How to wait three months

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Robin Munn

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Feb 4, 2002, 2:42:44 PM2/4/02
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Bujold's latest, _Diplomatic Immunity_, now has three sample chapters up
for perusal. Publication date: May 2002. Dammit, how am I supposed to
wait three months?

The pages are up at baen.com. I will not post a direct link, since
anyone who hasn't read Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series should not even
read the first three paragraphs, as they contain major spoilers.
Instead, run, don't walk, down to your local bookstore and purchase:

_Shards of Honor_
_Barrayar_
(the previous two can be found in one volume as _Cordelia's Honor_)
_The Warrior's Apprentice_
_The Vor Game_
(the previous two, along with one short story that chronologically
happens in between the two novels, can be found in one volume as
_Young Miles_)
_Cetaganda_
_Borders of Infinity_
_Brothers in Arms_
_Mirror Dance_
_Memory_
_Komarr_
_A Civil Campaign_

And read them in the order given. Not, I repeat *NOT*, in any other
order.

ISBN's? I'm too lazy. All of the above were written by Lois McMaster
Bujold -- *you* go look up ISBN's, if you're that obsessed with them.

And yes, apostrophe-ess is the correct way of pluralizing an acronym.

Now I've got to re-read my collection of Bujold books. Oh wait, they're
all loaned out right now. Dammit.

--
Robin Munn
rm...@pobox.com

Mike Andrews

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Feb 4, 2002, 4:01:43 PM2/4/02
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Robin Munn <rm...@pobox.com> wrote:

: Now I've got to re-read my collection of Bujold books. Oh wait, they're


: all loaned out right now. Dammit.

Robin! Put the keyboard down and back away.

Listen to me, now.

You were supposed to loan out the _loaner_ set. Only that set.

Got it?

--
"And now the traveler's weather report from Luna: Dayside will be
hot, dry, and clear. Nightside will be cold, dry and clear.
Please dress accordingly."
-- Danny Sichel, in rasfw

D. Joseph Creighton

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Feb 4, 2002, 4:18:13 PM2/4/02
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In the last exciting episode, Mike Andrews <mi...@mikea.ath.cx> wrote:
}Robin Munn <rm...@pobox.com> wrote:
}: Now I've got to re-read my collection of Bujold books. Oh wait, they're
}: all loaned out right now. Dammit.
}
}Robin! Put the keyboard down and back away.
}
}Listen to me, now.
}
}You were supposed to loan out the _loaner_ set. Only that set.
}
}Got it?

Such a calming tone. And what clarity.

I nominate MikeA to be the official Tense Situation[1] Negotiator for the
Monastery.

[1] Hostage negotiation? Ha! The only arguments there are how to finish
the luser off and, perhaps, how to dispose of the body. But we've already
done that thread.
--
"Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself." - Rita Mae Brown
D. Joseph Creighton [ESTP] | Systems Analyst, Database Technologies, IST
Joe_Cr...@UManitoba.CA | University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB, Canada, eh?

Robin Munn

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Feb 4, 2002, 4:58:27 PM2/4/02
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On Mon, 04 Feb 2002 21:01:43 GMT, Mike Andrews <mi...@mikea.ath.cx> wrote:
>Robin Munn <rm...@pobox.com> wrote:
>
>: Now I've got to re-read my collection of Bujold books. Oh wait, they're
>: all loaned out right now. Dammit.
>
>Robin! Put the keyboard down and back away.
>
>Listen to me, now.
>
>You were supposed to loan out the _loaner_ set. Only that set.
>
>Got it?

You're right, of course; what was I thinking, having only one set? I
shall run, not walk, to the bookstore and remedy this mistake
immediately. Well, once I'm home from work, anyway.

--
Robin Munn
rm...@pobox.com

Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz

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Feb 5, 2002, 10:06:51 AM2/5/02
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In <slrna5tor...@rmunn.dyndns.org>, on 02/04/2002

at 07:42 PM, rm...@pobox.com (Robin Munn) said:

>Bujold's latest, _Diplomatic Immunity_, now has three sample chapters
>up for perusal. Publication date: May 2002. Dammit, how am I supposed
>to wait three months?

The same as the rest of us. Like the cat that ate a chunk of cheese
and sat by the mouse hole waiting withe baited breathe. I endorse your
recommendation that those who have not read the earlier stories do so
now. Most enjoyable. There was one scene in particular[1] that was
hilarious[2].

[1] <spoiler> Va N Pvivy Pnzcnvta, arne gur raq. Jura fur fnvq
"Gjvg!" </spoiler>.

[2] No, these are not comic novels. But there is some humor,
especially in the last one.

