Winding Down

[Michael Dutcher]

> Who defines what's educational?
>
maybe competive (boy do I need a dictionary) would have been a better choice
of words.  My point was: What is the purpose of that debate then? If that
pairing happens because Gottlieb and Sparacino need to use their strikes in
other places, is that a bye for the other team?  Do you waste time having
the debate?

> I'm being honest with Gottlieb when I say that I'm upset with the
> direction he
> went after a very cogent beginning in his first post. I'm even more upset
> that
> he would minimize email forgery in the manner he did earlier today. I also
> know that most top level NDT debates could (and often do) go either way.
> Consider my request preemptive - I'd rather Gottlieb and Sparky just go
> ahead and strike me now than lest, god forbid, I find myself in a
> situation where they might fear my crusade against defenders of elitism.
>
see, this is where you lose me. while Gottlieb's emails may not have been
the most flattering he did say there should be a dialouge about those
things.  A starting point with examples so we can make the activity better.
Hell, I would love to see that.

> If you find that unethical, I'll be happy to provide a list of NDT
> directors
> that pull themselves from hearing some teams because of personal problems
> in the past between them and those teams. Sorry for carrying it the next
> step
> further, but uncertainty is a critical element of deterrence. We
> non-elites
> are forced to grapple with those tools which are available.
>
I don't know what to call it.  I wouldn't say unethical but it makes me ill.
It is contrary to everything I believe to be good about debate. It is the
reason I almost quit about 10 times during my career.

Who are the elites? Am I?  If you think so, how do you know without even
knowing me from Adam?

2 Wrongs don't make a right and just because others are doing it doesn't
make it right either.

If you want to take it that far, why don't you preclude yourself instead
having them strike you?

> And hey, the crazier I act, the more teams strike me, the more time off I
> have
> at tournaments.
>
Okay, I have to agree with that one.

Michael Dutcher