At 10:27 10/27/2004, Tim Demarest wrote:
>IMAO...

Huh?  Oh.  Special Acronym, right.  Sorry, it still looks like Laughing My
A** Off to me...blame my lysdexia or something.

>Specific technical details of engine conversions are great reading, and
>fair fodder for this list.

Agree.

>The whole issue of the "best" engine for your
>vanagon is pointless... it's your machine, do what *you* want with it! The
>engine you think is best for your van *is* the best... for your van. The
>engine someone else thinks is best *is* best... for their van.

I have to disagree here.  Primus, it implies that if I have not formed an
opinion then there is NO best engine for my van.  Secundus, it equates the
effort each of us makes to balance our various necessities for the best
result, with success in that effort.  And intertwined in there somewhere it
seems to make engineering a somehow pointless profession -- if everyone's
regardless-of-expertise opinion is automatically correct -- for them --
what's a poor engineer to do?

>Any attempts to belittle or convert those who believe differently is a
>purely religious matter, and should be kept *off* the list... IMAO

I agree with the sentiment but would like to rephrase it (and *would* you
quit cackling?  Oh, right -- truth-in etc.  ;->).  How about:  "IMO
Reasoned discussion pro and con engineering issues is welcome, but
'religious' wars or tirades are not -- and we must be vigilant and
self-disciplined in this lest the bad drive out the good.  Belittling
others for this or any reason is offensive and beneath our dignity as
listmembers."  Ok, yours reads better...maybe you can help the words in mine?

cheers,
d

--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage," '85 GL "Poor Relation"