RANT: Politics and other crap
LoneWolfe
alt.callahans use to be a fun place to be.... we
had a bunch of strange folk here (myself included),
who at least tried to live up to the original concept
of Callahans Bar. But things have changed, changed
in such a way, that I no longer enjoy coming here.
If you take a good luck at what is posted, you will
find mostly politics, religion and moral and ethical
behavior being discussed. I can go to damn
near any other newsgroup and find those subjects.
What I can't find out there is the warmth and friendship
that this group use to have.
I may be somewhat naive but its time to move on. I
will go and sit in the rafters with the hope that
things will change. If not, then it's time for this
LoneWolfe to head on down the road and search
for a place he belongs.
Peace to all and a good life !!
LoneWolfe
Frank McCoy
>My last comments to the folks at Callahans .....
>
>alt.callahans use to be a fun place to be.... we
>had a bunch of strange folk here (myself included),
>who at least tried to live up to the original concept
>of Callahans Bar. But things have changed, changed
>in such a way, that I no longer enjoy coming here.
>
>If you take a good luck at what is posted, you will
>find mostly politics, religion and moral and ethical
>behavior being discussed. I can go to damn
>near any other newsgroup and find those subjects.
Of course!
Those are the most interesting subjects to discuss anywhere.
>What I can't find out there is the warmth and friendship
>that this group use to have.
>
Well, one thing that makes this group such a fun place to discuss
those things that seem to offend you so much, is that *here* we
(generally) do them with more warmth and friendship, not near so much
shouting, pouting, and backstabbing that goes on elsewhere.
We might not *convince* the other side of our views; but sometimes we
can actually get the other side to admit we do have a view.
>I may be somewhat naive but its time to move on. I
As to naive ... Go back and read some of Spider's books ... again.
I think, if you look closely, in almost every story: you will find
mostly politics, religion, and moral and ethical behavior being
discussed.
What you *won't* find being discussed here and in Spider's stories, is
the personal peccadillos of the occupants, unless those very occupants
bring up the subject and invite comment. (Fast Eddie standing ready
over there in the corner with the sack full of lead-shot.) People
here also LISTEN, even if they don't agree or violently disagree.
That's what makes this place such a nice, warm, and friendly place to
come visit; and why I stop in here even when I don't have a thing to
say or see anything to comment on.
>will go and sit in the rafters with the hope that
>things will change. If not, then it's time for this
>LoneWolfe to head on down the road and search
>for a place he belongs.
>
>Peace to all and a good life !!
>
>LoneWolfe
Sorry you feel annoyed.
If it wasn't for the *serious* discussions here, I'd probably have
left long ago. Friendship and warmth imply you can talk about the
things that bug you, as well as tell jokes, pat each other on the
back, and get all gooey and mushy. That this is a place where people
feel free to tell what bugs them, is why many come here ... to help
and be helped, to commiserate, discuss, sympathize, and point out
general stupidity we observe in various governments, religions, and
yes, what some people consider moral and ethical behavior.
Then we get to stand up and be counted: To support such things as NOT
being stupid, or to ridicule them because we agree. Often by doing
so, we find new insight on our own beliefs ... which can often be as
idiotic as those we were making fun of earlier.
Go in peace.
Anybody else who wants, is invited to join me in a hot-spiced-cider.
I'm buying.
*A tinkle as Frank tosses the remainder of a roll of golden dollars
into the till, and picks up the tall steaming glass mug of golden
liquid that Mike already has waiting for him.*
--
_____
/ ' / ™
,-/-, __ __. ____ /_
(_/ / (_(_/|_/ / <_/ <_
Dan Goodman
LoneWolfe <lonewo...@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:ai46nv01bb3s1uoqv...@4ax.com:
> My last comments to the folks at Callahans .....
>
> alt.callahans use to be a fun place to be.... we
> had a bunch of strange folk here (myself included),
> who at least tried to live up to the original concept
> of Callahans Bar. But things have changed, changed
> in such a way, that I no longer enjoy coming here.
>
> If you take a good luck at what is posted, you will
> find mostly politics, religion and moral and ethical
> behavior being discussed.
As in much of Spider Robinson's fiction.
> I can go to damn
> near any other newsgroup and find those subjects.
> What I can't find out there is the warmth and friendship
> that this group use to have.
Do you mean that you have to use a manure shovel to find it under the
stuff you don't want? Or that you literally can't find it at all?
