What's happening, folks?

From: "Stephen G. Esrati"
Organization: SBC http://yahoo.sbc.com
Reply-To:
Newsgroups: rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 2003 18:48:54 GMT
Subject: What's happening, folks?

I gave up a long time ago. At first I thought the discussion of Spanish
North Africa as serious, and so I posted memories of Ceuta and Mellila.
Then I was criticized for saying such crap did not belong here.

Well, one man's crap.... Personally, I had a lot of fun with SNA, and I
hardly see harm in spoofing our own hobby. If you were taken in by initial
postings, then...good! It should have improved your humbleness quotient.

Once upon a time, Ken Lawrence and I posted serious philatelic articles
here. No more. I don't know if Ken even looks here, but I usually look
and go on.

Which is to say that nothing that any of us post has merit? To quote General
Tony McAuliffe, when he was informed that the Germans wanted him to
surrender Bastogne, "Aw, nuts!"

Bob Ingraham

Bob Ingraham wrote:
What's happening to this newsgroup? Three new posts so far today? Bummer!

I'll have to admit that I've been more than a little irritated lately by
some of the inane posts made not only by our spammer(s) but by regular
members. Sometimes I feel like I'm in a cocktail party, having to listen to
drunks who think they're funny and clever and want everyone else to think so
too!

I've wondered if I'm not getting everything. I've wondered if the spam (and
the pointless responses to spam) have finally gotten to the majority of
people who drop in here, and they're just giving up. A few weeks ago,
before our current crop of spam, we were going great guns. It was a
wonderful and very philatelic place to be. Lately, it's just dross for the
most part.

I've posted several messages which I thought were worthwhile, and there's
been hardly a response in most cases. In a couple of cases, there was no
response at all. Phooey. Have the spammers won? Has the Swen virus caused so
many problems that people have "given up" for the time being? (I'm still
getting up to 100 bogus e-mails a day). Maybe I'm just in a funk. Ideas?

Bob Ingraham

On Fri, 03 Oct 2003 19:32:48 GMT, Bob Ingraham
wrote:



From: "Stephen G. Esrati"
Organization: SBC http://yahoo.sbc.com
Reply-To:
Newsgroups: rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 2003 18:48:54 GMT
Subject: What's happening, folks?

I gave up a long time ago. At first I thought the discussion of Spanish
North Africa as serious, and so I posted memories of Ceuta and Mellila.
Then I was criticized for saying such crap did not belong here.

Well, one man's crap.... Personally, I had a lot of fun with SNA, and I
hardly see harm in spoofing our own hobby. If you were taken in by initial
postings, then...good! It should have improved your humbleness quotient.

Absa-fraggin-lutely. Some people aren't endowed with humor... We
were talking about that a few minutes ago.

BTW, SNA has been a very MINOR player in the past 3 - 4 months. It
had its time and place. It was spun of the very same problems /
issues / controversies that world post offices have. It's not that
difficult to figure out, even for those that come in late in the game.

Once upon a time, Ken Lawrence and I posted serious philatelic articles
here. No more. I don't know if Ken even looks here, but I usually look
and go on.

Which is to say that nothing that any of us post has merit? To quote General
Tony McAuliffe, when he was informed that the Germans wanted him to
surrender Bastogne, "Aw, nuts!"

Apparently not, to our resident resentment-monger. Apparently, he
still hasn't gotten over the initial split yet. It has been a few
years, hasn't it? Get over it Stevie!

Bob - there's plenty here to read and learn. Just because it's not
about PNC, doesn't mean it's worthless.

Speaking of worthwhile, a local dealer friend gave up some compliments
to some of the people here for their postings. Can't say who, though,
because egos will expand way past hat size. :^)

BTW, Ken Lawrence has more irons in the fire than looking in on us.
It seems that once the candidates have positions, they move on.
(Where's Ada?) :^)

Now, here's a hope that Mr. Esrati can dump the resentment and move on
in life - and philately.

Tracy Barber

My contribution to increase the number of posts by at least 1: I was sitting in
the library today after researching shipwrecks and took time to peruse the
latest American Philately magazine. There within I saw a group shot containing
Ada Prill, Lloyd De Vries, and Ken Lawrence. Didn't have time to read much
about it as I was doing some work for a museum and had someone waiting for me.
I imagine if I looked through the stack of past issues I might find all sorts
of familiar names.
As for the trolls/troll, I think it is mostly if not all the work of one person
(in my mind that is how I think of it- all trolling is done by one person) who
at one time was a normal contributor but now seems a mite bit obsessed
with...well.. I don't really get it. But it all had a beginning in the not so
distant past and somehow turned into a quasi Peter Lorre mimicking yapping
chihuahua thing.
Many moons ago, I enjoyed putting together pages on my website and then posting
links to it here but I was never certain if I was just entertaining myself or
what so I moved on to other pastimes. Time has gotten rare lately so stamps
have been put aside as have reading the ng and posting. Now and then I read
some good info in the ng that I save in a stamp folder.
I don't know if an ng is a poor place to have conversation. It may just lend
it's self to posting announcements. In real life I am a terrible
conversationalist and the ng has mimicked that. The only difference is that in
real life I'll stop a sentence half way when I've lost everyone's attention.
Here I continue on talking into a void. It is more like......

TL
(overlook the details to answer)


Bob Ingraham wrote:

What's happening to this newsgroup? Three new posts so far today? Bummer!

I'll have to admit that I've been more than a little irritated lately by
some of the inane posts made not only by our spammer(s) but by regular
members. Sometimes I feel like I'm in a cocktail party, having to listen to
drunks who think they're funny and clever and want everyone else to think so
too!

