Limit-pushing

[Dan Robinson]

It's not a difficult thing to decide what may be offensive to put out into mixed company. It's done every day in most every public place we go. If it's something you wouldn't blurt out at a restaurant, at your dinner table with relatives, at class in school, in the grocery store, at the office, in the museum, etc etc etc then why would it be different here?

I bite my tongue for quite a bit of stuff on here, but these recent threads crossed the line by any reasonable standard. If I was 'easily offended' I'd be reporting posts quite a bit more often. I report maybe one per year, the mods can probably show you. Does that make me easily offended? If so, then I guess by that standard, I am. But unapologetically so.

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

I have learned alot up until today on what and what not to post. My major mistakes were posting some personal instances as well as some non-weather related topics. Many I had great imput on, but recently, I received snarling and objective remarks, some down right flaming in the past couple of months.

I noticed this (not only with me, but with MANY others), especially in the "Bar and Grill" area. I am not talking about comments like "LOL that's crazy" or such, but some really pointing and directing remarks such as "don't get too close or you'll die, moron" kind of comments ... That's just not nice, period.

To name a few threads, the "I'm inside the tornado" thread had a lot of these. In my case, in the "Bar and Grill", I posted a really well-done link to a "theme parks" mixdown video ... One comment was "don't bring cameras on a roller coaster" with the word "Moron" in it - I see that last word gone, so I guess the mods removed it / infractions issued.

After that, I refrained from posting ANYTHING not connected to weather, maybe a nature picture or two (such as Niagara Falls, Mountains, etc), but that's about it. I almost posted a link with a video from a 24,000 foot skydive, but after the "theme park" remarks, I decided it was NOT a good idea. Oh well.

I will continue to post threads related to the tropics and weather forcasting / reports, as that is the main drive for storm track. Speaking of forcast threads, the forcast thread for "10/01 in Kansas" had some bickering remarks, one person flaming another for misuse of the GFS model too far out, which wasted many threads trying to justify it ... The forcasting section is for OPINIONS too, and no forcast is perfect, GFS or a professional met seeing the RUC the same day!

2009 has not been a good year for many of us. May was ridged during the second half, and there was no "fall season" so far. Even worse, the tropics were just the opposite, with plains-like shear quelling any chase prospects in the atlantic basin. Sometimes I feel this might have placed many "on edge" as well.

Lets all not make it worse by excessive attitude and remarks.

There are a few, however, who had a good year (those lucky enough to get out in mid June 2009 and / or chase typhoons in the west Pacific). I sometimes made some positive remarks, and jokes about the typhoon chases ... One of which stated the words "Asian action" ... Someone came back and threw up me being arrested / detained in Canada about that. Not cool ... But from now on I'll say "West Pacific typhoon action" instead of "Asian action" - My bad.

In terms of Moderators, that is a tough job. I understand they (the mods) are doing their best, and we all appreciate it. There are also a lot of newbies and especially young folks on ST who may not know (or take) the rules seriously yet as well.

My only suggestion is that if you make a comment, be careful. If someone flames you for using the "GFS more than 48 hours out" or such ... And you find it offensive, click the little "!" triangle and report it to the mods!

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

It's not a difficult thing to decide what may be offensive to put out into mixed company. It's done every day in most every public place we go. If it's something you wouldn't blurt out at a restaurant, at your dinner table with relatives, at class in school, in the grocery store, at the office, in the museum, etc etc etc then why would it be different here?

I bite my tongue for quite a bit of stuff on here, but these recent threads crossed the line by any reasonable standard. If I was 'easily offended' I'd be reporting posts quite a bit more often. I report maybe one per year, the mods can probably show you. Does that make me easily offended? If so, then I guess by that standard, I am. But unapologetically so.

Well, aren't you still offended the times you do bite your tongue? Seems one would be. It's nice those times don't equal a report every time, like some are willing to do on here.

If I can live with something and not die or be injured, I don't see a reason to trouble others to change. Yet at the same time, I sure don't post completely freely on here, for the sake of others like you mention. Same goes for family dinners, public places, etc. I'm first off going to be really hard to offend, but if it can happen and it's not killing or injuring me...I hope to just tolerate it as in those none-physical ones it is pretty simple to do so. And it doesn't matter how easy it would be for THEM to change.

 

[Brandon Goforth]

It's not a difficult thing to decide what may be offensive to put out into mixed company. It's done every day in most every public place we go. If it's something you wouldn't blurt out at a restaurant, at your dinner table with relatives, at class in school, in the grocery store, at the office, in the museum, etc etc etc then why would it be different here?

I bite my tongue for quite a bit of stuff on here, but these recent threads crossed the line by any reasonable standard. If I was 'easily offended' I'd be reporting posts quite a bit more often. I report maybe one per year, the mods can probably show you. Does that make me easily offended? If so, then I guess by that standard, I am. But unapologetically so.

