When did the topic of this newsgroup change?

I'm curious about this. I always thought this newsgroup was called alt.tv.daria, devoted to discussions about "Daria". When did it suddenly become a schizophrenic mixture of alt.police.hate-and-kill-them-all and alt.firearms.endless-gun-control-debate? I've followed these threads for a while, and frankly, in my opinion they've degenerated into the same tired shouting matchs that these debates *always* turn into, shouting matches that have ceased to have any relevance whatsoever.

As such -- and I'm sure the participants could care less, but hey, if you guys can litter this newsgroup with non-relevant material, then so can I -- I'm filtering out the so-called "political discussions" and "hate cops" threads. Normally, I don't like doing that, but after careful consideration, I've decided that there's nothing more to be gotten out of these endless debates that hasn't been said already (particularly since rhetoric and posturing has, for the most part, replaced serious discourse, from what I can see).

Go ahead and call it what you like... "hiding from the truth," "sticking my head in the sand," "a cowardly method of avoiding reality," whatever; it makes no difference to me. Since I'm here for "Daria" discussion, I think it's safe to say that if I *wanted* to view and/or participate in these debates, I'd go to the relevant newsgroups. As such, filtering them out of here isn't going to make any difference in my life, especially since they've long since stopped having any relevance to "Daria" whatsoever.

Have fun, kids! Wake me when it's over, okay?

In article , Martin J. Pollard wrote:

Don't ask! That whole thread has got out of control after what was a reasonably on-topic thread. As I see it, it's the difference between the US and their gun obsession and the rest of the world and their gun obsession.

Yup. I said my piece weeks ago, when the thread was still reasonably under control. I'm not going to argue the toss now.

<snip>

Aw, you're no fun anymore!!! :)

On Tue, 10 Jul 2001 15:09:24 +0100, chika wrote:

Oh, I'm not going anywhere. I'm just deliberately blinding myself to the NastyArgumentThreads(tm). I'll still be around to cause trouble from time to time. :-)

In article , [email] says...

I hugely agree.

HINT: It's not about guns.

Six things to do about 'Daria:'

• Draw a picture of her yourself and post her to your website.

2) Write a one or two-paragraph episode summary of your own episode that you would have liked to have seen made.

3) Name three things in your life that bug you. Figure out what Daria would have said about each of those things.

4) Write the Cartoon Network, Nickelodian and the Comedy Channel, and encourage them to make some new Daria episodes.

5) Write Glen Eichler and ask him who the yellow-eyed gambler was who won his brains three months ago, so we can take up a collection and buy them back for him.

• Send Tracy Grandstaff one red rose.

L&R

"Love and Rockets" wrote in message news:[email]...

7) Send Wendy Hoopes five glass vases full of the above (IMO, since she does three voices, she kinda deserves a little more love and respect than the host of the Real World pilot).

Chris Smith

Martin J. Pollard wrote:

You're asking the wrong person. However, it probably began with an on-topic discussion about guns, but then thanks to the passionate ideas about gun control or no gun control, it got out of control.

Probably a pretty sensible idea. Quite frankly, I have taken a look at some of the posts, but I rarely if ever respond.

Belle Book

Martin J. Pollard wrote in message news:[email]...

Probably when somebody, either rightly or wrongly, thought they saw or heard in the show either support or opposition for their political POV -- and knowing the writing in Daria and the mindset of political hardliners, both sides may come to their respective opposite and incompatible conclusions based on the exact same episode/scene/line/sightgag -- and someone else decided an equal and opposite reaction was called for. Then you proceed for n iterations, as n approaches infinity.

Of course, the idea that the script is a piece of fiction for your enjoyment, reflecting the views of the author on some issues but not in any way requiring you to embrace them, and that you can take it or leave it, is lost quickly in the process.

jrd

Which is funny, because I can't remember a single Daria ep that had _anything_ to do with guns, save for the dream-episode of _Murder, She Snored_.

Oh wait ... I can think of one more. _The Daria Hunter_, but that was paint-guns.

[email] (Jordan S. Bassior) wrote in :

Yeah paintball/laserquest and the like :) are pretty fun.

Also "Road Worrier", ok so it's a glue gun that Jane is waving around, but Daria does ask if it can be rigged to shoot bullets :)

Phill.

In article , Phill

But those pellet things sting!!!

I forget what the answer was though... but then the corn wasn't very helpful.

chika wrote in message news:[email]...

They should have done airsoft.

The fashion club howling in agony would be funny

"Phill Harvey-Smith" kirjoitti...

Not to mention "Monster":

<#206> Quinn - Good morning, beautiful world. Don't you want to shoot me? Daria - Yes, I want to shoot you. </#206>

Hw�t! We have heard of the glory of "Aapo Laitinen" that wrote news:vAy47.66$[email], on the day of 16 Jul 2001:

And don't forget "Dye! Dye! My Darling":

Jake: They're gonna make it illegal to shoot squirrels? Damn it! What kind of town is this?

Mark Steese a/k/a Corvus Marinus

On Wed, 11 Jul 2001 09:35:41 -0400, "Jose Diaz" wrote:

Smart guy, huh?
__
******Martin Edwards.******

Come on! Nobody's gonna drive that lousy freeway when you can take the Red Car for a nickel

-Eddy Valiant

On 10 Jul 2001 12:41:12 GMT, [email] (Martin J. Pollard) wrote:

This isn't the first time this has happened, Martin, which you probably know even better than I. It'll die down. It always does. Then it'll start up again. You've got a bunch of people who have opinions and aren't ashamed of them on this board; they're called Daria fans. I don't know who started this, and I've gone through the typical debate cycle once, and am done. Once Morton and L&R get tired of it (and I think they will), it'll be over. For now. At least this isn't a mass trolling by people who aren't even actual fans of the show. And the season's over; let the debates commence! Religeon, anyone? :p

Wait... I do remember who started it. One could say that I did, when I made that post about "Atlas Shrugged." Never did get the reply I was looking for; It must've been Ali or Dagney that recommended the book, or someone else who no longer posts here.

I don't call it "hiding from the truth," or anything like that. It's a perfectly reasonable and necessary usenet skill. It's also the only form of censorship that I accept: the decision of the audience to stop listening. You're right. This debate has degenerated into noise. There truly is no reason for you to continue reading.

Oh, have no doubt. We will. >:)

[email] (Martin J. Pollard) wrote in message news:...

Well... let's recap: somebody posted a "Political Discussions" thread in order to consolidate what at that point were scattered political debates. I responded with my top 5 lowlifes which included Rosie O'Donell (spelling?). Someone lashed back at me saying how great Rosie was in keeping guns off streets, and that's how it all started.

I agree, this stuff is highly off-topic, but now that the show's over there's got to be some filler discussion material until the movie comes out... Besides, pro or con, these discussions are really much better in this NG than over in their real group. At least the flamers here make use of their brains in their posts.

We all got together in this NG as people of similar interests. It seems natural that other interests are discussed as well.

MW.