RE: Short Rant!

[Turn Key]

 
Can t help it guys.  Just got to fuss a bit.
 
 For the last 1 1/2 years I ve been a member of alt.rv.pop-up-trailers through Outlook Express.  I understand you can access this newsgroup through Google as well.  Over that time, I have watched that group degrade to the point that it is just no longer any fun.  There are about 6-8 members that have taken it over and use it to preach their views on politics, the President and anything else they feel like.  If you dare to ask them to remain on the subject at hand, they feel it is their right to ridicule you and call you names.
 
 I feel no need to remain a part of this sort of thing.  Further, I have invited all members there who wish to talk about PU camping and other appropiate subjects in a civil manner, to join me here.  Also, I am thankful that I have this and a couple other groups to use when I feel like talking about camping.  I have no doubt that this group will remain as is due to the quality of members that we have here and the diligance of our monitors.
 
 Thanks for letting me vent.  I am now off of my soap box[].

[Dust64]

 Turn Key
TurnKey: The alt.rv.popup site was the first popup devoted site I found a couple of years ago. Lots of great info and put me in touch with popupers in and around the Atlanta area for group campouts. Specifically the Southeast Popup Campers and the Georgia Campers.
 
 It was also the first site that I found mention of the PopUp Times website. Well it didn t take too long for me to simply quit going back to alt.rv as I was having too much fun here.
 
 While it s true that the site has denegrated into a political, sexual and religious playground for a few individuals that seem bent on completely overrunning it with their non-camping drivel, I find myself strangely drawn to it simply for " entertainment"  value.
 
 It fascinates me that a small group of cyber guerillas have been able to overrun such an established board with their hit & run posts and divide & conquer mentality.
 I m pulling for the long time good guys to " weather the storm"  but from the looks of things many are bailing out and simply surrendering the site...earl

[Turn Key]

 Turn Key
Earl,
 
 Sounds like you found and used that group the same way I did.  I can understand your wanting to wait out the " cyber guerillas"  (Really like the handle.  Wish I d thought of it[]) but in my line of work, I already have to listen to so much garbage I just can t handle any more.
 
 I would ask a favor of you?  If you choose to hang around there, let me know when and if the " guerillas"  move on.  Thanks in advance.
 
 
 
 

[Dust64]

 Turn Key
TurnKey: For about the last 14 months my experience on the alt.rv site has been limited strictly to " lurking" . I probably only check in once or twice a month just to see who the latest victim (sheeple) d jour is.
 
 Unless and until someone moderates this site, I know a lot of folks would find this solution unacceptable, it will continue in its downward spiral.
 
 But when your dog becomes infested with fleas you have two options. Flea dip your present pooch (distasteful but necessary) or get another dog and use a flea collar to prevent initial infestation...earl

[moderator1]

 Turn Key
Unless I have missed it in the past few days, I m glad they have stopped ranting about PUT.
 
 The current condition of alt.rv is a great loss to us all.

[AustinBoston]

 Turn Key
The real downfall to the alt.rv.pop-up-trailers newsgroup is the easy access to alternatives.  I have been in other newsgroups that were attacked by tr*lls, and the sheer number of people that were ignoring the tr*ll made them go away.  Eventually, there won t be an audience there and so the tr*lls will move on.
 
 BTW, if you want to see a real tr*ll, check out Mike Vandeman (both his real name and his post name) on rec.bicycles.soc.  He puts Cass, White Owl, and the forgery tr*ll on alt.rv.pop-up-trailers to shame.  He s been at it for many years, and even has FAQ s and web sites dedicated to him.
 
 Austin

[Turn Key]

 Turn Key
AB: Guess they re everywhere.  Find it hard to believe that there is some one worse then Cass.

[birol]

 Turn Key
I AM CASSS; I GOT IN SECRETLYYYYYY; YOU ARE ALL MY SLAVESSSSSS [8D]
 
 I read a crusing  newsgroup and we have our resident troll there too, chrissy-cruiser, she is quite something too. I also ready alt.rv, but do not post, it has lost its attractiveness when trolls and  hard nosed people settled in ......
 
 
 Birol the offical nut case of PUT.

[BrBorns]

 Turn Key
Well the best thing about this message board is the fact they charge. And that actually keeps out a lot of garbage." Nothing is for free."  I Also have tried some of the other boards and end up back here.

[Gamecock Camper]

 Turn Key
Here here.  We re still the best, the heck with all the rest!!!  Oh, I wish some people would just grow-up.

[mike4947]

 Turn Key
The news group were founded on the principle that they would regulate themselves. A fine idea from an ivory tower where they started. Then the general population got involved. I only hope that if any aliens tap into our information systems don t use the newsgroups as the basis for forming they opinions of life on earth or we re toast.
 I once contract engineered for a large corporate firm that had a " consultant"  advise them they could save a heap of money in middle managers by having the work force become " self directing"  Six months later, 2 hour lunches became the norm and a " pecking order"  instituted itself where the bullies got the best jobs and God forbid you got on their wrong side and productivity was down over 60%. In another six months corporate closed the factory. I got paid for the remaining 8 months on my contract and walked away shaking my head.

[Miller Tyme]

 Turn Key
When I have a bad day at work, I ll jump on alt.rv just to laugh at Cass, etc,....
 Alot of those guys need a life.[]

[NightOwl]

 Turn Key
I stumbled over alt.rv a year or so ago and havent been back. Sounds like it is just the same today as then.  At that time there were some intelligent people interested in camping, trying valiantly to keep the thing decent and on-topic, but for the most part  the trolls were running rampant, the language was disgusting and there were a bunch of religious and political freaks arguing pro and con  about crazy things like  the UN trying to take over this country.  That was enough for me!  I havent been back since and am astonished the place hasnt exploded in a huge cloud of  horse manure before now.
 
 There is much to be said for a moderated board like this one and certain standards of behaviour which require civility even when we are in strong disagreement.  (civility is in short supply in our current world, alas.)  The  way our recent " heated discussion"  ended is a perfect example of this kind of combined   moderator-control and  self-governance at its finest.

[SkipP]

 Turn Key
Turn Key, What s a poor tr*ll to do? This is a pay site and, like others, moderated. Those attention-starved " cyber guerillas"  (I like that Dust) need to have an outlet and unfortunatly, they somehow landed on alt.rv.pop-up. Shame too, it used to be a good, useful and friendly NG. The sad part is that folks new to pop-upping won t be able to benefit from the wealth of knowledge that we got when we were first starting out.

[Ab Diver]

 Turn Key
I just went and had a look. Cass has been changing his name on a daily basis to get past the kill files-- that s nothing new, same old Cass with the same old " ...cass@galaxy... "  address.
 
 But what s funny as heck, and Too Twisted For Sister, is that now somebody has actually started trolling Cass! The " ubertroll"  is using Cass s name from a hotmail account, with a not-so-flattering user address, and posting stuff sure to enrage him. I about laughed myself out of my chair.
 
 Kharma, eh?