HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ai065@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Thomas Hill)
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
Subject: NOTICE:"Bigfoot/Sasquatch" Sightings Request
Date: 14 Sep 1992 02:39:12 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc10.ins.cwru.edu


   Our research group is currently investigating reports and sightings of the
animal known as "Bigfoot" or "Sasquatch". If you or somebody you know has had
such a sighting, or come across what may be evidence supporting the existance
of such an animal, please get in contact with us in one of the following
formats:
 
o Leave a private message in electronic mail.
o Call Thomas Hill at 216-362-6529.
o Or write:
 
  Thomas E. Hill
  16124 Richard Dr.
  Brook Park, OH 44142
 
 Contact with us can be totally anonymous if you wish. We are especially
interested in Ohio sightings but are by no means limited to investigations in
that state. Please, serious responses only.
-- 
"A large creature about 7 1/2 to 8 foot tall. It was greyish black in color,
and as it went away from me I seen the backside of it walking as a man would
walk on it's hind legs."- Former Sheriff Oliver Potter, Vancouver, Washington
The Cryptozoology Information Network. Want on our Email mailing list? Amiga!
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
From: bzs@ussr.std.com (Barry Shein)
Subject: Re: The Burning Man
Organization: The World
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1992 02:44:00 GMT


From: rtsumn01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu

>Frazer has, however, recorded numerous instances of people burning
>other people symbolically (apparently it was something of a fad among
>the peasants); I understand that his records regarding customs
>worldwide are somewhat accurate, if the conclusions he draws from them
>are not. You may want to seek him out if you are interested in further
>information on the subject of burning one's friends; I am not in the
>mood to peruse all--what is it, twelve volumes?--at present.

It's 21 volumes I believe, ``The Golden Bough''.

There is an abridged edition from Frazer (same name, ``The Golden
Bough'') which is in popular print right now (about 900 pp,
paperback). I'm working through it, it's quite an interesting work.

--
        -Barry Shein

Software Tool & Die    | bzs@world.std.com          | uunet!world!bzs
Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 617-739-0202        | Login: 617-739-WRLD
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
From: mdouglas@cad067.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Maria Douglas ~)
Subject: Re: The Burning Man
Organization: Intel Corp.
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 17:18:08 GMT


-- In article <1992Sep10.002809.28964@csl.sri.com>, pcorless@cisco.com (Peter Corless) writes:
|> In response to post:
|> From: culley@sc.intel.com (robert culley)
|> Subject: The Burning Man
|> 
|> > (3) a Celtic tradition depicted in a movie, "The Wicker Man".  In the film,
|> > a human sacrifice is caged within the Wicker Man before he's lit. I don't
|> > trust a 'film adaption' of a ritual very much, so who knows what the
|> > Celts really did? What did it  mean ?
|> 
|> Apparently, it was a practice of dispensing with criminals, although it had 
|> some religious connotations as well. It's very unclear. There was some debate
|> as to whether this was ever practiced, but there are too many reports of it
|> from classical scholars (such as Julius Caesar) for it to be complete fiction.

I was just reading in the "Encyclopaedia of Witchcraft and the Occult"
(it was in the Reference section of the library, and beyond that I can't
remember who publishes it).  The section on Druidism specifically cites
that the Druids practiced forms of human sacrifice, especially that of
the male and female "wicker men" in connection with certain fertility
rites.  This information is based on Roman documents, and formed the
basis for the Roman abolition of Druidism.  The citation implied that
(if I remember correctly) criminals were merely a convenient sacrifice.
Animals were also used.

Anyway, that was the last I've heard about it.  I didn't trust "The
Wicker Man"'s interpretation, either, but it seems to be in line with
the documentation I've found.

--
Maria E. Douglas	(408) 765-4728
Intel Corporation	mdouglas@cadev6.intel.com

"Are you mental?"

	W. Campbell
From: rlwinter@tomatillo.engr.ucdavis.edu (Richard Lee Winterstein)
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
Subject: Re: What languages do you know?--**The results**
Date: 11 Sep 92 02:21:38 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering - University of California - Davis

