Another Aussie dropping in for a visit

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Warrigal

Warrigal

SF VIP
Location
Sydney, Australia
I'm not sure what I have to offer this forum but I am interested to learn from the current members.

I'm an Australian of relatively distant British ancestry. In my working life I was a high school teacher of maths, science, computing and to a lesser extent, design and technology.

Australians are great travellers and enjoy longer holidays than workers in many other countries. I, together with my husband of 50 years, have been fortunate enough to have travelled all over Australia and have also visited many other countries including England, Scotland and Wales, the USA including Hawaii, Canada, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Kenya, New Zealand, China, Papua New Guinea and a number of Sth Pacific Islands. I will be very interested in the travel threads on this forum.

I am interested in science, the natural environment and politics. I am also a Christian whose approach to my religion is to be a voice and supporter of the poor and disadvantaged of the world so I guess I would be called a liberal in the US and a leftie in my own country. I owe no political party my allegiance because my allegiance is focussed on a higher plane.

I like to argue. Where everyone seems to be in agreement I will either move on without comment or I might just start arguing a contrary viewpoint but I always try to respect all viewpoints and especially try to respect the person expressing something with which I disagree. When I get to know people more and feel they know me I can get rather cheeky. In Australia we call this "being a stirrer". Stirring is something of a national past time so be warned. The stirrer expects the stirree to respond in kind. It is a kind of verbal tennis and it never matters who wins. It is the game that matters, not the end point.

Hoping the above information helps you all to interpret my posts. I will try to avoid Aussie colloquialisms and may have to seek translations of your local lingo.
 

Glad you dropped by Polly, sorry, Warri, I would have missed you, and our word jousts, something awful. Stir away, you know I'll take the bait anytime it's on.
:D:D:D

Don't worry folks, we're old pals who stage mock verbal battles for the fun of good old fashioned debating among friends, as opposed to what passes for debate on many forums these days. Rest assured we aren't 'fighting'. Hope you enjoy the entertainment as much as we do.:cool:

btw, Warrigal is always a Pollyanna, and I'm the born cynic just to get the characters sorted out. :biggrin-new:
 
Welcome to Senior Forums Warrigal! :wave: It sounds like you've lead quite an interesting life with your career and travels. Congratulations for sharing life with your husband for 50 years, that's wonderful. We're going on our 37th, and I couldn't be happier.
 

Warrigal said:
I owe no political party my allegiance because my allegiance is focussed on a higher plane.
Click to expand...


Many in the USA feel the same. Politician = crook. Seriously, I love your intro, you seem to know who you are & don't mix words.
Welcome, great to have you here!

I will try to avoid Aussie colloquialisms and may have to seek translations of your local lingo.
Click to expand...

:anyone:

Okay, I'll help ya. This translating tool may be of assistance when dealin' with us YO! EAT COAT folks.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
 
SeaSparkle said:
Many in the USA feel the same. Politician = crook. Seriously, I love your intro, you seem to know who you are & don't mix words.
Welcome, great to have you here!



:anyone:

Okay, I'll help ya. This translating tool may be of assistance when dealin' with us YO! EAT COAT folks.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
Click to expand...

Great link, SeaSparkle. I've learned something already. I especially liked Nocializing

Now, while I've got your attention...

Why are there no controversial topics on this forum? I would expect to see some discussion about current news items such as the trial of Bradley Manning. It seems to me that topics where strong feelings may be expressed are avoided.

On our Australian forum we often tackled controversial issues including US ones such as gun laws (or from our perspective - lack of). What would happen if I were to throw up subjects such as Wikileaks or gun control reforms ?
Would it result in Armageddon and the destruction of the harmony of this community?
 
Thought you'd never ask. I was thinking of asking about a group option for our usual jousts on dodgy subjects, all would be welcome to watch but it would keep us from muddying the pool.
 
Warrigal said:
Great link, SeaSparkle. I've learned something already. I especially liked Nocializing

Now, while I've got your attention...

Why are there no controversial topics on this forum? I would expect to see some discussion about current news items such as the trial of Bradley Manning. It seems to me that topics where strong feelings may be expressed are avoided.

On our Australian forum we often tackled controversial issues including US ones such as gun laws (or from our perspective - lack of). What would happen if I were to throw up subjects such as Wikileaks or gun control reforms ?
Would it result in Armageddon and the destruction of the harmony of this community?
Click to expand...


Can't answer for this forum, don't know, but you want to see punches thrown? ...
Not political or religious in nature ..
...but I've got forums for you that are non-stop fighting and arguing ... it's called Football season in the USA ... :D
... the 2013 :danger::flamewar::what::aargh::eek:wned:season has begun in full force on the college/NFL message boards .... hehe
 
My mind is a sport free zone except when the question of sportsmanship comes up. I'm very old school about that.

Regarding your question, I don't want to start any flame wars but I would like to find out what people think about serious issues. In Oz we hear/read a lot more about the US than the other way round and we sometimes scratch our heads in bewilderment.

I mentioned Bradley Manning. As people probably know Julian Assange is an Australian and is quite vocal in our press. He is even attempting to stand for the Australian Senate when the election is called, even though he is currently unable to leave the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Your lot has not yet been able to get their hands on him but I'm sure it is not for want of trying. Then there is that other fellow who is currently holed up in China. I'd like to start a discussion on the role/significance of whistle blowers and where the line might be between conscientious action and treason. Without a flame war.

