double post .. sorry.

[This message has been edited by goldelite (edited 09-05-2000).]

Baze . . . I did not visit that thread after your post, which is evident. If you care to do a search that is the only time I have used that word in 2300 odd posts as far as I am aware. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Again it is like Randy, rooting, or cr*p ... totally different levels of acceptance, in different places by different people. The word you mention is used daily HERE in Australia in most levels of conversation. It is as socially acceptable at any level HERE as cr*p is, or ar*e. Far more so IMHO. And NONE are "profane".

In the USA, it may be different. We all pick these things up, and for instance now attention being raised to "pis*ed" I will personally be mindful of it, although I wonder if cr*p will be used by others here any less??!!

Do you not have a problem with that one yourself?

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~ Glen ~

ozstamps

I never said you used it more than the one time. I can't see how in any culture it can be anything but a derogatory remark, even in common everyday talk. It is used commonly here in the USA too but that does not mean it is an acceptable word. It is meant in a derogatory way here. And I asked very politely for you to edit it out. If you have a problem with that, then you have a problem. All it would have taken from you is either editing it or mentioning that in your culture it is not meant as a derogatory word. But in the context you used it, it can be construed as nothing but. End of subject.

Baze. Australia invented this word decades ago. Only in recent times have US movies latched on to it. Here it means simply "a person behaving foolishly". That was the EXACT context I used it in with that CO article. Nothing more, nothing less. How about those other words you seem to have no opinion on?

Here is the dictionary definition of that noun from a local website:
http://home.echo-on.net/~buzzcorr/DI...0-%20LINGO.htm

Australia invented it???? I have heard the word used for decades here. Why is it that Australia invented it or you pointed it out, etc. etc. etc. You seem to take a lot of credit for things posted long before you came on board (like using 2P, 1P, 1K) I saw them being used LONG before you showed up.

I do take offense to the use of words like cr*p when they are spelled out. At least most have the decency to use * so they are not spelled out. Believe me I am no prude, I spent 9 years in the Navy and have heard them all and in the right place I use them. But in a public forum where people may be offended I choose not to use them. "Discretion is the better part of valor". Even in your definition of the word in question it is still derogatory. It is insulting someone. These forums are for exchanging information, not insulting people.

In the Navy we used a saying which I think should be adhered to in all walks of life. It would make life much more pleasant. "Praise in public, discipline in private". I made a very polite "suggestion" is all.

I don't like the P* word.
I don't like the N* word.
I don't like the A* word, like G.W. Bush used it recently.
We don't need such language - PERIOD!

I will make one more point on this language thing...

I showed this thread to a friend of mine with a young child and a young niece. She saw the words liked P*@#ed and the WHoopie Goldberg Oscar joke (I never found her funny IMHO) and she said "While it doesn't bother me, what if young children read this forum and start asking their parents what's this word?"

(I remember this is the same child who picked up some very foul words from "south Park" because the babysitter fell asleep with the t-v. The child is very smart and aborbs things like a sponge.)

I have friends with children who also know me as UNCLE Catman. And their parents, some who are not even as liberal with their views on language as SURPRISE me... My friend's husband saw a few threads and said "so these are the kind of people you hang out with. I'm disappointed in you."

Just watch the language please. There are other people are reading and their children are even reading too.

ON another note that bothers me:

1. I am NOT a Puritan
2. I am NOT advocating censorship or anything in that vein.
3. I like James' idea of a filter device to put asteriks in potentially bad words (I think they need to update the software though.)
4. I am NOT the KING of FLyertalk and I only made my views because I feel we can be classy and mature without being totally "adult."

I don't care if you agree or not. I'm just stating one CAT's Views.

Thank you for reading.

Wasn't it Mark Twain who said, "Slang is language that spits on it's hands, rubs them together, and gets to work."?

Slang has a very useful place in society, often more accurately communicating in one word a person's thoughts than a whole paragraph might. But IMHO slang has it's place and is not appropriate in every place.

I personally use much more care and try to avoid slang when writing on FlyerTalk than I would around friends or in private communications. That's not only because it is a "international" bulletin board where some from other countries might not understand it's use.

The main reason I try to avoid slang here is because of consideration to others. Unlike when talking to friends or individuals, I have no idea who might be reading this forum, and therefore try to be more careful and selective in the way I write so as not to offend some who might find some words objectionable.

I know some will say "Why the h**l should I change the way I write just because of a few who might object to some harmless word or another?" I suggest while you may have every "right" to use some words here, that perhaps you and I should be a bit more considerate that others may find some of those words objectionable. Maybe try to find another way to get the same thoughts and points across.

