The General Discussion Thread

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[Publish Date updated to restore to front page]

Okay as an experiment here it is. Discuss your favourite generals here!

Well perhaps… Really this is simply the place to post news-items, fun-items or whatever takes your fancy. In short just post what you want here.

It’s just another wee experiment – comments welcome.

Squonk.

[Image: General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett (Stephen Fry)]

17,285 thoughts on “The General Discussion Thread”

  1. Macky, I have never called for you to be banned. But I do change my position on things. Do you never?

    Ishmael, Glenn seems to genuinely believe there is a “mob”. He means you and me. Yes, yes I know but that’s what he seems to think. I was only suggesting now is not the time for both of us to talk to him at once. Don’t be so hypersensitive.

    Way to go team!

  2. @Clark, I must have missed the part where Squonk said that you could speak for him, and the part where he passed control over of his Blog over to you !

  3. Phil; “Macky, I have never called for you to be banned”

    I didn’t say that; I said that when I was previously trying to draw attention to the slanted moderating, ie supressing dissent moderating, at CM’s, you were rubbishing the very idea, & putting forward all the “arguments” that Glenn is now doing, and then some ! : it’s all here somewhere on the old pages of this thread.

  5. Squonk

    I’m very certain you invited people over here to discuss things including Craig’s blog. Certainly, for several years people have been here discussing Craig’s blog. For you to say now that discussing Craig’s blog is not wanted seems, well, a bit rich.

    If you ban me of course I will honour it.

  6. It’s one thing discussing topics on squonk but I really don’t want the blog to be totally dominated by one particular subject with no end in sight.

    I’ll likely shut it down rather than be forced into moderating comments heavily here if this continues for days on end.

  8. Squonk; “I really don’t want the blog to be totally dominated by one particular subject with no end in sight.”

    Perhaps I’m being a bit dim, but isn’t the very idea of individual threads exactly so one subject does dominate that thread ! If a particular subject is “dominating” a General Discussion Thread, which is oxymoronic by definition, then a dedicated Thread is the obvious answer !

  9. I suffer from bouts of severe depression. Reading all of this is not helping and if the blog becomes more of a heartache to me than a help it will have to go.

  10. Sorry to learn that Squonk; seems to be quite common, as both Craig & Clark have also stated the same.

  12. Sorry to learn that Squonk; seems to be quite common, as both Craig & Clark have also stated the same.

    Having known Craig since University and having met Clark several times I can say that’s accurate.

    However over at Craig’s blog he has a moderation team even if you don’t like them. I have to handle squonk myself. If i get too depressed even to login then nobody else is going to do it for me.

  13. Macky,

    I’ve stated before that I help with the technical stuff for Craig. I know you might want to probe further but that’s where I am leaving it.

  14. Squonk; “I’ve stated before that I help with the technical stuff for Craig”

    Yes, apologies, I forgot (moderating on the brain !). Still the point is the same, as I imagine that even that can be quite stressful at times.

  17. Squonk

    I am sorry to hear you suffer from depression. I really am. However, it is unbelievably frustrating you bring it up now. Of course I will respect your wishes. I am fairly confident Glenn was not returning to pursue the conversation anyway.

    So I am not banned from Craigs nor here. I can post as long as I post the right thing. Hilarious.

    You people carry on tending your roses parroting Pinter clichés. Total bullshit liberal hypocrisy.

    Goodbye.

  18. Sounds like y’all need some relief from adverse cannabis socialization. Mellowization can do wonders for your attytood. 🙂 Not that I’m an advocate. 🙂

    AA; This goes double for you and that melancholy.

  20. AA; technical question;

    If someone is banned from comments, where do they go…limbo or a cache that has to be emptied? I’m thinking of Typepad.

  21. By the way folks – don’t worry and I’m not saying anyone or subject can’t be discussed here nor am I at the moment suffering from a bad bout of depression just the typical kind…

    But if the conversation can be had at Craig’s I’d much prefer it because I know I’ll get a little bit more depressed every day if I wake up to the same thing here! I was just giving advance warning that I might go read only for a bit so that I can get a break. I’d rather not do that though but if I need a break from my own blog then I’ll take one because I know that’s the best thing for me to do.

    Ben and others know that it is winter time that I especially don’t get on with and if I’m absent from my own blog for too long Ben, Clark and others will usually get in touch to check I’m okay. This year it seems to be taking me longer than usual to fully shake of the winter. I just wish the weather would co-operate.

