Graffitti

"William R. Mattil" wrote

No, *you* did that. Nobody but you has said anything about gang bangers. (And art is still art no matter how it gets created. Or, for that matter, who created it or why they did so.)

But go look up "straw man argument" at the first opportunity. You need to know what it means and how to avoid it in the future.

Yeah, including a lot of guys putting their own meanings on things and them blaming somebody else because they got the wrong message.

Uh-huh. Bill, my dad fought in Europe during WW2 and that's where I got my information. He was there for the whole thing from D-Day on. Were he still around he'd be happy to tell you about some of the asshole officers he'd known who threatened to have enlisted men court-marshaled for personalizing their Government-issued equipment. He'd also tell you about getting the last laugh when the powers that be in Washington finally decided that morale was more important than adhering to the last letter of the regulations, and issued orders that painting names on tank hulls, aircraft and suchlike was to be tolerated henceforth.

"Dan" wrote

Dan,

You may be certain that your opinion is being given exactly the amount of respect that it deserves.

BTW: exactly when was it that you were appointed to play net-nanny and began attempting to censor other people's posts? Was it perchance back while you were still in the Air Force supposedly protecting things such as freedom of speech?

How ironic.

I wasn't attempting to censor anything nor was I infringing on your freedom of speech, was I? I only asked if this thread had to be subjected to politics. I'm sorry you don't understand the difference.

Before you mock my service I suggest you actually try serving yourself.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Note the double standard becoming apparent. I'd lay odds that if the post in question had been *favourable* towards Nixon, then Dan wouldn't have complained about the thread becoming "political"...

Then you would lose that bet. I have said nothing that would indicate my political leanings, if any, have I? I suggest you read what I actually wrote and see if you can find a "double standard" on my part.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

"marknewton" wrote

I care not about his politics one way or another. I figure a man's entitled to cast his vote for Wily Coyote if he feels so inclined. But he's *not* entitled to try policing a public forum and attempting to tell people what, where, or when they should be allowed to post to it.

Pete

"Dan" wrote

Understand the difference, you arrogant little twerp? I instructed at the University of California for 12 years, and have been a successful free-lance writer for around 20, so I'd say I understand English pretty well.

Fact is, you were trying to tell me what you thought I should -and shouldn't- post. If you hadn't wanted to control the direction of the thread in that way, you wouldn't have posted at all. QED. Now you're trying to duck your obvious intent with mealy-mouthed claims of innocence that aren't fooling anybody.

Army infantry. Class of '66. But somehow I've never found it needful to include that info in a sig line.

In short: if your tender little feelings can't cope with the idea that I might say something you don't like, I suggest you plonk me right now and save yourself the agony, because I'm not about to self-censor my posts for you or anybody else.

Well, if you feel I am attempting to "try policing" or telling you "what, where or when" you may post anything you obviously didn't read what I actually wrote. I am not responsible for your insecurities so I am going to drop this. I believe I have made my point whether you understand it or not.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

"Dan" wrote

Last time they ran me through the Stanford-Binet tests was clear back in high school, but I scored 168 then, and I've yet to encounter senile dementia.

Now: isn't it getting a bit crowded in there with your foot in your mouth and your head up your ass at the same time?

Agreed, graffiti is vandalism pure and simple without the permission of the property owner. Pity the vandals who do it can't be forced to do the clean up at their own expense.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

But it's not a political Usenet group!

Railroaders love to see it - it breaks up their 12 hour day...

Anytime you've got more than one person it's political.

Big Rich S "But it's not a political Usenet group!"

"Big Rich Soprano" wrote

Shrug. Conversations wander where they will, and Usenet groups are akin to a large party with several different conversations taking place all at once.

Even if the party were exclusively for doctors, it would be terribly impolite for someone to interrupt your non-medical conversation with the admonition that he didn't care for your subject matter at this time or in this place.

In short: if you wouldn't say something in a face-to-face conversation because it's insulting, it's not polite to say it on Usenet either

Pete

Gee, last time i looked at the title it said railroad - please don't ruin it...

I don't care what you say about Nixon, just so long as we cna be sure he's buried under a crossroads with an alder stake through the dark and pinched lump of tissue that passed for his heart.