OT: Help me identify the processor on this board...

[c4757p]

it's a word one just simply does not use in polite company.  Ever.  At all.

Its status definitely depends on the region. In some of the shadier areas around me, it's more like 'fuck' - no, you wouldn't say it in polite company, but in informal company it gets thrown around without care by all races, genders and ages. In other places it's the sort of thing that gets people shot.

[Simon]

the main problem is people from different parts of the world do not understand the suttleties. In the so called western world we make a hobby out of taking offence on behalf of a so called cultural minority when they were not offended at all. some have learnt to use this well and just go around permanently offended as we must have just said something they can construe as racist.

I took a first aid course and the instructor told us that a white person had called him racist on behalf of a black person undergoing training also because he pointed out that on his skin colour a lack of blood that we normally detect by evaluating someones skin as pale would not be possible on him and looking in his mouth (or that of any black patient0 would be a more reliable way of detecting a problem with lack of blood circultation. So he asked the black person if he was offended and he was not in the least, he was being given vital information on how to save his and others life and being sanctimonious in such a case will only get people killed.

They (the medical bodies) even went as far as saying that the anny dolls should be a certain percentage of black ones to represent the black proportion of the population, that was overturned as the doll is actually modeled on a specific real person who was the daughter of the doctor that designed the doll after his daughters death as he realized that it would be a valuable tool in first aid training and could have taught someone how to save his daughter. the face is also the real face of an "unclaimed" person who was drowned

[duskglow]

Its status definitely depends on the region. In some of the shadier areas around me, it's more like 'fuck' - no, you wouldn't say it in polite company, but in informal company it gets thrown around without care by all races, genders and ages. In other places it's the sort of thing that gets people shot.

True, but unless you know which area you're in and are known to not be a racist, you probably should assume the latter.

To be clear, I don't advocate shooting people over a word, but it does happen.  It's an extremely emotionally charged word that relates directly back to the times of slavery, which is a very dark stain on American history and still touches a raw nerve with many black people, a large number of which are directly descended from slaves.  Seen from that context, the raw nerve it touches is understandable, if a little anachronistic.

[c4757p]

the main problem is people from different parts of the world do not understand the suttleties. In the so called western world we make a hobby out of taking offence on behalf of a so called cultural minority when they were not offended at all. some have learnt to use this well and just go around permanently offended as we must have just said something they can construe as racist.

Racial (and gender, this happens for sexism too) chauvinism, plain and simple. They're weak and need my protection from offense. It's how racists maintain their racism while still appearing Holier Than Thou to both racists and idiot non-racists.

[duskglow]

Simon, I do hope I'm not coming off as overly offended.  I do see things from all angles, and I wish we lived in a world where mere words did not need to be proscribed.  I just think that for a professional board such as this, language needs to be relatively neutral, respectful, and inclusive.

[c4757p]

Simon, I do hope I'm not coming off as overly offended.

Au contraire, you seem quite reasonable, and unless my reading comprehension isn't what I think it is (quite likely true), nobody seems to think you're overly offended, just that some people are.

[Simon]

It's just an area where we will have incidents from time to time where people genuinely don't understand what they are saying and that it is offensive whilst not meant as such. As a collective we really are from every corner of the globe (you'd be amazed and how many have the internet now  ) so some will find themselves at odds with the more general norm and of course levels of English vary as does an understanding of some specifics.

"the word" is in the vast majority used in a derogatory manner and is deemed to be offensive and so we don't want to see it used on the board but i understand how the misunderstandings came about.

[SeanB]

We live in a society of more than just double standards, black people (as we are supposed to call them in the UK although in south africa they will kill you for it and want to be called coloured but in the Uk kill you for being called coloured)

Careful there Simon, here you have a whole lot more nuances. Here calling an African black person coloured will get you killed for sure, either by him or by the separate distinct coloured people. There are a whole lot of things about ancestry, relations and affiliations and such in the new Non Racial Democratic South Africa that are a minefield.

[Simon]

Well i heard a radio programme in which the black guest stated that he had to get used to the terminology in the Uk of Black as backs in south africa they prefered coloured and hated being called black. Of course you have to look at the specific place and the period in history that is being considered, yes it is a minefield, because you have the "three dimensional situation" of location AND time in history and people who are middle aged and up tend to stick to what they learnt was acceptable in their youth. Quite frankly i just get fed up because at the end of the day you can either be accused of not "recognizing their individuality/ethnic minority" or being racist for singling them out so i tend to take the view each to their own and if i say something that offends you maybe it's because your in the business of being offended so just get out of my way. we hear too much these days of people wanting "rUspect" which to me seems to mean I'll be offended as and when i please and you just have to get used to being in the wrong all of the time and apologizing. Personally I'd like to see a lot more Respect all around in every aspect of life !

[SeanB]

Try having a look at SA humour.....

http://madamandeve.co.za/
http://madamandeve.co.za/week_of_cartns.php


He is politically incorrect, and has been to court a few times, but always has won on the grounds of press freedom.

[Simon]

what was politically incorrect about any of that ? oh let me guess I need the localization.config file installed in my brain 

[duskglow]

I don't think we're confused, mechatrommer.

