not at all.

Mike6977 wrote:

Vader wrote:those comments that I made weren't directed at Blackspinner

You are quite correct, they were directed at ems. My apologies for not double checking.

Vader wrote:(you intentionally altered the name for great "Nazi" effect) so do try again, and try to "get me" on some other "crime against humanity"

I'm not sure how mistakenly attributing your "invisible" remark to BlackWidow has anything to so with with Nazis, could you expand on that?

BTW, I'm a Russian Jew, still a mite sensitive about that whole Holocaust thing, but able to laugh at a comic character dubbed "The Soup Nazi" from the comic show "Seinfeld".

Based on a real-life NYC soup vendor, the term "Nazi" is used as an exaggeration of the excessively strict regimentation he constantly demands of his patrons.




A sample scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2lfZg-apSA


Vader, seriously, no harm intended.

Mike

Lol, Mike. Did you see this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcL-QUZ0YQY

ameriken wrote:Mike, having read all those prior posts, if it means anything, I didn't think you did anything offensive with the use of "Soup Nazi". Not at all.

Thanks, ameriken. After reading my new post, I hope Vader feels the same way.

Alshain wrote:
Lol, Mike. Did you see this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcL-QUZ0YQY

No, I hadn't, Alshain. Thanks for the link!

Mike

Mike6977 wrote:

Vader wrote:those comments that I made weren't directed at Blackspinner

You are quite correct, they were directed at ems. My apologies for not double checking.

I'm not sure how mistakenly attributing your "invisible" remark to BlackWidow has anything to so with with Nazis, could you expand on that?

Nice bait and switch, Mike,
but the nazi reference , which YOU brought up, is irrelevant.
because YOU made that remark in regard to your false allegations about how I treated Blackspinner the next day, after supposedly acting different towards her the previous day.
THAT NEVER HAPPENED...so the premise for you calling me a Nazi (oops, I forgot, you meant 'soup nazi') doesn't exist.

read it again Mike:

Mike you said:

Thus, I hope Vader changes his mind about BlackSpinner:

Aug 23rd, 2:44 pm:
Vader wrote:
BlackSpinner wrote:If you are on a bus do you feel the need to jump into every conversation?


ROFL!!!
BlackSpinner, Even though we've disagreed sometimes, I gotta give you credit, sometimes you have some incredible one liners!



One day later, on Aug 24, 3:15:
Vader wrote:anyways, case closed, "big girl" (to BlackSpinner). You're invisible. I can no longer see you....


Making someone invisible is too much like being the "Soup Nazi" on the TV show Seinfeld, and loudly declaring when a customer doesn't have the the right change in hand:


Mike, seriously, I don't have time to debate these silly fabricated issues with you. You're being disingenuous.
If you want to keep it friendly, great.

If not, you need not bother...
And it would be nice if you'd stop hijacking threads too.

ameriken wrote:Mike, having read all those prior posts, if it means anything, I didn't think you did anything offensive with the use of "Soup Nazi". Not at all.

"Not at all"

Vader wrote: And it would be nice if you'd stop hijacking threads too.

I'm not here to fight you, Vader, or insult you in any way.

Let's at least see what we can agree on.

Mike6977 wrote:

Uncle_Bob wrote: And if this forum was organised into subject sections

... you could simply ignore the OT section

SECTIONS CAN KILL A GOOD BOARD


I belong to a private computer forum that's been in existence for 30 years.

The OT subjects were often funny, provocative and fascinating.

Even the dangerous waters of political posts were a good read because sharp minds based their opinions on evidence, seriously considered the other posters point of view, and were generally polite.

And when it came to swordsmanship, their gentle put-downs were usually well-worded and . . . witty.



Then the admins at the board decided to move all OT posts to dozens of sub-forum ghettos.

Over the years, the board became less interesting. Many of our better writers left. The place is now a shell of what it once was.

(This post continues at: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=67544&start=60)


_______________________________________________________________________________



Vader, I hope we can agree, in a thread titled: "Should OT posts be banned from cpaptalk.com?" that the above post of mine is not a hijack, yes?

If so, good.



Now, in the next post of mine, ozji had just said:

ozij wrote:They, and the people who start them over and over and over should be ignored

(Emphasis mine)

And I made my case to ozji about ignoring people.

Imho, unless the person is an outright troll, and out to destroy the board, I dislike "ignoring" people, or making that person "invisible" in your control panel.

It seems the easy way out.

Again, that's just my opinion.

But it naturally flows into my next post:

Mike6977 wrote:ozij, I'm glad we can agree to agree.

And then I continued, using your post as an example of someone getting angry at another poster and making them "invisible".

Vader, I choose you because you publicly declared your intention to make someone "invisible", and made that declaration in this thread.

I had hoped you would change your mind about making ems "invisible" and I tried to use humor to defuse my point.

To me, this a natural progression of my post with oiji, and not meant to be a hijack at all:

Mike6977 wrote:[One day later, on Aug 24, 3:15:

Vader wrote:anyways, case closed, "big girl" (to BlackSpinner). You're invisible. I can no longer see you....

