Hi Folks ..

Yes .. I am the former jon7360 .. now just "Jonathan" .. I did pull the plug due to a pervading atmosphere of negativity .. one which I simply didn't wish to be part of ..
Why did I come back ? .. well .. there's a lot of good people in here that I do enjoy talking to and I wish to continue doing so ..
A big "thank-you to those who helped persuade me to come back ..

This is truly a wonderful forum we have here. We are priveleged to have a freedom of speech not hindered by a group of moderators who would have their own interpretation of the Forum Rules of Administration ..

Freedom of Speech allows us to agree or disagree by posting responses, or simply by just ignoring the topic and moving on .. however, the manner of our responses are what we must be prepared to accept as our own responsibility.

I happily look forward many future contacts with you good people  .. but I'm also quite content to sit back for a while and just chew through the many postings that are put forward ..

This is just to let you know I am back .. not sitting in the background incognito !

regards .. Jon

Didn't know you had left Jon, but welcome back, Vic

Are you sure that you have posted this message on the right site Jonathan?
It sounds more like another one that I also access and have likewise been getting thoroughly disenchanted by a prevailing domineering small mindedness.

I have to keep reminding myself that bigotry, the need to keep 'face' and to dominate others of the same species is a fundamental component of the "human condition".

There are notable, but unfortunately few, exceptions, of course.

(............Gets off his well polished cynicism soapbox )

hey .. thanks Vic  .. no probs

 .. and I look to be doing the west coast next year ! .. maybe catch up with you then mate ..


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Hmmm Rolly .. I'm sure 'Confuscious' could lay some parallels ! hah


cheers guys

Jon

No worries Jon, or our paths may cross as we are heading that way next year, let's hope we do.

well I would be by far "the biggest mouth" in here but as far as I know freedom of speech is still allowed in the western world freedom of response is also allowed here as far as I know, negativity is in the eye of the beholder, as is whether you choose to belong here or not, I find the mood of the forum to be very uplifting and positive we here on the nads have a wide and varied conversation portfolio and one that I would defend very strongly, if we allow the goody two shoe brigade to take over and only good things talked about then the forum is dead, who decides what is worthy of discussion or not, who decides what is "angry" or just a response taken out of context life as with conversation does not always go smoothly some topics will get some people very heated and the posts will reflect that lively conversation and yes some negativity is the norm "out there" and it will be reflected "in here" as well, we all have our up days and down days but I think the forum and it's members are more than strong enough to handle a little "controversey" now and again and I think the forum overall is a great freindly little spot even with our little occasional dummy spits with each other, we usually shake hands and have a beer together afterwards sitting in the background with the occasional post is fine, sitting in the background and not posting will always get up my nose and i will continue to say so regardless of who says what and who censors where, my opinion will still be there, without posts and varying opinions we have nothing, we may as well read a book, the more varied the opinions the better I like it and the more that actually post can only be a good thing I have looked at a few other forums and have found nothing but bitching and arguing and people posting just because they wish to bignote themselves, we dont allow that in here but we do allow a few bitch fights now and again, thats life, compare our forum to others, as you obviously have already done and you will soon see here we have help on hand on pretty much any subject from travelling to wellbeing and laughs a plenty, no bigheads are allowed to continue, we are all equal in here, all travellers and all freinds, all offering support to whomever should need it freinds occasionally argue, well thats life we get over it and move on, regardless of whether we argue or not we still help each other out, thats freindship, we extend our hand of welcome to all who wish to say "g'day,

Hi there Dave ..

Yes .. one voice doesn't make a conversation .. but a reply does ..

Aren't we lucky to have a choice to agree or disagree .. to respond or not to respond .. or just walk away ?

Jon

Aggresion and negative personalities seem to gravitate to forums, even the Pop pop boat and Growing Citrus in containers forums, it happens all the time that people when they don't like an opinion resort to name calling and agression.

It's a big problem for some people who know what they want to say alas they are not articulate enough to say what they mean, classically called "footballer mentality" (seriously)

What to do about it? Turn the other cheek? Go in both guns blazing? Roll with the punches? Well it dosen't matter much the morons with these traits won't listen to a sensible or rational arguement, it's a bit like trying to convince a religious zealot that he/she is wrong and what proof would you have anyway.

I favour the long deep cognitive breath with the knowledge that those who live by the sword ie the agressive wankers (quick call the censor) will die by the sword, figurativley speaking.

Someone who does not think outside the square and probably resolves all of lifes issues by resorting to agression and those of us smart enough to work it out realise that you will always get the most out of another person if you remain calm yet assertive... Mind you it's taken me over 10 years visiting a shrink to fathom this out.

The beauty of this forum is members seem to me to be very considerate of each others personalities and feelings. I don't post a lot, I am still figuring out how each members mind ticks so I can post accordingly.

I am a moderator on another forum, it is an international forum with thousands of members and does need moderating due to the aggression of so many personalities.

Its very hard to get your mood across in words but the emoticons are brilliant, I use them a lot here and on my other forum to hopefully convey I feel.

I don't think I have come across anyone here who is a bit narky at all yet, just a bunch of ordinary Aussies who seem to be enjoying life.

Differences of opinion happen everywhere, a reactive answer usually doesn't help the cause. I am guilty of this but have learned to not hit submit post until I have walked away and made a cuppa and re read both the previous poster then my retort. Sometimes that helps. I will often think I can't be bothered with a stupid person because lets face it, theres no cure for stupid.

Having said what I have, this does not relate to GM's, more so my other forum.

I love your banter, makes me smile and on the whole, thats what it mainly seems to be to me.

.. thanks Basil and Firefly ..

all boiled down, we make our own choices .. and so its up to us whether or not we enjoy ourselves ..

Jon

I find that I need to have a good sense of humour - especially when looking in the mirror and/or talking to myself   

Isn't that what Aussie mateship is all about.  Agree to disagree, have a stoush, get up and shake hands and go have a beer like Dave says.

Wouldn't be anywhere else would you?  Oz is the best place on earth!!

welcome back Jon. the other posters have said it all for me. we all have our own personalities and issues that life has thrown at us, and react accordingly. but we are still here and the world is still a beautiful place. Johnw

yep .. couldn't agree more folks ..

Let's face it, it's an easy forum. Easy to navigate, easy to post and easy to read. If we choose to sit back and just read and learn, that's easy too. I'm sure the Webmaster is happy to have everyone who is interested, check it out. Joining and contributing are still options, and I don't object to anyone reading what I have posted. Who knows, they may join in fi the topic tickles their fancy, and there's nothing like having your fancy tickled. Cheers Chris

Cruising Granny wrote:

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Let's face it, it's an easy forum. Easy to navigate, easy to post and easy to read.
If we choose to sit back and just read and learn, that's easy too.
I'm sure the Webmaster is happy to have everyone who is interested, check it out.
Joining and contributing are still options, and I don't object to anyone reading what I have posted. Who knows, they may join in fi the topic tickles their fancy, and there's nothing like having your fancy tickled.
Cheers Chris

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I beg to differ Granny. If everything is going swimmingly this mob put their thumbs up their bumbs and brains into neutral, a teensy weensy bit of acrimony keeps everyone thinking, if they are thinking then they are using their brains, if they are using their brains they are staving of the dreaded big D

Just part of my anti dementia campaign... 

My thoughts edzacary Basil