because "Dick" just isn't specific enough around here. I'm new to this side of the 'story' (three cheers for the wonderful concept of human interactions as a single coherent narrative), and still getting a feel for this place. Personally I'm aiming to promote civil discourse (which in my opinion includes robust criticism of any and all ideas), but I'm not expecting others to take the same plausibly-polite approach that I take - TOA would be a particularly strange place to look for such conformity. I don't generally use "swear words" in writing, but they don't frighten or disgust me and they don't invalidate an argument. I haven't played internet drama in some years now, but I certainly have both been there and done that - I'll try to avoid it here, and I promise not to get all bent out of shape if someone isn't nice to me.
I'll start posting essays once I've done enough preliminary research to be able to back them up (and once I've actually written them), and I'd really appreciate merciless shredding of anything I get wrong. I'm aiming for an evidence-based, non-partisan approach - mistakes are fine (I assume I'll make them), but mistakes which stand uncorrected are somewhat less fine. Also, I reserve the right to change my mind (but I'll acknowledge it openly).
Don't put too much faith in the personal details I give here - although not necessarily entirely false, they do include the only deliberate untruth(s) you'll ever see from me. Rather like Franc, I have other lives from which I choose to keep this one separate. Hope you don't mind.
-Dick
