Abusive postings etc

[trumpeting_angel]

You may be right. I have to confess, I quit reading his stuff because it gave me a headache. And I certainly have not followed what goes on on OTHER ER boards.

But I have seen this happen on other discussion groups I've belonged to. On wildly different topics. Groups I've quit, come to think of it. They get hijacked by wild-eyed issuemongers and I can no longer bear to read the drivel, or a troll comes in and pushes everyone's buttons, causing an even more miserable sort of hijacking and the topic becomes all process, no content.

I left both of those boards.

Thoughtfully,
Anne

 

[haha]

John, you pierce MY heart with your heartless comments about liberals!  Here in Montana everyone is driving massive SUV's and pickups with gun racks and Bush bumper stickers.  I try to stay in my hotel room.

Anne, dear, those old boys use the guns on Bambi, not on nice middle class ladies like yourself. Go on down to the tavern tonight, and prepare to meet some charming fellas. Some of them can do a wicked 2-step

Mikey

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Well, I'm not REALLY staying in my hotel room all the time. I'm not really afraid they'll shoot me. But you know - I even LOOK like an Eastern liberal. I turn heads around here in Great Falls. Jackson Hole it ain't.

Anne

 

[John Galt]

Anne, are you really a liberal? Say it ain't so

P.S. I love Montana..................

John Galt

 

[dex]

Well, I'm not REALLY staying in my hotel room all the time.  I'm not really afraid they'll shoot me.  But you know - I even LOOK like an Eastern liberal.  I turn heads around here in Great Falls.  Jackson Hole it ain't.  

Anne

Trumpeting_angel,
I grew up in and worked in NYC; traveled around the world and now live in Atlanta. The concept of a liberal in the USA is a dead concept in my opinion. The differences between liberal and conservative in this country are relatively minor. Liberals and conservatives are labels used to polarize people so that they remain faithful to either the Democratic or Republican party.

Maybe this should be another thread. The reason we are in Iraq is because we want a comfortable life and are willing to sacrafice the good people in the armed services. This is a policy that started with FDR and re-affermind by every president since then. They all took the pledge. It doesn't matter if Bush or Kearry is elected in this regard. They both have the same exit strategy and engery policy - and that is our fault.

My point is: Don't look at those people with the gun racks in their pickup truck as different than you. Look at the simarlarities and you will see many.

 

[John Galt]

This is a really good post by dex! However, there are a
couple of nuances which need to be amplified
(as usual I am up to the task )

First, while it is true that in many ways you can no
longer tell the Republicans from the Democrats, you damn sure can tell individual liberals from individual
conservatives. Now, I am an extreme case to say the least, and so liberals by my definition are easy to spot.
The point is, if you use my politics to define conservative
you can identify liderals
with no effort. Secondly, I am the guy with the gun rack in my pick up, but I do agree that if you try to see them
"the similarities are many" as dex pointed out. I have good friends who are
pretty liberal. It's a struggle for me though.
Probably them too.....................

John Galt

 

[ataloss2]

I don't think ignoring this troll is effective for the reasons mentioned above. I actually tried reasoning with him, citing previous statements etc. He had his assistant troll jwr claim that I was posting disruptively, ***** wasn't a numbers guy, what he really meant was ... etc. The treads turned into disputes of no interest to anyone. Ridiculing him (as intercst at tmf does) has been more effective and more fun, although participating hijacking his threads isn't bad either.

most of my interaction with him was at nofeeboards. eventually jwr paid the owner of the board to let ***** do whatever he wanted (and simultaneously dissolve the secret administrative board of which I and raddr were members) It hasn't worked out real well there.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I agree with you dex; I am, however, proud to claim the label. I'm well to the left of Kerry on many topics, but I'm certainly voting for him in this election. You're right that this is not the thread to discuss the exit strategies from Iraq, so I'll resist the temptation.

John, it is true! I count among my friends (and family!) a number of conservatives and, like you, find it a struggle to understand how people I care about can be so wrong-headed.

