OT Politics and Recumbents Go Together

[Edward Dolan]

Joao de Souza <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> Freewheeling wrote:
> > You'd think they'd also be smart enough to know how to hit the "ignore thread" button.
>
> You mean over and over and over and over again? Gets quite annoying after a while.
>
> There are dozens, maybe hundreds of USENET newsgroups dedicated to political discussions, and only
> one dedicated to recumbents. So the possibilities are:
>
> - You folks *want* to annoy us
>
> - You folks don't know how to look for a proper newsgroup
>
> - You folks are too chicken to discuss politics with others who are also interested in discussing
> it, and who will have a lot of good arguments that go against your points of view, and you'll be
> forced to actually defend your political positions instead of just posting it where people don't
> want to discuss it.
>
> Joao "the talk.politics.* hierarchy is down the block and either to your left or right depending
> on your inclination" de Souza

I think you are right in what you say above. I am thinking about moving on, but the thought of Mr.
Sherman having his way with this newsgroup is too revolting for me to contemplate. I may have to
stay here on ARBR as long as he continues to post his liberal diatribes. But I have noticed he is
not as bad as he used to be, so it may be that I can leave shortly and not have the politics on this
newsgroup go totally to hell.

I have taken Mr. Ball's comments under advisement and I do recognize that this particular newsgroup
is predominant liberal in its sentiments and so I am making allowances for that. It is mainly Mr.
Sherman that sets me off. What I am thinking of doing is just looking in on this newsgroup on
occasion to make sure it has not gone too crazy. Frankly, I would like to get on to more substantial
argumentation with my peers and leave you to your recumbents and cycling related topics. Everyone is
very sane on those topics and I can either sleep through them or not, but the other stuff can really
set me off like a firecracker as you may have noticed.

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

 

[Joao De Souza]

Freewheeling wrote:
>
> Apparently you *don't* know how to ignore a thread. Perhaps your newreader software won't
> allow you to?

You know what spammers say when you complaint about their spam? "Just hit delete". You are using the
exact same frame of mind. "Just delete the thread on your side" is what you're saying.

And I do know how to ignore threads. But more and more political threads keep popping up every day,
and some of you insist in starting completely off-topic political discussions on regular recumbent-
related threads. Should we all just keep hitting delete...errr..I mean, ignore?

Go discuss politics where politics are discussed. Maybe you'll even learn some things from the
discussion rather than just annoy others.

 

[Freewheeling]

Ed:

"Mr. Lee mentioned in his post below that he is thinking about leaving this newsgroup this spring
for greener pastures. I say good riddance!"

Never happen. The nice thing about this newsgroup is its central location.

Yeah we all have our faults, I guess. Mine is that I'm too handsome.

