It begins with a simple letter to Target asking a question about the Salvation Army, a letter which generated 122 responses, mostly negative. Had I known what I know now, I would have just written a letter and dropped it in the mail.

This site provides a good service and an easy way to contact companies, but it has probably migrated into a statistic gathering device instead of the "voice it was intended to be.

I admit I got wrapped up in the game as well; I couldn't wait to "hammer" a letter writer or comment on a post. My level of one-upmanship grew to an embarrassing level.

I started writing letters with good content, but crafted them in such a way that they were sure to cause controversy, and it worked for a while. Not only was it fun, but it was a bit therapeutic.

Suddenly, I am banished and no one wants to post to my letters, this only gives me cause to post to other letters, and I post some doozies.

I have been referred to as a slack jaw, a yokel, a bumpkin, an idiot, an a-hole, etc.... Most of this was directed at the name I created, but a lot was probably personal attacks. I am amazed at the level of hatred generated by simple letters.

I have one suggestion. When a OP is creating a letter, he/she should be queried about their interaction with the manager. I can't start to count the number of responses that begin with "did you speak to a manager?"

I find that I am spending way to much time on this site; I am not leaving, but I am no longer going to fill this site with my writings, it just isn't worth it any longer.

I do wish you all well and urge you to examine your personal post over the past month or so and ask yourself "am I being helpful or spiteful?"

For the record, I posted on 57% complaints, 35% compliments, and 8% questions; 23 letters with only 2 responses. One from Dominoes and one from Target; I recommend you patronize these stores.

For all of you that think I am an uneducated hick; I have a college degree, as does my wife, I have made life/death decisions throughout my career, in 2005 & 2006 I made 36 platelet donations to a blood donation center, look up platelet donation on google to see what a huge commitment this was. I honestly feel as though my platelets saved lives. I don't let my kids kill anything they aren't prepared to eat, I believe every living creature has a right to live until it is ready to enter the food chain. Yes, I catch bugs in my house, but I always take them outside and let them go.

I have one more letter to write, then I am going to make cameo appearances, not the daily barrage I am known for.

Clete