Things That Annoy You

[Juan]

Non-compete clauses were originally limited to time and location.  For instance, if I went to work for TV station A in a given market, my non-compete would keep me from working at the other stations in the market for a given period of time.  Cheap Channel, when it acquired stations in almost all markets, began to interpret the non-compete as applying to any market where Cheap Channel had a station - in other words, almost the entire country.  That's when the evil began.

[Sardondi]

Non-compete clauses were originally limited to time and location.  For instance, if I went to work for TV station A in a given market, my non-compete would keep me from working at the other stations in the market for a given period of time.  Cheap Channel, when it acquired stations in almost all markets, began to interpret the non-compete as applying to any market where Cheap Channel had a station - in other words, almost the entire country.  That's when the evil began.

That's the tyranny of the deep pockets: Clear Channel could and can afford to finance any legal fight with a non-compete-ee who challenges them. Standing up to Clear Channel is as if you are a barren, rocky, island nation with almost no natural resources besides seaweed and salt, going to war with a country which is 25 times your geographical size, has 4 times your population, and incalculably more natural resources and industrial capacity that you do. Oh, wait: it's like you were Japan and Clear Channel was the US. And the US sneak attacks you.

[PB the Deplorable]

It's one thing if someone sells their business and signs a non-compete as part of the deal.  Or if a person has access to company propriety information, and as part of their employment contract agree not to go straight to a competitor with it.

Just a blanket clause saying a person can't work in an industry is BS, it's similar to restraint of trade, people have a right to work.  I've seen reports of courts finding these clauses to be unenforceable (it may depend on the state) for this very reason.

Of course if a person doesn't challenge it, and just agrees to abide by it, then they won't be working whether it's valid or not.

[BobGrau]

Does Coyle have a non-compete, I wonder...

[UnscreenedCaller]

I'm no attorney and this may sound dumb, but while in Art's case non-compete means no broadcasting content in competition with Sirius, how can he be competing if he was the unique paranormal show and now there is none? It seems one-sided to bind him to a non-compete when the range of Sirius programming goes from 40's music to live sports, news, foreign content and so on. I could see the point of C2C's non-compete, even though I rue the day that was signed, since a competing show was still on the air, if you call the 4 hours of suckage nightly competing.

[Juan]

Without knowing the specifics of the non-compete, we are all just gum-bumping.

[lonevoice]

Does Coyle have a non-compete, I wonder...

I hope not.

Here's something I bet some of the ladies of BellGab, hell maybe even some of the men, might find hard to believe.  Eddie Coyle was the first person I ever received a PM from on this forum.  It was kind, welcoming and complimentary.  I had quite a few PM exchanges with EC after that, and they were unfailingly civil, interesting, funny, and encouraging.  It helped a lot, because when I first joined the forum and read back through most of the old threads and posts, I found it intimidating.  There was this core group of old-timers who were so much better educated, informed, and well-written than I could ever hope to be.  Eddie's PM interactions helped me feel okay about that, and I'm grateful.  If he doesn't come back, I'll miss him terribly.

[Sardondi]

Without knowing the specifics of the non-compete, we are all just gum-bumping.

...and the room goes silent.

[Chine]

I hope not.

Here's something I bet some of the ladies of BellGab, hell maybe even some of the men, might find hard to believe.  Eddie Coyle was the first person I ever received a PM from on this forum.  It was kind, welcoming and complimentary.  I had quite a few PM exchanges with EC after that, and they were unfailingly civil, interesting, funny, and encouraging.  It helped a lot, because when I first joined the forum and read back through most of the old threads and posts, I found it intimidating.  There was this core group of old-timers who were so much better educated, informed, and well-written than I could ever hope to be.  Eddie's PM interactions helped me feel okay about that, and I'm grateful.  If he doesn't come back, I'll miss him terribly.

LV...very cool. You know, for whatever reason, Eddie and I really never conversed. Until one very funny occassion. He commented on Demi Moore being on General Hospital years ago. I was thrown off and shocked he was savvy to former celebrities on soaps. We had a wonderful conversation and he opened up on his youth and forced to watch ABC soaps with female family members. So wacky, hysterical and yet a tenderness under the surface exposed. It was a minimal exchange but an insight (though silly) that exposed a side beyond rough edges in his wild banter.

The first person to welcome and be kind to me as a newbie here was Sleeplessinca. Miss her.

[lonevoice]

LV...very cool. You know, for whatever reason, Eddie and I really never conversed. Until one very funny occassion. He commented on Demi Moore being on General Hospital years ago. I was thrown off and shocked he was savvy to former celebrities on soaps. We had a wonderful conversation and he opened up on his youth and forced to watch ABC soaps with female family members. So wacky, hysterical and yet a tenderness under the surface exposed. It was a minimal exchange but an insight (though silly) that exposed a side beyond rough edges in his wild banter.

