Dan Kelly,
The difficulty in having a perfectly struck conversation over the internet, IS the lack of additional information.
We can't see the persons face to see if they are grinning, scowling, joking or serious.
We can't hear the persons voice, nor determine its tone, to see if they are relaxed, tense, joking or serious.
And because of that, an informational aid is sometimes used to convey the tone of one's post.
Many times you will read what appears to be a critical post, followed by a smiley face
This is meant to provide additional information, direction if you will with respect to the light meaning of the post.
Certainly, you who crave all the addtional information you can get on the golf course, can appreciate the attempt to provide additional information through a post.
Just think of smiley faces as BIG TEE SIGNS, complete with a diagram of the hole, including pin location of the day, yardage, handicap, stimp reading and atmospheric pressure.
On several posts, starting with the earliest ones, I tried to communicate with you, to provide you with additional information that I was jesting, but you couldn't read the next tee sign, made a wrong turn, and went and played the wrong hole, despite the abundance of additional information provided.
Then, when I reintroduced the STYMIE, you missed that too. But, I can understand that, as it was an earlier thread that we had some fun with, that you probably didn't get to read.
I even resorted to a post saying I was kidding, but somehow that got missed too.
I like the banter, the teasing, and the criticisms that appear on this site, so long as they're not negative mean spirited personal attacks.
I've been set upon, far, far, far worse than what you perceive you've experienced, for my position advocating or defending an issue or person.
Tommy Naccarato, Dan King, Barny F,
Tom MacWood, TEPaul, and others have had some serious if not contentious debates with me, yet I'm not bent out of shape because they disagreed with or made fun of my position.
I've also learned a great deal from everyone of them, and on a few occassions, modified, or changed my outlook and position on a topic.
I welcome everyone to this site, but, if you take a position, like the referee says at the start of a boxing match, be ready to "defend yourself at all times", because as Rodney Dangerfield says,
"it's a tough crowd".