On 2 Oct 2006 10:45:20 -0700, "Jay Honeck" wrote
in . com:

I agree. What's to worry about? Flames aren't fatal. They don't even
hurt. :-)

Well, as you know I am immune to flames, too

We see few actual flames in this newsgroup. Most acrimonious
responses are more in the nature of heated discussion and
disagreements. Here's an example of what I consider a classic flame:

You know - they say that people with
I.Q.'s over 40-points apart are pretty
much unintelligible to each other.
That's just a random observation with no
ulterior meaning attached to it :P
As I read it, stupidity installed itself long
before you clocked three score and ten,
you are merely coming out, in bloom.
Let's pretend that you really are not an
obnoxious ignorant, cowardly, motor-mouthed
cretin exuding digital diarrhea as a pretext
to seeking a Life? About as topical as the
man who thinks its cool to jam garden gnomes
headlong up his ass to prove a qualified
opinion on de rigueur art decor, your puerile
attempt at self adulation is hilarious!
Unfortunately my having no respect for you
means your opinion of what I or anyone else
needs to respect means absolutely nothing.

Don't forget to **** yourself on your way
out, moron.

We don't see much in the way of that sort of "creative writing" in
this newsgroup (thankfully).

-- but I often hear from "lurkers" who say they don't post for fear of getting lambasted.

If the lurkers post USEFUL INFORMATION, that is correct and supported
by independent citations, they have nothing to fear. Otherwise, it
would appear that the 'flameage' is working.

Not everyone is a thick-skinned as we are, and -- if we want GA to grow
-- we need to be welcoming everyone into this group with open arms, not
poison pens.

Welcoming EVERYONE? You feel critical thinking* is misplaced? You
would recommend welcoming the likes of Mohammed Atta, AOL users, Ted
Kaczynski, Ted Bundy, John W. Hinckley, Jr, ...? Welcoming EVERYONE
could reduce Usenet to a the status of FidoNet. If you don't mean
'everyone,' don't use absolute language.

I have no tacit agenda to entice the timid to indulge in aviation.
If they are afraid of public response to their words, they are
probably much too fearful to become airmen.

Although you apparently believe Usenet was intended for kibitzing,
inane prattle, and chit chat, it is actually for the sharing of
INFORMATION.

This fellow put it well:

In my opinion, it is a very helpful (and in some instances quite
necessary) virtue to be able to take criticism even if it is
offensive or insulting. In fact, even the most offensive
criticism might (and hopefully does!) contain insights that are
valuable, and by disregarding the entire criticism, you are
throwing away that insight. You may not like it, but it sometimes
does pay to listen to a person that is not as friendly as you'd
like her to be.
-- Tobias Dussa

/rant

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking