I check out Hot Topics every day. Yes, it is primarily currently politics. Where else can I read so many different opinions, biased and unbiased, without believing every word read and or heard on the News Channels, which have their own biases? I consider Hot Topics as "Food for Thought."

They are so very vile and nasty that I don't have a problem saying so. I would say the same to their face, probably have.

I agree it's probably best not to bring it to the Kitchen Table though. I should have left it at good luck which was a bit of a warning and a don't feel bad if they attack you comment. It wasn't intended to start an argument, just venting a bit. I can only read there for a minute it is so bad, which is discouraging. I can't imagine how anyone can enjoy it.

So, you are calling us nasty so that makes you nasty, lol. And so the circle goes. We are all hypocrits if we say anything.

ETA: Defending nasty by calling people nasty for calling out nasty is rather odd, really. What I and others said is no where near as bad as what I read over there, yet that behavior is alright. I will never understand the defense of that sort of thing. But that's just me!

Well, you're calling me, blfenton, chisue, lily, and others vile and nasty (to our face). But what I said was, don't you see that by saying it, doesn't that mean you've sunk to "our" level? But you don't see it.

:(

I don't know your posts over there Rob although I do recall seeing your name occasionally. Those other names do not stand out at all as being unkind so, no, I am not talking about them personally. It was a general comment on the environment there. The undeniable environment there - by most people's standards, anyway. It is not normal conversation. I don't know how anyone could possibly say that it is.

That forum is not a pleasant place. Everyone knows it. I think they take pride in it, lol, and obviously enjoy it. It does make it difficult for other people to participate though (keep your ears open around the other forums), or even to read comfortably. Somehow their behavior is alright with you. Why you would find all the fighting and vitriol there acceptable and defend it yet take such offense to my own offhand remark about it doesn't really add up.

Do you not care about the actual people who are insulted continuously, that you support it? It seems to me that is what you should actually be taking issue with, not someone commenting on or complaining about it, or even tossing out insults in return.

Do you call everyone out who disses HT, because I have heard the same comments many, many times, including recently, and no one ever objected.

PS.

'You're talking behind their backs, but not! The Kitchen Table is a public place. '

HT is a public forum too. They diss people constantly (including each other). That is the subject matter over there and the nature of that forum. What about those people who are criticized and roasted endlessly? They get personally and professionally attacked and hurt by all the bad commentary by the public and spend an enormous amount of time and energy having to defend themselves. Why don't they matter?

And what about their family members and their poor children who hear or read all that stuff about the people they love.

Why is your crowd the only one that matters?

------------------------

(Oh and by the way, as far as not saying insulting remarks at the KT and your needing to repeat your post of the other day. How about working on getting your HT buddy to stop disrupting the HD forum with all their screaming politics and hurling of vicious personal insults at other members. I don't think it's appreciated over there either which is why all he!! breaks loose. All that hostility belongs on the HT forum, not on HD. Why you feel the need to stand up for them instead, no matter how bad or cruel their behavior, is beyond me.

I think I know where you are coming from, it's personal. But you're biased, really not being fair. )

Oh and good grief. It's not like every post or comment on the KT is pleasant and positive! Sounds to me like you are just grinding your own ax. All was running smoothly until you started an argument over pretty much nothing. Other people are entitled to their opinions too (unlike on HT)

It really only takes one bad apple to set the tone of a forum, and they've got a really rotten one.

That's because they attack and insult others and people get sick of it!

I do go to Hot Topics everyday, my contributions ebb and flow and have certainly ebbed over the past year but I love being there during the election cycle.

Some of the threads do deteriorate into name calling by the tenth post and then I'm out of there. Many of those people are very bright and well read, and there are probably a couple of trolls, just like on any forum.

Being Canadian, I do try not to step on any toes because, boy, will they let me know if I have done so.

But your attacking is right and good snookums. And fully warranted, even after you said the names you saw were ok.

They are OK, awesome even! So it's like people. Individually OK, as a group they suck.

Oh, the irony!

Mayflower, Just one? Ha! It's like finding diamonds over there. You have to muddle through, but worth the nuggets.

I'll say it again. Awesome, all those listed above (hi blfenton!) . I'd add to my list of awesome HT posters now and past, but we'd be here forever.

Most of them are very nice and won't bite. A few trolls, definitely. I hate the arrogant, condescending, hypocritical, narcissistic tone of that one poster. It doesn't make you look like the great debater you think you are when you have to degrade people and insult their intelligence and reading ability.

I think it's fair to say that HT is not for the faint of heart, so enter at your own risk. At least the political discussions are.

Ha, mimi! I just saw the "risk" you took and you were berated for your lack of reading comprehension.

