Numerous side topics grew out of the main topic. Among the more interesting were:
It seems to me that both of these threads prove the point I've tried to make in a previous column that though we subscribe to lists in order to be in contact with people with whom we have common interests, the mere commonality of those interests ultimately makes the list boring, and we become thankful for any asides that develop.
Subject: Re: list pic page
Date: Wed, 9 Apr 1997 23:01:50 -0500 (CDT)
From: Christy Tucker <ctucker@sun.iwu.edu>
To: Chris Cornette <corenfa@televar.com>
CC: horn list <horn@spock.nlu.edu>
I hate to be a spoil sport on this; I think it's a good idea. There's just a little problem. It is really, really dumb for any young female to have a recent picture on the web. There are too many scary people out there who might get some psycho idea from seeing a picture or something. My roommate has a web page with some pictures of synchronized swimming on it. Earlier this year she got a very scary e-mail message from somebody who was upset that the pictures weren't of her in a swimsuit. I know that I probably sound paranoid, and maybe I am, but I just want people to be careful about it. If you have a less than recent picture, that's usually OK, but I'm afraid that somebody might get harassed for their pictures. And I don't mean to be sexist; men can and do get harassed too, but it's less of a danger for men than for women.
Sorry that this is a little late as a response, but our system has been up and down the last few days and this has been my first chance to start catching up.
Just my $.02. Sorry.
Christy Tucker
Illinois Wesleyan University
ctucker@sun.iwu.edu
The responses to this post were generally of the sort: "wow, are you paranoid", but one response was in a lighter vein:
Subject: Re: Pictures-You Can't Control Photographers
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 09:47:10 -0700 (MST)
From: horn@azstarnet.com (Karen McGale)
To: horn@spock.nlu.edu
>Christy Tucker wrote: (quoted a little bit out of context here)
>>...There are too many scary people out there who
>> might get some psycho idea from seeing a picture or something
First of all, I think the only psychos you're going to attract from the horn page are the worst psychos of all......horn players!!
But seriously, I can understand Christy's concern but feel that it is unwarranted for a project such as this. No one's email address will posted under their picture without their consent, I am assuming (Robin?) ,and the photo will not be posted on a page where people can directly contact anyone other than who posted the pics. (And who knows....Robin may like a little harassment! Just kidding!)
It's always good to think about safety, but you can't walk on eggshells all your life.
karen
The other post was actually only a cute story that was associatively related to the previous small dose of paranoia:
Subject: Sorry, no title
Christy Tucker wrote: (quoted a little bit out of context here)
>...There are too many scary people out there who > might get some psycho idea from seeing a picture or something
Hey folks!
Last night, here in Ogikubo Station (a prefecture of Tokyo), my husband and I boarded the regular No. 54 bus to go home.
A rather odd-looking fellow tried to cut in front of me in line, but then ended up going to the back after I simply stepped in front of him.
Shortly after we sat down in our single seats, the same guy gets on the bus and stands right in front of my husband's chair. He is ostentatiously staring at me in the usual manner favored by single Japanese businessmen. I give him the old Japanese 'nod' how ya' doing thing; he nods back. After that, I ignore him; this is also normal behavior.
The bus starts up. This guy starts fiddling in his coat pockets, rattling things around. I start to wonder if he's going to pull a gun.
About two blocks down from where we were going to get off the bus, the guy does pull something from his pocket. It's a flash camera, pointed right at my face. He pushes the warm-up for the flash, which lights up.
At that time, I put my arm in front of my face and said to my husband 'Let's get off here, now'...which we did. As we got off the bus, my husband said that he saw a flash go off where we had been sitting.
So..guys. You can't control weirdos. They're everywhere! And, Lord knows why that guy would want my picture anyhow...I'm no sweet young thang, ya know!!
Let the horn picture page continue...
Rachel
And of course a number of people couldn't resist responding to this as well. For example:
Subject: Re: Rachel on the no 54 bus
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 15:06:10 +0100
From: Francis.Markey@eu.biacore.com (Francis Markey)
To: horn-digest@spock.nlu.edu
> So..guys. You can't control weirdos. They're everywhere! And,
Lord
> knows why that guy would want my picture anyhow...I'm no sweet young
> thang, ya know!!
He was probably a horn list spy sent out by Larry Yates to make sure your picture got into the records, Rachel!
Francis Markey
Uppsala, Sweden
Anyone who's read until here should have a good picture of these people... Better than any photograph for getting an impression of what these people are like.