Missing topic re. Dallara - a well liked member

[MidlifeMark]

Frank,

Yes, I'm old enough to remember. Although I was once told that if I remembered the Sixties, that I had missed out on them!

I suppose you're probably right. Doug could probably figure it out from the IP address in any case. As far as I'm concerned, anyone that hasn't got the balls to sign in is not worth listening to. So to me they're a troll. Maybe a member-troll, but a troll just the same. Better yet, a eunoch troll.

[JCsman]

"Did someone say something? Oh well, must have been the wind."

Mark,
Are you old enough to recall the "sound of one hand clapping" comments of the 60's? If not, perhaps it's time to bring it back. I think it may pertain to our "guest."

How about:

If a "guest" breaks wind in a forest, does it make a sound. And even if it does, does anyone care?

[MidlifeMark]

Only if you're downwind.

[dallara]

Well...

First off, it wasn't ------- me... Either as the "Guest" or breaking wind.

But, consider this for just a moment...

We were all "Guests" at one time. That's the first thing.

But second, and more important. given the recent spate of deletions, threats of banishment over essentially trivial issues, etc. perhaps the member/guest in question (if it is a member) has some reason for posting incognito. I'm not saying the practice is necessarily "right", or even effective, but...

We all have our own reasons for doing certain things, and there may actually be a valid and understandable reason for why they post as a "Guest"...

Hell, it could even be that they forgot to log in... Hasn't that happened to all of us at one time or another?

So, just for a moment, let's go past the identity... We all know Doug or one of the Mods could probably identify who it is from their IP address, or even just their ISP if their IP is "cloaked" by a firewall, etc. Point being that the posters identity is not *really* hidden at all.

So perhaps maybe we should all look at the "message" the poster is trying to convey.

Now I am not trying to "side" with the "Guest" poster in any way for the purposes of this discussion, but whomever they are they bring up some interesting points. Doug has expressed that the board takes up too much of his time, and costs him money out of his pocket he can ill afford at the moment. It is my understanding that Doug is currently working two jobs and that he is putting his wife through medical school. Further, if I have the story straight he had to sell his R1150R for financial reasons, not because he wanted to.

Perhaps Doug does have more on his plate right now than he would prefer, and the board is currently a drag on him, his time, his energy, and his financial resources. Who knows... Maybe he would just love it if someone else were to offer to take over the board, or "buy" it from him in some fashion, if for no other reason than to relieve him of the hassles of running it. Maybe he might even want to "lease" it or something similar for a time until he gets caught up...

I don't know... and I don't pretend or in any way suggest I know... nor am I saying that is a course he might even consider. Maybe the "Guest" poster didn't ask the question in the most cordial or acceptable manner (given the reaction he has gotten in this thread), but that doesn't necessarily mean that the question shouldn't be asked, or that Doug wouldn't welcome such a question.

Again, Doug and you Mods, I am not necessarily "defending" or in any way "siding" with this "Guest". I am only wondering if the points he has posed have any merit or are worth discussing.

Maybe whomever the "Guest" is should put the question to Doug personally in the form of an e-mail or PM.

Just a thought...

Dallara

[MidlifeMark]

Allan,

I don't think anybody thinks it is you, for starters. For sure you aren't a shrinking violet! They'd probably kick you out of Texas if it were you!

This is Doug's board. I think any solicitations for picking up the burden of the board ought to come from him if they come from anybody.

I don't have any major problems with the way Doug runs his board. I don't think that putting things where the proprietor thinks they belong constitutes censorship.

We're going through a mini-upheaval here because Doug felt the need to do a little housekeeping, a little straightening up of his place. A little consideration is all he was looking for, the way I read it.

Saturday I had occasion to experience a situation that showed me why things work more smoothly if we all play by Doug's rules. I like Doug's rules. Those rules, and adherence by considerate posters such as yourself, allow me to enjoy eye candy such as your recent superheroine post without pissing off my wife & kids.

From my standpoint things seem to work pretty well. I don't post very much because, frankly, I don't have a whole lot to contribute. My driveway is covered in ice & snow right now, and I've got no vacation time left this year anyways. So I'm mostly a consumer, and not much of a producer.

For people who have a lot more contribution to make to the content, I suppose the issues are different. I've never had a post deleted that I've ever noticed. In fact, the only posts I've ever noticed being deleted were the recent ones from Guest that were way out of line in my opinion. If there's a moderator out there that turns into a werewolf every full moon and goes open loop, then that's certainly something Doug ought to want to look into. But I've got no first-hand experience with that.

I guess I'm just not a conspiracy theorist. From where I sit, from what I see, I don't think there is any justification for any member to anonymously accuse Doug of crimes against the Internet. But that's just my two cents. Your mileage may vary.

If I were ever banned from the board, I don't think I'd be in the poorhouse because of the loss of the lifetime membership fee, nor would anybody else that can afford a BMW motorcycle. So that issue doesn't resonate with me.

But, there are probably enough folks out there willing to pitch in an extra few bucks to buy back the unused portion of lifetime memberships from folks that feel they were screwed out of them. If those aggrieved members would just take the money & go away, I'd make the first donation.

[socalrob]

Mark,

I think its Dougs board to run as he pleases also.

I do think some of the members here are concerned about whether or not Doug shares the same "vision" about where this community of internet friends is allowed to evolve. Having been to one of the bashes & making some friends, I personally have some stock into what happens.

