# Is Ridryder still alive?



## Lifeguards For Life (Nov 19, 2009)

I have not seen Rid's input on anything in along time.


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## amberdt03 (Nov 19, 2009)

Lifeguards For Life said:


> I have not seen Rid's input on anything in along time.



i've seen a couple of posts with his input. someone i haven't seen anything from is AJ......wonder what happened to him.


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## Onceamedic (Nov 19, 2009)

A lot of whackers, wannabes and whiners objected to the "tone" of Rid's posts.  Let's face it, he is not the most tactful person on the planet, and posters were not responding to the content of his messages.  Rid, understandably, got tired of the bashing and has not posted in a long while.  I for one, miss him on this board tremendously and hope he will return.  I don't blame him one bit if he doesn't.


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## Lifeguards For Life (Nov 19, 2009)

Kaisu said:


> A lot of whackers, wannabes and whiners objected to the "tone" of Rid's posts.  Let's face it, he is not the most tactful person on the planet, and posters were not responding to the content of his messages.  Rid, understandably, got tired of the bashing and has not posted in a long while.  I for one, miss him on this board tremendously and hope he will return.  I don't blame him one bit if he doesn't.



I liked Rid, seemed to be a real intelligent man, and some one needed to tell the whackers and whiners to knock it off.


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## Summit (Nov 19, 2009)

Kaisu said:


> A lot of whackers, wannabes and whiners objected to the "tone" of Rid's posts.  Let's face it, he is not the most tactful person on the planet, and posters were not responding to the content of his messages.  Rid, understandably, got tired of the bashing and has not posted in a long while.  I for one, miss him on this board tremendously and hope he will return.  I don't blame him one bit if he doesn't.



Oh, now, let's be straight here. It wasn't just the whackers, the administration on this forum basically told him and a lot of the other experienced and knowledgeable people to get lost becase telling the whackers and whiners to "knock it off" isn't conducive to a touch feely forum.


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## Onceamedic (Nov 19, 2009)

Summit said:


> Oh, now, let's be straight here. It wasn't just the whackers, the administration on this forum basically told him and a lot of the other experienced and knowledgeable people to get lost becase telling the whackers and whiners to "knock it off" isn't conducive to a touch feely forum.


Yeah, that's about what I had gathered, but the only stuff I had direct knowledge of was what was happening in the forums.  You just tell it straight.


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## Summit (Nov 19, 2009)

Kaisu said:


> Yeah, that's about what I had gathered, but the only stuff I had direct knowledge of was what was happening in the forums.  You just tell it straight.



Hehe... I'm not touchy feely. Neither is EMS.


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## Burlyskink (Nov 19, 2009)

I also liked his posts, I feel that they were very informative even if they were harsh. At least he was truthful, I know that I have learned quite a few things from them.


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## Chimpie (Nov 19, 2009)

Summit said:


> Oh, now, let's be straight here. It wasn't just the whackers, the administration on this forum basically told him and a lot of the other experienced and knowledgeable people to get lost becase telling the whackers and whiners to "knock it off" isn't conducive to a touch feely forum.



Nothing could be farther from the truth.


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## Summit (Nov 19, 2009)

Chimpie said:


> Nothing could be farther from the truth.



There's how you see, and how the rest of us see it.


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## Lifeguards For Life (Nov 19, 2009)

Summit said:


> Oh, now, let's be straight here. It wasn't just the whackers, the administration on this forum basically told him and a lot of the other experienced and knowledgeable people to get lost becase telling the whackers and whiners to "knock it off" isn't conducive to a touch feely forum.



he wasn't here to blow sunshine up our skirts, he knew what he was talking about


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## Hal9000 (Nov 19, 2009)

Kaisu said:


> A lot of whackers, wannabes and whiners objected to the "tone" of Rid's posts.  Let's face it, he is not the most tactful person on the planet, and posters were not responding to the content of his messages.  Rid, understandably, got tired of the bashing and has not posted in a long while.  I for one, miss him on this board tremendously and hope he will return.  I don't blame him one bit if he doesn't.




Very true.  I also miss his input, and I don't visit nearly as much now that he and some others aren't posting.


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## gicts (Nov 19, 2009)

Kaisu said:


> A lot of whackers, wannabes and whiners objected to the "tone" of Rid's posts.  Let's face it, he is not the most tactful person on the planet, and posters were not responding to the content of his messages.  Rid, understandably, got tired of the bashing and has not posted in a long while.  I for one, miss him on this board tremendously and hope he will return.  I don't blame him one bit if he doesn't.



Like him or not, you can't disagree his aviator sure fits his tone B)h34r:


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## Lifeguards For Life (Nov 19, 2009)

gicts said:


> Like him or not, you can't disagree his aviator sure fits his tone B)h34r:



haha yeah it does


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## foxfire (Nov 19, 2009)

Kaisu said:


> A lot of whackers, wannabes and whiners objected to the "tone" of Rid's posts.  Let's face it, he is not the most tactful person on the planet, and posters were not responding to the content of his messages.  Rid, understandably, got tired of the bashing and has not posted in a long while.  I for one, miss him on this board tremendously and hope he will return.  I don't blame him one bit if he doesn't.



