So how about an a.f.c.a. code?
SJF 1959
I note with interest that the Terry Pratchett newsgroups have their own take
off on the Geek Code. (I haven't been able to locate a key to the code yet,
but am making inquiries.)
What are we waiting for around here? We need a newgroup code of our own.
Discuss among yourselves, please.
Regards from Deborah
http://members.aol.com/SJF1959/index.html
Yiddishkeit code: S- Fa1,c=0 Ng M- K- H tI SYrc/A
Te!a P FO/s/m/sL/co D Tz+ E++ L Aw Ha hc--
RM Mentock
Luke? wrote:
> Excellent plan! Let's make newsgroups even more insular and
> clique-infested!
I'm stuck on this one. afca clique-infested? Am I in the
right group right now?
> Seriously, what's the point of having a code?
If you're really serious, it's going to be tough to explain.
--
D.
Surely, you're joking.
men...@mindspring.com
http://sentient.home.mindspring.com/dan/
Luke?
On 06 Jul 1998 23:13:02 GMT, sjf...@aol.com (SJF 1959) wrote:
>I note with interest that the Terry Pratchett newsgroups have their own take
>off on the Geek Code. (I haven't been able to locate a key to the code yet,
>but am making inquiries.)
>
>What are we waiting for around here? We need a newgroup code of our own.
>
>Discuss among yourselves, please.
Excellent plan! Let's make newsgroups even more insular and
clique-infested!
Seriously, what's the point of having a code?
--
Luke Gattuso - Lousy email: dogw...@hotmail.com
Lousy web page: http://www.csun.edu/~lg42537/index.html
Karen L Lingel
In article <199807062313...@ladder03.news.aol.com>, sjf...@aol.com (SJF 1959) writes:
>I note with interest that the Terry Pratchett newsgroups have their own take
>off on the Geek Code. (I haven't been able to locate a key to the code yet,
>but am making inquiries.)
>
>What are we waiting for around here? We need a newgroup code of our own.
>
>Discuss among yourselves, please.
>
OK, before anyone claims it, I want to reserve PaP for "Physicist and
Penguinist". Or should that be P+P?
--
-k-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Karen Lingel, PaP http://www.slac.stanford.edu/~karenl/
In honor of penguin appreciation month, I bring you
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/pubs/slacpubs/7000/slac-pub-7796.html
Jim Ward
sjf...@aol.com (SJF 1959) wrote:
>I note with interest that the Terry Pratchett newsgroups have their own take
>off on the Geek Code. (I haven't been able to locate a key to the code yet,
>but am making inquiries.)
>What are we waiting for around here? We need a newgroup code of our own.
I propose BM+ for those interested in discussing bodily functions.
FrogPrinc9
Karen L Lingel, renowned physicist and penguinist (or physicist and renowned
penguinist), swept into the room and announced:
>OK, before anyone claims it, I want to reserve PaP for "Physicist and
>Penguinist". Or should that be P+P?
Shoot, Karen. I wanted that one for Paedogenetic Amphibian Prince. Oh well...
John "frogs using Viagra remain green" Brown
Drew Carter
> off on the Geek Code. (I haven't been able to locate a key to the code yet,
> but am making inquiries.)
OK, the first question is: Who is Terry Pratchett? (I checked. My ISP
doesn't carry his/her NG)
Drew
Hoyt
Karen L Lingel wrote in message <6nrqks$a5v$1...@nntp.Stanford.EDU>...
take
>>off on the Geek Code. (I haven't been able to locate a key to the code
yet,
>>but am making inquiries.)
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>OK, before anyone claims it, I want to reserve PaP for "Physicist and
>Penguinist". Or should that be P+P?
>
Lingelist would be adequate.
73,
Hoyt
RM Mentock
> OK, the first question is: Who is Terry Pratchett? (I checked. My ISP
> doesn't carry his/her NG)
Here's a short bio:
http://www.us.lspace.org/about-terry/index.html
--
D.
men...@mindspring.com
http://sentient.home.mindspring.com/dan/
SJF 1959
>OK, the first question is: Who is Terry Pratchett? (I checked. My ISP
>doesn't carry his/her NG)
A novelist. He's a fan of Cecil's, and has even posted once or twice to afca.
