Dear friends,

We in the bowels of the politburo of m.w have devised the soft-answer strategy to those who blunder into our beloved group to post sensitive love poetry, dark teen angst, pointless short stories, and the like.

That strategy is partly the result of our inherent niceness because we are, as you know, "The Nicest Darned Group in the Whole Danged Usenet." (tm). However, some of the strategy is because of its effectiveness, as well. One soft answer can cut an entire mean critique/defensive answer thread like this one from going any farther.

Sure, it's good fun to poke at someone else's writing, but it's also too easy and somebody might get their vowels poked out. Worst of all, a new person wandering in might see the spectacle and decide that m.w is REALLY "The Meanest M*therfuckers in the Whole Damn*d Usenet!" (tm). Depending on their intentions, they'll either leave (if looking for thoughtful, supportive folks) or join fullblast into the "fun" (if a flamer). Either way, it's our loss.

So be kind, be gently insistent, be informative...but please no shotguns aimed at the sensitive poets.

Jack ("The Soft Answer: Jesus suggested it, I support it, end of discussion" [tm]) Mingo