I miss his insight on many things. I never thought his "tone" was harsh or anything. lack of tact people are often the best to learn from.
I have often wished that I had found this forum sooner.


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## Thindian (Nov 19, 2009)

Summit said:


> There's how you see, and how the rest of us see it.


...and then there's how you WANT to see it.

Rid's constant encouragement to further your education does more for this community than people realize.


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## Lifeguards For Life (Nov 19, 2009)

Thindian said:


> ...and then there's how you WANT to see it.
> 
> Rid's constant encouragement to further your education does more for this community than people realize.



It realy does. when i first started here i thought his constant push for further education requirements was good, but may be a bit overboard.

But now I could not agree more with the views he was constantly pushing. I have now seen an astonishing number of paramedics who probably could not pass a high school a and p course. actually, they probably didn't when they were in high school. I've even seen paramedics push morphine and phenergan, and not do any sort of assssment or history because "they are going to the hospital so it doesn't really matter"

Rid had the right idea demanding further education requirements.


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## Summit (Nov 19, 2009)

Thindian said:


> ...and then there's how you WANT to see it.
> 
> Rid's constant encouragement to further your education does more for this community than people realize.



In case you are confused, I am firmly in Rid's camp. I've learned lot from him and the other now absent educated and experienced types. I frequent here less because of it and post more at the other place.

Rid helped inspire me to further my education, even back when I had no greater expectations in EMS.


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## firecoins (Nov 19, 2009)

Kaisu said:


> A lot of whackers, wannabes and whiners objected to the "tone" of Rid's posts.  Let's face it, he is not the most tactful person on the planet, and posters were not responding to the content of his messages.  Rid, understandably, got tired of the bashing and has not posted in a long while.  I for one, miss him on this board tremendously and hope he will return.  I don't blame him one bit if he doesn't.



Well the tone must be important as well as the content if you want to be listened to.


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## Shishkabob (Nov 19, 2009)

+1 to coins. 


Rid came off as an arse, plain and simple.  There are plenty of ways to get your point across without demeaning and alienating a whole group of people. 

Vent has the same exact views as rid, but I had never gotten a sour taste from her post.  She doesn't come off as a "do it my way" type of person, even though she IS female 



Tact goes a long way in getting heard.   Doesn't mean I disagree with rid, just hate how he said it.


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## Lifeguards For Life (Nov 19, 2009)

Linuss said:


> +1 to coins.
> 
> 
> Rid came off as an arse, plain and simple.  There are plenty of ways to get your point across without demeaning and alienating a whole group of people.
> ...


+1 to vent then


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## rhan101277 (Nov 19, 2009)

Linuss said:


> +1 to coins.
> 
> 
> Rid came off as an arse, plain and simple.  There are plenty of ways to get your point across without demeaning and alienating a whole group of people.
> ...



Yeah I just recently learned that vent was a female.


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## Summit (Nov 19, 2009)

Linuss said:


> +1 to coins.
> 
> 
> Rid came off as an arse, plain and simple.  There are plenty of ways to get your point across without demeaning and alienating a whole group of people.
> ...



I don't feel that Rid was more harsh. I greatly appreciate Vent's posts, just like Rid's.

The admins told Vent to get lost just the same as Rid, just so everyone knows where Vent went as her posting rate falls.


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## ffemt8978 (Nov 19, 2009)

Summit said:


> I don't feel that Rid was more harsh. I greatly appreciate Vent's posts, just like Rid's.
> 
> The admins told Vent to get lost just the same as Rid, just so everyone knows where Vent went as her posting rate falls.



No we didn't...despite what you think.  It was their choice, and their choice only...not ours.


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## Summit (Nov 19, 2009)

ffemt8978 said:


> No we didn't...despite what you think.  It was their choice, and their choice only...not ours.



you can spew that line all you want. you can even convince yourself of it, but really your message is "stop telling it like it is or get lost"


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## Shishkabob (Nov 19, 2009)

Got any proof of what you're stating, summit?



I'm not picking sides, but hate when people spew something as fact, and don't provide info.


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## firetender (Nov 20, 2009)

Rid stands for higher education, he advocates for it, sometimes he snaps at everybody's moaning about not getting respect and he gets quite blunt about it; "You ain't doing the work it takes to GET respect!"

Let him rant on, you know why?

Because he puts his money where his mouth is. He teaches, teaches and teaches. Most of his posts have been offering his experience and support to anyone and everyone who walked in the door.

No, he ain't perfect, but he's a human library who's willing to share all he knows of his specialty fo free.

Why squeeze a bargain to death?


