Off topic remarks

[rae519]

As a person who has often gone OFF TOPIC, I fail to see the big issue involved with this. Maybe I am missing something here, but many of us are FRIENDS and often share things that do not pertain to the topic but are either "funny or interesting" or both.

So please educate me - someone, anyone - as to the big deal involved with "going off topic".

Rae

 

[disney6]

Thought I'd jump in here before this got moved!

Another question could be, why are some "off topic" threads left alone while others are closed/moved?

Since we are all cruisers I vote with you that even though the subject seems off topic, it's all because of DCL we are together and friends.

 

[Hygiene99]

lets see i f i take $300.0 from checking and put it in to a roth ira
with an intrest rate of 5.0 percent in 28 years when i retire
i will have approxamiately ??? when do i get to pay the taxes
when can i draw would like to retire at age 58 and move to florida and just sail on DCL...... is this possible ???

peter

 

[rae519]

One common denominator that I see in today's threads - Buckaroo's Dad is either mentioned or has posted.


Rae

 

[Marcotta]

I've been following these threads of a similar nature but can't find what has prompted all this? what am I missing?

I've met BD on our last cruise and he is genuinely a very nice person and his attention to his son is remarkable. Prior to that, his humor got me through many long days of counting down what seemed like forever! Why would ANYONE want to ban him from the boards???

That's ridiculous!

 

[rae519]

Buckaroo's Dad hasn't been banned but I find it curious that the issue arose and I was alerted to the possibility by another individual. NO NAMES.

This does bring a serious issue to light which is on the other thread.

For this one, I don't know if going off topic is a big deal or not - personally, I don't see it as one but thought it might be an issue to some of the lurkers and maybe even regular posters.

This will probably be moved off the Disney site but I put it here because all the people who I am familiar with post here and I'd like their input since we do talk Disney Cruise with out off topic comments.

Rae

 

[rae519]

And by the way, I have known Buckaroo's Dad for over a year and find him to be a very warm and loving person who has a good sense of humor. He has often corrected my grammar or teased me - but he treats everyone the same way.

Whatever a person's reason for "not liking" what a poster says, it's THEIR reason and is often NOT the general concensus of the group.

Rae

 

[Marcotta]

agreed!

very RARELY have I seen it be a group consensus (unless it was an obvious prankster!)

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

Staying on topic, I personally do not have a problem with threads that stray off-topic. I started a thread a few months back in which I jokingly lamented that it really bugs me when people refer to Palo as "Palo's" or the ship as "the boat." That thread turned into a general catch-all for everyone's personal pet-peeves, whether cruise-related or not. It actually grew to several pages, most of which were very OT.

I'm not at all sure about what Rae is referring to with regard to Buckaroo's Dad, but I can't imagine that he would be purposely insulting to another poster, and that's the only reason I could see for shutting down or removing a topic.

There are topics that I just don't bother with as the topic or debate itself either doesn't interest me, or is one I don't feel I could learn anything from or contribute anything to. There are also posters who I don't read, or take their postings with a grain of salt (as I'm sure there are those who do so with my posts). I would think banning a member would have to result from a pretty egregious personal attack. I've never seen anything like that here.

 

[rae519]

Lloyd - I can assure you, you are NOT on my "IGNORE LIST" !!!!!!

; )

And it is a ship, not a boat - and it's definitely not "The Big Red Boat". THAT was a great thread, by the way!!!

Rae

 

[Vivig]

My family and I took the Disney Cruise in April, I was hooked day and night on these boards! In fact ..I still am hooked. And the beauty of these boards is that everyone is like 'family'.

I don't participate much in ways of posting replies to threads....but I did want to mention this.....The 'regulars' on these boards all seem like very genuine, caring, wonderful individuals who all have a great sense of humor!!! When I read the exchanges between Rae519, The Verandah man, Buckaroo's Dad I truly feel they are like family. Many a times I may be stressed due to work and 'pop' onto the disboards to see what is happening..and many a times it is Buckaroo's Dad that makes me genuinely laugh from with his remarks.

I must have missed the thread that sparked this..but to all those that are new to these boards..there are many people here that have been participating for a long time..they share a wealth of information and at times sprinkle it with laughter. I can only speak for myself..these boards made my family's trip a lot more enjoyable as well as a lot more organized. I gained a ton knowledge that I put to good use.

Appreciate all the regulars that you will come across this board..they are doing everyone a favor by providing information. Other boards don't have half as nice individuals as you will 'meet' here. I can't name everyone...but 'speaking' as a silent participant appreciate what you have here..which is a 'community' in cyberspace.

There..my two cents

 

[aprilgail2]

I for one always have enjoyed coming here and being part of everything, even off topic things and I can't believe that just because one or two people can't take a joke or don't like one poster that it will just become all "business" here....how boring!!

 

[tkd lisa]

Speaking of off-topic (but not as extreme as Peter - Hygiene99), I think I loaded a personal picture thingie in my profile, and I just want to see if it shows up. So I figured I could do that in an "off-topic" thread???

