Questionnaire - How Did You Find Out About Machine Nation?

Auditor #9 wrote:

riadach wrote:

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

riadach wrote:

It was in the dark bleak days of the p.ie orphanage. I wandered aimlessly through pages and pages of t'internet looking for a blessed soothing replacement. I happened upon boards.ie, but though it looked, and dare I say felt similar to the mothering caress of p.ie it was different. For though it sparked my filial piety as p.ie once had, it's maternity was that of an abusive alcoholic matriarch, smacking my mouth when i dared to raise my mouth above a certain vocal range. Once again I was an orphan, but an orphan in a wicked step-mothers house. Then, as one day, as the sun splits in through lifted blind, a flash of hope blinded me, the gentle hand of a socal worker, katep's extended and took me out of that wicked place. She knew of a home, a blessed home, a homely home, a better home, in which I could be nurtured and loved and not abandoned. I accepted tentatively, I had been disappointed before, would I be again. This new foster mother was different, it too had all the appearances of p.ie, but a limitless warmth that nourished my creative expression. I flowered there, but alas with all good things, it must come to an end. We were to move on again. Once again, I was seized with apprehension, the fragrant maternality can only be repeated once surely. The new home, however, was all it appeared. The matriarch as strong and as confident as ever p.ie. The foster siblings mature, respectful encouraging. I felt at ease, I had found a new home.

However, the fateful day came. P.ie had recovered from it's bout of illness. She wanted her children back. I threw caution to the wind. Indeed, what could be different? It's maternity was absolute, it was an ingrained quality, the kernel of its existence unchangeable, it was its essence how could it change? However, the illness had changed p.ie. It was no longer in the position to control it's offspring. They ran wild, and roughshod over eachother. I sat despondent. Where to? It then occurred to me, why not return to where I was happiest, by endure the tortures of familiar bullies, when I could favour the serenity of new friends? I then through down my anger, and walked. Returned to the bossom of Machine Nation, and forsook my inheritance. Here I found peace, here I truly found my home.

Or eh.... whatever.

riadach...a monologue par excellence. Bravo.

Hardly, in fairness. It needs work, I posted it too soon.

MORE !

Are you going to work on it some more ?
If you are then I would like to give you the first thing our English professor wrote on the board on the lecture theatre in UCG on my first day:

It's = It is

I still use it today

(apparently accountants put something similar regarding CR and DR in their bottom drawer to remind them .. ah that's probably not true. )

Shockingly, I am aware of that, as well as the difference between there/they're/their and your/you're. However, when I'm writing, often I find I'm spelling out sounds instead of spelling out the actual words themselves. I frequently mix up homonyms in the run of writing, it's my worst enemy when proof-reading. For instance I have written given instead of giving on numerous occasions, and it gets even worse in irish. It's something I have to get out of for my thesis.

riadach wrote:

Shockingly, I am aware of that, as well as the difference between there/they're/their and your/you're. However, when I'm writing, often I find I'm spelling out sounds instead of spelling out the actual words themselves. I frequently mix up homonyms in the run of writing, it's my worst enemy when proof-reading. For instance I have written given instead of giving on numerous occasions, and it gets even worse in irish. It's something I have to get out of for my thesis.

I've done this myself on a shocking number of ocasions and I can't even spell occassions on a good day and cactus is aware that I believe the exact same as you about spelling out sounds so I'm glad you said it. Posting is probably more like speaking - it's weird.

Shouldn't it be recognised now as a form of speaking so we could adopt new conventions - either all "it's" or all "its" and no possessive "'s" - saxon genitives - they should be all the same as plural's.

I once started a thread on there/their/they're on p.ie and I got ridiculed.

Here. Why did I bother...

I submitted documents to very important people which contained some of the errors above. It's a pain when you have to proof read your own work.

Auditor #9 wrote:

riadach wrote:

Shockingly, I am aware of that, as well as the difference between there/they're/their and your/you're. However, when I'm writing, often I find I'm spelling out sounds instead of spelling out the actual words themselves. I frequently mix up homonyms in the run of writing, it's my worst enemy when proof-reading. For instance I have written given instead of giving on numerous occasions, and it gets even worse in irish. It's something I have to get out of for my thesis.

I've done this myself on a shocking number of ocasions and I can't even spell occassions on a good day and cactus is aware that I believe the exact same as you about spelling out sounds so I'm glad you said it. Posting is probably more like speaking - it's weird.

Shouldn't it be recognised now as a form of speaking so we could adopt new conventions - either all "it's" or all "its" and no possessive "'s" - saxon genitives - they should be all the same as plural's.