The first person to welcome and be kind to me as a newbie here was Sleeplessinca. Miss her.

He's quite an eccentric character, chine.  Somewhere in the archives of the forum he said he had hyperthymesia.  Given the breadth and depth of his capacity to expound on most any subject that came up (including Demi Moore and General Hospital, lol), I saw no reason to doubt it.   I would never have mentioned the kindness and cordiality of his PMs if he was here, because it would probably piss him off so bad he'd flame my ass for it and maybe never speak to me again.   

[onan]

He's quite an eccentric character, chine.  Somewhere in the archives of the forum he said he had hyperthymesia.  Given the breadth and depth of his capacity to expound on most any subject that came up (including Demi Moore and General Hospital, lol), I saw no reason to doubt it.   I would never have mentioned the kindness and cordiality of his PMs if he was here, because it would probably piss him off so bad he'd flame my ass for it and maybe never speak to me again.   

I will always maintain he is the smartest, most well read of any member here.

[Sardondi]

I will always maintain he is the smartest, most well read of any member here.

Eddie Coyle knew more about the popular culture and current events of the last 50 years than anyone I've ever met. He knew something about everything. Someone could post about the most arcane, trivial, geeky subject imaginable, and odds were Eddie Coyle would not only get it, but know more about it that the poster. He had an almost creepy grasp of what he was doing on certain dates, and what was happening elsewhere around the world on particular dates. A savant? Could be. But also incredibly self-destructive, and a guy who would go on cyclical search-and-destroy missions where he would flamethrower anyone he perceived in positions of authority. He made it hard to defend him unqualifiedly.

While there are several other folks here whom I respect immensely and who humble me with the depth and breadth of their knowledge of all types, I'm going to have to reassess whether a BellGab without Eddie Coyle is still the kind of place where I want to hang out far more than I do any other website, as I have for the last 3 years. I won't want to leave. But I didn't want to leave the other websites which changed to the point they no longer felt like the places I joined. And for quite awhile BellGab has already felt like that. But at lkeast I had Eddie Coyle to look forward to. Not anymore.

[Camazotz Automat]

O Ye, of so little faith.

E(c) = mv²

It will all work out.

(I think)­

[UnscreenedCaller]

I don't doubt at all that Eddie sent a warm and welcoming PM to lonevoice. I never had any problem with Eddie, no run ins and, in fact, when the Boston bombings occurred, the first person I thought of was Eddie. It was an uneasy couple of hours until he posted that he was alright. I miss him and hope there's a way back for him. He has a unique perspective which helped make Bellgab what it was. He's one of a kind.

While there are several other folks here whom I respect immensely and who humble me with the depth and breadth of their knowledge of all types, I'm going to have to reassess whether a BellGab without Eddie Coyle is still the kind of place where I want to hang out far more than I do any other website, as I have for the last 3 years. I won't want to leave. But I didn't want to leave the other websites which changed to the point they no longer felt like the places I joined. And for quite awhile BellGab has already felt like that. But at lkeast I had Eddie Coyle to look forward to. Not anymore.

You said it far more eloquently than I could hope to.

[McPhallus]

My understanding was that he was a sort of rain man-type character but without the autism.  His knowledge was encyclopedia, and he could've been an Ivy League history prof if he wanted to be.

I found him to be often insightful and always funny, even when he was going nuclear in someone (whether they deserved it or not). But there was always that underlying tone of despair and fatalism.  I know many people came to this place mainly because of him.

It's obvious he had a huge impact... He's been absent less than a week, and we're talking about him like crazy.

I don't doubt at all that Eddie sent a warm and welcoming PM to lonevoice. I never had any problem with Eddie, no run ins and, in fact, when the Boston bombings occurred, the first person I thought of was Eddie. It was an uneasy couple of hours until he posted that he was alright. I miss him and hope there's a way back for him. He has a unique perspective which helped make Bellgab what it was. He's one of a kind.

You said it far more eloquently than I could hope to.

[Treading Water]

When I went to sleep last night, it was a nasty, bad dream.
When I woke up this morning, it was a full-blown, raging nightmare.
What the Hell is going on???

And I really miss Eddie, too.   

Damn.

[jazmunda]

Was he terminally ill? I thought he mentioned it and I noticed he became even more acerbic and aggressive towards posters like he had given up on life and the world and he had just said fuck it I don't give a fuck.

I always liked the guy, his musings and his unique point of views. Underneath the roughness you occasionally got a glimpse of a softer side.

He will be missed.

[Mind Flayer Monk]

    Loud,obnoxious people...whether blabbing endlessly into their cellphone, blaring awful music in their shitbox of a vehicle, having "deck parties" at 3AM etc. I really despise these fucks. I really feel like letting my inner James Huberty out when loud people are around me. I'm naturally misanthropic, but dealings with these cretins only validate my hatred.

