Stuart A. Bronstein <spamtrap[at]lexregia.com> wrote:

- quote -

Close enough, I think; it certainly invites discussion
(well, explanation, which will garner competing explanation,
etc. is discussion).

Seth

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MTW wrote:
- quote -

Ah good! Here's one for you.

Non Sequitur is a comic strip in our local paper, also
syndicated in, among others, the Washington Post (I have NO
idea whether or not it is in the Noo Yawk Toms) So if your
local paper has it, take a look. I tried to view it online
but somehow comics just don't come through on this computer.

anyway, it's about a little girl (11 years old maybe) and
her horse, her constant companion. Yesterday she thought
she had found her calling in life, i.e. to become an IRS
agent.

Today's strip shows her and her horse wearing dark glasses,
sitting at a booth, waiting for people to come. Nobody in
sight. Underneath on the desk is a sign: "Tax Auditing,
25 cents", and the horse opines: "I guess the private sector
isn't the answer for everything."

(big grin!)

comments anyone? Well, I liked it.

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford

Moderator:
Harlan, mon ami, you have finally gotten something from
the horse's mouth <g
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"MTW" <mtwingcpa[at]yahoo.com> wrote:
- quote -

I don't know that I can go along with that. ;-)

Stu

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- quote -

Ah, but is it "discussion"?

Stu

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Victor Roberts wrote:

- quote -

I guess we will have to agree to disagree on what might
constitute appropriate rules and safeguards for this group.

MTW

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Harlan Lunsford wrote:

- quote -

And assuming you actually ~explain~ that in your post, I
would have no objection (unless your comment is simply
perfunctory, like "Gee, I wonder if anyone might be
interested in this?"). Again, my objection is to the posting
of links with no substantive comment or explanation
accompanying them.

In some cases, of course, it might be more appropriate to
send the link privately to the persons in question.

MTW

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

Harlan Lunsford wrote:

- quote -

Harlan, I have never suggested that people shouldn't ask
questions (unless related to tax software support or other
"off topic" areas). I have only suggested that people
shouldn't post links without substantive comment.

MTW

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Stuart A. Bronstein wrote:

- quote -

That sounds like great advice if you are trying to start a
dating club. <grin> But, I question whether that is an
appropriate paradigm for what is ~supposed~ to be a
professional-level discussion group.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

MTW

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- quote -

"I can't understand this" is itself a comment.

Seth

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MTW" <mtwingcpa[at]yahoo.com> wrote:

- quote -

I can't remember a single instance when a link to an article
was posted in this forum as bait for a flame war.

--
Vic Roberts
Replace xxx with vdr in e-mail address.

Moderator:
I check all links because a few years ago some slipped a
porn cite past me.

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

MTW wrote:
- quote -

If I see a story that I think might interest someone who
practices in an area which I don't, I won't hesitate to
mention it on the air.

Maybe a story about expatriates? Perhaps Williams will be
interested, even though I'm not.

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA

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MTW wrote:
- quote -

Well, next time IRS announces a new position which I don't
understand, and therefore can't comment on, I will refrain
from asking opinions thereupon.

Of course when that happens I'll probably will have
forgotten what I just said.

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford, EA in LA

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- quote -

I should have said "bait for a flame war" rather than "spam."

MTW

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"MTW" <mtwingcpa[at]yahoo.com> wrote:
- quote -

In real life discussions often begin with a minimalist kind
of comment:

"Hi."
"Nice party."
"Wow, this weather!"

But those are all invitations to a discussion. If you
ignore those in real life you'll seldom if ever get to know
anyone you don't already know, and miss out on many
interesting discussions that might actually allow you to
learn something.

Stu

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Jonathan Kamens wrote:

- quote -

But, would it be too much to expect the poster to briefly
state WHY they thought the story was interesting? That's
really all I'm asking for: a SUBSTANTIVE discussion element.

MTW

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Stuart A. Bronstein wrote:

- quote -

Not to split hairs, but no I don't. In my view, an
"invitation" to discuss is not a "discussion." And, indeed,
it may simply turn out to be an invitation to a flame war. I
don't think it is too much to expect people to include a
SUBSTANTIVE discussion element in a message.

MTW

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Stuart A. Bronstein wrote:
- quote -

Perhaps we all should be sent to reeducation camps if we do
not agree with him.

--
Frederick E. Jorden http://Tax-Accounting-Payroll.com
7825 Midlothian Tpk - 207 Richmond, VA 23235-5247
EMAIL knowtax[at]bigfoot.com
(804) 320-6210 FAX (804) 320-6211

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- quote -

Please, let's not muddy the waters by misusing terminology.
Spam is a very specific thing, and this ain't it.

Not only is calling this spam a misuse of the term, I think
it's massively unfair to the person who posted the link
which we're discussing. I mean, come on, lots of people
consider spammers to be the lowest form of live on earth
(besides tax protesters), I mean real scum, and it's just
not nice to call something someone did spamming just because
it's not the kind of posting of which you approve.

- quote -

Yes, that's true, but as Miss Manners points out, one of the
best ways to start a discussion is to refer to a current
news story (as long as it has nothing to do with religion or
politics :-) to find out if others find it as interesting as
you do. Viewed in that way, posting a link to a news story
is just someone saying, "Hey, I thought this was
interesting, you might too; if you do, let's talk about it!"

I think the people who are criticizing this practice are
being way too harsh. If you don't want to bother to follow
the link, fine, don't follow it, but there are people here
who find such pointers interesting and don't mind following
them and then discussing them.

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- quote -

My GAWD! I wish I hadn't egged him on.

Moderator: ROTFLMAO

At LEAST now the mighty O's have an albatross
around their neck; the SO SO Sosa!

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA

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"MTW" <mtwingcpa[at]yahoo.com> wrote:

- quote -

But the dissemination of relevant information may be
intended to commence discussion. You don't think that would
qualify?

Stu

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