From: anderson@macc.wisc.edu (Jess Anderson)
Subject: Re: Ours flamb'e
Organization: Madison Academic Computing Center, UW-Madison
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 92 21:59:58 GMT


In article <66657@cup.portal.com> Minotaur@cup.portal.com
(Frank Swilling) apparently in much higher dudgeon than I
assumed (mea gravissima culpa), writes:

>Jess Anderson, who casts me against type in the much
>sought-after role of St. Frank of the Sissies, sez:

Hey, that's pretty good.  It's true you're not the only
chipmunk I talk to.

>>Geez, Frank, you are a Big Meanie.  I mean, how come Melmac
>>the Mentally Unfunded and Karlheinz der Witzlose never take
>>out after you, huh?  Must be your halo is just *too*
>>blinding!  I mean, especially after all those Good Works
>>and all.

>I could almost *see* you posting this "halo & Good Works"
>bit even as I uploaded my response to Donahue.  But we both
>know that's just smoke and mirrors, don't we?  This isn't
>about Good Works or haloes, or any other such bullshit, and
>you know it full well, Mr. Look-in-the-mirror-and-see-The-
>Truth.

Apparently my sin is to have read your mind.  *Do* forgive
me.

Frank, the main thing I read in your response to Bob was
that you stated you ere first, last, and always a smart-ass
(your phrase, not mine), and that if someone didn't like it,
they could just get over it.  Fine with me, but if you're
going to dish it out, you ought not to be too short-tempered
about taking it, either.

And it was in that spirit that I responded, with what I
didn't (and don't) see as particularly evil jibes.  I was
not, though you seem to think I was, making a comment on the
merits or not of your anger, though I did underestimate the
heat in it.

>Bob Donahue has defamed me in a public forum, [...]
>only hope that he is *alone* in that
>belief.

What's between you and him remains between you and him.  But
if you're that concerned about your rep, you have other
options as well.  Foremost among them would be to grant that
those who count (on this matter) among the readers have
minds of their own and are quite capable of sorting out the
merits or demerits of the perceived charges.

>Now your response more or less chides, "But you didn't have
>to include your 'good press' to make that point.  You could
>have just directed him to the articles in question."

Oh no, not that at all.  What you do isn't up to me.  But
you invited a smarty-pants reply and I obliged you, that's
all.

You do (and will do) what you feel you must.  But ...

>But I would beg to differ; since he has already loaded the
>dice by saying that he reads everything here and has this
>excellent memory, and that nothing I've written here has any
>value, it was necessary for me to show him that at least
>*some* other people felt differently.

>It's a Catch-22 for me,

... that requires your cooperation to be true, and in your
place I wouldn't cooperate.

>but you would have preferred that I cover myself in
>sackcloth and ashes and let him do a Robertson/Buchanan
>Character Assassination By Innuendo number on me?  I'll see
>him in hell first.

Dear man, I'm sure you'll hate this, and therefore I'm sorry
in advance, but perhaps you're over-reacting.

>If he actually has a case, and presents it in a fair and
>reasonable manner, you *know* that I will accept my share of
>the responsibility and apologize to anyone I have offended
>whom I didn't *intend* to offend -- which would be nearly
>everyone to whom I have ever spoken to here; but all he has
>offered up so far is hot air.

If that's true, you have little to worry about, and the
truer it is, the less you have to worry about.

>Pass me *your* halo, dear boy, and let's go play Frisbee
>while we wait.

Well now, you will admit, I hope, that everyone knows how
much easier it is to see the other person's problem than
one's own.

>And thanks for siccing Melman and whoever the hell that
>other one is on me.

You *are* kidding, I hope.  One need not be concerned about
fruit flies.  They don't even byte; they suck.

-- 
Jess Anderson <> Madison Academic Computing Center <> University of Wisconsin
Internet: anderson@macc.wisc.edu <-best, UUCP:{}!uwvax!macc.wisc.edu!anderson
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