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## Lifeguards For Life (Nov 20, 2009)

firetender said:


> Rid stands for higher education, he advocates for it, sometimes he snaps at everybody's moaning about not getting respect and he gets quite blunt about it; "You ain't doing the work it takes to GET respect!"
> 
> Let him rant on, you know why?
> 
> ...



you could ask rid a fairly dumb question, and as long as it had some educational merit, he gave a great answer. 
the only people who seemed offended were the paragods the whackers and the EMT's who thought they were the be all end all


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## RyanMidd (Nov 20, 2009)

I don't want to attribute qualities to posters who are not present to confirm or deny their beliefs, but I take everything online with a grain of salt; I know that sometimes opinions can appear a little more harsh than they really are in print.

That said, I like how knowledgable some of these guys are, and if they come off as abrasive, there is no obligation for anybody to read/respond to those posts. Whining to admin about someone's attitude in a forum is like tattling on a kid for running too fast on the playground. Yeah, he might hurt himself, but you could just get out of the way.


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## WolfmanHarris (Nov 20, 2009)

Maybe he took a break. It's just the internet.

Sometimes we can get too caught up in our discussions. My rule is and remains, the second the various forums start effecting me negatively when I'm doing something else I take a break for a few days to weeks and refocus on life.


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## foxfire (Nov 20, 2009)

Summit said:


> In case you are confused, I am firmly in Rid's camp. I've learned lot from him and the other now absent educated and experienced types. I frequent here less because of it and post more at the other place.
> 
> Rid helped inspire me to further my education, even back when I had no greater expectations in EMS.


 
Does anybody know what other forums they are on?


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## reaper (Nov 20, 2009)

One that rhymes with "EMTPity"!


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## usafmedic45 (Nov 20, 2009)

Linuss said:


> +1 to coins.
> 
> 
> Rid came off as an arse, plain and simple.  There are plenty of ways to get your point across without demeaning and alienating a whole group of people.
> ...


So long as you don't disagree with her, she's a great person.  If you do disagree, you'd better put your cup on and bring a LOT of evidence to back up your opinion.   Otherwise, your balls will be in a jar on her desk pretty quick.  She's a damn fine resource here (we may disagree on some "politics" but she has at least my tacit respect and a small degree of loyalty, even if she doesn't realize it) and I've learned a lot from her, but I still miss Ridryder.



> Does anybody know what other forums they are on?



The one that subscribes to the theory of quantity (of advertising revenue) over quality of the posts.  The same forum that is best described as "10,000+ monkeys and still no Shakespeare".


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## usafmedic45 (Nov 20, 2009)

> No we didn't...despite what you think. It was their choice, and their choice only...not ours



As I've been told time and again by the mods, it's not what is said but how it's taken and how it's said.  I sure have felt that "Stop slapping sense into the newbies" attitude from you guys- with all respect due you because of you position- and it does come across kind of like how Summit describes it:  dissent is not to be tolerated and feelings are more important than what should be the true purpose of a forum like this- learning from our peers.   Granted, I will give you that I deserve about 30-50% of the "knock it off" warnings I get for being a little too personal in my responses, but at the same time I've been dinged for things that I would stand up and say in front of any of my peers.  

Peers bicker, peers argue, and they hurt each others' feelings.  I've seen doctoral degree holding scientists have each other by the coat lapels during arguments in bars at conferences and I've heard words used in academic debates that would get me immediately banned from here for repeating.  Actually I've seen a full out fist fight among cardiac arrest researchers in Stavanger, Norway (would up handcuffed on a curb until the cops sorted out who was involved and who wasn't).  Why is it that similar discourse (not the physical violence part)  is not at least tolerated in a field that needs it more than any other because of the open door hiring and training policies and the minimal entry and testing standards?   I understand we are striving to be an exemplar, but at the same time there comes a point where the debate equivalent of a boot to the head is the only recourse likely to result in progress of any sort. 

I'm not really taking sides one way or the other, because I've seen both appropriate and appreciated responses (such as telling a new member that I may be many things, but I'm not childish because I pointed out the risks of his goals) and_ possibly excessively_ heavy handed responses to more or less innocuous comments (infraction and moderator review for telling an EMT student to calm down when he posted about a state EMS inspection).   That said, all in all, I like the way this forum is run, but still think the subtle encouragement- intentional or unintended, whichever is the case- that has cost us many of our senior members here is to the detriment of everyone, even those who may not appreciate getting taken to task.  Hell, I've been put in my place by VentMedic on a few occasions and as much as it hurts my pride to have that happen, I am a better person and provider for it.


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## boingo (Nov 20, 2009)

Linuss said:


> +1 to coins.
> 
> 
> Rid came off as an arse, plain and simple.  There are plenty of ways to get your point across without demeaning and alienating a whole group of people.
> ...



Agreed.  I like the debate, but not once did he ever produce a shred of EBM to back up his position, at least when we differed in opinion.  Vent on the other hand will lead you by the nose to the evidence to back up her position, I'll take that anyday.  Just my opinion of course.