Try a Deja News search, or check the links in my web site.
Helge Moulding
> >OK, the first question is: Who is Terry Pratchett?
> to afca.
Five times, in April, last year. What did you guys do to get rid of him?
--
Helge "Actually, he's no doubt too busy writing to write." Moulding
mailto:hmou...@mailexcite.com Just another guy
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/1401 with a weird name
Helge Moulding
> Heck, feel free to start a email campaign to bring him back to
> a.f.c.a.
Sure. I annoy him enough, and he ends up turning me into one of Dibblers
sausages.
--
Helge "Taking no chances." Moulding
SJF 1959
>> >OK, the first question is: Who is Terry Pratchett?
>> A novelist. He's a fan of Cecil's, and has even posted once or twice
>> to afca.
>
>Five times, in April, last year. What did you guys do to get rid of him?
Heck, feel free to start a email campaign to bring him back to a.f.c.a. His
address is tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk
Greg Goss
>SJF 1959 wrote:
>> >OK, the first question is: Who is Terry Pratchett?
>> A novelist. He's a fan of Cecil's, and has even posted once or twice
>> to afca.
>
>Five times, in April, last year. What did you guys do to get rid of him?
Isn't that about when I discovered this group?
Hoyt
Greg Goss wrote in message <35a4d98b....@news.direct.ca>...
May 2nd seems to be the magic date for you.
20. 97/05/02 023 Re: generic faraway or obscu alt.fan.cecil-adams
Greg Goss
21. 97/05/02 023 Re: Food stereotype origins? alt.fan.cecil-adams
Greg Goss
22. 97/05/02 023 Re: Followup to Pickle Jar M alt.fan.cecil-adams
Greg Goss
23. 97/05/02 023 Re: Wiretaps (was When other alt.fan.cecil-adams Greg
Goss
24. 97/05/02 023 Re: Excuse me while I incrim alt.fan.cecil-adams
Greg Goss
25. 97/05/02 023 Re: race on the census form, alt.fan.cecil-adams
Greg Goss
Mr. Pratchett was:
1. 97/04/19 023 Re: Virtues vs. Sins
alt.fan.cecil-adams Terry Pratchett
2. 97/04/19 023 Re: Chelm (another Judaica q alt.fan.cecil-adams
Terry Pratchett
3. 97/04/15 023 Re: Virtues vs. Sins
alt.fan.cecil-adams Terry Pratchett
4. 97/04/13 023 Re: Terry Pratchett (was Re: alt.fan.cecil-adams
Terry Pratchett
5. 97/04/04 023 Re: lampshade on head alt.fan.cecil-adams
Terry Pratchett
So I doubt it was you.
My first, you ask?
1. 96/09/21 022 Re: Tennis Balls Impaled on alt.fan.cecil-adams
Hoyt
Curiously, the oldest post to AFCA I could locate (Deja News) was from
Jackie Laderoute am...@freenet.carleton.ca on 3-31-95. Since this message
along with many of the early messages has been cancelled, perhaps the group
history has been lost. I have annoyed Ms. Laderoute with some e-mail in my
search for the information, so maybe we can get some answers.
73,
Hoyt
Robert Cook
>Drew Carter wrote:
>> OK, the first question is: Who is Terry Pratchett? (I checked. My ISP
>> doesn't carry his/her NG)
>Here's a short bio:
>http://www.us.lspace.org/about-terry/index.html
Someone who doesn't know who Terry Pratchett is. What an empty,
hollow, existance they must lead.
Robert M. Cook
http://www.sos.net/~cook/index.htm
Before sending me e-mail, remove the animal name
from my address.
Hoyt
Hoyt wrote in message <6nv2m1$f...@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net>...
