dimitrov@csd2.UUCP (Isaac Dimitrovsky) (05/18/85)
[] The postings of Ron Kukuk bring to mind an old joke, which in its net.origins version would go as follows: A new subscriber starts reading net.origins. He reads a note saying only "56", followed by three responses saying "23", "21", and "23". Somewhat puzzled, he goes on and finds a note saying "62", followed by six responses containing assorted numbers. A little puzzled, he writes mail to one of the posters asking what the meaning of all these numbers is. The poster replies that all the creationist-evolutionist arguments have been repeated so many times that the subscribers to the group know all of them already, so it is only necessary to refer to these arguments by number. A bit less confused, he resolves to continue reading the newsgroup. The next day, though, he sees a note saying "317!!", followed by more than sixty responses! Intrigued, he writes mail to his source asking why this particular note has provoked such an uproar. And the reply comes: "Well, it's so rare to see a new argument around here!" Isaac Dimitrovsky "Houston on fire! Will history blame me - or the bees?" - The Swarm