This was a relatively short chat much of it centering around the disgraceful abuse of the RHP TOS - specifically with the rampant sexism that some people just seem to accept. Well, we don't!
Anyway, Ranjana started the chat by getting in there first and talking to herself with the usual bad typing. Kyron came in afterwards, but didn't say anything to her and I can't say I blame him since the typing was so incomprehensible.
Larry came in next but had to leave for a bit because of a crying baby but he returned shortly. Ranjana then congratulated Larry and Deborah on their new expectancy pointing out that they are going to be very busy and Larry just said:
[papa_bear] imvegan> we're gluttons for punishment!
Breaca and Rachel arrived, but Kyron for some reason was drifting in and out of the room repeatedly. Eventually, we couldn't figure out whether he was really with us or not.
Rachel complained that some 'dude' had tried to infect her computer with a virus. Fortunately, it didn't happen though.
Ranjana congratulated Breaca on her posting efforts against sexism. Breaca's posts have dominated the recommended lists. Here is the thread she started and it is well worth reading:
http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?id=13049
Another related thread of concern is the following in which Sangeeta and Ranjana start the fight against sexism:
http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?id=13062
A large part of the problem is some people think this sort of thing is funny and therefore it is acceptable. Or they hide behind the 'freedom of screech' defense. Or they argue that one person's offense is another persons 'cup of tea'. Unfortunately, these rationalizations fail to acknowledge the damage done propagating derogatory attitudes towards women. For instance, here's what came out in the conversation:
[Remora91] breaca> you forgot asking their bra size, asking if they're a virgin, and asking for phone numbers. [Remora91] all of which have happened to me. [breaca] I have only had underwear questions [Remora91] ewww…. [papa_bear] Remora91> that's awful. Did you notify Russ and Chrismo?
The thing must be fought and stopped.
Sangeeta came in to tell us that she had been watching the Lord of the Rings. As some of you know, she has taken a homeless 12 year old girl named Amanda under her wing and the two of them spent the weekend together doing various things including watching Charlotte's Web and Lord of the Rings. Amanda apparently has read the books and knows them so well that she can point out when the movie deviates from the story.
Suddenly, Rachel launched this hair-raising conversation:
[Remora91] hey prad> how can i make my hair thinner? [pradtf] Remora91> you can pull it out one by one [sangeeta] Remora91> ummm…he might tell you to associate with me some more! [Remora91] lol [Remora91] prad> really! i can't put my hair back in a pony tail anymore! its this big fat thing thats sitting on my head! [Remora91] its not even hair! [sangeeta] Remora91> how about a hair cut…good barbers can thin out thick hair easily so it is more manageable [pradtf] Remora91> well you can also cut it short - easier to manage from what i've heard [sangeeta] Remora91> funny that you ask prad who hardly has any hair…and whatever is left- he shaves…if you go to him, he'll convince you to shave it all off! [pradtf] sangeeta> hey!!!!!!!!!! i just saw that hair comment!!!!!!!!!!!! [sangeeta] pradtf> darn!
Tony joined us but not as SirUlrich because he had forgotten his password. So while he was talking with his temporary account, we reset his real account so he rejoined us as himself.
Then Larry showed us the amazing pun he was working on:
[papa_bear] tonight's aching tuba shops took hassles
I couldn't figure it out, but Breaca did!
2 knights a king 2 bishops 2 castles
Pretty neat stuff, eh!!
Larry was still trying to complete it and we all tried to help out and eventually came up with version 3:
[papa_bear] a kiwi in tonight's aching tuba shops took hassles upon and (opponent) aboard eight puns.
This excellent pun is certainly shaping up nicely and if Larry can work on it this week, he might be able to finish it in time for his church's sermon!
Since all this required a lot of thought from all of us, Breaca was inspired to start us off:
[breaca] if a thought is pensive is a forgotten though expensive? [imvegan] breaca> that makes me rather apprepensive
Rachel was wondering about her purpose in life again with questions like:
[Remora91] just wondering, am i a cold hearted witch? [Remora91] and do i deserve to go to hell?
This sort of contemplation is not unusual for a conscientious individual trying to figure out the world since there are so many conflicting attitudes and forces out there.
The discussion continued:
[pradtf] Remora91> you'll never find out who you are if you live up to others' expectations
I wanted Rachel to elaborate and this relieved some of the seriousness:
[Remora91> so ?? let's hear it [breaca] lets hear it here [pradtf] breaca> hear here! [breaca] pradtf> you are my hearo [imvegan] breaca> i've hered that before
I brilliantly calculated that I would quit while I actually was ahead:
[pradtf] breaca> i don't know if i can beat that one
And continued the discussion with Rachel:
[pradtf] Remora91> you must also recognize who you are and that you have your own abilities to at least make your part of the world a fair and decent one [Remora91] yeah, i know. [pradtf] Remora91> when one is active in work then one fulfills one's purpose [pradtf] Remora91> that's just what breaca did on the gender thread - and you were doing in the traditional values thread [Remora91] i have an useless purpose then that is if homework counts.
Then Breaca made a terrific suggestion:
[breaca] Rachel and I should get together and do a joint thread [pradtf] what a team!!! rachel and breaca!!
