Goodbye, Serotta!

[Archibald]

Well it is time for me to say goodbye. I have been hanging out here for a while, but will no longer be an active participant. I won't lurk on occasions, or ask about rides if I go somewhere. But the Serotta forum has just not worked out for me. People are so dang mean! For the most part I have been let down. Maybe I underestimated the population of the Serotta forum. Don't get me wrong, I have gained some useful information from this site (mostly about fetish sites, collecting belly button lint, and Catulle's obsession with R. Crump.). But there is a core group that think they are so cool (you know who you are, the damn midget mafia). It's too bad that a couple of people can ruin a site, thinking that it exist for their own amusement. I received a lot of support, via e-mail, fax, instant messaging, certified mail, and carrier pidgeon from different people during some pretty heated flame wars. But all in all I don't believe that I made any friends on the Serotta forum. That really upsets me because Serotta's are the most important thing in my life. That's too bad, I came here looking for bikers with a common interest, but found a bunch of people who believe that their sole purpose was to be smartasses. Like that buttmunch atmo and his boy-toy cpg. People make character assumptions based on a post in a thread. I realize that I brought some of this on myself (especially with my deep knowledge concerning the interaction of saran wrap, crisco, and maraschino cherries), but I also know that I am a much better person than some of you think. Stuart Smalley says I am so it must be true! A lot of people have made assumptions about me that were completely wrong. I might meet some of you in the future, and you will be very surprised b/c I am not the person that you think I am. I am much more irreverent in addition to having six toes on my right foot.

Goodbye Serotta. I'll just cruise off to somewhere more hospitable.

Pete

[Sandy]

I don't know your personal experiences here, nor precisely what or whom makes you feel as you do. I certainly respect your thought processes in deciding what you will or will not do, but my perception of this place is much different than yours. Perhaps that is because I limit my forum interaction almost exclusively to this single forum.

I think that the core of people that interact here do so in a most respectful, caring, and helpful manner. The knowledge base exhibited here is simply astonishing, both in cycling and non-cycling content. I have made some remarkably meaningful friendships on this forum and really have a great deal of trust in so many individuals that frequent this place. One quickly receives helpful and expert advice in both cycling and life issues. Respectful and caring responses to posts are the norm.

Why would you allow a "couple of people" ruin this site for you? Just read, assimilate, and use that portion of the forum that you find helpful and meaningful. Certainly there are some who "think they are so cool", but just don't pay attention to them. I am sorry that some here have cast, per your statements, negative feelings about your character.

I find you to have a special ability in articulation of thoughts and seem quite knowledegeable. I am saddened by the fact that you perceive this place as you do. Perhaps you might give the place another chance. My best friends are members of this forum. There are some genuinely wonderful people who visit here.



Sandy

[shinomaster]

It took me a while to get to understand you and you posts, but when I did I was glad you were here. This place is a bit cruel at times. I have been insulted and berated and yelled at plenty more than you ...trust me. You know what? Eff them...There are always critics, and half of the time they are wrong. Just listen to the people you have respect for.

[sbornia]

2 cents of a forum noob: this place is SO much more respectful, informative, and generally nice than other bike boards. in fact, there's so little 'tude here, i've simply stopped reading the forum that referred me here in the first place.

[Sandy]

Super Shino has it right, I believe.


Sandy

[rwsaunders]

We're a gonna round up a posse pilgrim.....

[Gothard]

Don't leave. Any imput is welcome here, you can then sort out the useless from the useful (for you).
Or, do as I do. Throw a hissy fit and come back after a few hours ... :rolleyes:

[Kevin]

What is going on with all the public resignations? :confused:

Kevin

[stevep]

you cant vote yourself off the island.
you have to be thrown off the island by management
you are entitled to a one day leave of absence according to union rules

[beat up justin when you see him

[Lifelover]