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## Hal9000 (Nov 20, 2009)

usafmedic45 said:


> As I've been told time and again by the mods, it's not what is said but how it's taken and how it's said.  I sure have felt that "Stop slapping sense into the newbies" attitude from you guys- with all respect due you because of you position- and it does come across kind of like how Summit describes it:  dissent is not to be tolerated and feelings are more important than what should be the true purpose of a forum like this- learning from our peers.   Granted, I will give you that I deserve about 30-50% of the "knock it off" warnings I get for being a little too personal in my responses, but at the same time I've been dinged for things that I would stand up and say in front of any of my peers.
> 
> Peers bicker, peers argue, and they hurt each others' feelings.  I've seen doctoral degree holding scientists have each other by the coat lapels during arguments in bars at conferences and I've heard words used in academic debates that would get me immediately banned from here for repeating.  Actually I've seen a full out fist fight among cardiac arrest researchers in Stavanger, Norway (would up handcuffed on a curb until the cops sorted out who was involved and who wasn't).  Why is it that similar discourse (not the physical violence part)  is not at least tolerated in a field that needs it more than any other because of the open door hiring and training policies and the minimal entry and testing standards?   I understand we are striving to be an exemplar, but at the same time there comes a point where the debate equivalent of a boot to the head is the only recourse likely to result in progress of any sort.
> 
> I'm not really taking sides one way or the other, because I've seen both appropriate and appreciated responses (such as telling a new member that I may be many things, but I'm not childish because I pointed out the risks of his goals) and_ possibly excessively_ heavy handed responses to more or less innocuous comments (infraction and moderator review for telling an EMT student to calm down when he posted about a state EMS inspection).   That said, all in all, I like the way this forum is run, but still think the subtle encouragement- intentional or unintended, whichever is the case- that has cost us many of our senior members here is to the detriment of everyone, even those who may not appreciate getting taken to task.  Hell, I've been put in my place by VentMedic on a few occasions and as much as it hurts my pride to have that happen, I am a better person and provider for it.



Saved me a lot of words.

Too many people get their feelers bent online, which is rather stupid given that it is known to be a rather insensitive medium.


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## DV_EMT (Nov 20, 2009)

lets send out a rescue party for Rid - Mountain Res-q is on it!


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## Michael Sykes (Nov 20, 2009)

I may not agree with how Rid says things, but if I were in deep :censored::censored::censored::censored:, I'd sure want him working on me.


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## thowle (Nov 20, 2009)

Life is not fair.  Life is not easy.  Life is not nice.  Get over it.  Who cares if the administrators told him to get lost?  Who cares if the administrators encouraged him to overlook the others on here bashing his posts?  Does it really matter? -- No, it doesn't.

He is not here right now, possibly by choice, then again possibly by something that was forced (we all work in EMS, and I'm sure you don't have any issue understanding what I'm saying).

Did he hurt your feelings?  Did he make you mad?  Did he make you sad?  Does anyone else in the world do that to you?  Get over it and learn from it!

Constructive criticism, being rude for no reason, etc, whatever it may be is something you need to learn to deal with... can't go around getting bent out of shape just because something doesn't go your way, or because someone is making you mad... chill, think it through, analyze WHY it's making you mad, WHAT you can do to overcome it, and then proceed to ACT.

Something I too need to understand and practice?  Sure enough!


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## Onceamedic (Nov 20, 2009)

I imagine we will be starting another thread soone called "is VentMedic" still alive?" 

When looking at this situation, I ask myself what is the result of the policies on this forum?  Speaking personally, I have moderated the tone of my responses.  When I see something that strikes me as profoundly stupid or offensive or juvenile, etc. etc. etc. I refrain from a drop kick to the head and resort to mild irony, sarcasm, etc.  Usually, the idiot goes away as opposed to starting some of the huge flame wars that were a large part of the conversations here. (and darn that was entertaining)

I am more apt to post stuff that I am not 100% sure of, responding to things I wouldn't if I thought I was going to be called out in front of the gang for missing some of the finer points.

Bottom line - a lot more dialogue, but with more crap to wade through if you are looking for good answers to questions.  

I think the quality is still here.  There are great posters on this site that reply with very useful information.  Nonetheless, I miss Rid and I am sure I will miss Vent too.


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## Summit (Nov 20, 2009)

usafmedic45 said:


> The one that subscribes to the theory of quantity (of advertising revenue) over quality of the posts.  The same forum that is best described as "10,000+ monkeys and still no Shakespeare".



That's a pretty good description of EMTSh*tty, where you have to pay to use chat and god forbid you disagree with the mods. They may allow more latitude for directness of comments, but questioning authoritah like I have in this thread would get you permbanned over there.


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## Mountain Res-Q (Nov 20, 2009)

DV_EMT said:


> lets send out a rescue party for Rid - Mountain Res-q is on it!



I would be 90% happy to organize the Search Effort.  I will need some assistance at the ICP (Logistics, Planning, Operations, etc.)  I know Summit would be glad to assist... and I will also need WarDance and Lucid.  While we are tracking down Rid, I will even look for Bossy. 

