I wonder why, I wonder how?

Having read batgirl's "Spring Cleaning" blog, I was minded, perhaps even inspired, to write down some of my own random thoughts in relation to Chess.com.  I hesitate to call them musings as they are most likely derived from the fact that we've had the 1st sunny, and warm, day here for about the 1st time in 10 years and I thought it would be a good idea to spend most of the afternoon out on my hammock having a beer or two in celebration.Anyway, I sort of digress.  Here they are, in no particular order, just as they spring, no pun intended, to mind.

1. Is cheater_1 just the figment of a member of chess.com's staff imagination?  If he's not, he should be as he really gets the troops going, especially on the Vote Chess game, funnily enough arranged by Erik.  A marketing mans dream shall we say.
2. What percentage of greeter games actually time out because the greetee either never makes a move or makes one or two and then sods off?  It must be huge, certainly given my own limited experience.  I have had the grand total of ONE game proceed past 10 moves.
3. Why do so many people register as members of chess.com and then never play a game.  It could be just me, but there seems to be a huge amount of Filipino young ladies involved here.  They post a photo or two, exchange some messages or notes and never seem to do anything else.  Is there something here we don't know about, perhaps Chess means something else in Filipino, like Mega Cool Internet Dating Site, or Find a Husband Online.
4. What has happened to King Billy, I know I for one find life here on Chess.com a bit duller, since his self imposed exile?  There must be some Irish Historical connotations to this one, but damned if I know.
5. What is it about hangovers that make Pistoleer like a young bunny rabbit about to enter his first Spring?  I know he has a roaring hangover today and yet he is posting left right and centre.  Could it be the ol' keep yourself busy and try to forget about it strategy?  From personal experience, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
6. Why is it that seemingly harmless words to most of us Europeans are considered so bad to Americans?  I really am talking harmless here, like that that place where the devil lives or the three letter word that comes after jack, begins with a and ends in s? Considering all that's wrong in the world it seems like pretty strange stuff to be hung up on.
7. Why do people troll sites like chess.com or even get involved in forum threads that are going to annoy them?  Do they enjoy having a coronary, does their wife think bulging forehead veins are attractive or perhaps an aneurism is their goal in life?
8. Why do people who have not paid for any of the premium subscriptions seem much more demanding that those who have forked over their well earned dosh?  I see constant whinnings from guys who it would seem, wouldn't spend Xmas, whilst the guys with the premium memberships try to placate them. What's that about? I do it myself and wonder if I have some sort of masochistic tendency I was previously unaware of?
9. How do people manage to get over 50 entries in one day to get into the "most active" members slot.  Even on a day where I do nothing else, even having stayed up the guts of 24 hours, yes it has happened, I only manage 20-30, c'mon guys, what's the secret?
10. Following on from 9, is there some sort of subliminal messaging running in the background of chess.com that makes it so bloody addictive?  I've never spent as much time on a website as I have this one, I've even seen guys posting to say they were leaving chess.com as it was too addictive and getting in the way of their lives.  Could chess.com be the next tobacco, or the crack cocaine of the internet?  The only way to find out is to stick around.
11. Finally for now.  What is it with batgirls' avatar?  If you don't know what I'm talking about then I'll leave it to you to check out for yourself and if you still don't know afterwards, then I must be delirious from too much sun.

1. Why do so many people register as members of chess.com and then never play a game.  It could be just me, but there seems to be a huge amount of Filipino young ladies involved here.  They post a photo or two, exchange some messages or notes and never seem to do anything else.  Is there something here we don't know about, perhaps Chess means something else in Filipino, like Mega Cool Internet Dating Site, or Find a Husband Online.

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Hmmm...I usually think that Filipino young ladies are not interested in chess.  I rarely see one play on the streets, but I see a few in chess clubs.  What I do know is that they like Friendster a lot.  I will try to look for the details of your observation - 'perhaps Chess means something else in Filipino, like Mega Cool Internet Dating Site, or Find a Husband Online'. 

Excellent peak into an evil man's mind.. Thanks Homer. Great post.

Funny thing about words that Americans get offended about... there was recently a thread about swear words and I noted there that I have never been able to understand the purpose of swear words. Or at least the purpose of finding words offensive?

