Conspiracy Threads in Foo perhaps?

[Spitfire]

I can never really work out why all this conspiracy stuff isn't in "Foo" as it seems to fit the description of the "Say what you want!" section. I would hardly call it "Current Affairs" or news unrelated to Thailand as most, if not all, is unsubstanciated rumour and definately not as described on the forum main page or the literal meaning of the title.

It doesn't say "conjecture/insinuation/paranoia etc etc" in the writing under the title "Current Affairs".

IMHO, I think this all belongs in "Foo".

I know there are those that like and wish to exchange opinion or information on it, up to them, fair enough, not being arrogant enough to say there cannot be a place for such exchanges but just believe it's in the wrong section.

Maybe I am missing something obvious here. I know you don't have to read a thread if you don't like the title but just canvassing the membership for opinion.

However, I humbly defer to the benevolent view of Admin and my peers on the forum.

What do you think? Added a poll to get a general idea.

[caller]

Fully agree with you. The ones constantly raised here (why???) are old news anyway. At some stage its got to be deemed not 'current'.

Or just ban them.

[Super Joe]

I voted Foo as they're generally regurgated old 'news' (or just plain nonsense) and rarely current affairs.
But having said that I'm not too bothered whether these people embarrass themselves in Foo or Current affairs, just as long as the general viewers don't have to see it all in the 'Latest Topics' list.

SJ

[Khundon1975]

We have best of English, Irish and rest of the World.


Best conspiracy page please, they are always good for a

[redzonerocker]

it is definately not current affairs, it could possibly be deemed as foo though.

as much of the 'new' information supplied by the theorists is recycled & rehashed, maybe a slumberland section?
where recycled, rehashed & tired old stories can be temporarily revived if somebody stumbles upon a new piece of 'evidence' ?

for anybody that hasn't seen the ripple effect (another topic i know but sort of relevant) , take the time to watch it.
for research, production & a reality scale, it's even worse than the 911 docu's !!!!

[Wanderlust]

I voted 'somewhere else' - maybe an 'Alternative Views' section could be created to house both conspiracy theory type discussions as well as other areas deemed to be different from the mainstream, such as 'Alternative Medicine'. There would inevitably be a lot of crossover topics though to both Current Affairs and Health so I'm not sure it would work. The other problem would be that by creating a section it would encourage more threads on the subjects, and I'm not entirely sure that the majority would want this.

[hhfarang]

I like your idea WL and then those who are tired of these subjects could just avoid that part of the forum... of course that wouldn't be me... if curiosity killed people like it does cats, I'd have been dead long ago. As hard as I try, I just can't stay away from the controversial threads!

[STEVE G]

Certainly some of these conspiracies such as those surrounding 9/11 can hardly be considered current any more.
I think moving them off the current topics list solved the problem of them seeming to take over the forum and perhaps sticking them in FOO would work except for the fact that these topics can generate controversy which would then be unmoderated.

[migrant]

The way the threads always head, I think Foo is the place.

[Spitfire]

Well, looking at the poll, at least we can agree that they shoudn't be in "Current Affairs".

[Big Boy]

Please, please, please not in FOO, that's our playground. I already avoid Current Affairs as a general rule because of it. My vote was to ban them all together.

[Wanderlust]

BB,
I would have no problem with anything that was agreed on to be banned, but wording the Terms and Conditions would be a headache for admin, and might also lead to calls for other topics to be banned - just because you (and others) find the conspiracy topics boring does not mean others do. I don't particularly care for a number of topics that appear on here, but I just don't read them, and I suggest anyone who doesn't like conspiracy theories doesn't read those threads either. As my Mum always used to say when I complained there was nothing on television "There's always an 'off' button you know".

[Spitfire]

True WL, I suppose the idea behind starting this thread/poll was an attempt to "save" the 'Current Affairs' forum and make it acceptable, as opposed to farce on many (not all) occasions, and start discussing........erm.........well.........current affairs.

Maybe we could have a section, 'Nightcrawlers' style, where you had to apply to admin for access which could cover a few of the more controversial areas/topics such as conspiracy etc as the threads often get "hot". Could call it 'The FUBAR Bunker' or something where people can get this sort of stuff "off their chests" without taking over a forum that technically is for news discussion.

Would just have to remind participants in that area that "discussion" is still the name of the game and that the goal-posts haven't changed.

This would be better than letting these threads run free in 'Current Affairs' and giving opportunity to cause discontent/trolling on the general board.

Then, these topics could be discussed by those who wish to and allowed in by admin without any complaints as that section is for that stuff. It might be a way of smoothing over the opposing opinions, middle ground, so to speak. Would probably fit in easier with T&Cs aswell.

Moderating it would probably remain as much of a headache as it appears to be now so no big change there.

Don't know how easy or difficult this would be to set up but it's a possible solution.

[hhfarang]

I would have no problem with anything that was agreed on to be banned, but wording the Terms and Conditions would be a headache for admin, and might also lead to calls for other topics to be banned - just because you (and others) find the conspiracy topics boring does not mean others do.

I don't mind reading about and discussing the occasional conspiracy theory, but could someone please come up with some new ones instead of rehashing the same old worn out ones over and over...

[BaaBaa.]

Could call it 'The FUBAR Bunker'

You could call it the Nuthouse or the padded cell.