BF>>    So it all boils down to your definition of the word "rank" 
 BF>> then?

 ml> no... not /my/ definition of the word... the definition as used 
 ml> by those who wrote the document and in the geographical area in 
 ml> which the document was written...

 BF>    So. as usual, the rest of the world is expected to adopt the 
 BF> US way? Figures...

no, not in the way you are trying to take it... P4 and fidonet were created
here in the US... that part is true... policy says that if you are a part
of the network, you agree to abide by policy... that part is true... if you
don't, then leave the network otherwise your participation is nothing more
than a farce... sorry but that the way it is >... if
you want to play rugby, you play by the rules if not then you don't play or
you are playing a different game and aren't on any rugby team just like not
being part of the fidonet "team" (aka network)...

 ml> ie: a former president is still called "Mr. President"

 BF>    You are obviously confusing "title" with
"rank" here. Surely
 BF> you'll not get far, if you claim that Bill Clinton is still the
 BF> highest *ranking* politician in the US, do you think?

you are obviously using another definition of "rank" than the one
intended... not my problem, really ;)

 BF>    But, what the heck, if you really believe what you write above,
 BF> what's the difference than when it comes to an IC? With the
 BF> practice you advocate, surely Ward should still be called "Mr. IC",
 BF> or what's the big difference here? 

he could be just as other former ICs are sometimes recognized as such... i
guess it depends on the situation and the parties involved ;)

 ml> is not a former kind or queen still called "King" or
"Queen"??

 BF>    Of course not, stupid! This is a completely different world,
 BF> remember! An ex King, Queen, Prime Minister, #1 rank tennis player,
 BF> or whatever, is still nothing but an ex.

so an ex-general is not still referred to as "General"??

 ml> many retired military personel are still called/known by their military
 ml> rank...

 BF>    Really? So an officer, that's been degraded to a private, still
 BF> holds an officer's rank? Well, then, that could explain why the US
 BF> still hasn't won a single war, ever...

nonononononononononono... that is not what i said... i said _retired_
officer... or did you miss that very important word?

)\/(ark