HELLO, splitting comments, RAFTERS

[Peter Murray]

Taking advantage of the soapboxes piled all about, a bearded figure
climbs down out of the rafters. Finally reaching the ground, he goes to
the bar, puts a pound coin down, and thinks a moment.
"I'll try a ginger beer, please." He takes the drink and change, then
turns to speak to those near the bar.
"I've been lurking in the rafters for about a month now, watching you
talk about starting up local branches or put up partitions, and I thought
it was about time I butted in too." He drinks while thinking what to say.
"I thought it really might be a good idea, the one about having the
main bar, and then dividing off the fireplace area and the french
windows*." He takes another few sips.
"One problem I had with the idea was that it sounded as though flames
weren't going to be allowed near the fireplace, and I didn't think it
sounded safe to have them in the main bar - or by the french windows."
Another sip. "But it sounds as though the fireplace isn't going to be
separated from the main bar now anyway, so that's no problem."
He looks reluctant to bring up the other point, but steels himself to it.
"It did occur to me that a sizeable group of Callahan's 'regulars' are
being overlooked though. Perhaps there could be a non-existent newsgroup
a.c.rafters? There wouldn't be any need to worry about propagation
problems, or about people not being able to see this group, or having to
pay extra to download it, because it would always be empty."
Some of the dancers throw peanuts half-heartedly at him.
"Another idea I had was to divide the bar by species; so all the humans
would have one area, non-human mammals another, reptiles yet a third..."

He looks at his glass and sees there's quite a lot left. He wanders off
to see if there's a table number 76 to sit at, wondering if people will
actually think he was being entirely serious.

(I would prefer the keyword idea to the split.)

* French windows _are_ doors! They're glazed, but they're doors.

Peter Murray My opinions are probably only mine [ :-( ]
--That settles it; I _do_ have authority to post to Usenet!