h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm starting a new thread on the Zimbabwe situation, just so y'all know.

Hi Az

It was a play I suppose, sort of double meaning was what I intended.

Thanks for the compliment

Novo

Hi all,

One reason I started this thread was the lack of interest in the doings of Gorbals Mick ( UK centric), and now Mrs Gorbals Mick with £4000 of taxi fares with OUR money over on Ask. I like a good debate on political issues (arguments even!), and |I'm pretty fed up with the 'theologigal/God/atheist' discussions currently busy on Ask.

I'm happy for folk to dicuss what they like, but it all seems pointless just tying to score biblical points and attempting to convince the committed that they are wrong.

I accept that the same could be said about political arguments, but at least they try to address issues of relative importance.....to my way of thinking the activities of The Speaker say much for the way the silent majority have allowed an alleged 'Labour Party' to drift into as much sleaze and greed as the Tories were accused of (rightly).

Not bringing such behaviour to the debating chamber on HooToo is in some ways as good as condoning it IMHO. I realise that such points are totally UK centric , so our posters around the globe may feel excluded, but then, they could start threads of their own?

Novo

I suppose the issue with the Speaker is that there wasn't much to discuss - it's clearly wrong and clearly a problem. The only points I'd make is that Derek Conway's behaviour in "employing" his sons was much worse, and it's unfair to blame Labour for the Speaker - he's technically a neutral figure.

hi Otto,

Technically maybe, but actually not. Which benches did the Commons 'persuade' him from? I hold no brief for Conway, and at least he had the Whip withdrawn.
There seems no sign that the Speaker feels he might just have spent outrageous sums on his 'apartment', nor that his wife has used tax for taxi's!

Novo

The problem with the Forum is it's a relatively small group who regularly used it and we all knew each other's positions on major points inside out. Start a thread on say, crime & punishment and most people will figure they know my position before I even post. Same with Ed, Arnie, Novo, Otto, Zagreb, Pedro et al. By posting on Ask, a wider number of people will contribute.

It helps that Ask has a permanent link on the FP. New or casual posters may miss the Forum altogether.

The whip couldn't be withdrawn from Michael Martin because he never had it in the first place.

There's a couple of interesting Guardian article that suggests that although Martin is culpable, he's being made something of a scapegoat.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/02/michael_whites_political_blog_77.html
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/david_hencke/2008/02/claim_and_counterclaim.html

Afternoon Otto,

Thanks for the interesting links. I think I am more inclined to David Heckes' view, I just highlight Gorbals Mick because in his position he is in aposition to do something about it perhaps?. Being the 3rd most expensive is not exactly a claim to prudence either.

Novo

One reason I didn't post to that thread was the 'Gorbals Mick' and 'Bottler Brown' stuff didn't seem to make for an interesting debate. ('GM' isn't from the Gorbals, for starters.)

For me, the issue is MP's expenses. Are they out of hand? Well, obviously. Would most people take advantage of them, in a similar position? Yup, probably. Name-calling isn't really getting to the heart of the matter.

I also saw Zagreb's Zimbabwe thread, but haven't read it cos a) I'm kinda busy, and b) I don't know enough about it to make a valuable contribution. Although that may change if I read an SWL post.

"It helps that Ask has a permanent link on the FP. New or casual posters may miss the Forum altogether."

Too true. When I changed computers a while ago, I had to search to find The Forum. ALL convos here are forums, so you can imagine the number of results I waded through. Glad to see people care if this sticks Forum around, though.

Novo, I'm with you on the Ghod stuff...don't stick my beliefs up other's noses, don't want to smell theirs.

"I had to search to find The Forum"

<./>Browse</.> > About h2g2 > The World of h2g2 > The Town Square > The Forum.

There have been some moves to have it established as a Named Entry, but nothing's yet come of that.

TRiG.

But, the Forum is linked too from teh front page now isn't it? it was the last time I looked

The Forum was linked to the front page, a couple of years ago. The "regulars" didn't like the intellectual level of newbies dropping in, and requested it be removed from there. And as some of the regulars were the "good people" of the day, it was done.

Oh... I just went had a look and no its not there, SX science explained is though, which was maybe what made me think the Forum must be linked to off the FP now

Been thinking about this a wee bit and I have to say I totally agree with SWL's post (yeah, I know!). We do all know each others' viewpoints, so there isn't really that much we're going to learn.

I think the main reason I'm on hootoo is to have arguments. Not in the 'I'm right, you're wrong' sense, but to explore topics from different viewpoints and bolster my own understanding of them. Especially to find POVs that make me change my mind. The God, fact or fiction thread covered pretty much every argument for and against god and religion, and gave me a better understanding of my positions than I had before.

It also makes me look clever in front of my friends if we ever talk about god and religion.

Ask has certainly improved, as well as having a wider audience, which is probably why threads are started there rather than here. What I see as different is that in Ask, jokes & flippancy are likely to appear early on in what might otherwise be a reasonably serious discussion. I think it's a shame that the Forum isn't better promoted, but perhaps there isn't the demand for it?

<>

Nothing of the sort happened, HimNotWas.

What actually happened was that the Front Page got revamped and the Five Busiest Conversations (I think that was the name), where the Forum sometimes appeared if it was particularly active, was changed to h2g2 Community Bookmarks and the Forum was not included when this change was made.

Several people (Forum regulars) requested that it be included in the Community Bookmarks section and Jimster said at the time that the atmosphere was a bit too 'volatile' for it to be promoted on the Front Page but that they might reconsider if things calmed down there.

I know this to be true because I was one of the people who discussed this with Jimster. It's on a thread around here somewhere.


az

oops, sorry for the typo, HimWotWas...

az

As Az said - I remember the conversation and the answer.

Seems calm enough for the Front Page now, don't you think? Almost moribund, in fact...posts from 2 hours ago to Jan. 12, 2008, all in one 20-led list.

Maybe it needs to turn up the volume a tad.