Jan - Feb Administrator Message - Important - Please Read!

[Mark Cahill]

Over the past couple of weeks, we've had more than our normal amount of problem posts. Some have been the standard "guy registers, then spams the forums with unsponsored commercial messages" - which we easily deal with, even though they are a pain.

Lately we've has several issues with Personal Attacks (which are specifically forbidden by our posting guidelines, see item #2 here (http://reel-time.com/forum/faq.php?faq=rt_faq_item#faq_posting_faq_item)...) - and these have come in several cases from some of our long time members. Listen, we realize that it's winter, the northeast is blanketed in snow, and generally fishing season seems like it's years away. We also realize that many of you have a legitimate point, and while we may not agree with it, it may be important to the community at large. But there is a right way and a wrong way to deliver that message. Here are a couple of case studies:

Situation: A guide has screwed up your trip by hitting on your wife.(#$122)Wrong: "The jerk was more interested in trying to stick it to my wife than poling the boat. He's a skirt chaser and I hear he's got a case of Chlamidia..."
:)Right: " I didn't have a great experience with the guide, and don't recommend him..."

Situation: A tying expert gives a class on some new techniques involving space age materials. You are a "classic" tyer who believes that one should only tie flies with natural materials.(#$122)Wrong: "Timmy Tyer is a shameless showoff who doesn't understand that fly tying is about deer hair and feathers, not mylar and dacron. He's ruining our sport and needs to be culled from the herd..."
:)Right: "I'm not a fan of new tying techniques. I prefer to stick to the classics. If you're into classics exclusively, then Timmy probably isn't for you...."What do these share? No personal attack, while delivering essentially the same message. Be positive, and constructive. Realize that yours is not the only viewpoint. This isn't math where there is one and only one answer to a question.

For the record, I love fly fishing because it is a great solitary sport, and generally devoid of personality issues. It's not freshwater bass tournaments, or golf and I don't want it to go there. Leave personalities out of this and we will all be better off.

[AndyF]

Mark: I'm a big fan of forum etiquette, but I have to say that if a guide actually hit my wife, I don't think I'd say "I didn't have a great experience with the guide, and don't recommend him..." I'd say the *@&#$ hit my wife and wouldn't use him for chum. (#$108)

Otherwise, point well taken.

[Mark Cahill]

The example is the extreme. It'd probably be more like "he hit on my wife and I pummelled him into submission..." Or in my case, "I wished the two well and am glad to be rid of both of them..."

[Howie]

I am with Mark - but would add on "I sued for emotional damages, which just happend to be the boat he was running, and all of his gear...."

[detra]

Mark your too much. Hope your wife doesn't look at this board.

[Mark Cahill]

She wouldn't know where to start. But she'd figure I'd say something like that - so to the couch with me, on general principles...

[AndyF]

Look what I started, my mistake. I thought the example said the guide hit your wife, not that he hit ON your wife. If he hit on my wife I suppose I wouldn't take it as personally as if he hit my wife. In either case, I'd find another guide.

[Perch]

Thanks for policing, Mark. One reason I enjoy Reel-Time is because 99 percent of the posts are civil, friendly and intelligent. I see some of these folks on the ocean and believe they share my perspectives on fish, nature, resources, and people. Contrast what you read here to the nasty, childish, illiterate, silly posts on the two fly-fishing forums. And as frightful as those are, they’re nothing compared to the Outdoor Writers Forum which seems to be populated almost entirely by NRA life members who hunker in their bunkers, cleaning their guns till they rub off the bluing, all the while perceiving in the corners of their rapidly shifting eyes nefarious plots against the state, the Second Amendment, hunting, free enterprise, and Christianity.

[Mark Cahill]

How I have to handle stuff like this on my extranet forum...where the folks hunkered in their bunkers are also paying customers...a truly interesting experience.

[mctrout]

Sounds like Washington, DC. Money buys freedom....

[Albiemanmike]

Mark,
Truly an enjoyable post at least for me. Many of the guy's here now do not go back to when we first started posting here on the site. Back to the first Marlborough get together and the days of squidbrain and the like. I for one applaud your current efforts at keeping things under control and it is appreciated by me. I had stopped coming here back when all of the serious troubles blossomed many moons ago but after you became the new sheriff in town things have gotten 100% better. By the way if a guide did that to my wife on a charter I don't think the guide would be in business when we got through with him. I would first deal with him and then the wife would deal with him and I think he would beg for mercy once she got a hold of him, my wife is a bit (#$119). Only two months to go keep up the good work.

Mike M.

[jim1205]

I mean just look at his picture. Is it a cigarette or marijuana. look at his eyes. And he obviously has a thing for other guys wives..........

[Bob Parsons]

look at his eyes........

Must not hunt or see deer in the road. Those eyes are typical "deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car" Frozen in panic mode due to the intrenet spam he has to deal with.

[justbill]

Mark: I'm a big fan of forum etiquette, but I have to say that if a guide actually hit my wife, I don't think I'd say "I didn't have a great experience with the guide, and don't recommend him..." I'd say the *@&#$ hit my wife and wouldn't use him for chum. (#$108)

Otherwise, point well taken.




Important Fishing Safety Tip # 27: Stay away from AndyF's wife! :eek: