Why are the attacks on contributors so vitriolic on this forum? I’m thinking in particular of the unpleasant things that have been written about George, Jockie, Fran, Biggles and Home-from-Home James. These last three seemed to have disappeared from the Net.

I know that it’s not unusual for people to have disagreements on message boards, but here the arguments often descend into personal abuse. Perhaps it is because the subject of this forum is such an emotive one and contributors sometimes reveal their deepest feelings which then leaves them open to ridicule.

I don’t suppose emotions run so high on message boards where the subject is engineering or winemaking.

Simon,

You will find more harmony in the works of Messiaen than you will on this forum!

Simon,

I'm not sure George, Jockie, Fran, Biggles and Home-from-Home James should be grouped together when discussing contributors who are no longer with us.

George was run out of town when he was exposed as liar of insane proportions who'd built an entire Internet career on the fundamental untruth that he was once a Headmaster. Other untruths flowed from that one, most notably the notion that he had caned boys' bottoms as part of his wholly imaginary career.

Fran's crime was simply to 'con' readers that he was a woman who'd been slippered on the knickers at school for truanting from gym lessons. Upon first reading Fran's story, it seemed obvious to me that HE was slippered by the gym master for truanting and that HE'd adopted a female persona for the purpose of telling the tale on the Internet.

Jockie, James and jay are (by contrast) perfectly reasonable characters who had some sort of a falling out with this site's moderators, after which a number of unfriendly things were said on both sides.

Fran left in some embarrassment and George in a state of abject humiliation. The three last-mentioned left with their heads held relatively high and would no doubt be welcomed back if suitably friendly overtures were to be made.

Essentially I agree with Sarajane and would add the following:

George and Fran were, by putting over their fantasies as reality, attempting to distort the social history of the last century.

Biggles was bringing the Civil Aviation Authority in disrepute. He is an unstable person who, if ever allowed to pilot an aircraft, would pose a far greater danger to people of this country than ever did the Red Baron.

Jockie and Home-from-Home James are over-emotional, insecure people who react badly to the slightest criticism.

I can understand why George pretended to be a headmaster – it gave authority to his messages. I can understand why Fran pretended to be a woman – it encouraged men to masturbate. What I cannot understand is why Jay pretended to be a pilot. What relevance does that have to an Internet forum about school corporal punishment? Did he think it would give him a bit of glamour?

Simon wrote, ‘It’s not unusual for people to have disagreements on message boards’ and thus provided a cue for a song:

It’s not unusual to see fights upon a forum.
It’s not unusual to see a lack of decorum.
But when you see someone claiming to fly a plane
It’s so unusual, you ask yourself why
He tells that lie.

Decorum?

Isn't that what you do to apples before you cook 'em?

I must join the others who are missing the contributions of certain members with names beginning with 'J', though I'm unfortunately too proud to plead for their return, much less general harmony. One of them is now contributing to a much larger forum that regrettably frowns upon talk of pupils being tawsed in r/l and where he is (un?)fortunately perhaps not the wittiest Scotsman. Another has seemingly fallen off the face of the earth. As for the other, let us hope that he has not signed on at flight school with a request not to bother practising take-offs and landings.

The reason I no longer post to this site is the attitude of SJ. It is that simple. Read her message.

SJ where is your proof. As you say, if you dont believe what is written it cannot be true. Sometimes the trueth is stranger than fiction. A great pity you cannot admit your mistakes.


George

LOL, SJ, I just noticed that we posted within four minutes of each other again - nice to see that we're riding the same psychic vibe.

Wanna bet?

The most personal, unprovoked and sustained attack I ever suffered on the Internet was in a newsgroup devoted to model railways. I insulted somebody's favourite train or something!

It might have been George! He is an enthusiastic model railway enthusiast.

Ahh Sarah Jane, joo where finking joor same thoughts as me. I fink jhis froum will be an excellent place to continue my research injo humoon behaviour\