    Now on technical matters my Better Recent Comments plugin has stopped working correctly and is not updating properly. From the support forum I see it is happening for others as well starting recently. I’ll try resetting it again but if I don’t get a solution I’ll replace it with the standard WordPress version. So be aware that the Recent Comments display may be missing the latest comments – if so it is not me censoring the recent comment list but a bug!! See most recent comments here.

    Ben, with WordPress you can ban someone totally or you can set them on moderation required where the comments will remain until approved or deleted by a moderator.

  22. AA; Thanks for your assurances re;depression. You are timely in your responses to our concerns and that is appreciated. No need for detail as your privacy is…yours.

    If one is banned on type pad would the protocols be similar? Would comments go into spam folder or just vaporize?

  23. Never used it Ben but I’d expect it would have similar options. So it depends on how they “ban” you is my guess.

  24. Squonk; “But if the conversation can be had at Craig’s I’d much prefer it”

    A little bit difficult when adults are being treated like children there, and when the whole point of the discussion was the difficulty of having an honest discussion at CM’s in the first place !

  25. AA; Sell a wing in your castle and buy some property in the desert. Plenty of sun here but unpredictable change is becoming normal. Last week we had a cell powered by the tropical depression off Baja, Ca and we got Late June Showers and hail. (I was busy looking for funnels). We have unstable air driving the weather people nuts.

    They are tentatively, and I emphasize that, predicting thunderstorms and rain over 4 days next week. Summer solstice ! Hot! But it’s a humid heat. 🙂

  27. Wow ! My last reply to Clark didn’t even last 60 seconds ! 😀

    There an old saying along the lines “Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.”, except in this case you would have to be both blind & stupid not to realise !

  29. I think Craig has chosen a path, and that no one will dissuade him from it. In fact, it stiffens his resolve when he feels attacked. He is Establishment. Maybe a little fringe-worthy, but he is definitely jacked-into the prevailing system. That’s all I’m going to say on the subject, unless provoked. 🙂

  30. Macky; If you want to see bona-fide free-speech haters who masquerade as 1st Amendment protectors go to the JustOneMinute link earlier posted. The Host will ban you based upon the request of commentators without any white-knuckle reluctance. Believe me. The face of fascism is much darker than CM blog.

  31. I’m loving the weather today. Just went out earlier and it’s at that point you can relax a bit. UK is hard weather, Canada, winter, you can still keep warm, very low humidity.

    Humidity, When it’s hot, love it, when it’s not, no.

    Btw, I agree Ben. It’s a bit sad. But i’v seen it so many times in society in ‘subtle’ (they never are subtle) ways …

    I feel more stupid than sad, what’s the subject atm, Craig’s bills. I do talk about my ‘personal’ stuff sometimes, don’t expect much attention on it…Don’t get any from Craig of course. It’s my privilege, not my valued contribution. (and I imagine my issues vs his.. lol)

  32. Well done Ishmael, you have “redeem” yourself ! 😀

    “[ Mod: Ishmael : You have now been removed from pre-mod. ]”

  33. Ben; “The face of fascism is much darker than CM blog.”

    Not really the point to point out worse examples; at least with those, they are upfront, so you know where you are from the outset; a false friend is the very worse sort of enemy in the long term.

  34. “Well done Ishmael, you have “redeem” yourself ! ”

    hmmm, Now that could be taken a few ways. 🙂 ….. Macky

  35. No, he is closing up, I feel I should close the door nicely as I can. It’s really not about individuals, but at the same time it is.

  36. Ishmael; ‘It’s really not about individuals, but at the same time it is.’

    That was Tony Benn’s biggest handicap, with his “it’s about policies, not personalities”, he didn’t call out his enemies for what they were, especially Blair.

  37. LOL !

    Ishael, there’s always somebody having it worse ! 😀

    Villager to Mod; “DON’Tever fucking threaten me! If you want to corrupt this place with your petty power, that’s Craig’s loss not mine.”

    Makes you seem like a saint !

  38. Ben: I’ve been wondering, in the last couple of years, what the point might be of busting away at a job until you’re ready to drop.

    Strikes me that it makes more sense to figure out how much money/year you need to live on, see what your assets are, and if the maths are in your favour – just go for it.

