Thoughts on Off Topic Posts

The forum is generally intended as an information medium, designed to assist expats with expat issues, some serious, but some less so.
Some threads go way off topic, but are generally left with no more than a moderator suggestion if they're harmless.
Some go too far, usually the stuff that will end up in a bunfight, so they end up moderated.
Anything with insults, lies, misinformation, political statements or flaming tends to disappear pretty quickly.

In my 62 years of life on this planet, I have NEVER been in a conversation that has been 100% "on-topic."

I have had comments deleted by a moderator  for reasons stated by a moderator,  to find the moderator do the very same.  That's just hypocritical. If there is going to be two sets of rules then I want no part in this forum.

If there isn't going to be a free exchange of friendly thoughts then I want no part of this forum.

I have been accused of violating the "code of conduct" (Julian and Kennedy) which in fact I did not. If you're going to have non-published rules then I want no part of this forum.

If this is not going to be a friendly and open forum then delete my account.  I'm an adult and I know better how to protect myself than anyone else here.

Viet Nam, is a relatively well run, Communist Police State and currently very friendly with America. Still, we are guests here and while here we should show respect to the government and society.

I am NOT getting into a discussion of right or wrong. I make no secret of the fact that my loyalty is to America. I have sworn that oath on several occasions and remain completely bound by it.

The Vietnamese language gets quite subtle and I have discussed the Vietnamese word "Da" in depth. To me the proper response to anything Vietnamese that you disagree with, is to reply along the lines of the Vietnamese word, "Da."

"Da" in Vietnamese more or less translates as "I am being polite." "Da kong" is no. "Da phai" is yes

70 years old wrote:

Viet Nam, is a relatively well run, Communist Police State and currently very friendly with America. Still, we are guests here and while here we should show respect to the government and society.

I am NOT getting into a discussion of right or wrong. I make no secret of the fact that my loyalty is to America. I have sworn that oath on several occasions and remain completely bound by it.

The Vietnamese language gets quite subtle and I have discussed the Vietnamese word "Da" in depth. To me the proper response to anything Vietnamese that you disagree with, is to reply along the lines of the Vietnamese word, "Da."

"Da" in Vietnamese more or less translates as "I am being polite." "Da kong" is no. "Da phai" is yes

Interesting.... My wife uses Da A LOT when we talk.

However, the comments in my first post have nothing to do with Vietnam law or rule. I fully understand I am a guest of the Vietnamese government, regardless of how well I am treated by local officials. That is a courtesy extend to me through the family of my wife. And I full well understood that courtesy.

Like you,  my loyalty is to my God and my country first and second. Then to my family in America and Vietnam. I have, for 41 years been a friend and supporter to the Vietnamese people and I will continue to in the future.  I pray only that be support each other to an end.

Now,  back to "Da." My wife says Da enterchangable with Yes.  However, I sometimes wonder if it's the equivalent to my,  "Yes,  Dear." If it is, she understands me much more than I have given her credit for. I know she's very intelligent even though she tells me she isn't. 

I think she just snowed the snowman.

GaryFunk wrote:

My wife says Da enterchangable with Yes.  However, I sometimes wonder if it's the equivalent to my,  "Yes,  Dear." If it is, she understands me much more than I have given her credit for. I know she's very intelligent even though she tells me she isn't. 

I think she just snowed the snowman.

I think you just got a valuable insight into Vietnamese culture.

You might be ready for, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Kieu

Amazon is my friend and I just ordered an English translation.

Does your wife know that you ordered "Tale of Kiều?"

She does. She is impressed I knew about it

She sounds like a keeper.

You two should get a room. I find this website quite intriguing when it comes to rules. So far there's no other active expat forums out there so everyone flocks to this site. Instead of welcoming people with open arms, I find the mods here acted somewhat dictatorial when it comes to enforcing the rules. They had banned a long time contributor to this forum 'Jaitch' which shows they ban and evict people who don't play by their rules regardless of how long you have been a 'member'.

I have a room, I want a country.

If the reigns become too tight. the horse will bolt.

There could easily be another forum but on the other hand this could be the place which all want to come. We are all adults and want to be treated as such.

Accusing someone of being a sexpat for admitting to giving a larger tip to waitresses who put out the extra effort to look pretty, starts one off on a bad foot and tends to give people the impression that someone is so rapped up in PC that talking to them is a wasted effort.

GaryFunk wrote:

I have a room, I want a country.

If the reigns become too tight. the horse will bolt.

There could easily be another forum but on the other hand this could be the place which all want to come. We are all adults and wants to be treated as such.

JenneSaisQuoi is an American woman. She likely has some Vietnamese Ancestry. She may even be able to speak Vietnamese.

gone fishing.

Teach4fundotcom wrote:

Google cela, les personnes âgées qui sont sur ​​le forum expatriés affichant sur ​​la façon dont ils sont en mesure d'obtenir la jeune femme vietnamienne sont les sexpats typiques . Vous n'êtes pas voulu dans votre propre pays , ce qui est la raison pour laquelle vous êtes dans un pays du tiers monde à agir comme vous êtes libre quand vous n'êtes pas .

Wow. That was rude.

GaryFunk wrote:

In my 62 years of life on this planet, I have NEVER been in a conversation that has been 100% "on-topic."

I have had comments deleted by a moderator  for reasons stated by a moderator,  to find the moderator do the very same.  That's just hypocritical. If there is going to be two sets of rules then I want no part in this forum.

If there isn't going to be a free exchange of friendly thoughts then I want no part of this forum.

