Ellen MacArthur wrote:
"Jeff" wrote
|
| And why is this a problem? There are plenty of useful newsgroups and
| forums, but there is only one ASA.

It's a problem because this is one of the FEW public newsgroups about sailing

Wrong - there appear to be just the right number. For example,
alt.sailing is read by many of the same people but gets very little
traffic. Why is that? It would seem there is "room to post" but
people don't need it. You're acting as though there are a limited
number of forums available, and one is being wasted.

and it's pretty much been taken over by a small group of immature and bully
people.

Not counted the flonkers (a recent invasion), the group here is
largely unchanged for at least the last 7 or 8 years, maybe longer.
Maybe the original ASA people have a legitimate claim that they were
"usurped," but you don't.

They think it's just peachy to post whatever they want. They disrupt on
purpose people here who'd really like to read about sailing.

Were you disrupted??? You seem to be going along just fine.

(Errr, alt.sailing.asa
isn't alt.politics, alt. wartalk, alt. babytalk, alt.racetrack. etc...) How selfish are
people who spoil the sailing talk with their off topic junk? Are they too wimpy to
actually go to alt.politics? Afraid they can't cut it? Rather disrupt than discuss?

You are perfectly free to ignore anything.

I think so.

No. Are you saying that everyone who has an opinion about politics
should voice it on a political forum? Or if I care about a football
game I can't mention it to a sailing buddy?

I have a number of friends where the historical foundation of our
relationship has been our common love of sailing. However, our
conversations generally are about other topics.


Is there a consensus that alt.sailing.asa is supposed to be a hang-out for the
immature off-topic trouble makers who delight in being asses?

I fail to understand why you are so concerned about "off topic" posts.
There are a few here that are perhaps more on topic (by your
definition) but are assholes. That would seem to be a bigger problem.

Wouldn't you and
responsible others like to see more sailing discussed here. I sure would.

And yet, I don't see you posting in other forums; what perverse thrill
attracts you here? Do you have a need to "cure" people you think need
curing?

I can
read bully babies in just about any public newsgroup. Are you happy to see what
should be a public forum turned into a private bashfest? I'm not. It shouldn't be
that way. Mature people should have a public forum to discuss sailing, don't you
think? Isn't it plain rude for certain people to disrupt the legitimate activities of
others? Would you go to a funeral and do a strip-tease? There's a time and place
for everything.

By definition, now is the time and here is the place.



| Are you claiming yours is "sensible talk"? It sounds a lot more like
| whining.

Your entitled to your opinion but why side with the bullies? Have you been
poisoned by their rude and selfish behavior. If you think it's cool to act like
that then your also part of the problem. Why can't everybody be civil and
stop stepping on the legitimate topic of this newsgroup?

Who says I'm siding with the bullies? Is your world so simple that if
I don't agree with you I'm the enemy?

As I've said, there are flonkers that I don't notice because they're
in the bozo bin, there are assholes that I generally don't bother
responding to, and here are also many conversations that I don't
participate in. But this doesn't stop me from reading often and
posting on occasion.

BTW, the original post that started this thread was completely off
topic, but it happened to be of interest to me and so I appreciated
it. No harm, no foul.



| Why are you so insistent that there is a problem? I admit that the
| flonkers are a nuisance, but that's what kill files are for.
| Otherwise, everyone is free to say what they want.

I have to wade through and delete fifty off-topic posts that go on and on just
to get to a couple of sailing related posts. Should a sailing newsgroup be like that?
No, it shouldn't and you know it.

Why do you keep insisting that this is a "sailing newsgroup." This is
a group where most of the participants are sailors. There's a big
difference.



| Just about the only power we have is to ignore posters we don't like.
| Now you're complaining because Thom is doing that. You're a real
| piece of work.

You seem to have an odd sense of what complaining is. I could care less if
Tom ever read my posts. He's a nobody. He hasn't a clue.

No, you haven't a clue. To the folks here, Thom is a very important
somebody. You, on the other hand, are a nobody so far.

Hypocrite! What does he
post about sailing? Scarce few!

Why don't you do a little research and see how much sailing content
Thom has provided over the years?

And you? Do you really enjoy wading through so many
off topic posts? Childish posturing? Immature squabbling? Excessive thumb-sucking?

Sounds like a typical family get-together! What's the matter, are you
against families?

I don't think you do even if you won't admit it.

I do tend to ignore most of the long political rants, though
occasionally I get sucked into one. Frankly, its handy to always be
able to find out what the average conservation jackass or liberal bozo
is thinking. OTOH, there's been a thread on the perfect tea kettle
for a boat over on rec.boats.cruising that I've had to ignore. Which
is worse?