Regarding Terri Schiavo Stories, the BN Sidebar, vanities, and newcomers

[Lead Moderator]

Hello everyone. I hope you are all having a good evening.

At various times today there have been upwards of 8 different stories at the same time posted to breaking news, and it does not seem like we go more than a half hour before yet another goes in.

We are all thrilled that progress is being made.

But it really is not helping matters to overwhelm everything in the forum with every new detail. So please, let's try to keep the new posts to the breaking news sidebar to a reasonable level.

Along the same lines, just like any story that is emotionally charged, we are getting a significant number of vanities on the topic. The rule of thumb on vanities is that they should be substantive, original, and relatively infrequent. Many of the vanities we have seen today probably could have, and should have, been made in reply to an existing thread rather than starting a new one.

And finally, this story has brought many new Freepers on board. To them, I extend a hearty welcome (hoo rah!). However, (speaking to the new folks now), some of you have been a little over-emotional, and are crossing the line when it comes to disagreements and engaging in personal attacks and flaming rather than debating. Please keep it clean, and realize that due to the nature of the beast, newbies are not given as much leeway as more established posters.

Now back to our regularly scheduled Freeping, already in progress.

[stands2reason]

Grow up.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Thanks and bump!

[new cruelty]

Bump

[ElkGroveDan]

Good comments, but honestly, if Free Republic could survive three months of Arnold debates, it can survive anything this hugh and this series.

[Billthedrill]

You shoulda seen the Elian threads. It got to be like one of those late-night cable channels - All Elian, All The Time.

[NautiNurse]

I am dismuffed. I'll get over it one cold day in South Florida as I am shoveling snow and putting tire chains on the SUV...and the boat.

Have I rated a C- minus in the opus department yet?

[blam]

"You want me to stop--sobeit--and that will include my financial support of this forum."

Please....think that over. I consider you an asset to the forum and would hate to see you leave.

[ElkGroveDan]

Yeah, I was a lurker in those days.

I only became a full-fledged Freeper when Rush Limbaugh read an article I wrote on the air and it became a topic for discussion here.

[new cruelty]

dismuffed?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Gotta link to the article? :)

[sarasmom]

Well, far be it from anyone more interested in a major fight for the lives of severely disabled people, who are being murdered by court ordered starvation, to interfere with your comfort level!

Been there, seen that, got the t-shirt?

Hey, how about that Kobe Bryant thing?
I have no opinion, interest or knowledge to advance, so I dont click on those threads.
But thats just me.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Too bad FR wasn't around for the O.J. Simpson ordeal.

[Lazamataz]

We are all thrilled that progress is being made. But it really is not helping matters to overwhelm everything in the forum with every new detail.

Breaking News!!!!
Terry Schiavo Visited
By On-Duty Nurse!!!!!

And finally, this story has brought many new Freepers on board. To them, I extend a hearty welcome (hoo rah!). However, (speaking to the new folks now), some of you have been a little over-emotional, and are crossing the line when it comes to disagreements and engaging in personal attacks and flaming rather than debating.

Ya b*stard.

[Dog Gone]

Fine, scream at the top of your lungs on any thread you like. I never suggested that you shouldn't.

[resistmuch]

I agree about the need for civility. The Iraq War, in particular, is bringing out a lot of negative emotion on both sides and causing FReepers, who probably agree on most other issues, to engage in some nasty ad hominem attacks.

Speaking as a relative newcomer myself, this is the greatest conservative forum in the world, but some of the posters have a definite mean streak. I especially am puzzled about the tendency to jump on "newbies" as trolls and disruptors. Sometimes they deserve it, but not always.

[ambrose]

Thank you, thank you.

[berkeleybeej]

dismuffed?

Ouch - sounds painful!

[GeekDejure]

Hell Oh, Lead Moderator . . . Just a silly question to break the landslide of Terri posts . . .

Have you discovered a way to convert Lead Moderator into Gold Moderator??? ;-))

.

[Jim Robinson]

Who said we weren't. You shoulda been here for the Lindbergh kidnapping.