Where is the Current Events forum?

Let's keep it local and keep it real.

I just happen to think that the sometimes barbaric nature of the political forum is a good selling point for the area. Any time you have clashes between people, that means you have a diversity of opinion. That means the people from all walks of life and ideology can find a niche. This makes the area unique for the Florida panhandle.

I just happen to think that the sometimes barbaric nature of the political forum is a good selling point for the area. Any time you have clashes between people, that means you have a diversity of opinion. That means the people from all walks of life and ideology can find a niche. This makes the area unique for the Florida panhandle.

Thanks.

What he said.

We could build a stand alone Politics/Current Events forum for $200 (cost of the VBulletin license) plus monthly hosting and domain name registration.

I'd do this in a heartbeat if I thought visitors/participants of the SoWal politics board would use it

I'm in! Where do I send my check for $25?

Actually, it's more like removing drunken brawlers from the bar so we can get back to enjoying our drinks. :lol:

Not referring to you of course. :drink2:

Do you know how many times I have heard that since I was 14?

"Geo, you can stay but your drunk friends need to leave."

Haha

I'm in! Where do I send my check for $25?

Well, we're 10% to our fundraising goal!
Kidding aside, I just registered drunkenbrawlers.com just in case there are others who are serious.

Anyone else? You guys help pay for it and I will build it and maintain it.

Well, we're 10% to our fundraising goal!
Kidding aside, I just registered drunkenbrawlers.com just in case there are others who are serious.

Anyone else? You guys help pay for it and I will build it and maintain it.

Thanks!

The drunken brawlers have been in the front room, not the back. Two days ago, five of the first eight threads in the "what's new?," were politics.

Geo, with that texting thing, I think you may be onto something. Be sure to include PearlsB4U, Poppy, and SWGB.

Murray, if we move forward with a stand alone political forum we'll be looking to include more than just our current cast of characters. Maybe Kurt will know how to get in touch with drunken brawlers who've been banned from the bar?

Good idea, Geo. Maybe you could also invite drunken politicians.

Maybe the problem with current events wasn’t in the majority of people who enjoyed interacting there, but in the moderation policy and the way the forum was set up? Thus far I’ve read a few rather weak complaints / criticisms -

1) the threads/posts showed up in what’s new lists

It should be fairly easy to configure things so that CE content doesn’t show up in these lists.

2) It was a pain to moderate and none of the moderators liked going in there

Maybe moderators should have chosen a few new moderators who did enjoy going in there to help moderate it? Maybe the moderation policy was flawed to begin with as well? Allowing a long rope for people to hang themselves with might not have been the right policy to apply to that particular forum.

3) influence of thanks / reputation

Remove the thanks button similar to the lounge, don’t let political forums add to number of member posts solves this problem.

4) SoWal has a “higher purpose”

If having forum with locals interacting on current issues they are passionate about isn’t a core purpose of SoWal, it should be.

5) We grew tired of every thread degenerating into this or that type of argument.

Again, a flaw in moderation policy for one, and two an issue where the wrong people were required to moderate something they didn’t enjoy reading.

Like many here I’m saddened by the loss of the forum. I enjoyed it very much. The forum was the meat on the plate for me, with local news, real estate, the occasional lounge or pictures & video thread being the appetizer or condiment. If the goal of shutting the forum down was to marginalize use of SoWal by people like myself - mission accomplished.

Don't forget that for every person posting there are a couple of hundred reading. We hear from a lot of them. We don't make changes on the site without a lot of planning, discussion, worrying, and consideration.

The internet is a big, wonderful place, just like the real world. We are happy to simply be a niche. The folks who continue to create this site (thousands of them), mostly come here to escape the every day humdrum and dark clouds, and to see and learn and be a part of the communities and beaches we all love.

Funn and escape is why so many visit our beaches and it's why so many move here. SoWal is an ideal place to stick your chair in the sand for awhile, maybe your head also.

And don't forget to get some sand and seaweed in your shorts now and again. It's great therapy! :lol: