I have not posted on this thread til now. Here's my .02:

I respect Aly's feelings. I have often taken a second look at what I'm typing and with the younger members of PT in mind have deleted or rephrased what I was saying. Before any of the younger members tell me not to lump them together or what not-I'm a teacher. Always will be. Can't help how that shapes my thinking.

As a teacher I also think PT has been good. We've seen some good solid debates, and some good discussions of the issues. I like knowing the younger members are getting some experience with debate and discussion.

THURSDAYS: it's a cyber bar. No one is drinking alcohol. And, in fact probably half of the regulars don't drink cyber alcohol even.

Now, the one thing that bothers me? The bickering and immature arguing that happens (mostly in general) among some posters. Usually the same ones. I don't want to see it, so usually I don't read it.
HOWEVER, each time one of these junior high arguments happens I wonder how many people are visiting PT for the first time and what is their impression. How many great folks are we never going to meet because they have to sift through
20 eye roll posts, and nasty comments. They don't know that the eyerollers are kids. I didn't know when I first began. It's a bad first impression. I wouldn't come back if I'd seen that silliness my first few visits.

I think Richard has a great point though about PT-ers coming to eachother to discuss non pet things. We are like people with a common thread, it's logical that we would feel comfortable talking about non- pet things with eachother. Back to Thursdays. Two or three weeks ago lots of bad stuff was happening to PT-ers. Thursdays was a somber place. A place folks could go for some solace. Each of us looks for something different from the group. Don't take that away.

There. My two cents.

Again, I think this is a good discussion.