> I may be somewhat naive but its time to move on. I
> will go and sit in the rafters with the hope that
> things will change. If not, then it's time for this
> LoneWolfe to head on down the road and search
> for a place he belongs.
This is in the "Have you plugged it in, before saying it doesn't work?"
category, but just in case:
Have you tried killfiling certain topics? Have you tried killfiling
certain people? Have you tried just deleting certain topic threads?
I've dropped out of several groups for similar reasons -- though I think
my tolerance level is higher than yours. soc.history.medieval had too
many posts on current politics -- and too many replies to the local
bastard, when he was fairly easy to killfile. alt.lucky.w had interesting
stuff on hoodoo and related topics, and a very interesting person as the
main poster. But she insisted on crossposting to other magical/magickal
newsgroups -- doing the equivalent of crossposting messages to a Roman
Catholic newsgroup to alt.atheism.lobotomize-christians-if-its-the-only-
way-to-cure-them and alt.christian-nuke-the-vatican.
But I haven't come anywhere close with alt.callahans.
--
Dan Goodman
Journal http://dsgood.blogspot.com or
http://www.livejournal.com/users/dsgood/
Whatever you wish for me, may you have twice as much.
summerlady
"LoneWolfe" <lonewo...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ai46nv01bb3s1uoqv...@4ax.com...
: My last comments to the folks at Callahans .....
:
: alt.callahans use to be a fun place to be.... we
: had a bunch of strange folk here (myself included),
: who at least tried to live up to the original concept
: of Callahans Bar. But things have changed, changed
: in such a way, that I no longer enjoy coming here.
Gotta disagree with you a bit here, bud. This is one of the best newsgroups
around, if not *the* best, IMO. You know I'm not very politically inclined
nor am I interested in taking part in discussions concerning religion....
so, I simply don't get involved in those discussions. Easy enough. I still
read some of them, and learn sometimes, and get annoyed sometimes, but I
choose not to participate. This Place is still warm and fuzzy, kind, funny,
amusing, smart, entertaining, and ultimately interesting as are the people
here. Sorry to see you go.... but you gotta do what you gotta do....
V.
Margaret Northwode
> If it wasn't for the *serious* discussions here, I'd probably have
> left long ago. Friendship and warmth imply you can talk about the
> things that bug you, as well as tell jokes, pat each other on the
What the man said. I know people with whom I don't discuss the Important
Things. I don't count a one of them among my friends. Frequently, I don't
feel particularly warm toward them.
> Go in peace.
> Anybody else who wants, is invited to join me in a hot-spiced-cider.
> I'm buying.
> *A tinkle as Frank tosses the remainder of a roll of golden dollars
> into the till, and picks up the tall steaming glass mug of golden
> liquid that Mike already has waiting for him.*
Woo hoo! Perfect time of the year for it. I'll take one. Now if I can just
get started on the perry.
Heather
...recipient of several pears from her grandfather's tree.
David C Pugh
news:s076nvgrhb69nqeio...@4ax.com...
Thanks, Frank, what you said, and I've never tried a hot spiced cider in
my life, time I did!
I'm one of these serious discussers myself, of course. And I learn a lot
about all kinds of things here. Before I came I'd never discussed guns with
a sober-minded Murrican arms trainer, and had never heard of Discordians, to
take just two examples.
And you know another two things: one, I absolutely don't do gooey and
mushy; two, no one has demanded that I should. I'm one of these awful
persons whose aversion to sentiment makes him unable to give comfort, at any
rate in print -- I can only help with practical or cognitive stuff -- and no
one has complained about this. It appears as if there's a place even for me
in this very broad church.
However, the corollary of there being a place for such strange creatures
is that there is also a place for the opposite kind of strange creatures. If
no one is demanding that I conform to some kind of Callahanian Standard
(made of platinum and kept under constant temperature and pressure in a
vault under Long Island?), I cannot make that demand of anyone else either.
I agree with Dan, my fellow exile from soc.history.medieval, anyone born
and brought up and limited to here would have no idea what a real Usenet
troll is. That he-knows-who-I-mean has never found its depraved way here is
perhaps the only evidence of deity that I would accept. So I don't think the
discussions here are much like those elsewhere.
--
David
"From ghouls and ghosties, and long-leggety beasties, and things that go
bump on the Net, Good Lord, deliver us"
D.J.
