OK. A few more comments after further review.

I'm reversing my call on the "native English speaker" phrase. It touched the line and so was out of bounds. Even if well intentioned, it sets up an either/or framework that easily can be insulting. Either you are nonnative, and don't know any better; or you're a native speaker whose grammar and syntax suck. It's really a version of "your reading comprehension stinks; or "you could understand if you were (smarter, self aware, etc).

All of those phrases are insults trying to sneak into the discussion. So let's all be careful with that sort of comment. Another thing that helps set the tone is to avoid personalizing things at all. If you think someone misunderstands a point being made or a phrase being used, just state what facts he is getting wrong (in your opinion) and dont try and diagnose a personal flaw that causes it. (Cant read, isn't aware, etc).

And remember to give each other the benefit of the doubt that they are posting in good faith and may just misunderstand something or read something differently than most, rather than assume he is just out to **** with you. Keep your shields down. The other posters arent the enemy.

So I apologize to Victor for missing that post. Sometimes when going back and forth between threads and replying, at first glance you can miss the full context, or may not have seen earlier posts that pertain. (Those are reasons, not excuses). But this situation also shows why reporting posts is a key tool for the mods. When we see a report (and you describe why you think a post is a problem) it draws our attention to the issue and we can take a closer look.

I'd ask all involved in this latest skirmish to declare a truce and move forward. Keep things in perspective. We want our forum to be a place where all members can come for some enjoyable conversations in a friendly atmosphere. So prior to hitting the post button, take a second to make sure that, in your zeal to win the argument, you havent allowed a condescending or derogatory tone to creep into your words.

Thanks.

This is from the covid thread.

That’s just a lie, you were active before and making on topic posts in multiple threads. Back then, people were actually willing spend time and write up their own thoughts on things. That’s basically disappeared. Good mods don’t prevent conspiracy spamming because they are trying to protect people from believing the vaccine is dangerous or whatever. it’s that when threads and forums turn into well what we have here now, people just stop bothering and move on.

Alright, so I'll stop posting.
you'll hear it in the news anyways more sooner than later. and laggy I do understand and read what I post and that's the problem. I wished I wouldn't have to post this, I really wished that.

if I posted that 3 years ago, maybe 2, maybe even 1 year ago i would have been banned. pretty interesting, huh?

the suppressing has ended, the gaslighting has stopped. the truth is slowly coming out. like it or not. that's what's happening. and you will be surprised for how many lies you fell if you aren't already. this thing has harmed us in ways you can't even comprehend it seems like. it's unfathomable how some people still clinge to the ship that's long sinking.
I thought about it, and you know what I came up with as an analogy?
the TITANIC. it seems like you want to ride on the TITANIC without realising that you have a huge leak and are sinking.

end/rant

No need to stop posting. I mean you’re posts are higher effort and more on topic than any I’ve made in the last couple weeks.

I'm not exactly sure what you are meaning by this. But to my eyes the biggest change is that Cuepee was mad enough after getting temp banned that he hasn't even logged into the website again. I suspect he has quit for good. That is kinda hilarious, but because Cuepee was the most prolific poster by far of the browser era it really is the defining moment of his modship. I suppose one can view that positively or negatively, but I will say the forum reads a bit like a poker table after the big fish driving all the action gets mad at the other players and when the arbiter shuts them down then leaves for good. Ok the analogy was a bit tortured, but I think you get my point. Somehow some groundswell of high quality engagement hasn't quite happened yet.

I hope Cuepee comes back to post again personally.

I was talking about the Covid thread, which has sort of deteriorated past the point where I think a reasonable person would bother with it.

It's very unfortunate that the mainstream narratives about covid have completely collapsed. You could consider starting a different covid thread for very reasonable people?

Now you're just gaslighting.

I've been called a lying gaslighter by Cuepee before and so obviously know how Cuepee can be. But he's oftentimes "not even wrong" and I have no zero reason to dislike him on a personal level. I respect the fact that he's beholden to no ideologies and is more or less a free thinker and I think his positives outweigh his narratives.

Me too. It isn't always the best action, but he absolutely does drive a lot of action on this forum. He sticks with his convictions though, to his credit, so if he has decided to leave because he is mad he can't accuse people of gaslighting any more, then I expect he will stick with that.

Only heat, not light.

Browser, do you really think that it is out of line to mention someone is not a native English speaker and does not live in the US when that person has made a claim about what a particular English word means to the average American?

Yeah now you and qp can't go back and forth for pages, which is a net positive. But looking at the 2 top posters, by a mile, it isn't hard to see the quality of posts has dropped

but see, bolded is not the point. also, its not how I take it. context shows how it was meant. his subsequence posts are even more proof.

so I couldnt help but get a little jab at the guy who said I was bad at English not understanding a common word.

appreciate this.

not browser but no, probably not a terrible post.

BUT,,,, holy cow, if this is your reason..... you are WAY out of bounds. Average American? Jesus H. man. How do YOU know what the Average American thinks is "correct" for any word? You know you and your small orbit of friends/neighbors etc.....maybe a thousand people. USA #1 is a tad bigger than just your orbit.

Not saying V is correct....could be, but he has a similar orbit.

Just that you "may" be incorrect

My "orbit" is at least made up mostly of other native English speakers who have lived in the US their entire lives. Victor's orbit almost certainly includes none of those types of people.

I'm a lurker but wow do you have a high opinion of yourself

"sorry that I was smart enough to figure that out"

Do you not expect one to take umbrage here?

Why would you think that? What did Victor say?

*Ok I looked, he didn't say anything. If any sort of foreign seeming syntax or word choices pop up though then I want to know about them

I have a "high opinion of myself" because I'm mostly around native English speakers who have lived in the US their entire lives? That is no brag, it would apply to the majority of Americans.

And yes, the way I expressed it there was after Victor had directed the most venomous post I had ever seen at me (and been given a temp ban for it). The way I first expressed it was matter-of-fact and not intended as an insult.

I would not be at all insulted if I were speaking Spanish with someone and they said they could tell I was not a native speaker. Why would I take offense at that? It is obviously true, and I would be happy to learn more nuances of the language from someone who knew it better than I do.

Because he lives in another country and is not a native English speaker.

Do you think someone who lives in another country likely spends much time around native English speakers who have lived their entire lives in the US?

He does???

I believe so. He will not respond to questions about it, but I remember some mention of him living in Europe quite awhile back.

this chronology is confusing. I was not even talking to you. I responded to DonkJr and my post was in no way disrespectful. you jumped in to insult me.

so your initial post was not disrespectful? but your subsequent posts expressing the same theme if not exact content were disrespectful but justifiably so?

I dont owe you any sort of response or clarification about my personal life.