[Kaj]

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I don't see why very long threads which weave through many elements of a world situation are the preferred alternative.

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Its because people like to talk about other topics besides the "hostage" crisis. There are three active threads on that topic and 8 or nine regarding the middle east. The reason I locked the thread you linked is because that post has bearing on the other threads and I would like to keep space on the first page for other topics.

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Every new thread in politics right now is Middle East, AC, or presidential campaign. Of these 3 topics, only the Middle East threads, and specifically the one you locked, are bringing any new news material to the forum, rather than rehashing the same old topics in less novel ways. Is there some majority of posters who are confused and overwhelmed by 8 or 9 simultaneously active discussions in one forum?

And, every forum on this site rehashes its own series of topics over and over again -- why? because those are the things the posters of those forums are obviously interested in talking about. Why do mods try to overmoderate to prevent the people from discussing what they want to discuss? This was the thrust of my post here.