Hey, already!

This site is getting way overcrowded, and it seems to me that about ninety percent of the postings are "doomers" trying to lay their trip on "pollyannas", and vice versa. Get a life. There is plenty of information available for everyone to read at lots of sites. Anybody can find "facts" to support their personal positions. All this name calling is a total waste of everyone's time. These types of letters represent power trips rather than communication. If you have information to share, fine. But how about a little less arguing. If you are dead set that the end of the world as we know it is just around the corner, great. If you are certain that the whole y2k bit is total bullshit, wonderful. Keep it to yourselves if all you are trying to do is show that you are right and the other guy is wrong.

Maybe then we can have time to read and reply to serious questions.

-- malcolm drake (jumpoff@echoweb.net), June 10, 1999

Answers

Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing. People have a right to not only their beliefs but also to speak them. While I agree that the bantering dialogue leaves most looking like fools, you can choose to ignore it. Thanks for trying though.

-- Freedom (love@it.here), June 10, 1999.

Dear drake, In case you hadn't noticed, this is a serious subject. This is not a forum based upon the pro's and con's of breast feeding. The potential exists for "shoot, we're really -bleep-ed". If you expect "friendly conversation" you probably aren't sure which state you're in.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), June 10, 1999.

For you newbie's reference, this forum has attempted to ignore, placate and respond politely to disruptive pollyannas. To no avail. It ain't gonna get better, - in fact, after you've been here a few months, you will remember today as the "good ol' days."

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), June 10, 1999.

Lisa,

hooooooweeeee!

(you can tell I've been in America too long :) )

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), June 10, 1999.

In February 2000, all the polly's will be six feet under, because of lack of preparations, and then there will be nobody to argue with!

-- Y2K ready (Y2Kready@aol.com), June 10, 1999.

"why's everyone arguing?"

Check 1 or more:

[___] The other guy is wrong and I can't stand it.

[___] Lack of imagination.

[___] Inadequate schooling.

[___] Exaggerated sense of self-importance.

[___] Infantile response to the word "NO."

[___] Arguing displaces fear.

[___] Boredom

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), June 10, 1999.

I'm with Malcolm. I read the forum because all the people who know anything here find and post pertinent information. The fact that not everyone agrees just means I get both sides of the story. However, the name calling and insults just adds useless text that can hide information. Let's keep it civil.

Clean up the useless text while I can still keep my...

-- eyes_open (best@wishes.com), June 10, 1999.

Sometimes it's funny. And everyone needs a laugh once in a while!

-- J (jart5@bellsouth.net), June 10, 1999.

To those of you who chose to respond to my request for a reduction in the time wasting name calling and trying to prove you know more than everyone else by name calling and trying to prove you know more than I do, I say that you are probably the ones who need the advice the most.

I certainly realize this is a serious subject (although I think breast feeding is also a serious subject). I believe calling me, or anyone else, a "newbie" is a form of name calling, too. Calling someone a "newbie" to me implies that they are some kind of ignorant person who hasn't had the benefit of all the namecaller's experience, whatever it may be. For your information, Mr. or Mrs. "oldbie", some of us "newbies" have been studying y2k issues for quite a long time. Also, some of us have been studying other issues since before some of you were born. I personally have been living a more or less self sufficient lifestyle for 24 years. I have lots of knowledge in hydrology, alternative energy, wood heating, wood and solar water heating, hydaulic rams, solar house design, earth shelter house design, and have been a building contractor for the last fifteen years. My point is that I, and probably many other people, find it offensive to be labelled by you.

As far as freedom of speech, I certainly am not saying that anyone should not be free to express whatever they like to express. However, I would hope that we can all focus on helping each other rather than running each other down. VOLUNTARILY.

I will end this tirade by saying that this is the last I will say on the subject of all this argumentativeness, but I will continue to contribute postings on issues about which I feel I can productively share my expertise and experience.

-- malcolm drake (jumpoff@echoweb.net), June 10, 1999.

"Newbie" is a term meaning "new to .... (fill in the blank)"

There is no other connotaion associated with it. You are being much to sensitive. Relax, take a pill, and enjoy the show. If a thread bothers you, DON'T follow it...

Pretty simple, actually.

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), June 10, 1999.

No offense, Malcolm - it's just that if you weren't a newbie, you wouldn't have asked the question. Mr. Carey has it pegged.

Lemme know if'n ya want to see some real arguing. We "olbies" can dredge up some exemplary threads........

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), June 10, 1999.

Will------What do you mean this forums not about breast feeding......

Personally I think it would be a nice change of pace and I for one am all in favor of breasts.....uhh....i mean breast feeding.

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), June 10, 1999.

veRY INterESTinG!!!!!!!

WHaT Do thEY EAt ANd hoW DO yoU FEeD THeM?????????

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), June 10, 1999.

Malcolm

You will find this forum fustrating at times but the level of intelligence by many of the posters is of a very high caliber. Good to see other reasonable minds posting. I have a Prep Archive that contains many excelant posts by the members of the forum. Please check it out to confirm that not all are trying to one up the rest.

Dieter

You are still around! And so is the forum! You must have been stocking up on what ever it is that you stock up. But please keep it in the dark just what that is.

-- Brian (imager@home.com), June 10, 1999.

Brian,

I agree, there are some sharp minds here. I wish some of them would be more constructive though. I am clueless what a "prep archive" is. Where do I find it?

-- malcolm drake (jumpoff@echoweb.net), June 10, 1999.

Malcolm -- Any interest in participating with some of us in offline realt-time chat sessions where we could take grateful advantage of some of your expertise? Email me.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 10, 1999.

Malcolm,

You can get to Brian's preparation archive by way of this link:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000wBr

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), June 10, 1999.

Malcolm-

Very well said, and my thoughts exactly. Sometimes I think some of the folks on this forum just like to hear themselves talk, so to speak....The bottom line is noone knows how Y2K is going to play out, and the folks who claim to be experts are basing their views on second-hand info, testimony, etc. Until we get through this, it's all just 100% pure speculation!! My wife and I are preparing (especially in view of the fact that we hope to be expecting by then!), but we're definitely gonna go on with our lives.

-- Larry Goldberg (ljgoldberg@worldnet.att.net), June 10, 1999.

Dieter, Now _that's_ funny.

PS How's the missus and little Dieter?

-- newbiebutnodummy (Linda@home.com), June 10, 1999.

actually- it seems to me that the caliber of posts has gone way down recently, and the number of totally extraneous whatever are they talking about posts has gone way up- and they are often posted by the same individual.....

I'm not sure why this is- I can't get on here more than once a day generally now, and usually I would see lots of interesting stuff- now it's stupid arguments and name calling mostly plus a bunch of pseudo-religious wacks or something- what gives??

it seems to me that if you don't have something to say that deserves a new thread- why don't you just skip it?

-- anita (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), June 10, 1999.