Paging anandabandit to the red courtesy phone.
Please tell us you are not offended by this bunch of old fools.
BTW, here are the Boxerworks Rules. Drawn up by Major Softie in response to somebody who didn't like the way the forum was run. A bit dated now - we now have the Speakeasy for whacko rants.
"Boxerworks Forum Rules.
There are only a few rules on this board. If I miss any, I'm sure someone else will fill in the missing points.
1. If you misspell or typo something, It is quite likely that it will be pointed out and made fun of. If the error itself makes a joke (like my favorite: the man who had a problem in his carburetor bowels), then there is zero chance that it will go by without comment. If you are one of the people who participates in poking fun at such errors, you will be especially voraciously attacked if you make an error yourself. If you are defensive and/or easily insulted by having your typing critiqued, your visits here could be painful.
2. You get to start a string. You get to post anything you want in regards to another string. You do NOT get to decide what other people get to post in regards to your string, or any other. There is only one absolute exception to this rule: the damn spam that caused the change to a registration system. The other softer exception is that we prefer that completely off topic strings started for the express purpose of political/religious/whacko topics be kept on the "Motorcycling" board, as it has "General Rants" listed as one of the things that belong there.
3. There are boards that operate the way you seem to prefer. This is the worst place in the world to ask where they are. We are here because we don't want to be wherever they are.
4. Thread Degradation is a sin on some of those other boards. Here it is regarded as an art form. While we have great respect and love for those who can do it at the highest levels, we completely accept even the weakest examples. Frequently, we try not to degrade until after the question has been answered. We do not hold ourselves too tightly to this intention. Your post, on the other hand, asked no question at all. It was simply a statement of opinion. Thus, it was open for any comment whatsoever without the originator even having the claim that his question had not been addressed.
5. The "moderator" of this board is the community itself. We decide what the rules are, who is following them, and who is not. I say "we" because, although I am currently listing rules, I didn't make any of these rules. I am simply explaining them as best I have come to understand them in the years that I have been here. Some have been determined by long discussions of opinion on strings 50 to over 100 posts long. Others just seem to be magically agreed on without discussion, or absorbed through osmosis. If I miss any, others will fill them in. If I have stated anything that we don't all agree on, someone will be all over me about it.
6. Except for our love of BMW's, and an almost nauseating fascination with wandering off onto tangents that have nothing to do with the original post, this is an extraordinarily diverse group. We have little else in common, but have become a community so fond of one another that we are willing to ride thousands of miles, sometimes across international borders, in order to get together once or twice a year (some may think it's just for the beer, but the first rally was BYO. We accept anyone - as long as they don't think they get to tell everyone else what they get to talk about.
7. The mere mention of Silicone will get you ribbed without you having the slightest idea what is going on unless you do some research with the site's "Search" feature.
8. Certain topics will immediately be labeled as dangerous / horrifying / unsolvable / to-be-avoided-at-all-costs. These include Oil, Tires, Synthetic Lubricants, Carb Synchronizers, and fights between Lonnie and myself. This doesn't mean that they are not allowed to go on, merely that they are subject to ridicule, being ignored by much of the community, and generally regarded as a waste of time. This list is neither complete, nor immune from being amended at any time.
9. While the judgement was not absolutely 100%, there is general agreement that there is nothing wrong with boobs.
10. Never judge a Guru by his dress.
I hope you can find this environment one that you can actually enjoy. Others have arrived here and adjusted to our banter, even after finding it a bit too much at first. Admittedly, I don't remember any of the one's who HAVE adjusted beginning by making quite as noxious an attack at the very nature of this board. If you find our style too loose for you, there are other boards out there that you will probably find more to your tastes. Many of them are filled with very well informed BMW aficionados. Regardless, there is certainly no chance of the community bending itself to your preferences, at least not in the foreseeable future."
Charlie
and Brunhilde - 1974 R90/6
Graduate, Wallace and Gromit School of Engineering and Design (Pending)