--
Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz, SysProg and JOAT
Reply to domain Patriot dot net user shmuel+bspfh to contact me.
"He was born with a gift of laughter,
and a sense that the world was mad."

Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz

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Feb 5, 2002, 10:10:04 AM2/5/02
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In <a3mtql$otm$1...@canopus.cc.umanitoba.ca>, on 02/04/2002
at 09:18 PM, d...@cc.umanitoba.ca (D. Joseph Creighton) said:

>[1] Hostage negotiation?

If I'm ever in that situation I want the negotiations to be done by
snipers. I may not survive, but when I die I'll have an honor guard.
Pay no ransom and take no prisoners.

Mike Andrews

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Feb 5, 2002, 1:29:04 PM2/5/02
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D. Joseph Creighton <d...@cc.umanitoba.ca> wrote:

: I nominate MikeA to be the official Tense Situation[1] Negotiator for the
: Monastery.

Fsc^WThank you very much.

: [1] Hostage negotiation? Ha! The only arguments there are how to finish


: the luser off and, perhaps, how to dispose of the body. But we've already
: done that thread.

We don't do hostage negotiation. At the point that one or more
people are taken hostage, we start behaving as if they're dead
already. This is reasonable since we have no control over the
actions of the hostage-takers, and they have shown themselves
amoral and willing to do anything.

So we go in with fire and sword and clean out the hostage-takers.
Every time.

IIRC, this is roughly the way the Soviet armed forces handled
such things, and it was effective.

--
You're not missing anything, unless you
*want* a deodorant that saves time by smelling like sweat already.
-- Red Drag Diva, in a.s.r.

David P. Murphy

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Feb 5, 2002, 3:59:46 PM2/5/02
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"Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz" <spam...@library.lspace.org.invalid> wrote:

(discussing Bujold's works)

> [1] <spoiler> Va N Pvivy Pnzcnvta, arne gur raq. Jura fur fnvq
> "Gjvg!" </spoiler>.

Similarly, Weber's "Bbcf."

ok
dpm
--
David P. Murphy http://www.myths.com/~dpm/
systems programmer ftp://ftp.myths.com
mailto:d...@myths.com (personal)
COGITO ERGO DISCLAMO mailto:Murphy...@emc.com (work)

Robin Munn

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Feb 6, 2002, 11:30:34 AM2/6/02
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On 5 Feb 2002 20:59:46 GMT, David P. Murphy <d...@myths.com> wrote:
>"Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz" <spam...@library.lspace.org.invalid> wrote:
>
>(discussing Bujold's works)
>
>> [1] <spoiler> Va N Pvivy Pnzcnvta, arne gur raq. Jura fur fnvq
>> "Gjvg!" </spoiler>.
>
>Similarly, Weber's "Bbcf."

Amen to that. Vg'f nyjnlf gur dhvrg barf... :-)

--
Robin Munn
rm...@pobox.com

Robin Munn

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Feb 6, 2002, 11:38:06 AM2/6/02
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On Tue, 05 Feb 2002 10:06:51 -0500, Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz
<spam...@library.lspace.org.invalid> wrote:
>
>In <slrna5tor...@rmunn.dyndns.org>, on 02/04/2002
> at 07:42 PM, rm...@pobox.com (Robin Munn) said:
>
>>Bujold's latest, _Diplomatic Immunity_, now has three sample chapters
>>up for perusal. Publication date: May 2002. Dammit, how am I supposed
>>to wait three months?
>
>The same as the rest of us. Like the cat that ate a chunk of cheese
>and sat by the mouse hole waiting withe baited breathe. I endorse your
>recommendation that those who have not read the earlier stories do so
>now. Most enjoyable. There was one scene in particular[1] that was
>hilarious[2].
>
>[1] <spoiler> Va N Pvivy Pnzcnvta, arne gur raq. Jura fur fnvq
>"Gjvg!" </spoiler>.

I rather enjoyed the scene where Zvyrf tvirf n qvaare cnegl naq
*rirelguvat* tbrf jebat. "Zl qvaare cnegl. Vg'f whfg oernxvat hc." (Naq
fvaxvat. Nyy fbhyf srnerq ybfg.) [...] "Zbz, Qnq, V'q yvxr lbh gb zrrg
-- fur'f trggvat njnl!"

I'd better stop before I start quoting the entire series.

[2] NMF

--
Robin Munn
rm...@pobox.com

cfo...@bbn.com

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Feb 6, 2002, 2:14:10 PM2/6/02
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I seem to recall that Mike Andrews <mi...@mikea.ath.cx> said:
> Robin Munn <rm...@pobox.com> wrote:
>
> : Now I've got to re-read my collection of Bujold books. Oh wait, they're
> : all loaned out right now. Dammit.
>
> Robin! Put the keyboard down and back away.
>
> Listen to me, now.
>
> You were supposed to loan out the _loaner_ set. Only that set.
>
> Got it?