Well it is time for me to say goodbye. I have been hanging out here for a while, but will no longer be an active participant. I won't lurk on occasions, or ask about rides if I go somewhere. But the Serotta forum has just not worked out for me. People are so dang mean! For the most part I have been let down. Maybe I underestimated the population of the Serotta forum. Don't get me wrong, I have gained some useful information from this site (mostly about fetish sites, collecting belly button lint, and Catulle's obsession with R. Crump.). But there is a core group that think they are so cool (you know who you are, the damn midget mafia). It's too bad that a couple of people can ruin a site, thinking that it exist for their own amusement. I received a lot of support, via e-mail, fax, instant messaging, certified mail, and carrier pidgeon from different people during some pretty heated flame wars. But all in all I don't believe that I made any friends on the Serotta forum. That really upsets me because Serotta's are the most important thing in my life. That's too bad, I came here looking for bikers with a common interest, but found a bunch of people who believe that their sole purpose was to be smartasses. Like that buttmunch atmo and his boy-toy cpg. People make character assumptions based on a post in a thread. I realize that I brought some of this on myself (especially with my deep knowledge concerning the interaction of saran wrap, crisco, and maraschino cherries), but I also know that I am a much better person than some of you think. Stuart Smalley says I am so it must be true! A lot of people have made assumptions about me that were completely wrong. I might meet some of you in the future, and you will be very surprised b/c I am not the person that you think I am. I am much more irreverent in addition to having six toes on my right foot.

Goodbye Serotta. I'll just cruise off to somewhere more hospitable.

Pete


While I pretty much agree with your assessment of the "cool" people I don't agree that they are generally mean. Rude maybe but not mean.

However your real problem is hidden in your statement above.

ATMO you and the "cool" people need to consider getting a life!

[William]

Archie,

This is an internet forum, and by most standards a very civil one compared the majority of what's out there. I have met a lot of great people through the Serotta forum, and I've been called an a$$ by a few disgruntled members who are a vocal, silent, minority who complain through the back door. As Sandy said, there are a lot of very knowledgeable people here, yourself included, who contribute all the time, sometimes you have to sift a little through the fluff....Just like in life. It's not a Chilton manual for Serotta's here, it's a place for members with a common bond to converse, banter, and shoot the *****. I personally think this place would get real boring, real fast if all we were allowed to talk about 24/7 was Serotta.

As far as character assumptions, I think anyone who has met me through this forum knows that I am quite a normal person regardless of what is thought from my postings. And for those who haven't and think I'm a whack job.....I could care less. I'm not here to impress. As such, I'm not generally bothered by what others post. If I I am, I ignore and move on. I am my own censor and I don't feel a need to control others to conform to my POV. As long as no one gets hurt, live and let live.

What's the point of my rambling you say???

Screw em. Be your self, contribute when you can, and have fun. There are good people here as well a$$e$. Take it all in stride.


William

[British]

An inbred soiree?

[William]

An inbred soiree?

C'mon, Everybody now....

http://steelturman.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/inbred.JPG







William

[Big Dan]

***?.........

who's going to defend Lance now........... :eek:

[Smiley]

Lets not take this place too seriously now. I too have met many more good people then bad. I do ignore the rough stuff when said but generally I have learned much from others postings including yours and Mr faster then me, Justin. Anyway take a break and come back soon. The world has far more crazier people then this place.

[BumbleBeeDave]

What is going on with all the public resignations? :confused:

Kevin

I think they're trying to give you a hint. Ever since the "Naked Pictures of Sandy" everyone thinks you're a whack-job. It's been very disappointing to those of us who really ARE whack-jobs that you have acted so, uh, normal since then. If you had just made a few ridiculous, unsupported sweeping judgement . . . or flown off the handle and called atmo unprintable stuff (trust me, it's FUN!) that Serotta Andrew had to get up in the middle of the night to delete . . . or lectured me on how judgemental and officious I am . . . well, THEN we could have forgiven you.

But. No. You had to act normal, contributing reasonably intelligent observations and complimenting people on their bike pictures. Welcoming new members in a friendly manner and sniping at those who, uh, obviously need to be sniped at.

