Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1993 09:27:00 -1000 From: CTowers@chipcom.com (Colin Towers 5772) Message-Id: <2D0387D0@msmailer> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Dumb Questions!!!!! I read the "Kites" correspondence regularly and with interest every day. Thank you everyone for making this medium work. However, I sometimes read something that really ticks me off. The comments of Mr. Dan Rubesh characterizes the know-it-all attitude of some experts in their field that turns people away from asking questions and getting involved. Mr. Rubesh should realize the spectators who have the interest to ask any question (no matter how technically incorrect they are) are probable interested enough to get involved. If they are not, it may be their way of saying that they enjoyed the show and thank you. Let us all remember that our first sight of a stunt kite probably made us wonder about a few things that, now as experts, we would not ask (Like we've never asked dumb questions ourselves, right?). Although Mr. Rubesh objected to the lady's questions, I am glad he was not objectionable to her by offering a S...A...d answer. I'd love to fly a Force 10 in a Santa Anas. Colin Towers ctowers@chipcom.com = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1993 14:52:05 -1000 From: mark@murder.demon.co.uk (Mark de Roussier) Message-Id: <755337125snx@murder.demon.co.uk> Organization: damage Subject: Re: Dumb Questions!!!!! In article <2D0387D0@msmailer> CTowers@chipcom.com (Colin Towers 5772) writes: > > I read the "Kites" correspondence regularly and with interest every day. > Thank you everyone for making this medium work. > > However, I sometimes read something that really ticks me off. The comments > of Mr. Dan Rubesh characterizes the know-it-all attitude of some experts in > their field that turns people away from asking questions and getting > involved. Mr. Rubesh should realize the spectators who have the interest to > ask any question (no matter how technically incorrect they are) are probable > interested enough to get involved. If they are not, it may be their way of > saying that they enjoyed the show and thank you. > > Let us all remember that our first sight of a stunt kite probably made us > wonder about a few things that, now as experts, we would not ask (Like we've > never asked dumb questions ourselves, right?). Although Mr. Rubesh objected > to the lady's questions, I am glad he was not objectionable to her by > offering a S...A...d answer. > Whilst I completely support the principle of being polite to people so long as they are not actively endangering life/limb/livelyhood, there is a big difference between 'technically incorrect' and unobservant to the point of stupidity. Into the former category I would put questions such as 'How do you do that ?', or even 'Is it you making it do that ?' ( although thats a borderline case ). Into the latter group would go comments such as those implying that the buggy pilot was pulling the kite. A geek is a geek is a geek, whether the field in question is kites or potato farming, and I don't consider that experts are obliged to be saintly when it comes to forming an opinion about such people. As for discussing this in rec.kites : 1. I took the original comments as merely a set of humourous observations rather than the 'slander of the common man' that you seem to have sensed. 2. Why should these comments not go here ? rec.kites is not the property of any particular group - experts have the same right to indulge in cliquey discussions/jokes as lurkers have to post Dumb Questions ( indeed, I think lurkers have a *duty* to post Dumb Questions - they're not always as Dumb as the originator thinks ! ). One of the delights of rec.kites is the frequency with which Dumb Questions receive expert answers. And remember, even an expert can ask a Dumb Question !. > I'd love to fly a Force 10 in a Santa Anas. P.S. What's a 'Santa Anas' ?:) -- Mark de Roussier ************************************ Final thoughts, as breath is taken, Fall to rhythm, and the Edge of pure obsession, Resting in that wind blown cradle, Nothing moves, the world is still... ************************************ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1993 14:00:08 -1000 From: rock@netcom.com (Anne Rock) Message-Id: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services Subject: Re: Dumb Questions!!!!! Mark de Roussier (mark@murder.demon.co.uk) wrote: : In article <2D0387D0@msmailer> CTowers@chipcom.com (Colin Towers 5772) writes: : > : > I read the "Kites" correspondence regularly and with interest every day. : > Thank you everyone for making this medium work. : > : > However, I sometimes read something that really ticks me off. The comments : > of Mr. Dan Rubesh characterizes the know-it-all attitude of some experts in : > their field that turns people away from asking questions and getting : > involved. Mr. Rubesh should realize the spectators who have the interest to : >[stuff deleted] : As for discussing this in rec.kites : : 1. I took the original comments as merely a set of humourous observations : rather than the 'slander of the common man' that you seem to have sensed. Having put my foot in mouth on a couple of occasions when I chose to (incorrectly) interpret comments on the negative rather than the positive side (and learned from the experience), I think Mark's interpretation of Dan's comments is probably more accurate. That assessment is reinforced by the pleasurable experience of meeting Dan in person at World Cup this year. Anne - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * | * * Anne