FAA ambiguity

Begin rant mode.....
There is a thread in the IFR newsgroup regarding pattern entry that
currently has over 50 posts and offers many differing opinions on the
subject. Many of these disparate positions have merit. This rant is
not about pattern entry or the expected personality clashes or even
the flames that thread of this type are filled with.

What bothers me, and what I find to be absolutely incredible, is the
lack of clear direction that is provided by the numerous documents
that are produced by the FAA. The aforementioned thread is a good
example. I believe, possibly incorrectly, that most of the regulars
that frequent the aviation newsgroups are generally knowledgeable and
have a more than casual interest in the subject of aviation. The very
fact that so many experienced pilots can disagree on a subject as
basic as pattern entry is an indication to me that the FAA failed in
it's regulatory responsibilities. Surely, one would think that
between the FAR and the AIM that this, and many similar issues, would
be addressed definitively, but such is not the case. With many
issues, they seem to dance all around the subject without really
addressing it in a manner that cannot be misconstrued or
misinterpreted. I can't think of any other facet of my life where I
face so much regulation that does so little to define the proper
parameters for compliant operation.

Sorry for babbling on, but how can it be that this situation has
existed for so long without remedy? I work in a bureaucracy and
regularly deal with other bureaucracies, but I can find to parallel to
this example.

....End rant mode

Rich Russell