LoneWolfe <lonewo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
] alt.callahans use to be a fun place to be.... we
] had a bunch of strange folk here (myself included),
] who at least tried to live up to the original concept
] of Callahans Bar. But things have changed, changed
] in such a way, that I no longer enjoy coming here.
Sorry, there is no moderator here.
And we resemble the books, but we are not characters in a story.
] near any other newsgroup and find those subjects.
] What I can't find out there is the warmth and friendship
] that this group use to have.
Its here, I see it, maybe others don't.
] I may be somewhat naive but its time to move on. I
] will go and sit in the rafters with the hope that
] things will change. If not, then it's time for this
Unless someone, including you, make happy posts, there wont be any.
D.J.
--
Jim Disclaimer: Standard
July 30, 2003: http://blue7green.net/crestar/index.html
drive-in theatres: http://www.drivein-jim.net/
Dan Goodman
news:CcIcb.25701$os2.3...@news2.e.nsc.no:
> I agree with Dan, my fellow exile from soc.history.medieval, anyone
> born
> and brought up and limited to here would have no idea what a real
> Usenet troll is. That he-knows-who-I-mean has never found its depraved
> way here is perhaps the only evidence of deity that I would accept. So
> I don't think the discussions here are much like those elsewhere.
>
It's not just trolls. Years ago, I looked in at a Scottish politics
newsgroup. I wanted to see how Scots discussed politics.
What I found was Canadians talking about Australian gun laws.
Wesley Struebing
wrote:
>LoneWolfe <lonewo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>My last comments to the folks at Callahans .....
<reasons for leaving snipped>
>>
>>Peace to all and a good life !!
>>
>>LoneWolfe
>
<reasons for staying snipped>
>
>Go in peace.
>Anybody else who wants, is invited to join me in a hot-spiced-cider.
>I'm buying.
>*A tinkle as Frank tosses the remainder of a roll of golden dollars
>into the till, and picks up the tall steaming glass mug of golden
>liquid that Mike already has waiting for him.*
lonewolfe I have to say (damn you, Frank!<G>) that I agree with this
man. We can post STRENUOUSLY against another poster, and the very next
post/thread, be commiserating with said person and giving hir virtual
hugs. We can get heated, but the heat *usually* cools off rather
quickly.
In any case, it IS your decision, and as such I will miss your posts,
but leave the light on.
Go with your Ghod(ess)/maker/universe also in peace.
--
"...A Mongol on the roof - a most unusual sight;
It may not mean a thing - but, then again, it might!"
Sayings of - Nauseating, Y.T.
Wes Struebing
AlenasMom
We'll miss you! You have to do what feels right though.
I really hope that you'll return.
*huggles*
BOYC for the road?
Lina
Paul R.
> *A tinkle as Frank tosses the remainder of a roll of
> golden dollars into the till, and picks up the tall steaming
> glass mug of golden liquid that Mike already has waiting
> for him.*
"Put that money away, Frank. I'm buying your next one if you'll let me. I
may not always agree with your opinions but what you just said - that was
beautiful. Thank you.
"And Wolfe? I understand what you're saying. I've had similar thoughts
myself from time to time. (I urge you to check this link to see my views of
this Place: http://makeashorterlink.com/?A22C15306.)
"Is there conflict here? Yes. Are there people here who enjoy arguing
about politics and religion? Yes. But if you look for it you will find
that there *is* warmth and friendship here. I have seen amazing amounts of
support coming from this group to people who need it. Sometimes it's only a
virtual hug and sometimes it's much, much more. I have seen pun threads and
dance threads and smooch threads that go on and on. I have seen the warmth
and support.
"For various reasons I don't spend as much time here as I used to. I don't
read or participate in all the threads I used to. But I am still proud to
call myself a Patron and it's because of the people here that I am."
Paul R.
--
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
(Mind the SPAMTRAP)
Matthew
LoneWolfe wrote:
Peace, man. May you have long life, with happiness and prosperity
throughout your days. Just remember that if you need us, we're still
here, and that shared pain is halved, shared joy multiplied.
Lots42 The Library Avenger
missing something, please, seriously please, post a bit of what you think it is
missing yourself'.
(Also, killfile like mad if that's what it takes. I did).
Jette Goldie
"Dan Goodman" <dsg...@visi.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9401B36E955...@209.98.13.60...
