Good Sir, I'm hoping that by addressing you in the title, you may be curious enough to unignore me just long enough to read this.
I really wasn't myself on that thread the other evening. Actually I may have been too much myself, but, either way, I was a little more boisterous than usual, and, regretably, I may have been (not really ready to concede this, but I'm giving it consideration) unnecessarily mean.
I don't believe I was mean to you in particular, but you took offense, and so I want to apologize to you, and to others (I'm not oblivious to the obvious) who may have been (by which I mean, were) similarly put off.
My background includes an embarrassingly protacted sojourn in academics and when I chose to introduce a topic for "Hobby-related discussion" (I respectfully direct your attention above, to the administratively authored statement of purpose for this delightful forum) I elected to use a particular academic approach. That is, I took something I had an opinion on (and actually consider important) and stated the matter a bit to the extreme of my personal position. Its practitioners believe it leads to the truth.
The hazard of didacticism, of course, is that it does not, by definition, assign value the enjoyment of all the participants. My behavior brought me not only onto your Ignore List, it also brought a rebuke from a moderator I've learned to respect and trust, and that has given me pause. Fact is (unless someone is behaving like a real bozo) I do think everyone should have fun here. No one should be demeaned or belittled or insulted.
From your parting words I deduce that you take a Joe Friday sort of approach to this well designed venue (
http://norvig.com/fact-check.html In case you're a younger sort) and value the simple (and arguably primary) informational function of a board like this. That's cool. I understand.
Again, referring you to the permanent text (above) describing the purpose of
Coed Discussions - Dallas, you'll see that some value is also given here to posts that are thought provoking and (yes!) entertaining. Please consider that I keep those ideals in sight most of the time. And I am aware enough of what goes on in this world to realize that on some occasions I also have enough information to share that someone's butt might get saved as a result. And I'm immodest enough to say so.
Any concern about how things work here is trivial in any larger scheme of things and, believe it or not, I ascribe to several larger schemes. To anyone I truly offended I do truly request that you pardon me. I don't know any of you but have no doubt that you have many redeeming qualities that I might appreciate if I only knew you better. May you think the same of me.
Let's all play nice.
An Open Note to the Gentleman Who Has me on Ignore
bing wouldn't translate....
