Date:         Thu, 6 Oct 2005 20:38:04 -0700
Reply-To:     Björn Ratjen <Bjorn@IGLIDE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Björn Ratjen <Bjorn@IGLIDE.NET>
Subject:      is it a van or a pet and do I really need round tires?
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1

Ohmygod,

I am in an identity crisis. I do not know what car/van/rv/motorhome I own. 
Some people have named their vanagons, does this make them a pet? Do they 
now need paws instead of tires? I know a Westy named "Madeline" with 
stately antlers, would she or he qualify for hoofs? Should tires be softer 
for garage use? Should I have square tires for storage?

Van-agon seems to contain the word "van" as a description of the vehicle 
classification and "agon" may represent the word agony. This certainly 
would represent my feelings when I read some of the threads here. It also 
shows that we have to learn how limited communication by email is. Would 
people insult each other in a discussion about the classification of their 
vehicle when they are face to face? Probably only when they had too much to 
drink or took the wrong substance. Ask yourself: what's your point? There 
are facts, there are opinions and there are beliefs. Could we separate 
those please?

It easy to misinterpret what has been written in an email. It happened to 
me recently too and I felt worse to tick someone off than any satisfaction 
from the want to be right.

I was quiet on this list for a long time and may be I should reconsider:
"Si tacuisses philosophus mansisses" or loosely translated: if you would 
have kept your mouth shut I could have considered you a philosopher.

I know another saying which translates:
engage brain before activating mouth

Applied to today it may mean: think before you let your fingers go wild.

At the current rate I think we could have an excellent discussion about the 
right color for our vanagon without tangible results.

Aargh,

Björn

P.S. Vanagons and similar vehicles come from Volkswagen's "Nutzfahrzeuge" 
division which literally means "use" (not used) "drive" "things" or 
vehicles for commercial use like trucks. Hum, I wonder what commercial use 
could be made from a Westy ........? Oh, well someone can kick off another 
sideways discussion here.



Björn Ratjen, Ph.D.
Cobble Hill, B.C.
phone/fax (250) 743-7575