Forum Topic

Forum Slanging Match

Oh dear, its appears that the site has reverted into what has become a political slanging match once again between various people.This is exactly the sort of thing that myself & others (rightly or wrongly) were getting cheesed off with before.I know that we are all entitled to our views on this site but it gets a little tedious when the same old c**p is being posted by the same people accusing each other of various misdemeanours.How about having some sort of time/posting limit on each subject rather than dragging the bo**ocks out of it so that the site remains interesting & constructive like chiswickw4.com?

Kevin Farnan ● 6951d15 Comments

Jim What a Lovely photo who lives in a house like this as they have really taken the time to present it like this its buitifull...?I wish my garden looked like that.

Simon Anderson ● 6938d

As yet we have not established that anyone was fraudulently using the name of a Labour Party Agent, not unless I missed something somewhere. This is possible as for some reason I no longer receive e.mail notification about new postings on threads.Oh and the newspaper headline about Phil Andrews was what I found most annoying, the link being tenuous in the extreeme.

Philip Walsh ● 6938d

I forgot to respond to Ruth's clever analogy...""This is an open Forum, like a public meeting on a subject, without a Chair where the mic gets passed around  between those who happen to wander into the room..etc.""Yes that was food for thought..and I still haven't worked out if a variation of it would be even more appropriate.  I've had to give up! It was a very clever one though.If people withdraw from looking at the Forum because of these splats..well that's sad and unfortunate..as one must remember that the Website is suppose to be a business. And we don't want to see it fail..do we?. But your point is that the thread goes off course. (Maybe you haven't seen Friday night's intrusion onto the busy ChiswickW4.com ABC thread..which caused weekend damage..but fortunately the thread is strong enough to take a wobble)Personally I think its fine to discuss politics on these Forums...as not every letter submitted to the local press will get published.Look at the recent issues of the Hounslow Chronicle and Brentford, Chiswick and Isleworth Times for example. There seems to be an orchestrated "campaign" to stirr readers towards hailing Mrs Keen's achievemnets on one page..with a bang on the head for Cllr Phil Andrews on the other.If that is what is called fair play..and we are expected to stand aside and make no comment..well that's sad. And if we  can detect a culprit responsible why shouldn't that person not be seeked out and challenged?The issue with Simon on the TW7 thread is quite seperate and appertains to his activities on that new Forum. Once again a disservice to a local Forum facility is on view..(well most of it has been scrubbed out on several occasions by George)..and it's not right that we should have to contain our disappointment and just look on.I recall the deviation on Philip's Topic.  Wasn't it because  someone appeared....criticising spelling etc..and fraudulently using the name of a Labour Party Agent. Should that thread have ignored it and just carried on?Anyway..lets get this Brentford Forum back on track.

Jim Lawes ● 6938d

Philip - the thing is whose truth does Jim subscribe to? I've seen things that are - to be blunt - cobblers, and I just can't be asked to keep going on and on over the same things. I figure as long as I am confident that I know what happened/was said/was done then I really can't give a toss anymore, there never appears to be any attempt to hear both sides it seems to me. Someone once said to me that if you are going to lie or bend the truth then as long as you do it with authority then you will be believed and I think there's something in that, and before I get torrents of scorn/abuse no I never did .

Vanessa Smith ● 6947d

Sorry Jim but this is not just about you and your mission to save us all from political ignorance. Personally I believe myself to be very politically aware and I am not known for taking anyone or anything on face value. I am pleased that you wish to find out the truth behind the lies so do I, but I think this is about relevant to the thread some postings sometimes are not. This not only frustrates people on the thread, it also devalues the question being asked and as such affects the perceived credibility of the person asking the question. All in all its a bit of a own goal.

Philip Walsh ● 6948d

You may all think its petty bickering..and political point scoring..and I'm quite happy for you to think what you wish.My questions and messages are to do with gleening the TRUTH on many of the policital subjects.  If you don't understand the issues..well that's too bad..but a great disappointment for me and hopefully many others.You are allowing people in key local positions to manipulate matters and "pull fast ones". These people's mudbath wrestling tactics are to be challenged..and not ignored  through ignorance.

Jim Lawes ● 6948d

Well said Kevin.Perhaps the best thing to do is start a new thread on the old topic and leave the bickering masses behind.I really like the idea, and reality, of local forums but must agree that they get so bogged down with dogma.Many people who feel they are contributing are in fact doing just what you talk about - they can't let go and it taints genuine, local, simple peeps like me, discussion.

Ian Silver ● 6948d

Well put Ruth.Kevin I didn't say quality threads and what one may consider quality another may view as rubbish.

Philip Walsh ● 6949d

Jim"Just like a conversation with anyone, subjects go off topic"This is an open Forum, like a public meeting on a subject, without a Chair where the mic gets passed around  between those who happen to wander into the room.  To keep the analogy going, what we usually end up with at these "meetings" is a row in the corner between 3 or 4 people (and usually the same ones), going off topic, and boring everyone else in the room silly.  And to further the analogy, it's no surprise that most "normal" people who might have been interested in the original topic, get bored and don't bother coming to the meeting.

