Normally, I'm about attacking the message, not the messenger.

But, as I note, if you get stupid, I reserve the right to mock you mercilessly.

And publicly.

Someone doesn't like my site layout. Of course, there aren't really any ads here, per se, except some that are crediting people for work they've done or support they provide the site. '

But, apparently John Vickers, really doesn't care that much about the ads, I'm guessing he cares more, in a, ahem, negative fashion, about the content of the site.

At least that's what I infer from this polite, respectful email I got from him. Here is exactly how not to impress me with your intellect, wit, and rhetorical grandeur.

Hey, Stupid!

Change your homepage so one can read the articles without the bullsh*t ads. Just like stupid f*cking army guys. Do you need a f*cking comic book to understand how to do it d0uche bag, baby killer??

Cheers!

John

Dear John -

What ads?

There aren't any ads. There are some plugs for some organizations, and for people who have provided professional services to the site - but there isn't one, single, revenue-producing ad here.

And please, do send the comic book, but only if you can find something more inventive than this little display of potty-mouth.

Wanna compare grades and test scores? Maybe even salary?

However, If this is the best you bring to the game, don't waste your time, or mine. But I will give you credit for not dumping that trash in my comments.

Thank you for that. Feel free to never come back again. You aren't really the class of visitor I seek. Go to DU and hang with your buds.

Of course, I *am* assuming that the email is valid. If so, you sir, well, it's self evident what you are.

Snerk.

Cheers,

John

Update: Heh. He responded. Gotta give him credit - he's using a real email address.

No potty mouth this time - he's improving, and offering up a useful, if incomplete, observation.

Stupid, Didn’t want to waste my time. As far as grades and tests scores, are you talking about GED scores?? Bye now! Maybe you should check your web page again. It doesn’t display correctly

Well, since that was *almost civil* I responded, too.

I know it doesn't, a buried MT problem that MT and my part-time when he can get to it web monkey is trying to fix. And, yeah, it's probably something I broke, a genuine 1D10T error.

What browser are you using? Not everybody has that problem.

GED? You really don't know much about us baby killers, do you?

People paid me to go to college. And they paid for part of my grad degree. I had choices and prospects and I chose to do 20 years in the Army, and now I make quite a tidy living *plus* the pension, *plus* the disability. As Congressman Dennis Moore of Kansas notes, my share of the National Debt is 29K. Well, I paid my full share this year, and a bit more to cover part of your share, too.

Stupid people with no prospects should do more of that. They'd live in nicer houses.

But just what *is* the point of being such a jerk in an email?

Offer constructive criticism, fine. Potty mouth? What, my feelings were supposed to be hurt?

I was suddenly going to realize that my whole life was a sham?

Really, what *was* the point?

I'll give you this much, certainly - you used a real email address. Most people who drop by to for a drive-by poop-flinging don't.

Cheers,

John

And now, for a demonstration of Why I Have The Rulez - because in my email exchange with Mr. Vickers, I followed the Rulez. Which are back in force here, btw. I offiicially call off the dogs. Mr. Vickers responded to my last above:

I’m using IE7. And no, your feelings weren’t supposed to be hurt. I apologize for being an a$$ to you. It is just so disconcerting to see the bullshit going on in Iraq and Afghanistan . It makes me ashamed to have ever served in the military knowing that our troops are killing innocent people (‘collateral damage”) for no good reason. We could debate this issue, but what will be will be and it isn’t going to be a good outcome for the US . It is sad to see our “leaders” (a term used very loosely) not really give a shit about our troops and innocent lives wasted. It would be nice if their kids and family went to these places with weapons in their hands. It would be even better if the pieces of sh*t in Congress went themselves and fought for a month. This war would end real quickly. That would never happen because they are gutless turds. So the massacres continue. If only there were some enlightenment in this country.

Regards,

John

There's much to argue with, and a little that I can empathize with, but that would be a post for a different time.

The point of this post is... the Rulez. Why they're a good idea, and make this a calmer place. Which is why, among other things, readership is up, even if they are mostly lurkers.

As Marc Danziger, the Armed Liberal at Winds of Change remarked to me yesterday on the subject of "tone" in blogs - "When you walk into a party and there are people standing on the coffee table flinging dishes, yelling at each other, and other guests are egging them on... that draws a certain crowd. When you walk into a party and everybody has glass in hand and are chatting amiably and laughing and having a good time, that draws a different crowd."

We tried Animal House around here for a while. It didn't work. But I *don't* want the Stepford Wives blog-equivalent, either.