RomanArmyTalk

Jenny, may I suggest that you delete the OT section of RAT.<br>
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If some topics are forbidden, for whatever reason, then lets can them all, afterall they are non-Roman and ultimately have no place here.<br>
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Many folk here have opinions, many relish debate and rhetoric (so very Roman!), some use certain styles to bait fellow debaters (feigned insult, taunts, a keen memory, wit, capital letters), but there are better forums for non-Roman opinions.<br>
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Now I for one might be disppointed to see the OT section lopped off (the current spate of lancing is interesting and leeches are cute to their mothers, well anyway...) You see, I get to learn a great deal about the sundry scattered diverse members of Legio IX Hisp... several post here, (some are self-identified, many are not) and they even spar with each other.. oft times unknowingly. Watta a hoot I say.<br>
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But, (and I say that sitting down) DELETE the OT.<br>
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It is in its esteemed (estimated?) essence... divisive, droll, blah-blah-blah, entertaining, cute, but mostly way out of place.. .. .. here..<br>
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Over fished I say, yet the fish still take the bait, ...silly fish, silly fishermen... drain the pond, let's grow something else.<br>
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Perhaps a new section for long durational Roman topics, those old over debated topics.. "Tunica Wars" for example...<br>
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Hibernicus, Centurio<br>
LEGIO IX HISPANA<br>
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Vexillatio I: Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, San Diego, San Berhardino, Camp Pendelton<br>
Vexillatio II: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado,<br>
Vexillatio III: Washington, Okinawa , Northern California, Alaska<br>
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www.legio-ix-hispana.org<br>
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Hibernicus,<br>
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OT cannot hurt anyone that does'nt click on it. Personally I like it: when the Ianus' temple doors are closed, it's recreational, relaxing, often fun and a lot of interesting things squezeed from it. I repeat again there is a bunch of interesting people here and it's fun talking here about Peter Pan re-enactors , or food, travels, sports, other hobbies, etc, with them. There are other forums to do it, but the people there is different and not "roman". Moreover having a lot of intersting topics condensed here is handy if you have not much time to jump from forum to forum. Personally I keep always logged on RAT in one of my office PCs. : it's a tradition now (even if I never log at home on week-end)<br>
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See how OT has success (if I remind once was the most clicked...). I think it is not guilty to damage the forum atmosphere, seen that similar rumbles happen in H&A and R too.<br>
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Vale,<br>
Titus<br>
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Titus: OT cannot hurt anyone that doesn't click on it.<br>
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SHHHHH!!!!! You'll give away THE forgotten secret mantra!... "Sticks and stones can hurt my bones but names can never hurt me"<br>
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Hib.<br>
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San Diego, The 51st State Committee<br>
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Free Quebec! Free Normandie! Free Bavaria! Free Cymru! <p></p><i></i>

Hib's right....same reason if some people find certain posts or topics offensive, they have the choice whether or not they read it. But no, we must have them "censored" instead.<br>
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My vote is to delete OT as well. Good points Hib...let's grow something else. Maybe a "most popular" section or something. <p>Magnus/Matt<br>
Legio XXX "Ulpia Victrix"<br>
Niagara Falls, Canada</p><i></i>

