Klarinet Archive - Posting 000439.txt from 1997/02

From: Lisa Gartrell Yeo <ux403@-----.CA>
Subj: Off-topic discussions
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 14:38:27 -0500

What a tempest in a teapot! I've belonged to this list for a couple of
years now, and there have been MANY off-topic discussions. These have
ranged from various musical jokes, to discussions on saxophone issues, to
whether or not a castrato could perform sexually! This one went one for
at least a week and was started by none other then Dan Leeson! I also
remember his asking for the issue number of Playboy that had featured a
centrefold (Natasha Kinski I believe) posing with a bass clarinet!! His
copy had been stolen out of his case and he wanted to get a new one, I
believe. Part of what makes this List so interesting is when we do veer
off clarinet-related issues. What appalled Dan so much was that he believed
the originator of the religious sig file was forcing his
opinions down our throats. I happen to disagree that this was the case,
but that is Dan's right. I do hope he comes back to us soon.
Let's all try for a little more tolerance, please. If there is an issue in
which you are not interested, the suggestion many have made is to use
the delete key.

Lisa Gartrell Yeo

PS The discussion of the word "onanistic" is one of many threads we have
had on the origins of certain words in the English language and indeed in
other languages. When religion does come up, we should try to avoid the
"knee jerk" response that because it may make us uncomfortable, no-one
should talk about it, even when the discussion is more intellectual than
evangelical. Why is it OK to have quite a bit of sexual innuendo on the
List but no reference to religion? Just curious. Interesting that the
onanistic discussion should relate to both religion and sex!