I appreciate all of the kind words. Thanks to all of you!!!
I was never being contrarian. Certainly not for sake of. It is just who I am. I can't say it enough. I had several English teachers who said similar things as the very first English teacher who said “You have a very uncanny ability to become the character. It is refreshing. Please don't ever lose it.” In retrospect, I think it must have went on my permanent record and followed me all through grade school and beyond.
I simply see things differently, and I like bringing up the flip side of things. I know my views are not always popular. Matter of fact there were many times, or most of the time, where I knew for certain my views would not be well received, and certainly not popular. But I had to remain true to myself. Agreeing for sake of agreeing with popular opinion just because it is popular is not something I can do. And nothing good can come of it, even in a forum where simply good discussion is the goal. When I absolutely disagree with popular opinion, agreeing just to keep the peace really seems wrong. I realize that people would find it difficult and sometimes outright impossible to accept my views. I understand and accept that. Sometimes it was humorous that you all could not see what I saw? Sometimes it was irritating. Sometimes it was infuriating. Sometimes exasperating. When a discussion evokes those emotions, then those discussions are well worth it, as long as the disagreement is not for the sake of. Then it becomes something disrespectful, seedy, dirty, unenjoyable and ugly. And vice versa.
But passionate is good. Someones my passion comes over wrongly in a forum. My friends tell me my discussions are better suited for formal group settings. That's probably true.
In the ‘Honorverse ramblings and musings’ thread, I could not understand why it is so difficult to understand that Honor had an unfair advantage in the duel on Grayson. I was pulling my hair out. It struck me one day that all of you must be doing the same. I suppose it comes from the variety and differences found in mankind.
When I read about Beowulf ratting the SLN out, I was shocked and knew there was trouble over the horizon. I like the RMN, and I loathed the SL! But I just couldn't follow popular opinion that Beowul did the right thing, even though it may have helped the RMN.
We all have our right to our own views, but when discussions become spiteful, it is time to let them go. It is obvious to me that someone or ones do not want me to be a part of this forum. I have never wanted to be where I am not wanted. That is too difficult. It is unfair to most of you, I admit. For that I am sorry.
At any rate, I can't constantly fight hackers.
I want to apologize for the passive agressive post. It wasn't meant to be. I was trying to contain anger. Anger because my best friend passed, and in the midst of it I am constantly dealing with hackers. My apology.
I have enjoyed the forum, or I would not have been a constant presence for so long. I love the Honorverse as all of you do. And I will certainly look in on the forum from time to time. Just from afar. But the hacking has worn me thin. Sometimes I get the real website, but most of the time for the last several months it is simply an unforgiving text version of the site. My cursor disappears. My edits do not take. My pages do not scroll. DoS attacks. Files pilfered through. My camera hijacked. And when a discussion gets heated, I am denied access to the site. Someone has skills and a whole lot of idle time. My concern is keeping my business computer safe. So far so good. I do not use it to log onto this site. I have seen so many people come and go. I always hoped they were not going through the same thing
Anyway, if my last post was passive aggressive, it wasn't meant to be. But it is the truth, and I even tried to temper that truth. Not too long after I joined the forum, someone gave me good advice. “Just ignore those posts, it is what I do.”
Every time I remember his advice and follow it, everything goes fine and good conversation results. In the currently trending thread ‘SLN and MAlign catching up with Manticoran Superiority’ I followed his advice and skipped over a few speed bumps. It allowed me to get to where I was going . . .
The Spider drive ships should be able to radiate heat into hyper.
I never heard anyway disagree that it is possible. Rather, nobody seems to think it is probable. It seems to be undeniable that the logic is sound and should be possible. But if I had allowed myself to be sidetracked arguing over any and everything, then I never would have arrived at that point. That is what I meant by being sidetracked and arguing over the silly and mundane. A lot of that was my own fault. I should have heeded the advice.
Anyway, laughter is the best medicine since most of us are probably too old for prolong. I guess I tried to fill in for prolong with the Humor thread.
I will miss the discussions for certain! I can't say it enough. Thanks again for the kind words! God bless and Godspeed to all of you!
