I think we're a little frayed, because I thought you were talking about me. I wish the stats hadn't been posted, because I felt we all were sort of getting over differences, but it was nice to see that more people articipated than I thought. Since we actually have the vote up, I'm pretty mcuh taking a break except for thread naming issues, etc, because I have certainly said enough.

I think we're a little frayed, because I thought you were talking about me.

See, I should have used a different member of the gang, like Zhang Chunqiao or Yao Wenyuan. Stoopid gender identifiers. It really wasn't directed at anyone so much as directed at a snark at me. I feel like Bart Simpson. I'll be on the blackboard writing "I will not make Cutural Revolution Jokes." a hundred times now.

I don't like that the chart was posted. It seemed a little.. I don't know, it seemed possibley divisive to me to do so, at this point, when things had mostly calmed down.

If I'd thought that anybody would take it that way, then I never would have done it.

I certainly didn't do that to have a go at you, I swear.

It was intended to deflate that "gang of fourteen" slur, which to me said "fourteen really boring people made life hell for the rest of us", which isn't true -- I mean, hence the Gangs of Arbitrary Number gag.

The truth is more interesting, and I think people don't mind hearing that.

Can we just chalk this up to misinterpretation and misunderstanding and on-edge-ness all around and continue to chill? I'm pro-chilling.

I'm for the chillin' with the Jesse.

I wish the stats hadn't been posted, because I felt we all were sort of getting over differences, but it was nice to see that more people articipated than I thought.

Again, I apologise to you and anyone else who felt that way.

I honestly never thought that it would be seen as divisive or negative. I find stats interesting, and I threadsucked the data because I've been looking through the whole episode, not just in terms of this issue, but in terms of how we actually work as a community, and how it sometimes breaks down.

I liked seeing it too, John. But I really don't mind being one of a very few people who is interested in spending a lot of time in this thread dealing with all this stuff.

I really don't mind being one of a very few people who is interested in spending a lot of time in this thread dealing with all this stuff.

Well exactly.

There's still a question at the back of my mind about why people's responses were so emotional. But I'll put that down to incipient autism for the moment.

(Also, feeling a little pissy at being given the old talking-to when John gets a free pass.)

Somehow I missed the original post and thought it was John being called on the carpet.

FTR, I don't think anyone meant anything hurtful, nor did I take it that way. And as I said above, I thought the chart was interesting precisely because it demonstrated that there were considerably more people involving themselves in this discussion than the Gof14 remarks would suggest.

I'm glad we've finally called for a vote on most of the remaining issues, because we all really need a break.

Going back to the thread name for Natter 10, which we may need tonight, I like Bitterchick's suggestion of X-treme natter: we are trying this at home.