>
>Curiously, the oldest post to AFCA I could locate (Deja News) was from
>Jackie Laderoute am...@freenet.carleton.ca on 3-31-95. Since this message
>along with many of the early messages has been cancelled, perhaps the group
>history has been lost. I have annoyed Ms. Laderoute with some e-mail in my
>search for the information, so maybe we can get some answers.
>
Jackie Laderoute rapidly replied that she was the poster, that the topic,
Perfect Solids, had been crossposted from a.f.u. were she had begun the
discussion but finished it in a.f.c-a; she canceled the post after deciding
that her point was not well made. She did feel that a.f.c-a was operating
vigorously prior to that and referred me to her friend who was more of a
regular at that time.
I'll let you know what turns up.
73,
Hoyt
Copyright 1998
Feedrus
>hollow, existance they must lead.
Well in all honesty I have never read one of his books either.. My girlfriend
has but not I. However I know of him for one other reason, that I think I saw
one other person post before and that is Pratchett is one of the Founders of
the Society for Creative Anachronism (who of course got its name from Marion
Zimmer Bradley)
Jeff
SCAka Lord Duncan Cameron
"Of course I have all the answers, they may not be right. But, they are
answers nonetheless"
SJF 1959
<hdu...@worldnetdotatt.net> writes:
>>Curiously, the oldest post to AFCA I could locate (Deja News) was from
>>Jackie Laderoute am...@freenet.carleton.ca on 3-31-95. Since this message
>>along with many of the early messages has been cancelled, perhaps the group
>>history has been lost.
Hmm. I started posting at some point in 95, and the group seemed to be
well-established by the time I came along. I vaguely recall that the topic (of
afca's origins) has come up before, and that Helge seemed to have been a
charter member. Let's annoy him for further information.
Hoyt
SJF 1959 wrote in message
<199807082251...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...
>In article <6o0d0j$o...@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net>, "Hoyt"
><hdu...@worldnetdotatt.net> writes:
>
>>>Curiously, the oldest post to AFCA I could locate (Deja News) was from
>>>Jackie Laderoute am...@freenet.carleton.ca on 3-31-95. Since this message
>>>along with many of the early messages has been cancelled, perhaps the
group
>>>history has been lost.
>
>Hmm. I started posting at some point in 95, and the group seemed to be
>well-established by the time I came along. I vaguely recall that the topic
(of
>afca's origins) has come up before, and that Helge seemed to have been a
>charter member. Let's annoy him for further information.
>
I recall that I raised the topic at least once and Helge supplied some
minimal information. Perhaps when he realizes the imprtance of the
information HIS RECOLLECTION WILL IMPROVE. Oops -- sorry.
1-13-96 for you according to Deja News (I knew you would ask).
Helge doesn't show in any afca posting archives around that time (although
he does in other groups). It seems that Deja News archives are incomplete.
The 3-31-95 post is the earliest it reports.
73,
Hoyt
lal...@delphi.com
>Curiously, the oldest post to AFCA I could locate (Deja News) was from
>Jackie Laderoute am...@freenet.carleton.ca on 3-31-95. Since this message
>along with many of the early messages has been cancelled, perhaps the group
>history has been lost. I have annoyed Ms. Laderoute with some e-mail in my
>search for the information, so maybe we can get some answers.
[time passed, and then he wrote]
>Jackie Laderoute rapidly replied that she was the poster, that the topic,
>Perfect Solids, had been crossposted from a.f.u. were she had begun the
>discussion but finished it in a.f.c-a; she canceled the post after deciding
>that her point was not well made. She did feel that a.f.c-a was operating
>vigorously prior to that and referred me to her friend who was more of a
>regular at that time.
A.F.C.A. was operating prior to that time (3/95), but not vigorously.
It had far fewer daily postings than it does today, probably around 35 or 40,
and sometimes less than that. I started reading the newsgroup in 1995,
and my first posting was on 3/24/95. I still have a copy of it; I responded
to a question from arqu...@aol.com who wanted to know what was the earliest
mention or showing of pizza in an American movie. As you can see, even back
then we were discussing very weighty matters.