I find ideas offensive... I don't like the idea of being offended by a word. Having said that I try to avoid words that offend other people because in general I'm a pacifist... but I just don't see the point to having words that should automatically offend.

Except when it comes to golf... then of course I want EVERYONE to hear me curse!!!

heh, quality post xhwwea mate :)

Yer right there oginschile.. words dont offend, people choose to be offended or not. Of course most people wont see it like that heh. Regardless, it is a choice to be offended or not.

Motive is of course a large factor. Aussies have the example of callin a mate "ye ol bastard" as a term of affection ;) whereas that exact phrase could be said in spite and mean something very different.

Same goes the other way.. people can be incredible damaging with intent using words which are not swear words, yet they are much more offensive...

It is the listener who makes the interpretation, not the speaker. At times the interpretation can match the intent, but other times it does not have to. 

Interesting post there Evil_Homer, compelled me to go and have a look at batgirl's which was excellent.

I find chess.com a little addictive but I've been addicted to chess for quite a few years anyway so it makes no difference to me. I think its up to the individual to manage their lives so they can enjoy whatever time they spend here without neglecting other day to day necessities.  People who don't have the discipline to do this will always be self destructively addicted to something. All things in moderation right?

pistoleer: "Yer right there oginschile.. words dont offend, people chooseto be offended or not. Of course most people wont see it like that heh. Regardless, it is a choice to be offended or not."

I have to disagree with this assertion. Some people - due to a variety of possible reasons - have developed response mechanisms that will react in a automatic way to certain imput, i.e by feeling offended. Perhaps they have had bad experiences in their lives or have been raised believe certain things - what ever the reason - It's certainly not (always) "a choice" rather a subconcious reaction.

Quixotical ->  I agree with you, this definitely happens. But I also agree with Pistoleer. Part of growing up and "being your own person" (something i think very few people ever really become 100%) would be examining ourselves and the things we believe... and making adjustments where necessary.

I am not at all saying someone is wrong for being offended by curse words or expressions... I think that is a personal choice and some words and expressions definitely evoke offensive ideas and images.

I personally do not see the point in being automatically offended by any specific word, but that does not mean I think everyone should see that my way. Certainly there are ideas that I find unpalatable, and would prefer people not discuss them with me. 

But I do agree that some of the things people get offended by are pretty silly, and if they simply thought the whole thing through, it would be clear there is no good reason to be offended. 

I'm proud to have been the inspiration for such a fine posting.

Words are curious things. I have a love affair with words but I can't say I understand their nature. While a word is really nothing more than a sound to which we attach a meaning, the nature of a word is impossibly complex. Coupled with the complexity of the nature of the human mind, understanding why certain words, by their mere existence, are offensive to some folks seems an almost futile exercise. Even different words denoting the exact same thing carry different baggage.

Beyond the words themselves - the denotation - is the connotation of the word. Words don't always mean what their definition insist they mean. We attach other meanings that are emotionally charged.

Then, there is the intent - perceived or misperceived; construed or misconstrued.

I think all these things contribute to each person's reaction to particular words.

Maybe people choose to be offended, maybe not. Conditioning is a powerful force. However, when one sits down to type, one definitely has a choice. This certainly isn't to imply that one should always choose blandness or non-confrontation out of fear of offending anyone, but rather that one should use a fair amount of judgment, sensitively and forethought with the realization that words, however curious they might be, aren't altogether harmless.

As a cure for too much sun, let me recommend a nice shady spot in a local tavern with a couple glasses of Guinness (for medicinal purposes). 

Thanks for all the comments guys.

Most interesting is that only two points have really been picked up. The curious thing is that they both impact on nationality, whilst everything else in the post is neutral in that regard.

I wonder, therefore if psychologically we actually are preprogrammed but not in terms of what does and does not offend us, but rather to jump in defence of the tribe.

My own two cents would be that words are just words! It is the context of and how they are said that really carries weight.  I am constantly amazed by the over reactions of people to forum posts that seem innocuous to me, but what it has brought home is how things are interpreted by different people when they read them. Perhaps, if we were all in the same big room, scope for such misunderstandings would be limited as we could all see and hear the intonation and facial expression of the speaker.