However, as far as some of the other notable that are no longer around, or whose presence is seldom... ya'll are on your own... my search effort is suspended when it comes to some...  <_<  I have the exact opposite opinion as Linuss... blunt and honest is one thing that is needed and Rid provided...  rude, obstinate, and always itching for a fight (no matter if that fight is justified) is NEVER needed from those claiming to be professionals... and those ones IMHO are just as bad as the whackers and noobies that seem to be breeding in even increasing numbers on the forums...  But, being an educated person doesn’t give you the right to be an azz…  If being educated means that you turn into someone like that, well then, who wants any of that?  If education means that you stopping being a decent human, then count me out…


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## Onceamedic (Nov 20, 2009)

On further reflection, in additional to my earlier post:

While there is still quality here, what we are now missing, and I think it is a tremendous loss, is the knowledge and experience of two people well beyond what we see in our extremely narrow view of health care; paramedicine.

One of the things I miss about working in a hospital based system is exposure to advanced diagnosis and outcomes.  Once we drop the patient off, especially in a busy system, how often do we get to find out exactly what happened to that patient?  And I mean the thinking process of doctors and diagnosticians, the end result of our field interventions, (is that thing we did really useful?  could we do this technique differently? ) and how did the patient do?

With only part of the picture, we wind up feeling warm all over about the wrong things, thinking we did a good job because we followed protocols and/or worked within the collective wisdom of our peers.  Think about all those EMT-Bs putting on 15lpm via NRB for every medical patient and then being all upset when medics rip it off the CO2 retainer.

This is what Vent and Rid were trying to give us - a much bigger picture than we would normally be exposed to.  And the result - angry, insulted EMS because how dare they get short with us when we obviously know everything we need to know.

This is really really sad.


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## DV_EMT (Nov 20, 2009)

he was blunt, and rude at times..... BUT.... it was always done at an appropriate time! I have no problem with someone being blunt or rude.... so long as its called for. And some of the whacker on the forum needed his rude and blunt remarks.

I for one miss him... and would be happy to go on the SAR team with Summit and MT-RES-Q


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## Seaglass (Nov 20, 2009)

I think the real problem is that it's hard to find well-educated, experienced people in EMS who aren't suspicious of the rest of us, for reasons this board has gone over before. I can see they're so aggressive. But even if it's understandable, it's still pretty over the top. I remember one occasion where I was called an internet fake because I claimed some experience with a population in question and still disagreed with one of our more educated posters. Because everyone who knew what they were talking about would always agree with them, right? That's not how most fields work, but it seems so rare in EMS to come across other educated people that I can see how someone could get a skewed point of view. And why some people who are new to the field, or in a position where they're used to having their opinions challenged, would assume they're all just arrogant blowhards. 

That being said, would I go whine about how my feelings are hurt? No. It's just the internet... if anyone cares all that much, they need a thicker skin and a more interesting life offline. I'll miss the good input, but only because I don't mind ignoring the attitudes and drama that can come with it.


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## foxfire (Nov 20, 2009)

Kaisu said:


> On further reflection, in additional to my earlier post:
> 
> While there is still quality here, what we are now missing, and I think it is a tremendous loss, is the knowledge and experience of two people well beyond what we see in our extremely narrow view of health care; paramedicine.
> 
> ...


 
Dido to that.
very well put.


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## triemal04 (Nov 20, 2009)

Unfortunately, there is a difference between being very blunt, straightforward and brutally honest (which I don't have a problem with and Rid did do quite a bit) and being a jackball just for the sake of being a jackball.  For instance, a rather prolific poster who used to give out loads of good info while being rather...unpleasant, now seems to be doing nothing more than trolling based on almost all of her most recent posts.

Doing the former isn't wrong and can still help given that the criticism is still valid and often constructive.  And if it rubs some people wrong, that's really just to bad.  But doing the latter...it serves no purpose.


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## Lifeguards For Life (Nov 20, 2009)

triemal04 said:


> Unfortunately, there is a difference between being very blunt, straightforward and brutally honest (which I don't have a problem with and Rid did do quite a bit) and being a jackball just for the sake of being a jackball.  For instance, a rather prolific poster who used to give out loads of good info while being rather...unpleasant, now seems to be doing nothing more than trolling based on almost all of her most recent posts.
> 
> Doing the former isn't wrong and can still help given that the criticism is still valid and often constructive.  And if it rubs some people wrong, that's really just to bad.  But doing the latter...it serves no purpose.



I think i know which poster you are referring too


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## Smash (Nov 20, 2009)

triemal04 said:


> Unfortunately, there is a difference between being very blunt, straightforward and brutally honest (which I don't have a problem with and Rid did do quite a bit) and being a jackball just for the sake of being a jackball.  For instance, a rather prolific poster who used to give out loads of good info while being rather...unpleasant, now seems to be doing nothing more than trolling based on almost all of her most recent posts.
> 
> Doing the former isn't wrong and can still help given that the criticism is still valid and often constructive.  And if it rubs some people wrong, that's really just to bad.  But doing the latter...it serves no purpose.



Amen to that.  Using education as a soapbox, or worse a blunt instrument to beat others into submission does nothing to further the goals of those of us who are striving for better education in EMS, not just for ourselves, but for the entire industry.  In many ways it may in fact achieve the opposite.  This is one of the reasons I don't post my qualifications.  I am proud of them, however what matters is what I do for my patients and my industry.  Furthermore, the quality of the post is by no means in proportion to the amount of purported education.

