Well, since Rick and I are members of the class by virtue of owning an F16 (and since he doesn't REALLY want to sell it) I guess I am as entitled as anybody to post opinions here -- or on whatever forum you have wherever it is. Ergo, you wouldn't be losing me by moving it.

I totally agree that voting on rules changes or class policies should be handled in a private forum that is accessible only to class members. I'm sure Rick can provide that for you, along with the e-mail list feature.

But I think that DISCUSSIONS about rule changes and policies should be open to the public on this forum, as they have always been. It helps bring in new ideas and perspectives from people both inside and outside the class.

That is one of the great things about this class and this forum. The exposure is what is attracting more people to the class. As the saying goes for celebrities, "Any publicity is good publicity."

Censorship is not the way to go. The class members are perfectly capable of moderating this forum by simply not arguing with people. I was not supporting Macca. I was just saying that if you don't like his ideas, you should just tell him to go pound salt. If I told the Thistle class I thought it could be improved by adding a deck to it, I'm sure they would tell me to get a Flying Scot.

If you don't have enough self-control to avoid arguing with somebody, just click on your "Ignore" button for that poster, so you don't see what he says, and then you won't be tempted to respond.

If you want somebody to moderate the forum and censor posts that are deemed to be counterproductive to the class, who would that moderator be? Everybody has a different idea of what should be deleted so that other people cannot read it.

I give sailors credit for being intelligent enough to be allowed to see what everybody says and decide what is crap and what is worth considering or debating. I wouldn't want to think that maybe ideas have been presented that some "moderator" has decided I am not adult enough to view and has therefore deleted for my own good or "for the good of the class."

I am sure there are people within the class who have personal interests in controlling the direction of the class. So, again, how do you decide who would be the moderator who is going to have the power to censor comments?