🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <11DEC199215182870@ariel.lerc.nasa.gov>,
ecaxron@ariel.lerc.nasa.gov (Ron Graham) wrote:
> 
> In article <10DEC199214271963@csa3.lbl.gov>, jtchew@csa3.lbl.gov 
>      (Ad absurdum per aspera) writes...
> 
> >You can also learn a thing or two from the newsgroup misc.writing.
> 
> No you can't, either.

Sure you can.

> There is no newsgroup in all off Usenet in which more indignant eighth-
> grade English teachers can be found.

Hey, wait a minute.  Eighth grade????  You obviously weren't following
the verb conjugation thread of the past week or two.  That past perfect and
future perfect participles stuff  was at least h.s. level.    I'm sure it
was
probably taught on a day when I cut classes.

>  I have asked questions in misc.writing
> several times - honest questions, for which I wanted an honest answer, and
> I have never failed to be flamed.  It's a club, not a useful tool.

I've found our little club to be a useful tool, but it doesn't hurt to be
flame-
proof.  Writers, as a species, tend to have poison pens and swift
tongues--the
net is a wonderful place to exercise both.  On the other hand, when I've
gotten scorched I've often deserved it.  (I admit it--I'm the one who
forgot it was "sealing wax" and started a thread called "ceiling wax." 
Sorry.)

> And to think I helped campaign for it.  I oughta be shot :-).

No wonder you get flamed.  Talk about an opening... 

> I might also add that the Society for Professional Communication, although
> it claims to deal in such areas, will not issue more than token assistance
> to non-members.  You have to pay the toll first.

But magazines and books about writing effectively are free at your local
library and
back issues of journals from organizations like the Society for Technical
Communication are available at many college libraries.

What the hell...  Take a chance and ask your question of misc.writing.
Just don't ask anyone how to utilize our input to optimize the
dissemination of cutting-edge research to various constituencies on into
the 21st century.  (I don't work for a college of engineering for nothing!)

Maureen (a.k.a. Jane)