If Radio 1 do play that wretched song.....

"I come late to this discussion"

Thank the Lord for small mercies.

Now, now, jingle, don't get personal -you know how sensitive I am.

j08 You can suggest whatever you like and even use the passive in your post if you like, but it doesn't make what you have posted correct.

At least you show the odd flash of humour Greatnan

The personal insults on forums do not matter to me. I would only be upset if they were made by people I knew, respected and cared about or if they damaged my reputation or were threatening.

My feelings exactly, nanaej.

They matter insofar as they tend to detract from what their users are saying. Also, once name-calling and/or silly negativity is resorted to it's a signal that the argument, whatever it was, has been lost by those person(s) because anyone with a strong argument doesn't need to be so childish.

Jings opened this "debate" with a perfectly sensible and sensitive statement. She, like the rest of us, has every right to her point of view. I have loved coming to Gransnet over many months. I can recall some extremely happy and funny times shared. However, at the moment I'm depressed by all the continuing argy-bargying and spitefulness aimed at jings. Therefore, for a few days, I'm taking a rest from the forum.

soop Be back soon.

Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My

I am very puzzled by your comment, soop. I have followed this thread right through and read all the comments except the one that was deleted as not keeping within forum guidelines (and that one was by jings). I have not seen any spitefulness aimed at the OP at all. I have seen questions following comments of hers and I have seen arguments on both sides of the issue. I have also seen some spitefulness, but it wasn't aimed at Jingle.

I remain puzzled.

soop it's sad you feel that way I echo your thoughts. I love j08's posts, typically humorous and insightful. She often makes me laugh out loud. I'm sure she has many supporters but what seems to happen at times is there will be a group of one persuasion who appear to 'gang up' if there is no one online to counteract them.

From what I've seen j08 can handle herself in the ring and won't let the negativity upset her.

Soop, I know you have probably nipped off now , I will post anyway I am in accordance with you 110%

soop Are you suggesting, with your use of inverted commas ("debate"), that certain statements, j08's being one of them, fall into some sort of special category of statements that are unquestionably right and that it is therefore somehow "improper" to oppose them in any way?

Nobody has suggested that j08 was not entitled to have/have a right to express her point of view. It is in fact you who is suggesting that certain gransnetters are not entitled to have/have a right to express their opinions.

Sel , not if she has any sense she won"t.

And soop, thank you so much for your support. Means a lot.

And thanks Nonu.

I agree with soop differences of opinion are becoming too personal on here.soop don't stay away too long.

Herewith an example of "sensible and sensitive statements":

Absent, if you don't like my stuffing threads don't fucking read 'em!

Sel Are you suggesting that there is only one group that is of a particular "persuasion"?

Your use of the words "gang up" would appear to be more appropriate for those of your "persuasion", since most of those comments have not addressed the issues being discussed but have been merely a succession of personal insults. It's a shame that the vocabulary of the playground is being used to describe differences in opinion.

absent No-one's perfect. Soz.

Why didn't they delete that?! There is no consistency!

I love the idea of jingle being a sensitive little lady whose posts must not be challenged. She is a shrewd, prolific poster and often starts threads which she knows will attract opposite points of view. She posts remarks which would normally be seen as unpleasant but pretends to 'hide' them by using hashtag or putting a line through. People seem to regard her as an 'enfant terrible' rather than a mature woman who knows exactly what she is doing. I quite enjoy her posts and I think it is patronising for people to think she needs protecting when she starts contentious threads. And, of course, if she gets too much flack she will leave in a huff and come again after a short time!

As far as I can see, the only people who have ben personally attacked are Vampire Queen, Micelf and nanaej. Some people thought this was wrong and said so. Why was that 'ganging up'?
Sel, perhaps you could stop making vague accusations and tell us which 'persuasion' you think is bullying.

Greatnan I did not mention the word bullying. Lets try 'passive aggressive'.

No, don't let's bother.