Do you belong to any other forums?

Anniebach, you said: Now if one was of the nature that wanted disagreements one would be into that thread looking for posts to disagree on, I have ignored it, why bother to read a thread one knows one will disagree with . Unless one wanted to seek out disagreements I suppose

I still don't understand how anybody could have possibly found something to disagree with in a statement of fact.

Not realy talk about gracesmum, just offering an explanation,

If I don't want to talk about something, I just don't. End of.
I am going round in circles wondering why anniebach feels it necessary to talk about why she does not want to talk about something.

I am sticking to GN, I have been a bit of a lurker for a while, and I confess I don't read the threads that look as though they are descending into a slanging match. But I do feel that it would not be normal if we all agreed with each other and there are plenty of threads that are chat or good advice, humorous etc; there's something for everyone. I don't want to find another forum, most of the time I like this one.

I didn't say she should not have avoided it, I merely wondered how anybody could find anything to actually disagree with in a statement of fact. No need to shout or use bad language, Jingle.

Wish to be Greatnan, I haven't read anyone stating they might wish to be contentious.

Do let me explain yes? If a group wish to chat about snow then why not, many love it, I made a lighthearted comment on my phobia, thought no more of it. Read the thread titles this morning, saw one on snow so ignored it. Later I brought it into a post as an example of how I choose what to read and what to ignore, that's it, end of, I could have chosen rats I suppose, creepy little things

If anyone loves rats then no offence meant and no wish to be or fear of being contentious

I can't put a smiley face so please accept I am mentally adding one

SHE'S GOT AN EFFING SNOW PHOBIA.

That is why she (sorry. Anniebach) decided to avoid the snow thread.

I am not quite sure how anybody, however contentious they might wish to be, could find anything to disagree with in a simple statement of fact. I usually record the first snow of the year here in the Alps.

Janesworth, I didn't think a thread on it would or could be contentious, good grief if on the weather then no hope for mankind, no, I just used that as an example of avoiding threads one just knew one could disagree with any positive comment. I am a person who had a panic attack watching Dr Zhivargo and so had to leave the cinema . I learned to laugh at my little problem years ago

Hi from me too POGS

Well said, pogs, and hello again from me

Hello again POGS!

I only belong to GN. I too was persuaded my daughter to try GN to try and get to grips with using a computer, still quite hopeless but getting there, certainly a slow learner.

GN can be comforting, heart warming but in a flash infuriating and annoying. That's why I have stuck with it, it's what makes it interesting and gives me the reason to continue using my brain and feel I have the opportunity to say what I think. Now sadly for you lot that means talking to a captive audience. .

We are all strong minded at times and I love to see empathy is given out on a regular basis and this off-sets the odd thread that gets reduced to a bish bash of negativity.

We all find in life those we wish to be friends with, those we find we would not want to share time with but the art is to 'give as good as you get' and accept that if you do dish it out expect to have to take it on the chin in return.

Where's That Jingle with her sense of humour alert when you need her?

jane maybe I shouldn't have just said 'fear' but fear of being attacked. Sometimes, I would like to post on a contentious thread because I have something to say but, I don't like unnecessary confrontation, so I don't. I think Ariadne made that point.

It's a shame when people come on GN for a little down time and are just met with hassle, either directly or indirectly. My 'real' friends and I can either agree or agree to differ and remain friends but GN is much more confrontational than that.

Ahoy, HQ! I need a Devil emoticon!

Don't be taken in by Thatjaneainsworth!

You're very wise to keep away from that thread about the first snowfallin the Alps, anniebach. It's really contentious. Snow in the Alps in autumn! I ask you!

It isn't a contentious thread Anniebach, mere observations on an early snowfall.
Nothing to get worried about or disagree with

Often the thread title will alert one to the possibility that one may not like to read or discuss the content. Exemple I said in a post yesterday that one thing I would disagree on with proberly most is a liking for snow, this was a light hearted comment, to day there is a thread 'snow'. Now if one was of the nature that wanted disagreements one would be into that thread looking for posts to disagree on, I have ignored it, why bother to read a thread one knows one will disagree with . Unless one wanted to seek out disagreements I suppose

Very interesting Janerowena and yes, good advice. I like the idea of a warning being posted on a possibly contentious thread too - a sort of 'enter at your own risk'.

Very good advice, janerowena!

Love the notion of people being incensed enough to call for the banning of other members for 'offensive grammar and spelling'!

I run a forum. It is incredibly hard to find a balance between opinion and irrational and inflammatory posts. I have banned a stalker (male), someone who persistently posted racial jokes that caused two of our nicest members to leave (male), someone who was sending vile pms to various people (female) and someone (male) who kept telling me that they had been receiving death threats from our oldest male member, a kindly 90 year old male who wouldn't hurt a fly. I have refused to ban people for political reasons, but been sorely tempted. They have usually cleared off and given up anyway. Ditto religious ones who have tried to convert us. We are beyond redemption I fear.

But it is what makes a board lively, if we all agreed, how boring it would be. When the liveliest members are away on holiday the boards feels unnaturally quiet and I find I am looking elsewhere for stimulation. So now we have two joke threads, one for normal jokes, one for risque ones. Headings that warn 'If you don't like **, don't read this thread. That sort of thing. If I really dislike something I can change it or delete it before anyone else sees it and tell the member off. Or warn them that we perhaps have more gay members than they had realised... without naming names of course. And astonished by members wanting me to ban people for 'offensive grammar and spelling'!

Our board is far smaller than this so takes far less time to see what is going on, but we have lost our main source of members since the Beeb closed its boards so I fear that at some point we shall all just die off.

If there's one thing that I have learnt, it's that it is very possible to read a sentence in entirely the wrong way from which it was intended. So if you don't like something you see, please read it very carefully before you complain. And if it's late at night, read it again the next morning. I have lost count of the number of posts I made that were taken in entirely the wrong light.

One of the great benefits of retirement is that snow is a pleasure and not a pain. When I was working I would immediately start worrying about getting to work and, once there, about getting home. I love the snow but hate driving in it. Of course now I can worry about my children driving in it!!

Ah. That explains it. It has been puzzling me. I can sometimes "smell" when snow is on the way, but I think it's really "sense" because of falling pressure and a certain feel to the air.

Snow phobia can't be nice. I had a fear of driving on white stuff for a few years after a crash caused by ice, but I've overcome the worst of it now.