Hello Tilok: This is indeed a nice surprise to see you in the Assam net. You are absolutely right. This horicane Isabel (Hori! Hori!, Bisnu! Bisnu!) has had her effects on the net. There has been carnage, but you know, we are resilient. We netters will be back with vigor. My opinion is that they are taking their annual R&R (thats why they are quiet after that dang storm).
About this Court that you intend to setup. I know your affinity for them large animals (Kangaroo in this case), so I would suggest the name 'Kangaroo Court'. Now, contrary to the connotation attached to this - I am just being fair to the Kangaroo. This does not reflect badly on this court or the Roo. My question is why should the poor Roo's name be tarnished like this. We humans are terrible - we have these connotations for rats, snakes(Hiss!), Xheial, etc, etc. Like you in most of these cases, I side with the animals. BTW, I like your suggestion 'duel into a debate between between Al Gore vs Al Gore', sounds like Kramer V Kramer or Brown V Board of Ed, nice ring to it. But do you think we are cabable of this feat? Most of us would out in the first few rounds - eh!. And what about enforcement? You know, we Kharkhows don't like to be cowed down (apologies to the venerated cow). What if an imposter gets in to do the damage. How is the court going to nab imposters? As I said , its great to have you back (no matter what others may think). This is really good, I am all for it. Hope you will give my suggestions a lot of weight. the best, Ram da Good Morning Netters: What a relief, this quiet in the net, after weeks of mayhem and murder of the appearances of peace. Since appearances could be misleading, this kind of eruptions are of course not unexpected. How we deal with it is the big question. As a noted LAS, I deal with it often. For me it is all in a day's work. But I have sympathy for all those who were left battered by it like the hurricane Isabel. As you can imagine, without such empathy, I could not be the immensely successful shrinkologist I am. My phone has been ringing off the hook. People have been calling for advice and counseling. Mostly families of the victims, concerned about their loved-ones' well being. Occasionaly a still coherent victim would call too. But the pain is palpable in the long pauses of silence punctuating the rambling musings of the disoriented, savaged by the blitzkrieg. I am certain my soothing words of comfort, salves of psychobabble and the miracle of modern medicine is helping heal the wounded psyches and pummeled prides. But that is not enough. You folks have to put an end to this recurring nightmare, once and for all. How? Here is my prescription: Let there be a duel. Verbal Assam net duel that is. Each side shall elect ( or select) a thoughtful, articulate debator to argue the case for the pros and cons of the cause. They will be the sacrificial lambs at the altar of the high gods of community peace. The winner's position shall be binding for at least five years. It could either be renewed by mutual consent or the outcome of a new duel reflecting prevailing conditions of the times. So how will you select the debators, sacrifices? Who will qualify? Easy. 1: Able to express a thought clearly in ordinary Oxomiya ( in Roman script) or English. 2: Have a history of respectful dialogue in assam-net or in the markhowa community, even under extreme needling, egging-on or provocation. 3: Must be one whose personal view is opposite of the position she/he will be required to promote and defend in ordert to ensure intellectual integrity of the debate. 4: Whereas the aforementioned Article 3 might rob the sacrifice of its passions and turn the duel into a debate between between Al Gore vs Al Gore, we submit the following fix for it: If they make lackluster or disingenuous arguments we will unleash the wrath of the COURT. See composition and rules of the COURT below. 5: At the end of the debate an internet poll shall be conducted by Badul--I mean Babul 6o6oi to determine who won. 6:To prevent vote-rigging, previously nabbed-red handed vote-riggers shall be taken into protective custody with assistance from Homeland Security . 7: The debate will be moderated by a three person panel consisting of two respected elders and a widely reviled one. Any violation shall be referred to the COURT. 8: All creeppy-crawley critters shall be prohibited from the arena or forum or agora, as the case maybe. The COURT: 1: The COURT shall consist of one person who shall have at least one PhD degree ( does not matter on what subject ). 2: The C shall interpret, prosecute, judge,deliver verdicts and mete out punishment in accordance with the letter of Kamrupi ethic as espoused in a paper written by a famed Kamrupi Vaishnav Bhokot in the last issue of Luitor Pora Mississippi magazine, whose motto could be fairly described as do as I preach and not as I practise. This shall be the Hammurabi's Code for the net debate. 3: The COURT also shall serve as the language police of the debate. Any violation of decorum by the use of words , phrases, colloquialisms or other attributes of manners of speech, whether actually offensive or merely incomprehensible to the C and/or as supported and/or interpreted by such authorities as BB, BC , TK and others , regardless of whether they are actual current members of Assam net or expelled under disgrace ex-netters sneaking into the debating duel. 4: Punishment for the guilty shall include, but not be limited to, being called names by the COURT using terms describing human excretarory functions for the rest of the perpetrators' natural lives and other enlightened Kamrupi ethical ways, including the Brit tradition of lighting up Guy Fawkes effigies as an annual tradition. What do you think folks? Is it a deal or what? I remain, in insufferable servitude to my fellow men's mental well being: Dr. T, FLAS Dog Patch The High Ozarks, AK _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
