Well, if you're suggesting I'm showing bad behavior, you'll need to be more specific. Defending one's self isn't "bad". My point is there seems to be a few posters that would prefer I didn't post as much as I do, or maybe they would be happier if I didn't post at all. Others suggest I'm grumpy, argumentative, rude, whatever.

Reminds of an old Star Trek episode. James T. Kirk was 'beaming up' and somehow he got split into two persons. A good and evil version. The point of the episode was if you remove all the "evil" then what's left is a weak, whimpy shadow of the original. Kirk's "good" side was unable to make decisions, he couldn't command and so on while his "evil" side started lusting have a female crew member, tried to rape her, was drinking on duty, etc..

Put yourself in my shoes. On one hand many people have said they appreciate the tutorials and advice I give. Some of the positions I've taken like with my promoting the use of a cheap little TV as an external monitor as opposed to buying some over priced NTSC monitor caught a lot of flack. Don't you think I knew before I wrote it that some here would critize it? Of course I did. But being somewhat of a cranky, grumpy old cuss I did write it and several tried what I suggested and thanked me for it. If I had a more mousey, timid personality I probably would have never had the guts to write some of what I wrote fearing I would be raked over the coals for it.

I am who I am. I have strong opinions on some topics. I'm pretty good at expressing them. I will defend them, sometimes to a fault. I'm only human. Some people are bothered by that.

Just for a point of reference...

Once upon a time I was the stereotypical 98 pound weakling and originally as many are, a typical 3 piece suit accountant right out of school. No, never had horn rim glasses. For the last 14 years of that first career I was a auditor for a major trust fund like I said. The head auditor. The one that trained the other auditors. Which one? The Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union. Rough Crowd. Not always. Sometimes. Think Vegas, Alanantic City for example, even here in Chicago and for sure New York.

You've see the character Tony Sarparno on HBO? Imagine sitting across the table from some real life Tony and getting him mad because you're telling him he owes 10, 20, 50K or more. Or more typically we had some CPA firm do a audit, of some major hotel, they had their people audit the audit results and then I get to sit in some CEO's office and tell him something along the lines well, our guys did this wrong, your guys did this wrong, but hey, I'm here and I'll resolve it. Yes, that can give you a ego. I was very well respected.

I've had guns drawn on me, butcher knives, I've had to listen to some extremely vile language coming from some 350 pound gorillia standing inches from my face screaming at me as he backs me into a corner.

It toughens you up. So if I sometimes don't sound "nice" or you think I'm being a little pushy, understand its very hard to get me to change my opinion once I formed one.

Billy,

I don't wish into get into a whole back and forth on this, but I'll throw in my two cents as neutrally as possible.

There are other possilibilities between "cranky and grumpy," and "mousey and timid." There's a lot of other options. Being cranky and grumpy and defensive are not synonymous with having integrity. You can have integrity and not be contentious. You can have strong opinions and still have tact.

Regards,
Buster.

> understand its very hard to get me to change my opinion once I formed one.

.....even when it's wrong. <wink>

At least I have the courage to post an opinion. Some just take pot shots from the bushes.

Most people wouldn't characterize posting an opinion as a courageous act.

Admitting your mistakes and apologizing to those you've offended with your continuing rude and juvenile behavior would be however.

> At least I have the courage to post an opinion.

When you start a thread intended purely to put someone else down, you are posting too much.

When you retaliate sharply and rudely because someone dared to differ with you, you are posting too much.

When you post solid information and assistance to others, that is fine and appreciated. Keep it up, but be aware that all knowledge has boundaries. Don't jump down the throat of anyone who tries to put you straight occasionally.

So when should I expect your apology Bobo?

For Bobo:

I'm sorry I got the best of you.

Mostly its a shame your "busy schedule" prevents you from contributing, but some how still allows to to find time to take cheap shots at me.

Have a nice day professor.

Why don't you set an example by apologizing to everyone you've offended and pledging not to attack, criticize or ridicule other posters from now on.

> So when should I expect your apology Bobo?

