Gentlemen,
I have never read such a pretensious load of crap as is on this website on non motoring items. Get a grip Honest John or lose those who browse this website for information. I am totally disgusted that HJ has allowed the backroom to be highjacked by a load of idiots that put forward their puerile observations on any subject and draw in even more cretins who are sucked in to comment on such subjects as guns. What a sad bunch! Especially those regulars from foreign parts who have descended into intellectual masturbation in being sucked in to reply to the idiots. Do you not realise that you are feeding these simian dolts by keeping their arguments alive?
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I haven't done what you said since I was 14. But I am from foreign parts, But then that';s the beauty of the internet isn't it? Breaks down all those self-imposed intellectual frontiers which used to follow geographical ones. Surely all the chaff makes the wheat stand out?
Please don't ban me. I'm not very good at setting up additional e-mail accounts and I don't know anything about Ladas. In my defence, I do know where the Caps key is.
I ain?t gonna talk about guns, but about politics, although admittedly the two go together where I live. Also scarce resources. Use of those two words together shows I'm hip and on message surely?
Instead of all the conservationist moralising and hand-wringing from those who would have us all back in horse-drawn carts and puffing away on bicycles towards cardiac arrest or being mown down by buses, and which serves as such useful fuel (pun) for government extortion and persecution of vehicle owners it is nice from time to time to hear positive views from progressive thinkers.
In the Philippines there is an inexhaustible and infinitely renewable supply of coconuts and sugar. Scientists here continually point out that the ethanol and esters produced from these crops relatively cheaply can constitute 30% of gasoline and diesel fuels for use in engines as currently produced by the auto industry, with a corresponding reduction in the import and drain-down of fossil fuel reserves. Numerous well-authenticated studies confirm this to be so.
Lo, we can eat our cake and have at least part of it, they tell us, not to mention the thousands of new jobs which could be created in a primarily agri-based economy. These are academics with no particular apparent axes to grind, so we are disposed more kindly toward believing them than posturing politicians or unctuous oil-company suits at expensive publicity junkets. What?s more, government bean-counters wince visibly at what they fear would be an erosion in their tax-take, adding further credibility to the would-be innovators, which is an encouraging sign the innovators have a point. (But not all clouds a silver lining, remember lead is the same color as silver, and it isn?t hard to see the management consultants rubbing their hands in anticipation of some juicy feasibility study contracts being awarded on how to tax coconut oil).
In any case, the country has actually begun to export oil recently in small quantities to neighbouring countries, and could boost petroleum product exports further by this incorporation of naturally based ingredients, with resulting trade balance and foreign exchange benefits, thus lowering dependence on the almighty greenback.
From time to time this enlightened view is aired, even gets as far as Congress. Each time it does, the oil cartels weep about the investment in new plant required to adopt it, and employ consultants with masters? degrees in junk science to prove conclusively that this is impossible. Congress however does give such views extensive debate, since they facilitate the formation of committees and study groups and the consequent ear-marking of public funds for all kinds of reasons.
(Note to New Labour: you guys are still in nursery class when it comes to that stuff compared with the Republic of the Philippines, believe me).
I perceive here a working example of a disconnect I have long felt, but have found it hard to articulate. That is, the hand-wringers are screwing the wrong people, i.e. the consumers. Confrontation thus to their faint and naïve surprise does not enlist the cooperation or kindly thoughts their appeals to conscience had hoped for. They should be going after the Luddites who stand in the way of technical advance forwards, among which are, in this case and here at least, the oil cartels. Science has solved eventually most of the problems past generations saw as having us on the edge of the abyss, after all. There is no reason to believe it will not continue to do so. Going backwards to some hazy idea of glory days which never existed anyway save in their imaginations and painting apocalyptic nonsense to advance their now long-blighted cause, does our tree-hugging brothers and sisters little good. Their behavior simply reinforces the general perception many have that they?re just party-poopers anyway, so let?s ignore ?em and just boogie on down.
So, what?s my point? Simple: harness intellectual resources to search for solutions and stop beating the problem to death. Throw government weight behind the progressive thinkers and de-couple oil from politics and party-funding (oh, that?s a hard one). Oh, and hey ? positive campaigning works better than negative. Doom doesn?t do it somehow.
I?m sorry I can?t offer any hints on changing Fiesta light bulbs, folks. Must stop drinking so much of this excellent coffee.
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I have asked Martyn to fix this problem. That's his job. I can't do everything.
HJ
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Honest John wrote:
>
> I have asked Martyn to fix this problem. That's his job. I
> can't do everything.
>
> HJ
Unfortunately, neither can I. At any rate, I can't fix human nature, and it's human nature to behave like an idiot from time to time.
