JB> When I first started on Fido, we had a crachety moderator on a city-wide
JB> Gardening echo. When I wrote "Crotching" one day to
describe a trees growth
JB> tendency, she hit the roof, *it* hit the fan, and she exposed herself as a
JB> numbskull. Ever since, I'm rather reluctant to push limits.

I was in an echo once that wouldn't even allow f*ck sh** and the like. . .

So I responded with:

THE ASTERISK EXPLAINED

It's silly... I've seen echoes & BBSs that forbid using asterisked out
words to stand for expletives... Here, possibly for the first time, are
revealed the real meanings behind the asterisked out words I use:

1.F***
        The original 4 letter"_F_ Word" (FOUL) used as in SNAFU:
        "Situation Normal: All Fouled Up" or as in FUBAR: "Fouled Up
        Beyond All Recognition"

2.F***
        Used in a semi-confrontational phrase, "Forget you!"; Why are
        there asterisks only to show a 4 letter word? Because of the
        notoriety of FOUL, the whole concept of a 4 letter 'F' word has
        more appeal to those who wish to be as offensive as possible.
3.F***
        Used as in "F*** off!" is merely designating a phrase
for, "Fly
        off!" as in "go fly off the handle" meaning you wish for the
        other person to get so irate that they lose all intelligent
        control of themselves.
4.F***
        Used as in the phrase, "You dumb F***!" this is substituting for
        "Fowl"(see #1)
5.Bullsh*t
        This derives from American fans of Mexican bullfighting, who
        were there to see someone get gored, or the bull get speared.
        Some wimpy bullfighters would bring in a small silenced pistol
        when fighting, so if it looked possibly fatal, they'd shoot the
        bull.  This, of course, made the whole fight's entertainment
        value quite useless, thus the association of bullshot with
        something of little or no value.
6.Sh*t
        something that is "shot"(see #5) has little or no value.
7.Bi*ch
        BIRCH -- used to refer to a female person who isn't liked too
        much.  The birch tree is a very slim tree; As everyone knows,
        the REAL(& GOOD) women have extra 'meat' on their bones, so an
        undesirable woman is the one comparable to a BIRCH.
8.D*mn
        DUMB -- yes, I know the asterisked version is spelled with an
        'N' on the end. This is to show an association with LIMN(to
        paint(a picture)" because at one time an artist was of little
        value to his community, since we all know that art isn't a REAL
        job!
9.c*nt
        Should be obvious -- CAN'T.  If you say "can't" you're being
        extremely negative. (sometimes with reason.) The association
        with the female pudenda derives from frustrated roues who were
        unable to gain such prize as they desired because far too many
        women were on to these lowlifes' lascivious & short-term intent.
10.p*ss
        PASS - as in to pass water(urinate)
11.n****r
        someone who is merely a NUMBER is anyone who is treated without
        respect.  The beauty of this supposedly pejorative term is that
        it casts a bad light upon those who USE the term, not those
        being referred to by the term.
c*ck
        a cock is a rooster.  Everyone knows that the rooster just
        struts around the barnyard, but it's the HEN who delivers the
        goods. This can be an analogy for certain reproductive
        equipment(presumably test tubes?)  Certainly being compared to a
        mere ROOSTER isn't the nicest thing to be, but it's hardly an
        OFFENSIVE thing!

I hope this little explanation of supposedly offensive terms has been of
service to you... :)

Because I care,
|<+]::-)  (Cyberpope(the Bishop of ROM!))


... nfx v3.1 Lighten up, Everybody! Life ain't even PERMANENT!               

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