Breaca, Sangeeta and Kyron left at this time, but Rachel continued with me:
[Remora91] prad> what if i don't have a purpose? [pradtf] Remora91> so? [Remora91] well? [pradtf] Remora91> make one [Remora91] prad> like? [pradtf] Remora91> do you like injustice? cruelty? meaness? [pradtf] Remora91> there is no shortage of causes [Remora91] prad> depends on who its towards. [pradtf] Remora91> yes i know that but you know what i mean [pradtf] Remora91> and even then - there are ways to eliminate these properly [Remora91] but i just want to leave kentucky. i really don't have any aim where i'm going after i finish school. [pradtf] Remora91> and you will leave kentucky - but you don't need to map out your life now [pradtf] Remora91> only allow your character to merge with your conscience
Then Rachel steered the conversation with a rather interesting argument:
[Remora91] prad> urm… conscience… yeah, well, about that… [pradtf] Remora91> ok go on [Remora91] prad> i don't have one/ [pradtf] Remora91> really - and how do you know that? [Remora91] because i never feel quilty when i know i've done something wrong. [pradtf] Remora91> that has nothing to do with your conscience [Remora91] well what does
After Rachel told us about a bit of nastiness she had practised on her sister many years ago, this fascinating discussion continued:
[pradtf] Remora91> what is 'doing something wrong'? [papa_bear] Remora91> pradtf is right. Don't count on feelings. If you know you've done something wrong, then you know it. [pradtf] Remora91> exactly as larry has put it!! [papa_bear] Remora91> you don't feel guilty, but you know it was wrong [papa_bear] Remora91> That's not abnormal. The old Puritans used to pray for "the gift of tears." They knew that sometimes they did wrong things for which they didn't feel guilty, and they prayed for God to stir their hearts accordingly.
We all have this conscience, but sometimes we can be good at hiding it. One of the most memorable lines for me was from the movie, KPax where the alien Prot said:
"Every being in the universe knows the difference between right and wrong."
We concluded:
[pradtf] Remora91> the fact that you knew this was wrong, proves you have a conscience - you just need to let it out for some fresh air
Then the sublimity took a curious turn:
[Remora91] okay. brb [pradtf] Remora91> i didn't mean that you have to take your conscience out right now to give it some fresh air [Remora91] lol. i know. i just had to see what my sister thought of my hat. [imvegan] Remora91> is it new? [Remora91] its actually not a hat. its a binder that i'm wearing on my head. she says i look stupid. Lol.
We will not continue any further with this.
Larry told us he had severely hurt his pelvis by bumping it into a steel table a couple of days ago. This led into an interesting conversation about doctors and health. Larry figures that if the pain goes away in another day or two he'll leave it, otherwise, he'll have it checked for fractures. [Update: Larry has told us that he did go to the doctor and there is nothing to be concerned about.]
Larry had asked us:
[papa_bear] pradtf> why don't you go to doctors? [pradtf] we never get sick
An interesting topic we intend to pursue in the future.
Ranjana announced:
[imvegan] i have a bunny beside me on this desk …. [Remora91] awww! [imvegan] yes… it's Yoda! [Remora91] you mean the one that ate your stereos? [imvegan] he sometimes types for me … I'm sure you can't tell the difference.. [Remora91] lol [imvegan] yes, the one that chewed the speaker wires.. now talking about having a purpose!! [Remora91] imvegan> exactly why i don't have a rabbit! [imvegan] he just took Kyron off the internet… [Remora91] lol [imvegan] but Rachel…. he is sooooooo cute …just one look and you forget about all that stuff … unfortunately. you know, he has this attitude…
Ray joined us then to announce that Mena had been adopted:
[rgoudie] Well, Mena is on her way to her new home. A nice family came by and they seem very well suited to take care of Mena. [pradtf] mena happy returns to her! [rgoudie] Mena spent one month in ur computer room, but now she has a home of her own. [pradtf] well i've heard of computer bugs so why not
Suddenly, Doug flashed in after an absence of many weeks! Doug hadn't met Rachel before, so Ranjana did her typical and excellent introduction:
[imvegan] Dough meet Rachel, Kirk's daughter, and veggiechess family memeber
So I'm not going to say anymore about this other than Doug didn't leave immediately.
Instead, we had a lengthy conversation about the state of the forums:
[flash] imvegan> Regarding RHP. Forums are not the best these days. [rgoudie] flash> I know! So many lame topics. [rgoudie] flash> Nothing but Christian versus atheist volleying. [imvegan] flash> yes, the insults are really bad … i had one hurled at me … it sure is a strange thing [pradtf] why are we allowing pimping threads on rhp? [pradtf] why was cribs allowed to go after rbhill? [rgoudie] pradtf> Yeah, even though it has become Cribs trademark schtick, I find some of them offensive. [flash] pradtf> I didn't realize that happened. I need to read more. [imvegan] rgoudie> the whole idea of pimping is awful and "ho" are talked about as sub human - that's not funny ever [pradtf] flash> i don't know what the difficulty is - pimping is sexist, pimping "harms minors" a la TOS [flash] pradtf> I understand how you feel. It bothers me a lot and I don't think it should be there. [imvegan] flash> I don't think it should be there either Doug [pradtf] flash> i think the problem is that people think popularity justifies actions, but this isn't a popularity contest [pradtf] it is a family forum [flash] imvegan> I understand how you feel. When I mentioned it to my wife she asked me what type of site was I visiting. [Michael] imvegan> thanks for the info, it is hard to go there for me nowadays …. i often find it disgusting what is happening there and how people can post dispite of the TOS [imvegan] flash> that kind of thing just isn't funny - putting others down and laughing about it isn't right - it's just NOT funny [Michael] imvegan> I was really angry about the personal attack that this Dr. Cribs posted in answer to your post [Michael] imvegan> i really think that such attacks and many many others should not pass like they do now …. [pradtf] i don't think people are sufficiently grateful for the job russ has done giving us these forums [pradtf] they are for building community - not abusement [pradtf] some people just treat the place like trash - and that is precisely what it will end up as [Michael] pradtf> i completely agree !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they misuse the forums for their personal attacks
One of the points to note is that moderators get abused as well. There are only 5 left presently!
There are some extremely nice people on RHP. There are some who act extremely inconsiderate and immature as well. The idea of a community is to work towards turning the latter into the former.