OT: How to NOT get access to messing-about.com!

[Frank Hagan]

As you know, I have had to institute policies requiring a valid ISP email address to register for messing-about.com. This means some people, who try to register with a free, non-ISP email (such as Hotmail or Yahoo) are not granted access. I send each an email explaining the policy again, and give an alternate way to gain access. Most respond either with an explanation and a request for an exception, or their valid ISP email address.

But some people, in an effort to get me to reconsider, use language like this:

I have been living a-board for two years now and it is therefore not possible for all of us to get an ip address from a specific provider and one of the free services is our only means to access the net for reasonable cost. Not everybodies world is small, simple and organized.

That you metioned to report what ever to law enforcement is a joke how would you report an activity to an agency in africa??

Furher I shall not kiss an americans feet for any favours because he belongs to a nation that kills innocent people in other countries for the sake of oil and profit. A nation that has never fired a shot in defence on US soil, has a department mislabeled DOD (DEPARTMNT OF DEFENCE) whereby it should be labelled DOAO (DEPARTEMENT OF AGRESSION AND OPRESSION) AND HAS FOR THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS BROUGHT ENDLESS MISERY FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

Now, besides the obvious tone of the message, the poster has a few things wrong. Law enforcement worldwide will pursue child porn over the Internet, for instance. Even African countries (which last time I checked had actually made it out of the "savages" category and have shed their "sub-human" label he seems to think they still deserve). He also believes my life is "small, simple and organized" which serves to prove he has never seen my desk or shop. He also needs to bone up on his US History; the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War were fought on American soil. We also had that 9-11 thing. As to the rest of the diatribe, well, opinions are fine but I swear I haven't personally been bringing endless misery for the people of the world in one way or another for the last hundred years (I'm only 47 years old, not counting the fetus-9-months, and while I can't remember that fluid filled existance, I'm pretty sure I didn't bring misery to anyone except perhaps my long-suffering mother).

So I'll share my temperate response with you, and for any others who are tempted to write me with insults, you can save your hate speech for another day and go to the places I mention in my response:

Hi' date='

Sorry for the inconvenience. I live in a "static" world its true. As a web site owner, I do have some responsibilities that may not be readily apparent to you. I do not have the resources of a corporate site with their access to attorneys that can protect me, so I must protect myself. Requiring a validated email address is a way I can do that. I'm sorry it offends you, as that wasn't my intention.

I must pass on giving you access on the basis of your insults about my policies or the policies of my country. Its a shame too, because a plain explanation of your situation, given without the insults, would have led to me allowing you into my Internet living room, as it were. After your comments, I'm sure you would not be a good guest, and I will not allow you access. You are not welcome on my site. I don't say that with anger or pride, but with sadness. Perhaps we could have learned something from each other.

But, even given my discomfort with your hatred of me and my country, I will direct you where you can find some help (probably better help for your question than my little board, which is dedicated to the small boat builder). I would first recommend the Wooden Boat Forum at http://www.woodenboat.com, which has a good and diverse group of people very much experienced with gaffers. Many of them also hate Americans and America, even some of the Americans, so you may feel more comfortable there. In addition, Brion Toss' Spar Talk forum found at http://www.briontoss.com has several people experienced with larger gaff rigs. They are less political there, so you might not want to lead with the hate speech. I'm not sure, but Brion may not want to invite you into his living room either.

Good luck, and fair winds.

Frank Hagan

Webmaster

messing-about.com

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[Nora Lee+]

Frank,

Being a newbie, and also a participant of the WBF, I am enjoying a kinder gentler site, thank you for sticking to your guns. 8) :!:

The anger and politics are something that belongs, in a political forum and not on sites where people just want to hang out and have a fun discussion. I don't think I would like to have him in my marina and certainly not on the next dock! (been there done that, and it takes the fun out of your own joy of being on the water)

[Greg Luckett]

Gee, what is that guy's problem? We haven't nuked him yet. Just let me at the button though...... :twisted:

He would make a great voter for the Democrats. Might offset the Mexicans getting legal status......just kidding.