> "David C Pugh" <davi...@online.no> wrote in
> news:CcIcb.25701$os2.3...@news2.e.nsc.no:
>
> > I agree with Dan, my fellow exile from soc.history.medieval, anyone
> > born
> > and brought up and limited to here would have no idea what a real
> > Usenet troll is. That he-knows-who-I-mean has never found its depraved
> > way here is perhaps the only evidence of deity that I would accept. So
> > I don't think the discussions here are much like those elsewhere.
> >
> It's not just trolls. Years ago, I looked in at a Scottish politics
> newsgroup. I wanted to see how Scots discussed politics.
>
> What I found was Canadians talking about Australian gun laws.
That's because Scots talk about Scots politics in the pub or
workplace, we don't need to talk about our own politics
on the 'net.
--
Jette
"Work for Peace and remain Fiercely Loving" - Jim Byrnes
je...@blueyonder.co.uk
http://www.jette.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
Frank McCoy
>"Frank McCoy"
>> *A tinkle as Frank tosses the remainder of a roll of
>> golden dollars into the till, and picks up the tall steaming
>> glass mug of golden liquid that Mike already has waiting
>> for him.*
>
>"Put that money away, Frank. I'm buying your next one if you'll let me. I
>may not always agree with your opinions but what you just said - that was
>beautiful. Thank you.
>
Thanks. A Hot Moo, Mike. With a little almond syrup, if you don't
mind.
>"And Wolfe? I understand what you're saying. I've had similar thoughts
>myself from time to time. (I urge you to check this link to see my views of
>this Place: http://makeashorterlink.com/?A22C15306.)
>
>"Is there conflict here? Yes. Are there people here who enjoy arguing
>about politics and religion? Yes. But if you look for it you will find
>that there *is* warmth and friendship here. I have seen amazing amounts of
>support coming from this group to people who need it. Sometimes it's only a
>virtual hug and sometimes it's much, much more. I have seen pun threads and
>dance threads and smooch threads that go on and on. I have seen the warmth
>and support.
>
>"For various reasons I don't spend as much time here as I used to. I don't
>read or participate in all the threads I used to. But I am still proud to
>call myself a Patron and it's because of the people here that I am."
>
>Paul R.
--
WareWolf
says...
> "David C Pugh" <davi...@online.no> wrote in
> news:CcIcb.25701$os2.3...@news2.e.nsc.no:
>
> > I agree with Dan, my fellow exile from soc.history.medieval, anyone
> > born
> > and brought up and limited to here would have no idea what a real
> > Usenet troll is. That he-knows-who-I-mean has never found its depraved
> > way here is perhaps the only evidence of deity that I would accept. So
> > I don't think the discussions here are much like those elsewhere.
> >
> It's not just trolls. Years ago, I looked in at a Scottish politics> newsgroup. I wanted to see how Scots discussed politics.
>
> What I found was Canadians talking about Australian gun laws.
>
>
>
I laughed for a full two minutes after reading this, because it so aptly
summed up the whole USENET expereince.
Dusty
--
This Week's Column: She Must Have Converted
http://dusty.booksnbytes.com/columns/2003/2003_0921.html
Denny Wheeler
wrote:
<snip>
>If you take a good luck at what is posted, you will
>find mostly politics, religion and moral and ethical
>behavior being discussed. I can go to damn
>near any other newsgroup and find those subjects.
>What I can't find out there is the warmth and friendship
>that this group use to have.
<snip>
Hm. You can go to alt.fan.heinlein and find a wee bit on those
topics, but mostly you'll find discussions relating to The
Grandmaster's work. You can go to alt.sex.stories.d and find
politics, etc being discussed. Mostly though, you'll find discussons
connected somehow with sex stories and the writing of them. (more
off-topic stuff there than afh, though) I could continue--but I think
I've sort of given enough examples to go on with.
Here, there is *no* topic. Everything's on-topic. Sex, puns,
religion, cats, puns, politics, crafts, ethics, puns, food, how-to
questions, puns, chocolate, books, etc. Smooch threads. Party
threads. Okay, of late we've been a bit serious--given Iraq,
USA-Patriot, other stuff, that seems a normal enough mood swing. It
won't last. Too many of us love being silly. :)
Hang in the rafters and sample promising-looking threads. That's
kinda what I do when I'm low on time. Works well.