I have been accused of violating the "code of conduct" (Julian and Kennedy) which in fact I did not. If you're going to have non-published rules then I want no part of this forum.

If this is not going to be a friendly and open forum then delete my account.  I'm an adult and I know better how to protect myself than anyone else here.

My Posting was removed yesterday because it was deemed to political then the DJ decided that he could post a political statement on my previous post "Condolences to the French" however I have since sent 'Fred' a PM telling him that it was no problem...  ***!!!

Deepsix wrote:

GaryFunk wrote:

In my 62 years of life on this planet, I have NEVER been in a conversation that has been 100% "on-topic."

I have had comments deleted by a moderator  for reasons stated by a moderator,  to find the moderator do the very same.  That's just hypocritical. If there is going to be two sets of rules then I want no part in this forum.

If there isn't going to be a free exchange of friendly thoughts then I want no part of this forum.

I have been accused of violating the "code of conduct" (Julian and Kennedy) which in fact I did not. If you're going to have non-published rules then I want no part of this forum.

If this is not going to be a friendly and open forum then delete my account.  I'm an adult and I know better how to protect myself than anyone else here.

My Posting was removed by 'Fred' yesterday because it was deemed to political then 'Fred' the DJ decided that he could post a political statement on my previous post "Condolences to the French" however I have since sent 'Fred' a PM telling him that it was no problem...  ***!!!

Exactly my point.

I'm a big boy, treat me as such.

All of us humans are far from perfect. We are guests at this site and must decide for our selves whether or not this site is worth visiting. The people running the site have the right to decide whether or not a specific person is allowed to visit this site as well.

One of the more frustrating things about the Vietnamese language is how much of it is unspoken and is only implied.

An example, as my wife's husband my friendly name is brother 7. As I am the oldest and only child as myself I am brother 2. A room with a hundred people has a lot of brother 7s and brother 2s. But, everyone in the room understands who is who except this befuddled American.

JenneSaisQuoi wrote:

They had banned a long time contributor to this forum 'Jaitch' which shows they ban and evict people who don't play by their rules regardless of how long you have been a 'member'.

Banning Jaitch was a travesty... He was probably the most knowledgeable contributor on this forum and is missed. Our loss.

One of the greatest problems on the forum isn't off topic posts, it's very controversial posts where opinions are both very divided and very strong. A recent topic of a very difficult nature was hidden for that reason. It had little to do with expat life and was very politically charged, so it was never going to get left. I removed it first, but only because I saw it first. Anyone else would have done the same.

Some political topics are left alone as long as they don't end up in a fight, but that's because they could be of direct use to an expat, possibly the problems in Turkey or other political issues that could cause instability in a country, thus be a problem to expats living there.
You might well have noticed several threads about Brexit, a valid expat topic as long as a bunfight doesn't start.
Posts that were too party political were removed by a variety of people, but mild politics were left alone as that sort of subject is always going to see some opinions expressed.

The other big thing is personal insults; they have to go quickly because they're pointless to any and all subjects, but always cause problems.
One poster was mentioned earlier, but he was (if memory serves) banned for being very insulting to various forum members.
I'm 10,000 posts in and hold a position of sorts, but I would be equally prone to a well deserved ban if I were to start slinging insults around.

Agree 100% with Fred's post.

It is sometimes difficult to remain fully on topic but it seems that it can run off topic very easily when someone misconstrues a reply and then goes completely off topic with personal insults. Then others get in with their replies and off topic we all go.

If I was to go off topic with personal insults, religious bigotry and not conform with the forum code of conduct I would fully expect to be banned too.

The people who run the site set the rules. It is up to us to either stay with in them or leave. While I find Government a fascinating subject, I try to limit my discussion to the function and functioning of Government as a process and avoid getting into politics.

I was fortunate enough to Have a then LTC  U.S.A., PhD International Law as my instructor for a number of Government Courses at the Sai Gon Branch of the U Of Maryland. 1974-1975. Hopefully, I learned some of his skill at discussing Government while keeping mundane politics mostly out.

Frank Malt wrote:

JenneSaisQuoi wrote:

They had banned a long time contributor to this forum 'Jaitch' which shows they ban and evict people who don't play by their rules regardless of how long you have been a 'member'.

Banning Jaitch was a travesty... He was probably the most knowledgeable contributor on this forum and is missed. Our loss.

I don't miss him, he had some good info, but he also spoke a lot of BS.

In 1970, while attending USN Counter Insurgency School prior to being assigned to the Mekong Delta, an O-3(except for the USN and USCG, a Captain) assured us that their were no swear words in the Vietnamese language. So, lets try to only use insults in a language that a USN Officer once assured me that bad words don't exist.

Note, I have been careful not to use impolite words in referring to that Officer. Feel free to read between the lines . . .

I thought the whole idea of this thread was that the mods were giving people a place where anything goes.  I guess not.

THIGV wrote:

I thought the whole idea of this thread was that the mods were giving people a place where anything goes.  I guess not.

Insults are less than useful to anyone, so don't 'go', but tend to go.

Speaking of off-topic, I listening the nightly hour of the RNC. I have no idea what's going to happen in November, but it's going to be any interesting four months.

At this point anything can and, I sure, will happen. 

It reminds me of the 1960 election.  "Go to the polls and vote; vote for the Kennedy of your choice, but Vote!"

Hi everybody,

I would like to inform you that we have removed some posts ( insults) from this thread.

Thanks,

Priscilla