Moderating a forum like this (as no-one who hasn't done it will know) is a difficult balancing act. If I delete a thread which I consider to be off-topic, I get a howl of injury from those people whose honeyed prose has been dissed, and who bawl 'free speech' into my ear. Not helpful! If I allow it to stay, in case there is some morsel value in there, I get equally unhelpful gripes like the one which began this thread.
If you want a forum which is wide-ranging, challenging, occasionally ridiculous, acknowledged to be enormously useful and informative, and occasionally seems to disappear up its own backside, please stay with us. Things will change, hopefully for the even better, before long. If this is not what you want, you know where the door is. Here's your coat.
Martyn, Back Room Moderator
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>>I have asked Martyn to fix this problem.
I read Growler's post carefully.
If Martyn can really fix all that, then can he come to Brazil next - pleeeessse.
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I realise that responding to this makes me a simian dolt, but none of us would be here if we weren't interested in cars. One of the things that makes this site interesting (and popular) is the diversity of knowledge and opinion, but you can't expect to agree with all of it.
I might be pretentious, but at least I can spell it...
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Thanks to Martyn for his explanation of the difficulty he has. I was one of those who stuck their two penn'orth in regarding what I thought was an unnecessarily unwarranted piece about guns and civil liberties and others have taken the opportunity to disagree, as is their right.
I would like to offer my moral support to Martyn in the hope that he will send me large amounts of money for doing so. In the absence of such financial reward, I'll still proffer my good wishes to him in walking the tightrope as well as he does and with such good humour and thank him for so doing.
(Now can I have the money?).
Regards,
KB.
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KB wrote:
> I was one of those who stuck their two penn'orth in
> regarding what I thought was an unnecessarily unwarranted
> piece about guns and civil liberties
And called for its censorship.
> I would like to .......
> ..........proffer my good wishes to him in walking the tightrope as well as he
> does
Would you like to suggest what those who post warranted pieces about the exact parallel between unwarranted removal of rights regarding the use of demonised tools (guns), which eventually led to the removal of those tools from public use, and the unwarranted removal of rights regarding the use of other demonised tools (cars), which, if the parallel holds good, will eventually lead to the removal of those tools from public use,
Should proffer to those who call for the censorship of same, preventing the motoring public from having access to useful information providing a potentially useful insight into their past treatment, and potential future treatment?
And what they should proffer to the censors?
At least we now all know your views on civil liberties - that they are unwarranted - and where you are coming from when you post demanding "liberties".
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...and can we have the BR Opera-enabled? Please?
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Opera? Hopefully, yes. That's what Stephen said, remember?
But I won't have it work with Opera at the expense of MIE, though. That would be like closing out 95 per cent of our visitors at a stroke.
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Martyn of course I understand you can't upset the status quo on browser compatibility. However, I believe Opera can be configured to behave (hopefully not too much) like IE. Anyway I'm in the minority but it would be a nice-to-have.
Cheers.
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I'd like to put in a word for Opera, too. For one thing, it's the only browser that is properly W3C (World-wide web consortium - an outfit that even Microsoft is signed up to) compatible.
There is a simple way of checking that a website complies - run it through validator.w3.org/
W3C compatible sites work with all up-to-date browsers - ones designed for IE often don't (e.g the white-on-black navigation buttons here).
More info on this for those who are interested on www.opera.com - the free version with the ad. banner is quite livable with, and a darn site quicker than IE.
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THe Growler wrote:
>
> Martyn of course I understand you can't upset the status quo
> on browser compatibility. However, I believe Opera can be
> configured to behave (hopefully not too much) like IE. Anyway
> I'm in the minority but it would be a nice-to-have.
>
> Cheers.
Please don't hold us to it - but the rework of this site and forum due for release is testing fine for Opera, Netscape as well as IE of course.
After IE crashed on me today a few times and considered a 6MB download finished at 1MB, even I resorted to Opera - which as you would like to hear - worked flawlessly.
However, we won't fix anything on the current site until the new release - so if you can be patient for a little more time that would be great.
S
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Bogush, How dare you presume to declare publicly that you have knowledge regarding my views on civil liberties based on evidence of my singular comment on your post.
I strongly resent your pompous attitude in claiming to have knowledge of my position based solely on this issue and request a retraction of your self opiniated assertions.
You wrote yesterday "I rest my case M'lud"
I observed subsequently that I doubted very much that your case would rest there and have been proved right in that regard.
It is my opinion that you could and would engineer virtually any subject in order to further publicise your own views and then find a devious connection between it and the topic of the forum you happen to be contributing to, in order to justify it. If this were a W.I. Cake Making Forum you would quickly find a link between Fairy Cakes and the Goverment's agenda to increase the tax on flour and reduce the freedom of housewives to have a stall at the church hall on Saturday afternoons.