We all know it's just been a devious, calculating campaign to conceal the fact that you're sitting in front of your computer in your underwear, bottles of lithium and Lexapro on the desk, giggling hysterically as you type these "normal" posts whileshooting cheez whiz directly into you're mouth . . .

So we're on to you, buddy. And those of us in the cool "in" group have dragooned these semi-newbies into sacrificing themselves to give you the hint.

Get OUTTA here, ya' knucklehead! ;)

(And as for William, he's ON OUR LIST! :eek: )





Why the heck is Justin in jail, anyway???

[djg]

[QUOTE=Lifelover

ATMO you and the "cool" people need to consider getting a life![/QUOTE]

No he doesn't, he's got a life. Just focusing on the named party ATMO, I don't know the guy but from the board, and rep, but it seems he's got a home and a marriage, and friends, and a successful small business as a very well regarded craftsman, and he races and supports bike racing. As far as I know, there's no serial killing in the mix. Who are we to fine tune this balance?

So here's the thing: I have no idea where he finds the time for so many posts, and I don't always agree with what he says or like how he says it, but if ATMO is your worst example of a quirky and supposedly hostile flamer on an internet board, then I'd think either that we have very different perceptions or you haven't been to many boards. I like having him here not because he routinely massages my prejudices about cycling and the world (kinda hit and miss, really) or because he considers me one of the "cool kids" (I'm not really convinced he considers me much at all, one way or another, which is fine), but because he often enough says things that are interesting and/or informative and because he's part of a cluster of well regarded frame builders who convene here (some regularly, some occassionally), which seems to me to really add something to the forum, and because some of it is amusing. It's easy enough to skip the rants if one's not interested, or to back out of posts that are circling the drain.

I really don't wish for Archibald to feel chased away here (the only person I've been glad to see gone is liteblanker) or, more mysteriously, Justin, but I am entirely convinced that atmo is not a detriment to the board and I'd hate to see him go and I'd hate to see us policing the community more finely than we've done.

[sspielman]

Lay off of ATMO.....the guy has impeccable taste....Now, there are ALOT of people who can build that kind of a bike fram....but there are NOT that many who show the good form to have a thing for Adrienne Barbot!!!! Right on Maude!

[AgilisMerlin]

i would highly recommend not going over to the velonews forum, they will have you tied to the stake within a week - and will be sticking matches between your toes as they are sharpening their knives.


just a thought :no:



AmerliN (i am one of the cool people, a case of tragically being hip'- as my avatar reflects)

[J.Greene]

Screw em. Be your self, contribute when you can, and have fun. There are good people here as well a$$e$. Take it all in stride.
William

+1

Archie, Just be yourself atmo

JG

[Sandy]

I feel somewhat foolish now. I guess that I should have read the initial post more carefully and realized the relationship of those involved. I guess that I too easily accept what is written here as actually being the genuine thoughts of the individual, especially if I don't really know that person.

The initial post was simply a story. I guess I was too gullible. I will be more careful in the future.


Sandy

[bostondrunk]

That really upsets me because Serotta's are the most important thing in my life.
Pete

Thats cool man. Sachs framesets are the most important thang in my life. No, wait.....my autographed poster of William in that cage match against Paul Orndorf and Junkyard Dog takes first place...
Stick around....together we can rule the forum......Join me in torturing such forumites as Shinomassa.......you don't know the power of the dark side!!!......

[atmo]

snipped for space reasons
this "cool kids" thing has certainly jumped the shark and i have no recollection wrt how or why it began. for my part, i like everybody here and i consider this a community. i post on threads that are germaine to my interests (racing, building, and spinelli), and i don't post on threads that regard rapha women's clothing, lactating (remember that one?), or anything to do with guns - unless they are from purdys.

ya' know what is wierd to me? that so much emo can be mustered up over such trivia in such a short period. justin is a pal. archie is a pal. and even andrew, who i've never met, is a pal. and we all email and pm each other about forum ish regularly. heck - rarely a day passes when i don't chat with archie. its' all good and it's all fun.

