RE: You are the Jism (NZC)

["Williams, Chris (RSCH)" <Chris_Williams@xxxxxx>]

Brian Downing wrote:

	Why do newbies lurk?
	Because they're afraid of coming under fire from veterans like
you who
	somehow are immune to all flame laws, hiding under a canopy of
"It's
	all a joke.  Can't any of you idiots take a joke?"  On a list
this size,
	in-jokes aren't cool.  

I don't know why newbies lurk. I don't think anyone but the newbie
lurkers know. I'm sure there are many, many reasons, not just one.

I'm not sure what you mean by "in-jokes" as you don't give any examples.
There's a difference between a joke, parody, satire and a flame, one
that anyone--insider or outsider--should be able to easily grasp. The
latter differs from the former in intent and style. Usually the latter
is just angry and witless, although we've all seen plenty of attempts at
the former that didn't quite come off as planned. 

BTW, I don't think that Bill has EVER flamed anyone on the list. In
fact, his deft pen--exsqueeze me?--has often allowed him to say some
things that would have gotten other's flamed. The boy can write! That's
why he can get away with it. That's why he SHOULD be able to get away
with it. 

I just love that Bill McCue character.


	Why is our list full of tension?  Because there is
	a double standard for etiquette depending on how long you've
been a
	member.  

Again, I'm not quite sure what your referring to. If it's the events of
recent weeks, I'd say that you're wrong. The tensions that I've
experienced, are the result of angry people who appear to have no
patience with the ideas, opinions and personalities, on this list. They
take their "observations" public rather than keeping them private. 

People often find it daunting to post for the first time. If they
refrain from posting because they feel that someone will lampoon them,
that's too bad, but it comes with the territory. If they refrain from
posting because they feel that they will or have been flamed, that
sucks, and we should all be concerned and do something about it.

A champion of self-expression and tapes, 

Chris Williams
chris_williams@xxxxxx
"Tapes will get you through times of no money better than money will get
you through times of no tapes."
- --The Fabulous Furry Zep Brothers