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I tried to get into COMUK the other day and found I'd been banned. I contacted Jim to ask why and he said it was because I hadn't posted anything in the big B&B pool for ages (since June) and that active participation on the main forums is a requirement for social group membership. (Which seems fair enough.) Also, he'd seen on here that I often plug TSR at CONUK and that I "participate in posts that are rude and puerile on your new board."
I though these first two points were fair (but not the last one: what's my sense of humour on another website got to do with him?!)
I replied as follows:
Jim
I don't only go to CONUK to plug The Shave Room; but I do plug it as it is new and needs publicity. I also believe it serves the needs of UK shavers better than CONUK.
But this works both ways: I always make a point of also plugging B&B over at TSR as some people here don't know about it or else may have questions which only the width, depth and breadth of B&B can answer.
I have also occasionally defended B&B on TSR as I think some of the criticisms are unfounded and unfair.
It's true: I do like the "rude and puerile" nature of TSR, but I think that's a cultural thing; I also dislike the guns'n'knives stuff on B&B for the same reason. I'm English: I don't own a gun but I do laugh at schoolboy humour. That's me, and that's the difference between CONUK and TSR.
I am keen to stay with B&B as I like many members and respect the sheer amount of knowledge and experience there.
Hope this helps
Yours
Ollie
Jim replied very graciously (he's seems to be a genuinely nice guy if you handle decently) and I said I would post and participate on the main B&B forum(s). He then wanted to know what's with the gun aversion. (I think he's a veteran.)
Again, here's my reply in full:
Hi Jim
Without getting political it's not just the explicit gun threads but the general ethos at B&B, which can tend towards the macho and militaristic (e.g. PIFs for active duty service personnel, or special status for veterans). Given the recent history of American foreign policy (Vietnam, Contras, Gulf War) I'm not sure it's something to be celebrated. I'm no pacifist and America has saved Europe at least twice (WWI & WWII) but unilateral wars on false pretexts (e.g. non-existent WMD) make me uncomfortable, to say the least.
I do fully support the men and women (military and civilian) who do their duty and carry out their political masters' wishes as this is not their fault, but I think we (the US and UK) have done far more harm than good through our campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have destabilised whole regions and radicalised many Muslims against us, making the very thing we are fighting (militancy in general and terrorism in particular) much more likely.
Yes, 9/11 was terrible, but it was Saudis -- not Afghans -- who flew those planes; Yes, Iraq had a cruel dictator, but there are worse regimes in the world which don't have oil or are too powerful to take on or who are strategic allies of the US and we do nothing about them. If a wasp stings you, don't kill a bee (unless you just want an excuse to get his honey).
I am no pacifist but I do believe violence should be a last resort and is often preventable and not always justified.
I will try and join in the Big Pool at B&B - you are quite right about participation.
Thanks
Ollie
I think we parted on friendly terms but we'd both made our points in a full, fair, frank and friendly manner -- which is about as good as it gets without actually agreeing on everything.
I though these first two points were fair (but not the last one: what's my sense of humour on another website got to do with him?!)
I replied as follows:
Jim
I don't only go to CONUK to plug The Shave Room; but I do plug it as it is new and needs publicity. I also believe it serves the needs of UK shavers better than CONUK.
But this works both ways: I always make a point of also plugging B&B over at TSR as some people here don't know about it or else may have questions which only the width, depth and breadth of B&B can answer.
I have also occasionally defended B&B on TSR as I think some of the criticisms are unfounded and unfair.
It's true: I do like the "rude and puerile" nature of TSR, but I think that's a cultural thing; I also dislike the guns'n'knives stuff on B&B for the same reason. I'm English: I don't own a gun but I do laugh at schoolboy humour. That's me, and that's the difference between CONUK and TSR.
I am keen to stay with B&B as I like many members and respect the sheer amount of knowledge and experience there.
Hope this helps
Yours
Ollie
Jim replied very graciously (he's seems to be a genuinely nice guy if you handle decently) and I said I would post and participate on the main B&B forum(s). He then wanted to know what's with the gun aversion. (I think he's a veteran.)
Again, here's my reply in full:
Hi Jim
Without getting political it's not just the explicit gun threads but the general ethos at B&B, which can tend towards the macho and militaristic (e.g. PIFs for active duty service personnel, or special status for veterans). Given the recent history of American foreign policy (Vietnam, Contras, Gulf War) I'm not sure it's something to be celebrated. I'm no pacifist and America has saved Europe at least twice (WWI & WWII) but unilateral wars on false pretexts (e.g. non-existent WMD) make me uncomfortable, to say the least.
I do fully support the men and women (military and civilian) who do their duty and carry out their political masters' wishes as this is not their fault, but I think we (the US and UK) have done far more harm than good through our campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have destabilised whole regions and radicalised many Muslims against us, making the very thing we are fighting (militancy in general and terrorism in particular) much more likely.
Yes, 9/11 was terrible, but it was Saudis -- not Afghans -- who flew those planes; Yes, Iraq had a cruel dictator, but there are worse regimes in the world which don't have oil or are too powerful to take on or who are strategic allies of the US and we do nothing about them. If a wasp stings you, don't kill a bee (unless you just want an excuse to get his honey).
I am no pacifist but I do believe violence should be a last resort and is often preventable and not always justified.
I will try and join in the Big Pool at B&B - you are quite right about participation.
Thanks
Ollie
I think we parted on friendly terms but we'd both made our points in a full, fair, frank and friendly manner -- which is about as good as it gets without actually agreeing on everything.
