An old tired Horse called the Lounge

[Darryl Baird]

did they outlaw porn to?
We could talk about that
Any one up for stroking that sinar shaft of Frank's.....
:-)
lighten up people....

man, talking about porn is like a dry shower or virtual sleep... not something you can talk about successfully

[Scott Schroeder]

yea, but it does wonders for an old tired horse !!!!

[m.bruehl]

Domenico,

I am sorry you took the "dear" for offence. It is just what I learned to use to start a written communication with, and - you may think this is old-fashioned - I like to address the person I am talking/writing to. I didn't use it to pamper, I used it, because it's a common phrase to start with.

But it is O.K. you start about this, as it shows how hypersensitive you react to normal response. Same with sarcasm - this is your interpretation. As well as the conclusions you draw from it.

But this seems to be the general problem: to get back to normal level.

I respect your uncompromising fight for freedom of speach.

But do you really think this and here is the right platform to fight the final battle?

I see no dark armies here. But I know an example from literature, where a knight of immaculate character started to fight the giants - which in reality have been windmills ...

Last, not least: I would also prefer freedom of subjects. Single persons, that get a little bit too engaged, may be directly contacted by the mods. In case of further unreasonable acting be punished.

Regards

Michael

[Marko]

I think the decision to ban ALL politics and religion was an easy way out of moderating the wild-n-wooly Lounge in this incredible election cycle.
It's certainly put a cloud on the forum for me personally, and I almost never came into the lounge until the political season began because I didn't have a big interest to hang out ... but I got hooked. It's cruel world. I can't help but feel the forum is worse for the loss... I try to commit to the other forums, but I have less heart for it. And like Domenico, I just don't like places that deny speech on any principle. It certainly doesn't feel like any home I want to live in for very long.

That's the point. We are, of course, free to choose places we frequent, but I am not a big fan of bar-hoping, and if I have to pick a different place to have my drink after dinner or to throw my darts, I might as well find another place to do it all at. If I like the old place enough, I'll try to make it known to the owners before I leave. If they shrug it, so do I. Life is too short to mind someone else's business.

A few of us seem to be at the point of letting the owners know right now, that's all.

[domenico Foschi]

If I like the old place enough, I'll try to make it known to the owners before I leave. If they shrug it, so do I. Life is too short to mind someone else's business.

This is the reason why I started this thread, plus trying to see if there are more people who share my sentiments.
Pretty grim results for that....
I was hoping for an open debate with the "management" but nobody has come forth yet.
Is this the "shrug" you were talking about Marko?
We'll see.
I want to thank Michael Bruehl for helping me to find the right words, through his intervention, in order to explain my position in a more in depth manner.

[Colin Graham]

I was pretty disappointed with the decision as well, but didn't really feel it was my place to complain. I actually tried to stay away from here, thinking I'd maybe become too invested in the forum, and needed a life. But I live in a very small town (read: vacuum) and really missed the interaction, even if it's somewhat hamstrung and limited.

Now I'm not so sure. The place now seems altogether toothless. Clearly I still need a life. But I would like the opportunity to get to know the people that frequent this site, and with the the new regs, that's seems unlikely to happen. So I wonder what am I participating with, exactly.

[Deane Johnson]

I was hoping for an open debate with the "management" but nobody has come forth yet.

I didn't realize this was a democracy. I thought it was a privately owned enterprise wherein the owner makes the rules and they aren't debated. Am I wrong about this?

The decision was made by ownership to remove politics from the Lounge where 3 or 4 individuals made post after post after post to the point of nausea about their own particular political views.

Domenico, I have looked at your photographs and they are outstanding. Why do you want to tarnish the considerable respect you gain with your exceptional photographic work by espousing your political views in an arena where they are not welcomed?

[domenico Foschi]

Deane,
I suggest to read my post # 25 on how I can find room for a democratic slant in the LFPF.

Your last thought doesn't make any sense to me.
How can my thoughts about this matter have anything to do with my work?
My work stands alone and it is born from the same set of ideals that have inspired me to write in this forum today.

[Deane Johnson]

Deane,
Your last thought doesn't make any sense to me.

Does that by any chance mean the first two thoughts do make sense to you.

[Brian Bullen]

I too feel like the forum has changed, it just doesn't seem as lively as a few months ago. Did I like all of the political threads, not really but I avoided reading most of them. I do believe there could be a lounge like the old days before the "few" offenders took it to the extreme. A little moderation goes a long way.
Religion and politics are part of daily life, and for us so is large format, being able to discuss all of these on this forum adds to the sense of community. Bringing people closer together. There are a lot of excellent and knowledgeable photographers here with interesting personalities, restricting what they can say might push them out the door. The information on this site is invaluable and that information comes from the members.
I know this isn't a democracy and I don't expect it to be. However, I would like the forum to return to the mostly happy and good natured place it was before being taken over by the small group of lounge extremists.