<gloat>
I have the Easton press signed first editions of Barrayar and ACC.
</gloat>

I've even loaned them to trusted[0] friends.

Hell, I have Barrayar on my prism, in case I find myself too far
from the bookshelf :).

Great books. I would also recommend The Curse of Chalion, to pass
the time till Diplomatic Immunity comes out. Totally different,
but the same, IYGMM.

Chris

0. trusted --> Understands that violence would ensue if anything
untoward were to happen to my books.

--
Christopher Fortin, Ph.D. EE, Senior_Scientist@BBN <par...@elderhome.org>
"You need to hit them with the Clue by four"

Maarten Wiltink

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Feb 6, 2002, 4:46:29 PM2/6/02
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Mike Andrews wrote in message ...
[...]

>So we go in with fire and sword and clean out the hostage-takers.
>Every time.
>
>IIRC, this is roughly the way the Soviet armed forces handled
>such things, and it was effective.


Ahum. Controlling the press might be a prerequisite.

Tebrgwrf,
Maarten Wiltink

D. Joseph Creighton

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Feb 6, 2002, 7:49:49 PM2/6/02
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You've read _Rainbow Six_ too, then?
--
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
- A. C. Clarke

Mike Andrews

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Feb 6, 2002, 11:06:40 PM2/6/02
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Maarten Wiltink <maa...@kittensandcats.net> wrote:
: Mike Andrews wrote in message ...

Fsck the press, or put a "we do this so our people won't be taken
hostage. there's no return in it, and a huge downside" spin on
it. That's the truth, too, in that scenario.

--
Remember the signs in restaurants "We reserve the right to refuse
service to anyone"? The spammers twist it around to say "we reserve
the right to serve refuse to anyone."
-- SPAMJAMR & Blackthorn in nanae

David P. Murphy

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Feb 7, 2002, 12:40:07 PM2/7/02
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Robin Munn <rm...@pobox.com> wrote:

> anyone who hasn't read Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series (blahblahblah)

That would be me.

> (list of books)

> And read them in the order given. Not, I repeat *NOT*, in any other
> order.

That was right neighborly of you. Fortunately the Fairfax County
Public Library system is good enough to stock all of those. I'm
up to page 89 of _Shards_ right now. Yes, of course I checked out
all of them at once. I'm not gonna go through withdrawal just
because I finish the first three and the fourth isn't available!

Jay Maynard

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Feb 7, 2002, 2:07:37 PM2/7/02
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On 5 Feb 2002 20:59:46 GMT, David P. Murphy <d...@myths.com> wrote:
>"Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz" <spam...@library.lspace.org.invalid> wrote:
>(discussing Bujold's works)
>> [1] <spoiler> Va N Pvivy Pnzcnvta, arne gur raq. Jura fur fnvq
>> "Gjvg!" </spoiler>.
>Similarly, Weber's "Bbcf."

I've read this, but can't place it. I've been meaning to dig out the Honor
Harrington series for a reread...but that can wait until after I've finished
The Shiva Option. Saw it in hardback at an airport bookstore yesterday, and
had to grab it.

J. Michael Looney

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Feb 7, 2002, 2:16:08 PM2/7/02
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In article <slrna65k3p....@thebrain.conmicro.cx>,
jmay...@thebrain.conmicro.cx says...

"Gjvg!" </spoiler>.
>>Similarly, Weber's "Bbcf."
>
>I've read this, but can't place it. I've been meaning to dig out the Honor
>Harrington series for a reread...but that can wait until after I've finished
>The Shiva Option. Saw it in hardback at an airport bookstore yesterday, and
>had to grab it.

Nfurf bs Ivpgbel. Funeba, gur CEA "trrx tvey" whfg oyrj hc gur PCF
"jngpuqbt" syrrg

Robin Munn

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Feb 7, 2002, 2:41:18 PM2/7/02
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On 7 Feb 2002 17:40:07 GMT, David P. Murphy <d...@myths.com> wrote:
>Robin Munn <rm...@pobox.com> wrote:
>
>> anyone who hasn't read Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series (blahblahblah)
>
>That would be me.
>
>> (list of books)
>
>> And read them in the order given. Not, I repeat *NOT*, in any other
>> order.
>
>That was right neighborly of you. Fortunately the Fairfax County
>Public Library system is good enough to stock all of those. I'm
>up to page 89 of _Shards_ right now. Yes, of course I checked out
>all of them at once. I'm not gonna go through withdrawal just
>because I finish the first three and the fourth isn't available!

