HEY!!!!!!!!!

Seems to me that you pretty much dominated the N-G Forum as well. That was before '04? Way back when, after reading several of your posts, I pm'd you about the 'drivel' thing. If you'll remember I prefaced that remark by first stating tha you were obviously literate and that we also shared 'some' musical background.

You're doing okay on Facebook, where unlike neighbors and family, you can choose your 'friends,' right?

I got an email from Winston yesterday, as a matter of fact. I always enjoy her dry humor, and we've shared some memories of past experiences. But I don't know if I would feel right in mentioning your request. After all, shes had the ability to peek in and post whenever, and for whatever reason, has chosen not to do so.

Forums offer members the opportunity to post whatever they wish to. Members are not 'friends' in the true sense and should not be regarded as such. Some members may know one another in the 'real world,' and may be friends. But simply being fellow members of a forum doesn't necessarily mean their 'friends.' Forums are to share opinions or observations. If another member wants to post their agreement, so be it. If they want to post a point of disagreement, that's okay too. 'Debates' are a 'good thing.' It's when they devolve into disagreeable arguments, and a back and forth exchange of personal references is what is considered 'unacceptable behavior' in a mature, civilized forum. Whether a member wants to get involved in a discussion or debate is strictly voluntary. Just as there is an on/offf switch on the boob-tube, members who find the direction of the debate too negative for their tastes, no one is forcing them to keep reading it. Pretty simple.

As for the longevity of forums, I'm sure that you've noticed that when a forum is unilaterally halted, for whatever reason, the members emigrate to another one. The thing is that over the years one can almost predict how a member will post and how another member will react, and most of all, how many finally don't post anything at all and will 'lurk' instead. And many, like Winston and myself, remain members (because 'puters never forget) but never visit, for whatever reason.

In closing I will point out to you that if you feel that you 'had' to leave a forum because 'Buz & Penn' made you feel 'uncomfortable,' well, that's on you. In your search for a 'friendly, kindler, gentler' forum I suggest you stick with your Facebook 'friends,' forums aren't and should never be a place to feel warm and fuzzy, imho.