In article <BuDn0A.1CL@Novell.COM> kbest@doc.novell.com (Karl Best) writes:
>> >German placed.  Also, considering how often Irish and Welsh myths are 
>> >discussed, I was surprised not to see those languages represented.  
>
>I'm not sure that I see the connection between language and myth, i.e. why do I  
>have to know Greek to read Greek myth? (BTW I do know a fair amount of Greek,  
>but it is for NT studies.) I've never read mythology in the original language.  
>Everything I've read has been in English translation. Knowing languages, I  
>realize that reading anything in the original is probably better, but with so  
>many good translations available, what is the need for the average myth reader?  
>So why the surprise that few can read the Celtic languages even with many  
>Celtic myth enthusiasts?
>
  Maybe it's just me.  I agree that the force of the story can be conveyed
independent of the language; but sometimes there are other things worth 
enjoying: punning, wordplay, structure, rhythym, so on. Unless one has a very
good (and usu. annotated) translation, most of these hidden treasures are lost.
 I agree; for the average reader most of this inconsequential.  Again, it 
seems a hallmark of a good myth that the story is enchanting free of the medium.
But I myself would love to be able to see the world as the original author/
culture saw it, and the best way to do that is to don their language.  Pity
there is so little time!  I was curious to see how many readers of this group
felt the same inclination.
  (With regards to the Celtic languages:)
  This is why I was surprised to see no subscribers to this newsgroup who
were familiar with the tongue of some of the most-discussed myths on this 
group (actually, I got a response today indicating someone does...:) )  
  Oh well.  I'm probably one of the most guilty around here, in terms of 
paucity of known languages...but I'm working on it...
  To close, everyone's heard the bit about "myth is a disease of language?"
I heard Tolkien felt it ought to be "language is a disease of myth." (!)

>Karl Best                              Far away, across the field

(Besides, conjugating verbs builds character!)
From: amadeus@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Susan Harwood Kaczmarczik)
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
Subject: Re: Looking for Miranda
Date: 13 Sep 92 02:56:19 GMT
Organization: University of Texas at Austin


The name Miranda was coined by Shakespeare for his play _The Tempest_,
says all my books on name etymology.  It means "worthy of admiration"
and is from Latin.

Oh well, Shakespeare's practically mythology...

-- 
-----Susan Harwood Kaczmarczik-------------------------------*<:-)-------------
"Queens never make bargains."  -- The Red Queen, _Through the Looking Glass_
-----amadeus@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu--------------The University of Texas @Austin---
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
From: cpshelle@jeeves.uwaterloo.ca (cameron shelley)
Subject: Re: Validity of Sources (was: Celtic)
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 14:58:08 GMT

evc@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Edward Van Cura) writes:
[...]
> I'm glad you agree that Graves' *White Goddess* is not historically
> accurate. It should be interpreted as a fantasy novel and nothing more.
> If a pagan religion wants to claim historical accuracy, then 
> *The White Goddess* should not be part of its foundation.

I think a lot of people don't understand what Graves was doing in _The
White Goddess_.  In his introduction, he makes it quite clear that he
doesn't think he has all the facts straight.  Rather, it is a method
of investigation that he is primarily concerned with.  This is why the
book is subtitled _A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth_.  The term
"grammar" makes it clear that he is proposing a method of describing
historical european religion, and the term "poetic" he uses in its
greek sense to mean `creative'.  Thus, he is interested in a means of
describing how historical europeans conceive their religion.  The book
was never intended to be a litany of facts and Graves makes no
pretensions on that account.

Graves had an appreciation for the politics of religion well ahead of
his time.  I think he felt, rightly, that the structuralist approach
popular in his time tended to critique only the narrative qualities of
myths and ignored the relationship the myths really had to the
religions in which they were set.  And there was no idea of the
`separation of church and state' before the modern era.  Like Fraser,
he was also more interested in the religion of the `common man' in the
ancient world, rather than the religion of the elite.  Unfortunately
for Graves, it is usually the religion of the upper class that got
recorded for posterity.  Consequently, he is left to guess at many of
the details he is interested in.

I think Graves' scholarship is as impressive as any I've seen, but his
aims necessarily leave him open to guesswork and therefore some
undoubtedly erroneous conclusions.  His work should be treated more as
an exercise in thinking about ancient religion than a dictionary of
it.

</dev/cam
--
      Cameron Shelley        |"In the beginning, there was nothing.  Then
cpshelle@jeeves.uwaterloo.ca | God said `Let there be light', and there
    Davis Centre Rm 2136     | was still nothing, but youse could see it."
 Phone (519) 885-1211 x3390  | --Dave Thomas, SCTV:_Sunrise Semester_
From: rlwinter@tomatillo.engr.ucdavis.edu (Richard Lee Winterstein)
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
Subject: Re: What languages do you know?--**The results**
Date: 9 Sep 92 17:32:09 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering - University of California - Davis

Okay, it's been two days since I received a response, so I'm posting the 
results of the survey I conducted.  