Here you go:

http://www.wideopenwest.com/%7Ewvg/apology.htm

Hi BillyBoy,

First, a bit about me so you know where I'm coming from: I'm not much of a poster here, though I regularly check in - the Vegas forum is one of my browser's home pages, so I read posts here several times a day. I use Vegas day to day for paying and non-paying work, and I train others on it at a film school. So I come here for Vegas tips and techniques, not drama or politics - I'm on a variety of mailing lists and visit many forums - I prefer each of them to stay on topic.

As for my impressions of you, BillyBoy, I like 99% of your posts. Really I do. You're a regular poster and what you post is always interesting and usually right on the money. I actually posted in support of you back when this thread was younger (I was surprised to see it pop back to life!). So basically I want to support you, to "be on your side" so to speak, really I do.

But you're making it increasingly hard for me to do so.

This message is what I think - take it or leave it. This is delivered from me to you as a "virtual friend" that likes you and all you have contributed here, but I'm just starting to notice an emerging problem that is beginning to distract me from getting all I can out of the Vegas forums. This is said in a truly friendly way, please don't read any malice into the plain text you see on your screen. I'm a real guy doing real work in Vegas who visits here to read up on useful tips and work arounds. I have no desire to tick anyone off, least of all a useful member of the forum - you. That said, here we go:

You sometimes spend too much time in your posts talking about... your posts! (and other's reactions to your posts). You're also a bit too fond of posting your political views and how other people don't understand your posts and how they are full of hubris and how arrogant they are so on and so on and so on. I was able to look past all that because, when all the negatives were added to the many postives you contribute here, you were well and truly in the positive - so I let it go and never commented on the... well... slightly self-absorbed nature of a small number of your posts. We all make mistakes, and if I posted as often as you I bet I'd make at least as many as you, probably a lot more! :-)

But lately I'm seeing less information from you and a lot more long-winded defensive posts. I know you think that the only people that complain are just a handful of people who don't like you anyway - but I put it to you that it's more than that. I LIKE you BillyBoy, but even I am finding some of your long posts attacking other people's hubris (!) quite pointless. So next time you think it's only those with a personal dislike for you that complain, count me as an exception! :-) My advice to you?

Let. It. Go. :-)

Please continue to contribute your tips and respond to suggestions and even contradictions, but stop biting back to perceived provocation from others. We all have out limits, but lately you seem to have developed a thin skin. Let it go! :-)

Don't comment on the tone of other's posts - no one cares! You shouldn't either! I'm here to glean useful information from people's messages - this often means looking past the apparent tone of the post to get to the Vegas-related message within. Do the same! Let it go! :-)

I can think of two good reasons why you should ignore the "hostile" tone of other people's posts:

1) The tone doesn't matter. All that matters here is getting the most out of Vegas. Even posts that strike you as being hostile can be useful. Zippy excluded... ;-)

2) Chances are you've misread the tone anyway (text is notoriously bad for conveying tone - people tend to read into text things that just aren't there). Take this message for example. Does it strike you as hostile? It can't be - I love you man! :-)

Look, please respond to any errors people make by all means, and identify and debate differences of opinion of course, but leave the defensive and agro stuff for private emails. Please!

And your last post with the link to your "apology voucher" makes you look rather petty and mean-spirited, and makes me wonder if my high opinion of you is in error. I strongly suspect that you're better than that! Please resist the urge to reply with a justification for creating the voucher, I'm not even asking you to apologise for it, just pull it down, OK? If you don't want to apologise for your rare mistakes, then don't - but that voucher is not funny and it's not cool.

Otherwise - keep up the good work BillyBoy! Really! This forum would be a lesser place without you. Mind you, it would be an even better place if you kept even more of your posts on topic and less about your grievances against other posters (remember - you started this thread!) :-)

Yours as a "forum friend",



Skevos Mavros
mavart@mavart.com
http://www.mavart.com

BB! Hah!!

. . . well after drying myself off after peeing my pants . . . I just printed off a Million of the BB Coupon . . then I realised I could not use them! I presume they are US specific? . . . I'll try them out with the company that "may" be the one suppliying me with the new kit . . waddya fink BB??

Larf ? . . . my partner here in London is chuckling too,a nd it's 7:30am . . your fame is Global . . . . .

I will say that you and the other Gurus here . . you know who you are , . . have forgotten more than I'll EVER know . . . .

Regards,

Grazie