It's been nice to meet many of you and I figure soon this place will be a different place.

To say I am disappointed is an understatement. I joined tribe precisely because it was a place of free thinkers. I don't plan on leaving right away and I doubt they will kick me out. But as the quality of debate in most of the tribes I belong to has deteriorated so badly of late I figure as so many of the people I respect are leaving it is downhill from here.

Tonight when I sign off I won't be back till right before the new TOU comes into effect and after that I will cease contributing at all for a while before possibly unsubscribing and looking for greener pastures. No point in hanging around I guess.

Clearly most people are afraid to take a stand or make a statement. On my unscientific informal poll the count 11 to 7 against the new move but at least 2 voted that they didn't approve of the changes but were fatalistic about it and weren't going to protest further.

The irony reflects reality though, 18 people thought it significant enough to make a statement but 82 people were unwilling for whatever reason to take a stand at all. That reflects the reality of the weakness of our culture and why it is so easy for democracy to end. Power goes to those that are willing to exercise it and in that respect the Neo-Cons are right and the left is losing.

I will check in from time to time again. Good bye and good luck my friends.