I asked the readers of this news group to specify what languages they knew,
especially with regard to reading/studying mythology.  Respondents were asked
to indicate their level of proficiency with a numerical code. Once again, the
codes used were: 
	0 - no or limited knowledge (obviously, no responses were to be
	    sent in this level!)
	1 - intro. grammar & vocab.  Not much ability to read original works
            beyond interlinear editions.
	2 - basic grammar & vocab.  Capable of handling most orig. works with
	    some difficulty perhaps...translation still of use.
	3 - fluency or near-fluency.  Able to read most original works,
            only occasionally unfamiliar syntax or vocab.
	4 - excellent knowledge.  Advanced knowledge of language; level at
	    which one could quite capably teach the language.

(3 would be the level for the average native speaker.)

I received eleven responses.  Nearly all respondents indicated English to be
their primary language; one person placed their highest score in Danish.  In
general everyone regarded their skill in their native tongue to be '4', which
is probably not too surprising, since learning the grammar of a foreign tongue
generally requires a good knowledge of one's own language as well.

The average number of languages known by readers of this group is around four.
Three people share claim to the maximum number--seven.  

Below I have indicated, for each language, the number of people claiming 
ability in it and the average level.  For example, "Russian (3) 2.7" would 
indicate 3 respondents with an average ability of 2.7.  Without further ado:

Bengali 	(1) 	2.0
Dutch [Flemish] (1)  	3.0
English 	(1*) 	3.0
French		(4)	2.0
German		(8)	1.3
Greek-Class.	(4)	1.8
     -Koine	(2)	2.0
     -Modern	(1)     3.0
Hindi		(1)	3.0
Incan [Quecha]  (1)	2.0
Italian		(2)	1.5
Latin		(7)	1.4
Russian		(1)	0.5 **
Sanskrit	(1)	2.0
Spanish		(1)	1.0
Ukrainian	(1)	3.0

* - only one peron gave me cause to believe that English was not their native
    tongue.
**- although I was hoping to receive only whole numbers in the responses, I
    decided to let this one pass through! 

I'll refrain from making comments, apart from two:  I was surprised at how well
German placed.  Also, considering how often Irish and Welsh myths are 
discussed, I was surprised not to see those languages represented.  Norse, too,
for that matter. 

So to get a new thread going, where do people see the future of mythology and
language heading?  Did most people learn different languages in classes or by
private study?

Rick
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
From: kbest@doc.novell.com (Karl Best)
Subject: Looking for Miranda
Organization: Novell, Inc.
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 14:03:43 GMT

I'm looking for any references to Miranda in classical myth. I can't find the  
name in any of my references. All I can find is in Shakespeare. I know that he  
got a lot of his characters from mythology, and I seem to recall that the name  
came from mythology but can't remember where.

Why? We just named our new little girl Miranda. Her sister is Cassandra. 

--
Karl Best                              Far away, across the field
Novell Tech Pubs           ...  __o    the tolling of the iron bell
Provo, Utah  801-429-3428 ..   -\<,    draws the faithful to their knees
kbest@doc.novell.com      ...(_)/(_).  to hear the softly spoken magic spell
karl_best@npd.novell.com                  -Roger Waters, Pink Floyd
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
From: brekshyn@shearson.com (Bohdan Rekshynskyj)
Subject: Translations and the original (was Re: What languages do you know?--**The resu
Reply-To: brekshyn@shearson.com
Organization: Lehman Brothers, Inc.
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 20:00:46 GMT


   This is to start a new "thead" about translations and the original.  I have found that
reading the original is a vastly different experience than reading the translation(s) and
for those who are, for example, "Celtic Myth Enthusiasts" (mayhaps, fanatics), should
probably learn the original language to appreciate it more.
   I consider myself a Roman "enthusiast" and realized in order to get to the mindset of the
Romans and their civilization I would have to think (as much as is possible) as a Roman did.
In their language.  Well, since every educated Roman knew Greek, I took up Classical/Koine
Greek in addition to LAtin.  It is here where I found the greatest disparity of translations.  There
is nothing in my opinion (of course I am wholly objective and therefore this is the final word
on the subject, chuckle!) that compares with the staleness of a translation than reading the
original.  Reading the Theogony of Hesiod in the original (well, a little archaic Greek here!)
and then any of the "good" translations pale.  There is no better way (other than traveling
back in time) than to get a faint echo of what the Romans or the Greeks were than by learning
their languages.  The same, I'm sure, is for the Celtic myths or what-have-you.
   Welllllll, that's my plug for learning classical languages!


							Bohdan






=====================================================================
 
Bohdan Peter Rekshynskyj
 
Consultant                     
 
Compuserve:  72576,1754


                              
All promulgations are my own.  No corporate entity has authorization
to represent me.
 