Ok...<br>
I have a solution to all our turmoil here. We will restrict all postings to quotes from Roman or Greeks writers from the period. This keeps the topic on Rome. We will also make the assumption that any thread takes place in the court of a despotic emperor like Caligula or Caracalla, so nothing really offensive will be said, and we will take the manners of a courtier... so politeness is maintained. Since we only use passages from original period sources, Sander (the God of Citations) will have the advantage, but we know him to be fair and will not take undue advantage to bully the forum.<br>
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This approach also discourages any itinerant re-enactors from another period from getting enmeshed, be they doing impressions of Hittites, the upper Paleolithic, an Abbasid faleen, Rolling 40s Crips, proto-hominids, or whoever.<br>
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A new set of emoticons will be needed to express the range of emotions of Roman courtiers. For example:<br>
Serious: Bland smile with a Roman haircut<br>
Disturbed: Bland smile with a Roman haircut<br>
Confused: Bland smile with a Roman haircut<br>
Rage: Bland smile with a Roman haircut<br>
Grief: Bland smile with a Roman haircut<br>
Joy: Bland smile with a Roman haircut<br>
The list will go on of course... this is just a sample.<br>
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Here is a example of how this would work. I have taken the liberty of using a few of your Roman names to illustrate the concept.<br>
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I use mostly Juvenal here (Penguin Classics, 1974)... and want to start a new thread. I will use the closest emoticon available pending new ones.<br>
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Gaius Decius Aquilius (who poses a question)<br>
"If some bumpkin pupil isn't thrilled to the marrow<br>
Week after week, while dining | his awful Hannibal speech<br>
Into my wretched head...<br>
Up for discussion - should Hannibal march on Rome<br>
From Cannae?" emoticon of innocent question<br>
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Tiberius Lantanius Magnus (who thinks the answer is obvious)<br>
"And after that | torrential thunderstorm, should he<br>
Play safe, and withdraw his rain-sodden troops?" emoticon of obvious answer<br>
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Gaius Decius Aquilius (slightly supprised)<br>
"On the City, they were willing to fire Rome's houses<br>
and temples<br>
Like a bunch of trousered Gauls repeating the exploit<br>
Of their warrior forebears:well though they knew what end<br>
The attempt might bring them - to fry in a shirt of pitch"<br>
emoticon of rebuttal<br>
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Vortigern Studies (who thinks I missed the point)<br>
"Search every landfrom Cadiz to the dawn-streaked shores<br>
Of Ganges, and you will find few men who can distinguish<br>
A false from worthwhile objective, or slash their way<br>
through<br>
The fogs of deception. Since when were our fears or desires<br>
Ever dictated by reason? emoticon of conciliation with slight irritation<br>
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Antonius Lucretius adds:<br>
" I agree with my fellow citizen: a legacy far outweighs<br>
Even a thousand ships. ...<br>
Then watch the victor<br>
Strut @#%$-a-hoop over his rivals: NOW do you understand<br>
How well it paid off to butcher that Mycenaean maiden?"<br>
emoticon of finality<br>
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Gaius Decius Aquilius (who misunderstands and gets upset over nothing)<br>
"Need I tell you how anger burns in my heart when I see<br>
The bystanders jostled back by a mob of bravos...<br>
(then showing fear of censorship)<br>
"If you want to be somebody today you must nerve yourself<br>
For deeds that can earn you an island exile, or years in gaol.<br>
emoticon of defiant anger<br>
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Titus Sabatinus Aquilius (who wants to end the rancor)<br>
"All deeds that set evil examples result in unpleasness<br>
For the doer himself. To begin with, no guilty person, although<br>
He may have suborned some judge to award him a rigged<br>
verdict,<br>
Can ever win acquittal at the bar of his conscience."<br>
emoticon of conciliation.<br>
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However, by now the thread has been terminated. Someone tried to sneak in a quote from Ssu-ma Hsang-ju in clear violation of the rules. All participants are now hit with a virus that shows endless re-runs of the tele-tubbies while listening to polkas played on a solo accordian.<br>
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See how this will work my friends?<br>
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Gaius Aquilius<br>
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<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=gaiusdeciusaquilius@romanarmytalk>Gaius Decius Aquilius</A> at: 3/26/04 11:21 pm<br></i>

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Quote:<br>
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Seriously, this idea of censoring or closing posts needs to be addressed more closely. Yes, it's jenny's board, but without the members there is nothing.<br>
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I find it funny that people are so quick to dispell things they don't like, or find offensive. I suggest that those people go find an appropriate cave and wall themselves inside, because half of the shows on TV, movies or books could be added to the list that they find "offending". Or shall we just censor them?<br>
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Freedom is becoming more and more of an illusion. It's the small battles we lose which will cost us in the end.<br>
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Tiberius, you said it best... I noticed the original thread where you posted this is closed...<br>
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Well, we both have been thrown out of better forums than this im sure....<br>
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Gaius <p></p><i></i>

Gaius, that was one of the funniest things I've read all week. Thanks for making my friday end on a funny note. <p>Magnus/Matt<br>
Legio XXX "Ulpia Victrix"<br>
Niagara Falls, Canada</p><i></i>

Well Boys, put on your Tap Caligae!! 'cause I think I'll attempt to put Gaius's "epic poem" it to music... "OT The Musical"... then badger Jenny to dump OT... that is: tip it into the lew for our Englander amigos...<br>
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Hibernicuss<br>
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Free San Diego<br>
Free Quebex<br>
Free Bavaria<br>
Free Wales <p></p><i></i>

I can hardly wait for opening night. Will there be dancing emoticons?<br>
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One question, though...Without OT, where would we find this light-hearted banter??? Eh??? emoticon of serious concern <p>"I am an admirer of the ancients,but not like some people so as to despise the talent of our own times." Pliny the Younger</p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=rekirts>rekirts</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://www.cased.ca/images/Eliz.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 3/27/04 1:23 am<br></i>

[url=http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=253631" target="top]Dipsy sad..[/url]<br>
(Emoticon of slight emotional distress)..<br>
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<p></p><i></i>

Pliny the Yeller: One question, though...Without OT, where would we find this light-hearted banter??? Eh???<br>
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In the new LhB thread of course!<br>
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Hibernicussing<br>
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Free San Diego<br>
Free Bavaria<br>
Free Whales<br>
Free Quebex<br>
Assimilate Canada<br>
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<p></p><i></i>