--
--Scott
"Edward Dolan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Freewheeling" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> > I've found Mr. Lee pretty fair, and he can killfile anyone he likes.
It's
> > his killfile. Hardly anyone I know likes to see opinions that make them
> > uncomfortable, and I can't really fault anyone for wanting to ignore
this
> > stuff. I don't, but then it's my field. And seeing someone post an
> > ill-informed opinion about some social topic is like seeing someone make
a
> > claim that violates the First Law of Thermodynamics to a Physicist or
> > Engineer.
>
> Mr. Lee can kill file anyone he wants and that is fine with me, but
> why can't he shut up about it? I feel honored that I am in his kill
> file. But he keeps blathering on this newsgroup about how he has kill
> filed me. In other words, he can keep bad mouthing me even though he
> does not read me. How is that possible? He is doing nothing but
> recruiting others to his side as if they can't make up their own
> minds. I am returning the favor with my less than complimentary
> remarks about him. Is it OK with you if I do not think Mr. Lee is Mr.
> Wonderful? Frankly, I think he is a jerk!
>
> Mr. Lee mentioned in his post below that he is thinking about leaving
> this newsgroup this spring for greener pastures. I say good riddance!
> He has probably been here long enough and has outworn any welcome he
> initially had. Some folks have been here so long that they think they
> own this newsgroup.
>
> Ed Dolan - Minnesota
>
> > "Edward Dolan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Cletus D. Lee <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:<[email protected]>...
> > >
> > > > In article <[email protected]>,
> > > > [email protected] says...
> >
> > > > > ...I appreciate the willingness of Ed, Tom, and others to
> > > > > offer their opinions on this forum. It says to me these folks
give a
> > > > > damn. I think that is a good thing. I for one am going to
continue
> > > > > read the bike threads and the OT threads. Guys, thanks for
caring.
> > > >
> > > > Maybe you enjoy it, but I certainly don't. Out of the last 1000
posts,
> > > > 576 stayed on my server. And of the 421 that did make it to my news
> > > > client, Tom Sherman and Scott Talkington are not yet in my Bozo bin
> > > > like Ed Dolan and I still catch all the replies to Ed Dolan's
vitriol.
> > > > There is not much here worth reading anymore. I learned everything I
> > > > know about recumbents from this NG. If I were coming in as a 'bent
> > > > neophyte today, I probably would not stick around. As it is, I plan
to
> > > > hang around until Spring and see if the quality of posts pick up
when
> > > > the Yankees get back on their bikes.
> > > >
> > > > I have about given up on Tom Sherman. I used to think that
occasionally
> > > > something relevant came out of that mouth. I am really disappointed
in
> > > > Scott Talkington. Someone that I have met and consider a friend as a
> > > > direct result of this NG.
> > > >
> > > > OK "Guys" if you really cared as John Reilly suggests, you would cut
> > > > this **** and say something relevant. If you can't say anything
> > > > relevant, please keep your fingers off the keyboard.
> > >
> > >
> > > Most of the guys on this newsgroup seem honest and fair to me but I
> > > have a special animus toward Mr. Lee of Houston, Texas. The OT stuff
> > > is not the bread and butter of ARBR and no one in their right mind
> > > would want it to be. The political comments are just that; they are
> > > comments, sort of little asides. There is no way to eliminate them as
> > > otherwise one person, invariably some liberal nut case, would have a
> > > field day and the rest of you would not do anything about it. So I am
> > > here to prevent that kind of monopoly from taking place.
> > >
> > > Please note that Mr. Lee, although he says he does not appreciate OT
> > > political posts, would never himself do anything about it. No, he
> > > would listen to Mr. Sherman and other liberals all day long and into
> > > the night and nary say a word against them. What he can't stand is
> > > some opposition and some fireworks (what he calls vitriol). Again,
> > > please note that he does not kill file any liberals, only
> > > conservatives. This is why I do not appreciate someone like Mr. Lee.
> > > He is not fair and is he not even honest. I for one will be glad when
> > > Mr. Lee leaves this newsgroup and we will no longer have to put up
> > > with his biased complaining.
> > >
> > > Ed Dolan - Minnesota

 

[Tom Sherman]

Edward Dolan wrote:

> Mr. Lee mentioned in his post below that he is thinking about leaving this newsgroup this spring
> for greener pastures. I say good riddance! He has probably been here long enough and has
> outworn any welcome he initially had. Some folks have been here so long that they think they
> own this newsgroup.

People will know I have left the newsgroup when they stop seeing my posts. I certainly do not see a
need to make a big deal over it by posting an announcement.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities

 

[Zippy The Pinhe]

On 31 Jan 2004 20:30:32 -0800, [email protected] (Edward Dolan) wrote:

>diatribes.

n. Kinship groups of indigenous peoples with loose bowels.

 

[Edward Dolan]

Zippy the Pinhead <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> On 31 Jan 2004 20:30:32 -0800, [email protected] (Edward Dolan) wrote:
>
> >diatribes.
>
> n. Kinship groups of indigenous peoples with loose bowels.

Well, others on this newsgroup (Perry?) have accused me of having diarrhea of the mouth, so maybe
that is the tribe I do belong to - as well as Mr. Sherman of course. Here it is for those who might
still have some confusion about the word as I meant it before Zippy ruined it.

One entry found for diatribe.

Main Entry: di·a·tribe Pronunciation: 'dI-&-"trIb Function: noun Etymology: Latin diatriba, from
Greek diatribE pastime, discourse, from diatribein to spend (time), wear away, from dia- + tribein
to rub -- more at THROW 1 archaic : a prolonged discourse
2 : a bitter and abusive speech or writing
3 : ironical or satirical criticism

Merriam-Webster

I mean it in the second sense as applied to Mr. Sherman, but it definitely applies to myself more
than anyone else here I think. I don't have to work at it; it is a natural talent that I have
possessed all of my life from my earliest years. I believe it has kept me from ever going anywhere
in life except around in circles on my bicycles. But, enuf philosophy for one post.