Imprimatur.						Nihil obstat.
 
=====================================================================
From: oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown)
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
Subject: Re: What languages do you know?--**The results**
Date: 10 Sep 92 17:33:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <16866@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu>, rlwinter@tomatillo.engr.ucdavis.edu (Richard Lee Winterstein) writes...
>I'll refrain from making comments, apart from two:  I was surprised at how well
>German placed.  Also, considering how often Irish and Welsh myths are 
>discussed, I was surprised not to see those languages represented.  Norse, too,
>for that matter. 
> 
>So to get a new thread going, where do people see the future of mythology and
>language heading?  Did most people learn different languages in classes or by
>private study?

I studied French for 4 years in highschool and 2 years in 
college.  German I studied for 2 years in highschool and 1 year 
in college.  Never have been to Europe.  (I think actually living 
in the foreign country is the best way to learn the language.)  

Now I occasionally watch foreign movies to try to keep up my 
language skills.  I also make an attempt to read in both 
languages from time to time. My verbal skills have deteriorated 
a lot, but I can still read both languages fairly well.

I subscribed to Gaelic-l for awhile, but dropped it.  Didn't have 
time, and I decided my time was better spent on French & German.

- Peggy -
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
From: mxr@neptune.dsc.com (Max "Historic Snore Thunder" Rible)
Subject: Re: Halflings (Was: Re: Bahamut the Dragon)
Organization: Digital Sound Corporation
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 19:09:10 GMT

millerl@wharton.upenn.edu writes:
>In article <1992Sep14.221854.11151@news2.cis.umn.edu>, hougen@deci.cs.umn.edu (Dean Hougen) writes:
>> In article <1992Sep4.164912.1@ulkyvx.louisville.edu> rtsumn01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu writes:
>>>If you have only encountered the name Bahamut in gaming, it is possible that
>>>they all stemmed from the original idea in the Monster Manual (witness the
>>>proliferation of halflings).

>> Tolkien's were the original halflings, not Gygax's.

>Tolkien's halflings were "hobbits", not halflings. Gygax coined halfling as a
>neo-logism just like treant, to worm out of the Tolkein estate's legal action.

"Halfling" comes from (at the youngest) Tolkien.  The short
furry-footed folks in Tolkien's Middle-Earth called themselves
hobbits, and were called halflings by races that didn't interact with
them much.

/-------------v-----------------------v---------------------------------------\
| Max Rible   | mxr@dsc.com           | "Spontaneous combustion!  What a      |
|             | rible@vorpal.ucsb.edu |  stroke of luck!" - Sam & Max         |
\-------------^-----------------------^---------------------------------------/
-- 
Newsgroups: alt.mythology
From: cc@cs.wm.edu (Chris Michael)
Subject: Re: Bahamut the Dragon
Organization: The College of William and Mary
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1992 15:58:12 GMT

	I think I sent this to somebody's personal mailbox; sorry,
i mashed the wrong button in xrn. Anyway, it seems to me that
Bahamut could be an alternate transliteration of the Hebrew
word "Behemoth." (e.g. Beth-He-Mem-Vau-Tau). I don't know if
that's really the Hebrew spelling...

	-cc
From: pashley@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Montykins)
Newsgroups: alt.slack
Subject: Rant: "What they're a-doin'"
Date: 5 Sep 92 03:36:18 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego

Yow! Sweet Jesus-"Bob", I'm losin' my mind! The con is getting
wilier and sneakier every day.

They're evverywhere. And they're targeting you. They're sending
people out to DRIVE SLOWLY in front of you. They're sending YOWLING
BRATS to follow you around in bookstores.

They're releasing movies like 3 Ninjas. Gropphlagh! Kill me right
NOW!

They've got the money. They've got the power. But there's one thing
they don't got: The SLACK. Yes, children, the slack. The con has NO
slack, I say NO SLACK AT ALL of its own. It can only survive by
STEALING YOURS!

You've got no chance at all against such a powerful organization.
All you can do is hole up somewhere and start generating all the
FREE SLACK you can, because friends, if you PAID MONEY for it, the
conspiracy TOOK ITS SHARE, and it TOOK YOUR SHARE AS WELL.

Good mother-humping, crotch-cracking, father-licking,
sister-selling, brother-taunting, full-bore, choked-up, cleaned-out,
hopped-up, beaten-down fucking GOD!

Or KILL ME! Here's the gun! Here's the bullets! KILL ME NOW! Shoot
me inna HEAD! Dammit!

