OLO:

Thanks for the entertainment over the years: Toughen up AKA, this is not a site for the faint hearted and an opinion is that, an opinion. Unsavoury expressions of opinion can be easily ignored. More articles on Indigenous affairs please!

Thanks OLO, Susan/Graham and all. Santa has been down the OLO chimney and left a little something from the North Pole. Great “wine and bikkies” (articles)

I've enjoyed the comments from both Diver Dan and Aka - whatever genuinely makes you think is okay with me. And yes, Indigenous affairs is crying out for more discussion, more debate - and who is to do that ? Why, the contributors to OLO, of course !

There is not much else around really, Larvatus Prodeo on the Left, Catallaxy on the right. OLO embraces both sides, and quite properly. Long may it allow us all to contribute and to comment and, with civility and good humour, tear strips off each other.

Yes, some of the comment posts hurt, at least for about 10 seconds, but I find 99.99% of them acceptable in regards to my surfing of articles and comments.

I do not think much is achieved by censuring, even if some comments are a bit loony.

When people are excluded, they may have even more reason to hate the world. I think we can learn something from virtually all people.

To be frank, with my own struggle to be a half-decent commentator, i have learned much more from this site than from working at other so-called established institutions where diversity of opinion or discussion of reality appears to be largely absent.

Why not have a minimum donation of $20.00 via credit card for anyone to post a comment? At 20 cents a comment this allows for 100 comments to be made.The quality of comment will impove and quantity will fall.

I think that Graham and Susan have developed something quite unique.So long as standards remain high,people will pay for a quality product even in a recession.

Thank you for your advice diver dan, but I am already tougher than most.

Because I do not suffer fools gladly, when they stoop to sheer vitriol, it does not mean I am weak.

I do object to people who trot our dribble instead of considered thought.

I recall one instance when I suggested a link to a person, who was able to change their stance once they had bothered to become informed. That was rewarding.

Still I suppose some people just like to live in ignorance and nastiness but I don't have to tolerate it - I just visit OLO less often and comment less.

Given the nasty diatribe that some posters are prone to, can you give me one good reason why I or others should offer an article to OLO. This unfettered vitriol just reduces the article that are made available to OLO and its readers/commentators.

By the way my name is Aka, not AKA.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11090#185882

Aka, i use a lot of vitriol myself, which i try to address towards the ideas of some commenter's & towards Radical, Extremists while avoiding naming anybody personally, if possible.

This problem crept into the Australian Polity approximately 50 years ago, you will find it explained in this little documentary video.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8630135369495797236#

Graham Y, if i can offer my time for free i will. I may also be able to find others who are willing to help out on a voluntary basis.

May i propose that many people are tired of the "Major Mistake" political parties. If you can offer a platform to minor parties or new political lobby groups that are not fake shop fronts for the majors like "getup" is for the Red/green/getup/labour Communist Coalition then this Will bring new blood, notoriety or publicity for OLO.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11090#185861

Arjay, your original idea was perhaps more practical. Something like "Twit"er where comments are an SMS charged up to your mobile phone account @ 20 cents, half to the Telco & half to OLO.

Good luck Graham Y, OLO is the best open forum on the net anywhere.