Too Much To Dream

Hello Andrea,

Actually I searched on Google for you. Don't know much about URLs and things like that.

The comment you have censored was entirely inoffensive, and was in fact supportive of your position. For the edification of the reader (who gets here ahead of the censor's scissors) my comment likened the anti-Potter crusade to the anti-rock 'n roll crusade of earlier times.

Andrea, why are you so bitter and defensive?

Or is it there some deeper sadness? In which case I extend my sympathies.

If you meant to be "supportive," you sure weren't clear about it.

And fake pity really isn't a way to get into my good graces either. Nor -- if I may repeat myself -- is the cutesy, mock-ominous "found you" fake email address. If you think I am too paranoid, do a Google search (since you know what that means, at least) for stories of trolls and internet stalkers and so on. You awakened my suspicions. I am glad to know that you had no ill intentions, but I don't know you, and I have had lots of trouble from trolls and sickos in the past.

I may or may not put your comment back if I reread it and decide that it does have something to do with the post after all. While I deleted it from the site I still have it stored.

Hmmm.

The reason for the "found you" was because I was "looking for" you. Nothing sinister at all.

I was impressed at the job you have done with Tim Blair's site and wanted to see if it's a service you offer more widely. (Even to non-oppressors like me).

But now you've got me nervous, given the virtual violence of your reaction, so I'll remain Nemesis, if you don't mind.

I already put a comment back, though I don't know if it exactly replicates the other one. Nothing pterribly rofound (I seldom do profound) just a simple sentiment of agreement with what you were saying.

pterribly rofound = terribly profound, btw. Did I mention I can't type either?

Your replacement comment was clearer. Your previous one -- "Ah ha. And where exactly do you stand on rock and roll music, I wonder? Don't you know it's a SLIPPERY SLOPE?" -- seemed to be directed at me. It was not clear that you were actually directing the comments to the third party in the conversation (the Harry Potter haters).

Well, I'm glad we've cleared up that misunderstanding. I'll try not to be funny next time. Now that I've realised you are American, I will try to be more literal, which is sometimes necessary, as Pythonesque silliness obviously is less than effective for some readers.

Ah ha! Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

(God, I hope that's not construed as an insult - it's just that one does sometimes have to modify one's style for one's audience)

Anyways, I hope I am not the cause of your ISP labels. This would seem to discourage free speech, though I do understand your concerns.

But then, this is not my PC anyway.

Actually, no, you are not the cause of the ISP-showing policy. I just happened to remember that there was a Movable Type tag that allows that information to be displayed. I had seen it on done on some other blogs as well. I am always trying to think of new ways to scare off trolls, and this one seems to involve the least work on my part. As for "freedom of speech" being thereby "discouraged" -- well, I have already offered to post comments sent to me by email by those who don't want their IPs to show.

On the subject of sense of humor differing between countries and cultures, I have found that that is true. Actually, most American humor tends to be rather sarcastic and often dry -- mine is dry as dust, and sometimes I believe that I am too dry for the internet. American humor doesn't always travel well. For example: when David Letterman went to England for a special segment, the British audience had trouble warming up to his humor at first. (I read a print article about it in the years BTI -- Before The Internet.) At that time (the 80s?) a lot of British humor was more overt, and more openly ribald than American humor. (Of course, I am depending upon what was fed to us here, Benny Hill and Python and so on -- and when I went to England in 1981, I found that books on toilet humor were rather more proudly displayed in stores than they were over on my side of the pond. We tend -- or tended -- to consider that sort of humor to be rather childish. The concern in American humor -- as it is in almost every aspect of culture over here -- is appearing "cool" and "hip" -- and toilet humor is rarely considered the best route to that sort of status.)

I believe that the UK has caught up, at least as regards the subtle mockery thing we have such a jones for here, if the episodes of The Office that I have seen on BBCAmerica are any indication. And the popularity of Andrew Dice Clay, sitcoms like Married With Children, and current fave Howard Stern seem to indicate that over here we have had a sea change (or some sort of change) in our idea of what is humorous.