Aside from the, one can have a robust discussion, or argument even, without having to resort to personal attacks and snide remarks about education.  These kind of attacks merely show an intellectual laziness; they are the last bastion of those with nothing constructive to add.

Whilst it may be a shame to lose a valuable resource from these boards, there comes a point where the incessant ad hominem attacks get too much.  A little holiday may be something we all need on occasion, and there are doubtless others who can provide equally valuable information without appearing to feel the need to denigrate others on the board.


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## Summit (Nov 20, 2009)

There weren't incessant ad hominems that I saw. 

Sometimes a bit of attitude is warranted.

Usually it comes when the congenial and forthright presentation of information is being rejected due to ego.

Some people have very thin skin... I think they don't last long in EMS and when they do, the only due in the absence of those able to question their follies.


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## firecoins (Nov 20, 2009)

Rid and Vent often did post informative posts but I have their attitude to be trollish.  They seemed to look for fights with posts when none were warrented.  

They haven't been banned so they choose to not post.  I am indifferent to their being here or not.


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## JPINFV (Nov 20, 2009)

firecoins said:


> They haven't been banned so they choose to not post.



Sometimes the only winning move is not to play.


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## Summit (Nov 21, 2009)

I think some people see what is within them.

Firm dispersion of incorrect ideas can seem harsh when someone has their ego checked, even by proxy.

Not every allowance of knowledge needs to be preceeded by "I have the greatest respect for you but you may be slightly mistaken on a small point, please consider the following."


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## FF-EMT Diver (Nov 21, 2009)

Been awhile since I have been to the site, I quess I've become somewhat of a troll myself. I usually drop in now and then to see if anything new is up. The things I looked for were posts by Rid or Vent, I personally do not give a flying rip what attitude they portray be it at me or someone else, I'll take the knowledge that they have gained over the years and use it to my benefit....

I don't really have an answer for this site and I wont pretend to but Rid and Vent were 2 of the more knowledgeable people on this board and it has been stated that they have NOT been asked to leave by the admin. But for goodness sakes lets grow up and quit worrying whether they were jumping down our throat and just learn what we can.....Lets all get a little better about not having to have the upper hand Vent and Rid included if they so choose to come back. I for one hope they do.


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## 46Young (Nov 21, 2009)

firecoins said:


> Rid and Vent often did post informative posts but I have their attitude to be trollish.  They seemed to look for fights with posts when none were warrented.
> 
> They haven't been banned so they choose to not post.  I am indifferent to their being here or not.



+1. The importance of education needs to be discussed, but the constant nagging about it becomes tiresome and nauseating after a while. After hearing the same message and same argument numerous times it just becomes overkill and gets tuned out.

On the other site, just for kicks and giggles, I spoke about opportunity cost regarding the financial benefit of going the tech school route and getting in the field quicker vs going to college and delaying compensation for a few years. I wanted to see what would happen if I shifted the emPHAsis from education to personal finance with one thread. It was amusing.


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## Aidey (Nov 21, 2009)

I agree with everyone that educational posts from people with a lot of experience in a specific area are beneficial. I also agree that some of these educational discussions have not happened in a neutral way. I personal have felt more than once that there have been some very judgmental attitudes that have come up, which is detrimental to the whole thread. 

I know that there is a big push to eliminate "whackers" so EMS can be a "real profession", and that discussions about boots, pants, steths etc are belittling to people who are "true professionals". Frustration with people discussing these and other similar topics seem to be used as an excuse for some people to be judgmental towards new and less educated members and members who have different opinions. Rather than educational, some posts come off as "You don't know anything, I know everything, and anything you say is wrong because you don't have as much education/experience as I do" which is not conducive to a good discussion. Someone may learn something, but they are left with a bad feeling towards the person who made the post, which makes them less likely to listen to them in the future. 

I've also noticed an undertone in some posts that makes the poster come off as having an attitude that their way/opinion is the only right one and any further discussion is futile, which I don't think is conducive to an educational environment either.


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## FF-EMT Diver (Nov 21, 2009)

Allow me to come back and say this...

I have spent the last little while reading some posts from days/weeks/months ago and I will say I do see a lot of attitude from a poster.....  I am a member of another forum not related to EMS and if you get out of lane you are quickly put back into it.....THIS IS AN EMS FORUM, DO NOT COME ON HERE AND BASH EMS AS THOUGH NURSES ARE BETTER!!! If someone wants to lend their education to me well and good and suggest ways to make EMS more professional is great but this is not a nursing forum.....


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## Summit (Nov 21, 2009)

Aidey said:


> I've also noticed an undertone in some posts that makes the poster come off as having an attitude that their way/opinion is the only right one



Are you surprised? The very nature of this profession invites a lot of type A personalities.

