[LAU] Foul Language

[The Other]

On Sunday 08 April 2007 09:42, Rob wrote:
> I personally value the presence of people who may use "cheap"
> language more than the presence of those who object to it, so
> maybe you and the rest of the hand-wringers should update your
> NetNanny block list or something.  The reality is, while there
> may be a preponderance of CS types and academics here, there are
> also a lot of musicians, and we musicians tend to be both
> eccentric and "cheap".

My objection to those who use "cheap" language is:
   It's an imprecise and frequently uncreative method of expressing one's 
opinion.

Why not use one's enthusiasm and creativity instead.

My all-time favorite put-down is by Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker's Guide to 
the Galaxy.  It came from the first episode of the radio broadcast, where the 
narrator does a monologue on Vogon poetry.

"Vogon poetry is, of course, the third worst in the Universe.  The second 
worst is that of the Azgoths of Kria.  During a recitation by the Poet Master 
Grunthos the Flatulent of his poem 'Ode to a Small Lump of Green Putty I 
found in My Armpit One Midsummer Morning' four of his audience died of 
internal haemorrhaging, and the President of the Mid-Galactic Arts Nobbling 
Council survived by gnawing one of his own legs off.  Grunthos is reported to 
have been 'disapointed' by the poem's reception, and was about to embark on a 
reading of his twelve book epic entitled 'My Favourite Bathtime Gurgles' when 
his own major intestine, in a desperate attempt to save humanity, leapt 
straight up through his neck and throttled his brain.  The very worst poetry 
of all perished along with its creator, Paula Nancy Millstone Jennings of 
Greenbridge in the destruction of the Planet Earth."

Now *that* is a put-down.

Or perhaps Adams was only teasing his classmate, Paul Neil Milne Johnstone.  
Either way, it shows an astonishing level of creativity.

Regards,
"The Other" Stephen Stubbs.