Gremlins; WAC talk (1944); Lookit; Melanie's etymology page

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

In a message dated 6/13/99 6:13:04 PM, flanigan at OAK.CATS.OHIOU.EDU writes:

<< At 10:02 PM 6/12/99 -0400, Barry Popik wrote (re. "Melanie"):
>    However, she does photograph well.
>
Would you say the same thing about a man in a (supposedly) scholarly comment?
>>

I take it that Flanigan is criticizing Popik for putatively sexist talk? I
think that is somewhat unfair--by characterizing Popik's review as
"scholarly," Flanigan takes Popik's comment out of context: what he e-mailed
us is a light-hearted, if VERY negative, commentary written in a casual style
(in which, among other things, "Melanie" is referred to as a complete
"twit"). I read Popik's "she does photograph well" as merely a way of
criticizing "Melanie" for publishing a column that has little to recommend it
but her attractive face. So, yes, I think I might well "say the same thing
about a man" in an e-mail that attempts to do what Barry does. Empty-headed
twitism has no sexual boundaries, and both males and females who hide their
empty-headedness behind a pretty face deserve to be chided.