Well, I am thankful that Jim posted my suggested survey topic for all to use. I would encourage others to participate in the survey and post your comments on the survey site. There is much food for thought presented. It would be nice to hear your views.
thanks
DJ

I voted yes. I think it would be nice to have somewhere to have civil discussions about current events.

Just my .02

Shaun

Shaun, I couldn't agree more with your sentiments if the 'civil' line could be maintained then the CA Forum could be brought back. However with the inevitable diversity of opinion that exists on the site, I personally would say NO and it could become a rather unpleasant flashpoint for all sorts of widely conflicting ideologies....Jim

I'm sorry to both you gentleman but I voted no to a current events forum. At the moment the no's seem to have it. I understand why you want one but because not everybody goes along with keenan's "civil discussions" I would say no. One of the things I truly love about this site is how international it is. I don't want to risk changing that. There are plenty of websites available with current events forums. The ones I see just get a little too confrontations for my tastes.

Just my 2 cents for what it's worth.

I encourage everyone to not only participate but to freely add their "two cents." Best things about the CE Forum was to draw that out. Don't close yourself off from hearing from others. Appreciating diversity is what this Nation is all about.

I vote yes as well.

I can see the problems that could arise from a CE forum. One thing is that what a person intends to say not necessarily what the other person reads. I posted a tongue in cheek comment the other day on one of the forums and it seemed one person didn't get it and took it seriously. If this had happened on a subject that people had really strong feelings about it could really have caused an argument.
I remember taking part in a discussion here, I think it was about the A-bomb development, when one person disagreed with my point of view. They put forward their opinion and I put mine, the other person then put a counter argument and so on. Really good stuff with no hostility or bad feeling, just two people discussing a subject from different points of view. However someone else added a comment along the lines of "it's really getting heated here". It surprised me that someone could think there was an argument brewing, I really enjoyed the discussion.
These two cases show how easy it is for misunderstandings to happen. With current events people tend to have strong feelings on certain subjects. Strong moderation would be needed as the last thing this site needs is for any ill feeling, it is the friendly atmosphere that makes it so good. There is a saying that goes something like "I disagree with your point of view but would fight for your right to say it". If everybody kept to that then it could work.

I voted No for the same reasons as the others that voted no. This is a great site,very helpful and friendly etc etc and i'd rather not see arguments and flame wars erupting because someone took a perfectly innocent or tongue in cheek comment the wrong way.
Just my thoughts
Pete

I voted no as this is a model site and if I want current events I turn the telly on and tune into the news.

I'll say yes, if there is a fundamental change to the way the CE forum works.

Specifically, the one thing I noticed is that a lot of replies were typed and written in a passionate matter, responding to something that 'hit the button' shortly after it was posted. One thing we all agree on is that it's easy to be overcome with emotion and say something you don't mean.

So, my proposal for a new CE forum.
- Topics are chosen by moderators (members can request topics of debate.)
- Only moderators can initiate new topics (and then choose who is allowed to post in that topic)
- Topics are LIMITED to a maximum of 5 debaters per topic
- Participants can only post in turn (as in participant A, B, C, D, A, B, C... etc.) so people can respond to posts, point by point.
- There must be a minimum period of time between posts (say, 1 hour) to limit 'knee jerk' responses.

My thoughts... Though I must say DJ does a superb job of moderating these types of discussions in the History forum.

YM

I also voted yes cause I think a current event forum can stir up alot
since we europeans and you americans dont think the same about everything.

so a deffinate no.

Been there,done it i say no.
Arthur

I will be voting yes for a CE forum. I agree that there should be a friendly place for debate on current events with a group of well educated people. But I also agree that there should be regulations. Regarding YM's post, I don't think that there should be limits to how many people can debate but the other ideas are good. Just my two cents.
Kyle

Well I joined too late to see for myself how the old Current Events forum worked but, from all I've heard, it caused a lot of needless grief.

I voted "no". I agree with those who say Armorama should stick to modelling issues, pure and simple.