I even have a copy of one of SJF's earliest posts. She showed up here in
1994. She signed that post with the remark, "Just a comment from your
in-house (or would it be newsgroup?) feminist babe". The subject that she
was discussing was about how to urinate in a bottle without creating any
foam (I am not kidding).
I don't know why I saved many of the early postings. I would like to say
that I recognized some of the contributors to be destined for greatness,
but that's not it. It's probably because I was completely in awe of some
of the subjects that were discussed. Think of it; subjects ranging from
pizza in movies, to how to pee in a bottle without creating foam.
So I placed some of the early stuff in a folder and never discarded it.
Some of it is pretty funny. And who knows, maybe some of the contributors
will rise to greatness.
Les
Charles A. Lieberman
The paper you read the Column in:
AC - Austin Chronicle
BCP - Baltimore City Paper
BP - Boston Phoenix or Worcester Phoenix
PBN - Broward/Palm Beach New Times
CR - Chicago Reader
CCP - The Charleston (SC) City Paper
CCB - Cincinnati City Beat
CSI - Colorado Springs Independent
CVW - (Charlottesville, VA) C-Ville Weekly
DE - The Davis Enterprise
EX - (Berkeley, CA) Express Newspaper
FW - (Jacksonville, FL) Folio Weekly
FF - (Calgary) FFWD
HW - Honolulu Weekly
ITC - (Eugene, OR) In Town Comic News
IP - (Tulsa) Infinity Press
MI - (Madison) Isthmus
KC - Kansas City New Times
LRF - Little Rock Free Press
MT - The (Dallas) Met
SJM - (San Jose) Metro
NYP - New York Press
PS - (Mill Valley, CA) Pacific Sun
PW - Philadelphia Weekly
SLC - Salt Lake City Weekly
SAC - San Antonio Current
SLN - San Luis Obispo New Times
7D - (Burlington, VT) Seven Days
SE - (Milwaukee) Shepherd Express
WP - (Tampa) Weekly Planet
TC - (Vancouver) Terminal City
UH - (Charleston, SC) Upwith Herald
WD - Washington City Paper
WA - (Albuquerque) Weekly Alibi
AOL - Use AOL site
WEB - Read it at www.straightdope.com
Add a + if you regularly, or at least often, read other articles too
------------------
Queries:
Q++ had a question in a book
Q+ had a question in a column
Q sent a question in
Q- people can ask Cecil questions?
------------------
No. of the books you have:
B++++ thru B+, self-explanitory, with a * for Ed Zotti's kid's version.
------------------
Degrees of separation:
S know Cecil
S+ know someone who knows Cecil
etc. up to 6
I invite, nay beg for, refinements.
--
Charles A. Lieberman http://members.tripod.com/~calieber/index.html
Brooklyn, New York, USA
AFCA Code: BP+ NYP+ Q B+++ S+++
Greg Goss
>
>Greg Goss wrote in message <35a4d98b....@news.direct.ca>...
>>Isn't that about when I discovered this group?
>
>May 2nd seems to be the magic date for you.
[examples]
>
>Mr. Pratchett was:
>
[examples]
>
>So I doubt it was you.
I love the Internet. So much information is just lying there, waiting
for people to ask the right questions or to just look up the answer.
Us nerds have had our day. The future belongs to people with a
librarian mindset. (The nerd mindset is to learn everything, and sort
it out internally. The librarian knows that's impossible and learns
where to look it up)
SCUBAMA
>Someone who doesn't know who Terry Pratchett is.
>What an empty, hollow, existance they must lead.
I'm (usually) a lurker, de-lurking to ask for info. I went to the site you
recommended, and printed a long list of Pratchett novels. Any recommendations?
Should they be read in particular order? I'll be delighted if these books can
change my empty, hollow existance into a thing of beauty and fulfillment.
Thanks.
Kay W
Scu...@aol.com
SJF 1959
>I'm (usually) a lurker, de-lurking to ask for info. I went to the site you
recommended, and printed a long list of Pratchett novels. Any recommendations?