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

 

[Edward Dolan]

Tom Sherman <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> Edward Dolan wrote:
>
> > Mr. Lee mentioned in his post below that he is thinking about leaving this newsgroup this spring
> > for greener pastures. I say good riddance! He has probably been here long enough and has
> > outworn any welcome he initially had. Some folks have been here so long that they think they
> > own this newsgroup.
>
> People will know I have left the newsgroup when they stop seeing my posts. I certainly do not see
> a need to make a big deal over it by posting an announcement.
>
> Tom Sherman - Quad Cities

No, Mr. Sherman, when I leave this newsgroup I will make an earth shattering announcement to that
effect. It will be on the level of Nixon's - you won't have me to kick around anymore. I will spend
days composing it for maximum effect. I will leave no stone unturned to make you all ashamed of
yourselves for the shabby way you have treated me while I was here. And yes, you will miss me when I
am gone. But I will enjoy departing so much that I will make my farewell address in installments -
and it will be the longest goodbye in newsgroup history!

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

 

[Edward Dolan]

"Freewheeling" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

{...}

... but then it's my field. And seeing someone post an
> ill-informed opinion about some social topic is like seeing someone make a claim that violates the
> First Law of Thermodynamics to a Physicist or Engineer.

But those who knows anything about physics and engineering are few and far between whereas we all
fancy ourselves more than qualified to expound on social topics as a result of having lived in a
social milieu. Your complaint has ever been the complaint of the social sciences from their very
foundation. There are just too many cooks in the kitchen.

It works that way with literature too. Anyone who can put two words together fancies himself a
writer much to the chagrin of real writers. This is why I like classical music so much. You can't
compose it unless you are a near genius. This cuts all the amateurs out and leaves them with nothing
but trash music to write which everyone recognizes as such. It is called pop music and it is very
nice music for children and kids, but no one confuses it with classical music as written by
Beethoven, for instance.

But nevertheless it is good to touch base occasionally with someone who has studied the subjects of
the social sciences and achieved some range and perspective. Every social science has its hard
knowledge, but so much of it remains soft that you really can't blame people for wanting to get in
on the act. The best sociologists I ever had the pleasure of knowing were very wise to this aspect
of their discipline and always made plenty of allowances for it.

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

 

[Cletus D . Lee]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> You'd think they'd also be smart enough to know how to hit the "ignore thread" button.
>
If you guys( Ed Dolan, Tom Sherman and you Scott) insist on continuing to introduce this **** into
the news group, you can also expect that some of us will discover that there is an 'ignore
newsgroup' button in our newsreader too. Is that what you want?
--
Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager http://www.clee.org
- Bellaire, TX USA -

 

[Cletus D . Lee]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> Cletus:
>
> "I am really disappointed in Scott Talkington. Someone that I have met and consider a friend as a
> direct result of this NG."
>
> For the record, I posted originally on a bike topic that's almost universally swept under the rug.

For the record, You introduced the Off topic thread: "Boy, are you gonna hate this". You did not
even have the courtesy to preface the subject with an OT designation. At last count, according to
Google, it has generated over 222 Off topic responses in a 7 days!. I would guess just looking at
the tree in Google's left frame that you, Ed Dolan and Tom Sherman Contributed over 90% of the
responses.

I invite the three of you to go take your little rants elsewhere.

--
Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager http://www.clee.org
- Bellaire, TX USA -

 

[Edward Dolan]

Cletus D. Lee <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...

> > You'd think they'd also be smart enough to know how to hit the "ignore thread" button.
> >
> If you guys( Ed Dolan, Tom Sherman and you Scott) insist on continuing to introduce this **** into
> the news group, you can also expect that some of us will discover that there is an 'ignore
> newsgroup' button in our newsreader too. Is that what you want?

Hey, Freewheeling, I think Mr. Lee is ticked off because you are including my posts in their
entirety at the bottom of your posts when you respond to me. So he is seeing what I have written,
even though he has gone to great pains to not see me. Better be careful, or your good buddy is going
to kill file you too! The life of an ostrich is not an easy life apparently.

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

 

[Tom Sherman]

Cletus D. Lee wrote:

> For the record, You introduced the Off topic thread: "Boy, are you gonna hate this". You did not
> even have the courtesy to preface the subject with an OT designation. At last count, according to
> Google, it has generated over 222 Off topic responses in a 7 days!. I would guess just looking at
> the tree in Google's left frame that you, Ed Dolan and Tom Sherman Contributed over 90% of the
> responses.