I work with a couple of fellows, one with a 20 year old son just returning from protecting South Korea from North Korea, and headed to the meat grinder next. The other has two sons, one in Afganistan now, another somewhere in the Iraq desert, both young men. My middle child will probably be in the machine by next year. I myself spent 10 years in the Navy. I have little regard for the world's opinion. My hat is off to you Frank, for your very gentle kind response to the ignorant. Bet his country is not civilized much at all, and if Nigerian, probably in the middle of some scam too.

I am sorry you must deal with that sort of people.

[Guest]

I will not turn this thread into a politcal thread. I can share a lot of comments on this one for sure. BUt one thing for sure, many boards are on the net for a simple type in and post to obtain information on boat junk. One thing I did not see was how Frank got attacked for any views stating for or against this country as to where he stood in his reply to the potential poster. An axe to grind in life, period, is my take on it. This board was set up for a particular design but has expanded into some other descussions, keeping with a friendly jab or two, has remained a private playtoy for most of us, funded by a very nice fellow. It is very nice to see the board is policed on a daily bases to maintain this place as a nice place.

As far as no ISP addresses, IMHO, one is not seriously working on much that fits to this board, which is still fine. But this is a family place rated G most of the time, on the web, and I like the profiling part of life sometimes. A family setting requires some form of normality, and with that comes a normal ISP address. Yes there has been exceptions to the rule, but rudeness and hate does not sound like it fits to this family site.

A person can't be doing much work on a boat if traveling on it. If living in a boatyard, then there has to be help there also.

And as we use to say on the farm, if you feed the ponies, you can ride when you decide to, anytime you want. If you don't like our ponies, buy your own, and ride them anytime, anyway, and anywhere you want to go. If you don't , sit on the sidelines and watch the fun. Thanks again Frank.

[Dave Ruedel]

Thanks, Frank. I do quite a bit of traveling in my work, as do many others I know, and we all seem to have legitiment email address, accessable from about anywhere. How would you get into Yahoo in the first place? They also require a "real" mailbox address.

Your forums are informative, entertaining, and pleasant to vew, and I am not worried about anything on the screen if my wife or kids look over my should. Years ago I dropped out of chat rooms simply because it was impossible to "chat" with all the hate and insulting going on. It is only recently, through forums like this and BYYB that I have begun engaging in any internet communications, and this because I have found them to contain the kind of people I would invite to my home, or anchor next to on the water.

Your work is appreciated. Thanks again.

Proud to be a citizen of the country that in its short existance has provided more disaster aid and relief around the world than all the other countries and UN groups combined.

[Jack Gardiner]

Steady as she goes!

Frank, keep them back!!!

"Furher I shall not kiss an americans feet for any favours because he belongs to a nation that kills innocent people in other countries for the sake of oil and profit."

Oil and profit...

seems to me oil prices are up, and we will bear the price of freedom for others in the world besides ourselves, as we have done countless times in the past.

Dont tread on me!

Jack

[Frank Hagan]

I usually try to avoid political discussion when it starts that way. A lot of what passes for debate these days is nothing more than an excuse to hurl insults, and for that, I have no patience. When I engage in political debate, it is to understand the other person's views and consider them; its hard to do that while ducking from dung being flung in your direction.

The "ISP email" rule was the least burdensome way I knew to strip away the anonymous nature of the free email accounts. While the free accounts ask for name and address information, they don't validate it for billing like the ISPs do. If I can identify someone in a better way, which I did recently by cross-referencing a home address with directory assistance, I'll do so. Its more work for me anyway, but I felt it was the best, and least intrusive, way to protect the site.

On the sea, you are obligated by international law to give assistance to those in need. Which is why cruise ships sometimes change course to rescue folks on 35' sailboats. There's an absolute requirement that we watch out for each other "out there", because if we don't, the results are disasterous. Getting a tow back to the dock after your outboard conks out is just an extension of that philosophy, and we see it every day on the water. I think its still rare to find the kinds of attitudes he expressed among cruisers, and even more rare to find the kinds of people on the water that you see on so many on-line forums; it doesn't fit in with the experiences I've had with "boat people" in the real world. Maybe its the radiation from the monitor, or the lack of the gentle rocking of the boat beneath them.