The thread on the McCanns
The thread on the McCanns
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frobisher

Original Poster:

76 posts

183 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
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Is the intention for the thread to be resurrected or is it going to quietly slip into the background now? If it's be moderated to remove potentially libelous postings, who is deciding what is potentially libelous or not? If the supporters of the McCanns are to be believed then anything that disagrees with their version of events is libelous I think and that can't be right.

This was one of the few places it was possible to read mostly sensible debate on the subject as elsewhere it seems that the forums are either completely for or completely against the McCanns. There was the occasional spat where personal abuse broke out and the odd idiot posted something quite clearly defamatory but on the whole the thread was fairly reasonable I thought. There were many people correcting those who were entering false statements as facts so it seemed to be fairly well self-policed from what I could tell.

Eric Mc

125,607 posts

294 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
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Is it that intteresting a subject - to be honest?

frobisher

Original Poster:

76 posts

183 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Is it that intteresting a subject - to be honest?
nearly 400 pages says "yes".

Eric Mc

125,607 posts

294 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
frobisher said:
Eric Mc said:
Is it that intteresting a subject - to be honest?
nearly 400 pages says "yes".
I'll rephrase my point then - the purient interest in the topic may be outweighed by the potential legal risks involved.

What's to be gained by discussing the subject ad nauseum?

Is there anything new to say?

frobisher

Original Poster:

76 posts

183 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
frobisher said:
Eric Mc said:
Is it that intteresting a subject - to be honest?
nearly 400 pages says "yes".
I'll rephrase my point then - the purient interest in the topic may be outweighed by the potential legal risks involved.

What's to be gained by discussing the subject ad nauseum?

Is there anything new to say?
What/who classes interest in the McCann case as "prurient"? Do you know what the word actually means? I don't get a stiffy talking about it!

What's to be gained by discussing any subject? It's a forum ffs. How many threads are there on "undertaking" or speed cameras? What's to be gained by discussing it further? It's a newsworthy story and one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of recent times. Who'd be interested in that, eh?

Potential legal risks... How many forums/owners have the McCanns taken legal action against in the last 6 years? I'll give you a hint, it's zero.



Eric Mc

125,607 posts

294 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
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Well - I'm bored by the whole affair now. It's no one else's business other than the McCann's and those connected with them.

Drawing an analogy with discussions on speeding and the law is rather specious as that particular issue can and does affect all of us who drive and is highly relevant to a motoring based forum.

frobisher

Original Poster:

76 posts

183 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Well - I'm bored by the whole affair now. It's no one else's business other than the McCann's and those connected with them.

Drawing an analogy with discussions on speeding and the law is rather specious as that particular issue can and does affect all of us who drive and is highly relevant to a motoring based forum.
Well if YOU'RE bored then perhaps it's time for the rest of those that participated in that thread to give it a rest now, eh? Wouldn't want to think we were boring you of all people!

It's a shame that pistonheads doesn't have a subforum for non-motoring discussion, isn't it? They could call it the "Pie & Piston" or something perhaps?

Eric Mc

125,607 posts

294 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
Why do you still find the topic interesting?

frobisher

Original Poster:

76 posts

183 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Why do you still find the topic interesting?
What's that to do with you? I could question why you find the subjects you've posted on so interesting. Different people have different interests and one of mine is the McCann case. Clearly I'm not alone in that interest.

My posting was for the mods, not someone who argues they're bored by the whole affair and then posts repeatedly about it. I shan't bother responding to you any more.

Mods - any comment please?

dandarez

14,010 posts

312 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
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Eric Mc said:
Is it that intteresting a subject - to be honest?
Interesting? Yes. But to be honest 'intriguing' would be a better word.

Many things about this story have never seemed to add up. Curious is another word I'd use - the media is usually relentless when pursuing a story yet here it now feels like a 'D' notice has been issued. It seemingly has no parallel. A family tragedy leading to the employment (paid or unpaid) of the biggest lawyers in town (CR) added more unease to many who follow this story - and many do.

And why shouldn't they follow it or dare I say comment on it?
Exclude the foolish comments and libel wallies, that's what moderators are for. It's a free world - so we are still told.

So I follow it with a deep intrigue, and will continue to, in the hope of an eventual outcome, whatever that may be.
That's my choice.
While I am still able to have a choice, of course!

Zod

35,295 posts

287 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
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It's interesting to note how many of the people who post in that thread have post counts made up principally from posts in that thread.

Eric Mc

125,607 posts

294 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
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When a story like this is still live and developing, I can understand an interest in it. I feel that this particular "story" has long since lost its newsworthiness and all that is left is for people to idly speculate, surmise and generally mull over what might, or might not, have happened - with nothing new to add.

eldar

25,249 posts

225 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
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Eric Mc said:
When a story like this is still live and developing, I can understand an interest in it. I feel that this particular "story" has long since lost its newsworthiness and all that is left is for people to idly speculate, surmise and generally mull over what might, or might not, have happened - with nothing new to add.
No problem with that, as you said you are bored with it.

Just ignore that thread, this thread and any related ones, it isn't hard.

That way others who may have an interest can continue in peace and quiet, free from you nannying.

TTwiggy

11,882 posts

233 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
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Eric - the thread tended to resurface when the McCanns made a newsworthy appearance. They were involved in the Levison inquiry, and more recently they have been in court pursuing a private case which could become a criminal one.

People with an interest in the story have posted in the thread when these events have occurred. Inevitably, the thread then attracts new posters who want to hear some background. They could of course read the 96 pages, but it's often quicker for them to be 'filled in' on the salient points. This then tends to lead to more general discussion of the whole topic.

I can understand the need for PH to put safeguards in place, but I'm a little confused by the fact that a thread ran for 30 months without any major complaints, but within 70 minutes of it being flagged up by a regular poster, it gets pulled. Still, not my site, so none of my business really.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

225 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
the story is still newsworthy-gerry mccann was part of the levinson inquiry just this week & there was the dna testing of a "suspected" madeleine sighting last week.

how can that not be newsworthy?

if not why on earth do we have a news forum?

Eric Mc

125,607 posts

294 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
As you can see if you look back through the original closed thread - I did mainly ignore it. I can't recall if I ever posted a comment. I may have, but it would have been a long time ago now I'm sure.

The site owners have obviously made a decision about the validity of continual posting about this topic and have, in their wisdom, decided that it now serves no useful purpose - and could actually cause them problems - so they have closed it. That would make eminent sense to me.

El Guapo

2,787 posts

219 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
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Eric Mc said:
Well - I'm bored by the whole affair now.
And yet you keep posting. confused
I suspect that most people would simply avoid threads on topics in which they had no interest.

frobisher

Original Poster:

76 posts

183 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
Still no comment from Mods.

If you don't make a posting explaining your stance on discussing the McCanns then the thread will likely just start again. This would seem a less-than-ideal situation if you don't want such threads!

Eric Mc

125,607 posts

294 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
El Guapo said:
Eric Mc said:
Well - I'm bored by the whole affair now.
And yet you keep posting. confused
I suspect that most people would simply avoid threads on topics in which they had no interest.
Not on the original thread I wasn't.

I am posting here as a result over the furore by some over the CLOSURE of the thread.

As far as speculation on what happened to this poor little girl, I have very little interest.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

225 months

Thursday 14th February 2013
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Not on the original thread I wasn't.

I am posting here as a result over the furore by some over the CLOSURE of the thread.

As far as speculation on what happened to this poor little girl, I have very little interest.
Why feel the need to post if there's no interest in the thread that has been closed?

confused
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