The Soapbox

[JackOfHearts]

I was thinking of making this into a thread, but meh, why waste the space?

What is honor? Many images may come to mind when this word is said, such as those of gallant knights, loyal samurai, soldiers on the battlefield, defending their homeland... People have often placed great importance on their honor, even to the point of placing it before their own lives. But what does it really mean? You can find the dictionary definition here, though a few words from that stand out in my mind: Reputation, Privilege, Chastity, Purity, Integrity, Reverence, Deference, and Honesty.

A recent case that brought this to mind was that of the late Colonel Ted Westhusing. According to a recent LA Times article, he was a loyal soldier. He had faith in the army, and the principles of honor he learned and studied while at West Point. He eventually became a teacher of english and philosophy at West Point, probably to pass on these lesson he learned as a student and as a soldier. Then something happened. He volunteered for service in Iraq late last year. An experiance that would end with his death, apparently by his own hand. Read the article linked above for the details. A real striking point with this case is the note left at the scene of his death. Part of it is in the article:

"I cannot support a msn [mission] that leads to corruption, human rights abuse and liars. I am sullied," it says. "I came to serve honorably and feel dishonored.

"Death before being dishonored any more."

Going by this article, this was a man with a good repuation. He had a privileged position as a teacher, was honest, showed reverence for the principles he was taught, and had many of the qualities one would associate with honor. Yet it seems he was compelled to give it up because of the corruption of a contractor hired to train Iraqi police forces.

Is honor something we should aspire for? The people I've talked to about this seem to think so, though they cannot give me a real clear definition of what honor is. Urban Dictionary has some interesting entries on it, though a good number of those seem to believe it is a trait lacking in today's world. People seem to have their own personal views on the subject, and there may very well be no universal clear cut definition of the concept. Mayhaps its something we each have to find in ourselves. If it's really something worth finding, that is. I believe it to be.

[Zelda]

My rant is summed up in 2 words...
University Administration.

[latenight]

Originally Posted by DE_Strip_Tease

A young traveler decided to test himself against a rugged, snow-capped mountain that dominated the valley. When the traveler reached the top, he felt like he was standing on the rim of the world. Then the traveler heard a rustle at his feet - it was a snake. Before the Traveler could move, the snake spoke. The snake said, "I am about to die. It's too cold for me up here, and there's no food. Put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley." The Traveler refused. Saying, "I know your kind - you're a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you'll bite and your bite will kill me." But the snake said, "No, I promise to treat you differently. If you do this for me, I won't harm you."

Finally, the young traveler was persuaded - so he tucked the snake under his shirt and carried it down to the valley. But as soon as he laid it on the ground, the snake suddenly coiled, rattled, and leaped - and bit him on the leg. The traveler could only cry out, "But you promised -". As the snake slithered away, he hissed back this answer - "You knew what I was when you picked me up."


It's people like the snake that grate my last nerve.

I like this story, rep when I can give it.

[fencergal33]

I already gave her rep for it.....so Nyah!

[Gav]

Hang on folks ... Isn't this the soapbox? The idea was for you to get up and have a rant; then relinquish the box to the next person. I distinctly remember saying that replies would be deleted!

Originally Posted by fencergal33

I already gave her rep for it.....so Nyah!

as a result here's today's rant:

I hate it when people don't read signs. The Widow works in a shop and everytime she comes home she complains about people who are unable to read a sign - lfor example "push to open". As a forum moderator I get the same cold rage when certain topics are resurrected again and again with no one able to dig out the old thread. There have been occasions where, I swear, the same protagonists appear to be copying and pasting from similar arguments they've made in the past.

[jeff]

It took me a while, but I have one... I really hate when people argue without knowing anything about the subject they are talking about, feel that they can repeatedly ignore evidence by people who have taken effort to learn a topic and know much more than they do, and argue in circular fashion and sophistry in order to avoid having to concede error. Typical methods include:

- Demand copious evidence with citations, yet provide none of your own
- When evidence with citations is provided, attack the sources and deny that they are valid
- When sources are authoritative, argue that things like that shouldn't be left to a tyranny of experts or claim that their professional organization is a group of conspirators.
- If the facts aren't on your side, argue from general principles, insist on your right to do so, and imply without proof that your principles apply to the situation.
- When neither facts or general principles are on your side, change the subject to some irrelevant side-track so it can be argued instead of the subject at hand
- When the rhetorical point lands firmly in your chest, don't respond to it. Just ignore it and proceed as if it never happened

Not that any of that happens here. Indeed no.

What inspired my rant was this Wikipedia page, which sounded all too familiar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jnc/AstronomerAmateur

[fencergal33]

Originally Posted by Gav

Hang on folks ... Isn't this the soapbox? The idea was for you to get up and have a rant; then relinquish the box to the next person. I distinctly remember saying that replies would be deleted!

