Very true.

Good post, have a good night,

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"rtk" wrote in message
...
Most of my newsgroup participation has been on the triathlon newsgroup,
but as a keeper of fish, ponds, and herps, I have lurked a good deal on
those appropriate groups. That's not many, but enough to observe that
no matter what the subject, it sometimes happens that something in a
poster's life, good or bad, is so overwhelming that it spills out in
unexpected places. Example: a man sent a note to rec.sport.triathlon at
2 a.m., saying he had nowhere to turn at that hour of the morning, his
little twin girls were sleeping and his family had not yet arrived to be
at his side because his wife was killed on her bicycle by a truck only
hours earlier. I know it was true because I saw him at Ironman Hawaii
racing in his wife's number. On the pond newsgroup a man called for our
prayers or thoughts because his wife and baby were missing and he was
frantic and had nowhere to turn. His emotions spilled over wherever and
it happened the computer was nearer than anyone. It is not as if
someone says to him/herself I think I'll introduce a new subject to a
newsgroup and add a few commandments just to annoy everyone. It doesn't
subtract anything from the group to be receptive and kind. Most
newsgroups digressed on 9/11 for a few days for the same reason: our
thoughts could not remain strictly on their tracks in face of such
overwhelming news. We needed to talk and everywhere was the right place.

rtk