the last straw

[Don Rosa]

Sigvald is a very nice fellow (in person) and apparently one of my "biggest
fans". And he operates probably the best Rosa fansite out there which makes
me very proud.
But his inability to communicate in writing with anyone in a normal manner
constantly embarrasses me. This ML virtually *never* had a harsh word on it
until Sigvald joined. Since then, his ineptitude in knowing how to properly
phrase his opinions has also made me, like others, want to stop reading
these messages. But I continue, not out of any pleasure I still derive from
the Digests (which is pretty much gone now), but only to keep checking to
see if anyone poses any questions they wish me to respond to.
I don't know what Sigvald's personal problems are, and I wish I could help
him. But as you can see, nothing we say to him seems to sink in, and nothing
even I say to him in private has any effect on his behavior. And yes, I have
suggested to him in the past that he become a lurker-only on this ML, though
I expressed this to him privately to spare him any embarrassment. At one
point I even thought it worked, but not for long.
And in all fairness to Sigvald, if others stopped the pointless bickering
with him, if we just ignored his poor behavior, there'd be no problem. So he
is not 100% to blame for this situation. But he is *definitely* the
catalyst. And to ask other people not to respond to such constant and
clearly poor behavior is not fair to them.
I've finally decided it is just *too unfair* to the other members of this
once pleasant list for Sigvald to continue with his disruptive
"communication style". I have again begged him to get off the ML for good,
but it doesn't help.
So... all I can tell you is that I have told my good friend Sigvald that if
he continues to be a member of this group, I will no longer communicate with
him. I hate to do this to my friend and biggest fan, and I hope I am not
scuttling that superb Rosa-fansite he operates... but restoring the pleasant
nature of this ML is more important than that. Other people have rights,
too.
And that's the best I can do. If that doesn't work, we must leave it up to
Per's discretion.
What a shame...........