Newsgroups: sci.environment From: rparson@rintintin.Colorado.EDU (Robert Parson) Subject: Trial by Combat Message-ID: Summary: How to save bandwidth and cut net population Keywords: death destruction mutilation Date: Fri, 6 Aug 1993 21:23:58 GMT Dear fellow sci.env addicts: I have been thinking about how to resolve some of the never-ending {debates | flame wars} on this group, and have come to the conclusion that it would be simplest if we just got together and fought it out. I have therefore made arrangements to have the following weapons delivered to your email addresses: Pat Angelo a nuclear-pumped X-ray laser Dan Ashlock a quarterstaff Paul Dietz a crossbow Bob Grumbine an ice axe David Halliwell a Roman short sword Bruce Hamilton a Maori javelin James Hammerton a claymore Gil Hardwicke a boomerang Robert J. Kolker this one's too obvious :( Svein-Ivar Lillehaug a harpoon Carl Lydick a switchblade John McCarthy a stiletto Alan McGowen a Chickasaw tomahawk, stone head, blade dipped in extract of dyerswoad. Dean Myerson a katana Loren Petrich a labrys Paul Savage a blowpipe and a set of darts, dipped in DDT Jan Schloerer a halberd Steinn Sigurdsson a Viking battleaxe Larry Smith a New Hampshire Minutemen's muzzle loading flintlock. (unfortunately, while the gun is properly registered, the leaden balls are not environmentally acceptable, so he has to make do with the bayonet.) Andrew Taylor a slingshot Mike Tobis a cavalry sabre, Balaclava vintage Mike Vandeman a caltrop Victor Yodaiken a fission bomb (in order to keep this from giving him too much of an edge, the core is made entire out of depleted Uranium.) In fairness, I'll let the net choose a weapon for me. We meet at McMurdo Sound on 1 October 1993. Bring sunblock. NSF has agreed to provide partial support for travel expenses, but some restrictions apply. Specifically, Larry can drive, but Vandeman has to go by bike (three-speed) and Loren has to take the BART. We are also required to take care to avoid disturbing the penguins, skuas, and phytoplankton; McCarthy is in charge of filing the ' appropriate environmental impact statements. Survivors, don't forget to clean up after yourselves; NSF's gotten in trouble about this in the past. En Garde!!