So, anyone wishing to post in HT, please take a reading comprehension course first.

mayflowers (z8)

Ha, mimi! I just saw the "risk" you took and you were berated for your lack of reading comprehension.

^^^^

me no reed gud.

They'll get you on your spelling too. ;)

What is the "HD" forum? ? ? ?

Home Decorating (there is a conversations side that can get a little heated sometimes).

Thank you. I'm just curious.

‘But your attacking is right and good snookums.’

First
of all, I wouldn’t call my comment an attack.
It was like a review of a
restaurant or a movie, an impersonal observation of a place.
A lot of people would find it to be accurate even if you
don’t agree with that opinion. So what? Why must everyone like the HT forum
and why can’t people comment on it? I
don’t see them holding back and rest assured the people there don’t care one
iota what anyone thinks of them as individuals or their forum.

When
I posted that, I was thinking of the whole forum. No individuals in mind. Just one big muddled pit of senseless arguing. I really don't know who the players are to any degree.
I don't hang around for more than a few minutes because I can’t get past
the foul nature of the content. Every thread I open is full of fighting, mudslinging and hatred towards the other party. To each his own.

Secondly,
you certainly have no problem singling me out – and you are - attacking me
personally. I’m hardly the first to make
such remarks.

BTW, I notice you have since ‘liked’ (on this thread) a long harsh description of a
member there. Really?
How does that make one bit of sense?
That must be a triple - make that quadruple - standard. Could not be more ironic!

'I didn't say it was happy, fluffy bunny
place. What I said was, it's in poor taste to go around saying ugly
things about them.'

In poor taste.
That’s a good one!!! So what. Such is the nature of the beast
they’ve created. They have set the bar low
themselves. They say ugly things about
everyone else, including each other – all.
day. long. Yet you hang out there because
you enjoy it. Looks like more irony.

So why do you find it in any more bad taste, enough
to rile you, for people to object to or comment on what is, in fact, really bad
behavior – while you find it acceptable for people to act that way to begin with?
Why the free pass, Rob? You appear to admire and approve of such
things, so what's the problem? Are they 'untouchable'
or something? Sacred?

And why do you expect some of us to be fluffy passive little bunnies?

'Oh, the irony?'

Of what? Gads, you sound like you know
who. The most 'ironic' individual I have ever witnessed in my
life. I was thinking you were defending
and protecting that good friend of yours but now that you’ve ‘liked’ an
extensive hate comment about them … who knows. Talk about irony!!! lol. Good
Lord. SMH.

Look, you're really
not making a lot of sense. I think the bad behaviors and nonsensical
arguing style over there is rubbing off on you. It’s really not something
any of us should aspire to and I’m sorry to hear that you do. Par
for the course with HT lovers, you have managed to turn a very few brief, relatively tame observations
by a few people about a place into an argument on your ‘pleasant’
forum – along with instigating some rather heavy bashing of another member by bringing
up here one of their fights on HD the other day - a bash which you cheered on! Lol.

Good job!

That's not a hard comment, snookums. That's a truth comment shared by many. And well-deserved too.

Most of the people in HT are easy to get along with. There really is only a handful who constantly fight with each other in a personal manner. It often starts in within the first three posts so you might as well not read any further when you see it. I don't ever get upset from the forum, just when I see the abuse that one person dishes out to liberals and conservatives alike.

I like the forum because they find obscure news stories that I might miss otherwise. It keeps all the current events in one place so it's a quick way to keep up. I don't read every post. I have a few favorite posters there and some I skip right over.

I didn't say it wasn't true but sure it's a harsh assessment. You didn't call them anything they haven't been screaming at others so I don't feel bad for them. Just those in their path.

'I don't ever get upset from the forum, just when I see the abuse that one person dishes out '

And then rants about lack of empathy for others and the religious upbringing they had.

Who IS this one person?

boy you sure do write a lot of long diatribes snookums!

I venture there upon occasion but quickly realize why I don't go there very often. Plus, they usually lose me because they begin talking about stuff that went on before and I have no idea what they are talking about. It's like a gang, you are better off staying away...LMAO!

Lucille- I don't venture there often but I would imagine the one being someone who shares two letters with my name, namely the X. At least that's one of the worst I've seen there.

Who IS this one person?

The Shadow knows...

No one is forced to read any forum, and Scroll On By is always an option. When 'strongly held opinion' deteriorates into personal attack, the poster loses credibility... and respect. I'm a big girl, capable of reason and judgment.

"..passive little bunnies..." Hilarious, Snookums!

