Radioactive zombies, I warrant.

Hey, at least they you could tell they were coming for you at night by the shambling glow.

Oh, no, it's more misdirection!

t flees from thread, chased by radioactive zombies

And he knows more big words than teacher. Must consider corporal methods.

From way back (this wasn't the only comment like this, just the one I happen to copy):

Seriously. Why SHOULD they be stressed to tears to be heard when we are perfectly intelligent people capable of taking others wishes into account even if they DON'T post them loudly and repeatedly?

I don't post in this thread too much. I usually try to keep up with reading it, though sometimes life interferes and I don't have the time. I generally try not to post anything "loudly and repeatedly." However, when something does matter to me, I chime in. If it becomes a huge debate, and I decide, "I don't want to be part of a huge debate," then the issue couldn't have been that important to me to begin with. If someone then said, "Well, 100 posts back, Hil posted this, and she backed off because she didn't want to be part of a huge debate, but we've still got to take her into account," I'd feel extremely insulted and condescended to. If I back off of something, it's because I don't think it's important enough to be arguing about it, or at least not important enough to me for me to put my name, time, effort, or social capital into defending it, and at that point, I certainly don't want anyone else to be claiming to represent me.

I miss Dr. Satan.

Me three. And Knut, and John H., and Jen K. and Cindy and Rio and Theresa and...folks.

Me four. And Wolfram, I'm really glad you stayed, too. If ever I needed an example of grace, I think one of your returning posts was a worthy example.

And Wolfram, I'm really glad you stayed, too. If ever I needed an example of grace, I think one of your returning posts was a worthy example.

Just needed to second this.

And Wolfram, I'm really glad you stayed, too. If ever I needed an example of grace, I think one of your returning posts was a worthy example.

nods head vigorously

Yes.

I'm getting all verklempt. Seriously. I'm under some serious stress in many areas of my life right now, and a little morale boost goes a long way. Thanks you guys.

I'm getting all verklempt. Seriously. I'm under some serious stress in many areas of my life right now, and a little morale boost goes a long way. Thanks you guys.

Well, you're a mensch, and we know it.

Knut was the second Buffista I met in the flesh. Juliana was the first. Do you still see him Juliana? If so say Hi for me.

I'm also going to pull on the hipwaders and step into this discussion.

There has been a lot of talk about newbies, and I think that is somewhat the issue here, but really not at the heart of it. More to the point is the more abstract idea of social capital. I've been on b.org barely more than a year. I'd say in most ways that still makes me a newbie. However, I don't feel like one, and I don't think (and correct me if I'm wrong on this) I'm generally seen as one. What I do seem to have is some social capital. I've met so many of you, I stayed in your homes, I've had dinner with you, I've met you all over the country. Thing is, that can give me a bit more weight sometimes. I know I can annoy, I know that my overuse of innuendo can get old. I know that folks get annoyed by the fact that I flirt with anyone that moves and has a pulse. It's also part of who I am. I burn some of my social capital with all of those things. I also know that some folks enjoy those very things about me that so totally annoy others. It's the way the world works. My sick, wrong, and demented view and sense of humor isn't for everyone but it is for some folks.

What all this is leading to is that this place is very very diverse, it's acidic at times, we are snarky, we a smart, and yes, we can attack when we see fit. For me, that's what appeals, that's what drew me here, that's why I love this place and the people here. If it suddenly become nice and cuddly all the time and I was always worried about offending someone, then it wouldn't be nearly as fun.

I don't want a world that is always safe and that always goes my way. That's not my thing. I hate it when my government tries to legislate it, and I'd hate to see it here. Thing is, that kinda what this feels like. A movement saying that b.org isn't quite nice enough and we need to tweak it so that it is. Hell no! Keep the sharp corners, don't put child safety latches on the cabinets! Leave the exposed wiring, it's what makes this place what it is.

I'm going to finish this ramble with something that a few of us heard at the Wolfram and Heart Annual Revue. Many of the other fans were kinda afraid of the Buffistas. It was an interesting thing to hear, but accurate too. We do seem to expect folks to be well spoken, and have a certain edge. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but it seems to be true.

t /ramble