Smith Smithers wrote:
Chuck,
For years, whenever someone mentioned the signal to noise ratio in
rec.boats, you chided them to start on topic posts. You would always
comment that the OT posts concerning OT posts just added to the signal to
noise ratio. You also chided these people not to expect the regulars in
rec.boats to entertain them, that is was their responsibility to make on
topic posts.

Harry is positively the worst offender for starting OT threads. Harry's
only purpose in coming to rec.boats is to troll for OT political threads and
he prides himself in being very effective in his OT trolls. As long as he
is regular to rec.boats, I can promise you there will not be any change in
the tone of rec.boats.




I continue to believe that starting on-topic threads is the answer. I
start as many on-topic threads as anybody, far more than some. The
responses you're refering to are typically offered to some previously
unheard of screen name who
jumps in with, "What the hell is wrong with you guys? I've been
watching this NG for two weeks, trying to figure out how to rebuild the
pump on my manual marine toilet and all I see are personal feuds,
political arguments, and OT crap."

Harry sets the tone in the Newsgroup only because he has attracted a
group of
emotionally needy folks who *must* engage Harry every day and *must*
respond to each and every one of his trolls with venom and spite. I'm
sure Harry gets quite the kick out of manipulating people as skillfully
as he does, and probably laughs his butt off as he realizes that his
detractors are doing exactly what he needs and expects them to do in
response to his calculated
stimuli. If the anti-Krause crowd hates Harry so badly, why do they
allow themselves to be completely controlled by him?

Responding to Harry with malice and disdain is like trying to douse a
fire with a bucket of gasoline. But you know that- surely you must- as
do the people who are co-dependent on his trolling.