Jeez - I leave the list for a week, and look what happens!

Well, since everyone seems to be getting up on the moderator soapbox,
I'll take my turn!

Do you know what bothers me the most about these silly threads?

This stuff that has nothing to do with BR actually draws more DISCUSSION
from many MORE LISTMEMBERS than Birthright topics do!!!!!! Arrrgghh!!!
Can you believe that? Its sad, but true.

What is even more frightening? This just doesn't happen here, but on
every other email list that this household subscribes to (its incredible
the tangents those silly 'stuck in the 80's, who don't even appreciate
REAL sci-fi' traveller fans talk about on Mark Miller's Traveller's
list. 99% of the messages aren't even about the game and, moreover, a
_zillion_ messages from that list come through A DAY! My father has got
3000+ messages backlogged from that stupid list ... and the oldest one
is dated April 03! )

Now, not that my opinion counts for much (and I, for one, like to
occassionally (well, _okay_, FREQUENTLY) post fluff messages to this
list for humour's sake), but in my 2 years since joining this list I
really haven't seen more than a handful of faithful posters regularly
discussing BR. You guys know who you are. I also know that there are A
LOT more of us subscribed to this list.

That means that many more of you are frequently LURKING! Lurking is
EVIL, and just plain, downright nasty - it contributes *nothing* to this
list. I assume (but only because I can't see why else all of you
joined) that you subscribed because you wanted to talk about Birthright
and SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH THE REST OF YOUR FELLOW Brightright FANS. The
only people I'll excuse from this condemnation are Ed (because he works
for WotC), and Carrie (because she is a goddess). Maybe Tony Szcudlo
(or however you spell your last name, big guy) too, if he is still
subscribed to this list, but only if he makes more BR artwork for us.
:D

So why haven't you people? Actually, the only people who have a right
to complain about off topic threads are the ones who actually take part
in the discussions on this list. Funny thing is, the tried, tested and
true posters to this list are usually the ones who DON'T speak up.

Hmmm ... I wonder why that is ...

So I'll do it for them. This post really isn't a flame as it is a
request to _all you people subscribed_ to share and contribute your
thoughts and insights about BR to the rest of us who would appreciate
them. How hard can this be? What is 10, 20, or even 30 minutes of your
time during a day (or even week!) that you take out to think about the
game that you love and to interact with those of similar interests?
Instead of getting frustrated over silly threads, just do what I do and
ignore them and use that funny little button up there on your
web-broswer labelled 'delete'. Its great! (but don't delete this one
just yet. :D)

Instead of thinking up rebuttals to pointless threads, take that time to
compose a meaningful BR related question/idea/suggestion! If we do
this, considering all the people subscribed to this list, how can we
lose, since there will be oodles of BR related stuff to discuss? People
won't turn to pointless flamefests because they will be thinking about
on-topic posts all the time! There won't BE anytime to think about
trolling the general list! How about that!

Cheers,
The Cooperman (aka Darren, or The Grand Vizier, or "Hey its that feral
Vos dude!")