> Should they be read in particular order?
This question is often a topic of debate in alt.books.pratchett. One way to go
is to read them in the order that you find them. Another is to proceed in the
order that they were published.
I, on the other hand, suggest that you start with "Wyrd Sisters." If you don't
like it, then you probably won't like the basic Discworld concept or the kinds
of situations and characters you're likely to find in Pterry's novels.
>I'll be delighted if these books can change my empty, hollow existance into a
thing of beauty and fulfillment.
Well, this brings us back to the debate about the purpose of great art.
;-)
As Terry Pratchett says, sometimes it's better to light a flamethrower than
curse the darkness.
David and/or Jackie Laderoute
wrote:
>SJF 1959 wrote in message
><199807082251...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...
>>In article <6o0d0j$o...@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net>, "Hoyt"
>><hdu...@worldnetdotatt.net> writes:
>>
>>>>Jackie Laderoute am...@freenet.carleton.ca on 3-31-95. Since this message
>>>>along with many of the early messages has been cancelled, perhaps the
>>>>group history has been lost.
>>
>>well-established by the time I came along. I vaguely recall that the topic
>>(of afca's origins) has come up before, and that Helge seemed to have been
>>a charter member. Let's annoy him for further information.
>
>
>Helge doesn't show in any afca posting archives around that time (although
>he does in other groups). It seems that Deja News archives are incomplete.
>The 3-31-95 post is the earliest it reports.
Helge may have been dragged in from afu, as well - there was a lot of
cross-posting going on around that time.
I don't know whether to be honoured (for myself) or disappointed (for
you) that I'm the earliest archived poster.
Makes me feel quite venerable, though.
J.
< o \"/ Don't play cat and mouse with me! (
---@ ) ()-()
< o /"\ Jackie Laderoute ja...@baynet.net (o o)
********************************************************************/\o/\
Steve
>I, on the other hand, suggest that you start with "Wyrd Sisters." If you don't
>like it, then you probably won't like the basic Discworld concept or the kinds
>of situations and characters you're likely to find in Pterry's novels.
A minor difference of opinion: read Moving Pictures first, then read
Wyrd Sisters. I think Moving Pictures gives you a better feel
for/intro to the Diskworld. That said, I Wyrd Sisters is probably my
favorite Discworld book.
Steve
Greg Goss
>Hoyt wrote in message <6nv2m1$f...@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net>...
>>Curiously, the oldest post to AFCA I could locate (Deja News) was from
>>Jackie Laderoute am...@freenet.carleton.ca on 3-31-95
[...]
>that her point was not well made. She did feel that a.f.c-a was operating
>vigorously prior to that and referred me to her friend who was more of a
>regular at that time.
Perhaps that date is the invention of Deja News? Does Alta Vista go
back further or less?
(I'm away from a phone line at the time to check).
J. Michael Looney
> Us nerds have had our day. The future belongs to people with a
> librarian mindset. (The nerd mindset is to learn everything, and sort
> it out internally. The librarian knows that's impossible and learns
> where to look it up)
I'm glad you said nerd, not geek. As a geek (and, yes I do have a geek
code, I just don't use it with this newsreader) I tend towards what you are
calling the librarian mind set.
Alan Hamilton
wrote:
>Helge doesn't show in any afca posting archives around that time (although
>he does in other groups). It seems that Deja News archives are incomplete.
>The 3-31-95 post is the earliest it reports.
There are a couple slightly older, that were also cross-posted to
other groups (rec.org.mensa and alt.folklore.urban). That still only
takes us back to 3/29/95. DejaNews came on line in May, 1995.
--
/
/ * / Alan Hamilton
* * al...@primenet.com
Ian A. York
Alan Hamilton <al...@primenet.com> wrote:
>On Wed, 8 Jul 1998 20:28:06 -0700, "Hoyt" <hdu...@worldnetdotatt.net>
>wrote:
>
>takes us back to 3/29/95. DejaNews came on line in May, 1995.
