Subj : Back again To : KEVIN GIBSON From : RICHARD M. MEIC Date : Sun Jul 15 2001 10:32 am -> Long time no see, Mr. President. :-) I'm sure that once you tell me the reason for reffering to me as president I will end up slapping my head because it should have been more obvious. :o) -> I'm not certain how I do. You'll have to be more specific. Is your physical and mental person unharmed and in a relative state of comfort? RM>> Careful, don't slip on the blood... I just finished flogging John for RM>> being a bad boy. And Frank is in the corner for a reason... I'll RM>> let him out soon. -> -> Communicating about the topics that have been raised can be extremely -> difficult. Misunderstanding is far too easy to do. I'm sure you are correct, but after spelling it out a few times it is not unreasonable to expect the meaning to be understood, at least in part. -> Frank doesn't -> talk with me. That's his choice. I think it has something to do -> with passwords and secret handshakes. Then it was not my imagination... interesting. -> But it wasn't my intention to upset him. It was, I have come to realize recently that one needs not make any effort. -> however, the second time he left the echo in six months. I don't -> know what to make of all of this except to say that some people, -> including you, appear to have very thin skins. My skin is no less thick than the next person's, and I am still not really upset... I simply feel insulted. -> You've not given -> this discussion much of a chance to get off the ground. I am not the only one who is required to put effort into a topic. John could have exerted some effort to understand. Some interest in my meaning is also required, and I have not yet seen this... I assume I never will. The tactics used by both John and Frank are those of intimidation, redirection and fabrication and I refuse to allow myself to be intimidated, the intended topic to be redirected, or my meanings to be ignored and then fabricated. My words hold meaning and are worth some value in here. I remember a joke where a bunch of people in a bar told the same old jokes so often that they all decided to number all those jokes. Well, I see the same thing here with Frank and John and if it so happens that one of us mere mortals don't know what #42 is, well that's just tough for us. You really can't teach an old dog new tricks, simply because the old dogs don't listen. I'm not 80 years old and at the end of my life here, hell I'm not even middle aged yet. I have many things I would prefer to enjoy before I get to 80 and I am unable to enjoy those things if I am cooped up in a library every afternoon of every day, hunting down the weeks references. I barely have the time for the toilet so I can read some of "Consilience the Unity of Knowledge", by Edward O. Wilson (which has turned out to be an interesting book, BTW). This is a FIDONET echo, for EVERYONE not just the old and pompous and if anyone feels superior for any reason, then then that person does not belong here. <---- And THAT is another of my personal opinions. -> I understand -> your objections to Frank's penchant for constantly referencing ancient -> and often obscure philosophers. He also has an unnerving habit of -> name-dropping, in my opinion. But that's his chosen style of writing. -> And it may be that if you want to communicate with him, you'll have to -> accept it. There's a problem with this, though. There is no communication. It seems to me that Frank views others as little children awestruck and hanging on his every word. I think Frank and John are only here for the ego boost. -> He doesn't appear to be the least bit inclined to change -> because you or I want him to. I don't want him or John to change ANY of their ideas. -> Try a little more patience, Richard. (But not mine.) I know. I have no more patience for them. If they intended to appear as superior minds, to ours... they have failed miserably. -> So, how are things with you? My wife and I have quit smoking and seem to be enjoying food more than we used to. We still live in Regina. She in now a trained System Administrator and I am a trained Programmer analyst. We both got our diplomas a month ago and we both graduated with honors. -> What's new? Have any of your robots become self-aware yet? :-) I have started a programmer's group and we are currently working on a strategy game in order to polish our skills. As for the Robot business, I have been researching NN (Neural Networks) but have not programmed any yet. Self awareness is something that cannot be tested, so I would not know even if I did create one. -> Did you ever see "Bicentennial Man" YES. Loved the movie... Williams has come a long way from Mork. -> What about Spielberg's new movie "A.I.?" I REALLY want to see that... I saw the boy act in Sixth Sense and find him a very impressive actor (BTW, the ending of Sixth Sense was really kewl). --- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5 * Origin: Try Our Web Based QWK: DOCSPLACE.ORG (1:18/140) .