The voice of reason has spoken. I have in the year that I have been around this Board met nad hope to meet some delightful people. My eyes have opened to things that I would never have seen. I am and always will be indebted to the Board and the decent people who write here. From th pictures that I have seen from San Diego and elsewhere, everyone looked quite normal, and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

There are others who have written in a manner that is arrogant, conceited, and highly opinionated. I can live with that. I judge on the content rather than the style. I do not judge people who I have never met. Posting is highly limited as sometimes things which are said take on a whole different dimension when they are written. I have to say that I treat this place in a rather light-hearted way. It is a place to enjoy, and not to take too seriously. It is also a part of my life, not the whole of it. I have a whole life, friends, and amusements that existed before this place came and should this place close tomorrow they will continue to exist.

This seems to be a problem for some. I think that they treat this place with far too much earnestness, and for some reason, (mostly I suspect a form of insecurity) take great umbrage at any inferred contradiction of their point of view. They take personally views which are expressed by others (we only have to read anything to do with children or behaviour to know that.) Others indeed make rude personal remarks which are totally unwarranted and in some instances quite laughable (I have been called politically correct, without humour and stodgy. I actually asked my colleagues, they burst out laughing). I can deal with it, others cannot. We have those who insist on having the last word, or indeed the last jibe. there are those whose grasp of language or grammar (and I exclude everybody to whom english is not a mother tongue) seem to have been gleaned from comic book designed for those who are just coping with solid food.
The worst in my book are the self-righteous who are so terribly concerned where anything is posted, or it's appropriateness to this or that thread. I actually had one person email me because I had put a telephone number with a premium number for AA ESPlats in the UK. I was unable to respond as I was on compassionate leave. As it so happened, it was a number which had been printed in the press over here, which is where I got it from in the first place. I then scanned the rules which prevailed upon joining. this seemed to be some unwritten law. This is actually on a cyberspace chat-board. People who I tell this to think that I am having them on. Who is their right mind could take anything so seriously?

Ulitmately so what? Everyone is different, and has their own views and concerns. I may not share them, bit I can respect them. If or we do not like what they or anyone else has to say the answer is simple. Ignore them, and go on ignoring them, and ignore them long enough and they will get bored and go away. Try reasoning, admonishing, critising, chiding or anything else and you just throw petrol on the fire.

Maybe I am just too sardonic, but I really do not see what having Post Police will ultimately do. If others want to sweep off vowing never to return then so be it, I'll believe it in the long term but not before. Please be in no doubt as to my sincerity in the enjoyment I have had, and the things that I have learnt, but please accept also that I enjoy lots of other things as well, and have a very fulfilled and happy life for which I thank God. Any of you passing through this my home are always welcome to contact me, and hopefully meet. Two who I have met, one from outside New York and one from Raleigh, will be in my heart for the rest of my life. Another corresponds regularly from Chicago and has become a great pal.

Thank you all for making this an enriched year that I have been here, and hope that we all benefit mutually from our exchanges. Anything less is an affront to the founder of this Board.