How to address others on this site

Oh gosh YES! Be careful if you care what people think of you and your issues.

My attitude is that I will never give two shakes of a fat rat's tail what people on the Internet think of me. Why should I care about what complete stranger think.

Granted, there are some people I know through the Internet that I worry and fret over. Health issues and heart breaks are on my mind, but if they showed me that they weren't trustworthy...poof, they're gone!

Some people are nasty just for the sake of being nasty. It is a character issue that you have to feel sorry for them about. Either they are just nasty at heart, or possibly immature. But their attitude isn't really relevant to your life, so ignore it, and just be polite yourself.
Everyone should be able to state their opinion in a polite manner. And it is ok to agree to disagree. And everyone should be polite just because it is the right thing to do.
When people come on and post, sometimes they get mad if they don't get the answers they want. And that might simply be because they take a disagreeing opinion as an attack when it is not meant that way? But all you can do is be nice and post what is in your heart, then pray for the people.

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Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

I learned to be more cautious.
I learned to be less naive and trusting.

This knowledge has caused me to avoid communications with that particular poster.

I think these lessons were valuable to my overall being.........

It really depends on the forum. I've noticed many people who post on HQ and CF never show up on GC and Politics. There are different tones in each, and you have to expect them. I sincerely enjoy giving helpful advice in an area I might have some expertise, but I also enjoy the give and take of opposing ideas. Luckily, you can find it all here.

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http://www.ozarktubs.com
"The Big Load Washtub"

The rest of mekasmom post is worth reading too, but , HT does have an Ignore function that blocks people you dislike reading. More people should use it. Sorry, no you can't block a moderator you'll just have to do your best to not read our replies!! Keep in mind we can't use the ignore function on any of you at all!!

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Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup........

I have to admit that I do get a chuckle out of people who get their knickers in a bind when they get advice they don't wanna hear! Bless their hearts!

Every post that you make goes on your permanent record.

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Less barking! More wagging!

my second or third post here someone misunderstood my post as a hijack to their thread,it kinda made me upset so now I am a liitle leary to offer too much suggestion on anything but I still do but I don't press.there are only a few things in life I take seriously and the internet isn't one of them.I read lots of post but comment on only a handful of them,the politics area is one place where I try not to post too much stuff,I will voice my opinion on things but it's not worth the argument in most cases.

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Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
Henry David Thoreau

My grandma always told me that if I didn't have anything nice to say, I shouldn't say anything at all. I think that rule ought to apply throughout life, and even on the internet. You don't have to agree, but you ought to state it in a helpful, empathetic way if you're going to say it at all.

I participate on another site that is highly volital due to the nature of the subject. I have come to the conclusion that people well be .... well people. It akes all kinds fr the world to turn I am told.

Basicly if one does not have a tuff skin they need to be a total hermit.

I have not been here long, and I have seen a great many very good people trying to help each other.
OK, so once in a while someone gets a bit over enthusiastic. Don't we all do it from time to time. If there is a "NO you are wrong." from time to time, who cares. The only time two people can agree all the time is when they are both dead.
I would much rather have your different opinions than no input at all!! I still have way to much to learn!!!!!

I have toughened up a great deal since being here. I would pussy foot around trying to politely phrase everything so I wouldn't offend anyone. Then I would get hurt or angry when someone didn't do the same with me.
I'm so over it. It no longer bothers me personally when someone attacks and I no longer feel guilty over drawn blood. Much healthier.
Frankly I feel that there is a minority of posters who don't want information, advice or anything like it- they want sympathy all the time. Constant reassurance. Sooner or later, especially when thinking of really awful things some have to bear, it gets old to hear about about some of the soap opera non-problems. Mostly I try to avoid going there- sometimes I'm weak.

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For we used to ask when we were little, thinking that the old men knew all things which are on earth: yet forsooth they did not know; but we do not contradict them, for neither do we know.

So should things be moderated more to make the place nicer, pour on the sugar? Or left more alone, pass the salt and pepper? Elaborate if you don't mind.

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Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup........

To be honest, from my point of view, things have changed since Chuck turned over the reins. The "Be Nice" rule isn't as stiffly re-enforced and there is more snarks.

BUT, life is full of changes so, so be it!

Interesting Ardie. What I think also. I also think we need to enforce the be nice rule as much as we use to over the whole site. It is what made the site and is the rules that everyone signs up to follow.

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"Live your life, and forget your age." Norman Vincent Peale

I think the "be nice" rule should be fairly and equally applied to everyone on this site.

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People say I can't multi-task. Well, I can tick you off and amuse myself at the same time.

And they do.
Some do so because they do not have a network of aquaintences' / friends in real life.
Some do because they want to hear input from ALL KINDS of folks, not just their 'friends' or 'like minded' aquaintences.
Some folks will spell out their situation / complaint because they want to know if THEY are the idiot / or / if they handled a situation correctly.
Some folks "vent" because they want to hear from others they are "justified".
There are zillions of reasons why.
I think at the end of the day, the poster, just wants to feel like they are heard...that someone, is listening.

Some folks have walked a mile in the shoes of the poster, made ALL the mistakes, and when they see this in a thread, they will give their advice in a very frank manner.
No sugar coating. Just the facts.
I personally prefer that approach.

There is a BIG BIG difference between someone who is 'blunt and to the point' and someone who is 'mean spirited'.
I am constantly amazing by the number of people who simply cannot tell the difference!!
Blunt tells you like it is.
Mean spirited lays in wait to 'zing' you. Maybe in a completely different thread.
They bring up the OP's problem / question / situation and use it like a weapon to hurt them.
Blunt just says it like it is.

Tough Cookies know how and when to temper a message.
Mean-Spirited doesn't care.
But the OP cannot have thin skin.
You have to have broad shoulders, and thick skin to 'play' on the internet.

So true.
Some folks only want to hear from people who agree with them, then get all huffy and say "don't judge me" wa wa wa when someone gives them an opinion (even worse, if it's TRUE) that they don't agree with.

You will find, exactly what you are looking for on the internet.
You will also find everything else!
Proceed with caution!

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I am sure of two things: There is a God, and I am not Him.
The movie Rudy

So should a moderator step in and delete these, keep everything happy?

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Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup........

Be nice is "relative" and varies from board to board, the definition.
I kinda like the variety.
Being here as long as I have, I have a good feel for how each board is moderated and what 'nice' means to those moderators.

You cannot moderate, nice.
What I think is not nice, may be perfectly acceptable to you, but what you think is not nice, may be just a misunderstand between me and someone else, that gets straightened out via PM, but we still get an infraction.

I like things the way they are.
PLUS: There is an ignore feature!!

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I am sure of two things: There is a God, and I am not Him.
The movie Rudy

nope.
folks have a choice:
put on some thicker skin, or don't ask questions in the open forum, only ask certain members via PM.

some threads are not happy threads.
some advice is not fuzzy feel good advice, but it could save someone's life.

I think things are just fine the way they are!!
The moderators here (99%) are just fine. You just have to spend some time getting to know each of their boundaries.
Kinda like real life :-)

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I am sure of two things: There is a God, and I am not Him.
The movie Rudy