Of the 222 postings:

Scott Talkington: 63 postings, 28.4%, Edward Dolan: 56 postings, 25.2%, Tom Sherman: 46
postings, 20.7%,

for a total of 165 postings, 74.3%.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities

 

[Edward Dolan]

Cletus D. Lee <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...

> > Cletus:
> >
> > "I am really disappointed in Scott Talkington. Someone that I have met and consider a friend as
> > a direct result of this NG."
> >
> > For the record, I posted originally on a bike topic that's almost universally swept under
> > the rug.
>
> For the record, You introduced the Off topic thread: "Boy, are you gonna hate this". You did not
> even have the courtesy to preface the subject with an OT designation. At last count, according to
> Google, it has generated over 222 Off topic responses in a 7 days!. I would guess just looking at
> the tree in Google's left frame that you, Ed Dolan and Tom Sherman Contributed over 90% of the
> responses.
>
> I invite the three of you to go take your little rants elsewhere.

How can Mr. Lee know what is going on with respect to the thread in question since he has kill filed
so many of us. He is most likely just getting half the story.

Freewheeling is correct in that his original post was on topic. It was not off topic at all. It was
not on a subject that Mr. Lee was interested in, and so he thinks it should have been labeled off
topic. But he is wrong headed and mistaken.

Fully 85% of the posts that appear on ARBR do not interest me and so I do not read them. But I do
not begrudge any others the opportunity to read them. I think if any of us have an interest in about
15% of the threads at any one time on ARBR that that is a very good percentage. Not everything that
gets posted on ARBR is going to be interesting to everyone all the time.

But what happens is that once a subject gets posted, whether it is on topic or off topic, others
weigh in with their thoughts and before you know it the subject has started to wander. This is
normal in any human conversation. Only a moderator or an editor can prevent this normal drift of
a conversation. That being the case, it transpires more often than not that what starts out as
being on topic ends up being off topic. That of course is what happened to "Boy, are you going to
hate this." If you read a thread as it normally progresses you can almost always see where it
starts to wander off the subject and then you can decide at that point whether you still have any
interest in it.

There is also another way to read ARBR besides via subject threads, and that is by who is posting.
For instance, there are certain members of this newsgroup whom I will read no matter what the
subject thread is because I find that they always have something interesting to say, at least for
me. Mr. Sherman falls into this category as do several others. All this kill filing is ridiculous.
If I am consistently saying things that you do not like to read, just don't read me. Our names are
attached to everything that gets posted here.

Some of you seem to think that some posters are displacing other posters. The miracle of the
computer age is that there is room for all of us. No one displaces anyone else. You can all post
whatever you want to your heart's content. And you are all free to read whatever you want to your
heart's content also - or not as the case may be. If I thought I was preventing anyone on this
newsgroup from saying whatever he wanted to say or reading whatever he wanted to read just by my
being here, I would leave immediately. But I know that is not the case.

There is surely no one who thinks they have to read everything that gets posted on ARBR. That would
be insanity! There is not really even any navigation problem if you can figure out the Google web
page and/or your own newsreader.

I have been following this litany of complaints about OT from the beginning and I have not yet heard
anything that would persuade me that we OT 'ers are causing any real problems. All that you are
complaining about is just in your perception. It is not real. The bottom line for me is that you
just plain don't like what is being said for one reason or another. But that should not prevent you
from saying whatever it is you want to say. Who knows, I may even read you.

Ed Dolan - Minnesota

 

[Edward Dolan]

Mike Vermeulen <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> >I think it is safe to say that recumbent riders in general are passionate about their bikes and
> >are very comfortable with riding their non-traditional machines. It seems very logical to me that
> >a non-conforming, passionate group such as those who frequently contribute to ARBR would also
> >have passionate opinions on subjects beyond cycling.
>
> Personally, I find the behavior/attitude of some of these OT posters as both inconsiderate and
> rude. Fortunately, I am able to quickly ignore most of the junk and find useful nuggets.

That is because you have a brain in your head Mike and so you know how to use the Google web page
and/or your newsreader, unlike some of the other idiots to be found here. However, you did not
attribute the quotation at the head of your message to whomever wrote it (Mr. Reilly I think) so
even you are not perfect. Nothing more becomes us humans than humility.

Ed Dolan - Minnesota