by dogtanian » Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:59 am
As accustomed as I am to the perpetual crescendo of: "commie bitch"... "fascist wanker"... "commie bitch"... "fascist wanker"... having just skim-read the last few pages of this thread, I really am quite aghast. It's clear that something or someone has transcended the demarcation line between 'internet' and 'life'. The fact that it's starting to affect people, personally, is a real shame.
I've been posting on the BFC for a few years now, and whilst I haven't had an opportunity to visit as often as I used to as a consequence of work/travel, the discussion and viewpoints [and even the exchange of banal insults] that I find on the BFC is always informative, and often educational in that they widen my perspective to views that I wouldn't normally have considered. Of course, I have always used a 'squelch' button to filter out the background-noise bullshit from the topics and discussion that interests me; and since this is - after all - the internet, I know that many participants will perhaps be inclined to 'go a bit futher' than they would over polite drawing-room conversation with a glass of wine.
But... I really don't like what I'm seeing at the moment. Again, whilst I haven't taken time to read all of the detail (it sounds as if it spans a few threads), there are clearly some major points of contention that have culminated in something that's pretty nasty - even for the Flag.
Based on what I have read of this thread, I'm a little confused as to what's gone on. But my sixpenth worth is as follows: I have great deal of respect for both FlipFlop and Penta, having exchanged conversation, views, travel tips etc. with both of them over the past few years. I like FlipFlip's posts and responses because they're gritty, sharp, and based on personal experiences of being in 'hot' theatres. And I like Penta's posts because they're thoughtful, detailed, and always present a very well-argued perspective. I guess that their political views of the world stage couldn't be more different; and this has - on occasion - resulted in debate falling victim to 'lowest common denominator' responses, but this is in common with every other Internet forum I've been on. We all have 'real lives' outside of the BFC [whilst that may not be true for some of the 'aggitators' in this little episode, I know that the three of us definitely do]. We all start to get tired at the end of a long day, and we've all been inclined to round-off a late night internet session with a cold beer and perhaps a witty little snipe in order to rouse and entertain the BFC's 'audience', rather than a 'robust & considered' response that this good forum is worthy of. Often, people take the bait and before you know it, a perfectly sensible thread about Iran ends up mutating into a personal discussion about who's a bitch and who's a wanker and how dogtanian has just ridden a pony from Eaton to Iran whislt wearing a pink PVC suit. Unfortunate though, in common with Pop Culture, The Sun, and Fox News, it's that kinda stuff that often gets the high ratings, and i daresay a lot of the more 'lighter-weight' armchair experts on this forum are able to derive far more amusement by sitting on the sidelines whilst orchestrating and stoking-up personal attacks... purely because they've never actually been to a real DP, and don't have the gusto to argue [or even understand] most of the REAL discussion that happens on the BFC.
...And I think that's what's actually happening here. I do not - for one moment - think that Penta would lie. Based on everything I've observed of Penta's psyche and style [commie bitch jokes aside] I would bet my life on the fact that Penta would first and foremost ensure that her views are aired to as wide an audience as possible; and secondly, that she'd fess-up to anything that she said or did that was wrong or that she regretted. As for FlipFlip, I'm equally certain that the e-mail/PM in question was received is real, and that it did say whatever it was purported to have said, and that it seemed as though it came from Penta.
Whilst I realise that my observations hardly solve the matter in hand, having been a member of a reputed 'internet security' circle for a large chunk of my life, I will add that I know of instances - in the workplace and on internet - where a person has gained unauthorised access to another person's account [be it linux/windows/gmail] in order to do something that they shouldn't. It's actually quite easy if you know what you're doing. It's even easier if you don't expect the target to be able to call the Security Services onto you.
As for Jäeger, I have no idea who he is and what he does [if anything] because I've never really paid much attention to what he has to say... but I did think it a little odd to propose a 'vote' on who stays and who goes. Firstly because I'd vote for the person who isn't stirring from the sidelines, and secondly because this isn't fucking democracy. Only RYP gets to decide who goes.
For my part, I am happy to mediate and try to find-out what's happened here, if both Penta and FlipFlop want me to. I'd be happy do this as a personal favour to both of them, simply because I think they're both awesome in their own ways. This would have to be by individual telephone discussions... I think this needs to be taken off-line.
And... finally, for the sake of Fansy and all of the people recklessly chucking bottles of petrol onto this situation. No. Penta didn't PM me. I found this thread all on my own and was just about to add that Mahmood Abbas' convoy is made up of 10 armoured vehicles with an armoured ambulance trailing them at all times.
cheers,
Tris.
"Truth is cool; but unattainable..."