Marduk-Vorpal Chess

[Katya]

I got a fairly aggressive goodbye.

I guess we'll see if it sticks.

[Dragon Lady]

I should probably feel bad, or something

Because he's leaving or because you didn't (or did?) get a goodbye message?

[TheAnswerIs42]

I got a goodbye too. Very odd.

[Imogen]

I got a fairly aggressive goodbye.

mine was pretty nice. i wonder why yours would be more aggressive?

[Dead Cat]

I'm gonna miss the old guy. I associate him with Sean Connery's face more than I do with Sean Connery.

[thebigcheese]

I'm gonna miss the old guy. I associate him with Sean Connery's face more than I do with Sean Connery.

Haha, same here.

[melbabi]

mine was pretty nice. i wonder why yours would be more aggressive?

I don't know, but for those that are curious, this is what he said, "I hope I didn't annoy you too much. I'm sorry if I offended you or hurt your feelings. Well, I won't be doing that again. Have fun affirming and validating. Goodbye."

[mic0]

Mine was just the "I hope I didn't annoy you too much." And, "won't be doing that again." Very curt.

[UnluckyStuntman]

mine was pretty nice. i wonder why yours would be more aggressive?

I don't know, but for those that are curious, this is what he said, "I hope I didn't annoy you too much. I'm sorry if I offended you or hurt your feelings. Well, I won't be doing that again. Have fun affirming and validating. Goodbye."

kind of a snarky apology...

[krebscout]

kind of a snarky apology...

Isn't that why we loved him?

I don't know how much difference this will make, VB, but we don't want you to leave. Did you even see those messages while you were in India about how much we missed you? You're an essential part of the flavor of this forum, not to mention a funny and insightful guy with cute grandkids.

But if it's too late to keep you around, well, best of luck to you and your family.

[UnluckyStuntman]

kind of a snarky apology...

Isn't that why we loved him?

I don't know how much difference this will make, VB, but we don't want you to leave. Did you even see those messages while you were in India about how much we missed you? You're an essential part of the flavor of this forum, not to mention a funny and insightful guy with cute grandkids.

But if it's too late to keep you around, well, best of luck to you and your family.

I'm all for being snarky, but not in apologies. It sort of defeats the purpose.

[melbabi]

I'm all for being snarky, but not in apologies. It sort of defeats the purpose.

Agreed.

[Katya]

kind of a snarky apology...

Isn't that why we loved him?

I don't know how much difference this will make, VB, but we don't want you to leave.

Speak for yourself, ma'am. I, for one, am beyond pissed off that he was allowed to argue, intimidate, and bully others into silence and submission for so long, then turn around and say that we were hurting his feelings whenever we tried to call him on it.

I am sorry that he apparently can't be objective enough about his behavior to understand our criticisms and to make appropriate modifications—I actually thought we were getting through to him, this time, and I can't believe that this message board is the only forum where his mindset has such a negative impact on his ability to interact with others. However, I'm not going to read his goodbye note to me. We don't have a relationship such that I feel I owe him anything.

[wired]

To be frank, with the exception I describe below, I have generally ignored Vorpal Blade's posts. Not because he annoys me, just because his posts have been far too long for me to care about.

However, to continue with my frankness at the risk of being wildly insensitive, I have doubted VB's authenticity since he first emerged here. I just remember reading a few initial posts where he referenced his wife in a way that seemed over-dramatic. Now, this could have been just VB's style of authoring posts at that time. However, it came across as wildly over the top and I doubted its veracity. I was, then, quite surprised (and re-assured) that he was going to meet Marduk for a chess match. I looked at this as a confirmation that he did actually exist in the way that he said he had. But now, with this sudden disappearance, it makes me all the more suspicious of his authenticity.

I don't categorically believe VB isn't who he says he is. I am saying that his posts have raised more flags for me then is typical and I would not be surprised if he were a fictitious individual.

[Dragon Lady]

I don't categorically believe VB isn't who he says he is. I am saying that his posts have raised more flags for me then is typical and I would not be surprised if he were a fictitious individual.

Ooooh… like a cartoon character come to life?

[wired]

I don't categorically believe VB isn't who he says he is. I am saying that his posts have raised more flags for me then is typical and I would not be surprised if he were a fictitious individual.

Ooooh… like a cartoon character come to life?

Or like Sean Connery in the Bond films.

[TheBlackSheep]

I, for one, think that Vorpal is exactly who he says he is. This is only because of personal emails that he has sent me in response to things I wrote on the Board way back when. And there was the thank you he sent me when I stuck up for him once. And a previous I'm-sorry-I-won't-post-anymore email. I'm a little uncomfortable letting this be known on the internet, for his privacy, but I'd rather represent him as something other than a troll.

He drives me insane and he knows this, and I will probably never be able to really forgive him for the Gay Blade incident, but I did read and respond to his note to me, if only to let him know that the reasons I've felt hurt or attacked or angry in the past had little to do with what he was apologizing to me personally for.

[thebigcheese]

Yeah, I don't doubt his authenticity either. But I do feel bad that he left...I think he could have easily toned it down a bit and continued on without a problem. But I guess he didn't get that vibe.

[Dragon Lady]

I also feel bad that he left. I feel bad for the way everything has been going the last couple of weeks. He sent me a very nice good-bye note to which I responded with a wish that he wouldn't leave and my explanation to him as to how and why he should change his debate tactics to fit the tone of this forum. I do not think he is a poor, innocent victim, but neither do I think that he has been treated nicely, either.

Mostly I hate drama. I've had too much of it in my life and have watched it destroy far too many relationships and I'm very sad to see it do it once again. E. Uchtdorf said in the last general conference, "As we turn to our Heavenly Father and seek His wisdom regarding the things that matter most, we learn over and over again the importance of four key relationships: with our God, with our families, with our fellowman, and with ourselves." I hate to see relationships destroyed over differences of opinion. It seems an awful waste of time, energy, and mental/spiritual health.

[wired]

I, for one, think that Vorpal is exactly who he says he is. This is only because of personal emails that he has sent me in response to things I wrote on the Board way back when. And there was the thank you he sent me when I stuck up for him once. And a previous I'm-sorry-I-won't-post-anymore email. I'm a little uncomfortable letting this be known on the internet, for his privacy, but I'd rather represent him as something other than a troll.

He drives me insane and he knows this, and I will probably never be able to really forgive him for the Gay Blade incident, but I did read and respond to his note to me, if only to let him know that the reasons I've felt hurt or attacked or angry in the past had little to do with what he was apologizing to me personally for.

I'll trust your opinion over my own. I haven't had any other conversations or interactions with him outside of what he has posted here.