Just because someone can lie, doesn't mean you don't ask the question. In civil proceedings a fact-finder may draw a negative inference from a refusal to testify. If a poster ignores a stompy foot's legitimate inquiry, it's suspicious no matter who the individual might be. In the context of the eerie winking neighbor, if the cops come and he refuses to identify himself or cooperate with the officer he will be arrested.
Hey! What do you two think you're doing? Fightin' at a time like this. You'll use up all the air!
Jayne ,'Out Of Gas'
Bureaucracy 1: Like Kafka, Only Funnier
A thread to discuss naming threads, board policy, new thread suggestions, and anything else that has to do with board administration and maintenance. Guaranteed to include lively debate and polls. Natter discouraged, but not deleted.
Current Stompy Feet: ita, Jon B, DXMachina, P.M. Marcontell, Liese S., amych
Wolfram - Jan 27, 2003 2:28:42 pm PST #3655 of 10001
Visilurking
Jessica - Jan 27, 2003 2:29:11 pm PST #3656 of 10001
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
John said he wasn't going to, Jess.
I meant bringing it up at all.
And What Steph Said -- this must be dropped.
John H - Jan 27, 2003 2:30:51 pm PST #3657 of 10001
it sounds like your mind is pretty made up. How is anyone supposed to answer that? If you have evidence about it from the email, I would like to know what that is
I am not posting here about anything in the email. I was purely talking about hypotheticals.
The coincidences others have mentioned are that they
- come from the same city
- use the same ISP
- Have the same really obscure hobby
And I didn't even collect those.
Connie Neil - Jan 27, 2003 2:32:14 pm PST #3658 of 10001
brillig
And your response if he insists on being innocent, as anyone in this country has the right to do?
Wolfram - Jan 27, 2003 2:32:34 pm PST #3659 of 10001
Visilurking
Now this would be a good topic for a politics thread. Civil liberties vs. societal enforcement of community standards.
John H - Jan 27, 2003 2:33:03 pm PST #3660 of 10001
And What Steph Said -- this must be dropped.
I respect your opinions, and Steph's, but "must"?
If it is the guy, he's insulting us every day. Maybe I have an over-developed sense of betrayal, but I hate that idea so much that it will be really hard for me to behave normally around him in threads.
Kristen - Jan 27, 2003 2:34:28 pm PST #3661 of 10001
And What Steph Said -- this must be dropped.
But, clearly, John's not going to drop it. And I don't really feel comfortable dropping my opposition to his stance. Schmoker's playing by the rules. No one will never be able to prove definitively that he is or is not mieskie.
Connie Neil - Jan 27, 2003 2:34:47 pm PST #3662 of 10001
brillig
Betrayal? Because he's making an effort to fit into a community after, as you allege, being stupid in public?
Lyra Jane - Jan 27, 2003 2:37:29 pm PST #3663 of 10001
Up with the sun
I agree, I don't see it as a betrayal. If they're the same person, he's making a choice I would not make in terms of posting where he shouldn't, but he's also contributing to the community. Which is the goal we were trying to reach with the banning, anyhow.
John H - Jan 27, 2003 2:37:33 pm PST #3664 of 10001
your response if he insists on being innocent, as anyone in this country has the right to do?
That was my exact question earlier on. What should we do?
Three people have now asked him directly if he's mieskie.
He's been reminded twice by me that the question has been asked here and he's made no response.
Also, "in this country", connie? Which country?
Because he's making an effort to fit into a community after, as you allege, being stupid in public?
The banning rule says "go away for two months, then come back and everything will be fine".