Jenny, Let me preface this by saying I luv ya. I have been mulling this over in my mind and as they say.."the guilty dog barks first" so....
I feel like you might be speaking to me since I have done my fair share of whining and moaning about the demise of the lounge. I do mourn the fact that so many old time SoWallers who were actually funn have disappeared from SoWal.com. The list is long. I feel they just got tired of all the politics that inevitably drifted over even to the lounge. We all enjoy reading healthy debates, but the debates got way out of hand and still are, imho. And God knows they've never been funn--sport for some maybe. Yes, there's been new blood and most of it is good. Some...not so much. But, I think we lost some good, wonderful people because we became consumed with "who's right". Of course, some just naturally moved on, found the loves of their lives, etc., but some were run off by trolls, politricksters, rats and bat turds. Some just now lurk.
I felt when Kurt appointed moderators, he did so very deliberately. Each mod has a certain forum that's their strong point--some mods are multi talented, but me...not so much. I just stayed in the lounge and tried to keep an eye on things there. I typically don't read many of the politics threads, but I do read and consider the threads about current events, all about SoWal, etc. These threads have broken my heart more than once.
I haven't been posting much in the lounge, because...no one else is either. I've caught myself answering my own posts.

:shock: I haven't started threads because I fear that it will seem that I am insensitive to the events of late. Nothing is further from the truth. But, I'd like to think maybe a little chuckle doesn't hurt anyone--even in desperate times. I always felt the lounge was my little escape from the harsh realities of the world today. God knows I see enough of them online and on TV. I have always valued the opinions of so many here about current events and yes, even politics. I learned a lot. But somewhere along the line, things got a tad bit too uncomfortable for me and maybe some other folks too. It's true I don't have to read the threads that aren't my cup of tea and I need to get over my mourning period, just like I had to get over my animated 'tar being ripped from me like a child from it's mother.

I am certain the debates will go on but I hope the lounge will too.
So, perhaps I'll take Murray's advice and start some funn threads. You don't have to read them, but I sure wouldn't mind if you did.