//// Nowadays all it seems to be is griping and point scoring////
Sorry, I disagree.
AB has always had its fair share of points scoring and griping but it is not a patch as vicious as it was a decade ago. It has been sanitized and is now like reading Enid Blyton Children's books compared to yesteryear..........child's play now.
Loved Nungate's parties when she threw open the doors of her stately home. Had many a good Saturday night partaking of her cocktails and taking part in the rofl. The prizes were just wonderful - always remember a box of spent matches!
It was fun at times but there was still heated debates going on. What there definitely was, though, was less Ill informed garbage from the remedial class kids.
I remember a past Ed spending in Christmas in Philadelphia, I think. When she came back the place was knee-deep in swill, she spent the next week clearing it out. No mods in those days.
You just have to take it as it is, it goes through different phases, or start the threads you want.
I enjoyed the general daftness at times, it was great, but, different ABers, who didn't automatically want to squish it.