[duskglow]

Are you referencing a thread I'm not following?  Because to me, this is significantly out of context.

[Simon]

This is rather out of context. The rest of us are under the impression that muslim men make their women wear a veil. The veil in incompatible with western culture and way of life, why do women have to hide behind the veil. If i was fould driving whilst wearing something as vision limiting I'd have the book thrown at me, yet in the name of culture muslim women can drive in a veil.

you want to live in my country, then you adapt even just a little, we have to show respect in yours !

[Simon]

What constitutes a "human right" seems to be more dictated by selfish fanatism these days. We have ban's on wearing hoodies in shopping centres (policy of shopping centre and shops that own the private land) but in the name of religious rights we have to accept veils (or rather total body coverage). Around here crimes have been committed by people in muslim dress - not necessarily muslim and that is a fine line but the law should be equal for all.

[4to20Milliamps]

It seems strange to me that even in a place like this forum where no one really knows what color anyone else is, what their sexual orientation is, what their religious beliefs are.... etc, we still find ways to be derogatory and segregate.


Labels can be used lower some one or bring them up, but you very seldom see anyone using them to bring another person up.

and by the way, I'm not being persecutive of anyone just pointing out an observation.

[Simon]

Around here crimes have been committed by people in muslim dress - not necessarily muslim.

exactly another more important point. even if they are muslim in their ID, not necessarily they are in the true path. islam is divided into 73 schools iirc, only one is the true teaching, the "original recipe".

but the law should be equal for all.

agree, as most laymen have always mentioned. only i have problem with law made with lack of imagination, ie not considering all aspect, pros and cons etc. and most importantly law made to benefit some "kind" of people.

edit: and my piece of advice (even to myself)... dont 100% trust the media (laymen trust it 100%). that profitable organizations can lead you to think something that is not what it is. even whats taught in school, are you sure you are taught with the right thing? go figure use your senses. FWIW.

and in fact it was suspected that they were polish and not women!

[cyr]

we educate our women to tell them what is the proper dressing should be.

So women are property and not capable of coming to their own conclusions about what is "proper" dress?

I apologize if this is not at all what you meant, perhaps it's a language barrier thing...

exactly another more important point. even if they are muslim in their ID, not necessarily they are in the true path. islam is divided into 73 schools iirc, only one is the true teaching, the "original recipe".

Or, none of them are "the true teaching" which seems the most likely conclusion to any outside observer. The same of course applies to the countless variations of christianity, all claiming to be the One True Way(tm) teaching absolute truth straight from God and all contradicting each other. One would think the guy upstairs would come and straighten things out for us once and for all, but so far nothing...   

Instead most people continue believing whatever they are taught at an impressionable young age and hating everyone else's equally silly beliefs.   

[Simon]

Well now we know why the rest of of the middle east is in dissarray and we actually think we can help them

[Simon]

Trust me Shafri, men are very emotional in thinking, they may not display emotion but it drives them just the same, as we all know that men have two heads but only enough blood to run one at a time 

I am afraid that by our standards you live in a backward society that is heavily sexist. Although sometimes i fear over here we have gone overboard sometimes and both men and women should just stop the show down and calm down.

[c4757p]

So women are property and not capable of coming to their own conclusions about what is "proper" dress?

the thing is quite like this from what i understand so far... all human are properties, except men are more endowed with "matured thinking" not sure the right term, but kinda thinking that not involve "emotion" while making decision. so thats why we rely more to men to guide our women to follow the "one rule". that "one rule" men also need to adhere to. its like... you teach your kids about rule and regulation, you both old and young people must obey (your country's rule) but does that mean your kids is your property? i dont think so isnt it? its the same thing when i say men educate women. women act more toward emotion even if they have to break the law we all know that.

Screw cultural sensitivity, that's some sexist bullshit right there. Men are more logical than women my ass. Keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, I'll be searching your post for the logic.

Stop hiding behind your culture/religion to justify your biases and prejudices. Last I checked, lobotomies at birth weren't part of your culture. You still hold sovereignty over the contents of your own mind.

[duskglow]

Is there a way to stop getting notifications for a thread?  I'm kind of growing tired of this one.  This is, in my opinion, starting to cross the line of offensive again.  I realize that there may be a language barrier, I realize that there may be a cultural barrier, but there are some things one should just keep to themselves on a professional board.

EDIT:  by "getting notifications", I mean showing up in the "new replies to your posts" thingy.

[Simon]

Click on the unsubscribe link in the next (this) notification email

[c4757p]

I gave up using that list - we have too much of a tendency to go off topic here, so I quite often find myself losing interest in threads I've commented on. I just hit "notify" on threads I want to hear about and cancel it when I've had enough.

And I'm out too, I'm getting a bit too grouchy for my own good. Sorry if I've pissed anyone off, I should know to keep things a bit more electronics-related here.

[SeanB]

Mecha, the offer to you to visit here is still open, it will be a good thing to see other points of view. Same for Simon, though there is a strong probability both of you will have culture shock after a while, along with either paranoia or a longing for home.