I've wondered if I'm not getting everything. I've wondered if the spam (and
the pointless responses to spam) have finally gotten to the majority of
people who drop in here, and they're just giving up. A few weeks ago,
before our current crop of spam, we were going great guns. It was a
wonderful and very philatelic place to be. Lately, it's just dross for the
most part.

I've posted several messages which I thought were worthwhile, and there's
been hardly a response in most cases. In a couple of cases, there was no
response at all. Phooey. Have the spammers won? Has the Swen virus caused so
many problems that people have "given up" for the time being? (I'm still
getting up to 100 bogus e-mails a day). Maybe I'm just in a funk. Ideas?

Bob Ingraham

On Fri, 03 Oct 2003 19:18:14 GMT, Bob Ingraham
wrote:



From: "Frank Emanuel"
Organization: Bell Sympatico
Reply-To: "Frank Emanuel" femanuel(at)sympatico(dot)ca
Newsgroups: rec.collecting.stamps.discuss
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2003 14:44:19 -0400
Subject: Balloon Stamps

We have quite a few balloonists here as well (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada). In
fact there was an article a few weeks back about one landing in a
residential area. Doh!

That's the nature of ballooning! Once you're up, you're not in control!
Ballooning is rather like this newsgroup, isn't it? Lots of hot air and no
way to predict where you're going! :^)

Robert! How dare you!

Tracy Barber

| Many moons ago, I enjoyed putting together pages on my website and then posting
| links to it here but I was never certain if I was just entertaining myself or
| what so I moved on to other pastimes.

I remember I was fascinated by your Civil War covers that were sandwiched between
plastic. Did you ever manage to salvage same?

You also specialise in Boer War right?

See! some of us appreciate your commentaries, and I have the patience
to last so you no need to finish half sentence........zzzzzzzzzz :0)

Patience AND memory. The Civil War covers seem to be sealed in a plastic that
although it may never self-destruct it is completely unremoveable. The plastic and
paper are one. I still like them and know they will be here long after I am gone.

I have a selection of POW Boer War covers and on occasion bid on them.

Another interesting area I found is 19th century postal stationary. You get
everything on one card or folded letter with nothing removed including the writing.
New area of collecting:
I've been hesitant to bring this up but here goes. I have been accumulating sheriff
notices of when convicted criminals of a certain past move within 750 feet of my
domicile. I've gotten quite a few but more because the sheriff's department goes a
little beyond the 750 feet rule. They contain a metered stamp, 16.4 with city but no
date. They are a twice folded sheet of paper closed with an address label. If you
don't open it at the label you risk damaging the great Avedon type mug shot of a
character out of the wild west. I tried steaming the label but gave up and razor
bladed through the center. When folded you can't even see the cut. Is this a
national, international, or just a state/county/city thing? If there is a future for
meters it may be in strange content.
TL

Rodney wrote:

| Many moons ago, I enjoyed putting together pages on my website and then posting
| links to it here but I was never certain if I was just entertaining myself or
| what so I moved on to other pastimes.

I remember I was fascinated by your Civil War covers that were sandwiched between
plastic. Did you ever manage to salvage same?

You also specialise in Boer War right?

See! some of us appreciate your commentaries, and I have the patience
to last so you no need to finish half sentence........zzzzzzzzzz :0)

Up, up And away : Canada Post celebrates 'October is Stamp Month' with Hot Air Balloon Stamps
Ottawa - Colourful and exciting hot air balloons will be filling the skies this fall, and Canada Post is inviting young
stamp collectors to join us for a thrilling ride. To highlight October is Stamp Collecting Month, the Honourable André
Ouellet, President and Chief Executive Officer of Canada Post, announced today that four self-adhesive stamps adorned
with eye-catching hot air balloons will be issued on October 1st, 2001. A total of 8,000,000 stamps will be available in
booklets of 8.

http://www.canadapost.ca/business/co...e.asp?prid=507
--

(Remove gum to reply)

Grandpa wrote:

Nah, I think we're all getting ready for winterG. Ok, along the lines
of stamps, any ideas if there has ever been a Hot Air Balloon set
available?

There has -- by the U.S. and others.


As for SWEN, I've not had a spam email of that ilk in 3-4 days now.

Lucky you. Perhaps your ISP is blocking them. My ISP (which is the
venerable firm of Me, Myself, and I), blocks a lot, but I still get
30-40 per day.

If we could just get Tracy, David, and others to stop feeding the
trolls, the trolls would get tired and go away.

Exkuze, me? I've answered only responses to the troll's posts as of
late. Hmmm... If you HAVE noticed, sir - I have kept a very low
profile. ttptphpptphptphppttttt! :^P

Tracy Barber

Yepp, me too - only commented on about 1-in-10 of their rantings!

As far as them getting tired and "going away".... Not on this planet!

They will always be there, hiding amongst the Lurkers in dark places
just waiting to emerge at the slightest excuse (like Saddam & Osama?).

David.

Yo! SNA Roolz!

It must be real, as I've met Tracy ycarT in the Bar several
times while preparing for my 007.1-and-a-bit missions!

Whaddya mean it's fantasy? Just look at the
superb Holographic Stamp Issues at the SNA
Website - who printed them, and where?

Some people can't see the truth when it's
standing right behind them!

David ;-))

Another great hot air balloon festival (with a number of neat special
balloons that would look great on a stamp series) happens every summer in
Battle Creek, Michigan (about 95 miles from me). It's hard to beat the Tony
the Tiger balloon when the sunlight hits it just right!

Plus the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds usually are there at the same time, and
their aerial demonstration is always mesmerizing.

Mike