Sorry to see you go, Ivan. I haven't considered writing off FR, but I've noticed that more often than not I hit the reply button and start writing only to cancel and give up thinking that it'll just be no use to type anything at all.
I wish FR had a ranking system that allowed folks like you to post indefinitely and newbies or recognized morons to only post a reply say, once a month.
I am with you 100% -- cannot say the times I have written someone only to not bother to post because it would make no difference.
I love your idea of a rating system. In my sign-on days I was afraid to post very often since I was new -- not today -- a lot of new people not only post right away but keep writing dumb vanities and then attack long time posters when we disagree with what they have said. They seem to be out to start flame wars for the most part. Someone this week had been signed on for less than a week and became a major part of the Laura threads trashing away. Stood out like a sore thumb.
When I came on here early in 1999, I was one of the few Bush supporters but for the most part I had reasoned discussions until I ran into Arator and a few others -- occasionally they overheated but nothing like what I have seen recently over nothing. I think a lot of new sign-ons in the last year are disruptors and some old sign-ons have come back to be a pest all over again with their new found buddies from the Class of 2004.
My two cents!
Please no ranking system! I would get the boot for my airheaded comments I make from time to time.! :( They are not viscious, just not always well thought out, generally takes place at around 10:00 at night when I just need to shut up and go to bed. :)