 You coward.

 -Paul "Monty" Ashley
   (Alt.slack's been a bit dead lately . . .)
-- 
  "Didn't expect to see me again,         | pashley@sdcc13.ucsd.edu
eh, Svengali?"                            |  [Not a UCSD employee]
     -- Bugs Bunny                        |
Newsgroups: alt.slack
From: wbogue@cwis.unomaha.edu (Leslie Schriber Bogue)
Subject: Re: "BoB" Underoos
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 04:07:06 GMT

"Bob" Underwear? Where'd you here about that? Not from the Stark Fist, I guess.

Rev. Tom Dikkenharey
From: rsvanc00@mik.uky.edu (Randolph S. Vance)
Newsgroups: alt.slack
Subject: SHUT UP PINK BOY!!!! (was Re: Genesis P-Orridge, Newbie)
Keywords: CHANCE OF A LIFETIME
Date: 16 Sep 92 01:08:10 GMT
    <195afeINN174@agate.berkeley.edu>
Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences

If Matthew wants to flame a celebrity, then BY BOB and JEHOVA-1, THAT'S
HIS BoB-GIVEN RIGHT!!!!!!

Oh no, I've said too much.....

--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Randolph S. Vance
 
              RSVANC00@mik.uky.edu (NeXT Mail)
              RSVANC00@ukpr.uky.edu
              RSVANC00@ukcc.uky.edu
 
QUOTE: "I'll watch some TV, it'll help me to RELAX!"
              -Ren Hoek
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: alt.slack
From: rwd4f@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Rob Dobson)
Subject: Re: Where is everyone?
Organization: Council on State Emergency
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 16:16:05 GMT


Ive been too busy seizing power extra-constitutionally.

--
LCDR Robert W Dobson    President: US Military Council on State Emergency
rwd4f@h00ters.tailhook.navy.mil   OR  president@whitehouse.com
DISCLAIMER: I now hold power in the United States. All opinions are mine.
From: biga@infopls.chi.il.us (Andrew Kroll)
Newsgroups: alt.slack
Subject: Where is everyone?
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 92 22:50:39 CDT
Organization: INFOPLUS support, Wheeling, IL

From: Rev. Big "A", Church of the SubGenius

Where is everyone?  It's not 1996 YET!  


--
biga@infopls.chi.il.us (Andrew Kroll)
Infoplus BBS, +1 708 537 0247, v32bis. Home of Infoplus.
From: wojcik@remus.rutgers.edu (John Wojcik)
Newsgroups: alt.slack
Subject: My duck.
Keywords: Radial Tires, Frying pans
Date: 14 Sep 92 20:08:36 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.


	If I was really hungry and I had a duck, a hammer and a
	frying pan, I would beat the shit out of the duck with 
	the hammer and fry up some duck steaks. But, instead I
	would probably trade the hammer for a tuna sub, call the
	duck George and ask it to be my friend.
	If I got really hungry I could always beat the shit out
	of George with the frying pan and start cookin' up some
	yummy duck guts after I cleaned all of the blood and 
	feathers off of the frying pan. Or kill me.

If you liked this rant, please send hefty wads of bills to me:

wojcik@remus.rutgers.edu
Xref: sparky alt.slack:2376 alt.non.sequitur:90 rec.nude:4535 alt.sex:29512 rec.humor:28707
From: mdw@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Matt Welsh)
Newsgroups: alt.slack,alt.non.sequitur,rec.nude,alt.sex,rec.humor
Subject: Fun with paper clips
Date: 15 Sep 92 19:32:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: tc.1992Sep15.193259.1469
Organization: Cornell Theory Center

...and she kept coming... and she KEPT coming... and she KEPT COMING...

...so finally, I told her: "Only one coupon per visit."

mdw

-- 
Matt Welsh    mdw@tc.cornell.edu        +1 607 253 2737
Systems Programmer, Cornell Theory Center
  "I'll eat anything that's BRIGHT BLUE!!"
Newsgroups: alt.slack
From: mccla_d@raedwald.cs.odu.edu (dennis mcclain-furmanski)
Newsgroups: alt.slack
Subject: RE: Where Is Everyone?
Date: 15 Sep 92 17:33:37 GMT
Distribution: alt.slack
Organization: Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA

"Big A" says:

> Where is everyone?...

Darn near everybody is on Earth. Have you looked there?

> ... It's not even 1996 YET!

Huh? It's 2017. Did you forget to wind your calendar?
Man you missed it. We ate PinkBurgers for *months*.

It's a bitch when you sleep through the end of the world.
But you can catch the video.