They even have a warning on the site, enter at your own risk, "These topics tend to appeal to articulate people with strong opinions and often these debates are sometimes heated. You may challenge another's point of view or opinion, but do so respectfully and thoughtfully, without insult and personal attack. You are responsible for your own behavior and if you cannot follow these rules, your posts may be removed and your membership privileges may be revoked."

I go there about every day. Occasionally I post something.Some of the comments are not productive, but often the links to news articles are interesting. Things I might not know otherwise

HT members definitely lean one way, and those who don't take a beating. Not sure why they hang around. Maybe they like to argue and take shots at others. I don't think names should be mentioned. Curious people can go there and find out on their own. Mostly it's not vile and nasty imho

When 'strongly held opinion' deteriorates into personal attack, the poster loses credibility... and respect.

Yes. I can disagree with you, but I should still respect you when we're done.

There's about five conservatives over there. A few of the liberals spend an inordinate amount of time trying to convince those five people that they're right. Hours and hours of pounding away. I would hate to be on my deathbed thinking of all my accomplishments and can only come up with "There was that time in 2018 when I finally convinced Mrskjun I was right."

No, I'd say most want to make sure lies aren't being spread, as they are on so many sites. As I've said before, if you visit HT you must be able to back up your argument with citation and not present out of context. It's also important to consider the source of the "information." So, so many people hear a sound bite and do not question its credentials, so to speak. It's a long and tiring job to make sure arguments are presented FAIRLY.

It's a long and tiring job to make sure arguments are presented FAIRLY.

Those long and tiring arguments are repeated over and over only to see the same lies repeated in the next thread. That's just not the venue to make a difference imo.

Not the venue to make the difference... in either direction. And yet they try. Repeatedly. So, so true!

Here is my opinion from the various times I have ventured there.

Those who frequent tend to either want an echo chamber of agreement or someone to argue with.

I will freely admit I don't go there every day but the times I have, I've not seen a meaningful discourse.

I have a really hard time respecting anyone who has a die hard party line (regardless of which side of the political spectrum they fall)

If you can't admit that the opposing party has done at least one good thing then I feel you are being willfully ignorant.

It's the same reason I can't discuss politics with some of my elder relatives. They just stick with the party, no matter what and that kind of thinking is dangerous and the very reason our country is in the mess it is now with the current election.

I've looked at it a few times and didn't find it to be of interest. It seemed to have a vibe not unlike today's talk shows. Too many don't realize that the hosts like Russ Limbaugh and so many others (of all political standpoints) consider themselves to be entertainers, not insightful observers of the political scene. Their hyperbole is intentional and deliberate yet listeners take it and run. That's the kind of "discussion" I've seen there, and I don't find it to be enlightening or interesting. Spin and fluff.

Oh yeah, and what Texas Gem said too.

To answer the OP's question, "How do I get there?", it is very, very simple.

"Those long and tiring arguments are repeated over and over "

They save them on their computers, huge pages of them, as lists of responses. Then, whenever the argument comes up, voila! cut and paste! Of course the opposing side does this too.

Technology to the rescue, so they don't have to get tired and many can participate without all that pesky thinking.

MY Goodness.....What ARE we doing here!!! Lucille, I never thought of that brilliant use of technology. LOL, (well, chuckle)

When I first joined this site I went looking for Hot Topics. It didn't dawn on me that it would be hidden among all of those Garden Topics. Then someone pointed it out to me and I still missed it - because as I was scrolling quickly through the topics I misread Hot Topics as Hot Tropics - which did seem a tad redundant.........

If you're a strong Democrat/Liberal, you'd fit in nicely.

Hot Topics doesn't have nuthin' on the Senior Center. Was sitting there chatting with several people there about this and that when all of a sudden the lady across from me lays into Hillary with all sorts of particulars. I got up and said I was going over to the exercise class a few minutes early.

Good for you, Luille. There are a lot of people who feel it's their duty to repeat the talking points they hear/read online. Sigh.

And it won't hurt to stand up and refute actual lies. Remember in 2008 when John McCain corrected a woman who said Obama was a Muslim? He said, no, he isn't. The current candidates refuse to stand up for what is right. So if the woman at the Senior Center is repeating obvious lies, it won't hurt to say, "I'm afraid that you have your information wrong."

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". Edmund Burke

Pretty slick there. I'd discuss how I feel about this attempt at being forced into discussing a hot topic, but I have to go finish cooking the bratwurst.

No force intended, and I don't mean to suggest that you get into with a debate. But the sentiment I expressed is something that I try to keep in mind.

' There are a lot of people who feel it's their duty to repeat the talking points they hear/read online. Sigh.'

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who simply want you think or vote their way and make it their mission to try to influence and recruit, for their own interests, every chance they get. Total turnoff for most people, I think.

You're absolutely right, Snookums2.