DejaNews came on line then, but didn't start archiving alt.* groups until
early (January?) 1996, if I recall correctly. Only articles cross-posted
to, say, rec.* groups would be archived before that (although there may be
small outliers like the 3-31-95, if it's not cross-posted; there are some
oddities about DejaNews archives).
My first article in DejaNews is 96/01/02, most likely immediately after
the archives opened. I started posting to a.f.c-a. in fall of 1994,
though not with this email address; the group already had a distinct
personality then. I can't remember who was already there, but I'm
certainly not the oldest inhabitant.
Ian
--
Ian York (iay...@panix.com) <http://www.panix.com/~iayork/>
"-but as he was a York, I am rather inclined to suppose him a
very respectable Man." -Jane Austen, The History of England
lal...@delphi.com
I meant to write that I started reading the newsgroup in 1994, not 1995.
In my reverie I confused the years. I probably posted something in 1994
but I did not keep a copy of it. The SJF posting regarding the "pee in a
bottle" is undated so I guessed that it might have been 1994, but she
says she didn't show up until 1995.
Sorry for the confusion.
Les
John M. Lawler
>Robert Cook writes:
>>Someone who doesn't know who Terry Pratchett is.
>>What an empty, hollow, existence they must lead.
>I'm (usually) a lurker, de-lurking to ask for info. I went to the site you
>recommended, and printed a long list of Pratchett novels.
>Any recommendations?
The Discworld novels are the best, I think. They get better (but thicker)
as they go along, in publication order. The first two (The Colour of
Magic and The Light Fantastic) are collections of shorts and novellas
featuring Rincewind the Wizard (not the most sympathetic character on the
Discworld, though he has his fans) and Twoflower (a true original).
They introduce Pratchett's original concept of the Discworld and of
Ankh-Morpork, not to mention Unseen University. But they probably should
be read after one is familiar with the more mature (read: funnier)
conceits these have developed into. I've read them all as they were
published in the US (and I still haven't forgiven the US publishers for
skipping Hogfather -- one of these days I'm going to Canada to buy a
copy), and I like the later ones better. Probably so would most people, I
suspect.
There are several series, mainly depending on the characters:
1) Wizards, starting with Rincewind (vide supra), going on to a number of
stories hinging around Unseen University; the latest is Hogfather
2) Death, starting with Mort (a good one), going on to Reaper Man, etc.
3) Witches, starting with Equal Rites, then Wyrd Systers (which Deborah
recommends in another post). Granny Weatherwax is less mythical and
more human in Equal Rites; in the later ones she's transmogrified
practically into a Force Of Nature (though still amusing).
4) The City Guard, starting with Guards! Guards!; latest is Feet of Clay.
5) Assorted morality plays, including Small Gods (which imo is his best
so far), Pyramids, Moving Pictures, Soul Music, and Jingo.
I may have missed a few, and misclassified, too. That's irrelevant.
They're all fun.
>Should they be read in particular order?
I usually recommend that people start with Small Gods. If you like that,
you'll find the rest in your own good time. If, on the other hand, you
don't, you *certainly* won't like the others.
>I'll be delighted if these books can
>change my empty, hollow existence into a thing of beauty and fulfillment.
Your mileage may vary. But all the laughing you do when you read them
will certainly reverberate well in an empty, hollow existence.
- John Lawler University of Michigan Program in Linguistics
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Using Computers in Linguistics: A Practical Guide" Routledge 1998
http://www.routledge.com/routledge/linguistics/using-comp.html
Hoyt
Greg Goss wrote in message <35a66949....@news.direct.ca>...
>"Hoyt" <hdu...@worldnetdotatt.net> wrote:
>
>>Q - - clueless
>>Q - - - frequently posts to alt.test
>>Q - - - + gets replies to posts in alt.test
>
>There is nothing clueless about doing your testing in a place where it
>gets in no-one's way.
>
>And yes, I get replies in alt.test.
