First of all, DCP, I respect what you are saying, but I somewhat disagree. There is a problem with people being too serious. You can take the route that the RSB crowd took - just put everyone on your ignore list. That wont solve anything. Why do you think we are going to lose the forum? Many of the clowns that were involved in the demise of playpool.com are here... so whats your point??? Were you around for that? Serious discussion is not against the law, but when you try to control the content of an open conversation (which is what this is) you will frustrate yourself.
Its the like the "Squirt & Throw" thread that I brought up. I'm sure that everyone was just waiting for me to respond and provide my non-expert coments into the conversation regading the physics of pool. Forgive me for understanding where I stand. I posd the Beavis and Butthead picture to be silly. Im just as silly in person. Ive been around "serious" pool discussion and quite frankly it is just boring $hit. Of course there is the educatonal value of these threads, and I respect that. I do have a problem when someone says that fun or controversy has no value here in this forum.
In another forum I started a thread with the CCB Mickey Mouse Club. It was on the NPR board, and it was funny and silly - intentionally. One person was offended because I found a picture of her on the internet and pasted some Mickey Mouse ears on her. I did the same thing to my picture and everyone elses. It started an "away from the board" discussion about what a rotten evil, mean person I am. All I was trying to do was have fun. here was no maliciousness on my part at all. This person was upset with the picture that I used because it wasnt flattering. Like the one of my fat butt was something to be proud of. People take things far too serious. I really wonder how some of you get through the day.
Billy Jay Trotter was just freakin hilarious to read. Whoever that was did an excellent job at portraying that character - and many of us loved to read that stuff. Why was he banned anyway??? It was somebody with a great sense of humor being intentionally ridiculous. Whats the harm in generating humor? Flame wars put aside - they are irritating - but there are some people here that display their advanced level of stupidity (no names) on a regular basis and they deserve what they get. They never learn. Humor is harmless. I wont mention the people who sent me PM's complaining about my Beavis & Butthead picture, but those people are the same crowd that killed RSB and blamed it on Fast Larry. They all had as much to do with killing that group as Larry did. Larry owns his part in it, why dont they? If you want serious pool discussion, get with Pat Johnson and his infamous group of 12 and go have a private pow-wow over at Deno's board (which lasted 3 weeks - by invitation only??? ) . This is an open forum for expressing thoughts and ideas. Not everyone is going to get along. Not everyone is going to get my jokes or understand my humor - but that doesnt mean that I have to conform to your standards or anyone else's to participate. If Mike gets sick of putting up with me, he can ban me if he feels it is necessary. This place is his, he can do whatever he wants whether or not anyone likes it.
Turning this place into a boring, serious, on-topic prison would definitely drive at least 30-40% of us to leave. This place is a lot of things, but for myself and many others its a lot fun. I hope that doesnt change.
Debra
,people like me better than LS77 yaknow 
)
) but he should change his cloth to the blue Championship Tournament Edition, it'll take care of all his break problems. 
..Gerry