What people don't realize is that by being type doesn't guarantee thick skin, much less with the non type-As


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## Hal9000 (Nov 21, 2009)

*I thought I was of thin skin.*

But apparently I am not.  The posters being spoken of never seemed to troll the site, although their mannerisms could be abrasive.  I was never offended by them, nor did I become "nauseated" by their posts.  Most had lots of truth.  Of course, some are more interested in furthering professionalism, systems, and knowledge than others.  

I think a lot of people just take it very personally and become offended.  I'm glad I didn't and don't.  Think I'm wrong?  Tell me.  I have learned more from Rid and Vent than most of the others on this forum put together, and I believe their attitudes could help a lot of underperforming systems.


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## Seaglass (Nov 21, 2009)

smash said:


> aside from the, one can have a robust discussion, or argument even, without having to resort to personal attacks and snide remarks about education.  These kind of attacks merely show an intellectual laziness; they are the last bastion of those with nothing constructive to add.



+1.


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## usafmedic45 (Nov 21, 2009)

> The posters being spoken of never seemed to troll the site, although their mannerisms could be abrasive.



+1.  I would classify neither of them as a troll, by any definition.


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## akflightmedic (Nov 21, 2009)

usafmedic45 said:


> +1.  I would classify neither of them as a troll, by any definition.



Have you ever seen Rid on a windy day? I have and I have pictures...

Remember those little troll heads for pencil tops where the hair stands when you spin it....?

Just sayin...


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## Melclin (Nov 21, 2009)

I do miss the informed content of his posts....s**thouse syntax and grammar not withstanding. Honestly, some of his posts were barely readable. But when you could read them, the content was good.


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## usafmedic45 (Nov 21, 2009)

akflightmedic said:


> Have you ever seen Rid on a windy day? I have and I have pictures...
> 
> Remember those little troll heads for pencil tops where the hair stands when you spin it....?
> 
> Just sayin...


Touche sir.  LOL


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## Ridryder911 (Nov 26, 2009)

He's alive!








Yes, I am alive and well. I want to thank all the positive comments that was made as well as take some constructive criticism. 

No the moderators have always been nice to me and during the recent changes on this forum my life has also changed. I decided to become healthier and recently lost weight and started running daily thus dropping 8 pant sizes and no longer require any medication(s). Also became more socially involved as having a personal life. Many of you know I had lost my fiancée from cancer several years ago that was a fellow flight nurse and strictly focused on my profession and career. So I decided to change that as well.. and started dating heavily... (hey, weight loss, tan!) and now started a relationship for the first time with a non-medical person.. and love it! 

I still read once and a while but have to admit it appears to be a broken record as I have quit participating on a local level and now have shifted my attention on the National level to enforce those below to change. I wished it was where our profession could be that.. but; until we quit the cycle it will never change.

I will pop in once in a while and posts... again, thanks for the kind words. 

R/r 911


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## Aidey (Nov 26, 2009)

Yay on all the positive stuff happening Rid, it sounds like everything is going really well for you.


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## Lifeguards For Life (Nov 26, 2009)

congrats man. take care


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## Akulahawk (Nov 26, 2009)

Ridryder911 said:


> He's alive!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Congrats on all the changes! Rid, you sound like you've found joy again! Seriously. You "sound" like a whole new you.


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## Aidey (Nov 26, 2009)

Oh gawd....next thing we know he's going to swap out Dr. Cox for The Tod....

Sorry Rid, couldn't resist.


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## Hal9000 (Nov 26, 2009)

Well, this post is a good one for Thanksgiving!  Good for you, sir!


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## Summit (Nov 26, 2009)

Aidey said:


> Oh gawd....next thing we know he's going to swap out Dr. Cox for The Tod....
> 
> Sorry Rid, couldn't resist.



bahahahahahahahh


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## ffemt8978 (Nov 26, 2009)

Aidey said:


> Oh gawd....next thing we know he's going to swap out Dr. Cox for The Tod....
> 
> Sorry Rid, couldn't resist.



That's so funny, I'm almost tempted to do it for him.


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## Onceamedic (Nov 26, 2009)

A kinder gentler Rid? Noooooooooooo...  say it ain't so...


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## Michael Sykes (Nov 26, 2009)

Ridryder911 said:


> He's alive!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I know I'm a newbie here, but first, please accept my condolences on your fiancee. We lost a son-in-law 4 months ago to pancreatic cancer, so I have an idea of your situation.

Yes, you may be a little brash with your comments, but you speak the truth; that's the main thing.Like I said about some paragods who may not care for me personally, they're the ones I'd want working on me if I was coding.

Hang in there, Rid.


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## Michael Sykes (Nov 26, 2009)

JPINFV said:


> Sometimes the only winning move is not to play.



Somebody's seen "War Games" once too often.


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## Aidey (Nov 26, 2009)

ffemt8978 said:


> That's so funny, I'm almost tempted to do it for him.



Please?  *




*


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## firetender (Nov 27, 2009)

glad to hear from you, Rid!

Once again, you're being a good role model by taking care of yourself!

Blessings


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## JPINFV (Nov 27, 2009)

Michael Sykes said:


> Somebody's seen "War Games" once too often.