>
>(grin)
Allow me some editing:
Q - - clueless
Q - - - frequently posts AFCA questions to alt.test
Q - - - + gets replies from Greg Goss to AFCA posts in alt.test
(grin)
73,
Hoyt
Hoyt
Matthew Jetmore wrote in message ...
>In article <MPG.100df3e76...@news.bu.edu>, cali...@bu.ed.u
>(Charles A. Lieberman) wrote:
>
>>Q++ had a question in a book
>>Q+ had a question in a column
>>Q sent a question in
>>Q- people can ask Cecil questions?
>
>
Q - - clueless
Q - - - frequently posts to alt.test
Q - - - + gets replies to posts in alt.test
73,
Hoyt
Helge Moulding
> I vaguely recall that the topic (of afca's origins) has come up
> before, and that Helge seemed to have been a charter member.
Not exactly charter member, but my name is featured in the group's FAQ.
This brings up a complaint with Cecil's latest book, in that he saw fit
to publish the lame AOL FAQ for afca, but completely missed this
opportunity to give my name the world-wide recognition it deserves by
publishing the real afca FAQ!
Oh well. Where were we? Oh yeah.
Memory fades over the years. I found one post I wrote about a year ago.
In it I explained that afca was newgrouped by a regular of
alt.folklore.urban, to try to send certain questions out of that group.
So, even though the group didn't have a formal charter, its creation
implies one: This is the group for questions that people think of while
reading about urban legends, but which aren't actually urban legends.
At first the group didn't know quite what to do with itself. Most folks
came here to post glowing articles of admiration. Some people wanted to
know where they could read TSD, so the afca FAQ was born. I got busy
then, so for quite a while I didn't read much of Usenet. (I'm still
busy, but a thread that invokes my name no less than five times!
requires a response.)
Anyway, while I'm no doubt God's gift to Usenet, that's the extent of
my involvement in this. I once knew the name of the actual person who
newgrouped afca (Len Berlind?) - hoped Ian might mention him - but you
know how memory goes when one grows ol^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hets busy with real
life.
--
Helge Moulding
Bill Baldwin
>(I'm still busy, but a thread that invokes my name no less than
>five times! requires a response.)
Wow. Kind of like looking into a mirror and saying "I believe in Mary Worth"
three times. We can get you any time we want just by chanting:
Helge Moulding!
Helge Moulding!
Helge Moulding!
Helge Moulding!
He...
Ah, I'll give you the night off. ;-)
--
Bill "Unless you count the 'Helge Moulding' in the attribution line as one
invocation"* Baldwin
*Or, for that matter, the "Helge Moulding"** in the signature file
** Or the "Helge Moulding"*** in the first footnote.
*** Ah, fer cryin' out loud! Helge, at this point you'd better just make a
response.
Greg Goss
>Q - - clueless
>Q - - - frequently posts to alt.test
>Q - - - + gets replies to posts in alt.test
There is nothing clueless about doing your testing in a place where it
fastrada
>
> SCUBAMA <scu...@aol.com> writes:
> >Robert Cook writes:
>
> >>Someone who doesn't know who Terry Pratchett is.
> >>What an empty, hollow, existence they must lead.
>
> >I'm (usually) a lurker, de-lurking to ask for info. I went to the site you
> >recommended, and printed a long list of Pratchett novels.
> >Any recommendations?
>
Personally, I also recoemmend (besides Pratchett's DiscWorld novels,
which have been already covered), Prtatchett's collaboration with Neil
Gaiman, entitled "Good Omens." A masterpiece of understatement,
one-upmanship, and that wonderful habit of British comedy where
everybody is unfailingly polite to you as they are making your existence
a livingh hell.
Of course, I also recommend anything of Gaiman. The best saga teller
over the last decade. If you can find it in your area, or order them,
the ten-volumes of thh graphic novel "Sandman" are brilliance.
Regards,
Joe
--
"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent."