Perhaps it's because when we're posting and texting we write as we think. When traditionally, when time was not of the essence, people cogitated on what they were writing more. In a forum like this, most writing has the same style and range of speech, it's not overly complicated or wordy, but really fluid. Perhaps, because of that, the speech part of the brains have more influence over the writing style than what normally governs it.

riadach wrote:

Auditor #9 wrote:

riadach wrote:

Shockingly, I am aware of that, as well as the difference between there/they're/their and your/you're. However, when I'm writing, often I find I'm spelling out sounds instead of spelling out the actual words themselves. I frequently mix up homonyms in the run of writing, it's my worst enemy when proof-reading. For instance I have written given instead of giving on numerous occasions, and it gets even worse in irish. It's something I have to get out of for my thesis.

I've done this myself on a shocking number of ocasions and I can't even spell occassions on a good day and cactus is aware that I believe the exact same as you about spelling out sounds so I'm glad you said it. Posting is probably more like speaking - it's weird.

Shouldn't it be recognised now as a form of speaking so we could adopt new conventions - either all "it's" or all "its" and no possessive "'s" - saxon genitives - they should be all the same as plural's.

Perhaps it's because when we're posting and texting we write as we think. When traditionally, when time was not of the essence, people cogitated on what they were writing more. In a forum like this, most writing has the same style and range of speech, it's not overly complicated or wordy, but really fluid. Perhaps, because of that, the speech part of the brains have more influence over the writing style than what normally governs it.

I completely agree with this - I also think that while we're writing we have to look at the text, most of us and you can always delete in an editor so it's more like thinking or talking not to mention, writing with a pen is only using the one hand whereas typing is with two and that must access different parts of the brain.

Do you think it should be recognised as a form of dialect? Interestingly the posters on the EVM thread dragged in accents rather than grammar very quickly because language is primarily heard/spoken rather than read/written.

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

I once started a thread on there/their/they're on p.ie and I got ridiculed.

Here. Why did I bother...

'Twas a funny thread in the end.

Auditor #9 wrote:

'Twas a funny thread in the end.

Funny for you maybe. I felt like a leper...

And then they say righteousness will prevail ??

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

Auditor #9 wrote:

'Twas a funny thread in the end.

Funny for you maybe. I felt like a leper...

And then they say righteousness will prevail ??

I don't think there is any redeeming people who are inveterate or invertabrate bad spellers because of the inordinate amount of thyme they spend here on the internet. Unlike us.

Auditor #9 wrote:

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

Auditor #9 wrote:

'Twas a funny thread in the end.

Funny for you maybe. I felt like a leper...

And then they say righteousness will prevail ??

I don't think there is any redeeming people who are inveterate or invertabrate bad spellers because of the inordinate amount of thyme they spend here on the internet. Unlike us.

Through !
riadach already did that one above inadvertently - check it out

-audi

riadach wrote:

However, when I'm writing, often I find I'm spelling out sounds instead of spelling out the actual words themselves. I frequently mix up homonyms in the run of writing, it's my worst enemy when proof-reading. For instance I have written given instead of giving on numerous occasions, and it gets even worse in irish. It's something I have to get out of for my thesis.

Have you ever applied the 'caol le caol, leathan le leathan' rule to languages other than Irish? I used to do it all the time with French; I have great trouble with the word Mauritania.

EvotingMachine0197 contacted me about the Refuge while I was on Boards. I had just settled into a nice trolling position on their atheist forum, it was probably time to move on anyway.

I do it all the time. I was convinced australia was spelt Austrailia, and always use it when adding -able onto a word.

Quote :

riadach already did that one above inadvertently - check it out

-audi

In fairness, I had corrected it. People just quoted me too early.

cactus flower wrote:

We are having a 25,000 posts/ four month review of Machine Nation and one thing that has come up on another thread is the feeling that we are just a bit below critical mass to keep threads moving along nicely. There is also a feeling by some at least that MN should not go into the stratosphere of megaboards where all friendliness and personality is lost. But we always need new blood to replace posters who have fled or been locked in the dungeons, or fled the whips and chains of the mods. It would help us if we knew how people are arriving here at Machine Nation.

I came across Machine Nation when it was set up. I was a refugee from P.ie, via the Refuge site set up by EVM when Politics.ie had an unexplained weeks long outage at the beginning of this year - I found the Refuge by desperately googling around looking for news of the scattered brotherhood of P.ie regulars. I almost fell off the raft when the Refuge closed down, but Auditor #9 gave me a hand into the boat and I'm still here.

How did you find out about Machine Nation ?

I was pm`ed on politics.ie by three people who post here. To be honest I was getting sick of politics.ie being taken over by cranks and morons and its getting progessively worse. I`m sure they probably felt the same. The atmosphere is too nice over here. e need to have some rows.

anmajornarthainig wrote:

cactus flower wrote:

We are having a 25,000 posts/ four month review of Machine Nation and one thing that has come up on another thread is the feeling that we are just a bit below critical mass to keep threads moving along nicely. There is also a feeling by some at least that MN should not go into the stratosphere of megaboards where all friendliness and personality is lost. But we always need new blood to replace posters who have fled or been locked in the dungeons, or fled the whips and chains of the mods. It would help us if we knew how people are arriving here at Machine Nation.

