From the Lounge Chair

[Wyndham]

Don't take it so hard Tenarke. Mistakes are made. I would have banned you for sure, and first, if that's any comfort. I would then have deleted all your posts, and might well have reported you to the FBI, by the spy-thority invested in me as a webpage moderator, by the Patriotic Act, as a probable subversive. You'd be on your way to Guantanamo already.

[Aravis]

If anyone is feeling left out because they weren't banned at TRP, I could always ban you here to make up for it... ;D

[Arancaytar]

No, getting banned as a favour isn't fun... *pouts*.

On that note, I don't think I've been banned yet at any place I know of. I had my comments deleted once, but that was on a blog, and on a conservative one (his comment on mine lives on, as testament to the comparative values we place on free speech). Guess I'm just too nice...

[Wyndham]

I'd go further though. Banning is a mistake. Apocraphyl (spelling?) story. In June 1940, at a time when British resolve was wavering, Hitler published a list of Brits who would be rounded up as 'war criminals' following victory. Churchill was head of the list, of course, but also listed were Clement Attlee, Hugh Dalton, Noel Coward, W.H. Auden, Charley Chaplin (I guess Hitler just couldn't take a joke -- The Little Dictator must have rung some bells). . . . etc. Result of the list wasn't greater fear, but a whole lot of people complaining -- I was at least as anti-Nazi as Auden, at least as insulting as Coward, and cripes, I'm gay too. Auden and the rest of the 'hit list' meanwhile, strutted about London like peacocks. As I say, a propaganda disaster. Moral of the story? Best way to deal with dissent, short of open sedition or treachery, is simply to ignore it, and if you can't do that, snear at it.

In defence of Tenarke, Aravis, and Robert, I don't think that my opinions were more objectionable, or that I was more intentionally disrespectful of other members but that, for some reason, the powers that be internalised general observations. I read evidence that Dem voters were better educated than Rep voters, in the last election, and Rose concludes that I think she's stupid (flabbergasted in fact to find out that she'd voted Rep). I wonder why a board has to be shut down . . . Coco concludes that I think she's a fascist. All very curious, and I think, significant that people were making those associations. Way down deep they've got to have doubts, eh?

[RobertGraves]

I never understood Rose. I always figured that she appeared more reasonable than she was and considering that she wanted to close our topic for 4 years, I guess she has the quality of persistence. It would never occur to me to want to close someone else's fun down - I mean, if there was a topic called 'Bash Australian Pseudo-Intellectuals Here' I would laugh and join in the merriment. The touchy, permanently outraged thing is what I remember my scripture teachers to be like when I was trying to work out what the hell my religion was all about. BTW I was banned from scripture classes and had to sit with the Principal by the time I was 10. He was a sensible man who said 'bring a book and we'lll leave poor Mrs Cordiner be' and knew that she wasn't equipped to deal with my questioning.

I am always amazed at American conservatism and flag-waving but recently I have sensed Australia has become much more like the US. I think I've mentioned that the Sydney Olympics confirmed in my mind that we had changed and become a de-facto 51st state. After 8 years of neo-conservative rule the place has changed. And, when you change a government you do change the country - politics is important.

[demgoddess]

Just wanted to pop in and say hello to everyone. I haven't been around much this week, as one of my professors just moved all our due dates up from Friday to tomorrow because he thinks he will get burnt out if he doesn't have extra time to grade them. So, I hope you are having a good start to your week. I'm back to MS word to write more hurried papers.

[Aravis]

Good luck with that Dem!

[Wyndham]

This is really interesting -- an article by Max Hastings (author, editor of the Telegraph, and paleo-conservative) explaining why/how he dislikes the Bush Government, but likes Americans. Its pretty much what I think, and constitutes a return to criticism that to criticize US policy is to be anti-American.

www.spectator.co.uk/article.php?id=5413&page=1

[RobertGraves]

The quote from JFK I just posted sums up TRP attitude.

[Wyndham]

30 cms of snow last night, with another 30 on the way. Syanara my friends. I'll be checking out with a heart attack, sometime around shovel-full 15,654 at about 6:30 tonight . . .

Just kidding. Won't be held responsible, however, if I ever see a job advertised in Jamaica for which I am remotely suitable . . .

[Aravis]

Dismally pouring rain here. No white christmas here this year I'm afraid.

[Wyndham]

Count your lucky stars Tenarke. My parents have got a meter -- 100 cm in the last day, with another storm blowing in off Lake Huron. They live 100 M from the lake so they get it in the neck every year.

[Tenarke]

That was Aravis complaining about the rain – not me.

However we’ve had no snow either. I believe that snowline is about 1,000 ft. (305M) further up the mountain at this point.

Now wasn’t that a fascinating bit of information!

By the way – it’s sayonara,

[Wyndham]

Merry Christmas, all. Best wishes for the New Year.

[wordswordswords]

[glow=red,2,300]SEASON'S GREETINGS![/glow] ;D