Musket, No one is asking you to stop expressing your opinions. You are simply being asked to play by the rules. These rules which can be found by clicking on the membership page.

You are free to be anything you want EXCEPT unkind, impolite, argumentative, snooty.

All you have to do is express your opinions without being any of those things.

I see you are finding nicer ways to justify your boorish, antisocial and rule flouting behavior.

"I find fighting smouldering embers with huge flames to be most cathartic. "

Though I find that your admitting the lack of proportion in what you do without remorse is disturbing. I hope that whatever mental anguish is causing you to feel you need this catharsis abates soon. But please until then, please try to be to follow the rules.

I am trying to follow the rules. It is an adjustment. Until recently kindness and politeness has not been a requirement here and much of the "policing" has been done by people rudely shouting others down, one of my first experiences here was being called a "horse's patoot" by a well respected moderator here. I won't deny the truth of the charge. I was being unkind, impolite, argumentative, maybe a little snooty. But that was the culture for much of the forum. No doubt others considered it "wit" as I did.

Bottom line, you need to follow the rules. Policing is not done through name calling here any more. The moderators don't do it anymore (to be fair the moderators that did don't moderate anymore) Most members don't do it anymore. I don't do it anymore and you have no right to do it. If you want someone to take out your anger on, join a boxing gym or get a therapist. But the rules here say

You are free to be anything you want EXCEPT unkind, impolite, argumentative, snooty.

That means that you are not free to be any of those things. Max's rule change was pretty smart. Now once the culture has changed enough so that most people here are not beating down people who they disagree with, the moderators need only pick off the worst offenders one at a time. As long as you are calling me, Ake, and pete names and/or trying to pick fights with us, every time we offer an opinion, not involving you, on a particular topic you will be at the top of their list.

You and this person. who is nothing but impolite, argumentative, and snooty will be at the top of their list.

From: GUEST,troll replacing the troll who is not a troll - PM
Date: 13 Jan 14 - 10:39 AM