Gee that's a loaded question . . . thanks a lot!

Look, clearly we don't make arbitrary guidelines. Most guidelines have grown out of past BF experiences and serve to keep the peace while benefitting the common good. I DO think that the maturity level here makes some guideline enforcement sometimes unnecessary. I think Tom's policy as posted in Pub 51 last night is a reasonable and considerate one, and I'm all for it.

Personally I'm from the school of hard knocks. I believe in trying out reasonable liberties, even against my better judgement sometimes. What that does is show people that hey, I tried to be nice, and compassionate, and reasonable. If it works out positively then we've all benefitted and made progress. But when it doesn't work and blows up in my (our) faces, I can say "see, we tried, that doesn't work". And then I know exactly where to draw the line and drop the hammer. Soothes my conscience and makes me feel fair inside.

Some may recall a recent experiment I tried in Addiction. I thought maybe the group of regular guys therein might be able to reasonably discuss a P&R topic amongst ourselves, without things getting out of hand. It failed. There were a lot of bad feelings. But there's one thing for sure, I know exactly where to draw the line for P&R content going forward, because we proved it will not work. And to the guys who want to sneak in a P&R comment here and there I can say definitively "see, it doesn't work . . . it's not theory, we tried it once, it doesn't work! Next question"?

So this is why I recommend giving the Pub 51 thread a chance. You might like it. But if you don't try it you'll never know. And if it doesn't work for you then we find that out for certainty, but at least you tried. At our age I think it's important not to get too crotchety and stuck in our ways. Trying new stuff helps keep you young. That's much of the reason I hang out with the young'uns in Road . . . they help keep me young. So long as they stay off my frikin' lawn!!