And why would it be preferable to leave Europe to the tender mercies of the Russian empire? — Bitter Crank

BitterCrank, surely you have heard those abroad tell me ad nauseam, that every time America has offered to help anywhere in the world, we have screwed things up worse than if we had never entered the picture.

Seeing as that is their attitude, we have elected someone who will respect their attitude and focus our energies and efforts into shoring up the United States. A bunch of states that belong to a Union is the perfect example of small group communication, which is one of the hardest to manage and we are doing our best. But it is essential to tend to those inner state relationships for without attention, it will wither on the vine. What good will we ever be able to do, if we are no longer capable of keeping our own house in order?

The truth is that I was just being frank, and the way that I chose to do so was a stylistic irrelevance. — Sapientia
Function over form. Here's Martin Luther King's speech in a frank way: racism should end.

Not very inspiring. Form is as important as content in communication.

I was a bit disappointed by how streetlightx, Baden and Thorongil were communicating with each other in the gun control thread and I hold moderators to a higher standard than posters. That was tone too. As a former moderator though I recognise how hard it is to manage tone towards someone you deeply disagree with and believe actually leads to suffering in the world. — Benkei

Amen.

Why would I refrain - or feel that I ought to refrain - from honestly expressing myself in such an inoffensive way? I'll rise above your expectation that I conform with your personal standard where it conflicts with my own. Your standard seems to largely consist in favouritism, and I've clearly fallen out of your favour as of late. I'm sorry that I'm not as saintly as unenlightened or Apathy Kills, but at least I'm true to myself. — Sapientia

Sapientia, rest easy that I have no "expectations" of you. The title of the thread is Moderation Standards, meaning it is about how others view the degree of moderation, not one moderator specifically.

And that's your impartial assessment of how the situation unfolded, is it? Quite preposterous. — Sapientia

The question you pose is delivered in a passive aggressive way, isn't it?
The "Quite preposterous" is not something that I would expect to read from a member who is a moderator. A moderator could rise above that kind of 'noise' or as I have said before stop putting out "tainted meat".

What are your actual proposals? — Agustino

If you have watched unenlightened for any amount of time you would know HE is the proposal. Though he would never in a million years agree with me or dare admit it to himself.

Which direction is this? — Πετροκότσυφας

One that looks to take care of her own citizens before taking care of others in other countries. We have done a lot of nation building in the last 30 years and it's time we turned our efforts inward and focus building our own nation. Our nation like a flower will not thrive without attention and frankly we have become cheap plastic flowers from abroad.

By the way: Merry Christmas (L) in advance

And that initial aim is where differences between too strict and not strict enough start to bite: strict enough for what purpose and in what direction? — unenlightened

Sounds like you have been hanging out with a friend of mine. 8-)

I struggle with this, but I give my allegiance to our nation as it could be, though tragically not as it is. — MysticMonist

Thank you for your service and for believing in what we can be as a nation.

In response to recent criticism concerning moderation, have your say. — Baden

I am not sure my two cents fits in one of the three options but I miss the productive kind of moderation that administrators showed in thread, rather than getting into the fray of personas. Examples being Postmodern Beatnik and Incision. It isn't so much about what they were moderating but the tone and tenor in which they approached moderation was respectful.
~shrugs~

We became a torture regime. We've been at war in half a dozen MIddle East and North Africa countries since 2001. We spy on all our citizens. I hope this isn't new information for anyone. — fishfry

How about we judge the nation based on a totality of her citizens actions rather than based on one aspect alone.

So, when experienced in private, are these types of fantasies moral? — T Clark

If they are experienced in private then they are neither moral or immoral, the fantasies just "are" and no one is there to judge and even if you did share, I think you would be surprised what others would think you would be surprised to learn about them and their fantasies.

As far as robotic resistance? Or cyber controlled stimulants? I think any of these new tech twists on an old game can really liven things up for the bored married folks, allow intimacy over a long distance without risk to physical being to having a robot resist sexual advances made on it.

