Rule of thumb: make believe like your character doesn't want to be recognized for what he is.   He is trying -hard- and would very much avoid anything "iconic" because it is easy for him to know that it is a giveaway.   Only put in the stuff he does not, cannot know to avoid.

I'd second that wholeheartedly. In real life, people tone down their accents when in a foreign land because they want to be understood. Especially in the US, as any English native who watches television has a good idea of how Americans speak -or rather how they don't speak.

Seriously though, how is it that Jim hasn't made the obvious post in this thread?

How about the Future newcomers, and the imaginary ones?  We have to rip on someone surely...

Have the other two out of three whacks from the Clue-Bat been found yet, or are we still groping in the dark?

Oh ...ok...


I'm telling you, if they hadn't already been invented I'd have given the world U-bends for toilets, Credit cards, the battery operated Torch and the multi-light-switch system and the "Don't, just don't" thread. sigh...

So have at it!  How do you feel about the changes?

I'm disappointed that the mods felt that Touchy Topics was untenable. I enjoyed the banter and the exchange of viewpoints that the board allowed, and I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere that I felt was given to Touchy Topics by the rest of the forum. I understand the problems involved but I disagree with the solution provided.

I feel slightly nervous about posting now because, although I haven't to my knowledge received a moderator spanking, I feel that my efforts to remain polite may not come across very well, and could easily go unrecognised, when I respond to interpretations of my viewpoints.


As I've said, I don't remember having been reprimanded before and so think that I  do not come across as aggressive or insensitive, so I would like to suggest that there are perhaps some posters that are overly sensitive, venture intimate details of their life, open themselves up to criticism that they would rather not receive and then complain about the "treatment" they receive.

I recognise that aggressive and insensitive posters cannot be allowed to bring down the good humour and fun atmosphere of the forum, but I'd like to point out that those who cannot cope with differing opinions on their life choices should also be encouraged to abstain from posting their private distresses, quibbles, philosophies etc if they simply want a chorus of "Seconded"s and "I bow to your touching anecdote"s.

I'm not sure if there's a nice latin phrase for what seems to me like "reverse ad hominem attacks", but it definitely seems like stabbing yourself to shame others into surrender is becoming a favorite tactic for ending a conversation, as it generally sucks the fun out of a conversation just as effectively as diving into another's personal life, but without the effect of being considered a "guilty party".

I like the boards as much as any child in Disneyland, but at some point you have to get away from Mickey, go somewhere less noisy with a glass of wine and some adult conversation. It'd be convenient if that place was in close proximity, but I understand if you don't want it in the park.