--
-denny-
Some people are offence kleptomaniacs -- whenever they see
an offence that isn't nailed down, they take it ;-)
--David C. Pugh, in alt.callahans
Paul R.
> Here, there is *no* topic. Everything's on-topic. Sex, puns,
> religion, cats, puns, politics, crafts, ethics, puns, food, how-to
> questions, puns, chocolate, books, etc. Smooch threads. Party
> threads. Okay, of late we've been a bit serious--given Iraq,
> USA-Patriot, other stuff, that seems a normal enough mood swing. It
> won't last. Too many of us love being silly. :)
"And don't forget the puns. I know I can't."
Paul R.
--
Do Roman Catholic nuclear physicists go to critical mass?
(Mind the SPAMTRAP)
TransWench
>My last comments to the folks at Callahans .....
<snip>
>I may be somewhat naive but its time to move on. I
>will go and sit in the rafters with the hope that
>things will change. If not, then it's time for this
>LoneWolfe to head on down the road and search
>for a place he belongs.
>
>Peace to all and a good life !!
"Do what you want, and take the consequences. We all get the newsgroup
we make..."
Snarky
He doesn't like me. HE NEVER LIKED ME!
Haqim al-khayyami
messages I spot when I return to lurk for a bit is from the ONE person
that I remembered when I visited once before. (Lonewolfe had some
problems with a monitor and circuit city, where my then roommate worked,
so I sent him some mail about it...)
And, to boot! The subject of the message seems to be a grim one. I
can't imagine what has happened here in the past few years. I'm sure
there have been both good times and hardships to over come together.
To see someone giving into the forces of apathy... that's a grim
hardship right there.
If there is a lot of discussion about politics, or religion, or race
rights, or whatever else, well, that's probably just an indication that
those forces are most troubling to the people visiting here. And, in an
effort to gain a handle on the issues, they are talking about them over
a few beers. That seems more sensible to me than to wash your hands of
the forum and wash your hands of friends that have been yours for at
least 2 years.
If political and social discussion isn't what you come to callahan's
for, well, there are lots of ways to still take part of your friend
ships without reading those messages. If you need newsreader help....?
And, more to the point, endless social and political discussions aren't
my main interest at this time. So, loosing your posts Lonewolfe makes
the situation worse for the rest of us who also would prefer to come
here and be more social, share more of the personal, while doing as
little as possible to allow the mess of our political situation intrude.
At any rate, take it for what it's worth...
*hugs*
Ellen K Hursh
> "Denny Wheeler" said:
>
>> Here, there is *no* topic. Everything's on-topic. Sex, puns,
>> religion, cats, puns, politics, crafts, ethics, puns, food, how-to
>> questions, puns, chocolate, books, etc. Smooch threads. Party
>> threads. Okay, of late we've been a bit serious--given Iraq,
>> USA-Patriot, other stuff, that seems a normal enough mood swing. It
>> won't last. Too many of us love being silly. :)
>
> "And don't forget the puns. I know I can't."
No matter how hard you try.... :-)
Eu. Harry Andruschak
>From: "Ellen K Hursh" ekh...@bdexx.comATOSE
>Date: 10/6/03 8:35 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: <pan.2003.10.07....@bdexx.comATOSE
>
>On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 00:13:39 +0000, Paul R. wrote:
>>
>> "And don't forget the puns. I know I can't."
>
>No matter how hard you try.... :-)
>
Q: What's Irish and comes out in the spring?
A: Patty O'furniture
All E-mail to this screen name is blocked to thwart spammers
Reply to harryandruschak AT aol DOT com
Honorary Menobabe with golden toenails
Abject, humble Cat Harem eunuch slave
http://www.despair.com/arrogance.html
saavik
"Eu. Harry Andruschak" wrote:
>
>
> Q: What's Irish and comes out in the spring?
> A: Patty O'furniture
>
Harry, that was a real stinker! It brought tears to my eyes, and my
husband left the room shaking his head and muttering "No, no, no..."
Have some starch and protein:
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
88888888888888888888888
Margo (Holding her nose and fanning the air) :>D
Paul R.
> Q: What's Irish and comes out in the spring?
> A: Patty O'furniture
"Oh, man." *groan*
88888888888888888888888888888888888
88888888888888888888888888888888888
Wesley Struebing
Yeah, they're like bad punnies. They kep terning up...