What's a Unicorn...lol

[Electric-Knight]

Hehe... Silly lane... That's where I live!

I'll just say, splippysplannysplopipopilotimus!

I think this may come into play a bit with what you said about when communicating with others (maybe sort of slightly... maybe entirely!)...

I have found that, when I communicate with others, I tend to use their way of communicating to communicate to them.

I think I first noticed it with my grandfather, many years ago. His first language was not English and he spoke in a somewhat broken-English, yet deliberate manner. He was very intelligent, but he spoke in somewhat simple words (due to the difference of language, obviously). And with a very strong accent.
I found myself having the best conversations with him when I (nearly) slipped into that accent and spoke in the way in which he spoke (using the pace and style of inflection that he did). I think there are a bunch of factors there, some of it using the common ground (best way to communicate) and some of it being me quasi role-playing as a form of relating to the other person and accepting that pace and approach as my own.
Another factor just may be the actor approach... I sometimes can't help falling into role-play to relate to things. 

I think this is somewhat true of my use of language in certain situations.
I don't really curse up a storm all that much... but I certainly love using the enormous variety of words that come from "pancake". And my family tends to think of me as using that a lot.
However, I am generally the least likely of my family to use such words in what other people find to be inappropriate times. And I think that is because I do the same thing... If I am attempting to communicate and/or mingle with people that may not like such words... It is extremely easy for me to speak more like them.
Now... if I find it personally important to say things exactly they way I want to no matter what anyone else thinks... then all rules are out the window.
I'm capable of flipping that switch, but I seem to enjoy communicating within other people's styles...
Except for here, of course... where I babble somewhat incoherently in a fashion that no one else really gets or cares to bother to sort through! 


EDIT:
Ah... boo. For pancake's sake... why is pancake pancaking censored? Ah well... there boards, their rules, I don't mind

[Triplash]

But I do think the discussion of profanity and censorship is an interesting one, and a good one to have as a community, especially a community that has to live within certain rules imposed upon us.

Maybe after we get a result one way or the other from our campaign efforts, we can start up a proper discussion about it. I agree it would be interesting.

"family mode" of discussion

I do that myself. When I talk with friends it's very relaxed and typically ranges anywhere from PG-13 up to Adults Only. But around my parents, in the office when I used to work in one, and around children I'm much stricter on certain words and topics. I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of, being considerate of the people around you. In fact I think it makes you a decidely good person to be respectful of other people's ideals.

[Triplash]

I have found that, when I communicate with others, I tend to use their way of communicating to communicate to them.

I like this. This sounds like it could be very successful. I shall have to attempt it.

On an unrelated note, I keep expecting your avatar to move, and when it doesn't it makes me think my internet has glitched out.

[johnrobey]

If we're lucky this will be the first and last of my "old guy" posts, but back in my day, trudging thru snow and walking uphill both ways to and from school, Unicorns were fabulous, magical creatures as exotic as dragons, or phoenixes or anything else mythological you care to name.  While I've no objection to the community using the term Unicorn to denote its opposite, a dangerous potentially deadly creature, equally mythological, the name for which starts with T and ends in L, part of me wants to reclaim these names.

The first time I saw a quantified Unicorn was in 1st edition Dungeons & Dragons.  Unicorns have stats?  Who knew?!  Ditto for dragons and everything else.  Patricia McKillip's The Forgotten Beasts of Eld helped me reclaim some of that magic, for at minimum that one book of hers is magic.  If you doubt me, go read it for yourself.

As for the critter whose name starts with T, well there'd been lots said about him, from old Norse tales to J.R.R. Tolkien.

As for the unpleasant person who seemingly picks fights and is unpleasant on purpose, there are numerous terms for such persons, and often the apt term relates to the person's age.  That said, it's true, there are some who'd rather be hated than ignored, even as there are gentle souls who'd vastly prefer to be ignored, left alone, anything but hated.

For those who doubt the power of Names (some might even call them labels), Ursula K. LeGuin knew all about that and began revealed some of the secrets in A Wizard of Earthsea.  If your local cash shop doesn't have a copy, you might find one hidden away in the Children's Books at your local library; I think the purpose in doing that is so only those pure in heart, those honoring the Inner Child within each, can find such magic, and dare I say Treasure.