I'm probably going to piss Gav off (not intentionally), but:

I hate it when people decide when they are going to rules, and when they aren't. For instance, anyone can read more about my favorite instance of this in the "Referee Black Card Power, blah, blah" thread. Referees just don't enforce the black card if you have an important name.

Above, Gav yelled at me for replying to a post. However, the person above me did it too, AND at the top of page 2, someone replied to MY rant. Irksome.

(Sorry in advance Gav. Please don't be mad!)

[epeeisky]

I get angry at people who apologize for nothing at all or for stating their opinion.

Sorry if that upsets you.

[DE_Strip_Tease]

Originally Posted by bmcfencer

I hate it when people get really upset with my gesticulations. Dance was my first creative language and the way I move is part of how I communicate (EVERYONE uses body language/tone of voice/facial expressions to communicate- part of the reason that people on online forums tend to come off as compassionless twats, because you are only getting a part of what they're saying.

I also really hate it when people insist that everyone repress their emotions. Be polite, be angry in appropriate areas, but don't tell me to shut up when I'm upset. I'm not five, I am aware of how my "emotional display" may be taken by others, and sometimes I'm going to get angry and unhappy anyway. That's legitimate. We are human beings, not.... horses or gooseberry bushes.

Isn't it debatable as to whether or not dogs show emotions or just mirror the emotions of the people around them? Dogs also have a certain sense of logic, don't they?

Awesome... someone else that undertands the importance of body language! I hate it when people do EVERYTHING over IM and the internet.

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

Originally Posted by bmcfencer

I hate it when people get really upset with my gesticulations. Dance was my first creative language and the way I move is part of how I communicate (EVERYONE uses body language/tone of voice/facial expressions to communicate- part of the reason that people on online forums tend to come off as compassionless twats, because you are only getting a part of what they're saying.

BMC - wow! We are so dissimilar, so I could not have guessed that it could have existed such a disparate pair of people who both fence, unless I would have seen the evidence myself.

Personally, I have never liked to look at dance, and only done it when it is socially needed. To me, looking at people who are considered good dancers dance is about as satisfying as hearing chalk grate against the blackboard. I have sat through a few 2hour+ ballets, so I speak from experience. Pure misery from the get-go!

"compassionless twats"??? Freudian misspelling? You were the last person I would have expected that word from.

Since we have never seen each other you will have to trust me, but: anyone who meets me in person will not get out anymore information from me than if they read my posts on the net. I work hard to formulate myself in such a way that everything is laid out in words, and those words can only be construed in one possible way, and that no body language is needed to understand what I am saying.

Originally Posted by bmcfencer

I also really hate it when people insist that everyone repress their emotions. Be polite, be angry in appropriate areas, but don't tell me to shut up when I'm upset. I'm not five, I am aware of how my "emotional display" may be taken by others, and sometimes I'm going to get angry and unhappy anyway. That's legitimate. We are human beings, not.... horses or gooseberry bushes.

Well, that is legal behavior. It is also legal of me to spare myself the misery of being around that kind of behavior. Trust me, if anyone does that kind of stuff and I am not obliged to stay, I will leave them to their anger (by voting with my feet) in short order.

I am a former wrestler, and weigh almost 220 lbs. If I chose to let my anger show whenever I experience it, I would scare people, and would be rightfully censored for doing so.

New rants? Sure, I have plenty. However, I would have to bring you up on Swedish politics, and I do not feel like typing all that stuff right now.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[Louweasel]

Like Peach, I get very annoyed when people misuse apostrophes (it really isn't difficult) and mix up "there/they're/their", "your/you're", etc.

I get particularly cross when people dismiss an argument with "well, that's just semantics!" Semantics is about what words MEAN. If you don't know what you mean, or can't express what you mean, or don't understand what I mean, how can you possibly think that wins you the argument?!

I also dislike the habit people have of using the word "err" as though it means "lean" or "be inclined"; saying "I'd rather err towards saying xyz". It means to make a mistake - the common phrase "I'd rather err on the side of caution" means "if I'm going to make a mistake I would rather make it because I am being cautious than because I am being reckless". I hate it when people use a word without knowing what it means.

Less intellectually, I hate it when a string of tourists (usually French teenagers or middle-aged Americans) walk in a row very slowly down a manically busy central London shopping street such as Oxford Street, preventing me from walking briskly when I am trying to get my Christmas shopping done and get home before the overcrowding drives me insane. At least walk two by two so people in a hurry can pass! And American tourists who, on encountering anything done in a differenet way than that which they are used to, screw up their lips and whine "it's not like that in the states..." No sh!t sherlock; you're not IN the states! If you want everything to be like home, why leave?! And don't get me started about over-use of the word "quaint".
I apologiose if I have offended any Americans here - I have no doubt most of you are lovely polite open-minded people, and frankly cannot blame you for getting rid of the more annoying of your coountrymen by sending them over here so you can get some respite.