I came across Machine Nation when it was set up. I was a refugee from P.ie, via the Refuge site set up by EVM when Politics.ie had an unexplained weeks long outage at the beginning of this year - I found the Refuge by desperately googling around looking for news of the scattered brotherhood of P.ie regulars. I almost fell off the raft when the Refuge closed down, but Auditor #9 gave me a hand into the boat and I'm still here.

How did you find out about Machine Nation ?

I was pm`ed on politics.ie by three people who post here. To be honest I was getting sick of politics.ie being taken over by cranks and morons and its getting progessively worse. I`m sure they probably felt the same. The atmosphere is too nice over here. e need to have some rows.

We can have rows but we don't know how to start them off.

Auditor #9 wrote:

anmajornarthainig wrote:

I was pm`ed on politics.ie by three people who post here. To be honest I was getting sick of politics.ie being taken over by cranks and morons and its getting progessively worse. I`m sure they probably felt the same. The atmosphere is too nice over here. e need to have some rows.

That's one thing about this place - when there's a row it's serious. I mean, it's EVIL. Have you noticed the absence of some posters? They're DEAD.

Did you just delet your own comment Auditor #9 or have you been "retired" by the Company and all traces of your existence erased?

Evotingmachine: I think you might be right. We`ll have to invite in a token homophobe, racist, bigot to stir the shit.

anmajornarthainig wrote:

Did you just delet your own comment Auditor #9 or have you been "retired" by the Company and all traces of your existence erased?

Auditor#10 *cough* will be back in a minute.

Quote :

Evotingmachine: I think you might be right. We`ll have to invite in a token homophobe, racist, bigot to stir the shit.

Maybe they have peeked in at times and didn't like the demeanour of the place. Should we set up a few fake rows to entice them in ?

Yeah, but nothing too bad we don`t want the type of heartless scumbags that gloat over deaths or refuse to acknowledge that there own side may have been less than perfect. How about a row over what`s better the short hand passing game or direct football, or who`s sexier blonds or brunettes?

anmajornarthainig wrote:

Did you just delet your own comment Auditor #9 or have you been "retired" by the Company and all traces of your existence erased?

Evotingmachine: I think you might be right. We`ll have to invite in a token homophobe, racist, bigot to stir the shit.

Aye - ees bin dealt wi now lad.

Auditor #19 wrote:

anmajornarthainig wrote:

Did you just delet your own comment Auditor #9 or have you been "retired" by the Company and all traces of your existence erased?

Evotingmachine: I think you might be right. We`ll have to invite in a token homophobe, racist, bigot to stir the shit.

Aye - ees bin dealt wi now lad.

Is he going to be like Robert Emmet with nobody writing his epitaph until Ireland takes it place among the nations of the world?

anmajornarthainig wrote:

Auditor #19 wrote:

anmajornarthainig wrote:

Did you just delet your own comment Auditor #9 or have you been "retired" by the Company and all traces of your existence erased?

Evotingmachine: I think you might be right. We`ll have to invite in a token homophobe, racist, bigot to stir the shit.

Aye - ees bin dealt wi now lad.

Is he going to be like Robert Emmet with nobody writing his epitaph until Ireland takes it place among the nations of the world?

What you say bout my wife? I'll fookin ave ya I will - outside, now ya fuc*in spudpickin in paddwhackgivethedogabone

No. I`m a lover not a fighter, just ask your wife.

anmajornarthainig wrote:

No. I`m a lover not a fighter, just ask your wife.

My wife's ******* ******** wife

anmajornarthainig wrote:

Yeah, but nothing too bad we don`t want the type of heartless scumbags that gloat over deaths or refuse to acknowledge that there own side may have been less than perfect. How about a row over what`s better the short hand passing game or direct football, or who`s sexier blonds or brunettes?

I couldn't possibly have a row about that as I have never read any research on the matter. Unless we can have a row based purely on personal opinion. Jaysus, that might work. Eh......brunettes.

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

anmajornarthainig wrote:

Yeah, but nothing too bad we don`t want the type of heartless scumbags that gloat over deaths or refuse to acknowledge that there own side may have been less than perfect. How about a row over what`s better the short hand passing game or direct football, or who`s sexier blonds or brunettes?

I couldn't possibly have a row about that as I have never read any research on the matter. Unless we can have a row based purely on personal opinion. Jaysus, that might work. Eh......brunettes.

Damn it. I agree with you.