It's very easy to substitute "ticked off" for "p**sed off." I really feel that LarryU didn't mean to offend anyone. I'm certain that like many, they "write" like they "speak" and that just sounded natural to him. And I also feel that some slang is useful in communicating emotional feelings better than other forms of communication, and would hate to see anyone post what they consider acceptable and/or non-acceptable words. FlyerTalk, as the owners and hosts of this private board are the only ones who are permitted to have a "hit list" of what is inappropriate for their board, IMHO.

Well said!

I am confused, if this a public or private board. It is free and open to the public, does that make it private or public.

If the owners of the board would take some action to deal with the problem; be it to clarify what is acceptable, or to put in an auto corrector, or anything, at least define the law of the land and enforce it equally. Anything to stop the CONSTANT complaining about language. As it is now, this thread keeps going and going due to a lack of action (and perhaps people who get upset at the smallest things.)

For now, if you don't like the language, ignore it or go away. I ignore it. On the other hand, the owners should take action of some type so that at least you know how things are going be. This is just like Randy and the DL thread. Ignore the fact it even exist and maybe it will go away. This is really simple, either ignore the issue or deal with it. Then, depending on the outcome, people can decide for themselves if they want to stay or go away.

Well said, indeed, PremEx. Wow!

The fact that I am unsure whether I have been extra careful of worldwide readers implies that I probably have not been. -I think I remember spelling out ar*e in a bid to be cute and to avoid a*s. I'll hopefully be more careful in the future, as there is certainly nothing lost by being careful.

-KP

In that I am probably the offending cr***er referred to by ozstamps, I suppose it is incumbent upon me to chime in here. If I offended anyone by my language, I apologize, since that was certainly not my intent, although it definitely was my intent to attract attention and emphasize my strong feelings on the subject that was at hand. And I'll certainly be the first to admit that the "c*" word (that one, at least), might be more objectionable than the "p*" word, which I consider fairly innocuous.

I should point out, though, that there is a practical reason that Catman would be expected to have a more sensitive word filter than most of the rest of us. He writes, professionally, every day and under very tight deadlines, for a broadcast news outlet. He can not afford to let even a little offensive invective pass from his keyboard through to an anchor's lips, who, in most cases, believe it or not, will read exactly what appears before them on the prompter. One mistake can doom an entire career, and in this business, that has happened on countless occasions. So when you write as much as Catman does, there really is no way to have different habits for different writing venues; it's just too easy to forget where you are. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

Having said all that, I have a proposal: If the UBB language filter is user-definable, why not let those FT'ers who wish to, vote on the no-no dictionary? I, for one, will have absolutely no problem pledging beforehand to abide by the result.

It is very common for young boys to go through a toilet talk phase. Mothers work very hard to teach them that this is inappropriate, and to help them quickly outgrow this pesky period, which usually occurs during their 7th summer.

For those of you who did not have mothers (Aunts or Grandmothers) of your own to teach you these things, and for those of you who have drunk so much brewski that it has wiped your mind clear of all your early childhood lessons, here is the drill:

We don't discuss bodily elimination functions or body parts which are covered by a bathing suit in public, because it will probably offend somebody, and we want everybody to know what a nice boy you are. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Punki (edited 09-05-2000).]

Rich G, you bring up a good point. Firstly, please understand I am fairly new to the board myself. As far as I can tell, the rules of the board are set by the board owner, and not the users of the board. Allowing users to decide what words are and are not acceptable changes the general operating structure of the board.

Changing from owner based management to user based management is a FUNDAMENTAL structure change and will require more time from the owners. The owners would have to sort out the difference of opinions from the many and growing number of members as to what words are acceptable.

As I have stated in the past, I would like to see only clean language, but not at the cost of the right controlling censorship of the board. How nice it would be if I could start a thread and edit out language in the threads I start, and only threads I start. This concept has been mentioned before and vetoed by the board owners.

Finding middle ground will probably be the solution. In the mean time, I think it is better for no censorship then censorship by one or a few people.

Rich G .. must be mea cupla week around here! No, never saw your post. Was one started by Catman September 1st, and that unedited cr*p typed by another regular passed by him and others without comment whatever in that thread. No young kiddies up reading that one it seems?! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I am surprised what the UBB does let in and what it does automatically edit. The one they use on the eBay chat boards will not allow even the use of "who reads" or "who regards" etc used in conjunction, with a space as shown as it decided you were speaking of a lady of ill repute. So, "profanity checkers" can be stupid if used too judiciously!

Seriously, given the large number of posts around these boards, and the "self policing" nature of the sensible people that use ALL these boards I am not sure they is too much need for ANYTHING to change unless Randy feels it should for some reason. The odd nutter troll that lets loose like "MileageGod" of a few months back can be quietly banned and/or the threads in question closed off.

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~ Glen ~