For those who want to talk politics, I'm sure there are dedicated Curent Events sites that can handle it better than the Big-A.

All the best

Rowan

you voted yes, but think it no? :-) whats up with that?


I for one, oove seeing debates, but it gets over the edge when someone flames someone else, or other kind of insult.

I vogted no. I am all for current events but there is always someone who wants to play devil's advocate. Besides this is a modeliong site and we have a very good repore with every one here. What is the old saying.. Don't discuss politics or religion and no one has to appoligize.

Yep! That's what my mum taught me... and it's always proved to be sound advice. :-)

All the best

Rowan

This one certainly makes my pulse quicken ! Since I was one of the moderators of the first CE forum, I can't hide from this discussion.

I think current events forums are a great thing. They just don't belong on Armorama.

So when we feel the need to spill our guts about the coming elections in the US, wether the Iraq war was worth it or not, discuss the pros and cons of a liberal arms policy, the Enrons and Parmalats of this world, the position of UK politics in the EU, Saddam's future, Britney Spear's married life and Wacko Jacko's personal tastes, I strongly suggest we do it somewhere else.

This can get ugly. It got very nasty before. So let's keep the lid on Pandora's box this time.

Spear's marriage is junk drawer, bud.

oef thats called a Typo I voted no thanks for pointing that one out to me

I would look mighty stupid.

hmm to late.

No,no,no, this is a modelling site.

I've been lucky to come in contact with all kinds of people and cultures. And there's no such thing as an universal view point.
There are too many traps in this. Everybody has his opinion, his worldview and his sense (or lack of ) of humor. And one time or another this will turn for the worse. If you want to ventilate your views there are enough sites to go around. Let's try to keep this a nice and interesting site on modelling and not a political/ideological battleground.

Kris

I'd vote yes but I'm refraining for the time being.
For those who don't want to get involved in these discussions, wel, don't get involved in these discussions.
That being said, I'd not support a highly moderated discussion. Deleted posts and threats to be censured and censored have a very chilling effect on a discussion group that would go ar beyond the topic at hand.

Nope..... It's a modeling site, we should keep it that way.

Hi I agree with the no votes. I've seen how the bickering soon starts over trival subjects on the History Channel site, just as one example. And 99% of these grippings between the different posters are on subjects that the average person--99% of the population as a whole, world wide--really have no understanding of to begin with.

What I mean to say is that no matter how well we all think we are informed about the current events going on in each of our countries today, both on a national and international level, we are all basically the victims of each of our own country's various propaganda departments, most all of which would make Dr. Goebbels rather green with envy. The real truth of most of the matters going on in the world today are dealt with by various small groups of those individuals who contol and manipulate powers far beyond anything the average masses can begin to comprend or imagine. We common people are just the pawns--or cannon fodder-- they use to further their aims of power, prestige and wealth.

And we can and cuss and discuss--to say this nicely--all that is happening and it's not going to matter a hill of beans about the situations going on, whatsoever. The only thing it's going to accomplish is a lot of hurt feelings and sooner or later name-calling that's not going to accomplish one thing, again whatsoever.

So we should all stick to a subject that we all have a common interest in and leave it at that. There are plenty of other sites on the Net. that deal with current events and if a person so wishes to go their and 'vent their spleen', that's the place to do it at.

Take care, Sgirty

Thought I would hop back in…
One of the reoccurring themes seems to be that this is a modeling site and we don’t need a CE forum. Everyone is right. We don’t need one. The logical extension of that idea is we don’t need any of the “Off Topic Clubs,” with the exception of the “Filipino Phorum.” However, I really enjoy the “Junk Drawer,” “TV,” “History,” forums. Do we need them? Probably not. Do I enjoy them? Yep.
I guess what I miss most is getting other members’ input. I would love to know what people all over the world think about the recently announced plans for the United States to go to Mars but there is no place to ask. Is the chicken virus directly affecting anyone? Those types of things…
It really is not going to affect me one iota one way or the other but remember, not everything has to turn into a flame war.




Shaun