[swordwench]

Dear FedEx Clown,

You were scheduled to deliver that package yesterday. I waited at home ALL DAY for that package. I verified online that it was on the truck, so I knew I needed to be home. All day.

The day dragged on. I watched from my window - all day - for you to arrive.

Today, I'm told that you tried to make delivery at a specific time, but that no one was there to accept the package. That is utter bullsh!t. At the time in question, I was sitting in my work area, waiting for a conference call to begin, next to a window that overlooks my driveway. There was no truck, you lying sack of feces. I want you terminated. I didn't even shower till an hour after the time that you recorded for your aborted attempt to deliver, you stupid f***, and even if you did show up then as claimed, you never even left a notice on the door (which you are supposed to do) that you'd been here - so I know you never came. You were probably sitting in a local bar, drowning your sorrows about how you had to be out and about on such a chilly day, maybe lamenting your sorry lot in life.

Meanwhile, I wasted an entire day of my life waiting for you. You should die. You and everybody that looks like you.

Now it's today - and I wait. Again. I have weapons and PMS.

I'll find you.

[secretly]

I live in an apartment complex and one of my neighbours plays the same piece of music *every* day - and it's not just music - it's the background music of his "working out" video, the same "ta ra ta ra tararaa, ta ra ta ra tararaa" for 1,5 hours non-stop and VERY VERY LOUD. It must be a weight-lifting video or aerobics, or I don't know... porn... he is playing it again and I'll have this "ta ra ta ra tararaa" in my head for the rest of the day, I want to hurt him so bad, what should I do?

[needle]

Originally Posted by secretly

I live in an apartment complex and one of my neighbours plays the same piece of music *every* day - and it's not just music - it's the background music of his "working out" video, the same "ta ra ta ra tararaa, ta ra ta ra tararaa" for 1,5 hours non-stop and VERY VERY LOUD. It must be a weight-lifting video or aerobics, or I don't know... porn... he is playing it again and I'll have this "ta ra ta ra tararaa" in my head for the rest of the day, I want to hurt him so bad, what should I do?

If you want to be friendly, talk to him. If not, play your own music very loud at the same time. Turning your speakers straight into the common wall (if you have a common wall with him) doesn't hurt. Make sure the music you play has a very distinct rythm different (or just out of phase) from his music. Old cavalry marches are very good for that
Oh, and make sure the message is clear - turn your music on when he starts his and turn it off when he stops!

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by secretly

I live in an apartment complex and one of my neighbours plays the same piece of music *every* day - and it's not just music - it's the background music of his "working out" video, the same "ta ra ta ra tararaa, ta ra ta ra tararaa" for 1,5 hours non-stop and VERY VERY LOUD. It must be a weight-lifting video or aerobics, or I don't know... porn... he is playing it again and I'll have this "ta ra ta ra tararaa" in my head for the rest of the day, I want to hurt him so bad, what should I do?

If it's porn, beat him up. If it's a workout video, that's probably a bad move.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by Gav

I hate it when people don't read signs. The Widow works in a shop and everytime she comes home she complains about people who are unable to read a sign - lfor example "push to open".

Anyone whose been to the Mona Lisa can relate to this rant...there are about 100000 signs that say "no flash photographs", then you get to the picture where there's a mob of people taking flash photographs.

[needle]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

If it's porn, beat him up. If it's a workout video, that's probably a bad move.

If it's porn, he's beating himself up already
Just getting him off the rhythm should be sufficient...

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!


In Stockholm, the governing coalition has decided that there will be a ring of toll roads around the city, making it impossible without paying. This is to be done by putting up cameras which photo car plates on the go, and send car identity information to a central system. There will be no toll booths to pay - everything will be paid after the passage.

Payment is by two methods:
1. You surf into a webpage where it says how much the owner of each car should pay, and pay in convenience stores.
2. You pay for a radio transponder, (it is mounted on the car dashboard) which sends out credit card information to a reciever close to the toll camera, and the amount is deducted from your account.

The nitwit politicians which have dreamt up this system seem not to have thought of the privacy, economic data theft, or other risks with those two systems.

The whole thing will cost several billion crowns. In order to get a political majority for the whole thing, the bill sponsors had to water it down. It is presented as a tryout test, which will run the 8 first months of 2006. After that, there will be a local election on whether to keep the system. If it is voted down, which I suspect, all of the expenditure will be useless for anything else - just a pile of special-use hardware. IBM is happy, though.

The idiocy of it all.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson