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Think about what this list constitutes. For those of us who read it regularly, it is something of a magazine--continuous and interactive threads and "stories" on our favored subject. Now consider that if you were going to run a magazine, would you want to put it together with a bunch of writers whose only qualifications were that they have access to a computer and want to write? Remember that you have absolutely no editorial control--no one to quash articles written for personal gain, those ripe with the stench of gross misinformation, or those that appear as a by-product of the writer's self-stroked ego. This forum is, in a way, much like talk radio: anyone who wants his voice heard here may do so. There is no formal requirement that you have even a clue. The necessity that the post be written only eliminates absolutely the most illiterate. Some members of WKPP have donated their time, knowledge, experience, as well as their ire, intemperance, and nastiness towards the control of the most blatant BS that appears here. At least that's as they see it. At times they are not politically correct. For me, that's a good thing. It was the only sort of "editorial" control that had any significant effect on the content of this list. I see too much abuse of the open "forum" and especially of the virtual anonymity that goes with the format. If I use harsh language in my criticism of you or your viewpoint and then discover that you're sensitive to this, I feel that It's my sworn duty to flail at you until you either go away or toughen up a little and can stop whining like a crybaby. If I had the knowledge and experience to do so, I might also make it my sworn duty to provide editorial comment and criticism of some of the writings that have appeared on this list. I don't. But there is an obvious need for it. I hate to see the WKPP cut and run due to the heat of perceived criticism. This only serves to promote the impression that they have done something to deserve such criticism. On the other hand, they have a lot to lose if they come out on the short end of this controversy. I always wondered what kept these people around anyway. Whether deserved or not, they received much criticism and little appreciation here. Their motives for providing information seemed selfless in the sense that none stood to gain from any product or company endorsement. I tended to believe that they were strictly motivated by the desire to counter rampant bullshit put forth by people who had an agenda of some sort. I know that with humans nothing is ever that simple, but reviewing the content of this list's history, I wonder if we deserve to have ANYONE knowledgeable participating. There is so much weenery and whining going on that maybe one-fourth of the total content relates directly to diving. The rest has to do with very narrow comfort zones, paranoia, and self-esteem issues that should belong to members of a knitting club, not to a group of courageous and competent divers. tj --
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