You don't suppose that you're taking all of this just a bit too seriously? I mean, come on, for one there was the joking about the plane crash, that's not meant to offend anyone, and no, I wouldn't be offended if someone was to joke about a plane crash involving Creed (hell, people joke about "killing the atheist", i.e. me, all the time, and that doesn't bother me, why should I be offended by someone joking about the death of a few people that I don't even know (but still admire and respect and all of that)?)

"...I have always said if you have nothing nice to say then don't say anythin at all..."

Do you know what that phrase originally meant? Not that we shouldn't say anything inoffensive, but rather that we shouldn't say anything offensive without also being able to simultaneously say something inoffensive. And, A) It is not, nor has it ever been, my intent to offend anyone on the list (well, maybe Ross...), and B) as you say yourself, there is nothing wrong with opposing opinions. Let's look at this logically. If I say that I do not like, for instance, In Sync, and you say that you do like In Sync, merely because your opinion is a defensive position to mine does not give it any "right-of-way". If I love someone that hates me, that person's opinion of me is no less valid than mine of hers just because it (figuratively) "attacks" mine. So whilst you stand for free speech, remember that in the process you must remember the freedom of speech that is ergo attributed to your philosophical "adversaries". Elsewise, as an extreme example, you have a society that can love but that cannot hate and thus loses any distinction of what love is.

Anyway...hope that wasn't too long-winded. Yes, we do have an express opinion of speech and thought (hypothetically, in the legal sense, but I'm not going to get in to that), but that includes both offensive and inoffensive thoughts.

Hmmm...if Nightstorm is the "list mechanic", I'm thinking of establishing myself as "list philospher"...

Jackson Wade Crawford - The Raven of Texas/ Corvvs Texanis/ Kruk Teksasu
International Director, Corvist Association for the Preservation and Perpetuation of Free Will

I will admit that some boy bands are corporate money makers, like that show making the band and O-Town. With them they did not know each other beforehand, they got put together and put out a cd and the only reason that they are famous is because of the show, they have no background, no friendships before they were famous, no blood sweat and tears of working your ass off for years trying to get your music out there. They will not last I don't think, and frankly they do not sound all that good, they need alot of work. Now if you knew the backgroundbehind Nsync, you would not be so quick to judge. They have known each other for years, they worked in clubs playing for ten people trying to get their music out there, they struggled for a long time, they didn't have instant fame, they scouted for their own record companies, they are their own band. I cannot speak for BSB because I am really not a fan of theirs. But they were not put together to be a corporate money maker, ! they put them selves together. I don't expect anybody to agree with me on this, but like Kat I get irritated when people talk bad about soemthing they know nothin about. I don't know about you Kat, but I get so much slack for liking Nsync, and other pop stuff. people tell me that I have no taste in music, or how coul I possibly be a fan of both rock and pop. I love Creed and other bands for their meaningful lyrics and just cause rock music is awesome, I love pop because its fun, and pop performers are so fun to watch. I am not starting anything here, just putting in my two cents as well, and I have always said if you have nothing nice to say then don't say anythin at all, if its disgusts you that bad then its not worth talking about.

Nikki