No, you're going to go through withdrawal just because you finished the
first ten and the eleventh isn't available.

And you thought that I thought this was a.s.n-n, didn't you? No, I've
just made sure that in a week, two at the most, you'll be suffering
along with the rest of us... Mwuahahahahaaaa!!!

--
Robin Munn
rm...@pobox.com

David P. Murphy

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Feb 7, 2002, 4:33:08 PM2/7/02
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You have vastly overestimated the amount of CFT I possess.
Besides, the n-n part was telling me (and others) the proper order.

Robin Munn

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Feb 7, 2002, 5:24:54 PM2/7/02
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On 7 Feb 2002 21:33:08 GMT, David P. Murphy <d...@myths.com> wrote:

>Robin Munn <rm...@pobox.com> wrote:
>> And you thought that I thought this was a.s.n-n, didn't you? No, I've
>> just made sure that in a week, two at the most, you'll be suffering
>> along with the rest of us... Mwuahahahahaaaa!!!
>
>You have vastly overestimated the amount of CFT I possess.
>Besides, the n-n part was telling me (and others) the proper order.

Nah, that wasn't n-n, that was just making sure things were done
properly. It Would Be Wrong to allow anyone to read Bujold out of order.

And as for the amount of CFT, just wait and watch as that series starts
devouring your sleep time...

--
Robin Munn
rm...@pobox.com

David P. Murphy

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Feb 8, 2002, 11:05:57 AM2/8/02
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Robin Munn <rm...@pobox.com> wrote:

> Nah, that wasn't n-n, that was just making sure things were done
> properly. It Would Be Wrong to allow anyone to read Bujold out of order.

Oh, similar to telling someone to run Apache instead of IIS? I see.

> And as for the amount of CFT, just wait and watch as that series starts
> devouring your sleep time...

Bah. What do you think Connor's purpose in life is?[1]


[1] anyone who thinks I'm just trying to be funny and/or clever is
welcome to raise a one-year-old, because obviously you haven't yet.

Satya

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Feb 8, 2002, 12:58:30 PM2/8/02
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On 8 Feb 2002 16:05:57 GMT, David P. Murphy <d...@myths.com> wrote:
>Bah. What do you think Connor's purpose in life is?[1]

Hmm. Anyone's BOFHlet(s) tried posting here yet?

--
Satya.

Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz

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Feb 8, 2002, 4:24:20 PM2/8/02
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In <slrna65vfk...@rmunn.dyndns.org>, on 02/07/2002

at 10:24 PM, rm...@pobox.com (Robin Munn) said:

>Nah, that wasn't n-n, that was just making sure things were done
>properly. It Would Be Wrong to allow anyone to read Bujold out of
>order.

Then she done us wrong, because she wrote them out of order. And
there's one more out-of-order novel that I'd love to have her write.

Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz

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Feb 8, 2002, 4:21:08 PM2/8/02
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In <6gf88.428$QQ1.4...@paloalto-snr2.gtei.net>, on 02/06/2002

at 07:14 PM, cfo...@bbn.com said:

>Great books. I would also recommend The Curse of Chalion, to pass
>the time till Diplomatic Immunity comes out. Totally different, but
>the same, IYGMM.

I don't agree that it's the same, but I'm hesitant to give too much
away for those who haven't read it. He has a totally different
personality from Miles, and his bete noir is different.

David P. Murphy

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Feb 9, 2002, 7:20:30 PM2/9/02
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Lionel <n...@alt.net> wrote:
> Word has it that on Fri, 8 Feb 2002 17:58:30 +0000, in this august
> forum, sat...@satyaonline.cjb.net (Satya) said:

> Well, I expect to be giving Patrick his first computer some time in the
> next year, so I won't be greatly surprised if I get Vickified shortly
> afterwards.

Lindsay is much too social a creature to know anything about computers
other than the usual luser stuff, while Heather is too athletically
inclined to care. Connor needs more time, but he does enjoy bashing
keyboards and old NICs with great force, so while I know not how far
he'll go, at least he's facing the right direction.

"See Spot run. Run, Spot, run! All software sucks, Jane."

Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz

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Feb 9, 2002, 11:21:55 PM2/9/02
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In <slrna62mpg...@rmunn.dyndns.org>, on 02/06/2002

at 04:38 PM, rm...@pobox.com (Robin Munn) said:

>I rather enjoyed the scene where Zvyrf tvirf n qvaare cnegl naq
>*rirelguvat* tbrf jebat. "Zl qvaare cnegl. Vg'f whfg oernxvat hc."
>(Naq fvaxvat. Nyy fbhyf srnerq ybfg.) [...] "Zbz, Qnq, V'q yvxr lbh
>gb zrrg -- fur'f trggvat njnl!"