if someone doesn't get me as a result of my forum decorum, mebbe it's because i post under the required word count, and economy of word sometimes leave a reader wondering if i am being condesceding. i am not. i post when i can, or when i'm on the phone, or at night when i sit across the couch as my wife aka the lovely deb reads books written by women who've been dead for the minimum 115 years atmo. she has her book, i have my ibook.

and to borrow from a pm session i had last night with andrew, the "cool guys" issue that permeates here is rooted in (at least) two separate and distinct reasons (snipped from my replies to him):

1) just between you and me, part of this issue is rooted in the fact
that - while this is a marketing arm of serotta cycles, and it does
often seem like a peg, or zanc, or atmo fan site - you all have
inherited this community from kahuna, and that transition has
never, ever been completed. we've cautiously debated this issue
online, but it eventually fizzles. alot of us are "here" at least
2-3 years before ben et al took it over. that fact will be why the
lines are always vague. i once asked you, or mebbe another mod,
or mebbe it was onlist, but i asked is this a serotta owner's forum
OR is it a forum sponsored by serotta? atmo it can't be both.

if this truly is a marketing vehicle for serotta, i respectfully suggest
you all get in on every other thread and steer the conversation. you
should also start thread that are germaine to serotta products. make
the forum one happy infomercial. until that line is crossed, everyone
will run without borders.

2) now - again, NONE of this would happen if we all were required
to post as ourselves!

these are my inner feelings. i like this place, and i like the people atmo. this "cool kids" and lunch table bs needs to be reined in.

[dbrk]

I missed the tongue in cheek of Archibald...totally. I deleted my sermonizing post about the difference between respect and regard, etc.

Not too bright,

dbrk

[Birddog]

Real internet men don't make an exit with a public posting of their feelings, hostilites, loves etc., they just fade away into bandwidth wasteland like Bigmac, Chunk666, and maybe even Bulliedog (not sure if he still lurks or not). This all an attention getter, like a weak attempted suicide, or a child screaming at his parents "I hate you" cuz he/she didn't get their way.

All that said, I think Archie's post was totally TIC.

Birddog

PS Why doesn't someone start a bicycle line and call it "Entendre", then start building tandems. Or why hasn't someone started a ski co and called them "Lells"?

[Jason E]

This all an attention getter, like a weak attempted suicide

Like turning on a Prius in a parked garage and hooking a hose up to the cab and taking deep breaths.

[Sandy]

I missed the tongue in cheek of Archibald...totally. I deleted my sermonizing post about the difference between respect and regard, etc.

Not too bright,

dbrk


I feel foolish. I was the first to accept what was said as basically a genuine thought. Archibald was just being humorous.


Simple Sandy

[gt6267a]

anyone who trades princess bride quotes with me is a cool guy in my book. like any group interaction, people do and say that which they never would one on one. this is true in person or the net.

i enjoy archibald's posts. will keep my peach protector on, and prepare to ride oak mtn tmr on the moots. archi if you happen to be in the birmingham al area tmr morning, please join us.

[dbrk]

I feel foolish. I was the first to accept what was said as basically a genuine thought. Archibald was just being humorous.
Simple Sandy


Sandy you may _feel_ foolish but you shouldn't since you were just being sincere. I may feel foolish too but I was just being pedantic. You're good at being sincere---you are the genuine light of decency amongst us---while I am the prolix, pedantic prolocutor who should leave alliteration to you and save my sermons for Sunday. Oops, what did I say about alliteration?

dbrk

[mcteague]

As Malcom Reynolds said about the Operative in an extended scene from the movie "Serenity" (sorry, I have become a BIG "Firefly" fan after renting the DVDs) "What a whiner". I don't own a Serotta but gravitated to this forum, as Kahuna's seemed to losing speed with the pressure from mfgrs to cease using their names; Serotta did put up their own but Seven never did...bums. I frequent quite a few forums and newsgroups and this one seems the least offensive. Each has their stars whose posts I tend to read the most. rec.bicycles.tech has Jobst Brandt, Peter Chisolm and others. This forum has such luminaries as Sachs and Kirk. Brandt can be really insulting but it mostly seems to be that he truly suffers fools badly. Most people here seem to have just the right sense of fun, as when one post devolved into quote after quote of lines from "The Princess Bride". So, take it like a man or just stop reading. I'll leave with another quote from the TV show...

