I'm sorry folks. I still can't shake my frustration level. I have not decided one way or the other whether to stay or leave. Right now, I am not sure that we as a team can be more than just another team. Yes, we have a number of folks who are very committed to crunching, to crunching at WCG's projects, and even to the team. The same can be said for a number of other teams out there. I'm not interested in leading just another team. If I decide to leave, I would prefer to do so in an orderly manner. If I stay, I realize I ought to have something lined up so that I could make an orderly transition, be it temporary or permanent, as there are plenty of circumstances that life can throw at us/me that could necessitate that. So, if you would be willing to "take the baton" be it now or in the future, let me know off-line. If you need to qualify that to some degree or other, that is okay. I am just trying to evaluate the situation and my options. I know that if I decide to stay, I expect that I will have to make what would probably be some significant changes to how we operate. No, simply "banning" political discussions here is not the right answer. That would simply treating the symptoms and not the real problem. Yes, I am open, as always, to ideas about how to go forward should I stay but the decision to stay or leave is mine alone and trying to encourage/sway/etc/ me one way or the other would not be appropriate here not to mention a waste of time. Please, the last thing I want to cause is more folks leaving. Any talk of "fault", "blame" or "responsibility" right now would not be supportive. Emotionally, leaving is the last thing I want to do. Nevertheless, I have to do what is right, what is best and not what simply feels good. I would appreciate your understanding in the meantime.

I love the bit about leaving governance to the scholars. I've been arguing for that for a long time! I think Yale gets to go next because Harvard's in charge right now. Then Princeton or Stanford? Shoot me an email sometime xroule.

jfigdor(at)gmail.com

Also, Keith, you're not the problem. You're the best team captain period.

MyOnlineTeam Daily Statistics for 07/16 - Active Members

Active team members report
==========================

                                                     Current          Points
Active member name            Rank      Change       Points        This Period
=========================     =====     ======     ===========     ===========
marysduby                         1          0      50,216,418          45,376
RT                                2          0      49,147,098         112,898
Coingames                         3          0      30,076,435          59,426
parmesian                         4          0      23,302,839          16,130
Dataman                           5          0      16,092,010               0
nl59056                           6          0      15,120,786           1,456
Dave Bell                         7          0      14,768,394          17,939
NiceMedTexMD                      8          0      13,366,220          47,805
keithhenry                        9          0      12,423,495          13,751
Esteban69                        10          0      12,159,743           6,579
brown chris                      11          0      10,220,190          16,974
Jonathan Figdor                  12          0       9,680,913               0
Vuj                              13          0       7,401,545          15,177
judson Somerville MD             14          0       7,086,457          68,794
xroule                           15          0       6,950,000               0
Fanie                            16          0       6,808,509             451
frans6nl                         17          0       6,300,488               0
sulcata                          18          0       5,924,452           2,831
Blueprint                        19          0       5,695,852          17,525
PohSoon                          20          0       5,603,211             340
Tomwp                            21          0       2,963,211             454
Alain Bryden                     22          0       2,666,555               0
lawrencehardin                   23          0       2,610,176           1,751
darth_vader                      24          0       2,534,654           8,483
Bravehart                        25          0       2,419,664             273
wrr                              26          0       2,297,575               0
finman                           27          0       2,182,265             361
Sunny L. Kae                     28          0       2,065,384           2,361
smcclarigan                      29          0       2,060,914           4,338
johng                            30          0       1,813,595           1,016
Wunderwuzzi                      31          0       1,787,593               0
harry_i_c                        32          0       1,545,658             518
Rulkethecharon                   33          0       1,502,637           2,371
Jockin                           34          0       1,469,157           4,147
Rene Punt                        35          0       1,449,606           4,838
Airwolf_Liu                      36          0       1,295,313             814
laughing66607                    37          0       1,154,358           1,363
imin                             38          0       1,133,144           2,963
elpe                             39          0         959,877           1,659
Daeloan                          40          0         841,583             522
Bon Kuhlman                      41          0         789,110           4,333
Momentary Lapse of Reason        42          0         360,037               0
madambaster                      43          0         351,811               0
Natalino                         44          0         347,004               0
barney15c                        45          0         346,864               0
Mechanical                       46          0         343,057             859
mapplebeck                       47          0         287,314               0
AnalogMonologue                  48          0         235,077           4,339
cknotty                          49          0         217,560               0
Harry de Swart                   50          0         131,897             656
hne12359                         51          0         123,436               0

Note: Active members are those who earned points in the prior 30 days.

Top Twenty active members returning points today:
01: RT - 112,898 points
02: judson Somerville MD - 68,794 points
03: Coingames - 59,426 points
04: NiceMedTexMD - 47,805 points
05: marysduby - 45,376 points
06: Dave Bell - 17,939 points
07: Blueprint - 17,525 points
08: brown chris - 16,974 points
09: parmesian - 16,130 points
10: Vuj - 15,177 points
11: keithhenry - 13,751 points
12: darth_vader - 8,483 points
13: Esteban69 - 6,579 points
14: Rene Punt - 4,838 points
15: AnalogMonologue - 4,339 points
16: smcclarigan - 4,338 points
17: Bon Kuhlman - 4,333 points
18: Jockin - 4,147 points
19: imin - 2,963 points
20: sulcata - 2,831 points

Total points returned today: 491,871
Active members returning points today: 37
Average points per member active today: 13,293.8108

Governance is being controlled by the scholars, and that's the problem.
The direction of this country is exactly what the founders were trying to get away from. We are [and were] a government "by the people."
From the Gettysburg Address:

The direction that we are going now has nothing to do with the people. In fact, the people are being ignored and disregarded.
This from our declaration of Independence (from Britain):

This is what was declared 234 years ago. This is what July 4th is all about!
Two documents that everyone needs to read again (since our scholars are no longer taught them) is the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
Read these documents, and look at our country; it's easy to see what the founders had envisioned.
It's very easy to see that as of lately, we've strayed off course.

I can see that some of you missed out on having a great day yesterday. Why don't we try it again today? Everyone have a seriously great day....please.