Even if non-roman subjects were to be forbidden on off-topic, we would still need this section due to Jenny's peculiar reasoning of what is truly a Roman military subject. For example, she decidedd to leave in the archaeology section the thread about the Roman civilian type ships found in Holland, but relegated to "off-topic" the thread about the unique find of 1st-2nd century AD Roman tapestry weaving (which very well may have been military related.) The thread about the Temple Menorah remained in "Archaeology" as well, until the conversation turned to the dragon motifs that decorated it.<br>
Curiously, the "tunic color debate" is now also permanently tacked to "off-topic". Apparently it is thought that this too has nothing to do with the Roman army.<br>
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"Ours is not to reason why."<br>
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Dan <p></p><i></i>

Uhhh guys, I like the OT section, it's amusing. Sometimes ya gotta have fun and not be so serious.<br>
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However, Dan, I must ask, <strong>are you trying to get moderated <span style="text-decoration:underline"><em>again</em></span></strong>??? Just curious... as a e-Mail list owner myself, I always find it amusing when people "<strong>poke the toad</strong>" just to see what I'll do... usually, it's something rude, like giving them the size 44 <em>Marschstiefel</em> but whatever... ya shouldn't oughta mess w/ the big boss.<br>
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It's Jenny's board so she can do as she wants. See, <span style="text-decoration:underline">SHE</span> did the work and took the time to do it. No one else stepped up. If you feel you can do better, DO IT!<br>
best, <strong>DMV</strong> <p>DECIMUS MERCATIUS VARIANUS<br>
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LEGIO IX HISPANA<br>
NorCal Chapter<br>
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Netscape Aim/AOL screen name: Sturmkatze<br>
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Alteris renumera duplum de quoquo tibi numeraverunt.</p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=decimusmercatiusvarianus@romanarmytalk>DECIMUS MERCATIUS VARIANUS</A> at: 3/28/04 4:47 am<br></i>

For now at least, OT stays. You all make me laugh too much to take it down. And sometimes, there are interesting or truly funny things said in OT, which I'd miss too.<br>
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Ultimately, I can't please everyone, so I'll just please myself.<br>
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<---- searching for my self-pleasing devices...<br>
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<em>Hey! No watching! </em><br>
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Anyway, I suppose we could do a poll: To OT or not to OT.<br>
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Thoughts?<br>
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Cheers,<br>
Jenny <p></p><i></i>

First of all I'd like to state that I have anything to do with that Mycaenian maiden.<br>
I'm sure the Trojans have something to do with that..<br>
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Now, regarding OT:<br>
A long time ago I helped a friend of mine moderate a forum. Several ones in fact. I did not have the power of the chainsaw but I could ask the moderator to use it and axe offensive posts.<br>
The chainsaw??<br>
Yes, the virtual chainsaw, that is what Cornellia the Goddess used. And when someone did not behave, his post was deleted -well, chainsawed-- and replaced by one with the pix of a chainsaw. That was clear enough..<br>
If it wasn't, we also had the Tullianum (this was a roman history site too) and rude people, trolls and flame warriors could win stays of different lenghts in the Tullianum.<br>
Meaning of course that they were barred from posting for a number of days, or weeks, depending on the offense.<br>
Of course, being a Goddesss and all she did not have to give any explanation, for the Gods work in mysterious ways...<br>
That site was mainly visited by teenagers, and in majority american teenagers, arguably the most difficult known breed of teenagers although the european teenagers are catching up real fast..<br>
So, very rarely was the Tullianum empty..<br>
I also visit often a site called "Combat Flight Center". It's about flight simulators and people there share tips and stories about flight sims, real planes and so on.<br>
In there, discipline is even harder. For instance someone asks something pretty obvious. A newbie kind of question. Well, we've all been newbies at some point.<br>
Then someones mocks the question, like: "aw come on everybody knows that," without giving any answer.<br>
Usually the offensive post is deleted within half an hour with the comment: "post edited. Here we try to be helpful".<br>
I like that..<br>
So I really don't see the problem with OT.<br>
The deal is the following: we write what we wish and Jenny deletes what she doesn't like. She doesn't have to give an explanation. She has the chainsaw power!<br>
What about freedom of expression you might ask?<br>
Freedom of expression goes along with courtesy and a certain form of ritual.<br>
This necessary ritual exists in every democratic parliament on the planet, BTW. For instance in the US, even though senator Smiths thinks that senator Jones is an ***hole, a jerk and a crook, he will still "yield" to him when his time is up.<br>
And every democratic parliament has a procedure of expulsion of misbehaving members. Actually, the British House of Commons has even a cell where "Honourable MP's" can be locked up if they are out too much out of line.<br>
On the other hand, rule breakers are often the movers of things..<br>
So, rule breakers are OK, as long as there's someone here to shut them up when they break too many rules..<br>
...<br>
I yield to whomever... <p></p><i></i>