Harrow: "You didn't have to wound the man."

Mal: "Yeah, I know, it was just funny."

Tim McTeague

[roman meal]

I feel somewhat foolish now. I guess that I should have read the initial post more carefully and realized the relationship of those involved. I guess that I too easily accept what is written here as actually being the genuine thoughts of the individual, especially if I don't really know that person.

The initial post was simply a story. I guess I was too gullible. I will be more careful in the future.


Sandy

Yes, I interpreted it as attention seeking behavior. Just another episode in the story, with some good zings to spice it up. And that should never trump the worth of a sincere response, sincerity being rarer these days than the Ethiopian wolf, which is the world's rarest dog, I'm told. (only 500).

[saab2000]

Some people take this place way too seriously. Nobody should leave. I'm staying.

The other fora are not more hospitable BTW. They can be mean, nasty and full of odd things.

The truth is here.

Just my $.02

[Chad Engle]

Best forum there is. Without it, I'd never have stolen a peach.

[davids]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=282397&postcount=7

[SBash]

Well, maybe the best thing is to go away for awhile and reflect. I have been a member here since 2003 and really just started posting here again. There is a huge amount of cycling knowlege here, and you do not have to post to pick it up. If you do not like it, ignore.

SB
PS: Best cycling forum in th universe!

[Fat Robert]

just go, will you?


and:

when you meet the brazer in the road -- kill him

[Lifelover]

No he doesn't, he's got a life. Just focusing on the named party ATMO, I don't know the guy but from the board, and rep, but it seems he's got a home and a marriage, and friends, and a successful small business as a very well regarded craftsman, and he races and supports bike racing. As far as I know, there's no serial killing in the mix. Who are we to fine tune this balance?

So here's the thing: I have no idea where he finds the time for so many posts, and I don't always agree with what he says or like how he says it, but if ATMO is your worst example of a quirky and supposedly hostile flamer on an internet board, then I'd think either that we have very different perceptions or you haven't been to many boards. I like having him here not because he routinely massages my prejudices about cycling and the world (kinda hit and miss, really) or because he considers me one of the "cool kids" (I'm not really convinced he considers me much at all, one way or another, which is fine), but because he often enough says things that are interesting and/or informative and because he's part of a cluster of well regarded frame builders who convene here (some regularly, some occassionally), which seems to me to really add something to the forum, and because some of it is amusing. It's easy enough to skip the rants if one's not interested, or to back out of posts that are circling the drain.

I really don't wish for Archibald to feel chased away here (the only person I've been glad to see gone is liteblanker) or, more mysteriously, Justin, but I am entirely convinced that atmo is not a detriment to the board and I'd hate to see him go and I'd hate to see us policing the community more finely than we've done.


You miss read my post (kind of).

ATMO stands for "According to My Opinion". It does not directly refer to the frame builder

[djg]

this "cool kids" thing has certainly jumped the shark and i have no recollection wrt how or why it began ...

ATMO mon, I'm not sure I understand much of any of the consternation here, real or faux, or how you took my post (to which you seem to be responding, although you snipped all the contents but for my handle), but the "cool kids" thing is not an issue for me and I hope that nothing in my post suggested that I found you ... geeze, I dunno, cliquish (like in a snobby high school girl kinda way or otherwise) or clannish or exclusionary. I mean this all in whatever way would be useful or salutary or at least sensible: literally or figuratively, humorously or seriously or --your __ly here--.

I don't know most folks here, but I enjoy the board and have met some real good folks -- live and in person -- through it. As for handles, I don't much care. I post under my initials and have been glad to share my full name with folks I've met (or anybody who has actually asked).

