3/17    Clearly, the motd consists entirely of people that have already made
        up their mind about whatever politician they're going to vote for or
        whatever the issues of the day/week/year happen to be.  Any political
        discussion on the motd is completely pointless, so why don't we all
        just agree not to talk about it?  Its just grating and annoying, and
        all discussions inevitably boil down into the same tired arguments.
        You're not convincing anyone and nobody cares, so just give up.  Please.
        Spare us.
        \_ Or you could just erase everyone else's posts!  Hey.....
           \_ Apparently already being done.  Come on, you _know_ the motd is
              charged with political rants that you don't like, so drop out
              already.  You stop reading, and I guarantee we'll stop annoying
              you.
              \_ Maybe because when people aren't being such spouting off and
                 being arrogant, something entertaining slips through?  Its
                 been known to happen.  Then again, maybe a plea for sanity
                 is pointless - maybe Internet forums by their very nature
                 simply bring out the absolute worst in people.
                 \_ Absolutely true!  And the only answer is to develop a
                    really thick skin and not take it all so personally.
                    \_ *And* get the fuck off the motd if the op doesn't like
                       what the rest of us are talking about.
        \_ I learn new stuff from the motd all the time. But then again,
           I have not decided that it is all worthless ranting, like you
           have. -ausman
           \_ I very strongly agree with you.  There are lots of online forums
              where there is some dominant ethos, and everyone else is an
              outsider.  i think the motd is much more interesting because
              it's such a crap shoot what you're going to get on any given
              topic.  And yes i've learned things and read thing I wouldn't
              have otherwise because of the motd.
              \_ I also concur.  motd helped me get though Berkeley.  I
                 like hearing from crazy people, but it's nice to hear
                 from some conservitive crazies too sometimes.
              \_ See, that's where I disagree.  Its not a crapshoot.  The motd
                 response to almost any post on a political subject is
                 completely predictable - c.f. Bush, Kerry, Isreal/Palestine,
                 Iraq, gay marriage, outsourcing, etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum.
                 --op
                 \_ You're entirely and 100% correct.  You're figured out our
                    Secret Plan To Personally Bore You To Death(c)!  Now that
                    you have it all figured out the only way to save yourself
                    is to not play.  We'll miss you.
                 \_ You mean that people will disagree and post arguments
                    for and against varying positions backed by urls?
                    Yeah, I guess I agree with that. If you mean that you
                    already know what those arguments will be, I think
                    you are full of yourself. Tell me what the varying
                    positions would be to a discussion about resetting
                    the yuan/dollar exchange rate. -ausman
                    \_ No one would express a substantive opinion.  One of the
                       anonymous trolls would say something inflammatory about
                       the Chinese, and it would degenerate into discussion
                       of the Nanjing Massacre, internment camps, and
                       the atrocities of Maoism.  -tom
                        \_ if that were to happen, at least i'd learn something
                           but the nanjing massacre, which i've never even
                           heard of.
                           \_ Nice troll.  *clap*
                    \_ you want to adjust the yuan/dollar exchange rate?  you
                       racist, neocon, commie queer lover!  i hate you!
        \_ Not all the arguments are like that. Occaisonally they have some
           semblance of reasoned debate, for a while. Anything touching on
           Israel in any way becomes totally pointless however.
           \_ Isn't this true no matter where you are?  Name a group of
              people past Jr. High Age that don't already have a set in
              stone opinion on Israel.
              \_ Since Jr. High, my opinion has changed as follows:
                 "Israel is our ally and they're being attacked by terrorists"
                 to "Arafat is being placed in a bad position and means well."
                 to "Wow, the Oslo Accords look like a good solution."
                 to "Arafat is an ass."
                 to "Both sides have hard-line idiots who will prevent peace
                     for a long time to come."
              \_ I would doubt that many intelligent people have a rigid
                 position on such a complex situation.  -tom
              \_ Anyone who actually takes the trouble to go visit
                 is likely to have their eyes opened.
              \_ Of those who follow politics etc., they probably have certain
                 ideas formed. But even Israelis don't have a unified stance
                 on the Palestinians. We have a guy on motd who has one view
                 and takes anything else as a personal attack.
                 \_ That's the problem with the motd right there though.  Most
                    people probably want a place to inform each other about
                    various entertaining stuff, job opportunities, notices,
                    what have you.  But due to a couple of people with some
                    really serious axes to grind, its just an 850 line
                    blob of the same old ranting garbage drowning out the
                    useful stuff.  And no, I am not the Humorless Motd Censor.
                    --op
                    \_ you're full of shit.  just watch who posts for a day.
                       there are dozens of people participating in the political\
                       discussions on any given day.  I for one *only* log
                       in for the political discusssions, and really really
                       don't give a shit about some pc fan noise question
                       or the latest linux distro.  not that i delete them,
                       i just ignore them.
                       \_ Maybe we need a motd.politics?  My point was that
                          the axe-grinders pretty much routinely wreck whatever
                          meaningful discussion might happen, but you'd rather
                          just tell me i'm "full of shit" and thus inadvertantly
                          demonstrate why the motd sucks.
                          \_ Maybe you are right. Ask the politburo if you
                             can do it.
                             \_ You could just put it in /tmp. But fat chance
                                of it really getting used.
                                \_ Or you could create /tmp/motd.$USER and you
                                   could use that for discussion.