Oh, so you don't like that topic, eh? You want to change the subject, eh? 
Okay. Well, (having a bit of free time before the essentially unpleasant 
social activity of attending a funeral and apparently being in a distinctly 
less than jovial mood) let's ask a different question.

First, a bit of context. These two chaps (below) are old members of a PC 
users group that in spite of all their long-term 'best' efforts has fallen 
on exceedingly hard times. It didn't quite disband last year, but it's 
certainly not doing too well. Actually, as far as I can tell, it's mostly 
been reduced to an NNTP server and a small website. In the past, the group 
had a number of people who could assist with such questions as the original 
topic of this thread, and though it is unlikely they are still around in the 
group's greatly diminished state, I went ahead and posted the short form of 
the query (the second paragraph in the OP above) over there.

While I was visiting their server, I noticed yet another discussion about 
the latest attempts to revive the club. Those posts make me feel a certain 
kind of embarrassment that's also hard to describe. Long ago, I used to 
attend their meetings fairly often, even joined the club for a year or two, 
paid my dues and all that jazz, and even contributed a few pieces to their 
newsletter. (Later on that newsletter was actually involved in one of the 
club's most unpleasant implosions, but I'm sure these two chaps don't want 
to have that embarrassing story rehashed in public. I'm almost in a foul 
enough pre-funereal mood to leak it, but...) While I felt that I did my part 
to help the club in those years, and certainly did more than many members, I 
didn't really do that much. Doing my bit and a little bit more doesn't 
bother me, but... Later on I was asked to offer more assistance, and I 
politely declined. Actually, I received several such requests just in the 
last year...

Very awkward situation, there. Personally, I'd like to see the club active 
and healthy, but I also know the history. It's hard to be optimistic, and 
therefore I preferred not to be involved. However, seeing another revival 
attempt, I felt obligated to say something... So I posted a message that was 
intended to be a kind of open-ended apology. Not likely, but maybe they're 
really reformed, turned over a new leaf, etc., etc. If so, maybe I should 
consider helping out. My optimism seems incurable.

The first two replies that appear below prove that pessimism about the 
group's future is well founded.

However, that's not what annoyed me. The part that annoyed me relates to my 
response--which was edited on their server. I don't like liars, and editing 
another person's public posts or email the kind of lie that only a system 
operator is privileged to commit. However, when you have that kind of liar 
running a server, nothing that appears on that server has any credibility or 
any value.

Hmm... I did promise I was leading to a question, didn't I? I suppose that 
one won't do... Hmm... Let's think.

Perhaps "Why have I become so much more selective about my friends as I 
age?"

No that won't do. Actually, I sort of envy the people who are friends with 
lots of people, even though they are either lacking in taste or insincere 
politicians.

How about "Why do I dislike thieves and liars and pissant newsgroup bullies 
so much?"

CL wrote:
> Sigi Rindler wrote:
>
>> Correct! You have hit the nail!
>> And now move over to fj.life.in-japan to continue your self-promoting
>> academic drivel who nobody wants to hear.
>
> He already did a fly-by after he stopped here, yesterday.  The
> responses weren't pretty, but the thread seems to have played itself
> out, thankfully.
> CL

That's the way to help build up the membership! With helpful and
enthusiastic recruiters like that, Tokyo PC will surely revive and blossom.

What impressively angry little men. Or are they frightened little men? Or
just stupid little men?

Whatever.

A closing spot of medical advice. Don't hold your breath while waiting for
me to have nothing better to do with my time than consorting in the gutter
with insects like you, whoever you are. My social calendar seems to be
completely booked.

Sigi Rindler wrote:
>> Go easy on him Sigi, most bastards are born, but Shannon is a self
>> made man, and has a certain amount of class, albeit roughly that of
>> a rat with a monocle.
>
> Hahaha.... that's new to me, but this does fit his bio!:-)
>
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