Shall we play a game?

...and if you haven't seen War Games, you're missing out on life.


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## Michael Sykes (Nov 27, 2009)

JPINFV said:


> Shall we play a game?
> 
> ...and if you haven't seen War Games, you're missing out on life.



Chess or Thermonucluear War?


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## DV_EMT (Nov 27, 2009)

Michael Sykes said:


> Chess or Thermonucluear War?



Hell... I'd piss on a sparkplug if i thought it'd do any good!

War Games FTW!!!


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## Akulahawk (Nov 27, 2009)

I'd like to play Tic-Tac-Toe, player 0, please...


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## Summit (Nov 27, 2009)

Screw that... I'm playing Global Thermonuclear Warfare


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## mycrofft (Nov 27, 2009)

*Any Rid sightings?*

Someone said he was seen hanging around the Mayo clinic helipad...


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## Summit (Nov 28, 2009)

Summit said:


> Screw that... I'm playing Global Thermonuclear Warfare


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## BLSBoy (Nov 28, 2009)

Rid, glad you are alive. 
Between you, Vent, AK and Dust (over _there_), y'all have knocked me on my *** so many times, its black and blue. 
But I learned. 

And my patients have benefitted. 

Bravo on the getting healthy and finding someone who makes you happy. 

When you get a chance, come by and learn us some more. 

Good luck to you advancing our profession. Please include a LOT of safety measures. My back, neck and elbow have already paid the price for stupidity.


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## 8jimi8 (Aug 31, 2010)

firecoins said:


> Rid and Vent often did post informative posts but I have their attitude to be trollish.  They seemed to look for fights with posts when none were warrented.
> 
> They haven't been banned so they choose to not post.  I am indifferent to their being here or not.



While i agree to a small degree (and i rarely politically agree with you Firecoins - LOL)  

Both Rid and Vent have up and apologized when they stepped over the line.  I think however, that they rarely stepped over and i'm sure that is where you and diverge.


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## 8jimi8 (Aug 31, 2010)

and i only revived this dead thread because we are STILL missing some heavy hitters, that keep the content fresh and informative.


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## Ridryder911 (Aug 31, 2010)

Thanks for the compliments and even those that disagree.. (hopefully we can understand it is okay to agree to disagree). I have quit posting as often for several reasons. 
As I stated before I got a life!... Seriously, I quit working >100 hours a week, started socializing and finally realized... *Really, it's just a job! * This was told to me by one of my close friends who says the same thing about his job ...(he's a thoracic surgeon)... They're all just jobs.. yes perform them with great passion and quality; but we all need to learn to work to live NOT live to work. As an old medic, I wished I would had learned this much sooner... 

Yes, I am still very active in State and National level for increasing and mandating education levels. Forums like this stir up good and great debates, but unfortunately that is about all it really does. Hopefully along the way, many of us old medics made you do one thing.... that was to ....*think!* Rather to follow like mindless sheep, (as most of those in EMS do) justify and prove to yourself and others why you do what you do! (treat, perform and even think the way you do).. Can you? I doubt most can do that without resorting to the same old excuses.

Most of the participants on forums are rarely more than just street grunts.... (nothing wrong with that) but I have found that those in power and truly have the authority to change things mocks these debates. I can understand why. Typical EMS providers love to whine and gripe; but when it takes real action to change things....they are no where to be found or they clam up.

Good example of a foolish debate is the thread of accreditation or not. Really? Seriously? A so called profession that would even discuss of not having an institution not meeting a mandated minimal standards?... Wow! No wonder we are a joke in most  professionals eyes. Because we are! The only health care profession that does not require formal education from an true accrediting agency. Then we wonder why EMS makes minimal wage and all the other problems? H*ll, we can't even decide what acronym to be called! Usually taught by instructors with less education level than a kindergarten teacher! It's a wonder the public trusts us... Better yet, I doubt very few on here have even really reviewed what the requirements of the accreditation are, and why the national trend is going to require such? Again, most of those within EMS have no true experience within the medical profession other than to drive an ambulance. Most fail to understand the broad scope of having professional standards, changing from objective base curriculum to true academic methods. Funny, I have not seen debates about requiring EMS services to become accredited alike hospitals having JCAHO. Why not? Meeting national minimal standards may mean having no more bailing wired, half arse stocked, worn out units. Yeah, hit them where it hurts ... the pocket book!  

I have always encouraged good debates, me a troll.. not ever.. stir the pot? You bet! AS I described, you should be able to  defend your thoughts, opinions, treatment and so forth based upon good knowledge from education, experience and forethought not just emotional reaction.  

Be safe, 
R/r 911


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## firecoins (Aug 31, 2010)

8jimi8 said:


> While i agree to a small degree (and i rarely politically agree with you Firecoins - LOL)


I am not what the political differences are.  I don't keep track of arguments we have had.


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## firetender (Aug 31, 2010)

Ridryder911 said:


> *Really, it's just a job! *



So did you take that last offer you told us about?


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