[ RadSafe ] RadSafe Digest, Vol 695, Issue 1

[Mark Sonter]

Can I give everybody a bit of advice?

1.  Humour does not translate well, between languages, and even between 
different cultures within the english speaking world (eg my Australian 
humour is often not understood by Americans and Brits and vice versa, 
and consequently I may be thought by them to be a clown or a rude person).

Therefore we should try to avoid humour, especially politically 
incorrect humour, if it can be misunderstood.  Otherwise you should make 
very clear that a statement is intended as a joke or as irony or as sarcasm.

Otherwise people can get offended due to misunderstanding.

2.  It is important for all of us sometimes to try to have a 'thick 
skin', to be impervious to, or not easily upset by apparent insults.

Repeated angry backwards-and-forwards responses, particularly in a 
technical forum like Radsafe, are really just a waste of time and emotion.

So can we please try to recognise the expertise of some of our older 
colleagues, and similarly can some of our older colleagues please try to 
restrain themselves from over-reacting to some of the 
less-well-considered comments they think are insulting.

In responses it is sensible to restrict ourselves to rebutting factual 
errors.

Meanwhile, I still think Radsafe is an excellent forum, and wish 
everybody well....


Mark Sonter

Radiation Advice & Solutions Pty Ltd,   abn 31 891 761 435
Asteroid Enterprises Pty Ltd,   abn 53 008 115 302

116 Pennine Drive, South Maclean, Queensland 4280, Australia

Phone / fax  (07) 3297 7653   Mobile 0412 433 286

“Keep everything as simple as possible, but no simpler”  - A. Einstein

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