What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

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Date: 09 Sep 2007 16:13:34
From: samsloan
Subject: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

An online dictionary gives one definition of a forum as follows:

"A medium for open discussion or voicing of ideas, such as ... a
website."

However, the powers that be regarding the USCF Issues Forum seem to
have a different understanding of what the word "forum" means.

They seem to think that if, for example, Joel Channing expresses an
opinion, we should reply with:

"Yes, sir. It is a most worthy idea that I fully support. It's a shame
nobody thought of this sooner, but luckily your forethought and
brilliance has come through once again."

I guess we need to notify the online dictionaries that their
definition of the word "forum" is inaccurate.

Sam Sloan

Date: 15 Sep 2007 03:13:30
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

[quote="lblair"][quote="samsloan"]samsloan 11115292
Post:63054
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:00 pm
Thread: Paul Truong aka "ChessPromotion" has returned

... when rumors that they were married to each other started to spread
in December 2006, they complained to the moderators and got every one
of those questions deleted. Thus, there is no record left on the
Forums of their refusal to answer those questions.
...
Sam Sloan[/quote]
A note "since December" that any member can look up:
[quote="samsloan"]samsloan 11115292
Post:27774
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:27 pm
Thread: A Request to Paul Truong for Further Documentation
...
... Why does he refuse to answer simple questions such as, is he
married to Susan Polgar or not?
...[/quote]
http://main.uschess.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=27774#27774 [/quote]

Date: 14 Sep 2007 18:43:48
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

On 9, 7:13 pm, samsloan <samhsl...@gmail.com > wrote:
> An online dictionary gives one definition of a forum as follows:
>
> "A medium for open discussion or voicing of ideas, such as ... a
> website."

The point is, of course, that a forum is traditionally a place where
anyone can stand up and say anything he wants.

The USCF Issues Forum is a misnomer. By no means can anybody say
anything he wants. We are extremely limited in what we are allowed to
say. People are afraid to say what they really think so they try to
come up with around-the-bush ways to say what they think.

Here is one example: Starting in mid-December 2006 Polgar and Truong
were asked more than a dozen times whether they were married to each
other or not. This was an important question because they were both
running for election to the same position. Each time anyone asked this
question, Truong objected and the posting was removed. I cannot prove
that the question was asked, Truong objected and the post was removed
because the entire trail was deleted.

How can this be called a forum?

Sam Sloan

Date: 10 Sep 2007 14:27:25
From: help bot
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

On 9, 6:50 pm, mjha...@mit.edu (Michael J Hardy) wrote:

> > > I guess we need to notify the online dictionaries that their
> > > definition of the word "forum" is inaccurate.
>
> > Huh?? I've read through that passage several times without
> > finding the word "forum" in it anywhere. -- Mike Hardy
>
> Oh, and are we readers of alt.usage.english presumed to know
> who Joel Channing is and what USCF is? My first thought on
> the latter is "University of Southern California at Fresno"
> or something like that. -- Mike Hardy

I think Fresno is in central California; and why California?
Isn't there also the University of South Carolina at Fairfax?

Anyway, the point is everyone ought to know about the
USCF since we chess players are the smartest people
around; we are the ones who (as can be seen in rgc -- or
rec.games,chess -- have an average IQ in the middle
200s range, and until just recently, were able to out-
think computers at the world's most superfantabulous
board game.

As for Joel Channing -- he is but a relatively weak player;
you don't need to know who he is. Here are the key names
to know in chess: GM (that stands for GrandMaster) Tal,
GM Fischer (you may have heard of him), and of course,
Sanny, maestro of the world's most-advanced chess Web
site and by far the most-improved chess program ever.

-- help bot

Date: 10 Sep 2007 13:45:27
From: Rob
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

On 10, 3:41 pm, samsloan <samsl...@usa.com > wrote:
> A forum is a place where I can post my gospel of sexual freedom to the
> world.
>
> Sam Sloan

Hmmmm

you are either "For 'um " or "against 'um"?

I am "against 'um"

Date: 10 Sep 2007 13:41:22
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

A forum is a place where I can post my gospel of sexual freedom to the
world.

Sam Sloan

Date: 10 Sep 2007 06:22:48
From: Steve Hayes
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

On Sun, 09 2007 16:13:34 -0700, samsloan <samhsloan@gmail.com > wrote:

>An online dictionary gives one definition of a forum as follows:
>
>"A medium for open discussion or voicing of ideas, such as ... a
>website."

Not a good example. A website is not necessarily a forum unless it is
configured to act as one. Even a blog is a place where people can respond to
one person's views (or at most a group's views). A newsgroup is more of a
forum, as is a mailing list.

