The Bully Pulpit

[Kevin]

I'm finishing up the layout of the BP and need suggestions for the different forums. I'm open to any suggestion that provide a logical layout of political areas of discussion. We have domestic social issues, domestic economic issues, international issues or we could go further into breaking it down. Speak up for the BP does not return until input is received.

[Tito]

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Will the BP be welcomed back into TMN family or will it be relegated to delinquent stepchild solitary confinement status again?

[Haydesc]

I'm finishing up the layout of the BP and need suggestions for the different forums. I'm open to any suggestion that provide a logical layout of political areas of discussion. We have domestic social issues, domestic economic issues, international issues or we could go further into breaking it down. Speak up for the BP does not return until input is received.

I think that religion and politics should be given general topic areas when a topic does not fall into the domestic or social buckets, plus a catch-all area for things that may not fit any category.

[sc-wvu4ever]

I vote for wacko conspiracy theories! I would call it Panera Bread of Life

[Lee]

I'm finishing up the layout of the BP and need suggestions for the different forums. I'm open to any suggestion that provide a logical layout of political areas of discussion. We have domestic social issues, domestic economic issues, international issues or we could go further into breaking it down. Speak up for the BP does not return until input is received.

1. Radical Right-Wing Whackos
2. Loony Left-Wing Losers

That'll pretty much cover everything to do with the U.S. House of Representatives...

[Tito]

KEEEEEvin...did you just delete a question here?? Well, I'll answer it anyway!

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Will the BP be welcomed back into TMN family or will it be relegated to delinquent stepchild solitary confinement status again?

What would you prefer Tito?

Actually, I'm leaning toward just reintegrating it into the main site. It seems people aren't willing to follow our one simple rule about posting BP stuff on here so I wonder what the point is in keeping it separate.

I don't think the BP EVER got very malevolent. It was more like a family food fight. By now everybody knows where all the different members are coming from. It was fun and feisty, informative and engaging. I miss RRIG and A-wild and Shart on pitt. (Sorry if I'm cornfusing another website's user names )... I just realized that I only miss the conservatives! . Let the ideas and the characters have-at-it. Try to restrain the ham-fisted chaperoning...Like porn, you'll know (unwarranted personal attacks) when you see it. Warranted personal attacks should be considered as "legal open season"...

[sc-wvu4ever]

I second Tito's view. I enjoy the exchange of ideas and the debates that went on. The occasion when a member would take themselves to seriously, and a few verbal fisticuffs ensued, I just say hey, you know what you were getting into when you pulled up a cyber chair.

[Aaron]

I just want a ring for RRiG and Oly. I add no substance, just fuel.

[Tito]

I just want a ring for RRiG and Oly. I add no substance, just fuel.

Yes indeed. By some fortunate circumstance we DID have a few people on each side of the debates who could go toe to toe with each other and exert the effort to post reams of stats supporting their stance. Most had good sniffers that could detect a red herring or horseshit in the argument and were joyous to point it out. Self righteousness got flungpooed damn fast.

[JimBeamNeverMissedAGame]

Yeah, and if it weren't for the BP...I wouldn't learn new words like "FLUNGPOOED", too!

In my line of work, I need new words all the time to weave into my 'writings' or else it gets stale...

[A-Wild]

Two sections

Oly Free Zone

Non Oly Free Zone

Let the buyer beware...

[Kevin]

The BP will be making its return to TMN. I'll need to rewire the existing boards back into the site. Give me a day or two based on the "real" job.

[MikeOly]

Let it stay dead. I am far more productive at work with it gone.

[DAE]

I'm finishing up the layout of the BP and need suggestions for the different forums. I'm open to any suggestion that provide a logical layout of political areas of discussion. We have domestic social issues, domestic economic issues, international issues or we could go further into breaking it down. Speak up for the BP does not return until input is received.

That's a tough call. The three main "hot button" topics are, in my opinion, (1) Politics, (2) Religion, and (3) Science.

Regarding (3), it's not so much scientific discovery itself that is controversial (although the funding issue does politicize it; it's just not as widely known by those outside of academia); it's the implications of interpretations of scientific results that make people uneasy and / or thrilled. Even if it's not a controversial topic, it would still be nice to have a board for people that want to share interesting science-related articles.

As far as (1) goes, you could break it into just (A) Domestic Issues and (B) International Issues, but so many international issues only grab our (Americans) attention because they affect us directly. Few, for instance, seem to have much interest in the conflicts in Africa except when American celebrities are involved. The problems that have escalated in Egypt, which RRIG seemed to eerily predict when the revolutions first started, are beginning to be noticed but are also somewhat largely ignored by MSM for some odd reason. Perhaps it is because Syria and the sequester have center stage? A fitting amendment to (B) in light of the considerations might be, "International Relations / Issues," which would simultaneously include non-US-related issues as well as American foreign policy. For symmetry's sake, I would recommend "Domestic Relations / Issues," but the only topics that fall under "Domestic Relations" are those that occur in Tito's household and I really don't care to read about those.

(2) could be a free-for-all discussion about Biblical exegesis, theology, the existence of God, non-Christian religions and beliefs, etc. The only thing then missing from the three categories that I think is important is ethics / morality. Otherwise, we run the risk of conflating "moral" with "legal," which is dreadfully mistaken. Therefore, a proposed amendment to that category, though somewhat misleading, is, "Religion / Morality." I say it is misleading because I hate to imply that morality is only possible with religion, but if it is made clear that it covers both topics, even when they don't intersect, then it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Just my two cents.

[Haydesc]

Well said DAE.