This is a bit long - move on if you're not interested.

(Apologies if there are any howlers in it - I sure as hell ain't going to
read through it again!)


OK, I could use a bit of guidance here.

The more astute of you will notice that I frequently draw a response from
someone here who, for the sake of argument, I will call 'Rudi' (I wonder
what put that name into my head??). No matter what I post or however
UKcentric it is, Rudi's got an opinion! I ignore these responses on a
routine basis as it inevitably leads to a slanging match which brings the
tone of this group down and into disrepute. (You really need to know that,
out in the real world, any mention of this group will usually be met by
peals of laughter, which is a pity because I'm a real 'audio enthusiast', if
not much of a techie and believe it's a good place to share an interest,
learn stuff and feed back anything I've learned.)

This time last year (if you were here and can recall) we were tit-deep in
mile-long 'format bashing' threads where certain people's stated preferences
for a particular format where slated as being 'wrong' by a tiny majority
here (led by Rudi) and those of us (me, mostly) were slated as being
'bigots' for expressing such a preference. This, despite repeated statements
that we had/have no problems with other's differing preferences! IIRC
correctly the normal rigmarole was to put words into our mouths to the
effect we had claimed some 'mystical superiority' of our own preference
which, apart from anything else, seem to threaten Rudi (and is dog) and
would evoke a mile of techie BS, half of which I would have doubted as being
accurate, but all of which managed to ignore the simple fact that a clear,
stated preference could only imply that, for one reason or another, the
'preferred' has to be 'superior' in some way! The other 'easy meat' target
was, of course, the odd individual (returners to the medium, in some cases)
who would make sweeping claims in an enthusiastic manner - always handy for
Rudi (and his) dog to make a couple of 'strawman' arguments!

I made a decision about a year ago and decided to avoid furthering the
acrimony which was becoming the underlying theme in this group. I started
the Webpages, have put myself to the effort (and, no doubt, made myself look
a right plonker) of posting a ton of 'Show N Tell' nonsense and, when it
looked like there was to be no let-up, punted the idea of a separate group
for discussion of, er, my 'prefered medium'. Although this new group appears
to lie dead in the water it seems that not even BT fields it yet (that's a
big 'un in the UK, for those of us here who are somewhat 'offshore' ;-) and
I don't think it can even be found in Google yet! So who knows? Anyhoo, I
think it's gone a long way to reduce the acrimony here and I would have
said, until the latest mile-long streak of 'MJ' ****e Rudi's managed to drag
in here (which strangely seems to cause him no personal embarrassment
whatsoever???), that this group was looking better now than it's done for a
long time!

The rather pathetic personal insults I can easily ignore as they are usually
so damn 'wrong' they give me a damned good laugh at the very least! -
'Mentally deficient'? - Could well be, but at least I went to the same 400
year old Grammar School (all Latin and Rugby) as Tim De Paravacini (might
possibly have been his brother - I don't think so, but I'm not certain) at
about the same time (maybe 2 years younger than him?)! Founded about 50
years *before* the Pilgrim Fathers ****ed off to turn the Colonies into the
must anal continent on the planet, I might add! 'Bloody rude *******'? - Bit
hard on me poor old mum but, yes, I can give as good I get. (I think Rudi's
the one who 'can dish it out but can't take it'!). 'Calling him nasty
names'? - That's a good 'un, coming from him - the hissing and spitting
Queen of Audio Usenet! (Oops! :-) Oh, and by the way, tell him it's
*über*.......!! (Poor old Rudi, he's in such a state! ;-)

Anyway, enough already!

Basically, I'm not sure what to do - should I continue to ignore him (I know
he only wants to make 'friends'..... ;-), KF him completely or give him a
reet good kicking? (It's a bugger trying to play Mr Nice Guy all the time
and I've been at it for nearly a full year now! - One or two of you here
spotted my 'Peacemaker' rôle on a couple of occasions!) It's no good
suggesting I 'speak' to him - wouldn't last 5 minutes! (Been there, done
that too many times now!)

Perhaps one of you could have a word with him? Tell him we don't need
speaking to like we're thick children (clue: my youngest son is 25 or 26
years - buggered if I know which!). Point out to him that we ain't desperate
for outside help and that we've got enough knowledge and experience in this
group to scrape by, if it comes to it! Point out also that grabbing words
like 'bigot' and hurling them first doesn't make him look any less of a
hypocrite! Drop the hint that not everybody give a rat's arse about ABX
testing and that using it in a LISTENING TEST says more about him than I
ever could! (He's like a kid who's got hold of his dad's Black & Decker -
drilling holes in everything!) etc. etc. etc.....

Maybe *I* should just **** off - I've said it befo If any ONE person (who
I do not deem to be a tit) thinks this group would be better off without me,
I'm gone! Just say the word!

Anyway, gotta go now - just seen an interesting vinyl post come in and I've
got a couple of questions about digital radio I want to post!

Well done, if you made it this far - a right load of auld ******** I know,
but I just needed to get it off me chest!