Why Pelicans should meet and have a beer

[Hugh R]

I've noticed a big increase in the rancor on PPOT in the last few months. Perhaps it's the economy... I don't know. What I do notice is that Pelican's that I've broken bread with seem to be a lot more civil to me when I disagree with them. Especially on political threads.

I've met a lot of Pelicans around the world (literally) and enjoyed the company of everyone of them. It's way too easy to get in a heated/spirited debate with someone you think is a moron/stupid/liberal/conservative/pro-choice/pro-life//////whatever.

Let's take the specific case of Shaun 84 Targa. He and I had a wonderful dinner at the Union Oyster House in Boston (the oldest continuously operated restaurant in North America) and he gave me a bunch of fantastic long sleeved T-Shirts with an image of my 1930 Rudge Whitworth motorcycle. I'd given him a bunch of green screened pics of it.

Shaun and I agree on a lot of stuff, but we also disagree on a lot of stuff. I consider him a friend. I may kid Shaun on a rebuttal, and I may seriously challenge him with a "Shaun, WTF are you thinking" but it's always respectful. Ditto with him. He doesn't respond with an "Eff you" for challenging me. Where am I going with this???? You guys, with your venom are going to kill PPOT. Members will just go "Screw it, I'm out of here"

I have not yet been able to make the Las Vegas get togethers, due to my travel demands. I will do my best to commit to the next one. I think the more Pelicans you meet the better. Then, while you may disagree, you'll at least have met them and had a beer and realize that they are not that different than you.

The regular posters here are "junkies" including me. I know "Junkie" is a hard word, but like AA, your first step is to admit it, you're an addict. You get your addiction from other posters that agree or disagree with you. If everyone you disagree with goes away, where is the challenge? If you poison the well, no one will drink from it.

Oh, and the thread I started a few days ago about posting your first name was sort of along the same theme. I can go to websites all day long where kids hurl hate at each other.

[Paul K]

Hugh:

Well said. I have noticed that more & more threads quickly drop to a level where the original question/point is long forgotten, and insults abound. That was especially true with your 'first name' thread. Grady Clay & I had a discussion on this topic and both basically agreed with what you said. I am afraid the anonymity of the web changes what we say and how we say it, to the detriment of politeness. I'm not sure meeting for a beer is the best solution due to logistics (especially for me), but I applaud your cause!

Cheers,

Paul.

[Racerbvd]

I met & had a few beers with some fellow PP while I was in Denver, only one in DC responded, and by that time, it was a bit late for an hour drive. No luck in Portland either.

[Pazuzu]

Right now, if a Pelican met me somewhere, they wouldn't know that I was here. I've succeeded in causing too many rifts in my few short months here, despite the fact that I'm a good upstanding person to meet.

It's probable that you won't know you met "Pazuzu" until the next day when I say on here that I met so and so.

It'll get better come late November, or January at the latest.

[Hugh R]

Paz. that's my point. If you want to go on the board and be divisive (hey you stupid f) go ahead, but in the long run it, it drags it down. I've only been on the board for about 5 years, and my wife says I'm a junkie. I travel a lot and I've met Pelicans in about a dozen states, and about a dozen countries. I never had anything but an excellent time with all of them.

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Paz. that's my point. If you want to go on the board and be divisive (hey you stupid f) go ahead, but in the long run it, it drags it down.

I came from a board that I helped from early on...probably 10 years all said and done. It was a rude, crude, raunchy board where anything went. We abused "noobs" as a ritual, and no one was safe from being destroyed even if they had been there for a while. I too met many many people. I ate with them, I drank with them, I stayed at their houses, I helped then work on their truck and had them help me work on my truck. Hell, I met my girlfriend through that board when she was living in Germany. However, when you were in the internet mode, it was all rancor and spittle there.

It's hard to break away from that "forum mentality". I'm trying. Part of that is walking away from the threads that are going to do nothing but get someone in trouble.

[HardDrive]

I like air cooled Porsche guys.

I have meet some of the local Pelicans. I'm sure our political views are quite different. But it seem like the guys that appreciate the engineering that went into the air cooled cars tend to be intelligent folks, and they are gentleman as well.