Even that is subjective though. This last spring, my fellow chase partners and I were eating at a restaurant after a chase. We were obviously discussing severe weather...I might emphasize "discussing" severe weather, and not talking about how awesome it would be to have severe wx and tornadoes ripping through the area doing lots of damage ...Anyway, some people sitting near us felt the need to let us know how "offensive" we were being by discussing such things in public. I'm sure we all have similar stories. So yeah, given the growing world of crybabies we live in, determining what is and is not considered "offensive" isn't always so easy as it sounds...

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

...I think more chasers need other hobbies when years like 2009 roll around. Lets all buy some cheap beater cars and start a demo derby team...now THAT would be fun.

Finding another hobby for the off-season is a great idea. I got into Ham radio last year, and I'm still having fun with it and learning new things.

It's better than having cabin fever and tearing up people that we may work around someday. Nice suggestion!

 

[Jason Foster]

Finding another hobby for the off-season is a great idea. I got into Ham radio last year, and I'm still having fun with it and learning new things.

LOL....I'm getting out of ham radio...I'm sick of it.

But yes, having other hobbies is good. In fact I think there is an ST thread about it...I know there was one about chasing Trains (Train spotting).

 

[MatthewCarman]

I thought about leaving when I realized that thread was not being removed and I know I am not the only one. Thanks to the person that started this thread. This needs to be discussed.

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

I thought about leaving when I realized that thread was not being removed and I know I am not the only one.

Ditto to that...

I was ready to resign from Stormtrack ... After nearly 7 years.

This thread pretty much kept me here.

Had there been more "stuff to talk about" (aka "storms") in 2009 ... I am sure no one would be so angry.

 

[Adam Lucio]

I thought about leaving when I realized that thread was not being removed and I know I am not the only one. Thanks to the person that started this thread. This needs to be discussed.

He has a name you know. Or are we just reading the parts we want to read and not going back through the whole thing?

I think some are not seeing the main point here. The reason that thread has been allowed to stay is it doesn't end in a huge name calling, flaming, personal attack clusterfart that goes way off topic. Am I wrong for thinking that? I wish a mod would chime in here...

STs policies are aimed at stopping that kind of stuff...and unfortunately discussions about God and Obama will end that way...we all know it. Noone started that thread with the intention to offend and there is not one post in there that says anything negative about ANYONE specifically on this board.

 

[Dan Cook]

I think some are not seeing the main point here. The reason that thread has been allowed to stay is it doesn't end in a huge name calling, flaming, personal attack thread clusterfart that goes way off topic.

Am I wrong for thinking that? I wish a mod would chime in here...

Bingo. No fights and flames = thread stays open.

 

[Danny Neal]

Until the minority becomes the majority I don't think this is an issue.

Don't read the content. If I don't like it, I don't read it. <--- cliche to death but its true.

The B & G is monitored for religion, politics, and flaming. One question for all you haters..... Where was all this bitching and crying when that SPC "OMG SO SUGGESTIVE" outlooks thread that people posted images that looked like "suggestive" anatomies of both races?

 

[MatthewCarman]

I am not a hater. I just don't agree with storm track letting people talk about the female body parts in a disrespectfull way. Some people need to show some respect to the female members here. I guess the Christian base here will start to diminish now that that thread will stay up and others like it may start appearing.

 

[Chris Allington]

I am not a hater. I just don't agree with storm track letting people talk about the female body parts in a disrespectfull way. Some people need to show some respect to the female members here. I guess the Christian base here will start to diminish now that that thread will stay up and others like it may start appearing.

Lol, we just were talking about religious and polictical threads ending, and then you bring your religious beliefs in to justify your point. Just food for thought I suppose...

 

[Shane Adams]

Anyone else notice the busiest threads on this forum the past week or so have been discussions about how this place should be run and who we should cater to? And after it's been established almost six years now. That's a problem.

Time to either change the name, or start kicking people off. The problem with ST is there's too many damn people, and most of those have not, do not, and will not ever chase.

What's the point of "educating" an enthusiast, a person who has no plans to ever chase? That to me is effort without any applicable payoff. I've no interest in feeling obligated to teach chasing techniques to people who will do nothing but sit in front of a computer on a stormy day. That doesn't make me an asshole, it makes me a chaser among enthusiasts. Do I think that makes me better? No, it just makes me a chaser among enthusiasts. Sorry, but I have no interest in pow-wowing with muggles. Nothing I say will ever be used, so what's the point?

As far as the "I'm offended" crowd, get over it. Kids get toy stores, free entrance into everything, every other week out of school, Christmas, and 30% of all television. Leave the rugrats home for pro sporting events, late night resturants/bars, and ONLINE FORUMS. This ain't romper room.

Again - I say we start kicking members, even if it means I'm one of 'em. This place deteriorates with each new member who isn't a serious chaser. If this makes you mad at me, oh well....you didn't buy a DVD anyway so I could care less.

 

[Bob Hartig]

I think some are not seeing the main point here. The reason that thread has been allowed to stay is it doesn't end in a huge name calling, flaming, personal attack clusterfart that goes way off topic.

Agree. Off-color humor isn't in the same league as porn or an ugly, verbal firefight. When the rules don't screen out what a particular thread is airing, then I for one don't mind switching the channel if I don't care for the content.