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The Modfather said:
I like to debate, no doubt about it. So this is my way, I'm gonna argue with nowhereman, he can either step up or step off. Feel free to take it as seriously or non-seriously as you want.



Fair enough...

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I never once said that having an opinion is a bad thing or that the dude isn't entitled to his opinion, what I'm saying is that coming into a topic that's about astronomy and saying it's all a waste of time is a bit like walking into an art museum and saying "art is crap" to everyone in the place. I simply do not understand why someone who has absolutly no interest in a subject would interject themselves into it simply to say it's pointless. So you feel it's pointless, fine, there are other places aren't there? I mean, do you sit around your living room watching all the TV shows you dislike just so you can yell at the television about how pointless the shows are? There's no logic or intelligence at work here.



Logic and intelligence are not pre-requisites for being here, trust me...

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Yeah, so I'm new to this forum, so what? Why is it that some people believe that just because you're new to a specific website or discussion forum that you're like a newborn baby that just popped out? You're people, I've been dealing with people for 41 years, this is a website, I've been using and designing websites since the early 90's, it's on a computer, been using computers since the 70's. The only thing that's different here is the colors and pictures and the way in which certain words are put together by certain people. Which is to say, there's not much new here, I've been there, done that, got the t-shirt, etc etc.



I don't believe anyone, including myself, was implying that you're just learning how to spell the word "internet". The confusion on my part was in assuming that you were interested in having some form of amicable relationship with people here. Generally, when people go to an internet message board, they are intending to interact on at least a basic social level. If your intention is otherwise, that's fine. I don't understand it. However, it is your right.

And, speaking simply from a personal note, your history and experience with the internet, computers, and whatnot is pretty irrelevant to your ability to intermingle or co-exist with others here. At no point was your personal history with the information superhighway in any question, or, seemingly relevant to any point brought up. In fact, it's more that you wished it to be known, so you interjected it for no real reason. So, really, unless you're looking for someone to be impressed for some reason, I would suggest toning down your continuing unfounded arrogance. By constantly insisting on emphasizing what you believe makes you the superior opinion or intellect, you are in effect degrading that very opinion/belief by those of us who do have rational common sense, and are not swayed or dazzled by large words. So, you know, take a breath...and tone it down.

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Yeah, I don't know the players in this particular game personally, that's true. That doesn't mean that I'm going to change who I am until I get to know them. I'm gonna be me no matter who you are.



I don't believe anyone was asking you to do so. In fact, I'm uncertain as to how you came to that point, other than you wished to express it to everyone. I believe the point made was, in fact, that to make a snap judgement on something or someone before any real facts or proof are provided to support such an assertion, is simply an assumption based on emotional opinion. It lacks any merit as far as factual logic, and therefore, can be easily dismissed as irrelevant. Much like the person who made it.

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That means if someone does or says something amazingly dumb it's going to bug me a little bit. (Trust me, I'm not even bugged a little bit yet here).



Define "dumb". In what way do you apply that to a person, or their beliefs? What's the comparitive baseline for what you consider a worthy opinion?

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What I am is confused about the mindset of a person who'd come into a thread on a topic they have no interest in and espouse on how pointless that subject is when they can easily go to any one of a number of other threads where there are subjects they DO enjoy to discuss. Nobody has yet explained this to me.



The explanation is exactly what has been offered. This is the RKMBs. There are no rules. It's not something that is flaunted, enjoyed, disliked, approved, or disproved. It simply is. Thus, the reasoning why I was trying to stress for you to take into consideration that, while you may believe you've "gotten the t-shirt"...and perhaps you have....not every message board is the same. I'm certain there's nothing here that would be any more or less surprising than any other place. However, all boards cannot be measured with the same criteria. To lump anything in a general catagory of judgement or opinion, without taking the time to examine the details, could be considered 'stereotyping'.

You may not enjoy that Cunty said something that pricked your nerve. However, instead of simply degrading his intelligence with all-capped-barbs, it might be more fullfilling for both parties if you were to debate each side with a modicum of facts and emotion. In the end, since it is both just your opinions, and cannot be factually proven one way or the other, both sides would have to agree to either consider the other's viewpoint....or, agree to disagree. But, if your intention is to debate, and prove your point, starting out by making fun of the other person's intelligence is not the wisest course of action.

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Believe it or not, I'm not a total asshole, I'm only part asshole.



The Asshole DNA is prevalent here, so, no worries...

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There are other things that are confusing me and bugging me a bit. Having read some of the threads I can see it's obvious that you know Jerry better than I thought you did, so I guess I have to be more open about what's confusing me. There seems to be no small amount of gay bashing here. I honestly don't understand it. I figured, if Jerry's saying the site is cool then the people there must be pretty open minded but I'm not seeing evidence of this. Hell, Jer, I even saw you use the word gay in the negative way in one post. HUH???



Ah yes. From the outsider point of view, it probably does appear like gay bashing. And, it's not without some agreement that it can go too far at times. However, just as Jerry, Jim Jackson, Klinton, MEM, and others of the homosexual inclination have discovered, it's not that there is any agenda for or against homosexuality here. It's that there is absolutely nothing sacred. Period.

From hairlines, to weight, to nationality, to race, to sexual preference, to religious beliefs....you name it, and we rag each other about it. Why? I don't know, really. I think it's mainly because it's irrelevant in the grander scheme of things. Is Jerry gay? Is he straight? Is he black, white? Catholic? Muslim? Does it matter? Jerry is simply the person he presents here to us. With his words, and his eternal kindness, his purity of humor, and warmest of hearts. That's who Jerry is to us. That's who anyone is, here. Who and whatever they present themselves as.

The RKMBS is not for the overly-sensitive crowd that takes themselves seriously. It's not for those with chips on their shoulders, agendas to burn, and axes to grind. It's just for social interaction, and fun.....all layed out on the most even of playing fields: the faceless, sexless, voiceless, neutralizing force of the internet message board.

So, with that said, if you take being gay too seriously...or believe that it defines you so completely, as to simply be your identity...then, no, I don't think you would enjoy being here.

But, if you are open to just being an asshole fairly, debating equally, and knowing that it's all shits-and-giggles, then, I think you'd have a great time here...