I have a feeling that I as a woman, have far less of an issue with the idea of robotic sex since from the age of 21, self pleasure with a battery operated boy friend has always been in and out of the picture.

Mother Nature's flames have licked the Grapes of Wrath but the vines that hold God's globes of nectar will have the final laugh.

What went wrong? — Banno

What makes you think that anything "went wrong"?
We are a nation of ideas Banno and best I know, there is no manual nor map for this road less taken, that we as a collective union have chosen to walk down together. I am interested in what you can see from Australia that appears to have "gone wrong" in the USA that I am not able to see from within her borders.

Thoughts? — Hanover

Would you believe that you have left me completely speechless?

Do you expect me to continue to take your tainted bait?

You're welcome. — Sapientia

For?

Thank you for making me laugh, recalibrating my thoughts and feelings about issues close to my heart. (L)

Relax, THIS is a safe place :D

Congratulations on your anniversary. — Bitter Crank

Thank you BC~ I know you know what kind of work goes into such a simple celebration, another milestone but for us, it is the world. (L)

Better get some specialized knife dodging training. Axe block, compromise your footing, joint lock, double back flip. — Wosret

Can I just have you as my body guard Wosret?

Why are you listing forms of prevention? I don't dispute that gates, dogs, and doors can act as forms of prevention. — Sapientia

I am listing the multiple forms of MY proactive measures taken to ensure my safety as well as the living creatures I call family from those that wish to do us harm, man or beast.

Prevention can also come in the form of gun control, which is the topic of discussion. — Sapientia

Thank you Sapientia, I am aware of the topic of the thread and YOU were the one who spoke of prevention. If you could please back off the condescending attitude and I am asking you to do so, it's your choice to do what you want but know that it is offensive and makes me not want to interact with you.

If someone, after encountering all MY conscious decisions to "Prevent" harm to myself and my family, still wishes to enter without consent, attempts to cause malice to my livestock or theft of property?

Yes, I'd rather keep a hold of the knife just in case you change your mind. :D — Baden

Smart man ;)

Why don't you give your dog beef bones? a 6 inch marrow bone has nutritious marrow (which your dog will lick out of the bone in a day or two) and then the bone will last quite a long time--years. Most dogs won't be able to crush the bones (they're pretty thick) so there won't be bone splinters in their gut. — Bitter Crank

I was telling Hanover about the bully sticks because they are the closest to rawhide. I do buy the frozen long beef bones for the pups to chew on. As puppies I froze the bone and only gave it to them when they went into their crate. Now I give them one shot at chewing off the frozen beef bits and stuff on the bone and then I boil them till the marrow is cooked and then when cool, I give them back. They must have a couple dozen around the ranch. It keeps their teeth soo clean and they love it! ;)

I just hope ArguingWAristotleTiff didn't see that last comment. I'd much rather we talked about pumpkins. :) — Baden

I saw but we have already come to what I think is a reasonable middle ground, in you understanding my position and mine understanding yours.

Are you going to carve?

Prevention should always come before defense. It's better to do what you can towards preventing these kind of situations from occurring in the first place than to be well equipped when they do. — Sapientia

"Prevention" is the consciously locked gate that has to be opened to get on the property. "Prevention" is silent Rottweiler's that have access to their people's bedroom as well as the property line fence. "Prevention" is the consciously locked solid wood front door.

People can't dodge bullets, no matter how well equipped they are. — Sapientia

You are correct to a degree. The degree being how good of a shot the shooter is and how quickly the target can move in an unpredictable way.

What is considered a reasonable amount of "Prevention" before self defense is acceptable in the eyes of Sapientia?

