Well, I shot my mouth off in another thread, so...
Dio and Yorick, what went on between you two in this thread is exactly what I was talking about, open respectful debate. The topic doesn't matter, the positions don't matter, but the mutual respect and civility matter very much. You both have agile minds and a good command of the language, and I personally enjoy reading your posts to each other, as I always learn something, no matter the subject or your individual positions.
I also respect the passion with which you address your ideas. Without passion, there is no point in debate or discussion. Passion is like a spice, too much overpowers the dish and leaves you tasting nothing else, too little and the dish is too bland to bother with.
For what it's worth, I wouldn't like to see the forum split up, I think the eclectic nature is a big part of the appeal, and the playoff between the serious and light is necessary for the unique flavor of the place. It seems to me that most folks that are unhappy with the tone of the forum lately, are only unhappy with just that: the tone. Very few people posting here have been unable to fit in with the general tone of respect and civility, and those that haven't are gone.
My $.02 ( I think I'm up to about $1.54 now...)
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Perversion is the true spice of life: Variety is just part of a healthy diet.