From the few threads I have read where Rappens participates, he seems to retire to the sidelines to watch the outcome and read the inevitable feed-back, from Snapper and Flood, who seem to mag away between themselves like two old ducks over the back fence. (Said with tongue firmly in mouth, fellows, no offence intended!)

However, Rappens’ point about the content of many of the posts on the General forum has a ring of truth about it. I feel that a post needs to have universal appeal, particularly in view of the wide international representation we have here. Posts about favourite foods, what the local politician said last night, or what new legislation is being enacted next month in your country, generally lack this universal appeal and the discussion will be limited to a select few.

I have tried a number of times to start threads off which have this appeal, with only limited success. My best effort was a couple of years ago by asking how the foreign press represented Australia’s dealings with illegal immigrants. Whilst the subject was specifically Australian-based, it had universal appeal because the issue at heart affects a number of nations, including Britain, it was topical, and the foreign press was giving the Australian government and people a real bashing over our actions. Unfortunately, on an international scale, not much happens over here which would interest readers from the EU or US, so subjects are hard to come by. But I’ll keep trying.

As for Rappens, every forum has to have his type of representation. If it wasn’t Rappens, it would have been one of the Hellaids of some of our more outspoken (and fiercely patriotic) American friends. I find them amusing. Let’s not try to keep them away altogether.

Regards

Wombat