On  Sunday, February 19, 2006 6:16 AM, Reef Fish wrote:

> It all started when
(snipped)
> This was my reply, to the four crossposted groups
> in which the FORGER crossposted:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/dl5ss

That's a 'tribute'?  Not in my book, it ain't!

I like to believe that control over which groups of people I chat with in
cyberspace rests with me!  In that regard, I've been a member of Scuba-SE
(and previously Scuba-L) because the discussions revolved around diving - a
topic that I enjoy!

If I wanted to join Rec.Vendetta, (or whatever other groups these sad and
sorry rants wind up in) I'd have done so.  Frankly, I find it inhibiting to
think that anything that I say in this forum, (or any forum to which I might
subscribe and post) might wind up being used to support or denigrate people
in other lists and groups of which I'm not a member.  (No matter how well
deserved I perceive my original comments to be!)

If, for example, I had written a post to this list saying something to the
effect that I had seen you pissed as a parrot, (I haven't, by the way!  But
the written word does supersede reality when it comes to 'keyboard'
arguments, doesn't it!) and those comments had been relayed elsewhere, would
it have made the pointless arguments any more or less valid and true?

I suspect that a number of subscribers to SE probably feel the same way that
I do: i.e. I'm mightily fed up with the factionalsim that's developed here -
the 'them' and 'us' attitude that sees posts to the effect that, "I'm not
going on a trip if X, Y, or Z are going."  It discourages discussion and the
sharing of experiences and opinions.  (As well as overlooking the fact that
some of march to the beat of our own drum and aren't terribly interested in
playing in other people's pissed-in sand-boxes!)

(I firmly believe that the only argument that matters is the ultimate
intellectual argument of a punch right up the throat: The rest are just
pointless posturings and futile attempts at 'one up-manship'.  But then
again, I didn't have the benefit of a formal education.)

Therefore, I'll ask, once again: Please don't drag my name into your posts
on other groups, forums or lists.

Having asked politely, I'd better add that I have no intention of debating
the matter.

Strike