On another note I have yet to meet any lady who likes to hear The C word and I mean the bad C word here, no matter what context it is used in.  So perhaps there are still some universals.

Now it is just about 18.00 on the Sunday of a Bank Holiday weekend, so I am off for the 1st drink of the day.  A very nice bottle of Australian red that I was kindly gifted by the attendees at one of our dinner parties recently.

Australian red.. cant go far wrong ;)

ok lets see my thoughts on yer points.. :P

1. heh re cheater_1, definately a good idea fer the site and i know Erik said he isnt behind it, it still makes good business sense as ye say heh.
2. greeter games - yep i agree, dont think mine have made many or any moves either. I think it would be best to have perfect help FAQs and direct new people there instead. They are already good.
   
3. lol aye. I reckon the live chess is a big part. only 20000 or so ranked here.. yet 180000 or so members.. leads me to think most are here fer live chess, or dont stay long enough to get ranked (20 games i think?)
4. Agreed, tis a bit duller without King Billy. I noticed his account showed he logged in since the disappearance though..
5. lol me an hangovers... aye tis a distractionary technique perhaps.
6. already posted abou the language thingy
7. thread trollers... argh, i want to slap them or see if they would try and troll me face to face and then see how big their mouths and balls are.
8. re demands.. majority of people are ignorant, selfish, fools.
9. re active members.. i take it this is based on "points" and points seem to come from chat in vote games among other things..so while someone may post 20 good forum posts, someone else may write 50 chat text entries..
10. chess.com is friggin addictive indeed!
11. batgirls avatar.. i like..love the contrasts. Reminds me of Tori Amos *dreams and chuckles*
    

LOL, funny fecker.

You make some good comments,Evil_Homer, but what is wrong or what concerns you about batgirl's avatar??

Something tells me he's none too concerned at all.

Batgirl's avatar is ... shall we say... easy on the eyes!

One of my lady friends has the foulest mouth I've ever heard.  George Carlin and Gilbert Gottfried have nothing on her.  The 'C' word is one of her personal favorites. 

I was actually threatened once with severe bodily harm for calling my roommate a 'C.'  She didn't threaten me, nor did she mind at all.  She thought it was funny.  We joke around like that all the 'D' time.  'H,' it's practically her 'GD' nickname.  It was a friend of a friend of a friend at a party.  He was so offended on my roommates behalf, disregarding that she is 100% comfortable with that language, that he wanted to punch me in the face repeatedly.  He's the old-fashion type of guy, I suppose.  He believes that it's disrespectful to talk to a woman that way.  He believes in being respectful so vigorously, that he's willing to fight for it.  Here's the kicker: He got kicked out of a store that night.  Why?  He called the Middle Eastern store owner a camel 'F' piece of 'S' and told him to stop stealing our oil(whatever that means) and flying planes into our buildings.  Wow.  Apparently there's a limit to how respectful one person can be.  I'll take my modern, progressive standards over the old-fashion, good ol' boy values anyday.

I'm lost in my own planet, co-Earthlings.  What's a 'C'? Please send me in note.  'F' piece of 'S' - I think I already have a clue as to what that is.

Regarding endearing words, whenever we send chats (text messages), we don't hear the word (spoken) so there is difficulty recognizing whether they're for endearment or not, especially here in chess.com people around the world do not use the same 'language' as Australians do.

In the forum 'strongest female chess player' Evil_Homer talked about the 'physically strongest chess player (a wrestler he knows who plays chess on her freetime).  Categorically he was correct, it didn't reflect how he viewed the forum topic's question, maybe he's just knocking down humorous comments and personally I liked it or to simply show how silly the question is, as it was clearly not specified in a more common sense 'category'.  I presumed that here in chess.com we talk about chess all the time.  I didn't realize that the question can be answered in another deviation 'categorically'.  Evil_Homer, I'm still hoping you will post which wrestler you were referring to.  I'm a WWE fan myself :)

Nothing, nothing at all :-) You miss my point and I'm glad you do.

Indeed, of course the problem being the degree of differentiation between nationalities in the main.

I may be offended by americans shooting the living daylights out of wildlife with AK47's and they may be offended by me saying hell, but we all have to find a way to get along in a community such as this.

Ps. prepare to see this post wiped :-)