If thou gazest long into the Pit, the Pit will also gaze into thee

If there is to be any serious attempt to back-off on the invective (and I'm not even sure that's why we're here... I seem to be the only one who thinks so in John Greg's poll, so far), perhaps it's not such a good idea to have a CK reference in the description of the "Take it outside" forum. I don't want to police what people say on here - each to his/her own, but to shoot outselves in the foot like that before we even get started seems a bit insane.

Just editing to change the topic title, since discussion has moved.

Agreed. Or at least if we must have it, make that forum private & members only so people from the outside can't start quoting it.

Edit: And yes, please get rid of the 'kick' reference...

Edit 2: What about getting rid of the kick reference in the forum's subtitle as well? What about "we read FTB so you don't have to" or "where freethinking is actually encouraged"... Any other ideas?

Done and done...

Notung wrote:"we read FTB so you don't have to"

I get the spirit of what you're saying there, Notung, but isn't this exactly what the FC5 do? Don't we stand in opposition to that mentality? I'm not saying you're actually advocating it, but I'm thinking the irony might be lost on most people.

I point to this comment from one of Ophelia's blags as an example (re: Paula Kirby's open letter):

Millicent says:
July 2, 2012 at 12:59 pm
I have tried to read the thing and just can’t force myself through it, but the excerpts (thank you for slogging through the thing so we don’t have to, Ophelia!) are mind-boggling. I don’t get what her deal is. Does she care this much about being perceived as a Chill Girl? It’s pathetic.

Optimus Primate wrote:I get the spirit of what you're saying there, Notung, but isn't this exactly what the FC5 do? Don't we stand in opposition to that mentality? I'm not saying you're actually advocating it, but I'm thinking the irony might be lost on most people.

That was my worry, that you answered elsewhere, Optimus Primate. I dare say some of us may even have genuine questions concerning issues discussed in the FTB blogs that simply will not be answered over there because of the... ahem... "background noise".

Yes. I was just brainstorming but I agree with you. I don't like the new tagline either, but then I'm a bit of a prude.

Please fell free to ignore, if the consensus goes against, but, is it really necessary to have something like "Up to your arsehole in slime - but standing on your head..." in the tagline/headline?

Huh?

We are, for the most, part, professionals and adults here. I am really strongly opposed to presenting ourselves like some kind of offshoot of Beavis and Butthead. If individual posters want to present themselves as such, that's fine; that's their business. But the group as a whole? Please, no.

And Notung, you are not the only one, but I am a little surprised at the lack of votes for the entry.

Suggestions for a new tagline?

That one comes from one of my favourite old jokes about someone who ends up in hell, and is given three choices of how to spend eternity. He's shown three options:

1. Being whipped endlessly by a huge muscled demon with a whip of fire (Balrog?)
2. Being boiled alive in a pit of molten sulphur

or

3. A group of people sitting around on chairs drinking tea, but with a pool of shit up to waist level.

He chooses the latter, and immediately on doing so, the devil comes in and says "Right lads, tea break's over - back on your heads."

Personally, I think a new tagline should be something sort of sensible and meaningful, not necessarily just a bit of quick wit -- nothing wrong with quick wit, but if we go with wit, let's find something applicable. We can let this ride for a while and see what folks come up with. I'll probably come up with a few over the next couple of days and post them in this thread.

Let's ask franc for a tagline :D

Hey, if we're going to quote invective, quote their invective!

How about, "Lying face-down in the mud, kicking your ass".

Darren wrote:How about, "Lying face-down in the mud, kicking your ass".

I LOLed. This is definitely a candidate!

The whole "we need to react to their pearl clutching" idea gets us nowhere, by the way. And even a passing reference to the baboollies validates them. I don't like conforming to someone else's agenda...

We need to show that this is a safe space. I suggest we go with "porcupine free zone"

How about, "Lying face-down in the mud, kicking your ass".

:D

I suggest we go with "porcupine free zone"

:lol:

bhoytony wrote:We need to show that this is a safe space. I suggest we go with "porcupine free zone"

I like this one, too. Plus, less chance of mis-interpretation by fence sitters than the Laden reference, which may be lost on some.

OT: Is there chance of setting up an auto-mod to translate "porcupine" to something else? Say, "[tired old Pharyngula cliche]". You know, just for kicks!

I'm liking "porcupine-free zone" more and more.

John Greg wrote:I'm liking "porcupine-free zone" more and more.

As opposed to a Free Porcupine Zone?

Lsuoma wrote:

John Greg wrote:I'm liking "porcupine-free zone" more and more.

As opposed to a Free Porcupine Zone?

Amazing what ye can get on ebay, these days!

That tag is so much better. Maybe it could be changed/rotated every now and again as and when appripriate? Or maybe not. I like it much better now though :mrgreen:

Anyone is free to PM me with suggestions for a new tag at any time they feel. I'll either use it or not use it.

Or people could create a poll.