???

I don't know quite what you mean by this.  I think the overstated use of
killfiles is a feeble ploy, but I don't get myself worked up because
people do it.  I'm just expressing an opinion.  You should recall that I
have also challenged Bookie about her lurid comments re necklacing
someone with a burning tire.  

In fact, I am wholly consistent in my outlook.  As far as I'm concerned,
you and Bookie and Lynne are peas in a pod... truculent cat ladies with
unbounded hostility toward anyone who falls short of your cat-welfare
standards, and plenty of hostility left over to direct at one another.  I
call it as I see it.  It doesn't mean I'm upset, or that I don't like you.

Charlie

She may be genuinely frustrated with certain aspects of her life, but her
comments about fat people and Americans are calculated to get a rise out
of people.

Yes, in fact that is what they are saying -- "shut up because I'm not
listening."  It's a feeble attempt to exert control over someone else.

There just isn't that much volume in this group.  Nor does any one person
account for a disproportionate share of the volume.  Filters are
overkill... all people have to do is ignore whatever posts they don't
want to read.  But that doesn't send a message to whoever it is that
annoys them, does it?

Charlie

I always figured it was to get attention (any person, any group -
making the announcement to kill-file somebody or leave the group).

I have left many groups permanently, and some groups off and on,
because I don't like the arguments on the group, the nastiness of some
people, or the group is more off-topic than non-topic. I never make an
announcement. I just leave.

This is one group that I come back every now and then to see if the
attitude has improved. Sometimes, I ask a question, respond to a few
posts, stay awhile. Sometimes I take a look and leave without even
posting.

Some groups, I have never gone back to. A couple weeks ago, I ditched
a mailing list because the moderator was cancelling posts that were
ontopic and polite,but disagreed with his opinion. In my case, he
didn't like the lights I was using for photography, and emailed me  to
tell me to remove my statement about them (that they worked well).We
were already discussing the topic of lights and what worked well for
each of us. If he disliked my lights, he could have argued it on the
list. But he blocked my post because he thought i was wrong. I simply
replied that I could not alter my post. I waited a few days to see if
he would let it go through, and then I unsubcribed. Who knows how many
other valid discussions were quashed by his need to be right.

I can tell you that my opinions are certain topics have done a full
turnaround from my early postings 15 years ago. But I didn't change my
opinion when people were calling me names and being rude to me. I
changed my beliefs later when I was doing research and learned the
truth. If people want to make a difference, educating people works a
lot better than yelling and screaming. As it is, I usally figure the
other person knows they've lost when they get to the point of name
calling and off topic insults. Why? Because they aren't arguing the
actual topic. They ran out of valid points and got personal.

In some ways I agree with you here.

I can remember getting worked up into a lather when someone announced
that they were going to killfile me, quite recently in fact. But, the
more I thought about it, the more I realised that the person who chose
to kill file me could have quite easily done so & kept it to them
self. The whole reason for announcing it, was to humiliate me. It
really had nothing to do with what I said @ all..It was more to do
with thinking/ knowing  they had the power & wielding it it to
humiliate not just me, but everyone who they disliked, for whatever
reasons. It wasn't until someone grouped them together with me &
another feline friend, that the penny dropped.

They were more concerned with what other people thought of them, than
being grouped with us for an entirely different reasons. Now, I
couldn't care less, because I understand why. The only reason that it
hurt @ all in the first place was because I actually cared for &
respected them- Now that I know better, It is no loss to me @ all,
because in that one instant, they showed me how shallow they actually
were.. & I saw them in their true colours for the first time.

The moral of this story, is that everyone has the choice as to whether
or not they read something, however, if they choose to treat you that
way in public, that person is probably best avoided. They hold you in
contempt & obviously feel superior for one reason or another, & feel
the need for others to know it for personal agenda's. You can choose
to ignore people quietly & you are not forced into humiliating anyone,
whether you like them, or not!

A lot of people might find what Bookie has to say as abrasive &
thoughtless. I think that you will find that she does it for a good
reason. This is her method of sorting out the wood from the tree's.
You might not agree with her methods, or her opinion's,  but I think
you will find that she is honest in everything that she says. Some of
the things she says *are* outrageous, but she never feeds you full of
simpering Bull Sh@t . I think you will find that we all have our
moments of passion, anger in expression. (excluding charlie of course,
Lol) It's how you choose to deal with it that matters.

And, Yes, I do include myself here! :o)
Sheelagh >"o"<

no just tired and trying to fill in a very long application form for
some funding, thought I might get some light relief by taking a quick
look at what was happenign here, big mistake really