Random Thoughts Blog – a Change to Email Policy

Readers will be aware that, from time to time, the comments can become a trifle heated. Sometimes this generates excellent arguments. Sometimes it generates light-hearted banter. Sometimes it generates abuse and insults.

Rather than go down some formal “registration” route, I will use the facilities WordPress already provides, and which are in use already, but with one change.

Commenters will be aware that, when you first comment, you are asked for some info, including an email address.

If it appears to me that the email address given is invalid, then your commenting privileges will be suspended until a valid one is provided.

Your email addresses will NOT be passed to anyone else and would only be used by me to communicate with you regarding the blog.

(Or to promote sales of my blog-related merchandise: umbrellas, kettles, and ready meals – all on a “Random Thoughts” theme – coming soon – or not at all).

If you receive an email from me in the next week or so, then this is simply me checking that your email address is valid.

It is not necessary to reply, but feel free to do so if you want.

I am always happy to hear from you!

All the best,

Paul

NB – I have added a summary of this to the right hand side of the page.

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A Message to Commenters – Calm Down Dears!

No. This is not an advert for e-sure, nor an hommage to the late Michael Winner.

Instead I would like to appeal to my commenters to follow Mr Winner’s advice.

I was going to email the people to whom I am referring, but not all have left genuine email addresses.

As I have often said, it is the exchange of comment and discussion here which makes this blog what it is.

Gratuitous insults are not called for – nor in fact are non-gratuitous insults!

It’s Not Every Day One Is Accused of Being One Step Away From Being A Book Burner!

Firstly, many apologies for my absence over the last couple of days. Real life things like work can get in the way of poring over the FTT decision in minute detail (yes, that is still to come) or the Share Prospectus (and that is still to come too).

Instead, I was transported back to my school days on catching up with the last 400 comments. I take you back to my first year English class. Our teacher is called out of the class, but before leaving, she announces that the room must stay quiet, and we must continue on quietly with our interpretation passage. It was something, I recall, about a hawk dipping its claw into a pool and being confused by seeing its reflection – probably Ted Hughes…

(And when did “interpretation” become known as “close reading”? I digress.)

Our teacher made it clear that anyone who spoke during her absence would be belted on her return (ah, the Lochgelly tawse was still very much in vogue).  

If the Comments Here are Getting You Riled, Consider Haudin’ Yer Wheesht for a Wee While

A few folk got a bit fractious, and indeed contentious, over the weekend here. This resulted in some commenters being peeved, if not miffed.

I have said what I’m going to say before, but will reiterate it.

I credit the popularity of the blog to the wide range of contributors we have. This is good for debate under the thesis/antithesis/synthesis principle. Long may that continue! The different views of and comments on the prospectus were indicative of how useful a site like this can be.

As the thumbs issue seemed to generate its own arguments, I offered the poll in the post below. The majority want them to stay, so stay they will. But if thumbs up or down offend you, don’t look at them! You’re all adults (well apart from you … [Name deleted]).

As for comment threads becoming discouraging to read through…

One of the problems with RTC and TSFM is that posts were infrequent, so comment threads grew and grew.

I like writing so try to post daily or more, helped by those kind enough to contribute guest posts. This helps break the comments up, though can disrupt a conversation.

My Response to a Prolific Commenter + Some House Rules re Free Speech

I don’t usually address a blog post to one commenter, but I am going to make an exception here.

Baxterboy was very busy over a seven-hour period late last night, chipping in with twenty separate comments totalling over 1,600 words. Rather than try to answer each one individually on the thread, I think it best to write this separate post, and in doing so to make some general suggestions regarding the site and its comments.

If Baxterboy chooses to respond, as he is entitled to do, then I would be grateful if it is done in the form of a single post or comment.

For the avoidance of doubt, as regular readers will know, most comments submitted to this blog are posted. It takes a lot for them not to be approved, and despite the suggestion of one commenter on Rangers Media (good morning to you) I do not eliminate posts because they get lots of thumbs down. Have a look through the site, and I am sure that you will find lots of thumbed down comments – they are all still there!

I will start with some general comments prompted by Baxterboy.