--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

Date: 09 Sep 2007 17:04:06
From: Arcadian Rises
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

On 9, 7:42?pm, mjha...@mit.edu (Michael J Hardy) wrote:
> samsloan (samhsl...@gmail.com) wrote:
> > An online dictionary gives one definition of a forum as follows:
>
> > "A medium for open discussion or voicing of ideas, such as ... a
> > website."
>
> > However, the powers that be regarding the USCF Issues Forum seem to
> > have a different understanding of what the word "forum" means.
>
> > They seem to think that if, for example, Joel Channing expresses an
> > opinion, we should reply with:
>
> > "Yes, sir. It is a most worthy idea that I fully support. It's a shame
> > nobody thought of this sooner, but luckily your forethought and
> > brilliance has come through once again."
>
> > I guess we need to notify the online dictionaries that their
> > definition of the word "forum" is inaccurate.
>
> Huh?? I've read through that passage several times without
> finding the word "forum" in it anywhere. -- Mike Hardy- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Don't take it literally. It's supposed to be a sarcastic comment on
"the powers that be regarding the USCF Issues Forum" who abuse their
powers by disregarding the real definition of "forum".

Date: 09 Sep 2007 17:04:02
From: jerry_friedman@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

On 9, 5:50 pm, mjha...@mit.edu (Michael J Hardy) wrote:
> Michael J Hardy (mjha...@mit.edu) wrote:
>
>
>
> > > They seem to think that if, for example, Joel Channing expresses an
> > > opinion, we should reply with:
>
> > > "Yes, sir. It is a most worthy idea that I fully support. It's a shame
> > > nobody thought of this sooner, but luckily your forethought and
> > > brilliance has come through once again."
>
> > > I guess we need to notify the online dictionaries that their
> > > definition of the word "forum" is inaccurate.
>
> > Huh?? I've read through that passage several times without
> > finding the word "forum" in it anywhere. -- Mike Hardy

And it looks very much like "they" were expressing their idea.

> Oh, and are we readers of alt.usage.english presumed to know
> who Joel Channing is and what USCF is? My first thought on
> the latter is "University of Southern California at Fresno"
> or something like that. -- Mike Hardy

Maybe United States Chess Federation.

--
Jerry Friedman

Date: 09 Sep 2007 23:42:27
From: Michael J Hardy
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

samsloan (samhsloan@gmail.com) wrote:

> An online dictionary gives one definition of a forum as follows:
>
> "A medium for open discussion or voicing of ideas, such as ... a
> website."
>
> However, the powers that be regarding the USCF Issues Forum seem to
> have a different understanding of what the word "forum" means.
>
> They seem to think that if, for example, Joel Channing expresses an
> opinion, we should reply with:
>
> "Yes, sir. It is a most worthy idea that I fully support. It's a shame
> nobody thought of this sooner, but luckily your forethought and
> brilliance has come through once again."
>
> I guess we need to notify the online dictionaries that their
> definition of the word "forum" is inaccurate.

Huh?? I've read through that passage several times without
finding the word "forum" in it anywhere. -- Mike Hardy

Date: 09 Sep 2007 23:50:09
From: Michael J Hardy
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

Michael J Hardy (mjhardy@mit.edu) wrote:

> >
> > They seem to think that if, for example, Joel Channing expresses an
> > opinion, we should reply with:
> >
> > "Yes, sir. It is a most worthy idea that I fully support. It's a shame
> > nobody thought of this sooner, but luckily your forethought and
> > brilliance has come through once again."
> >
> > I guess we need to notify the online dictionaries that their
> > definition of the word "forum" is inaccurate.
>
>
> Huh?? I've read through that passage several times without
> finding the word "forum" in it anywhere. -- Mike Hardy

Oh, and are we readers of alt.usage.english presumed to know
who Joel Channing is and what USCF is? My first thought on
the latter is "University of Southern California at Fresno"
or something like that. -- Mike Hardy

Date: 10 Sep 2007 22:37:43
From: Peter Moylan
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

On 10/09/07 09:50, Michael J Hardy wrote:

> Oh, and are we readers of alt.usage.english presumed to know who Joel
> Channing is and what USCF is? My first thought on the latter is
> "University of Southern California at Fresno" or something like that.
> -- Mike Hardy

These cryptic clues usually turn up on AUE when someone has an axe to
grind and wants to drag more people into the argument. I'm not sure what
he's talking about, but clearly there are some controversial opinions
involved, with some people forum and others againstum.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
For an e-mail address, see my web page.

Date: 09 Sep 2007 20:04:20
From: tony cooper
Subject: Re: What is the meaning of the word "Forum" ?

On 09 2007 23:50:09 GMT, mjhardy@mit.edu (Michael J Hardy) wrote:

>Michael J Hardy (mjhardy@mit.edu) wrote:
>
>> >
>> > They seem to think that if, for example, Joel Channing expresses an
>> > opinion, we should reply with:
>> >
>> > "Yes, sir. It is a most worthy idea that I fully support. It's a shame
>> > nobody thought of this sooner, but luckily your forethought and
>> > brilliance has come through once again."
>> >
>> > I guess we need to notify the online dictionaries that their
>> > definition of the word "forum" is inaccurate.
>>
>>
>> Huh?? I've read through that passage several times without
>> finding the word "forum" in it anywhere. -- Mike Hardy
>
>
>Oh, and are we readers of alt.usage.english presumed to know
>who Joel Channing is and what USCF is? My first thought on
>the latter is "University of Southern California at Fresno"
>or something like that. -- Mike Hardy
>
Google shows there's a Joel Channing that's a board member of the
United States Chess Federation, and the post is cross-posted to some
chess newsgroups, so I think we have to look apawn this as the person
in question.

--

Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL