Wednesday, September 30, 1998

Strolling Along the Cyber Sidewalk
by Jean Macaulay [email protected]

Walk down the sidewalk of any city and you're likely to encounter the oddities of your fellow citizens.

Who hasn't been distracted by the rantings of a doomsday poet or the offended mumblings of someone jostled by another pedestrian? What happens when your concentration is assaulted by a street corner hypester, hawking wares of dubious origin or crying over a political cause? You shrug off the intrusion and continue about your business. You don't feel the need to respond because it would only delay you from getting to your destination.

The cyber streets of Fool Message Boards are no different from our city streets. They are just as ecumenical. The noisy and the disgruntled pass through, bumping into serious folks with a purpose. Hypesters position themselves on the busiest corner hoping for a pigeon to fall for whatever scheme they're selling today.

What baffles me is why so many intelligent people who wouldn't slow their sidewalk stroll to look at a three-card monte game, much less stop to pursue a lengthy conversation with the participants, don't apply the same judgement when it comes to our stock folders.

The Fool's company message boards are but a microcosm of the world at large. They can be a wonderful road map for getting to your destination, but you'll get there faster (and saner) if you avoid rubbernecking at every distraction along the route.

The light is green. Look both ways and proceed with caution.

[Hey Fools, why not pen a Fribble, yourself? We welcome submissions from readers. Just click here and read the "What's a Fribble?" item, pen a short masterpiece, and send it off to TMF [email protected].]

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