Poll: What do you think of the OT forum?

There is no burden not willingly assumed.

(Blaming the victim is always great fun.)

I'm not quite sure what you meant, Ultra.  I meant that at some point the moderators might grow weary of monitoring widely differing views and simply close down the OT section.  It was only a comment, meant to acknowledge that the OT section (the entire forum, really) exists only through the graciousness of the moderators.  (Valentine's Day is coming.  I'm throwing roses, OK.)

My comment was not meant to suggest that we should all think alike in order to not overtax the moderators.

If they weary of monitoring OT, they should give up their moderator roles, NOT close down OT!  They assumed the role willingly and are the furthest possible thing from a "victim."  

Thinking further about this, I would be very upset if the OT forum disappeared. As far as I can remember there have been very few, if any, purely abusive or obscene postings that have survived long enough for me to pick them up.

As to kids reading over the shoulder, I am an adherent of the honesty with my kids school. I have never knowingly ducked or explained away any question my kids have asked me - they may not have had the patience or maturity to listen to or understand all the answers, but they have always been given a truthful and complete answer. I have never found that my kids were upset by the truth, only lies and evasion seemed to upset them.
So if one of my kids had read any (and I mean ANY) of the posts on this forum, I would not have felt any problem discussing and explaining them (at any age).

regarding kids: if you think you can explain the depths that sometimes are attained here when discussing politics or religion with kids, then all strenght to you. I have no problem admitting that the level attained here is of such rarity that it would put a lot of so called political programs to shame.

I don't think I could explain it, I sometimes barely can grasp it myself. Well, I can grasp it, but my level of expression in english isn't sufficient to take part in a meaningful way.

There is nothing wrong with kids reading this (IMHO), the problem will be that they will need a rather more than average education to make sense of it...

Would the forum be changed in any meaningful or significant way by having the OT part axed? Probably not.

Its fine as long as peeps behave themselves, but that unfortuantely, as we saw, can't be counted on. If SteveG ever does kill it, oh well. There are plenty of philosophical, religious and other related fora that peeps can go to to "discuss" things.

I will say that here, with few exceptions, people do behave themselves fairly well, and that is a credit to the admins & mods, but primarily to the participants. It is greatly appreciated. In fact, this particular forum is among my favorites, not just because of the subject matter, or the competance of its participants, but because it is calm, making for the possibility of true discussion, when it is found desirable.

Its an oasis of sanity.

regarding kids: if you think you can explain the depths that sometimes are attained here when discussing politics or religion with kids, then all strenght to you.

Kids are quite happy with explanations that stop at the limit of either their or your understanding - but they don't respect explanations that clearly stop short of that!

Paul