Scott I love the list JUST THE WAY IT IS never had an inclination to join style B and if I don't like the subject or the poster double entendre intended I always have my delete button. Keep up the good work jim
------------------------------------ Unshredded Nostalgia Jim Episale [EMAIL PROTECTED] 323 south main st Route 9 Barnegat nj 08050 tel: 800 872 9990 ------------------------------------ -----Original Message----- From: MoPo List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Scott Burns Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 12:18 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [MOPO] What Did We Do To Deserve This? LONG!!! I should let this die without comment but I just can't... Scroll down for a post (forwarded to me) that appeared today on Style-B. Read it and see how it makes *you* feel, THEN come back to the top for my comments.... COMMENTS: Frankly, I've reached my limit on this kind of attack. MoPo is the way it is because that's the way the *participating* members want it. Bitching and moaning over on Style-B doesn't change a thing. "Stan" (the author of this post) as far as I recall, never voiced his opinions or concerns to me privately (he admits "he wasn't much of a contributor"), but he has no problems making them public now. He should have had the balls to contact me directly when he was a member. He should have stopped yelling at his computer screen and participated. Hell no, why do that? It's easier to just leave and post BS comments elsewhere. "Stan" will probably get great pleasure in knowing he's ticked me off even without actually being a subscriber to MoPo, and that's fine. Revel in it "Stan." Way to go "Stan" for your sidelines attack disguised as commentary. You sign your message "Clueless, Hardheaded, Grudge Holding, Disgruntled Mopolian (insert your own favorite label here)"....well I think you should really insert "pompous ass" to the signature. It's easy to be critical on the fly, at a distance. It's much harder to actually change what you don't like. It takes participation, something "Stan" didn't care to do while a member of MoPo. We started out as a friendly little group of 10 souls who liked to collect movie paper and talk about it amongst ourselves. I never in my wildest dreams thought running this group would become so difficult, frustrating and at times, depressing. Not to mention anger-inducing, as you can tell if you've read this far! Perhaps on February 24, 2005 as MoPo turns 10 we should turn out the lights and let this tired old group of "hobby 'elitists' who seem bent on collector-world domination" rest in peace. Sheesh! Scott MoPo List Owner -----Original Message----- Subject: Fwd: What Is MOPO ?? [WARNING extremely long post] --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Stan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Before anyone takes that question seriously...it was heavily laced with sarcasm. I know what MOPO is. So the janitor quit his part time job. What - again ? :) --- [WARNING & Disclaimer] If you dislike long meandering posts -or- really like the MOPO list, save yourself some grief & please do not read further, you may get offended if you do. This is not a rant, but rather only me making casual conversation about my take on MOPO, based upon my personal experiences/opinions and nothing else. If you like MOPO more power to you and I wish you well over there. --- I spent several years on that list. I left and have not looked back. The timing of when I left, and the birth of Style-B was purely coincidental, but a happy circumstance nonetheless. There are some members of the MOPO list I truly liked/admired and they are missed. Leaving the MOPO list last year was a personal decision that was a long time coming. I wasn't much of a contributor at MOPO anyway, just like here at Style-B. I prefer to lurk, being more of a reader/watcher than a participant. When 'I' feel like it I'll chime in (Besides people write all these posts, articles, stories whateva...someone has to read them or it's all for naught isn't it ?) At MOPO after a long time, I had had enough, and was teetering on the brink of leaving for about 6-7 months. There came a time when Bruce had gotten his fill of the personal abuse (I presume) anyway, for whatever his own reasons..he left and a few others did also. I almost left then as well. Shortly thereafter, yet another round of 527-ish attacks began by the-(holding head high and speaking down my nose) MOPO list hoi-poloi... That was certainly not the 1st time nor the last, but was the last straw for me and the MOPO list. I realized at that point that the MOPO list is not for me, and never really was. I don't know why this instance was any different than the myriad others..it just was. Now I should mention here for the sake of clarity that at this time Donnie didn't know me and vice-versa. This was the point at which Donnie and I first became acquainted. Just before the 'excreta hit the fan' at that time. I left MOPO, Donnie left, and a few others. Shortly thereafter Style-B appeared on the scene. MOPO (to me personally) is nothing more than a website/mailing list of hobby 'elitists' who seem bent on collector-world domination. Good luck with that. I built a collection of a few thousand posters, hundreds of trailers, and dozens of other various movie memorabilia collectible items without MOPO and that bunch. Fortunately I have the ability to get along fine without it/them. I applaud the fact that Donnie has rejected narcissistic type behavior on this list (for example -the recent revelation of the personal e-mails threatening to unsubscribe from Style-B if the janitor didn't do something about so & so...) Therein lies the difference between Donnie & Scott. MOPO & Style-B. I have abundant respect for Scott, and his efforts over there, don't get me wrong. I administer several full blown web forums (non hobby related) and know what it is like to be in their shoes. However, at MOPO the allowance of nepotism, and the strict on topic only - no off topic being human allowed, were deciding factors for me leaving. I used to read MOPO messages and occasionally yell out at my monitor at messages posted by these prigs. My meaner half..