I get both sides! But to call someone a "know nothing" because they do not care to listen to ONE particular person simply shows me that he has made the right decision. Do we need to listen to EVERY opinion out there? ...of course not. I appreciate the opinions of RickyP, I really do, I almost never agree with them, but that's cool because we are all different souls but because I listen to him and his ramblings, does that mean ARJ must listen to him? I happen to like Steely Dan, My wife hates them, should she be required to listen to them? She has heard them oten in the past and knows she doesn't care for them should she continue to suffer through those songs when she has already made a determination "they are not for her"? I went to a beer tasting and some people liked this beer, some liked that, some refused to taste the Porter because they already knew they did not care for that style, should they have been required to taste something they already were familiar with and knew they did not care for? I back his decision to do as he sees best for himself, he did listen for a long while and determined your views were not worth listening to, I listen to them so should I tell him he is wrong? Nope, and your "know nothing" comment only cements that decision he made, no doubt!

archduke

I found it was easier for me to just not see your posts.

And even easier to respond without actually reading ....
If my position about the reasons for the increasing extremity of the republican was so poorly constructed. or mangled ... you could have ignored it. But you didn't. You took a shot. Based on Toms characterization of it, because? He's particularly perceptive and worth engaging? Or because it was something you are comfortable reading?
And you haven't tried addressing it directly now that you've read it.
You've haven't got a reply have you?

By the way, I fully agree with the point about my wretched spelling in the past... I finally invested in a browser with spell check a few months back. Technology can be our friend.

There we go again
He did say he reads many others he does not agree with and he stated several. It is YOURS that he does not read, that does not make him a "know nothing" but rather "discriminating"
and yes, I am rather perceptive and engaging aren't I? (please, do not answer that! let me think what I want)

rickyp wrote:archduke

I found it was easier for me to just not see your posts.

And even easier to respond without actually reading ....
If my position about the reasons for the increasing extremity of the republican was so poorly constructed. or mangled ... you could have ignored it. But you didn't. You took a shot. Based on Toms characterization of it, because? He's particularly perceptive and worth engaging? Or because it was something you are comfortable reading?
And you haven't tried addressing it directly now that you've read it.
You've haven't got a reply have you?

By the way, I fully agree with the point about my wretched spelling in the past... I finally invested in a browser with spell check a few months back. Technology can be our friend.

Ricky, for what it's worth, I think this is a very important part of ARJ's post:

You seem to often purposely misconstrue what others are saying and then criticizing the thing they didn't say.

I have often thought of cutting you off for this very same reason. Why don't you use it as a learning experience (for you!) instead of doing more of the same?

Well, for what it's worth I can't stand Steely Dan, either...

That's kinda why I made that point, you love them or hate them, not too much room in the middle. Maybe the musical equal to where we are in politics? Far right or far left with nobody remaining in the middle. And it reminds me of a funny thing I just happened to read, I was looking up a question I had about the "Amazing Race" tv show, while there I happened to read how that show is just HUGE with Republicans, very odd little factoid I thought but there you have it...

also reminds me of something I heard. Did you read about the guy in California who had his entire left side removed?
...yeah, he's all right now!
ba dum dum

Can I be the perverse one who says they are ambivalent about Steely Dan?

why who else would be?
My wife hates them, that's the key here (though she did go to a concert with me one time and she had no problem with the CD playing them on the way there ...that was the last time!) She gave them a go, didn't care for them and has since never given them another listen. A well educated decision, is she missing anything? is she ill-informed or a know-nothing? nope, she gives other stuff a chance and decides for herself what she wants to listen to, same thing here. (though she is obviously wrong in this example of course!)

I feel very uncomfortable with all the Ricky baiting going on here. In all honesty I don't think his style is noticeably worse than most of us. If you'll allow a hardened athiest like myself the use of a religious analogy here, there's an old saying about casting the first stone...

I can think of at least 3 people who are regulars in Redscape that make a regular habit of being wilfully obtuse, use outrageous strawman arguments, attack people for what they didn't say, try to boil everything down to one-line 'gotcha' questions etc. I can think of 3 more who are extremely aggressive and snarky with each other to a degree that I find uncomfortable. I'm quite sure that there are some of you who find things about me annoying too. I don't block anybody though, because for all of our many faults I like everybody here and I don't see why it should be a problem that people have a different opinion or argumentative style to my own. Russ is a great guy but I totally disagree with his decision to block Ricky, not only because it's a little childish but also because among the many long nothing posts there are some real gems and a consistent overarching worldview which is quite interesting. The personal criticism you're subjecting him to in this thread is unwarranted, and I speak as somebody who has both had my share of disagreements with Ricky and doesn't generally agree with him. Give it a rest.

Amen Sass. Really well-said.

Sass,
Thank you for your comments. I appreciate that, and I know I am one of those who find RickyP's style, grammar and lack of response to questions frustrating.

I will attempt to not let those things bother me, and respond to his biased responses less.

I have no doubt I am blocked ...doesn't bother me, you see, that's each persons decision to do as they please. It was also based upon experience. I am not baiting anyone in the least, we can CHOOSE to listen to whom we want, how about this for an example. Do you listen to Rush Limbaugh on the Radio or do you chose to tune him out and listen to say Steely Dan instead? When you hear a particular commercial do you change the channel? How is it different here?

Actually, Tom, you are not blocked. We cannot set administrators to ignore.

I could log on as the other account if that helps? (I was always in this one so I never got used to logging in as anything else)