But I'm not really afraid of the guys in the pickups with gun racks and guns. I even rode to lunch yesterday in a huge SUV with a "Sportsmen for Bush" bumper sticker prominently displayed. Sorry if my humorous comments provoked people to think I was REALLY hiding in my hotel room from the NRA boys. As you might guess, I tend to get along with almost everybody, usually by avoiding any talk of politics.

Now, back to the actual purpose of this thread. . .

Anne, whose first vote was for McGovern

 

[haha]

Groups I've quit, come to think of it. They get hijacked by wild-eyed issuemongers and I can no longer bear to read the drivel, or a troll comes in and pushes everyone's buttons, causing an even more miserable sort of hijacking and the topic becomes all process, no content.
Thoughtfully,
Anne

It seems to me that this board usually has a nice process/content balance. Yahoo stock boards are also interesting in this regard. In spite of there being no real control, a small monority of the boards have managed to maintain a civil and sometimes downright friendly atitude, as well as having a good number of very well informed and clever investors who are willing to share. Other boards are populated by arrested fifth graders in the sorts of contests that are typical of fifth graders. As you mentioned, pure process.

Migration from one state to the other is one way. I haven't observed a bad board getting good. But there are plenty of examples of good boards going bad.

Must be entropy.

Mikey

 

[BigMoneyJim]

I have a kilt. I wish it were more socially acceptable for me to wear it more. Ah, the summer breezes....

As far as *****, he was a well respected poster at MF 3 or 4 years ago. But apparently he's been continuously beating the same drum since his "great SWR debate" and wore everyone's patience out long ago. New posters are confused at the hostility, and as a come-and-go poster so was I for a while, but I see how the same thing can get old fast no matter how well written.

If I recall correctly, his posting of old material was inspired by a comment or two I made. I think there's value in that, espicially for newcomers so long as the threads don't beat his dead horse, but the anti-***** hostility generates unkind or off topic--although informative--threads.

Many board contributors I respect are absolutely fed up with *****, and I see there is good reason.

I have no solution to offer; I just thought I'd throw my moderate observations in for the benefit of those who don't get it yet.

As far as a ban: I get the feeling Dory36 has the influence to get ***** to tone down with the unpopular methodology posts. As long as that's the case and we continue to learn about kayaks, bicycles and color laser printers I don't see a need for a ban. But if it comes down to it I'd rather lose ***** than those who are hostile towards him.

 

[brewer12345]

As far as a ban: I get the feeling Dory36 has the influence to get ***** to tone down with the unpopular methodology posts. As long as that's the case and we continue to learn about kayaks, bicycles and color laser printers I don't see a need for a ban. But if it comes down to it I'd rather lose ***** than those who are hostile towards him.

I sincerely doubt that anyone could have a lasting effect on *****, unless it included the use of a baseball bat or big stick with a nail it in. We are dealing with an irrational and obstreperous personality that will not quit or go away. Basically, it may tone things down for a while to let the heat subside, but it will be back,. Case in point: it which must not be named ws leaying low for several days, and is now making its odious presence felt here again. Unless Dory is willing to actually ban it, the only hope is for all of us to ignore it. and hope that the lack of attention starves the troll out.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Look out, its going to be telling people you've made death threats.

20 bonus points for use of the word "Obstreperous", which appeared several times in my early salary reviews...

 

[hocus]

There was a guy who put up a post at the Motley Fool board in November 2003 in which he observed that the calculation of SWRs sounded to him like something that would be discussed at a tea party for economists. He expressed astonishment at the amount of controversy that the discussions had generated. I think that SWRs are darn important. But I also think that that guy was making a good point.

 

[Jane]

I am not really familiar with with Motley Fool board or other boards mentioned here, so I don't really know much about the history behind ***** and SWR. I am afraid I would like to stay neutral and won't offer a vote either way (banning vs. not banning).

But I just would like to say though, I enjoyed the posts on kayaks, printers and kilts, and will continue to post on topics I found interesting no matter who started it.

Jane