Rudy Taylor and Dale Smith.

[Diane Amberg]

 Unfortunately, we lost. Ridicule is acceptable and character assassination is in favor in some circles.

[Warph]

A recent trip home to Grenola made me think about this forum.  When I got back, I thought I would see whats happening and I'm surprised to see my name mentioned here.  I find it interesting that many people are taking guesses as to why so many have stopped posting in the politics section, and the people with the most incorrect assumptions are largely the ones responsible for the degeneration of the quality of discussion...

Perhaps its best to ask those who have drifted away, why they have done so.

As for me, Life happened.  I have left the corporate world to pursue a second career, and I've had to go back to school to acquire the necessary skills.  I got engaged, moved, bought a new home, became an uncle, etc.

At the end of the day, I probably could have continued to post, however I felt like the level of discourse was quickly deteriorating.  This thread is an excellent example.  It starts off with several good posts, then quickly becomes an argument with name calling and bitterness.  Soon, we have a frequent political poster making circular arguments that make no sense, yet he insists he's right.  Then a group of people jump all over Diane for no reason.  Then the resident arizonan rifles of 3 pages of political posts that he copied/pasted from chain e-mails that have nothing to do with the topic or forum, an urgent plea to stay on topic and to keep political posts to the political section (which of course is ignored), and further arguments that just go on and on. 

Frankly, whats the point?  When I posted, i didn't come here to argue, to be called names, or to be the subject of racist rants.  I started coming to this forum because I wanted to move back to Elk County, and not only did I stop posting because of what went on here, I decided not to move back, not to move the business I had.

Its nice to be missed, but I regret that there isn't a respectful political discussion here that I can participate in.

OMG, girly man.... give me a break! 

[Teresa]

This thread is an excellent example.  It starts off with several good posts, then quickly becomes an argument with name calling and bitterness.  Soon, we have a frequent political poster making circular arguments that make no sense, yet he insists he's right.  Then a group of people jump all over Diane for no reason.  Then the resident arizonan rifles of 3 pages of political posts that he copied/pasted from chain e-mails that have nothing to do with the topic or forum, an urgent plea to stay on topic and to keep political posts to the political section (which of course is ignored), and further arguments that just go on and on.  

Okay.. let me just respond to this..
I have to take a deep breath and try to get my poor tired brain to think before i post, and someone starts whining that I'm giving special attention to a few and letting them run the show ( whatever that always seems to imply)
Frankly.. I will be as straight up honest as I can with all of you .( without going into crazy blonde mode. ).  I'm not upset nor am I even remotely agitated over any of anything in here.. You are all adults~~ but you all wear me out slick! Its exhausting listening to the ~well you called me a name so I'm going to call you one back"..and pick pick pick.. and dig dig dig.. ! Really People??? Come on..
Think about it~~~ Really... Step back and be honest..
And I will use this thread as an example..
And I'm going to be brutally honest and I will probably make some mad.. but I will say what my mother always told me..
If you get mad in those britches you will get glad in the same ones.. or~~ you will just wear them and stay mad..Your choice.

This thread started out as what I would consider an okay topic.. but knowing WHO started it.. I also knew that it was a pot of "poo" just waiting to be stirred so as to smell a bit.. There are some that take great delight in what they proclaim to be innocent recipe for a conversation.. but knowing good and well that it will turn up the fire so that they can back off and watch as the pot boils over..then be the first to cry foul.
People are so easy for some to manipulate..and there are some in here are definitely manipulated.  
Just throw a scrap out and watch them pounce on it..

I will also say that there is not one of us in here.. myself included... that hasn't risen to the bait before and gulped the worm off the dangling hook like a starving fish.. and let our mouth overrule out brains..NO ONE and I mean no one is guilty free of this. Why??
Because we are human!  Because there are people that we don't particularly care for .. and sometimes all they have to do is breathe around us and it sets us on edge..
I'm like that.. I know I am..! Not with very many.. Most all the people I know I can get along with. I may not care to be around them and I may not like the way that they are or the way that they do things.. Hell I might not even like them~~ but I can and try to get along with them to the best of my ability. But I will still snap and my give a damn will bust and look out. Do I feel a little foolish for letting someone goad me to that point? yes! But it still happens and I know will happen again.  

Like I said, This thread started out as one of those threads that could have been ok and nice and had a few comments to it and then just let it lay..
And it seemed to be that way..
Then Catwoman got her little subtle dig in there..The Forum doesn't need the nastiness that my presence seemed to invite on the part of some of the "in crowd".  The IN CROWD?? What was THAT high school statement about??

Then Bullwinkle snapped up and added his 2 cents..
Then Poor Larry tried to gently steer it back to civility..
then Diane jumps in there and lobs her 'you kicked sand and so can I' 10 cents in..
then Greatguns always throws her minimal one liner punch in there at random .. then slides back to hide in the crowd..
Then Ross ( this time) didn't touch anything .. He simply had 4 nice sentences not pertaining to anything but the weather and the weekend.. and closed out.
Proelkco added a very nice sentence doing his best to level it out.
Then Bang.. here came ELK@KC and blasted it apart again stating the political crap throwing again. .
Patriot just pointed out then what anyone standing on the sidelines was seeing..( the truth)
and then Ross came back in and started making it all about Elk Konnected again..
Then of course the ever constant pot stirrer Fire Elk slipped back in to throw more of his phoney blatherings about.
Wilma .. bless her heart.. is trying to be nice to everyone and is sucked in by the "so called niceness' of what she thinks Fire Elk is doing..
Then Ross is back in there both barrels loaded ..  
Then ELK@KC unloads his outdoor toilet on the situation.. and it just slides downhill after that.. Fast....