-Hari Seldon
Yiddishkeit Code:
S SC Fal Ng M+ K- H- T-- t? AT SY A Te P- FOm D- Tz E++
L- Am- I Ha+ hc FH- IPL+
Peter B. Steiger
>There is nothing clueless about doing your testing in a place where it
>gets in no-one's way.
>
>And yes, I get replies in alt.test.
Furthermore, I *write* replies (email to the authors) in alt.test -
I am so devoid of a real life that after I post a test, I browse
that newsgroup reading interesting titles while I await the
appearance of my own test. Once in a while I'll see someone
testing an anti-spam technique, and if it fails (i.e. their
correct address appears in the .sig or any of the headers) I'll
write and point that out to them, and give my patented lecture
about How To Defeat Spammers.
--------------------
pbs002 at hotmail dot com
all advertisements will be returned to your postmaster
Joseph Nebus
>There are a couple slightly older, that were also cross-posted to
>other groups (rec.org.mensa and alt.folklore.urban). That still only
>takes us back to 3/29/95. DejaNews came on line in May, 1995.
I can assure you, from my own personal experience, that
alt.fan.cecil-adams was in existence, and more or less in the same tone and
structure as it is today -- in February of 1994. I can't say I remember
many specific questions from that time, though if I dug through my mail
files I might someday find some responses, but there was a flame war about
the start of the new millenium, pointless arguments about the metric
system vs. that other system, attempts to reopen the debate about why
shower curtains are sucked inwards, and some very detailed discussions
about the dew point.
Joseph Nebus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, spotting manmade stuff from orbit was addressed, too.
Hoyt
Robert Crowe wrote in message <35a676bb....@news.mindspring.com>...
>On Thu, 9 Jul 1998 20:19:04 -0700, the alleged Hoyt, may have posted the
>following, to alt.fan.cecil-adams:
>
>>
>>Matthew Jetmore wrote in message ...
>>>In article <MPG.100df3e76...@news.bu.edu>, cali...@bu.ed.u
>>>(Charles A. Lieberman) wrote:
>>>
>>>>Q++ had a question in a book
>>>>Q+ had a question in a column
>>>>Q sent a question in
>>>>Q- people can ask Cecil questions?
>>>
>>>Q+++ were cited as a reference in a column.
>>
>>Q - - - frequently posts to alt.test
>>Q - - - + gets replies to posts in alt.test
>
>
Q - - - - - uses second ISP to follow up own post in alt.test to avoid
appearing foolish to those who habitually read alt.test
73,
Hoyt
Robert Cook
(snip)
>The Discworld novels are the best, I think. They get better (but thicker)
>as they go along, in publication order. The first two (The Colour of
>Magic and The Light Fantastic) are collections of shorts and novellas
>featuring Rincewind the Wizard (not the most sympathetic character on the
>Discworld, though he has his fans) and Twoflower (a true original).
(snip)
I take it, then. you've never seen a typical American tourist on
vacation in Europe?
Robert M. Cook
http://www.sos.net/~cook/index.htm
Before sending me e-mail, remove the animal name
from my address.
Markus Laker
> Once in a while I'll see someone
> testing an anti-spam technique, and if it fails (i.e. their
> correct address appears in the .sig or any of the headers) I'll
> write and point that out to them, and give my patented lecture
> about How To Defeat Spammers.
Yeah, I've got one of those, too.
But recent experience shows that quoting an email address in the *body*
of an article is safe, and all those people who quote
pres...@whitehouse.gov in their sigs are wasting their time. I
recently conducted an informal vote in another group and gave people a
series of addresses to mail, such as <mailto:spli...@laker.tcp.co.uk>
and <mailto:li...@laker.tcp.co.uk>, indicating their preference. None of
those addresses has received any spam in the intervening weeks.
(Clickety click -- no, still clean.)
Of course, you can argue that it's irresponsible to post without munging
your headers. If no one did it, there'd be no email spam. (Are smileys
allowed in this group?)
Markus
--
Remove "NOSPAM" to reply by mail
Ami Llorta
Q------ Gets in nasty flame wars with creationists in alt.test.