On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 19:44:53 GMT, WaIIy wrote:

On 11 Jan 2006 09:45:06 -0800, wrote:

This forum is supposed to be about recreational boating. We have raped
and abused it so badly in the past that we must surely be on the
"habitual offenders list". :-)

There certainly is a long list of offenders (including me). I stopped
reading the group due to the political baloney.
Does anyone really think hearts and minds are going to be changed ?

Anyway, perhaps you could bring me up to date on the change of tone.
Things looked hopeless for a long time.

One thing... I'm suprised that Harry is jabbing you in the ribs.

He's the number one detractor IMHO.

Hi Wally, welcome back. Yes, for the most part the tone of the group has
changed because most are sick of the vicious name-calling etc. of a month
ago. Chuck Gould presented a challenge, and many of us signed up for it.

We're trying hard to do away with the personal attacks.

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 19:44:53 GMT, WaIIy
wrote:

One thing... I'm suprised that Harry is jabbing you in the ribs.

Harry is suffering from some withdrawal symptoms and there are always
a few who'd like to see him fall off the wagon. I'm hoping he'll
continue to take it one day at a time and prove them wrong.

Wayne.B wrote:
On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 19:44:53 GMT, WaIIy
wrote:


One thing... I'm suprised that Harry is jabbing you in the ribs.


Harry is suffering from some withdrawal symptoms and there are always
a few who'd like to see him fall off the wagon. I'm hoping he'll
continue to take it one day at a time and prove them wrong.

Harry has shown much restraint, and as long as he stays the course, he
will prove all of his detractors wrong. That might be the best revenge.

--
Reggie
************************************************** *********************
If you would like to make rec.boats an enjoyable place to discuss
boating, please do not respond to the political and inflammatory
off- topic posts and flames.
************************************************** *********************

On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 15:38:25 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

Sorry, but I am not suffering withdrawal symptoms. The reality is, I
have no more patience for those who exhibit "holier than thou" behavior
than those who exhibit right-wing hypocrisy.

Not sure if you are referring to Chuck or myself. I think Chuck is
very sincere in his efforts, hopefully I am also. I'd really like to
see more focus on boating here, and less of the personal chat room
flame war junk.

wrote:
JimH wrote:

.................inconsistent.

I was *officially* reprimanded by some folks here for posting a non
political article about a current event. Everyone participating in the
discussion offered reasonable comments and there were not flames. OK. Fair
enough. This is a boating NG.

I continue to read numerous posts/threads about cameras, photography, dogs,
pigs, etc. (non boating). However, I read no reprimands about those posts.

A bit confusing. Very inconsistent.

Could someone please explain what the new and improved *rules* of this NG
are?


How about *do unto others as you would have them do unto you*?
One of your problems, Jim, is that you preach to the choir, then don't
heed your own advice.

How about "practice what you preach", Kevin? Notice the clever use of
those fancy quotation marks?

Dan Krueger wrote:


How about "practice what you preach", Kevin? Notice the clever use of
those fancy quotation marks?

Who are you quoting?

"Dan Krueger" wrote in message
ink.net...
wrote:
JimH wrote:

.................inconsistent.

I was *officially* reprimanded by some folks here for posting a non
political article about a current event. Everyone participating in the
discussion offered reasonable comments and there were not flames. OK.
Fair
enough. This is a boating NG.

I continue to read numerous posts/threads about cameras, photography,
dogs,
pigs, etc. (non boating). However, I read no reprimands about those
posts.

A bit confusing. Very inconsistent.

Could someone please explain what the new and improved *rules* of this NG
are?


How about *do unto others as you would have them do unto you*?
One of your problems, Jim, is that you preach to the choir, then don't
heed your own advice.

How about "practice what you preach", Kevin? Notice the clever use of
those fancy quotation marks?


I was thinking the exact same thing Dan. Kevin has flamed me several times
today.

"Do unto others........" How funny.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 19:44:53 GMT, WaIIy
wrote:

One thing... I'm suprised that Harry is jabbing you in the ribs.

Harry is suffering from some withdrawal symptoms and there are always
a few who'd like to see him fall off the wagon. I'm hoping he'll
continue to take it one day at a time and prove them wrong.


I think this needs to be said.

I've been a subscriber to rec.boats since 1995. For the most part it has
been a very enjoyable experience. I've enjoyed the boating discussions, sea
stories, tall tales, humor plus the more than occasional "Off Topic"
discussions that amount to nothing but dock chat. Although I've never met
most of the participants, the names are all like old friends.

Many times the NG has provided entertainment that you just couldn't find
anywhere else. Who can forget the famous bilge pump debates between Marcus
and Mrs. B.?

Unfortunately, the political side of things invested itself during the
election of 2000.
Certain people have never let it go - and the political infection of
rec.boats took root. This, singularly, has been the primary reason for the
deterioration of the group during the past 7-8 years, IMOH.

The attempt to return to "boating" only discussions will never work, because
rec.boats was never only about boating. It was an internet based comradely
of people who shared a common root interest but enjoyed the discussion and
humor of all subjects, very much like the social environment at the dock or
marina.

Like every other social group though, you gotta leave politics and religion
out of it.
If we all simply did that - this NG would be fine.

Eisboch

"NOYB" wrote in message
ink.net...


There are no rules, silly. It's an unmoderated group.



Serious unmoderated groups should be self-moderating.

Eisboch

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 19:44:53 GMT, WaIIy
wrote:

One thing... I'm suprised that Harry is jabbing you in the ribs.

Harry is suffering from some withdrawal symptoms and there are always
a few who'd like to see him fall off the wagon. I'm hoping he'll
continue to take it one day at a time and prove them wrong.


I think this needs to be said.

I've been a subscriber to rec.boats since 1995. For the most part it has
been a very enjoyable experience. I've enjoyed the boating discussions,
sea stories, tall tales, humor plus the more than occasional "Off Topic"
discussions that amount to nothing but dock chat. Although I've never met
most of the participants, the names are all like old friends.

Many times the NG has provided entertainment that you just couldn't find
anywhere else. Who can forget the famous bilge pump debates between
Marcus and Mrs. B.?

Unfortunately, the political side of things invested itself during the
election of 2000.
Certain people have never let it go - and the political infection of
rec.boats took root. This, singularly, has been the primary reason for
the deterioration of the group during the past 7-8 years, IMOH.

The attempt to return to "boating" only discussions will never work,
because rec.boats was never only about boating. It was an internet based
comradely of people who shared a common root interest but enjoyed the
discussion and humor of all subjects, very much like the social
environment at the dock or marina.

Like every other social group though, you gotta leave politics and
religion out of it.
If we all simply did that - this NG would be fine.

Eisboch



I agree.......to a point.

There have been several political discussions here over the past several
days that were perfectly civil. It can be done.

However I generally agree that eventually discussions about politics and
religion can and most likely will become heated. That is a universal truth.

All I am trying to do is to get folks to see that it does not all have to be
about boats.......leave out the personal attacks, flames and trolling and we
will be fine, regardless if we talk about pigs, cameras, computers or sex
offenders set free.

And except for a few repeat offenders we have proven we can do it.

So let's stop the netcopping. Let's ignore those who continue to fan the
flames and personally attack. Let's not force topics to make sure they
contain the word boat in them. Let's get back to being an interesting NG
that can civilly discuss most every issue, boating related or not.

OK?