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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!csd2!dimitrov
From: dimitrov@csd2.UUCP (Isaac Dimitrovsky)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Cautionary Tale
Message-ID: <3570026@csd2.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 17-May-85 19:37:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: csd2.3570026
Posted: Fri May 17 19:37:00 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 21-May-85 04:23:44 EDT
Organization: New York University
Lines: 27

[]

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