(ouch) um...er.. I mean my girlfriend would hear me cussing my Philips monitor, come into the office and say "what, that poster collectors list again ?" I'd say "yea what a bunch of pathetic snobs"..and she would shake her head & say "if that bunch is so bad, why don't you just unsubscribe ?". Turns out she was right (yes again :). The only valid reasons I could come up with, was: . I would miss out on postings the members I respected and admired. . I might miss a tidbit of treasured info from a restoration specialist, framer, power-seller et al. . It was a broadened form of contact with others sharing the same affinity for movie paper. I was hooked. But on MOPO that segment that I enjoyed hearing from was growing smaller & smaller and posting less frequently, perhaps weary of being downtrodden by the MOPO aristocracy..I suppose. I didn't join the MOPO list solely to buy or sell posters. I sold only 2 the whole time. "The Sting" and "Breaking Away". I had my e- mail client set to automatically delete the FA posts. (because I don't do the auction gig to get or sell posters) I did check out the WTB's in case I had something a fellow collector needed & I was willing to part with..and the FS's. I didn't join to discuss the idiosyncrasies of PayPal or feeBay. I joined for 2 reasons: fellowship with other collectors, and most of all to learn. See, for over 2 and 1/2 decades, I collected just 'to be collecting'. I didn't really know why or care for the longest time. I would show portions of my collection and non-hobbyists would say (even to this day) "you do realize what this stuff is worth ?" They couldn't tell me, but would be like.."I'm sure it's quite a bit." I would be thinking as I put the stuff away 'they just don't get it'. Monetary value had no significance to me. Although I recognize it, it's way down on the list to me. Hard to explain. My original '101 Dalmations' means the same to me as my 'Blade Runner' or my 'American History X'. My Ben Affleck posters proudly sit beside my Vincent Price, with little distinction other than release dates. Equality reigns in my collection. I did learn a lot of valuable info during my duration on MOPO. Like, who to avoid (crooks), that I was storing posters wrongly for a couple of decades and contributing to their decay, poster restoration, framing etc. Most importantly, I learned that MOPO is just like society in general. There are the haves and the have-nots, left and right, good bad and ugly. There is a cliq or group on MOPO just like in society in general, who think they are special, and that every facet of life or the hobby in this case...flows downward from them. The big difference (and best part) is that MOPO unlike society, has an UNSUBSCRIBE button, and I utilized it. The valuable, occasional tidbits I miss out on since leaving - well what I don't know won't hurt me (maybe my posters - perish the thought). Just like an addiction, it's was very hard and seemed impossible to let go of, but time heals & after a year of being MOPO free I'm happier and healthier. Just like in society when I see folks who think they are better than others, form their little members only cliq's etc in the neighborhood. This REALLY bothers me for some reason. I wish it didn't. If this sort of thing doesn't bother you, if the sterile business side of the hobby means more than the art, historic, or sentimental value of the paper...if you like speaking only when spoken to, being seen & not heard, are a conformist or brown noser..maybe MOPO is the list for you. If you like to just be yourself, and speak your mind, or are prone to make waves, forge your own path --> you won't last over there. I wonder how many poster enthusiasts that MOPO bunch have dissuaded away from the hobby over the years ? I suppose that's a goal for them. The 'more for us/me' bwahahahahaha mentality. Judging by the (worldwide) size of the poster collecting market you would think that the MOPO list would/should be around at least 5000 instead of the 500 made reference to. Style-B memberships as well, should be much higher I would think - ooops forgot there is a cap on Style-B. Anyway I digress.... During the years I was on the MOPO list I saw several come & go and some return & leave again. I will never consider going back. (I don't think). MOPO who ? Signed, Clueless, Hardheaded, Grudge Holding, Disgruntled Mopolian (insert your own favorite label here) --- End forwarded message --- SCROLL BACK TO TOP FOR MY COMMENTS.... Scott Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.795 / Virus Database: 539 - Release Date: 11/12/2004 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.795 / Virus Database: 539 - Release Date: 11/12/2004 Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
