Jolly Roger, Pirates and Political Correctness

[Adamante]

Originally Posted by hummingway

To be perfectly clear they are not fair game on Cruiser's Forum

That's fair. Your playground, your rules. I was describing the principles one might encounter in general (unmoderated) Internet discussions.

[zeehag]

nosinglesource---i think he is kinda cute, from the pic.......young, but cute....

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Adamante

Here’s some well meant advice for you:

1. If you are sensitive about your or your husband’s appearance, don’t post your pictures on the Internet. Otherwise it’s an invitation to commentary, sometimes flattering, sometimes not. As an example, recently one poster here called another poster and his wife “two obese gringos” because of their photo in the avatar. Apparently realizing that the photo was an irritant and an invitation to unflattering commentary, that poster instantly changed the avatar to a more neutral photo. Without getting huffy or indignant.

2. Do not bring your family members into a discussion on the Internet. The etiquette of Internet prohibits the discussion of one’s family members - unless you YOURSELF drag them into the debate. Once that happens, the inviolate hands-off rule becomes void and they become fair game. You should always post for yourself, and only yourself, and let the others post for themselves. On the Internet, it doesn’t matter what you look like, how much money you have, what schools you went to, how successful you are in your business – the only thing that counts is the quality of posting. You are only as good as your last post.

3. When I playfully attempted to compliment you on your looks (because YOU had posted your picture), I faced the real possibility that I was in fact dealing with the other person in the photo, not you. It could have been somewhat embarrassing if that poster had replied “Hey, I am a dude, do you still think I am cute?” (or something along those lines.) So the remark I made was absolutely not meant as an insult, but was a rather humorous way (followed by the huge GRIN emoticon, just in case) of precluding the potentially uncomfortable situation that I might be dealing with another guy. You see, most guys tend to refrain from paying each other compliments on their looks, but rather jocularly disparage them. If you still don’t understand, maybe that’s because it’s a guy thing.

4. However, if you or your husband are so sensitive about your looks that you cannot tolerate playful banter, rest assured assured I will provide no further commentary on your respective appearances.

Hope that helps.

I think they are both cute and seem to make a good couple,of course i have been accused of being an engraciating
sycophanicing want to be rasta war mongering off topic Head..nothing could be further from the truth...really..DVC

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by zeehag

nosinglesource---i think he is kinda cute, from the pic.......young, but cute....

They're all cute when they're young Zee ... except for babies; ugly things those!

[nosinglesource]

Adamante,

I take it from your tone that you are offended by what I have said. That is unfortunate, and not what I had intended.

It seems you are insisting that I am 'asking for it' by putting our picture up on this forum. In turn, I will point out that posting a picture of us on this group is a far cry from putting it up on a Usenet group or something similar. As for one member of this site calling other members "two obese gringos"....well, according to the forum rules, there are to be no personal attacks and no rudeness, although I have seen both in a number of threads recently, and so I am left a bit confused on that end. Still, I would be very surprised if that sort of behaviour is left to pass once noticed by moderators.

Do not take me for someone who is easily offended. I've been in the Army for over a decade, some of it in the Infantry, and I assure you I can take sh*t as well as I can sling it, and sling it I can. I choose to share some personal information here specifically because of the climate the forum rules are intended to provide, not to mention the nature of a lot of the folks here. It is unfortunate that some folks feel the need to be negative, rude or sh*tty to each other. Life is already hard....why do we need to make it harder? I very much like Hummingway's tagline.

If my original explanation for posting what I did does not help you to understand why I felt the need to do so then, regretfully, I do not know what further to add.

Best wishes,
Cindi

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by hummingway

They're all cute when they're young Zee ... except for babies; ugly things those!

awwwwwwwwwww, but some retain a smidgeon of the cuteness........
babies all look like winston churchill on a bad day.......

[nosinglesource]

Aw...thanks guys!

[zeehag]

hummingway--some get better with age.....

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by zeehag

hummingway--some get better with age.....

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by nosinglesource

As for one member of this site calling other members "two obese gringos"....well, according to the forum rules, there are to be no personal attacks and no rudeness, although I have seen both in a number of threads recently, and so I am left a bit confused on that end. Still, I would be very surprised if that sort of behaviour is left to pass once noticed by moderators.

