So,
I'm sitting here waiting for a freakin' auction on Ebay to end at 2am EST so's I can blithly snipe it at the last second (from the greedy little clutches of dweebs that really think it's about bidding it up fair and square) and I was faced with a choice on how to kill some time:
A) Put my non-waterproof Maglight in a big ol' ziplock bag, grab a net, and try to relocate a bullfrog that thinks my swimming pool is a Chineese karaoke bar with free crickets on the buffet. (Singing starts at 11.)
OR
B) Jump into this thread from hell.
Cod forgive me, I don't feel like getting all wet just to have the pleasure of walking an angry frog 1/4 mile down to the dock to throw him in. So I'm here.
Ya, Ya, this is a new account - I lost the cookie to my "Ratbo" account and long since killed the braincell that knew the password. That's OK - I was known by the lame bellybutton handle of =B17= in AW much longer than when I finally arrived at something original like Ratbo. (PS - no not the ******* B17 from the AW2 Beta)
So I was reading this thread and continually getting amazed at who popped out of the woodwork.
Summary: There are a couple online preditors that "the greater community" will always out - wherever they *think* they are hiding.
(No Slo - the community is not in the MA - the community is located somewhere intangible - beyond the limits of your ability to reason - call it the Twilight Zone if you want.)
These preditors have taken real people for real money and real trust - not in an arena. Those of us that were around the 1st time don't really feel the need to "prove it again beyond a reasonable doubt" you take the warning - or you don't.
It's unfortunate that (Slo aside) that MetaVoss's squad got caught up in this. My take is this: Hornets, there are people telling you that you now have a **** in your pants, you can wear that **** proudly like a badge of honor, or you can shake it down the pantleg. Like someone said, just because a convicted child molester didn't bugger *your* kid is no reason to hand him a new pack of Cub Scouts. (Slo - you catching any of this?)
Dale, you're right - Brat's style does appear reminiscent of the DoK of old. Bobby was always ascerbic, and later studied a lot of the stuff of Mark and the 4Q and BB and etc etc. He was also burned pretty well by gaming companies. With him, the art is both instinctive and a "schooled thing". He's gotten better with age.
I spent the last hour laughing at a BBS as I have not done in ages it seems. I want to thank Slo for being the idiot du jour (is my French ok?) so as to let the masters do what they do. I've seen Jimi Hendrix play a guitar behind his back, I've seen Joe Perry do a nice tribute to that act. You (Slo for clarity) however, have mastered the art of painting a bullseye on your back while staring straight ahead and screaming. If ignorance is bliss, you must be in nirvanna dood.
I've never seen anyone insult HT, Verm, and Dok in the same thread - most impressive performance. If BB came in here and did a rant on internet sociopaths - you'd no doubt teach him a thing or two also.
In a sick way - I want to thank Voss and KenJr for being the ultimate piles of ***** that keep the old flies circling the wagons. DD nailed it though, it's the spotlight that keeps them from doing further harm.
If more vets keep flying - I'll have to buy a joystick.... I'm not sure burnout ever has a real ending - but if DoK can do it - then perhaps we all have some hope - even DD .
This thread brought tears to my eyes.... in more ways than one.
Something fluttered.....
-W