Dallara, as far as I'm concerned, has given me some very usefull info over the couple of years I've been following this board. He is also hosting a ride this spring I hope to make that should be great fun. Does he go over the top in his passion & attempts at humor now & then, sure, but I always figured we were all adults here & various posters normally called him on it. I was pretty disturbed to think he might get banned (actually thought he did).

The feeling I get, and I could be wrong, is that this board is destined to become a great techinical source for a bike no longer made. I was hoping it could have been allowed to evolve to follow the newer boxers coming out from BMW, or maybe all european bikes. That seems where most of the riders here will wind up.

So for myself the current stress is more than some posts being in the wrong place or some T&A nonsense. And some things I don't get, like one member posting about his PERSONAL friends getting KILLED in an admittadly/aparantly self caused accident, & then having a very harsh post basically writing them off as squids not worthy of a thought. Doug did lock the post, but I thought the behavior in that post rose above (greatly) the other stuff going on here. And we lost another member BobFV1 (hope that names right) who, although admittdly a bit more into T&A than some here, had some great info on track days & riding skills and other bike stuff. And he contributed to what this "community" is.

The point is everyone on this board doesn't need to be "best pals" with everyone else. Just like in a real community, it takes all kinds to come together, each contributing something to the mix, to make an interesting group. The ability to interact with each other is what makes us adults.

I guess I'm just concerned for the community. Seems to be running a bit ragged right now. Hopefully will improve. Maybe its just cabin fever you eastern guys get when you can't ride. The solution is probably for everyone to move out west where riders belong.

[MidlifeMark]

Rob,

Thanks for your insight. A lot of those issues weren't on my radar screen.

Regarding the absence of shared vision, what's the big problem? There's already a gathering of like-minded folk; why doesn't somebody start another web site that is better aligned with a different vision? No need to hijack Doug's vision.

A new site would allow a new visionary to drive their own bus, and those who wanted to get on that bus would be free to do so. No reason why people couldn't ride on both buses, either.

I'm sure that if anyone chooses to start up another site they will learn a great deal about the kind of hassles that Doug has had to deal with. But they would be free to set their own rules, and that might be worth it.

[Lance1150]

I was threatened by Doug with banishment LONG ago for what still escapes me as any offense.... I don't know if anyone else has had such a threat put so directly to them, but if guest did then I do understand trying to hide.

I was told by Doug that if I said "... anything that offended anyone...." I would be banned. That's pretty broad.. and, as a matter of fact, I imagine I should have been banned long ago, I'm SURE I've offended someone somehow since then...

I think this heavy-handedness over trivial matters here on this board do show that Doug ought to opt out of 'this' business, and open a message board for Bikers for God, or some other less offensive group of people.

[Guest]

The responsibility now shifts from Doug to Roadster/Rockster riders who have the expertise to maintain this forum. Put your heads together with an admin plan. Then make Doug an offer that relieves him of this burden and yet gives him recognition for what he started.

Otherwise, an earlier and unhappy end is inevitable.

Good luck.

[MidlifeMark]

Or, Doug can continue to run his board the way he likes it, and those of us who like the way he runs it can continue to enjoy it. And those who want to do otherwise can feel free to start their own site.

[Guesst]

Okay, I must apologize peofusely. I have tourets syndrome and all those remarks about Doug are way out of line, even for me.

What's more, I think Doug is doing a marvelous job and always has, therefore nothing really needs to change except that maybe I should register and write under my real name. No hard feelings?

IT'S A DISEASE!!

[Pat]

I have yet to visit another site where graying pudgy bespectacled members and little "guests", sit around whining more than unhappy government workers in a secretarial pool.

Sadly, it's likely to continue too.

Suggesting that they 'give it a rest' is as futile as expecting them to go out and actually put some miles on their bike laden with conspicuous expensive gadgets.

(Sorry, a guy can maintain his silence through all this drama-queen rhetoric for only so long.)

OK ladies, you have the floor again.....

[riceburner]

I don't post very much because, frankly, I don't have a whole lot to contribute. My driveway is covered in ice & snow right now, and I've got no vacation time left this year anyways. So I'm mostly a consumer, and not much of a producer.

For some odd reason (my mind IS a bit unusual) this reminded me of President John F Kennedy's famous words "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

What that means is that even if you aren't riding at the moment you still have experience and opinions that others may welcome and value. That's what these forums are for.

[MidlifeMark]

That would make a good bumper sticker: "Graying Pudgy Bespectacled Members Have Experience and Opinions That Others May Welcome And Value." A little wide for a Roadster, though, unless it were stretched across the system cases.

[NoRRmad]

Pat --
Yes!

[riceburner]

That would make a good bumper sticker: "Graying Pudgy Bespectacled Members Have Experience and Opinions That Others May Welcome And Value." A little wide for a Roadster, though, unless it were stretched across the system cases.

you could put in on several lines :

"Graying Pudgy
Bespectacled
Members Have
Experience and
Opinions That
Others May
Welcome And
Value."



should fit nicely down the side of a pannier.

[MidlifeMark]

I'm not sure I'd want anybody tailgating me close enough to read it!

[Gueest]

How 'bout just: "GPBMHEOTOMWAV"

[mcooperstein]

Why do people post as guest? Do they forget to log on? Don't they know that we *know* who guests are...they're IP's are cross indexed with all posts that have the same or similiar (domain) IP's? Really!!!


Mark

[darthrider]

Don't they know that we *know* who guests are...they're IP's are cross indexed with all posts that have the same or similiar (domain) IP's? Really!!!

Now that's a little spooky.
Why don't *you* tell us who they are?