Into the Forums

If you’ve been to a large concert event any time in the last few decades, odds are that you’ve had to pass through a security checkpoint. Generally, the process is a fairly simple search or patdown, as the venue is mostly trying to weed out folks who are attempting to sneak in weapons or drugs. But when it comes to the Orange Peel, some locals feel like the security measures are a bit much. This discussion thread started out as little more than a complaint about the venue’s security measures, but quickly grew into a much larger topic, including a detailed reply by Orange Peel owner Pat Whalen several pages in. With many different perspectives chiming in, this was easily one of the most interesting threads of the last week.

From the outside looking in, Asheville can seem like a city filled with contradictions. On the one hand, it has a reputation as a friendly, beautiful, tolerant, progressive, community-minded kind of city where people from all over the country have moved. On the other, it can seem like a place that is somewhat hostile to newcomers, expensive to live in, and a place where it’s nigh-impossible to find a well-paying job. Forum newbie redflash87 is considering moving to the area, but first decided to ask the forum regulars what it’s really like to be a new arrival.

If there’s one consistent political theme on the MountainX.com forums, it’s a general mistrust of mainstream political parties. Threads debating the merits of various schools of thought — from socialism to Objectivism — are commonplace, and range from national-level policy to how such a system would work at the local level. This week, libertarianism is the hot political topic, with poster Johnny Lemuria serving as the advocate for the small-government, property-and-personal-rights-focused, little-to-no-tax system that has gained the spotlight in recent months thanks to the Tea Party movement. As with any political discussion, expect to see plenty of heated exchanges as idealism and skepticism collide.

Other hot topics from the forum this week include: a spirited discussion on the Asheville Starz URTV pilot; a none-too-serious thread about popcorn-cooking techniques; and the ongoing music to board to thread (which features some 25 pages of cross-genre music-sharing).

These are just a sample of the new discussions that took place on the forum this week. Don’t see a discussion about that burning topic you’d like to talk about? Why not start your own? All registered members of the MountainX.com have forum accounts, and if you aren’t a member, joining is easy — just click here.

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