Is this forum the right place for this?
Anyone?
 
No fights, we loved SHS because it was safe and friendly verbal gymnasium to work out in, without becoming a boxing ring. We'd just spar over controversial things under the full Marquis of Queensbury rules, shake hands and have a laugh together. Only 'word games' played between people with too much time on their hands and the urge to write. Verbal jousters, not frothers. Biiiiig difference. There was the odd bicker of course, that's normal, and not everyone enjoys the gibbering of others about something they're not interested in. Easy enough to avoid those threads which didn't interest us though.

I visit a few of the 'cage fighting' forums more to learn what makes frothers and trolls tick than to participate. I'm yet to find a subject that's worth getting that personally upset over.
It's a lesson in how not to get into that situation. I find people who have trouble expressing themselves devolve to schoolyard level spit fights out of frustration. Best tactic for avoiding that is to walk away and leave them stewing. They're not interested in learning anything, or going to change their minds, or even explain why they think the way they do, so there's no point in continuing the conversation. They usually can't even explain why they care so much about it, so let 'em think they've 'won', who cares? Won what exactly?

There are plenty of sane people out there who can discuss/debate something without going into the red zone. We like to learn, and you don't learn a thing from bashing each other. It's a dead certainty that you're not going to change anyone's views or impress them with your side of the argument by clouting them either. So why the fight? Obviously just for the sake of letting off steam. There's plenty of forums for doing that. I go to whatever one deserves my bad mood on the day and stay nice on nice forums. I presume others do the same.
Nice friendly non specific interest ones are a rare gem, and deserve to be treated with all respect.


Even politically we're about evenly opposed and love scoring a point, but it isn't life and death, just a mutually held disdain for politicians in general for different reasons on different 'sides'. Some of us 'defend' the indefensible merely to keep the 'game' going more than out of loyalty to a Party. We just mucking around, in the main although some seem to be still under illusion that any of them are worth feeding.

We had several American members, and we had long 'discussions' over gun laws etc without either side getting upset despite sometimes opposing views. 2 are here, one's travelling and we're hoping he'll join us later, one is MIA but invited. It was great to get the other side of the equation from the 'horse's mouth' as what we read and hear from the media is never the full story.

I think we may be better to form a group for the verbal jousts, rather than make a nuisance to those who don't want to bother with that stuff. Any and all are welcome to 'weigh in' but it may be better not to muddy up the main thread pages.

We love the general chit chat threads as much as any do, but also enjoy getting into more serious stuff if there's room for it.

Group the best option?? Up to you.
 
Native here, lol! ;) Please read the last post on this thread...https://www.seniorforums.com/showthread.php/1531-Getting-To-Know-Senior-Forums.

TWHRider started a wonderful group today about horses. Anyone can create a group of their choice on this forum. It's easy...go for it! :) You'll see the Groups by clicking on Community and Groups in the bar at the top of the forum page. If you click on New Posts to read the daily updated messages, you will also see New Group Messages show there.

We're open to all kind of discussions on the forum, but creating a group can make those with certain interests, more comfy. You can post things you like on the forum, or in your group.
 
Warrigal said:
Regarding your question, I don't want to start any flame wars but I would like to find out what people think about serious issues. In Oz we hear/read a lot more about the US than the other way round and we sometimes scratch our heads in bewilderment.

I mentioned Bradley Manning. As people probably know Julian Assange is an Australian and is quite vocal in our press. He is even attempting to stand for the Australian Senate when the election is called, even though he is currently unable to leave the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Your lot has not yet been able to get their hands on him but I'm sure it is not for want of trying. Then there is that other fellow who is currently holed up in China. I'd like to start a discussion on the role/significance of whistle blowers and where the line might be between conscientious action and treason. Without a flame war.

Is this forum the right place for this?
Anyone?
Click to expand...

The folks here are open to civil discussion on any topic here, IMO. I already mentioned that the "whistleblower" Snowden, who in my opinion, should be thanked, as we do not hear many real issues in the main stream media here...https://www.seniorforums.com/showthread.php/1491-TRACKING-tracking-tracking.

Things have never gotten ugly here since I've been around, or I probably wouldn't be here. :)
 
Good to know, SeaBreeze.
I wouldn't want to startle the long standing members with a radical cultural shift.

A special group that is more open than closed seems like a good idea.
How about the P&O group where P&O stands for Philosophers and Orators ?

People can say what they think about matters of public importance,
politely of course, but without fear or favour.

Alternately we could call it "Speakers Corner" after the tradition of Hyde Park ?
A Speakers' Corner is an area where open-air public speaking, debate and discussion are allowed. The original and most noted is in the north-east corner of Hyde Park in London, United Kingdom, the site of the Tyburn gallows used for public executions. Speakers there may speak on any subject, as long as the police consider their speeches lawful, although this right is not restricted to Speakers' Corner only. Contrary to popular belief, there is no immunity from the law, nor are any subjects proscribed, but in practice the police tend to be tolerant and therefore intervene only when they receive a complaint or if they hear profanity.[SUP][1][/SUP]
Click to expand...

Any other suggestions?
 

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