    The maths are not in my favour right now (still too young, unfortunately). I’d like to live in a more basic way, without the massive consumer trappings, and yet still earn what is needed in order to retire with a decent bit of life left in me.

    I expect a knock on the door from officials at some point, with an interview along the lines of, “We have noticed that you are living way beneath your means. How do you account for this?”

    *

    PS – It’s a blast on that new “free speech” zone, see you there?

  39. Macky, Dunno what I should say on this thread. But imagine some “pieces of work” on CM’s. I’m no saint. Do back myself, but less need lately, some short stern defense . So much can be taken so many ways on-line. Shells can be good sometimes.

  40. Ishmael; “Macky, Dunno what I should say on this thread.”

    You could always both commiserate the Habby Clown Troll on losing his useful “Village” Idiot, and congratulate him for putting on such a brave face about it ! 😀

  41. Now, now Macky there’s no need to gloat.

    The fact is that I didn’t abuse Frazer. I merely pointed out that if he thought Mary was a moderator, which is what he was implying, then he wasn’t sober. I pointed out to the Mod that Frazer was being somewhat patronising of me by referring to me as A newbie. A remark that would also put off any ‘Newbies’ from contributing.

    Yes the new ‘free speech’ model seems to have some cracks in it. The mod is throwing himself around with his new-found powers. It doesn’t bode well that the ‘light touch’ is out and the ‘heavy hand’ in. Closer then to the MSM and the real world?!

    I’m sure Craig will wonder where that alleged abuse of Frazer is. Certainly nothing that as a man Frazer couldn’t handle without help once he was sober. I’m not sure I will bother; happy to take a break for the time being as I have much to do in the real world.

    Take care all and Squonk hope you feeling well! Health comes first–that’s an absolute.

    PS Macky, Habby doesn’t need me or anyone for that matter. He’s a tough cookie. Now don’t let that get your back up.

    PPS The edit button is very cool

  42. Villager; ” He’s a tough cookie.”

    LOL ! You mean when he’s not running crying to the Moderators ! 😀

  43. Well Macky i’m glad your keeping up. Think I get a vague idea what’s going on.

    “PPS The edit button is very cool”

    Yea init just. Shame there is nobody on the blog with any self worth not derived from appeasing Craig, else who knows how good the blog could be for contributors.

    ps, I’m going to post some poetry/philosophy on our “freedom thread” guess is won’t stay as “it’s not a poetry blog”..,Though relevant and Worth something imo. Beautiful also…

    “This Angel, who is now become a Devil, is my particular friend. Opposition is true Friendship”

    https://youtu.be/P04JCvBWAXg?t=29m50s

  45. Come on Macky, surely that is not the most important observation you have. But then again, I understand that AA doesn’t want his whole blog to be hijacked for this purpose.

    Just to make it clear wrt my comment to Frazer, I did not use a single abusive word in that comment. Just said that he failed the breathalyser test.

    Final point on this is I feel it has got to the point, with the pendulum swinging the other way and the pursuant over-zealousness, that the mod needs a mod.

    Take care

  46. Glenn; living below your means leaves savings for your goal of greater independence.

    I’ve found there is little need for the latest buzzfeed of products which make you thirst for more/better. Funny thing is people look at you in an odd way when you express that so better keep it to yourself, glenn.

  48. If they see a note from the moderator on one of my posts they don’t need three guesses to know what it said, people will get the message anyway.

  49. LOL Fred, that is true. Works every time.

    Anyway, let’s see how this overzealousness lasts.

  50. ben, 1:39 pm:

    “I’ve found there is little need for the latest buzzfeed of products which make you thirst for more/better”

    Personally, I feel much better off without it – I deliberately insulate myself from exposure to advertising.

    One of the breakthroughs in advertising was the technique of implanting feelings of inferiority and inadequacy in the target audience; inferiorities and inadequacies that the promoted product claims to overcome. I’ve read that it started with toothpaste. When it was discovered that a film of bacteria grows upon teeth, a pioneer of advertising had the idea of exploiting this mundane fact. Depicting this film as dirty and smelly, and therefore socially disadvantageous, helped to “create a need” for the toothpaste product.

    So advertising often tries to make the potential buyers feel worse about themselves. There’s a multi-billion dollar industry whose major endeavour is to degrade the emotional states of as many people as possible. And we wonder why the world is so fucked up.

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