Menick's Log, Supplemental

I just read a TOC thread on VBD. I am now about as irritated as I was while at TOC. For the record, I did not refuse to follow a speedy round; I was unable to follow a speedy round, despite my best efforts. I do not believe I should drop a debater for speed, but on the other hand, if I can't follow him, there's not much I can do. I took what notes I could. I tried. I never gave up. But in the end, I simply had nothing in hand to even begin to consider that side of the flow. The debater, in this instance, clearly knew that this would be the case, and chose the strategy of going for the other two judges. As the debater said in this thread, to his credit, I told him in the critique that I couldn't follow him, and made no attempt to lecture him; in fact, I congratulated him on choosing what turned out to be the correct strategy. That debater is not the one complaining (although I'm sure he would have been happier with the original judge I replaced).

I post here because I have no interest in engaging in an unmoderated discussion comprising bad spelling, bad manners and bad grammar. (On this page there is always, I hope, a level of genteel semi-literacy.) In the thread, additionally, people accuse the LDEP of star-chamber activities while, effectively, engaging in star-chamber activities. If there is any question that head-on engagement is necessary between those who claim to be opposed over the nature of LD, go over to VBD, read the TOC thread, and see how much fun the whole thing must have been. Even if LD needs no changes whatsoever, the level of discourse needs a real overhaul. The most shocking thing is, much of this discourse is being conducted by, theoretically, the best young logicians and thinkers in the country. The novice boys' wrestling team can do a better job than this (no offense meant to any novice boy wrestlers).