One of the great things about the internet is that you can discuss anything with people from all over the world. However, when people exploit the potential for anonymity offered by the technology, the whole system is compromised. There is no level platform for debate; the anonymous party is, in effect, throwing stones from behind a wall. This is common knowledge, but it annoys me when it happens. Just a few minutes ago, I tried to respond to an email from someone taking me to task for something I’d posted on a newsgroup (alt.fan.frank-zappa)… only to find that he’d faked the email headers. So for your (and my cowardly correspondent’s) interest, here’s our oh-so-brief relationship…
>From: The rose (dimbar@mindspring.com)
>Message: I read your Absolute Zappa review.
>1st of all learn how to spell
>musician and 2nd of all you are a complete and uttter idiot.
You’re obviously a charming little chap, so let’s investigate this more closely. In my review, I spelled the word ‘musician’ as ‘musishnin’… this is a play on the comedy patois used by the Thingfish, the main character in the Zappa musical of the same name. Any Zappa fan with a broad selection of albums would recognise that. In general, a radically misspelled word in an otherwise correct text tends to point to some sort of comedy or referential usage, wouldn’t you say?
Regarding your second point… well, maybe so, and I’ll happily defend your right to say that. However, Mr Pot and Mr Kettle seem to have got their dirty little hands on your computer, and have craftily inserted the word “uttter” into your email.
All the best, Adrian