BTW Peter, why don't you and Jen come out and join TnRobin, WDWGoose and us on the 10 day xmas cruise, be just like the inaugural Western?

 

[tkd lisa]

No picture thingie! Guess I'll have to try again later!

 

[Michelle]

Hmm, Rae, I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to, but I'll try and jump in here.

There is a board guideline that states:

6. STAYING ON TOPIC: The boards are named to reflect general topics. Please refrain from asking questions about park hours on the DVC board, or questions about the Caribbean Beach on the Trip Reports board.

Granted, that is pretty broad and quite honestly on this board we do allow quite a BIT of leeway regarding topics, such as transportation issues related to cruising. We also recognize that there is a certain amount of personal banter between folks and that is just part of the fun of the community.

I don't know what post you are talking about specifically, but if you have a concern feel free to e-mail or PM any of the board moderators.

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

I know I have been a member of these boards for a little over a year and am getting ready to go on our second DCL cruise. I found this forum very friendly and it is a wealth of information. I really just picked a name started reading, asking questions, sharing info and I was off.

One day I received a nasty and mean personal message (PM) from a fellow DIS'ers who made very mean comments about me personally and my "life situation" and went as far as accusing me of lying and trying to get sympathy!

Well I have never used personal messages so that was new to me but I figured it out and responded several times in the last year explaining to this fellow "Hero" Dis'ers that "they" were wrong and misunderstood my comment and in fact I was not lying and even took the time to explain my "life situation" as to resolve the issue.

When I look back now I realize this person required no response or reply because they were rude, wrong and "off the topic".

Well this person never read my PM response and basically has been nominated to sainthood here on the DIS Boards. It has caused me to back off from these boards, surf more and really almost ran me off. Even the thought of it still hurts me. This person is well regarded here as "wonderful" but I saw another side through a PM that was nasty.

Of course I did report it to a Moderator and was told this was not the first time this person had been warned.

Rae, I love ya and respect you and can't wait to meet you on our Magic Halloween cruise in 6 weeks but I am just saying as part of our democracy and people's personalities in general there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes thus maybe causing the "monitoring" of these boards and if needed removal.

There may be a lot of folks like me that this has happened to and that have not spoken up???

Just my 2 cents and not worth much

 

[Disneymommie]

I kinda feel somewhat responsible for the start of what is happening here. Not directly but I think I started the thread that went off topic. Anyway, I do not post as offtend as a lot of people here, HOWEVER I read these boards everyday! The reason I first came to this board was I wanted information, the reason I come back is because you guys are GREAT. You , BD and VerandahMan are awesome! You are right if it were not for going off topic, who would know about each other, if we did not get to know about each other why would we want to have DIS meets, it makes reading these boards wonderful, and if a few of these people or even one got banded where would the fun be. Sorry if this is Off topic but I wanted to say sorry if my thread about the train started this.

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

Off topic remarks

Geez - I don't drink but I could sure use one now...


Where's Nick & Cindy when ya need 'em? (They must be cops)...

 

[Jeanny]

I know this is an information forum, ask a question, receive an answer... but what kind of forum/board would we have if we just asked and just answered the same questions over and over without our humor, our opinions, our own thoughts?

A "Dis-er" who doesn't post here often, took offense with me the other night and threw the entire thread totally off topic He didn't understand when I was trying to explain why we are the way we are on this board/forum, then another lit into BD. I could see where we were going (downhill fast) and although a couple of people tried to help out, I asked Michelle to close the thread..

We, "the regulars" on this forum, all know BD ... I personally can't wait to read his posts. The first time I read something from BD, I thought, OHMIGOD, then realized he was such a joker, I came to love him!!! (sorry, BD if I'm embarassing you).

Yes, there are some posters who constantly post about cancelled cruises, so I choose to ignore her. I simply choose not to read her posts. But then sometimes, I'll throw a zinger at her, just to remind her we're tired of hearing about it! That's my opinion, my choice.

Yes, there are new posters who don't understand what we're about and take us way too personally. If they took the time to read and not flame away, they'd understand better.

I consider the people on this board my friends and if we go off topic, that's ok with me... how else are we going to learn about each other and what everyone knows about cruising and how their trip was...well to answer my own original question above, it would be pretty boring if we asked and answered the same questions over and over.

If we just asked and answered questions, how would we have ever learned about Nate Page & his family? How would we have ever learned about Andy's Captain Underpants Verandah upgrade!! How else would we have ever learned about Rae's shrimp obsession??

To quote Andy (Captain Underpants, Commandah Verandah) "We are Family, I've got all my Dis-ers with me!"

Now, I have to go and find the off topic thread about the train!!

 

[Jeanny]

Originally posted by Buckaroo's Dad
Geez - I don't drink but I could sure use one now...


Where's Nick & Cindy when ya need 'em? (They must be cops)...

I'll find the train later