Good night to you and happy dreaming; for it is long past my bed-time.  I'll be back tomorrow to commiserate with you and celebrate with you, our beloved City of Heroes.   You do know, that's you, right?    Oh! except for those two over there who are quite certain that Heroes is NOT what they are or would ever want to be; and you know what?  That's okay too.  Peace out.     
P.S. I like this smiley face because I wear glasses, bifocals even. 

[healix]

created just for these forums....muhahahahahahaha

[A Cyclops named Steve]

I approve healix!! Very nice :-)

[johnrobey]

created just for these forums....muhahahahahahaha

Heh, now I know I'm silly 'cause while the Unicorn one is good, the "Not Giving a Pancake" cracks me up. 


BTW, Healix, you're an evil genius!   Let me find the smiley that indicates vast approval for evil geniuses, especially those not giving a pancake!   

[healix]

awwww....thanks

[JadeFalcon]

I read Tony's 'brief' post the day he posted it and when I read him saying unicorn I was like huh?

Off to Urban Dictionary I went...

LOL

I loved the one saying it's a gay rhinoceros. omg I couldn't stop laughing! It was like tripping for free!

 

[johnrobey]

awwww....thanks

Heh!  Now that guy looks like my kind of Unicorn!!!!  What's that you say?  He's not a unicorn?   Pancake!   

[johnrobey]

I read Tony's 'brief' post the day he posted it and when I read him saying unicorn I was like huh?

Off to Urban Dictionary I went...

LOL

I loved the one saying it's a gay rhinoceros. omg I couldn't stop laughing! It was like tripping for free!

 

Yes, I've also found various definitions for the word "unicorn" that  I found amusing and had nothing to do with T R....  UNICORNS!!! 

[Triplash]

created just for these forums....muhahahahahahaha

[Tahliah]

LOL, they just want us bashing each other; it's funny, though, because one of my fave COH toons to play was a plant/emp controller, and unless I was careful, my toon would end up a plant/emp unicorn!

[Sekoia]

Profanity filters aren't meant for people who use profanity occasionally or maturely, it's meant as an action against people who don't care what impression they make on others, or don't wish to engage in the courtesy of self-moderation. And I know the T-word itself isn't profanity, but it IS the sort of hot-button term that immature people like to throw around, which is the same reason actual profanity is a problem in the first place. It comes down to respect for the people around you, and filters like this are intended to help shield others from the kind of people who don't have that respect.

Yes, this is pretty much the case. We're not trying to take a stance that all profanity is universally bad.

Well, I understand it's probably much easier to code that sort of thing for a client that already has to interpret data from a server on an individual basis than it is for a website.

And it's even easier to use code that's already written, which is what we're doing. We're using Simple Machines Forum for our forums. It has a word censor feature that works as I described. There's no option to switch it to a mode that can be configured on a user-by-user basis, and while we might consider using such an option if it existed, it certainly isn't worth it for us to code one ourselves.

[dwturducken]

What's going to inevitably grow from this is when we post to another forum, having become indoctrinated to just use the substitute words instead of the "real" ones, we say something about a "unicorn pancake," and get a resounding    from the regulars, there.

(FTR, I have switched to using the substitute words, here; it's more fun that way, anyway.)

[A Cyclops named Steve]

What's going to inevitably grow from this is when we post to another forum, having become indoctrinated to just use the substitute words instead of the "real" ones, we say something about a "unicorn pancake," and get a resounding    from the regulars, there.

(FTR, I have switched to using the substitute words, here; it's more fun that way, anyway.)

ha ha ha!!!! Unicorn Pancakes...it will become like our own narwhal bacon

[Merseine]

ha ha ha!!!! Unicorn Pancakes...it will become like our own narwhal bacon

I'm fine with that...as long as Unicorn Pancakes are NOT the same as Cow Pies.

 

[Triplash]

I'm fine with that...as long as Unicorn Pancakes are NOT the same as Cow Pies.

 

Or Meadow Muffins. *shudder*

[dwturducken]

Considering the words being "edited" by the macro (or whatever), we're basically talking about the excrement of green-skinned denizens of Skyway, right?

[Aggelakis]

Considering the words being "edited" by the macro (or whatever), we're basically talking about the excrement of green-skinned denizens of Skyway, right?

In the Titan universe, unicorns are green-skinned bridge-lurkers.

Pancake is a catch-all (or, catch-most), one purloined from the sillies on the Paragon community staff. It doesn't mean a single word.