Moderators can't read every post, there are far too many each day and not enough of us so we do rely on people reporting rule violations. Generally the membership is a wonderful group of people and many just ignore people who are being rude and that is fine too though we do appreciate help ... I mean .. arr .. dem scurvey rats wot make the soup rancid is below the waterline a'time 'n' we be missin' wit d' first volley.

[perchance]

Five blasts of the whistle; You are standing into danger.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Adamante

So in your world it's perfectly OK to deliberately harm someone else's sensibilities?

Not deliberately.
More a case of realising that if you decide your actions, or inactions based of the state of someone elses sensibilities, you'll never do anything.

I wasn't put on this earth to please everyone... just those that count

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

Not deliberately.
More a case of realising that if you decide your actions, or inactions based of the state of someone elses sensibilities, you'll never do anything.

I wasn't put on this earth to please everyone... just those that count

A-MEN!!!!!

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by nosinglesource

Adamante,

I take it from your tone that you are offended by what I have said. That is unfortunate, and not what I had intended.

It seems you are insisting that I am 'asking for it' by putting our picture up on this forum. In turn, I will point out that posting a picture of us on this group is a far cry from putting it up on a Usenet group or something similar. As for one member of this site calling other members "two obese gringos"....well, according to the forum rules, there are to be no personal attacks and no rudeness, although I have seen both in a number of threads recently, and so I am left a bit confused on that end. Still, I would be very surprised if that sort of behaviour is left to pass once noticed by moderators.

Do not take me for someone who is easily offended. I've been in the Army for over a decade, some of it in the Infantry, and I assure you I can take sh*t as well as I can sling it, and sling it I can. I choose to share some personal information here specifically because of the climate the forum rules are intended to provide, not to mention the nature of a lot of the folks here. It is unfortunate that some folks feel the need to be negative, rude or sh*tty to each other. Life is already hard....why do we need to make it harder? I very much like Hummingway's tagline.

If my original explanation for posting what I did does not help you to understand why I felt the need to do so then, regretfully, I do not know what further to add.

Best wishes,
Cindi

I watched these exchanges with passing interest and nearly spoke up once or twice...

Cindi, good idea to put your name at the end of your posts given your shared identity with your hubby, and good if he does the same.

I felt a bit uncomfortable for you because it appeared you were being 'hit on' in spite of obviously being a couple.
I needn't have worried... you can handle yourself with eloquence, dignity, and know how to sting but only draw a little blood... ROFL

I look forward to your future posts

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by markpierce

I've traveled in over twenty countries. If those people don't like Americans, they are very good at hiding that feeling in my presence.

Haven't read most of the thread, so my response is purely to this post.

I'm a Canadian. I've had the shadow of American culture, politics and influence fall across my notions of nationality most of my life. It's probably like an Austrian contemplating Germany...it's a fact of life that they are there, speak the same language and have 10 times the influence...you just shrug and get on with it.

Nonetheless, there has to be a differentiation (as I believe there is) between the actions of the American government and the nature of the American people. The American government has done a number of things since World War II that many would say are not just unjust to other countries, but particularly in the last ten years, are unjust to the principles upon which Americans themselves base their sense of self and of country.

Americans themselves, as individuals? Still pretty cool in my book, if you avoid the topics of guns, Jesus and Barack Obama. And that basic decency (minus the particularist nuttiness and obsessions) does shine through and I think people outside of America respond to that. I have. Americans of my experience are very friendly and welcoming people in general, and are quite conscious in many cases of having won the fate lottery, at least for the moment.

At the same time, there's many, many reasons to question and to criticize the actions of the American state abroad. But that doesn't lessen the affections towards individual Americans, especially those who bother to open themselves to other peoples, countries and experiences.

To bring this back to boating and pirates and whatnot, however, I would not like to fly the pirate flag or any "here be liquor" flag for the same reason I don't wear political T-shirts or sport bumper stickers talking about my kid, my flag or my cold, dead hands. It's cheesy and gauche and frankly, why the hell would I tell an entire anchorage I have quality booze aboard? It's just asking for trouble...or unsolicited visitors, whichever comes first.