Ruth Cadbury ● 6950d

Could I ask which quality threads have been hijacked?I appreciate that I may have committed a foul down the line somewhere..but I don't regard myself as a serial thread hijacker.  On the contrary.........

Jim Lawes ● 6951d

Thanks for that Philip, exactly my point.JimAs you pointed out there have been some great threads regarding local history etc & long may they continue.Just like Philip said it's the quality threads that get hijacked by certain people to either have a go at somebody or try to gain personal points.Let's keep the site relevant to what it was started for & as you said it's a shame that not more locals use it.

Kevin Farnan ● 6951d

Philip.I wish to disagree with you.Just like a conversation with anyone..subjects go off topic. There's nothing wrong with that.  Things evolve, threads evolve..it's the quality of the questions, the quality of the answers and the quality of the general discussion that counts in my book.  And of course it easy to revert back to the original question.As, most people will agree madbath wrestling to avoid answering questions is frustrating.The Chiswick 500 thread to do with local history was a marvellous example of how threads evolve..all kinds of subjects were aired..whether it was to do with Van Gogh or Tony Bros of Acton Ice Cream. People produced facts and people gave opinions, some people went off subject  but it was all intersting.You say that you don't want political answers on every thread? Does that happen now then?  Check through the 200 subject in the Index and then review your observation.

Jim Lawes ● 6951d

I think Kevin’s point had to do with the way threads don't so much develop but get hijacked for the purposes of petty bickering and attempts at political point scoring that take the threads completely off course. His second point seems to be, that it appears to be the same few people responsible.I agree and made the same point a while back.We all want answer to the political questions of the time but only when we ask them and not on every thread.

Philip Walsh ● 6951d

Good for you, Jim lad!The likes of Audrey, Doris, Dan, myself and many others can't get local rags and these wonderful forums keep us keep up the good work, say I, and you, Jim, please keep on turning out those wonderful photos, for which a thousand thanks.I have just answered Audrey's comment that we can't seem to get Brentford going as well as Chiswick (memory-wise), perhaps we should revert to our old names?  I was Ann Allridge in Chiswick and Ann Butfoy when I lived in Brentford - my daughters were Laura and Maria Butfoy - surely one of their old pals logs on to our forums occasionally?  If so, let's be hearing from you, please!

Ann S. Allridge ● 6951d

KevinI can understand how you and some other Forum members may feel on seeing three key threads currently dominating the Forum..But remember these 3 threads are just a few of the 200 shown on the index.Are you suggesting that the recent event in the House of Commons involving Mrs Ann Keen isn’t worthy of serious censure by her opponents?..or worthy of debate locally here.. especially when it has escalated to her not wishing to co-operate with the newly elected Administration at the Civic Centre?Are you suggesting that the ongoing saga with Alan Sherrins and William E Hughes be terminated because some people may find it boring..when actually it’s vitally important to find out what wrong-doings some of these people and their supporters/colleagues have been involved in.?In my view the ongoing saga of these important local political discussions are due to dodgy practices and dishonesty linked to some prominent personalities OVER MANY YEARS.  I'm personally frustrated by the antics of some. Instead of exchanging facts..and discussing best ways forward..or reviewing past matters in hindsight..we find ourselves in like a mudbath wrestling match..with a couple of key players .They prefer to maul rather than answer questions. I won’t let them get away with it....and I’m no expert and I need help!In view of the importance of local government..it's most important that these things are thrashed out...here...on a few specialist threads.So many people all around us are ignorant of these matters.Heaven knows how they can make Electoral decisions at voting time.  They have little knowledge of the facts or the happenings of what's going on. So when they see the headlines they just turn away. If they spent some time studying what has been happening and why..they might understand my seeming persistence in asking serious questions.We need your support in challenging these so called local brentfordians s*dding up our local town..and it's local government. They seem to wriggle out of the target of any factual debate..and have done so for years and years and years. They do their dirty tricks behind the scenes too. That's why the saga continues. No explanations are ever honestly and competantly given. They're now under further scrutiny for their past actions ..and they don't like it.They don't answer questions ..they do a Putin..and ask questions back..in a wrestlers way. That doesn't settle enquiries ..that keeps them on the boil.There are currently record breaking threads on local Forums:511    (W4)  Cllr Adrian Lee's "ABC Cafe" /local history thread300    (W4)  David Giles's "Ann Keen MP and the possible War against Iraq"276    (TW8)  Ina's West Middx Hosp parking charges.244    (TW8)  Ann's Vyborg (!)240    (TW8)  Sarah's Paving slabs232    (W4)  Diccon's Chiswick Memories (type in Jotting Pad)222*  (W3)  Angela's "Filthy Acton" (* and still going strong)220  (W5)  Sarah's In my Garden201?  (W4)  Tower block for Gunnersbury?The Brentford Forum..even when it does get going…produces few responses..and the original posters must be deflated. Your previous criticism of my posting pictures..adds to the excitment.  Where are the replacement topics?The current three threads you refer to.. are quite justified in my view..and any ducking out of the debate does Brentford, or the Borough ,no favours

Jim Lawes ● 6951d