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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 1999-12 > 0946360702


From: "Jody Bilyeu" <>
Subject: Re: Thinking 101 [Commander Hines]
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 23:58:22 -0600


"Betty Rockswold" <> wrote in message
news:...
> AMEN!
>
> Betty
>
> "Trin" wrote:
> >
> > Anthony J. Bryant wrote:
> > >
> > > Robert Lieblich wrote:
> > >
> > > > For God's sake, Hines, you must have shown some
aptitude at some time in
> > > > your miserable existence.
> > >
> > > Showing aptitude is, alas, not the same as achieving.
The failed naval
> > > officer, the failed academician, the failed family
man.
> > >
> > > You're seeing someone acting out in anger and
frustration at others who
> > > have more than he, and he can't stand it. It's a
pathology.
> > >
> > > > You were once an officer and a gentleman.
> > >
> > > Now, now. We only know the former, we have no evidence
to the latter.
> >
> > I'm new to this group, but it seems every newsgroup has
a whipping boy.
> > The one poster that everyone feels perfectly justified
in flaming. If
> > he's that bad, gentlemen, killfile him and move on. It
doesn't make
> > *you* look good to lurkers, who come in to find everyone
raking one guy
> > over the coals.
> >
> > Trin

Let me offer an amendment to this very good advice.

Thinking, as Trin is, of the people, especially the naive
ones, who consult the group and its archives for answers
rather than amusement, I think it's important to respond to
bad writers and thinkers, but only if you can restrain
yourself and respond with regard to substance exclusively.
A flame-swept thread is of no use to anyone, except maybe
usenet anthropologists.

I've followed this track in responding to Hines, and the
approach has worked at least to the extent that he's never
responded to me.

Cheers,
Jody

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