"They said that there was no medical care in Iraq, and that there was a very strong defence of this hospital. But there was no one here apart from doctors and patients, and there was nobody to fire at them."

I wonder who was slapping Pvt. Lynch during the incident that inspired the Iraqi man visiting his wife (a nurse there) to both walk six miles to inform the U.S. troops of her whereabouts, and then to take his family and go into hiding.

Just on the offchance that you happen back, Caroma:

On the one hand

I want replies, but after a series of "Hmmmph! I can't believe you phrased that question like that!" I can't Sayyaf my way out of it anymore.

But on the other hand

I can't relax and can't enjoy myself without worrying anymore about a Fay screed or moonlit thesis descending on me.

Either you wanted people to reply to the substance of your comments, or you didn't. Your call.

So sorry to have given the impression that there's more to the world beyond the USA than quaint sports and cute birdies. I shall strive for more brevity and less seriousness in the future. Perhaps a rousing chorus of "It's a small world after all", whilst clad in a quaint National costume of some sort would be more appropriate.

Say, we use the word "pants" to mean underwear! Isn't that cute? Cor blimey govner, it's a proper pea souper! Chim chimernee Mary Poppins!

etc etc etc.

t /screed

Perhaps a rousing chorus of "It's a small world after all", whilst clad in a quaint National costume of some sort

I'd pay folding money to see Fay do that. I'm just sayin'

Fay, you should know that there's nothing so monstrous and unfair as a patient, detailed, well-reasoned refutation. (And that goes for you too, Moonlit! Shame on you both!)

t wink

But please avoid giving the impression that your method for trying to have the last word is to discourage others from replying to you.

Ah, what a wonderfully long way of saying "No" Caroma's post was. Fair play to her.

edited for needless pettiness.

I'd pay folding money to see Fay do that

(Hey, for folding money I'll include tassels. In new places.)

Perhaps a rousing chorus of "It's a small world after all", whilst clad in a quaint National costume of some sort

I'd pay folding money to see Fay do that. I'm just sayin'

Damn. You beat me to it. Tricksey antipodeans, starting the day almost a whole (or half or some other portion of the) day ahead of decent, wholesome types.

(Tassels, she said breathlessly.)

Tassels!! Whoo!!

I shall strive for more brevity and less seriousness in the future.

Fay, I hope you'll remember that your posts may have been inspired (or provoked ;) by Caroma, but their quality and depth was appreciated by a cast of thousands hundreds dozens. (But dozens of Buffistas. Which is like two, three hundred regular people, right?)

Perhaps that's just one of the downsides of posting boards. You get to hear the voices raised to heckle or question, but you don't see the sea of heads bobbing up and down in agreement. Or those faces with the furrowed brows of concentration and blank stares of deep thought you provoke. (Or on occasion, the little fist o' me-me-me, pumping the air and saying "Go Fah-hay, Go Fah-hay!")

Posting to change someone's mind is pretty much a pointless (and definitely a thankless) activity. But posting to share your thoughts, to work through your opinions, to participate in your community? Is an end unto itself. The outcome, or the reaction of an individual, should have little effect on that.

Curse you, wee tricky strike tag

Tricksey antipodeans

I believe you mean Trixie. Ahh.. a Belden joke. I crack me up.

t could be time for bed

That's all I meant by "groupthink". And that's why I find it so hard to discuss things here. I always hear the same things from the same people.

Well, yes. The really talkative people on Buffistas do share a lot of opinions. "Groupthink" implies an intent that I don't think exists here, though. I've seen quite a lot of common-ground-finding here as opposed to homogenity-making (and it's a fine line, admittedly).

I know I'm one of the more conservative people here, but I'm also one of the less confrontational. Still, the few times that I've questioned things that Buffistas hold dear (like the definition of "slashy") I didn't get shot down. They explained themselves. And if I still disagree, then I still disagree and that's fine.

Maybe I just don't feel a need to get the last word in. I'm not used to winning arguments.

And instead of being a bunch of people who are hanging around the water cooler chatting, it's becoming a bunch of people who feel required to do extensive research before they venture an opinion.

Which is part of why I trust them to hash out a voting system that will probably be more fair and accomodating than I will think it needs to be. If it makes them happy, no harm done.

And I like extensive research, personally. Non-inquisitve people need not apply for membership here. (I think I'm safe saying that...)

Julie ...

marry me!

edited because I wanted it smaller and more cow-bell goddamnit!