And hey... I'm the first one to say that I have done the same things before.. but at least I admit it when I am being nasty...  Basically because when I get to that point.. It is my goal to be as hateful as I can be.. LOL`` but~~I get over it.. and try to at least get back to getting along.

Everyone else needs to take a breath and quit being so darn picky on everything..

And Anmar.. FYI~~ You are not the only one with a life and other obligations..
I am not in here hardly ever anymore..So I don't know what goes on in here on a conversation level.

We clean up.. do updates..run software IP files making sure spammers and hackers don't get in.. and that is about it..
Outdoor Channel has given Marshal and I separate contracts to work from this next years..so I am now taking care of all the social media for them daily from my office,  plus I still do camera work on locations.. I am Marshal's assistant and right hand man(woman) while we are traveling and on site locations with whatever needs to be done.. I have my massage business ...I do all the accounting for the Hardware store and D&M Guns.. plus Down Range. and most of all my family's bookkeeping and account plus Marshals and mine.I cook, clean , do laundry, yard work and domestic responsibilitys.  I have Shrine obligations.. sons, daughter in laws..family functions and grandchildren.. and I travel and am gone a great deal of the time and when I get a smidgeon of time I like to shoot in competitions whenever I get the chance..sometimes having to intermingle it with working PR for the Industry.
I'm not whining about my schedule..I enjoy my life.  I am busy ..no more or less than a lot of people.. but I can not babysit this place day in and day out.. I won't!

My life is a crazy zoo... so excuse me Anmar~~  for not monitoring what political threads and posts are out of its right category's.. Quote~~~ an urgent plea to stay on topic and to keep political posts to the political section (which of course is ignored)

This forum was set up as meeting place to discuss whatever anyone wanted to discuss..It cost no one anything to be in here..You have no costs.. no maintenance or any obligations for anything.. you can use it or choose not to use it at will.. there are no hours that it is open or closed.. No one is forcing anyone to come here ..to stay.. or to leave. It's all by choice..

Personally I think there have been many many interesting topics in here over the years.. And I think that lately there have been lots and lots posted and brought to light that the public would never ever have been informed of.. So I think that's a good thing.. even if it has brought out the snarling dogs..

I have once again got to pack and leave within the hour as my flight takes off in the morning for a week of working on location.. but I think Bullwinkle said it about right...

People quit "participating" for various reasons, and I doubt seriously that Ross or Patriot are the major reason. I would bet more people have joined in because of their posts, rather.  
The forum is no different in this respect than Facebook, once the novelty wears off, it no longer appeals to many.  

If you are one of those people who it no longer appeals to, that is your choice.. If you still come around for whatever reason.. That is your choice too.. But on both sides.. LIGHTEN up on thinking everything is about jabbing you.. just because someone says a little bit of something.. is not a reason to jump in there with both claws open ..And get back to debating and giving your side of what you think is right.. no matter that neither side will ever probably agree.. but at least all viewpoints are out there!  its okay to let some things slide and not jump on the bait. if it starts to get smelling in there.. try to change the topic.. and if you don't like a topic then go to another one that you do like..  or start one that you like.. but for the love of Lucy~~~ stop the sand and turd kicking.. PLEASE!! You're giving me gray hairs.

[Bullwinkle]

     I love Lucy.

[larryJ]

Good call, Teresa!  If you ever come back to Norco to shoot, let me know.  I would like to give you a big hug.   

My take on this forum is........if you don't like what is posted.......ignore it.  If someone calls you something less than desirable..oh well.

Some have complained that the forum "isn't what it used to be" and that is true to some extent.  But, for me, there are so many other topics here that are entertaining or helpful or actually relate to an Elk County that many of us would like to remember.  As for me, I read what I want to read, post what I want to post without libel or slander and enjoy the many different aspects of this forum. 

'nuff said.  Move on.

Larryj

[Wilma]

Larry, you also post without name calling and profanity.  I very much appreciate that.  Also, your topics are done with humor and veracity and not a lot of repetition.  I can be sure that when I am reading one of your posts, that I am not going to run into a lot of malarkey that you have already posted uncountable times.  Thank you, Larry.

[Catwoman]

Amen!! (If this high schooler can reply to this without incurring anyone's wrath, that is... )

[Warph]

Larry, you also post without name calling and profanity.  I very much appreciate that.  Also, your topics are done with humor and veracity and not a lot of repetition.  I can be sure that when I am reading one of your posts, that I am not going to run into a lot of malarkey that you have already posted uncountable times.  Thank you, Larry.

Awwwww.... what a sweet thing to say about ol' Larryj.  You are the 'Poster Boy' in her eyes, ol' buddy.  WOW... and no name calling and profanity in your posts.  Then I guess there is no one that deserves such a kind and thoughtful compliment as you, Larry.  But that word 'malarkey?' ... or is it 'malarky'... You don't think Wilma picked that up from Mr. Clown, Jolt'n Joe Biden, do you?  

Hmmmm... 'malarkey'.... I wonder what she meant by that?  


[/font][/size]

Amen!! (If this high schooler can reply to this without incurring anyone's wrath, that is... )

A double AMEN to that, Cat... no malarkey.

[readyaimduck]

Warph!   I cannot believe you mixed Politics and Religion in one post!!!!!!!!!!!   
LOL, the audacity!   lmao
(Great song, by the way!)
  ready

[Wilma]

I was using malarky long before Mr. Biden made it popular.  It is a nicer word than what most people use.