From page 1

[basswood]

From page 1

Interesting. I went back and looked at his first posts on the board and discovered he's only 36 or 37. I pegged him for much older.

[Usagi]

All that really matters is that Eddie was one cool cat... and now he can't come back here after his middle of the night walks.

[West of the Rockies]

Sardondi wrote:  "While there are several other folks here whom I respect immensely and who humble me with the depth and breadth of their knowledge of all types, I'm going to have to reassess whether a BellGab without Eddie Coyle is still the kind of place where I want to hang out far more than I do any other website, as I have for the last 3 years. I won't want to leave. But I didn't want to leave the other websites which changed to the point they no longer felt like the places I joined. And for quite awhile BellGab has already felt like that. But at lkeast I had Eddie Coyle to look forward to. Not anymore."

I truly enjoyed EC's presence here; we PM'd a couple times as well -- truly, he was (is) a fascinating guy.  I can't say I'd leave the forum just because of his departure, but I DO find now that I mostly visit the General Discussion Forum.  I get tired of ragging on C2C because, honestly, what the hell else is there to say?  I hope Art comes back, but I'm kind of tired of dissecting who's to blame in his most recent departure.  Politics?  Sound and fury....

[steelbot]

The first person to welcome and be kind to me as a newbie here was Sleeplessinca. Miss her.

I've since tidy'd up my pm box but I think Onan or Aldous or the other GN 'guildnavigator' where the first couple of folks that PM'd me and kinda helped ease me into the boards here.

[Usagi]

Anagrammy was the first to reach out to me.   

I kinda miss her, too. 

--

BTW, after taking a peak in mine.... where's those KNYE shirts, guildnavigator!

[BobGrau]

Buncha whining saps...

[lonevoice]

Aldous Burbank has said his goodbyes.  Eddie Coyle is no more.  Sardondi has said he might be taking his leave.   Effing Dave Noorie is probably going to be calling into the GabCast.  Art Bell would probably be violating his NC if he did that.   I'm not sure if I'm winding down yet, folks, but magic 8 ball says "Cannot predict now."

[Chine]

Aldous Burbank has said his goodbyes.  Eddie Coyle is no more.  Sardondi has said he might be taking his leave.   Effing Dave Noorie is probably going to be calling into the GabCast.  Art Bell would probably be violating his NC if he did that.   I'm not sure if I'm winding down yet, folks, but magic 8 ball says "Cannot predict now."

Ah, LV...sigh. Was thinking this myself after seeing Aldous' post. Earlier, stumbling on Sardoni's reaction. These are individuals I adore with their stimulating and engaging contributions to the gab. Aldous and his 'whatchoo mean, jellybean?'... Sardoni's injection to ramblings on film and literature. Musing on creativity and craftmanship kept me inspired, exhilarated. Even so much so that I pulled out my Nordic crime books of espionage. Nourishment found once more.

[McPhallus]

All that really matters is that Eddie was one cool cat... and now he can't come back here after his middle of the night walks.

I remember  a couple of suicidal references in his posts.  Hope he's OK... I don't think he had much of a social life outside this forum.

[shell88]

I have kept silent about Eddie because I was one of the one's that got drawn into the drama of that emotional night and certainly didn't help his situation much - which I feel badly about now, seeing that so many people enjoyed his posts. I do hope that MV can forgive and forget the bullshit that happened that night, and just allow him to come back should he want to.  That's about all I can say or do for this situation.
I for one do not hold grudges, and my anger is generally short lived and doesn't last long. It was a roller coaster ride for many. 
How about it MV? 

[UnscreenedCaller]

Aldous has left before for an extended period for personal reasons and came back. Keep a good thought that he'll return again one day. Everyone else, as you were and don't go anywhere!

I'm not speculating on Eddie's personal life, but I hope to see him back here soon. That's the thing with forums. People come on board and sometimes they haven't lurked beforehand and have no idea of the interpersonal dynamics. Eddie held a very special place here and he's leaving an EC sized gap just like Aldous is leaving an ab sized gap.  No one else can or will take their place.

[McPhallus]

Aldous Burbank has said his goodbyes.  Eddie Coyle is no more.  Sardondi has said he might be taking his leave.   Effing Dave Noorie is probably going to be calling into the GabCast.  Art Bell would probably be violating his NC if he did that.   I'm not sure if I'm winding down yet, folks, but magic 8 ball says "Cannot predict now."

I don't get why aldous left, but he's always been the type to come and go with the wind.

I haven't been in the GNS thread since Art came back.  What's more to say about it?  George isn't interesting enough to talk about years on end.  There's really nothing new that hasn't already been said ad nauseum.

And now that Art is gone again, now what? He's lost some fans for good, no question.  And there's only so many cycles of promises-dashed expectations-rewards-let downs you can put people through before a certain fatigue reaches its peak and people just stop caring. Sirius was probably Art's last big chance, and he blew it.