I just read through the thread you posted about the wolf. I think you had a wonderful experience and just wanted to share it with everybody, only to be cross examined over the size of the wolf. I can see how this would be very irritating.

I enjoy this forum. As a Brit a long way from home, it gives me an outlet for my natural sense of cynicism and sarcasm. An inherent British trait I like to think. So I enjoy the banter and often complete bollocks posted on here. It's all part of the fun.

Incidentally, I saw a 6 foot rabbit when I was at Glastonbury a few years ago. My mates didn't believe me until the same rabbit turned up at a flaming lips gig a few months later. How stupid did they feel then?

Hello to you too.

Are there any instances where factual information has been berated? Too often broad generalizations, exaggerations or plainly misleading advice is given, not necessarily with any intended malice (though sometimes with intended mischief) - but those posts deserve all the berating and banter they get.

A bit of both, I suspect. Many of the high post count contributors have long term and varied experience that is often provided time after time after time (because newbies can't be bothered to use the Wiki or search function) - I suspect some of the banter is borne out of frustration from being asked to respond to questions that could easily have been answered by using Google or making a little effort rather than being spoon fed.

You're always likely to be called upon to clarify or justify anything considered out of the norm or not matching other folk's experiences. Get used to it.

HTH.

Would that be 5ft porkies?

I get worse from my friends then people get on here! All taken in jest of course, that's what people do when they suspect an exaggeration! If i was sat with people down the pub and said "5ft wolf!" (whether it was true or not), their response is likely to be "5ft? really?" *snigger* "Did you have a tape measure or something" "Should have gone to specsavers" etc etc

Sometimes it can get out of hand, in which case you ignore it and don't rise to it!

Disclaimer: I haven't actually read the wolf thread so no idea what has been said - all above info has been taken from previous posts on this thread, apologies if any of the above offends or is inaccurate!

Perhaps it's the North/South divide...
There often seems to be a lot more of the Roy "Chubby" Brown about this place than the Stephen Fry.
Please don't take this personally, I for one have spent many wonderful times with friends laughing at Northerners.....

I will put this another way...I agree that some of the high posters on BE may have long and varied experience here and choose to share some lessons learned, on the flip side some others with high post counts do not.....either way they all contribute, time after time, sometimes useful and sometimes with meaningless drivel, perhaps to rack their count for some sad reason.

Certainly the banter factor (some read only, some as active participants) keeps many checking in and is of course a big part of the draw when one has the time.

But anyone who does post, particularly in response to a request that has been repeated many times before, does so of their own volition - as we/you do with any post, we as contributors (use that loosely) choose to slap up here.

So get over yourself....nobody asks you to respond to anything.

....as another post is added to credibility count

So now it's the dirty perverts versus the bi-polar homosexuals?

Its funny. This forum has 2 moderators, 2 concierges, there are 3 or 4 super moderators, all the times zones are covered pretty much.

And yet this is how I find out about a problem?


Yes, there are some jerks post here. There are jerks out there in the real world too, so its hardly a suprise.

As long as people "Challenge others' points of view and opinions, but do so respectfully and thoughtfully ... without insult or personal attack." there's not a lot we can do, but if people actually TELL THE MODS when they are offended or whatever, then we can do our best to calm thing downs and try and modify the behaviour of the more jerky reactive posters out there by pointing out that they are having a negative influence here. I think the fact that posters here will contest the likelyhood of a 5' tall wolf is a good sign that critical thinking is engaged and a sign that anyone posting authoritatively on any topic here is likely to be called upon to defend the facts they present, thats actually a healthy thing as long as its done without becoming a personal attack. That scrutiny is part of what makes this such a useful resource as the information here is kept "real" as a result.

Im all in favour of some intelligent debate of the points that get raised here, but not at the expense of personal conflict. Having said that it does take two to get dragged into an argument. Too often (and this is not directed at the original poster) people feel the need to repudiate every counter argument, to the point of repetition. Sometimes I think its best to just accept someone else wont agree with you, shrug your shoulders and walk away. Let your original comments on a subject stand for the record rather than go on beating a near dead horse. What a lot of the more chippy posters seem to want is the oxygen of new posts bringing a thread back to the top of the list. There are no prizes here for winning an argument so really, whats the point in that.

Anyway, if there is a problem it would be nice to find out about it some way other than a thread here. We have PMing, email, there is a report button [!] to alert the team. Cant promise anything, but at least give us a chance!

She does have a point...you make a lot of stuff up...haha..but at least you admit it

The words "Storm" and "Tea cup" immediately spring to mind. As do "Mountain" and "Molehill".

All southerners are wuffters!!!!

Please provide appropriately referenced clarification of:

1) The ferocity of the storm in the teacup. Beaufort scale would be helpful.
2) The size of the teacup.
3) The height of the Mountain. To WGS84 datum.
4) The height of the molehill and the species of mole that is creating it. In SI units.

Otherwise, we will have no alternative but to consider you a feckless, liar with no other agenda than racking up a post count of inanity to fuel your empty and pointless existance. Doubtless, I will receive many PM's in support of this point of view.

Sincerely,
Not a Clique member.

PM sent

Oh do stop "going on", you "eager hawk" you.

Damn, my post count just went up.

I'm disappointed no pedant has as yet pulled me up on my spelling of 'existance'. Really, standards are slipping around here.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...term=existance

EDIT: Self-Pedantry. Now there's a slippery slope.....