23 years ago NicK and I were married Creekside at sunset, in the forest in which we met 4 years prior. True story that I met him in the woods camping, he the only other person with a dog and I, new to the group had my dog with me.
27 years later I wonder how we did but we are still doing so I am going to trust that the string will always be long enough to keep bonding each day we spend together into a book of our lifetime. The chapter of both Indians leaving the home for college has begun and I told NicK, that it is time again for us to have fun and do some of the things we gave up for parenthood and it's been a good time, as some of the stress has lifted.
But now we need to grow one more property, into the Bed and Breakfast that we have always dreamed of. We found the city, now as we prepare our ranch for sale, we look for our Cabin in the woods, woods that have four seasons. (L)
Oh and the presents we have exchanged? NicK gave me a Pumpkin which is the first gift he ever gave me and I gave him three Pinecones which represents the three boys he has brought into my life. (L)

If you handed out scripts of what you want us to answer with it would go a lot smoother :D

What's updog?

I have no idea who up dog is. I do want to.share some advice my Veterinarian gave; she is of the belief that rawhide is never truly broken down by the body and can sit and eventually cause cancer. So her solution is to give the dogs "Bully Sticks" instead because they do digest it better.
I am not sure if you have had experience with Bully Sticks but I have and though the dogs love them, they stink something fierce. Bully Sticks are Bull Penis inner shank. They come in all sizes too. So next time you are at the Veterinarian, ask and see how they feel.about a box of cute rawhile bones, half of which puppy will gag on only.for you to fish it out of puppy's mouth or a box of Bull Penis that you likely will never have to fish out of puppy's mouth because puppy will know how to swallow.
<laughing hesterically> Oh my, my

The US is still young, and the pleasures of freedom are still fresh in the air. England Is old, they people have forgotten the fights for freedom that happened years or centuries ago. — Sir2u

I'm so very glad that Americans still see their Freedoms and choose to protect them.

The to an old man that had fought in both wars. He told me that not even those that went to war really understood what they were fighting for. Even when they were told that they were fighting for own freedom a lot of them did not know why they fought for something that they already had. — Sir2u

Sometimes you truly do not understand the value of something you have until it's gone.

You have probably heard these words before but I post them in case you haven't and the reason is simply because they came to me as I was pondering on some of the thoughts expressed here at TPF .

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

by Dylan Thomas

Evil will never dim our country's light of goodness and of her people who are Thankful to be able to call her home.

As a wise man once said.
"We pay a high price for our freedom, sometimes we pay with our lives" — Sir2u

My Uncle served 7 tours of duty in the 33 years he was in the Army and I have heard him say that many times. He also said "No matter what others will tell you, never forget American's will always fight for Liberty."

Sir, I wonder sometimes if my children will ever understand what those before us fought and died for.

Nothin', don't mean nothin' hon' if it ain't free, no no

When will it be understood that freedom is anything but free?

We are being tested and we will rise to the challenge

Hola

so the first one will be dedicated to all of those friends come and gone and those still here. — Sir2u

Cheers for many years to come my friend~
It's good for us all to still be together, amazing friends~ (L)

I've seen the job and I have no desire to take on that key of responsibility. 8-)

I do have this image in my mind of mother ducks herding their ducklings into the water and out into the pond, which may or may not be what you have in mind. — T Clark

That image ^^^^^^^^^ is of ME and is the exact reason why I would never make a good moderator. ;)

In reading the thread titles as I searched the hall of thinkers for the 'Last Word' I found myself getting a bit emotional, a tad nostalgic and a whole spectrum of feelings. I will spare you the details but tonight, I will look up to the sky and see if Mars Man is watching over us. He was always up for a bit of spirits as he so often wrote to us from the snow dusted roof tops.
Cheers to the good times~ (L)
Cheers to those we are fortunate enough to have around us now~ 8-)

http://forums.philosophyforums.com/10/12/
Page 12 and although you can no longer access the content of the thread, you can see who created the thread and the forum member who got the LAST word on that thread that was reborn here. 8-)

For me, if there is indeed no afterlife, then I imagine I will feel much the same after I die, as I did before I was born.