Making someone invisible is too much like being the "Soup Nazi" on the TV show Seinfeld, and loudly declaring when a customer doesn't have the the right change in hand:

"No soup for you! . . . NEXT!"

______________________________________________________________________


Vader, I've already apologized to you for attributing your remark aimed at ems to BlackSpinner.

I was hoping that following my own personal belief, you'd change your mind about making ems "invisible" in your control panel.

You are naturally free to ignore that plea.

______________________________________________________________________


As for the "Soup Nazi" reference, this is a well known, comic character, who, when his customers make a simple mistake, refuses to deal with them at all, in essence making them "invisible", as he yells out "Next!"

As a jew, I don't find the Soup Nazi offensive, none of my jewish friends do, so I was quite surprised that you did.

I hope you can now see my line of thought (check my sig below), again, my apologies if it was unclear and anything I said offended you.

Mike

While it means that most of you will miss out on admiring my great intellect as I dissemble on our current US economic and political situation.

We should ban all the talk of politics until after the next Presidential election. We get enough of that stuff every where else.

It is my view, that most of those who are characterized as being unwilling to compromise are in truth great idealists who sincerely believe that their ideas offer the only decent future possible for our country. When they read and write on those issues, we become furiously angry with those who disagree with us.

Everyone can find somewhere else to write their opinions, we do not need that kind of anger in peoples minds when they come to our forum.

adipasqu wrote:Most of us come here to discuss xPAP and directly related issues with our therapy because there are few forums out there to do so. Recently, off-topic (specifically, political) posts, not related to xPAP in any way, shape or form have cropped up and have created a distraction to this wonderful resource. These sorts of discussions, in my opinion, belong on other websites/forums as to not pollute the open exchange of therapy assistance to those users that need it.

Ironic that someone proposing to ban OT subject matter is a contributor to the methane

deerslayer wrote:

adipasqu wrote:Most of us come here to discuss xPAP and directly related issues with our therapy because there are few forums out there to do so. Recently, off-topic (specifically, political) posts, not related to xPAP in any way, shape or form have cropped up and have created a distraction to this wonderful resource. These sorts of discussions, in my opinion, belong on other websites/forums as to not pollute the open exchange of therapy assistance to those users that need it.

Ironic that someone proposing to ban OT subject matter is a contributor to the methane

I suppose there will always be someone to get people going...

Can I change my vote?
You all are great people, but it seems that folks are getting upset and feelings are being hurt.
I'm sad now.

BlackSpinner wrote:

webguy wrote:I would rather the board be split into sub-forums. It would also make finding answers a lot easier.

You probably won't find your answer on the first page anyway.
There is a search box. Try it. You will like it. You can also click on "View your posts".

While I don't have many posts here, I have been involved in running bulletin boards and websites professionally for more than a decade. I love this forum but it is not user-friendly.

I use the search as the starting point but it is often easier - and much quicker - to use a carefully crafted google search of cpaptalk.com to find what I am looking for.

I firmly believe that one of the main problems in today’s society is the over regulation of individualism! I am told that wearing a seatbelt is the law and it will cost me $75.00 each time I am caught without it on. You can say happy holidays but not Merry Christmas as it might insult others. Do nut punish your child with a spanking as you are scaring them for life. Keep O/T posts separate, or better still ban them, as they interfere with what I believe is more important, and that is the crux of this whole discussion!
This forum was set up as a place where people could discuss Sleep Apnea. There are many places on the internet that provide the same service, and none are as successful as this one. Why is that? I would like to think that the lack of rules and regulations helps to keep this place more like a home which makes it more comfortable for people and give them a reason to stick around. This forum has been run as it is for years with many suggestions for changing to a more structured environment and adding moderators to tell us how to think and what we can and cannot post. All this would do is change Cpap Talk into a forum where you may find answers but no soul. Solutions will be presented with cookie cutter information and thinking outside the box will no longer be tolerated. Having fun would be frowned upon as this is a serious condition. It will be harder to get to know other members unless you meet elsewhere. Your discussion would surely be off topic and will not be allowed to continue. Most of the posters that are advocating change are new to this forum and are not used to how it flows. Others cannot stand that there is no standardized structure and struggle with the free for all mentality of some of the board members.
There is a core of great people that have spent countless hours answering the same questions that have been asked since this forum first started. Joining their ranks are countless others who have been helped and wish to give back. These are the type of people that I would consider getting to know because they ask for nothing in return. So once in a while an O/T thread gets started and they can get a little personal enjoyment for them selves. This is a great thing as we see another side to them and in time friendships form. I see nothing wrong with this. If the subject matter gets out of hand, cooler heads usually prevail, and the topic falls off the front page.
All of this come down to the fact that the people who own this forum like it the way it is, and believes in allowing human interaction to be real and not dictated by forum policies.

Woot Woot! Taz you said it in a nutshell. If the poll states that 65% of the members here want it left alone........................LEAVE IT ALONE. I totally agree with Taz, we are being regulated up the old wazoo. Like I said before, if the title says OT blah blah and you are not interested in it...then don't read it.