Good post and a point that needed to be made.
Many people lack civility these days. There is no discussion. My opinion or position is the right one, I don't have to listen to you or care what you have to say about it. Just look at politics. It's difficult to state an opinion on any matter without someone who has an opposite viewpoint to call the other an idiot, moron, or worse for thinking that way.
Reality TV tries to make everything in life a competition. Who would have ever thought that there would be trash talking on a TV cooking show?
Personally I tune out the negativity but yeah, it does seem to overwhelm around here at times. On the other hand, some of the information learned in some of those posts are things useful for the autograph collector to know.
Agree with the OP. Loved the Bill Zekus thread. Stinson's travelogs are fun reads thanks to his skill at writing about them. Pictures of cool collections or items are great to see. Exemplars of real rare signatures are educational.
I'm a dude from the "old days", and I don't mean the 1990s
If I can garner the courage maybe I'll try to write a few posts about how things were in back in the 1970s and 1980s. Talk about collectors who were real mentors to me like the late Dick Dobbins and Will Davis, others like Stan Marks, Steve Brunner and Hall of Famer Nick Peters (writers wing), fine gentlemen all.
Or trading in bulk with other guys. Send 100 3x5's get 100 (often more) 3x5's back.
Getting Mike Wheat's latest list and thinking $3.00 is way to much to pay for anyone's autograph, even Roger Maris.
The amazing generosity of Dr John Davis Jr.
Hanging out at the local hotels and the Oakland Coliseum when access to players was easy.
Jim Stinson's writing puts mine to shame but maybe someone will get something out of it.