I thought that gur nsgrezngu bs gur phfgbql onggyr was more
entertaining, especially gur ernffvtazrag.

J.D. Baldwin

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Feb 10, 2002, 2:19:21 AM2/10/02
to

In the previous article, Anthony de Boer - USEnet <ab...@leftmind.net>
wrote:
> And anyone who thinks one-year-olds are An Issue hasn't really
> thought ahead yet to The Creeping Horror That Lies Beyond The Second
> Birthday, or more likely is blocking that bit out.

YM "Toddling Horror" I think.

When they're still "creeping" they're cute and more or less still
controllable.[1]

[1] In the "everything is relative" sense.
--
_+_ From the catapult of |If anyone disagrees with any statement I make, I
_|70|___:)=}- J.D. Baldwin |am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also
\ / bal...@panix.com|to deny under oath that I ever made it. -T. Lehrer
***~~~~-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz

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Feb 10, 2002, 2:15:41 PM2/10/02
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In <a456to$p9m$2...@reader2.panix.com>, on 02/10/2002

at 07:19 AM, INVALID...@example.com (J.D. Baldwin) said:

>When they're still "creeping" they're cute and more or less still
>controllable.[1]

>[1] In the "everything is relative" sense.

Every time someone says "I don't believe in theories.", another
theory dies. A creeper can get into more than you would ever believe.

Tanuki the Raccoon-dog

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Feb 10, 2002, 3:13:26 PM2/10/02
to
In <a456to$p9m$2...@reader2.panix.com>, J.D. Baldwin
<INVALID...@example.com> said

>YM "Toddling Horror" I think.
>
>When they're still "creeping" they're cute and more or less still
>controllable.[1]
>
>[1] In the "everything is relative" sense.

Though the use of electric fences to control their movements is likely
to result in unfavourable comments...

Personally, I think that kids are like wines - only very few of them
actually get better with age.
--
!Raised Tails! -:Tanuki:-
"I have seen the future, and it drools"

jgut...@brokersys.com

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Feb 10, 2002, 10:01:49 PM2/10/02
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Rhiannon is 5 and has been sort-of reading for some time, but I expect
it'll be, oh, eight or so years before I have to worry about her doing
Usenet. Robert is only three, so I expect it'll be about ten years.
Doing Usenet requires more than just the ability to read.

In twenty, I expect I'll be hearing on a regular basis about the things
I've said here.
--
Jonathan Guthrie (jgut...@brokersys.com)
Sto pro veritate

Alan J Rosenthal

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Feb 11, 2002, 12:54:47 PM2/11/02
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Lionel <n...@alt.net> writes:
><nods> Hell, mine manages to get into trouble just by *rolling*,

Giggle, yes. I was astonished, when Jeremy was not yet able to crawl, that he
somehow managed to move across the room, eventually. He'd be getting into
something he wasn't supposed to, I'd pick him up and plonk him at the other
side of the room, he'd continue doing his baby things, but then amazingly in
several minutes he'd be back on the bad side of the room.

("There is no bad side of the room really. Matter of fact it's all bad.")

The other thing I recall, from a bit later on, is how we removed all
books from the bottom shelves... then a little later we removed all
books from the second-to-bottom shelves... and so on... and when we moved,
we didn't bother unpacking most of the boxes of books...

david parsons

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Feb 13, 2002, 10:31:04 PM2/13/02
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In article <8vqhwLAm...@canismajor.demon.co.uk>,

Tanuki the Raccoon-dog <Tanuki@canis-^Hmajor.da^Hemon.co.uk> wrote:
>In <a456to$p9m$2...@reader2.panix.com>, J.D. Baldwin
><INVALID...@example.com> said
>>YM "Toddling Horror" I think.
>>
>>When they're still "creeping" they're cute and more or less still
>>controllable.[1]
>>
>>[1] In the "everything is relative" sense.
>
>Though the use of electric fences to control their movements is likely
>to result in unfavourable comments...

For about a week, and then the firemen will just laugh at you after
they put out the fire that was caused by the Pedestrian Of The
Apocolypse shorting out the fence with a metal chair (or whatever
else makes a durable ground.)

Your only hope is to keep moving things above the slime line until
they learn a language and are able to be reasoned with.

____
david parsons \bi/ This happens about 25 years after birth.
\/

Stuart Lamble

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Feb 13, 2002, 11:04:49 PM2/13/02