I think as I have gotten older, I have become more circumspect about my political views. I am more comfortable with the gray that defines most issues.

Still bums me out I have never had a beer with Joe Aska...

[mattdavis11]

I've had lunch with one, and talked on the phone with another. Both are wise beyond their years. Great people.

[island911]

Hey just last month I had a beer with Superman and some R-groppers (among others) --great discussions. They know their (opposing) positions w/o losing it.

OTOH, I'm noticing there are some others here (whom I've also met) who are so in love with the idea of Obama that they can't see straight. ..and get very pissy. ...take this all very personally.

I give it 4 months to settle back down to a dull roar.

[9dreizig]

Originally Posted by island911

OTOH, I'm noticing there are some others here (whom I've also met) who are so in love with the idea of Obama that they can't see straight. ..and get very pissy. ...take this all very personally.

I give it 4 months to settle back down to a dull roar.

Hey don't feel bad, I can't even mention the name Mc Cain around my brother, they are really pissy can't figure out why ??

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Last time I set out to meet some Pelicans for a beer, my car exploded.

But I'd be willing to try it again if anyone ever wants to meet up. I probably won't drive my P-car though for fear of a cursed repeat of history or something cosmic like that.

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

I like air cooled Porsche guys.

Us water cooled guys are just fine too. I promise.

I have noticed how out of hand things have gotten as of late and Im usually disappointed when I scroll down the list on OT and only take interest in one thread. Im so ready for this election crap to be over.

I know I have tried to keep a low profile mostly because of my young age. I was and am still afraid that I wont be taken seriously if everyone knows that Im only 17. I have been here almost a year and I already think I have an addiction issue. However if any of yall (yes that does say YALL) are ever traveling through Oklahoma on I40 give me a call and I know where some killer BBQ and steaks can be found. No twisties tho this landscape is kinda flat.

[slodave]

I've drank with more Pelicans than than I can count and met a hundred or so over the past 3 years and 99% are great to be around.

OT is not the same and not really fun these days.

I'm not addicted. Nope, not me.

[daepp]

I'm in for a DMZ beer!

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Last time I set out to meet some Pelicans for a beer, my car exploded.

But I'd be willing to try it again if anyone ever wants to meet up. I probably won't drive my P-car though for fear of a cursed repeat of history or something cosmic like that.

I think the proper term is melted down.

[dd74]

I once met Island at a gathering. I've never been the same.

Seriously, despite how we feud here, I'd still shake his hand if I met him again.

Yeah, most Pelicans are cool. Alcohol helps.

[pwd72s]

seems to be cyclic, doesn't it? new posters show here during the campaign season, tend to leave afterward?

But it the meantime, these newbies are great at divisiveness...just like the politicians they favor.

Yep..it's us vs. them, and they are out to get us.

Think I'll drop off this board for 2 weeks or more...beginning on the 9th.

[widgeon13]

I'd meet most anyone. There's only one or two that make my list of 'no interest to meet" and one of them was banned some time ago. I live in the NE and will be in San Jose in early Nov for an AOPA meeting if anyone is in the area.

I don't plan to pay for airline tickets to meet with you guys but if I'm in town for an event and someone is close by, great!

Oh, and I don't do wine and cheese!

[djmcmath]

I've met a bunch of Pelicans, and it's always been a good thing. But then, I haven't met any Pelicans in a while -- it really tailed off after I no longer owned a Porsche. Showing up for Pelican events in a BMW just doesn't seem the same. I suppose there are enough of us with old Honda 400's that I could probably show up on my bike, though?

I wonder if maybe the atmosphere of Pelican is changing? It seems like when I started hanging out here, it was a lot quieter. More humor, less anger. Maybe the times are hard on all of us, and we're taking it out on each other. Maybe we're getting more polarized. Maybe we're just more childish than we were before.

Yeah, I'd be up for meeting for a beer with any Pelicans in the DC area.

Dan

[tabs]

If I see any of you Boyz on the street let's just pretend we don't know each other.