Rock | Oh Lord, let the words I speak today * * rock@netcom.com | be sweet, for tomorrow I may have to * * Berkeley, CA | eat them. * * | - sign in a Honduran cafe * - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1993 19:59:18 -1000 From: danr@crash.cts.com (Dan Rubesh) Message-Id: <1993Dec10.215918.10557@crash> Organization: CTS Network Services (CTSNET/crash), San Diego, CA Subject: Re: Dumb Questions!!!!! Colin Towers (ctowers@chipcom.com) started out with... [stuff omitted] > However, I sometimes read something that really ticks me off. The comments > of Mr. Dan Rubesh characterizes the know-it-all attitude of some experts in > their field that turns people away from asking questions and getting > involved. Mr. Rubesh should realize the spectators who have the interest > to ask any question (no matter how technically incorrect they are) are > probable interested enough to get involved. If they are not, it may be > their way of saying that they enjoyed the show and thank you. > > Let us all remember that our first sight of a stunt kite probably made us > wondeabout a few things that, now as experts, we would not ask (Like we've > never asked dumb questions ourselves, right?). Although Mr. Rubesh > objected to the lady's questions, I am glad he was not objectionable to > her by offering a S...A...d answer. At the beginning of this, I wasn't even going to justify Mr. Towers' comments with a response, but the follow on has changed my mind.. One of the great problems of this medium of communication is that one can't see facial expression, hear voice inflection, or any of the other myriad parts that make up the whole of a message.. First off, I've _never_ given an inquirer a smartass answer to any question.. There are a couple of reasons for this.. No.1 is that as a flier, I enjoy introducing newcomers to the sport/hobby, and flip or know-it-all answers don't do much to enhance our image.. No. 2 is that in case Mr. Towers hadn't noticed by my .sig file, I'm `in the business' as well, and it's not in my best interest to run off a potential customer. I've probably taught well over 200 folks the basics of 2-line flying, many times when I'd really rather be practicing a new maneuver or sorting out a routine.. As far as my original posting went, I was only trying to pass on what I found to be a humorous encounter with my fellow cyberspace flyers.. Hell, even the non-kiting folks that I related the tale to thought it funny.. > I'd love to fly a Force 10 in a Santa Anas. I can't guarantee a Santa Ana, but the Force 10 is available anytime you wanna ride, given that you're up to handling the beast.. :-) Then Mark de Roussier (mark@murder.demon.co.uk) joined in with.. > Whilst I completely support the principle of being polite to people so long > as they are not actively endangering life/limb/livelyhood, ths a big > difference between 'technically incorrect' and unobservant to the point of > stupidity. Into the former category I would put questions such as 'How do > you do that ?', or even 'Is it you making it do that ?' ( although thats a > borderline case ). Into the latter group would go comments such as those > implying that the buggy pilot was pulling the kite. A geek is a geek is a > geek, whether the field in question is kites or potato farming, and I don't > consider that experts are obliged to be saintn it comes to forming an > opinion about such people. > > As for discussing this in rec.kites : > > 1. I took the original comments as merely a set of humourous observations > rather than the 'slander of the common man' that you seem to have > sensed. > > 2. Why should these comments not go here ? rec.kites is not the property of > any particular group - experts have the same right to indulge in cliquey > discussions/jokes as lurkers have to post Dumb Questions ( indeed, I > think it's the lurkers*duty* to post Dumb Questions - they're not > always as Dumb as the originator thinks ! ). One of the delights of > rec.kites is the frequency with which Dumb Questions receive expert > answers. And remember, even an expert can ask a Dumb Question !. Well put, Mark.. I couldn't have said it better myself.. I think that rec.kites is the ideal place to discuss whatever is happening in the kiting community, from new kites and techniques to spectators comments to whatever... Anne Rock (rock@netcom.com) then paid me a great compliment.. Thanks, Anne!! I appreciate it!! And thanks also for a far better explanation of the Santa Ana wind phenomena than I'd have come up with.. > Having put my foot in mouth on a couple of occasions when I chose to > (incorrectly) interpret comments on the negative rather than the positive > side (and learned fromnce), I think Mark's interpretation of Dan's comments > is probably more accurate. That assessment is reinforced by the > pleasurable experience of meeting Dan in person at World Cup this year. Bottom line is that we, as net.kiters have a fantastic information tool at our disposal here.. There has been so much that's happened in the kiting community that I'd have not known of until some months later when the magazines got here, from the untimely death of Chris Batdorf, to the judging flap at Wildwood, etc.. Keep in mind also the limitations of the medium and don't take it all too seriously.. -- Good Winds and Tight Lines! Dan Rubesh AKA Member/Merchant Wind Wizard, Purveyor of UUCP: {ucsd, nosc}!crash!danr GO Stunt Kites & Accessories ARPA: crash!danr@nosc.mil FLY A P.O. Box 5747 INET: danr@crash.cts.com STUNT Ventura, CA 93005 (805) 659-5654 KITE! Member: Kite Trade Assn. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =