The BULLpen

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Some of you who have been around a while know that I like to "think out loud" and run ideas past people.

Some things running through my mind:

Do we need/want an area for folks to discuss things not permitted in the forum? 

If so, idea #1 would be to create another discussion topic area and call it something like the "BULLpen".  Subtopics like religion, politics and guns would be there.  Discussions of sex and drugs would still be forbidden.  Moderation would be minimal.  Enter this area at your own risk - you will likely read things that may offend. The primary concern of mine is that things would "spill over" into the main forum.  Also, ANYTHING posted there could be viewed by anyone visiting the forum - as with everything else.

Idea #2 would be to create emojis or some sort of "designator", perhaps in the signature area, to indicate a members willingness to engage in (for example) religious conversations - via PM (only).  I should credit StephenH for sparking that idea in my noggin, this morning, with something he posted.

Or....perhaps you have a better idea????  

Poll Question: Should we....
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Create a BULLpen	0	[0.00%]
Create emojis/designators	0	[0.00%]
Leave the forum alone/do nothing	19	[100.00%]
My idea - posted below	0	[0.00%]
This topic is closed, no new votes accepted

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Topic: The BULLpen Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 5:02pm
	Some of you who have been around a while know that I like to "think out loud" and run ideas past people. Some things running through my mind: Do we need/want an area for folks to discuss things not permitted in the forum? If so, idea #1 would be to create another discussion topic area and call it something like the "BULLpen". Subtopics like religion, politics and guns would be there. Discussions of sex and drugs would still be forbidden. Moderation would be minimal. Enter this area at your own risk - you will likely read things that may offend. The primary concern of mine is that things would "spill over" into the main forum. Also, ANYTHING posted there could be viewed by anyone visiting the forum - as with everything else. Idea #2 would be to create emojis or some sort of "designator", perhaps in the signature area, to indicate a members willingness to engage in (for example) religious conversations - via PM (only). I should credit StephenH for sparking that idea in my noggin, this morning, with something he posted. Or....perhaps you have a better idea????

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 5:26pm
	The site works the way it is, let's not mess with a good thing. I'm not out to annoy anyone here with my political/religious/cultural opinions, of which I have plenty (I can already annoy folks just fine with my technical opinions ) so why have a bullpen?
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595	Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 5:27pm
	David, those are all good ideas, but I think they can lead to conflict, divisiveness, and a segmentation of users. By establishing a "bullpen" where nearly no topic is restricted, people will eventually know who is of this persuasion or that and I believe it will inevitably spill over into the "non-partisan" areas. If people knew my true political/religious beliefs, I may end up with a zillion followers or be blackballed by the board. If you really want to know how I feel, read my comments in the Washington Post. We have a huge, almost mind boggling, array of sites in the internet to express our views apart from rPods. Maybe we should follow the kiss rule and keep this limited to the things we share in common. There is an additional reason for this. We have on our board people from all points of view imaginable. When we stick to talking just about rPod and camping related issues we discover that there are really a lot of truly wonderful people out there with whom we'd never interact if we knew their religious or political beliefs. Eventually, we get an idea of who is leans a little this way or that, but because we have to avoid hot button/dog whistle issues, we regularly interact with people who see the world much different from our own views and truly enjoy the conversation. If we saw how they really feel about certain issues, that would most certainly not be the case. [That is one reason one of my sons-in-law and I almost never speak.] As for icons or emoji's to indicate one's willing to discuss issues, that's like wearing certain color clothing to communicate certain personal preferences. It will label people and lead to conflict. The PM system works just fine as it is. We can glean from people's posts or signatures already, enough information to know whether we may want to engage in a pm conversation. And in simply sending an email to someone you think may be interested in discussing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin and what happens to unbaptized babies when they die [I'm revealing my background], you can just ask. The worst that will happen is the person will tell you to buzz off. So, I say leave it as it is. Don't fix it if it ain't broke.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 5:35pm
	Leave this forum alone, there are multiple places on the interweb to discuss social, political issues. It has no place here. This is about camping and RPod dedicated issues, if we leave that we have basically ruined the best forum there was for us. If I want a condescending lecture on life or some members opinion of America I can find that. I want to share RPods and RPod issues here. Nothing more nothing less. I don't want any emojis attached to me. Not here.
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

CharlieM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797	Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 5:53pm
	+Ꝏ to the above. Leave it alone. It's working.
	Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

Live2Camp Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2017 Location: No. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 240	Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 6:09pm
	Thanks for the opportunity to vote, I voted to Leave the Forum Alone. As an American, I defend my right to be offended and to decide for myself what is and isn't offensive. But as has been said in a few ways here, there are a zillion places to talk about All That Other Stuff ... this is the only place where we can talk about our RPods and related topics. Often my view would be, hey no problem! I'll just ignore the topics I don't want to read. But it adds work to some or other extent for our admins. All of that said, if this change is made, I won't object or be offended by that; I'll just ignore the topics I'm not interested in. I also don't like the idea of trying to label (with emojis or otherwise) and would not go along with that for me. Thanks again for asking.
	2017 R-Pod 179 HRE (the green one) His:Ford F150 double cab 4WD; Hers/mine:Tacoma V6 double cab 4WD Still love rugged, diggin' comfy too

furpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128	Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 6:19pm
	nope. not needed. I like the current format just fine.

TheBum Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Feb 2016 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 1407	Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 6:33pm
	^^^ What they all said. This forum has a high signal to noise ratio and I'd prefer to keep it that way.
	Alan 2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod" 2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4 Three cats

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 7:15pm
	I love you folks!

crw8sr Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 Oct 2017 Location: Omaha Nebraska Online Status: Offline Posts: 328	Posted: 08 Jan 2019 at 7:21pm
	The forum is great the way it is.
	Chuck & Lyn Izzy, Morkie. RIP Zoe Joy & Gracie, Yorkie 2018 R Pod 190 2019 Traverse In moments of adversity;when life's a total wreck, I think of those worse off than me and really feel like heck.