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[at-l] Random thoughts.....
Hey, Jack. Why are you bent on using HTML for your e-mail?
On Thu, 25 Jan 2001, Jack Tarlin wrote:
> <html><DIV>
> <DIV>Wow! So many invitations for so many beers.....you'd think folks were under the impression that I was fond of the stuff or something. Where on earth did people make this conclusion I wonder?</DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> Just wanted to thank some of the folks who either posted to the List, or to me personally with comments re. the recent GaleNorton discussion. Just wanted to make a few things clear before we (perhaps thankfully) move on to something else:</DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> In introducing this apparently controversial subject, it was NOT merely to to incite or aggravate the list, or as some have speculated, at attempt to "troll" the List in order to piss people off. I assure you I have more worthy things to do with my limited free time. If I brought up a subject that is not without controversy, it was for one reason and one reson only: I thought it was a worthwhile subject for discussion. After all, the Secretary of the Interior is the one public official who, for better or worse, has the potential to greatly affect the condition, preservation, and future of our public lands, which, needless to say, include our National Scenic Trails.</DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> The suggestion that this subject was innapropriate or out of place for this List quite frankly surprised the hell outta me. Gale Norton is about to be elevated to a position in which she'll be able to do incalculable harm to areas that presumably, most of us care a great deal about, and want to see protected. My suggestion that folks contact their legislators with the assistance of the Sierra Club was NOT a "demand" or a high-hatted attempt to force folks to take part in this discussion. It was merely a suggestion for folks who may have been interested in the subject. And the SC's initiative was not a repeat form-letter. On the contrary, if you looked at their letter-writing format, they encouraged folks to add to, edit, or re-write their own letter, in order for the letters to be of a more individual nature.</DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> I never expected everyone to take part in this, nor did I delude myself into thinking that this was an initiative that everyone would want to take part in. But I felt then, and I still do, that it was a worthwhile thing to share with folks who are interested in the Trail, its future, and potential threats to its existence. And as to it being improper or impolite to raise political issues in a forum such as this, well, sorry, I beg to differ. This forum exists, among other reasons, so that people can engage in the exhange of ideas. When someone offers a website or address to the public, it is done so that folks can VOLUNTARILY seek out more information on subjects they MAY be interested in. Obviously, it's neither expected or demanded that everyone will choose to do so. In any case, I thank the folks who did, and I appreciate the many positive letters I got back from folks who felt that this was a worthwhile t!
hi!
> ng to mention on the List. And to be perfectly frank, if you wanna talk about things that are impolite or inappropriate, well how about strip-mining, unrestricted clear cutting, oil drilling in wildlife sanctuaries, and lead poisoning , just for starters. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I find this sort of thing far more objectionable than the occasional political discussion. The matter of Ms. Norton is a subject that needs public debating, and I'm not remotely sorry I initiated it.</DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> That being said, a quick note to Paddler: Thanx for your kind words, and I'm sorry I don't spend more time here. I'm working my ass off in order to pay for my next trip, and have limited free time; most of my Internet time is spent responding to personal correspondence from folks planning thru-hikes, and some of my replies take a great deal of time to compose. But I'll try to visit here more often, when I feel I have something useful to contribute. As to your request for the details of the celebrated Corpse in the Doyle Story, alas, it takes too long to tell, and in any case, is a tale best related in person, when both the audience and storyteller have first steeled themselves with several bracing adult beverages. It ain't a pretty story. Perhaps I'll share it with interested parties at Damascus or the Gathering in Hanover. During the half-hour or so it takes to tell the whole s!
to!
> ry, other folks can be heating up my tar and feathers. </DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> All for now, I'm once again running on a bit. On a final note, speaking of personal correspondence, I just wanted to say that a certain frequent contributor to this List has been sending me the most remarkable E-Mails, that are noteworthy for the worthlessness of their content and their most imaginative grammatical errors. I was raised to believe that it is impolite to ignore letters, so I've always tried to write him back, and lo and behold, he's got a block on incoming mail from my address. It seems that like a grafitti writer whose scribblings are confined to the walls of public conveniences, my erstwhile admirer is willing to clog up my mailbox with his blatherings, but isn't interested in being responsible enough to endure any replies to them. Just wanted to publicly state that this sort of behavior is as childish as it is gutless----the gentleman in question is welcome to continue doing this, but I must tell!
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> im here ((I'd have kept this matter between us but his spinlessness has made this impossible) that if he continues to send me his witticisms and thoughts, I'll have no choice but to respond to them by forwarding them here, so that other Listers can decide for themselves the worthiness of their content and the character of their author. For the time being, I'll spare him the embarassment of revealing his name; this is one cockroach who for the moment is welcome to remain in the darkness of Internet anonymity.</DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> A closing note---the great thing about forums such as this is that it allows us to exchange thoughts and ideas with all sorts of folks. We're not always going to agree with certain posts; we're not always gonna find them welcome reading. But we can learn from each other, even when we choose to disagree. When we don't agree---well, that's what a "delete" button is for. And provided we can have our disagreements while retaining an adult, civil tone to the discussion, then this will remain a worthwhile place to spend time. I appreciate Paddler's recent invitation to visit more often, and I hope to do so. I particularly welcome the opportunity to hear from prospective thru-hikers, and to join with so many other good folks on this List in trying to answer their questions and helping them plan their upcoming trips.</DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> Hope to see some of you in Hot Springs, Damascus, or Hanover----my tent is the Mountain Hardware one that folks are always trying to leave dead animals in (and for those of you who don't understand this illusion, I'm NOT gonna explain it here; it ain't exactly table talk). </DIV>
> <DIV> best to all,</DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV> Jack Tarlin</DIV>
> <DIV> AT 2001, etc.</DIV></DIV><br clear=all><hr>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <a href="http://explorer.msn.com";>http://explorer.msn.com</a><br></p></html>
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