[djg]

You miss read my post (kind of).

ATMO stands for "According to My Opinion". It does not directly refer to the frame builder

Ah. Gotcha. Never mind.

[atmo]

ATMO mon, I'm not sure I understand much of any of the consternation here, real or faux, or how you took my post (to which you seem to be responding, although you snipped all the contents but for my handle), but the "cool kids" thing is not an issue for me and I hope that nothing in my post suggested that I found you ... geeze, I dunno, cliquish (like in a snobby high school girl kinda way or otherwise) or clannish or exclusionary. I mean this all in whatever way would be useful or salutary or at least sensible: literally or figuratively, humorously or seriously or --your __ly here--.

I don't know most folks here, but I enjoy the board and have met some real good folks -- live and in person -- through it. As for handles, I don't much care. I post under my initials and have been glad to share my full name with folks I've met (or anybody who has actually asked).
it's cool atmo.
i posted that while ordering parts and wanted to
keep it short. i just used your post because it intro-ed
the cool kids thing back into forumspeak this a.m.

[nm87710]

Real internet men don't make an exit with a public posting of their feelings, hostilites, loves etc., they just fade away into bandwidth wasteland like Bigmac, Chunk666, and maybe even Bulliedog (not sure if he still lurks or not). This all an attention getter, like a weak attempted suicide, or a child screaming at his parents "I hate you" cuz he/she didn't get their way."

+1 ;)

[Archibald]

Hi Everybody! Lance Armstrong here!

I just want everyone to know that I was the one who made Archi leave.

Here's a linky (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=23635) so you'll understand why Archie had to go.

Ta Ta for now!!!

[Steelhead]

If you think there are a couple of bad apples in this bunch.....you should take a "stroll" on over to Bike Mojo - those guys (and a few gals) are straight up hostile, crude, immature, and juvenile - there are some really cool people there but I haven't been there in over a year cause' ther are some real losers there. this board is like a breath of fresh air and the riders here really "get it" when it comes to the life known as cycling.

[Chief]

This is what I like about this forum. I can logon with a clear mind and anticipation of things to come and before I know it I am totally confused and don't understand what is going on. "Stop the world I want to get off."

[Sandy]

This is what I like about this forum. I can logon with a clear mind and anticipation of things to come and before I know it I am totally confused and don't understand what is going on. "Stop the world I want to get off."

You are very well educated, a professor (retired I believe), brilliant, logical, sensible, and appear to be emotionally very stable. Do you really expect to make sense out of the rest of us? ;) :)


Sometimes Sensible Sometimes Stable Sometimes Smart Sometimes Stupid Serotta Somebody

[csm]

I regularly visit only 3 forums; serotta, element owners club and special stage.
I find that I have to check here at least once a day.

[William]

http://www.cartuneland.com/get%20out.gif



William :p ;) ;)

[Kevin]

I regularly visit only 3 forums; serotta, element owners club and special stage.
I find that I have to check here at least once a day.


I am another bike and car guy. I check Serotta and AudiWorld.

Kevin

[Sandy]

I am another bike and car guy. I check Serotta and AudiWorld.

Kevin


Me too! Wal-Mart and Yugo. :rolleyes:


Simple Sandy

[Cary Ford]

those guys (and a few gals) are straight up hostile, crude, immature, and juvenile

That's exactly the reason why I like this forum...you can be all those things here, but respectfully so...like real adults.

My cyberfeelings have never been hurt on any forum. Virtually...

[Kevin]

Me too! Wal-Mart and Yugo. :rolleyes:


Simple Sandy


I buy at Wal-Mart and Yugo, but I check out Serotta and Audiworld to see how the other half lives. ;)

Kevin

[Lincoln]

Audiworld seems to be a pretty good forum. Unfortunately I've been a Honda/Acura guy for quite a while now and most of those phorums are horrible.

The only forum I've found that comes close to matching this place for the quality of discussions (both on an off topic) and level of respect is TimeZone.