You take it upon yourself to attempt dominate this forum with your flood of contributions and subsequently show contempt for anyone who fails to suck up to you, and along the way manage to attract simpering hangers on who toss cheap and sarcastic one liners in the the ring before withdrawing from the topic.
Anyway back to the subject in hand - "Is the backroom dead?"
Answer - No, not by a long way - long may it remain.................................
Got a question to ask? Want to change your car? Need the latest motoring news? Want to know the best ways to buy new or used, to import a car or to sell a car? Want to buy a car at auction? Looking for a dependable garage to service your car? Got a point to make in the discussion group? It's all here - just follow the links.
KB.
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KB wrote:
>
> Bogush, How dare you presume to declare publicly that you
> have knowledge regarding my views on civil liberties based on
> evidence of my singular comment on your post.
I don't, I presume from the general tone and objective of all your responses to my posts.
It certainly was a singular comment though:
> > I was one of those who stuck their two penn'orth in regarding
> > what I thought was an unnecessarily unwarranted piece about
> > guns and civil liberties
How dare you presume that you have knowlege of whether it was unnecessary and unwarranted!
Furthermore, I posted a link, and a reason for why I thought motorists might find it relevant.
How dare you presume to have it banned and deprive others who might not, or even might, share your views, the right to follow the link and read the essay, and make up their own minds!
And though I cannot recall exactly what you said, if I recall correctly: you certainly dared to presume to declare publicly that you have knowledge regarding my views and reasons for posting.
And, not for the first time, sought to have them censored.
And, if I recall correctly, your comments weren't complimentary. And they were public.
I strongly resent your pompous attitude in claiming to have knowledge of my position based solely on this issue and request a retraction of your self opiniated assertions.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
That rings a bell!
> I strongly resent your pompous attitude in claiming to have
> knowledge of my position based solely on this issue and
> request a retraction of your self opiniated assertions.
Request accepted:
I apologise profusely for daring to take on the role you have reserved for your own.
> It is my opinion that you could and would engineer virtually
> any subject in order to further publicise your own views and
> then find a devious connection between it and the topic of
> the forum you happen to be contributing to, in order to
> justify it. If this were a W.I. Cake Making Forum you would
> quickly find a link between Fairy Cakes and the Goverment's
> agenda to increase the tax on flour and reduce the freedom of
> housewives to have a stall at the church hall on Saturday
> afternoons.
I strongly resent your pompous attitude in claiming to have
knowledge of my position based solely on this issue and
request a retraction of your self opiniated assertions.
> You take it upon yourself to attempt dominate this forum with
> your flood of contributions and subsequently show contempt
> for anyone who fails to suck up to you, and along the way
> manage to attract simpering hangers on who toss cheap and
> sarcastic one liners in the the ring before withdrawing from
> the topic.
I strongly resent your pompous attitude in claiming to have
knowledge of my position based solely on this issue and
request a retraction of your self opiniated assertions.
On behalf, not only of myself, but of the "simpering hangers on" too.
> Anyway back to the subject in hand - "Is the backroom dead?"
>
> Answer - No, not by a long way - long may it
> remain.................................
>
> Got a question to ask? Want to change your car? Need the
> latest motoring news? Want to know the best ways to buy new
> or used, to import a car or to sell a car? Want to buy a car
> at auction? Looking for a dependable garage to service your
> car? Got a point to make in the discussion group? It's all
> here - just follow the links.
Now, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were a highly skilled liberal spinner.
But of course, I do know better.
That may well be what you want, that may well be what the forum wants, that may well be what the forum owner wants.
If that is the case, they should substitute the above for the "welcome" to the forum:
Honest John's Q&A forum, your chance to make yourself heard in this generally motoring-based forum. Join the discussion, contribute your opinions, comment on Latest News items in The Back Room
> You wrote yesterday "I rest my case M'lud"
And I write today "I rest my case M'lud"
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As you mention it, our village's recent 'guess the weight of the cake' competition elicited about 60 entries, of which only one was metric.
Just wondering how this sits with the government's stance on prosecuting sellers of sausages and failing to prosecute councils that put up road signs with distances in metres/km, which remains illegal. What's their position on speed limits in kph, I wonder (not to mention pints of beer)?
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If the contributions by Bogush are boring, irrelevant, insulting and virtually unreadable, then I?me a Dutchman.
Ruud Van Strooghoosen
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'Guiere Middach' or I'm a dutchman too...???
Where did this thread start?
Oh yes.
I guess 'gandalf', you must be stupid. If you spend enough time to write so energetically when you could be doing something constructive...
Just my opinion of course.
Martin.
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