Nope, that was how I posted it. If I am editing...then it is usually to fix a grammatical error, or to add to a post. I am friendly, so it was not edited for that reason...if I really 'go off' on someone, it was because I was provoked.
Off course, 'Superstar' and 'mia' (aka pharaoh68) know this, and 'mia' is a huge provocateur, and always has been...and takes great delight in pushing my buttons. They are both JA members who take great delight in taking pot-shots at me here. Again...the school-yard bully mentality prevails.
Lisa
I'm not sure if mentioning my former screen-name was some sort of grand attempt to 'out' me. The truth is, many people here know who I am... including Dave Wilson. And he seems to be ok with my presence here. So if you were trying to expose me, ya kinda failed. But that's beside the point.
Here is where I'm lost. This is a forum. Its a place for ALL walks of life to gather together from ALL corners of the globe under one metaphorical 'roof'. The reason this place exists is for anyone and everyone who share the same common denominator (pool) to discuss just about anything that comes to mind. That being said, debate and differences of opinion should be welcome by one and all. You can't throw 20,000+ individuals into the same 'room' and NOT expect disagreements. And to cram that many people into one space where differences of opinion are to be accepted, its utterly ridiculous to expect EVERYONE to handle disagreement in a diplomatic matter. What's diplomatic to you may be harsh or extreme to another. So if you don't like how disagreements are treated in an open forum... STAY AWAY FROM THE FORUM!
But I get lost even further when you do things like this! John Barton was banned. And I get it! You like him. He's nice to you. Thus, you consider him a 'friend'. As such, you are quick to defend him when someone else questions whether or not he should be allowed back. You don't see past the friend aspect to recognize what's beyond that... John Barton is and always has been one of the contraversial 'button pushers' you refered to to earlier. John has a history of flaming and controversy; a rap sheet longer than MOST others on this forum. But because he's your friend, you felt a need to pick on the new guy who was just voicing HIS opinion. You felt a need to lecture him. You attacked someone that shared his opinion because YOU disagreed with him and his style. Then you claim that its people like HIM, myself, SUPERSTAR, etc. that are dragging this place down. (You see the irony there?) You threw the newbie card in his face as if join date, number of posts, or rep points have ANY bearing on the importance of what an individual has to say. And why? Because you chose to defend your friend... regardless of your friend's track record for controversy.
Your next move was to start a new thread about what a terrible state of affairs this site finds itself in
lately because of individuals like myself (been a member for YEARS) and SUPERSTAR (also been a member for years) and others like us who are overly opinionated and often call people on their bullsh*t (sounds kind of like your friend John Barton, no? Who has also been a member here for years). So this terrible state that the site finds itself in as of late is based on the few names that have been here since back in the day when you loved the site so much. I find that odd. But what I find even more odd was how you claim that you were baited and that you foolishly bit the hook. Correct me if I'm wrong but some guy you had never heard of or seen before made a post about NOT you and then YOU took it upon yourself to chastise and scold him, basically putting him in his place. Then you went a step further to start a new thread (complete with your copy of Strunk & White in tow) asking why this place you once loved so much is filled with so many naysayers and instigators. You didn't really think that no one would respond did you? Are you REALLY that naive??? No. You knew what you were doing. You knew you'd get this response. YOU baited the hook Lisa. No one else. And like you've done many times before, you feel hurt and picked on and so, you're walking away for a while.
You are right, Lisa. We've had MANY a run-in before, both here and on JA. Frankly I'm not sure why you felt the need to mention JA (a site that you have touted as great in the past) but perhaps your view of that place has changed. Yet every time we have these little run-ins, I say the exact same thing: grow up and get a life. People here butt heads all the time. When it happens, most of us can take a bit of comfort in knowing this: its just an online forum and there is life beyond this. Ross, Eric, Jim, even your buddy John Barton... we have ALL butted heads with one another before. None of us have ever stormed off. None of us have ever said 'why oh why has it come to this?!' If you don't like the state of the forum(s) today, I can only suggest this...
1) Recognize that you contribute to both the positive AND the negative aspects of it all, just like the rest of us. You have pushed buttons. You voiced and defended your opinions. You stand firm in your views and defend them to the bone. You're no different than any other person here.
2) Grow some thicker skin and maybe lose the blinders. I get that you were just making a point and expressing your opinion, but the reality is that is exactly what the guy you laced into was doing. Why is he not allowed to speak his mind without being put in his place, but you are above being called out?
3) Stop visiting the forums. It may be the only way to avoid having these run-ins that you clearly don't have the thick skin to deal with or the clear sight to see your role in it all.
- B <--------- thinks you can stop using his 'screen-name' and start referring to him by his real name